Legends of Belariath

Treesong

The Apprentice I - The Magic Armorer

Light, it flowed into the room like a bright torrent, flooding the area with brilliance, seeking darkness and shadow like a hungry predator. Gaea's huge sun dominated this room its image bright through the wall of windows facing it.

Two figures occupied the large enclosure, both were tall, winged creatures and each faced the other. The one seated was older, his body and even wings covered in runic tattoos. The younger stood facing him across a large table, the room's sole piece of furniture, His body was as bare of decoration as his companion's was covered. Involuntarily, he had raised one hand to shade his eyes from the brilliant sun.

”Does light bother you, young man?” the seated figure asked quietly. “I find light is necessary to our art, do you agree?

”I have just come from the cellars, Venerable, my eyes have not adapted fully, “ the younger man replied with some nervousness.

”You would not be alone in preferring darkness, though, most do in fact but I am somewhat unusual,” the older man leaned back, “Indeed, I am known for my strange practices, tell me, why do you wish to work for such an odd old man.”

”You are odd mainly in your level of achievement and skill, Venerable, the best is never common. If your techniques are different it is because lesser men cannot master them.”

The older man smiled, “Your mind is facile, as this says,” he indicated the paper before him on the table, “but you lack the skill to flatter discreetly…. No matter, that is not high among the talents I seek,” He leaned forward again, ,”this paper says you are quick to learn, skilled of hand and fit of body. At least five such apply to me every day. Why should I choose you.?”

”Because I will do you the best service and credit Venerable, because I am an opportunity to better yourself and even one as astute as you should always seek to higher goals. Others will seek to mine your talents and knowledge, I wish to improve them.”

The older man cocked an eyebrow but made no comment. “Your name,” he said slowly, “is unusual. Treesong is old and respected but Howard and …Alan? These are positively…otherworldly.”

The younger man visibly controlled a reaction, “..they are…very old, Venerable. Favorites in my family for generations.”

”No doubt, and very mellifluous…” He shut the scroll with a snap and looked up. “I will expect you here promptly at morningtide two days hence,” he said, rising. “I am sure you will excuse me now, I am called elsewhere.” Without another word he left the room, leaving the young man staring at his empty chair

The tall Magi entered the large and very bright room at the hour appointed. Two figures were already within. One was the older Magi Howard had talked to previously the other was much smaller and covered entirely in a long floor length robe.

”Ah, my apprentice,” said the taller Magi. “Punctual and ready, it seems, but I expected no less.” He indicated an anvil on wheels which had not been in the room before. Tongs, a hammer and an ingot of silver were on it. “Your work awaits,” he said and returned to his closeted discussion with the other figure.

Howard strode to the anvil and moved the lever which dropped the gargantuan iron tool to the floor so it would not move when struck. Once again this mysterious figure was here and once again he would have another day of drudgery.

For three months now, this had been his routine, the same from the very first day. He entered, he found the ingot and was told it must be beaten “to coin width”, From then on, not one word would be exchanged between him and either figure. They would leave the room soon and return soon thereafter. Oftentimes they would discuss some subject very quietly and sometimes they worked together at the huge table on projects they again, did not discuss. Mostly though, he was left alone with his thoughts, the ringing hammer and the silver ingot. By the end of the day a flat sheet of silver, the thickness of half his thumbnail and about 4 feet square, was the product of his labors. At this point he was given a pair of metal shears and told to cut the sheet into strips. After that he put it in a furnace where it was melted and poured out into a mold, producing the same ingot he had started with. Then he levered up the anvil, removed it, the ingot and the tools to a small anteroom and his master would bid him good night.

There was one difference actually, and he had come to look forward to it since it was the only real change in this unending routine of hard work. The hooded figure was actually not there but about once a week. Most days he worked alone from morning to night.

He had asked what was the purpose of this strange behavior or at least he had begun to but the look of his master when he began had stopped him and he had never tried again.

