Paintbrush part 1

It was my father who first had the idea.  I, being the only child and a girl no less, was not going to go far as a merchant or farmer.  Realizing this, my father had the brilliant idea of sending me to be trained as a wizard.  “That way you can conjure up anything we, excuse me, you want, Sasha,” he’d say.  My mother agreed it was a good idea so I was promptly sent to Aldimar, wizard of Gergomath.

Life there wasn’t so hard, in fact I even came to enjoy it in the little ways I could.  I immediately liked Aldimar’s dog, Rogue.  She had an affectionate tongue and always had a way of getting in trouble by barking at the slightest noise, which Aldimar hated.  He often called upon me to help him try to create something that would stop her from barking.  It was beyond me why he had a dog in the first place.

Another thing I loved was the paintings in Aldimar’s wizardry books.  It took no wizardry to enchant me with their exquisite colors and strange magical images; no wonder because I'd always wanted to be an artist.  Unfortunately, being a wizard’s apprentice kept me from that.

"What are these?" I asked Aldimar one day. He grunted and looked up from searching a wizardry book for anti-bark spells.

"What?" he asked, frowning in irritation at being interrupted.

"These," I said, pointing to four little white vials standing on a shelf with other miscellaneous magical objects. I'd never noticed them there before.

Aldimar sighed grumpily.  "Nothing of importance to you.  How many times have I told you to mind your own business?  Tch, tch, you are too inquisitive.  Now help me look for a spell to –" He was cut off when Rogue started barking wildly in the front room.  "Take care of that dog!" he yelled over the noise.  I took one more glance at the vials before running into the little front room where Rogue was barking at a squirrel that had decided to eat its lunch on the window sill.  "Bad dog!" I said, dragging Rogue away.  The squirrel flicked its tail once at Rogue and continued munching on its walnut.  "Rogue," I sighed as she wagged her tail enthusiastically, "when will you ever learn?  Silly dog."  Rogue thrust her snout into my hand, then looked at me pleadingly.  "You've already had your breakfast, Rogue.  Let's see if we can visit town, shall we?" Rogue pranced about me, her tongue lolling out of her mouth.  "Aldimar!" I called.  "May I visit town for a bit?"

I could see him glowering in my direction.  "Not until you've finished your studies. And don't dawdle when you go, I need you to help me with an experiment of sorts."

I patted Rogue on the head. "See? Now we'll have some fun."

"And quit talking to that dog!"

I smiled.  "Yes, Master Aldimar."  As soon as I'd finished copying out the names and birth and death dates of past wizards (I was starting to wonder if I'd ever learn anything interesting from Aldimar) Rogue and I rushed out the door and into the forest.  In less than ten minutes we were walking into the village of Gergomath.  Absentmindedly, I reached into my skirt pocket and fingered the handkerchief holding all the money I'd been saving ever since I was sent to Aldimar.  Of course, I'd only been his apprentice for three months so it wasn't much.

Gergomath was small, but had some shops that interested me.  As I was about to enter one, a voice from inside said, "I'm sorry, no animals allowed."

I  glanced at Rogue.  She was wagging her tail in anticipation of going inside.  "Sit," I said. "Stay."  Rogue lay down next to the door after I went in and waited patiently for me to come out.

The shop was just a small room with shelves and tables stacked with interesting odds and ends that may or may not have been useful.  I looked around for the shopkeeper.  "Good mornin'," a thin, gray-haired man said, appearing at my side.  "Is there anythin' I kin do fer ya?" 

I shook my head.  "I'm just looking," I said, gazing around the room.  That was when I spotted it:  a paintbrush just sitting on one of the shelves, collecting dust.  I crossed the wooden floor and picked it up, turning it around in my hand.  The bristles were probably horse hair, but the handle was a smooth, satiny wood, probably black walnut by the look of it.  Intricate carvings twined around it, and I thought I could see strange words threaded in between.  "How much is this?" I asked.

The old man came over and took the paintbrush in his work worn hands.  "This is a nice piece of work, you understand.  I reckon I could part with it for… three escudos."  Three escudos!  What did he think I was, wealthy?  I barely had 20 ecus, which wasn't even two escudos.  The shopkeeper must have seen my crestfallen face because he spoke again.  "Maybe not three escudos.  I think I could part with it for less if you had something to trade with."

I slumped a little. What could I give him? Then, haltingly, I reached up and removed the maple wood comb from my hair. My mother had given it to me before I left, a sort of apology for sending me away, I think. I fingered the carved leaves on it, and then sighed. "Will this do?"

The man smiled and nodded. "This and 15 ecus should do it."

  I fished around in my pocket for my ecus.  I guess I only had seventeen.  Shrugging, I gave the man fifteen ecus, and he handed me the paintbrush.  Now what to do with the last two? I looked at Rogue, waiting patiently for me outside.  "Do you have anything for my dog here?"

The shopkeeper nodded.   


To Be Continued ... !