"I'm very sorry to hear about Sir Gallant," Nezwick sighed, sitting back in his seat. "He used to come through here all the time with his squires back in the day. I will miss him, but such is the life of a knight."

  Dinner had been an exquisite affair; Henry had never heard much of magic in the Regency, let alone see it practiced right before his very eyes. With the mere wave of a hand, the empty table before them had been instantly populated with a grand spread of food, with meats, roasts, potatoes, and all sorts of other exotic foods beyond his knowledge materializing from thin air. Pitchers of wine and tankards of ale sat within inviting reach of each person at the table, and it didn't take much inviting from Nezwick before the boys hungrily dug into the marvelous feast.

  Henry had been mid-chew on a roasted potato when he spied a diminutive figure at Nezwick's side; dressed similarly to the wizard, Henry could only make out that it was a female, dark haired and close to his and Arthur's age, before she had quickly vanished back into the mountains of books and tomes behind the table.

  "Will you not join us, Rebecca?" Nezwick asked. "You've done splendidly this time!"

  "Not right now," she called back. "I'm on chapter thirty-five!"

  Henry refocused back to his meal, and after a succulent dinner of meats and potatoes, he had sat back in discussion with Arthur and the wizard.

  "You're Gallant's third squire, is that right?" Nezwick was saying. "I scarcely even remember his first students. It feels like a lifetime since I've last seen them."

  "He never talked about them," Henry admitted. "I've never even known their names."

  "Ah, Gallant, you rascal," Nezwick grumbled. "And that bumbling fool, Paulus. Those two loggerheads are meant to be your teachers, yet they keep so much from their students."

  Arthur snickered mid-gnaw on a chicken leg.

  "Edward and Brenda, I believe they were," Nezwick continued, his eyes fixated on some distant point. "Edward was his first, Brenda his second. Edward was an absolute hoot, always giving Gallant a hard time. Not much unlike you, Braddock." He shot a side-eyed look at Arthur. "That boy was always up to mischief. And this was when Gallant still had the humor of a rock, so you can imagine how much they clashed."

  Henry smiled; Gallant had been a fair mentor to him growing up, stern when he needed to be, but always relaxed and even playful at other times. It was hard for him to imagine Gallant as the hard-headed and dogmatic tutor that he apparently was long before Henry's time.

  "And Brenda? His exact mirror image, perhaps even more studious and strict than he was. She was his wake-up call, the mirror tossed in his face," Nezwick laughed. "I know he certainly eased up after she attained knighthood."

  "Where are they now?" Henry asked.

  Nezwick shook his head. "It's been a very long time, but the last I've heard, Edward was embedded with the Knight-Regent's Honor Guard, and Brenda somewhere in the far east. Gallant never really mentioned them much after they moved on."

  "How'd he meet you here?" Arthur asked, his mouth full of chicken. "Come to think of it, how did you come to be here?"

  "Ah, it's silly, really," Nezwick replied slyly. "King Tyran was a fair ruler, and a fine patron of the magic arts. His son didn't share his views." He frowned. "When King Tyran died and Varrus took the throne, he outlawed all magic within Imperial borders and tossed me out on my bum! Said I was lucky to be banished, instead of being burned at the pyre like many of my magical peers."

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Sounds a little bogus," Arthur muttered, shrugging. "But it works for me. If the Imperial Court hates you, then you're fine by me."

  "And meeting Sir Gallant?" Henry egged.

  "Hmm? Oh yes, him. Gallant helped me settle in the Regency, vouched for my refugee status to the Regent himself. He used to drop by every now and then, and bring that delicious beer of his." Nezwick licked his lips. "Now I miss him doubly."

  Henry was about to ask him another question when the girl from before appeared again by Nezwick's side.

  "Pardon me," she said, grabbing a leg of chicken and a roasted potato from the spread. Before anyone could react, she was gone once more.

  "Ah, my apprentice, Rebecca," Nezwick said. "Forgive her, she's deeply invested in her studies. Much like Brenda, I'd say."

  "You've an apprentice as well?" Arthur asked.

  "Aye, I got the idea from Gallant, actually." Nezwick frowned. "Wonderful student, but terrible company, I'm afraid. She's a better scholar than a conversation partner."

  "I can hear you, you know," Rebecca called out from somewhere in the cottage.

  "Now that I think of it, where are you boys headed, anyhow?" Nezwick inquired, picking a grape from a bunch and tossing it into his mouth. "The wood has become unsafe as of late, rife with bandits and other riffraff. It must be something very important to require you out here, of all places."

  "We're headed to the Whistling Mines," Henry replied. "I'm on my first Trial, so we need to gather ores to forge my armor."

  "You need to gather those ores," Arthur corrected. "I'm simply here to supervise."

  "The Whistling Mines?" Nezwick raised his brow. "Be on your guard, then. They've become just as unsafe as the woods, if not more so. Word has reached me that the burrow spiders that dwell deep within have become agitated, venturing out further than normal and attacking any who enter."

  "Spiders? Is that it?" Arthur scoffed. "These brigands in the woods are more of a concern, in my opinion."

  "Good thing your opinion is worthless, then," Nezwick snapped. "I will provide you with a boon to help you in the Mines when you resume your journey in the morning. For now, Rebecca will show you to your quarters." He stood and turned to leave. "I bid you good night. Rebecca?"

  Henry was sure that some sort of greater magic was at play within the cottage itself, for Rebecca had shown the two of them to a non-existent second floor within the cottage to their quarters. After she had shown Arthur to his room, she guided Henry to another room further down the hall, opening the door to an impossibly large room that surely should have opened up far past the cottage's confines.

  "And here's your room," she said curtly. "Let me know if you need anything."

  "Thank you. Oh, wait!" Henry interjected as she had turned to leave. "Rebecca, was it?"

  "Yes. What of it?" In the dim light of the candle she held, Henry could see her sharp features cut through the dark; she was a veritable young witch, her chin as sharp as his blade and her nose a prominent point that held a small pair of spectacles on her face, with her wild dark hair capped by the same kind of hat Nezwick wore. Even in the flickering candlelight, Henry could spy a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

  "Just... trying to be friendly, that's all." Henry awkwardly bowed. "I'm Henry. Henry Davon."

  "Yes, I know that." Rebecca stared at him impatiently. "Is there anything else?"

  "Er... are you using magic to create this space?" Henry asked. "This whole floor should be... impossible?"

  Rebecca's stare didn't waver. "You are in a wizard's home. What do you think?"

  "Um... yes? I was just wondering what-"

  "There you have it. Good night." She turned and left in a huff.

  Henry found himself standing in the hallway, red-faced and flustered. He had met with girls before, mostly other squires and knights, but the encounters had always been courteous at the least; Rebecca's blunt rudeness and curt responses left him confused and off-balance. He wasn't accustomed to such mannerisms from another apprentice.

  "Hey, Henry old boy?"

  Henry looked up, seeing Arthur peeking out from his own room. Even in the dark, he could see the white gleam of Arthur's teeth as the latter smirked at him toothily.

  "Beautiful performance, lord squire. Couldn't have done it better myself." He offered a mocking gesture of salute to Henry. "I'll mark this moment in the annals."

  Henry sighed and went into his room, shutting the door behind him.