He sighed and removed his jacket and shirt, stripping to the waist for the heat of the work and the bright sunlight always produced a sheen of sweat on him within minutes which stayed throughout the day. Soon the ringing, which he heard now in his dreams at night had started once again as the hammer in his hand rose and fell.

About an hour later, he looked up to see the hooded figure watching him. This had happened before, starting about a week ago. Soon, it would withdraw, its manner was clear that it wished no conversation and Howard, at this point, had none to spare. Silently, the figure moved behind him, if all went as before it would watch for a few minutes and move on.

The next second, as he lifted the hammer he felt a hand, warm, small and delicate, touch his shoulder. So startled he dropped the heavy short handled instrument onto the floor and turned about to face the figure who backed away slightly as his master came running up.

”Come now, what is this, Howard.. you are not fatigued are you?” In the entire time he had been here this was the first time he had been asked this question.

”I,..he..” he bent to pick up the 5 pound hammer, then the figure spoke and he jerked erect, a woman's voice.

”I think he may be ready now, “ as she spoke she threw back the heavy robe's hood and revealed a face of surpassing and exotic beauty. Large liquid green eyes, intense and intelligent, regarded him unabashedly over the small and straight nose and the tiny but very full lips. Long hair, as white as snow fell to her shoulders and beyond.

”Capital” said the master, “ I was wondering what was taking so long. Howard, meet Alice Wroke, she is going to teach you to work in gold.”

The ringing from the large room was a cacophony. The two figures making it worked together like musicians and the composition had a rhythm all its own. The one larger, had a two handed hammer and struck the blows which rang heavy and loud, muscles rippling in shoulders and back as he wielded the great instrument. The other, much smaller, struck a counterpoint with the hammer she held in one hand, striking the red hot billet she was holding with tongs in her other hand. The billet was the object of attention here. Soon, both stopped and she handed the tongs to Howard then followed him to the furnace, falling automatically to working the bellows as he rammed the hot metal into the forge.

”It will be ready soon, “ she said, a little breathlessly.

”No” came the reply, “..the color isn't right, too yellow, two more heats then quench it in the water and vinegar mixture

She straightened, the bellows stopping as she let them go. “So, the student becomes the master already?”

”I…it…” the tall Magi trailed off.

The woman chuckled slightly, “you should, we have been making these blades for a month now and that was something I noticed you picked up on the first day.” She tied off the bellows, “let it heat for a while, I have something I want to try later.” She walked to the large table in the very well lit room and poured wine for herself and the young Magi.. “Tell me of gold, Howard.”, she said, handing him a golden goblet.

”The Queen of all metals, “ he said automatically. He looked up at her liquid green eyes, a good student gauging the effect on his teacher of a lesson well learned.. “The Shining Dawn, its beauty incorruptible by time or substance.” Once again he was struck by how truly beautiful this woman was. “ It can be drawn to a wire one atom across,” Standing before him, stripped to the waist, nipples hard on firm and erect globes, “or beaten to a sheet one atom thick.” The delicate features framed by golden hair falling to round and supple shoulders , “..it is the most electrically conductive of all metals,” The arms , whose slender muscularity bespoke a truly surprising strength. “and by the far the most workable.” The leather apron covering the leather pants she wore habitually, she was a vision, shining and golden herself.

”It is also,” he quaffed the wine thoughtfully, “the one metal I have not seen since I came here.”

”She smiled enigmatically, “..fetch me that pouch yonder.” When he did so she reached in one pocket and withdrew a delicate pair of wooden tongs with velvet on their pincers. Using these, she reached in the other pocket and drew forth a shining, yellow wonder.

”Gold leaf, “ said Howard, almost dismissively. “ I know it well. So thin it can be seen thru and cannot be touched or will be absorbed into the fingers. I had wondered how you handled it.”

”..and it plates itself to any metal it touches,” she continued.

”If enchanted correctly it cannot be penetrated, so over thin bronze it forms better protection than pure Mithril, and lighter as well, “ continued Howard, “..but the art of enchanting it is known to only a few.”

