The Magician's Sons

Chapter 9

Henry Hannover was more cross than usual; Copper could see that from the minute he woke up. The man looked like a thundercloud as he went through his work, and nothing could lighten his mood.

Copper and Charlie exchanged weary glances as they both scrambled to do their jobs. Everything was chaos. Their backs and feet were already aching. But as they carried on, they could push reality away and fall into their own thoughts. They both had different dreams for their futures, but their minds led them to the same conclusion: wouldn't it be nice to leave that hard, unhappy place?

"A manor house," Charlie dreamed in a whisper as he grabbed a barrel of dregs from the back room. "Someday, I will become rich and buy a manor house!"

"Can I live there too?" Copper panted. He lifted a sack of flour. It was a good thing the enormous sack was mostly empty because otherwise its weight would have crushed him.

Charlie looked at the boy skeptically. "I...suppose you could come," he answered thoughtfully, "as long as you don't mind being an errand boy. I will need one of those, you know."

"Ha! You're jokin'! By the time you're a millionaire, I'll be a full-grown man!" the boy retorted. "Can you see me as an errand boy then? Keep the place to yourself. I won't bow to you!"

Somehow, that was very unsatisfying to Charlie. Maybe it was because he hated to be refused, or maybe it was because he truly wanted Copernicus's company in his future mansion.

"I could make you a footman instead," he suggested, lugging his barrel of frothy yeast down from the attic.

Copper shook his head. "No thank you."

"Oh, alright then!" Charlie gave in with frustration. "You will be the butler! A butler is more powerful than any other servant! He carries all the keys to the house, has a room to himself, earns higher wages, and he gets to order everyone around! How's that?"

Copernicus didn't think a butler's position sounded too bad, but he still wasn't satisfied. He didn't want to be a servant. He wanted to have a family whether they lived in a manor or a little cottage. He didn't care about being rich or poor as long as he was happy and loved by someone.

Charlie took the boy's silence as a consent and went on with his dreams, hardly paying attention to his work. "That's it! You will be my butler," he decided. "I shall live like a king in a grand palace! And I will make it the most extraordinary place you have ever seen! And—" And that was where his plans came to a sudden end. Just as he walked through the door into the bakery, his foot caught on a loose board. He took a lunging step forward and caught his fall. But the contents of his barrel sloshed with the motion, and a big puddle of beer and froth spilled onto the floor.

"Charlie, you mindless boy!" his father roared. The voice dimmed and gave place to a thunderous clap as Charlie's ears were boxed. The boy flinched and felt Henry jerk the barrel out of his arms. "Mind yourself next time, you clumsy blunderbuss! This yeast is like gold to us!" he heard the man's voice bellow as his ears continued to ring and throb.

Copper saw the whole thing. He felt sorry for his friend's situation. At the same time, he was thankful that he hadn't been the one at fault. He shuddered at the thought of punishment. Henry didn't have a light hand of correction when he used it, and the boys thought he used it aplenty. Angry rebellion stirred within both of their hearts.

Miserable, unhappy existence! Charlie thought, recovering himself and hurrying to clean up the mess he had made.

I wish I could run away! Copper thought, dropping the flour sack carefully from his shoulder and making himself busy. I don't want this life! It'll be me who gets his ears boxed next! Besides, I don't wanna be a baker for the rest of my life. I hate it!