* * *
Joe considered Garnedell’s last statement with some confusion. He just didn’t understand what Garnedell was trying to explain. How is it any difference? The apprentice has to do whatever the Master says. The slave has to do anything the Master says. What’s the difference? They both have to do what their Master says. Should I keep pressing for an answer? Joe remained lost in his thoughts a good few moments as he was forced to cautiously cross the monster zone of the first floor before finally reaching the first floor safety zone.
Now finally out of any more danger for the rest of their journey, Joe felt comfortable enough to look towards Garnedell to continue asking about the differences between apprenticeships and slavery but then noticed the siblings seemed quite uncomfortable. He took a closer look at Garnedell and noticed that he seemed a bit nervous. Huh. Maybe the topic is uncomfortable? Sure is uncomfortable for me. If masters have this much power over their apprentices… Of course, I would be really uncomfortable to tell a man he has that much control of me. No wonder the three are feeling a bit freaked out. Alright, let’s calm them down a bit.
“You don’t need to worry! I’m not going to take advantage of you guys. I’m totally going to treat you guys right, OK?”
Joe smiled as disarmingly as he could and saw the relief flush over them as shy smiles came to all three faces. Joe nodded for a bit then turned back to what he was trying to figure out in the first place.
“OK. I’m sorry about that, you three. I didn’t mean to bother you, but … let me just explain what happens with my people, OK?”
The three quickly nodded and Joe began, “Right. So. For my people, we just teach, that is all. There is nothing else a teacher is to do for the students. The students must care for themselves, otherwise. But, well, Garnedell make… wait… Hmm,” Joe paused a bit to think for a little, gathering thoughts before beginning again, ‘OK. Let’s try this. My people today only teach. Nothing else. A long time again, my people taught, but were also required to care for their apprentices as well, including food, clothing, housing… basically everything they would need to be alive. I’m not sure… what I’m supposed to do here. I’m helping Garnedell in the second way now, only because he… well, he seems to need the help,” Joe looked to Garnedell, hiding his anger at himself for revealing this while trying to look apologetically at him. Garnedell seemed to take it well enough and Joe felt relieved, the tension in his shoulders relaxing allowing them to drop a bit before turning to the two lizard kids.
“So… But anyway, I don’t know if that’s what I’m supposed to do? Is that normal? Do you two now become my responsibility? I need to take care of food, clothing, and a place to stay?”
The two lizard kids flickered their eyes towards one another, seemingly a bit embarrassed before they dropped their eyes away from Joe’s. Joe easily read their embarrassment and quickly grew concerned as he felt uncertain how to respond. Maybe I’ve embarrassed their feeling of independence? Or they don’t want to leave their town or friends and family? Joe quickly opened his mouth to comfort them, not wishing them to feel like they were required to follow him around if they didn’t want to. Must be the whole, ‘apprentices must completely obey their masters’ crap! Even as he stretched a hand out to comfort the two, Zilnek quickly interrupted, a look of fear easily read on his face.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“We’re sorry to be a burden, master. We could, “Zilnek quickly glanced at his sister again, “try to care for our own needs: clothing and food. Please do not reject us as your apprentices. We will find… we will care for ourselves! I promise we will not be a burden!” Fear quickly transformed to yearning as Zilnek looked to Joe with Kilniara was nodding in complete agreement.
Joe had been ready to interrupt Zilnek rather quickly but when he’d heard how Zilnek had interpreted Joe’s statement, Joe had been so stunned that he was unable to push through his interruption and ended up stopping in the stairwell to the surface and turned to face the three completely.
“Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey! I’m not saying anything like that! I can easily take care of you if you need it, alright? Seriously, just,” Joe’s train of thought derailed as he decided to show something quite a bit more concrete and slipped his backpack to the floor and flipped it open before digging deep inside to find his back full of cores. These are pretty expensive, from what I understand. Maybe if I show them this they will feel a bit more relieved about being taken care of.
He quickly glanced around, looking up and down the stairwell before looking to Garnedell, “Is there anyone coming from above?” He then looked to Zilnek before continuing his questioning, “Below?”
Garnedell raced up the stairs a couple steps to look around the corner while Zilnek did the same although with a bit more confusion. Garnedell obviously recognizes the core bag. Joe waited for a bit for them to come back and when both shook their heads no, Joe opened his bag of slime and spark cores.
“Look! See! You’re fine. I can easily take care of you. Don’t worry! I just don’t want to offend or bother you or your family by doing the wrong thing. I just… well… I don’t know what to do. Am I supposed to take care of you, then fine! I will. Am I NOT supposed to? Then I won’t. I just need to know!” Joe finished firmly.
Garnedell looked on with quite a bit more calm, although he still seemed a bit dazzled by the sight of all the cores. I mean… that makes sense. Anyone would freak out at seeing a million dollars lying around, even if they’ve seen it a couple times before! Zilnek and Kilniara were completely overwhelmed, staring with mouths agape without moving. Joe rolled the bag around in his hands a few times before quickly slipping the draw string shut once more and burying it deeply at the bottom of the bag.
“OK? You guys understand? I just need to know what I’m supposed to do with you,” Joe emphasized with quite intensity.
The two siblings did not answer, seemingly dumbstruck, but Garnedell interjected easily enough, “Good master… uh… um… well…”
“Go on. What is a good master? I really want to be a good teacher for you.”
“Well… a master should care for his apprentices.”
“And that includes food, clothing, and a place to stay?”
“Yes. And teaching and growing his apprentice in his job.”
“OK. I can see that. That’s fine by me. So then… do you have a place to stay? I know I invited you guys to the inn last night. I just wanted to make sure you were safe from the usurer, but… well… where do you guys normally stay? Do you have a place to sleep?”
The two still seemed thunderstruck, not hearing Joe’s words but Garnedell quickly stepped in and slapped the two a bit harshly on their shoulders. Joe quirked an eye a bit, surprised by Garnedell’s harshness and wondered whether to interject but didn’t really want to get into disciplining Garnedell about issues that were quite outside his area of responsibility in teaching Garnedell. The two lizard kids came out of their surprise and Joe had to repeat the question. The kids dropped their heads with some embarrassment before responding.
“We have a few friends we are staying at for the moment, but we are running out of those who would allow us to stay with them. We are wearing our stay thin. We try to move from each place before they become too upset, but…”
“Right. OK. Then you guys move in to the inn with us. Do we need to stop by and pick up your things? Anything you have that you want to keep?”
The two lizard kids looked up to Joe with shining eyes and Joe felt a bit uncomfortable with the hero worship that seemed to grace their faces. Going to have to cut that off quick! But Joe didn’t find any way he could bring this particular instance to an end and tried to quickly move on, trying to hide his discomfort. They took a bit to respond, seemingly unwilling to cause any inconvenience to Joe but he quickly realized that they had some things stashed away somewhere and he was feeling the will to act now and quickly directed the kids to give him directions.