”Of whom one sits in this room, “ she completed. She smiled again at him. “Today, my sweet apprentice, we will make some, or at least we will try. She returned the leaf to the pouch, careful that one side remained covered with paper. Then from yet another pocket she drew forth a small ingot of gold. “..to quarter coin thickness,” she said, handing him the shiny metal, and left the room

Soon enough she returned. Howard looked up from the thin and large sheet of gold he had beat to her specifications within a few minutes. She had changed and bathed and Howard could smell a sweet perfume. She remained bare on top and the leather pants were different, much tighter and showing a strategically lascivious as well as baffling flash of bare skin between her legs in front and back as she moved. Over the last few months, working with her in the state of undress they had been was often…distracting, even though Magi women commonly went bare breasted the firm and very erect orbs set on a high rib cage over the slender, tight belly were still hard not to notice. He had flirted with her briefly but the student, master relationship and her studied indifference had canceled much beyond that

Now however, both her eyes and her knowing smile were anything but indifferent as she stepped close to him. “Cut the metal into squares just a little less than these,” she said, and handed him a pile of velvet scraps, all about 4X4. She did not step back after she had done so, but actually leaned in a little closer and let one hand seem to idly brush one of his bare arms. Looking up to his eyes she flashed perfect teeth and then stepped away with a little giggle.

Howard sighed and stepped back to the anvil beginning to cut the soft metal under her watchful gaze. Twice she made minor corrections as Howard eye's kept finding their way to her form seemingly by themselves alone. Becoming increasingly aware of his now very hard member straining the binding of his own breeches he wondered if she had noticed it though it would be wonder indeed if she had not.

It took almost an hour to cut the huge number of small squares which the entire sheet was reduced to, even with folding it like piece of paper to cut more than one at once. As he cut them, by her instructions, he placed each square in a sandwich of cloth. At the end he had what appeared a huge pile of velvet and gold, 500 sheets between 1000 pieces of velvet.

Directing him to place it on the anvil, she turned and her tight buttocks rounded perfectly as she reached for a hammer in the rack. It was a large one, nearly 10 lbs on a very short handle. Handing it to him she directed him to begin beating the velvet-gold stack, holding it by one corner with a pair of light tongs.

The hammer was heavier than any Howard had handled one handedly and the huge soft stack absorbed his blows like a pillow so that soon he felt an ache beginning in his forearm and extending upwards. At about the same time Alice, who had been standing across from him to hold the stack, stepped around the front of the anvil and ran her hand over his forearm. The sensation caused a thrill, unlike any Howard had felt before, to run from his arm throughout his whole body, especially his ever stiffening member, but it did not seem to be Alice's intention this time.

”Let the hammer do the work, “ she said quietly.”You're absorbing the bounce in the stack instead of using it.” Her fingers stayed on his forearm, moving with the limb but their intention was not lascivious, though very pleasant. “Let the hammer rise with the bounce and fall of itself.” She had stepped around behind him now, her arm still on his, guiding, even helping some but mainly using her fingers and arm surface to feel the muscles tightening in his. “That's it, “ she said quietly, “only exert force to lift the hammer a little more at the end of the bounce, the rest of the time you are merely an arm.

The gold is guiding the hammer now, can you feel it?” She had stepped around behind him now, almost whispering in his ear.

As the hammer continued its rise and fall Howard began to fall into an easy rhythm. He wondered if what he felt was the gold or Alice. Her firm warmth was pressed against him now. He could feel her soft hair on his shoulders and her warm sex pressing further below.

”Notice how it comes out at the edges,” said Alice. “Normally we would cut them off as they grow, but we are enchanting this batch and must not stop. Look at the edges, do they have a light of their own yet..

”No..o..” I don't think so,” said Howard, “ should they?”

”No, not yet, sweet apprentice,” said Alice, “we have some hours to go, try to enjoy yourself.” Her arm was still on his but the touch was now a good deal more enjoyable than instructional and her other arm was now around his waist, idly rubbing his tight abdominal musculature, “but keep your mind on your work,”.

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