Glyph

Chapter 8

The kitchens were several large steam-filled rooms with clanging pots and pans and yelling people, as well as many different foods and spices being cooked.

"-Oh, and don't forget the spices for Lord Brodic's luncheon, bland meat just won't do," a stout woman called behind her as she bustled towards Aderyn and Dirk.

She stopped short when she saw them. Then a broad grin split her face.

"Aderyn, you rascal, what are you doing in my kitchen?"

Aderyn was smiling, too. "Hello, Auntie. This is Dirk, one of Cynric's new glyphwardens. We need some food."

Dirk noticed Auntie's smile became more fixed at the introduction of Dirk. She clapped her hands together. "Well, if you will follow me, I will show you to your table", she said in imitation of a fancy waiter.

She turned and swept off through the steam, bringing them to a small table in a corner.

"Just one second, then, gentlemen." In a trice, she was gone, bellowing at some poor scullery maid about the way she chopped her onions.

Already Dirk was sweating in the heat. "So," he asked, to break the silence, "Do you know her very well?"

"Yes," said Aderyn. "Auntie raised me after I was left at the kitchen door as a baby." He shrugged. "I grew up, became a messenger and worked my way up to weapons master." Dirk was shocked. In Teramen, it was shameful to be an orphan. It meant you would not be able to follow your father's trade. Aderyn was very lucky to have become weapons master.

Just then, Auntie came back, with plates of food balanced on her forearms.

"Here we are," she said. She looked at Aderyn's sad face and my embarrassed one. "Is everything all right?"

Aderyn glanced up and gave another bright smile. "Of course, Auntie," he said, all traces of melancholy gone. "We're fine.

Auntie looked reassured. "Well, I'll leave you two boys to your meal." She waddled off into the fray of cooking.

Dirk stared down at his plate. He had not realized how hungry he was until he saw the meal. A boiled potato sat next to a thick slab of roasted venison, from which rose delectable scents. A thick slice of buttered bread leaned against the venison and a red apple sat near the bread.

Hungrily, Dirk began eating the bread, tearing away mouthfuls and gulping them without tasting them.

Aderyn joined him, albeit at a more moderate pace. "So," Aderyn asked heartily, "What about your family?"

Dirk chewed his bread slowly, giving time for the sudden lump in his throat to disappear. It didn't. "Oh, well, I have two brothers. They're both a lot older than me but me and my dad were really close. He taught me everything. Lately we have had a kind of falling out."

Dirk remembered the arguement. His dad had wanted him to move into town and Dirk had wanted to stay at home. In the end the compromise was weekdays in the town and weekends at home. But things were never the same between them. It seemed petty now that his parents might be dead or imprisoned from the inquisitors.

Aderyn seemed unsure what to make of Dirk's silence so he started talking about swords. Dirk did not have much experience with swords but they sounded interesting. Soon the conversation turned from swords to swordfighting. They began arguing good-naturedly.

Come on", said Dirk. "Obviously a man with a broadsword would crush some one with a rapier. They would not even be able to block!"

"Ah," said Aderyn. "But they would be able to dodge. After a dodge they would impale the man with the broadsword."