It was the sort of glorious day that spring occasionally brings forth to surprise us all. Nedric had decided that nobody would really miss him and had left the keep as soon as he could get away. The path at the back of the keep led quickly into thin woodland and he was soon away from the sounds of woodsmen and axemen. The rich green trees contrasted well with the blues and whites of the forest flowers and the clear, brisk stream was a companion to the otherwise peaceful day. Even the birds seemed to have taken the day off and the world was as peaceful as Nedric could wish.
The plan was simple; in earlier explorations Nedric had found a pleasant and secluded glade, well away from the normal traffic around the area. Because it required a clamber over the rocks down which the stream fell as a minor cataract, the path was unlikely to be chosen by anyone on legitimate business. Nedric felt sure that he could have a day of peaceful relaxation, probably the last before the urgency of the next few weeks.
Making good progress through the reeds and sedges that grew beside the stream, Nedric soon reached the scramble of rocks. Jumping from one large stone to another, clambering over others and with the help of conveniently placed tree limbs, he climbed the twenty-foot or so of the rise in only a few minutes and with a spring in his step he marched onward towards his glade.
The spot he had selected was idyllic to his mind. The grass covering the glade was a short but fairly luxuriant growth. The soil underneath was a mixture of sand and tree debris. The combination of the two meant a soft and comfortable place to sit. On one side of the glade, a tree had fallen some time before and was of just the right shape that Nedric could sit with the trunk as a back rest and dangle his feet in the stream.
Laying the pack he had been carrying beside him, Nedric placed himself in a comfortable position. He took a book from his pack and sat down to read. It was warm in the sun and the effect of the heat and the studying was to have Nedric yawning and after an hour or so he gave in and napped.
* * *
He awoke sometime later and noticed something reflecting the sunlight into his face. Stretching, he went to see what was so shiny and found somewhat to his surprise that a brass shoe buckle was lying in the ground across the glade. The vegetation around the area looked slightly scuffed as though something had been dragged along the ground and Nedric followed the scuffmarks into a large bunch of bracken.
Some of the bracken was still lying broken; whatever had been pulled through here could not have been more than a few days ago. This really made Nedric curious. He would not have thought that anyone would have been in this area in quite a while, certainly most villagers would not have had the leisure or inclination to come out this way and it was an unlikely spot for anyone from the keep to visit.
Pushing his way into the mass of bracken, Nedric saw what at first glance looked like a prostrate scarecrow. It took a few moments for him to realise that it was actually the body of a man. The angles of the limbs were not natural, which was why at first he had not believed it could be a person.
The body was lying face down. It had obviously been dragged into that position by whoever had put it there. Turning it over Nedric was surprised to see that the face of the man, for a man it was, was not one he recognised. In the small community in which he lived, he thought he knew at least by sight all of the people around. The man had obviously been prosperous by the cut of his clothes and the quality of the material, which led Nedric to believe that the man was a noble or a merchant. The shoes, one of which had a matching buckle to the one that he had previously seen, were more in keeping with a noble. The sort of person who dressed for fashion rather than practicality.
The stab wounds that clearly showed through the white shirt of the man and the pallor of his face made Nedric feel slightly nauseous. He was quite surprised how calm he was, considering the unprecedented nature of this occurrence. In a way he felt quite proud of himself. He expected that most of the other students would have panicked by now.
Nedric had a dilemma. What should he do now? The obvious thing to do was to go back to the keep and report the body to the guards. The only problem with that was that they were likely to ask questions as to what he was doing there. Whilst Nedric had no problems with the guards knowing where he was, he was a little reluctant for any of the masters knowing he had left the grounds to get away from the others.
In the end Nedric decided that he would have to tell the guards about the body. He would have to hope that they would keep his involvement in finding the corpse out of the story. Keep gossip would let everyone know that a body had been found, but without the guards mentioning him he should not be connected with it. It wasn’t everyday a dead body turned up and his hope was that people would be thinking more about what killed the man rather than who found him.
Making his way back to the keep was a speedier thing than his route outwards had been. Nedric was aware that he would have to go out again to show the guards where the body was. This would take time and he was liable to miss dinner if he wasn’t careful. Missing any meal was not something Nedric readily contemplated and it would be best for him not to draw attention to himself today.
Hurrying back to the keep Nedric had a little time to think. He was hoping that Bronn was on gate duty. The guard had always got on well with him and was likely to listen to him without thinking that he was making it all up. Also he was less likely to talk to the masters who he always accused of being rather ‘stuck-up’.
Nedric was lucky; Bronn was on duty as he reached the keep gate. The guard was leaning idly against the wall, watching for people entering or leaving. As the duke wasn’t in residence, the traffic through the gate was light and he was a little bored.
“Hi Bronn!” Nedric called as he approached, “Can you spare me some time?”
“What’s bothering you lad?”
“I need to speak to the captain,” Nedric replied, “so I need you to tell him that I won’t be wasting his time.”
“I need more to tell him than that lad, why do you need to see him?”
Nedric lowered his voice as he was now close to the guard, “I found a dead body back in the woods, I’m sure he would want to know that.”
Bronn looked at Nedric, he noticed that the lad was looking slightly distraught and having spoken to him regularly over the last two years felt that Nedric was telling the truth. “Wait in the guard house lad, I’ll be right back!”
The guard house was generally used in poor weather or when there was more than one guard on duty. Sitting on a stool in the small room Nedric started to worry. There wasn’t really anything he had done wrong, he told himself. He couldn’t help though, wondering what the captain would think of him.
Captain Tolbeck ran the keep when the duke wasn’t there. He didn’t deal with the students. He gave directions to the Overmaster when necessary and left him to tell the masters who then informed the students. That was a lot of steps away from Nedric and he and the other students were fairly fearful about being in trouble with the man. Now Nedric was asking for him and bypassing all the masters to do it, he was sure that there would be consequences.
The Captain when he appeared was the very model of an experienced soldier. Straight back, brisk manner and a wiry body. Only the greying of his short hair gave any indication of his age. “Right lad,” he said to Nedric, “what’s all this about a dead body?”
“It’s in one of the glades in the backwoods,” Nedric replied. “It’s been dragged into a bunch of bracken, looks like a noble to me!”
“Right then we had best have a look at it then! Bronn go get someone to relieve you. You’re coming with me.”
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The Captain set a fast pace, Nedric who was supposedly leading the two guards, was hard pressed to keep up. Nedric hadn’t seen anyone on either of his previous trips so was not surprised that no one was around to see him with the Captain. Although if one of the other students had seen him he would have been pleased as it would do his reputation no harm. Only when they got to the scramble over the rocks was Nedric able to get ahead of the older men and this let him take a brief rest whilst they caught up with him.
Reaching the glade, Nedric went immediately to the bracken and was slightly relieved to see that the body was still there. He had worried that either he had dreamt the experience or that someone would have removed the evidence, leaving him in big trouble. He swept fronds of bracken aside to make a space for the two guards to see the corpse.
Tolbeck knelt beside the body and spoke as he noticed various clues to the identity of the man. “Notice the hair cut, Bronn. The very height of court fashion. Clothes look to be the latest fashion as well but I couldn’t place the tailor. Puncture wound through the ribs and into the heart, was probably made by a thin dagger, and wouldn’t have needed as much strength. A few more wounds that look like the person was trying to make sure our man here was dead.”
The Captain then proceeded to check through the pockets of the man. This was somewhat unpleasant for Nedric but he watched anyway. The search surprised the captain, he found a pouch containing a fair amount of coins, more in fact than Nedric had ever owned in his life. He didn’t however find any form of identification. The only other thing about the man’s person was a ring with a strange design inscribed upon it. The design was of a snake with four legs. It was inlaid in gold on a black background and looked, like the rest of the man’s items, very expensive.
“Well you’re obviously no thief lad!” said the Captain turning to Nedric. “There’s enough money here to run the keep for a fortnight! I suppose you deserve a finder’s fee for this. “ Saying this he handed Nedric one of the gold coins from the purse. “Now don’t be making a big thing of this lad, we still don’t know who our man here is, so I don’t want the whole keep knowing about it just yet. “
“Bronn, we need to take this body back with us. Fetch a couple of long staves and we’ll feed them through the clothing to make a stretcher.”
Bronn went about his task in the amiable way that he accomplished everything. He whistled as he cut the branches of a nearby tree into serviceable staves. Nedric who had never seen a body before, could not believe that anyone could be that relaxed around a corpse but both the guard and the Captain seemed to treat it as just another part of their work.
Walking along, carrying a stretcher with a corpse upon it slowed the men down considerably. As they walked the Captain questioned Nedric as to what it was he did around the keep and how he had ended up there. He didn’t seem very surprised to know that Nedric was a student but seemed more interested when he learnt that Nedric was not one of the children who financed the running of the college.
“So you’re one of the people that are here on merit are you lad? How is it that you knew your letters and numbers enough to get in? There are few enough not of merchant or noble birth who have that education.”
Nedric explained that his mother had taught him and that she had herself learnt from her father. Nedric’s grandfather had been the steward of a noble who had lost most of his money through gambling. “My mother is just about the only member of staff he kept on, as she’s the cook. Grandpa survives on what mother earns but I was just an unwanted mouth to feed. So when the Duke asked for people to come and learn at the keep I was on my way here before I knew what was happening.”
“It’s likely to be the making of you lad,” said the Captain. “With the knowledge and the contacts you’re getting here you most likely can make a living as a merchant, that’s if you’re not working on the boardways.”
“I’ll most likely be doing that, sir. I’ve got the aptitude for it, or so says Master Andern. It seems more interesting than arguing with people about the cost of goods anyway.”
“It’s a new idea and anyone who starts with a new idea ends up making money, just look at the man who designed those new longbows. Twice as powerful as the old ones and now he’s making coins hand over fist!”
“Well it doesn’t really look like I have much of a choice at the moment, I’ve still got a lot of studying to do before we finish the course and without the Masters’ recommendation I’ll still be a nobody who is to old to apprentice for anything.”
“That’s true, so I’ll guess you’ll be doing a lot of studying. I’ll be interested to see how you get on!”
Nedric was less than pleased at the prospect of the captain keeping an eye on his progress. Whilst he didn’t think that he was doing that bad in comparison with the other students and whilst Tolbeck had behaved like an all right sort of person, he didn’t need the extra pressure. The masters might start acting differently if the captain mentioned his name and he didn’t want any extra attention.
Getting the corpse down the scramble would have been a problem if Tolbeck hadn’t decided that it was easier to station Bronn at the bottom and let the stream carry it over the edge and into a largish pool. After all the man wasn’t going to object to the treatment and the body wasn’t likely to be any more damaged as a result. Bronn slipped and nearly fell into the stream as he was going for the body and it was quite amusing for Nedric and the captain to watch the older, slightly stout guard chase after the corpse. When the other two had climbed down the scramble they were both in good humour, even Bronn saw the funny side of the incident and had a sheepish smile on his face.
Soon enough they were back at the keep. The large grey, stone walls looming up at them as they emerged from the backwoods. Tolbeck suggested to Nedric that he run along which Nedric was more than happy to do. It avoided him being seen coming in with the captain and the corpse. Anyway he was going to have to rush if he was going to get to dinner on time.
* * *
The sight of a student rushing towards the refectory for the evening meal was so common that no one even noticed him as he rushed through the keep. He almost went flying into a maid as he turned a corner. She was none too pleased and gave him a piece of her mind as he muttered an apology and moved rapidly onwards.
The Duke’s guards had in previous years used the large hall as an indoor training area. The walls still bore the scars of badly aimed weapons. It was a joke amongst the masters that now it was a refectory it was even more dangerous to idly wander around, especially at meal times. At one end of the room those Masters who were on duty were seated at the high table. The other tables were arranged square to this so that the masters could see the faces of everyone in the hall.
A cry directed at Nedric caused him to change course and park himself by his friend Rialto. Collapsing into the chair, he glanced around to check he wasn’t the last to enter. Most of the sixty-odd students had arrived but he was relieved to see that there were still a few stragglers. Turning to Rialto he asked “Anyone miss me today?”
“Only Andern and that’s only because your assignment is due in tomorrow and he was reminding everybody when we were in the courtyard. I told him I’d let you know and he seemed happy, or at least as happy as Andern gets!”
“I’ve got to tell you what happened today, but not here. I’ll let you know everything when we get back to our room!”
At that moment there was a general murmur as Overmaster Lucern entered the room and all the students rose. The man walked to the centre seat of the high table and raised and lowered his right hand in a gesture to get the students seated. He looked about him in the slightly bemused manner that surrounded him permanently. It was as if he was always surprised to see the students in front of him and was wondering what he had done to find himself in charge of them. His voice, when he spoke however, was always firm and clear and of such depth and timbre that everyone always paid attention to him.
“Before we eat ladies and gentleman,” he began. ”I’d like to make a few announcements. Firstly for all of you in the upper class, Master Andern has asked me to remind you that your assignments are due in tomorrow.”
There was a general chuckle around the hall, as Master Andern was well known for requiring students to be punctual in everything they did.
“Secondly, the village apprentices have offered a challenge, they wish to take on our best eleven at a game of murderball. They have suggested that a month would give us enough time to prepare and I have agreed. So that will be taking place at end-week four weeks from now.”
The murmur around the hall was louder, the rumours that the villagers were going to issue the challenge had been around for weeks but no one had been sure if they would actually go ahead. The rivalry between the two sets of young people was growing as the students became more established at the keep. It had already caused a few harsh words and the odd scuffle; the game would put it on an official footing.
“Lastly, I would remind upper class students that they only have two months to prepare for the trip to the end of the boardway and that if they need any articles of clothing or travel goods then they are to let the bursar know as soon as possible.”
The Overmaster looked around the hall to see that the messages had been properly received and to give the students time to quiet down. He coughed to attract attention again and continued. “We ask the five to look after the Duke and all his household. May they keep us all safe from harm. Amen.”
There was a general murmur of response and a greater one at the prospect of being fed. Rialto turned to Nedric and said enthusiastically “That’s got to be the best news I’ve heard in a while.”
“What that Andern is making a fuss about assignments again?” asked Nedric with a grin.
“No, you fool! That the villagers offered the challenge. Who do you think will make the eleven? We must have a good chance being in the uppers but some of the madders are fairly big and fast and if the masters decide to be fair they might even let the lowers and the girls take part and I’m not exactly the brawniest person around.”
“You’ll do alright, you’re quicker than just about anyone else here. I’m the one who falls over his feet all the time in combat training. They’re more likely to leave me out than you. Anyway what’s this about not wanting the girls to play, I wouldn’t mind getting in to a bundle with some of them.”
“You’d rather be bundling one of them and I know just which one!”
At that both boys looked across the room where other of their classmates were chatting. The bright red hair and captivating manner of one girl had taken both of their interest. Rhianna, the girl in question, rarely even noticed their presence.
“I don’t even think about her any more. She’s happy with Strawn so I’m looking elsewhere.” Nedric’s comment was not believed by Rialto but it did get him to replying.
“So you’re going to dream about the lovely Callendra then?”
“I’d rather dream of carrying the ball straight across the villagers goal line.”
A maid bringing bread to their plates and pouring a stew into their bowls interrupted their conversation. The sight of food was enough to distract them and it was a few minutes before they were talking again. The conversation was of trivial matters until they had made their way back to their room.
Nedric took only a few minutes to let Rialto know all that had taken place that day. Rialto, as expected, wanted the gory details of what the body looked like, where the stab wounds were, what the expression of the face had been like and how much blood had been spilled on the ground. Nedric was able to provide most of the details, after which the boys fell to speculating on who the murderer could be, whether they lived in the village, or even possibly in the keep. The latter possibility sent a shiver of excited terror up their spines.
From there the talk changed as to who the man could have been. After that the question was what he had been doing in the wood and so on and so forth. Speculation, theories and ideas kept the boys talking until late. It wasn’t until they were both ready to turn in for the night that Nedric remembered that he had an assignment to hand in the next day.