A Dragonstone Short Story
By Mark Even
In the village of Brony, in the land of Cladiclad, there was an old inn called the Brony Bear. The inn was the only place for miles that travelers could find a warm cot to sleep on or a warm meal to eat. The inn was run by an old couple named Erik and Georgina Barson. The Barson’s had no children, but a number of years ago, took in a young orphan boy after the old innkeeper found the boy asleep on his doorstep one morning. While they were kind to him for the most part, they worked him very hard to earn his keep. The boy couldn’t tell the Barson’s his name, so they simply called him ‘Boy’.
Boy grew fast and helped around the inn with various chores. He would clean the dining area and would help the innkeeper’s wife cook, but because the Barson’s were miserly, they never paid him except in room and board. Boy longed to leave the Brony Bear and devised a plan to save up enough money to head out on his own. Because he got very few tips, Boy began stealing from drunken patrons whenever he could and actually got quite good at pick-pocketing.
One night, after Boy had delivered a bowl of onion soup to an old, white-bearded traveler, he saw a drunkard fall asleep at a table across the room. Boy noticed the drunk’s money bag was sticking half-way out of his coat and thought this would be his best chance to make a big score so he could finally escape his servitude.
Boy casually walked among the tables of the dining room and picked up dirty dishes and glasses as he made his way towards the un-suspecting patron. When he reached the drunk, he bumped against him slightly and quickly swiped the money bag and tucked it into his shirt. As he apologized to the man, his left leg brushed against a chair behind him and he fell hard onto the stone floor. Dishes, glasses, and silver coins went flying across the floor.
Totally waken by the noise, the drunk recognized his money bag and immediately pounced onto Boy, accusing him of stealing. While other patrons rushed to pick up the errant coins, a scuffle broke out and Boy burst out the door, running for his life, with the innkeeper shouting behind him to never come back.
About a mile away, Boy finally stopped. He was out of breath and bleeding from a cut above his eye that he got during the scuffle. He bent over with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath when he heard a voice behind him, “That was a close one, young man. If they had caught you, they might have hung you for your thievery.”
Startled, Boy turned quickly and threw a punch but hit nothing but air. There was no one there! The voice popped up from behind him again, “What is your name?”
Boy turned back, this time more cautiously and saw the bearded man from the inn.
“I have no name. Everyone just calls me ‘Boy’,” he replied.
“My name is Mathias PhefVenscen,” the old man said, “I’m looking for someone to be my valet and, if his worth is proven, maybe to become my apprentice.”
“What’s a valet?” Boy asked.
“Pick up my bags and follow me and you will find out,” Phef replied with a wry smile.
Boy looked down at his feet and saw two travel bags on the ground. I’m sure those weren’t there before, he thought. He looked up and saw the old man had started walking down the road, so he shrugged his shoulders and picked up the bags and followed him. Just as he was trying to plot out how to steal from the old man and set off on his own, Phef said, “Put those ideas out of your mind, Boy!”
Amazed, Boy thought he’d better just stick with the old guy and see what happens.
Over the years, Boy learned that Mathias PhefVenscen was the famous Phef the Wizard and he devoted himself to being his valet and aide. Once, Phef gave him a small, white dragonstone in hopes to teach him to use his inner magic, but Boy was unable to tap any magic through the stone.
However, it turned out that Boy was very skilled in learning spells and charms and was able to tap the natural magic that surrounds all living beings as well as the Earth and the Heavens. Phef was able to tutor the boy into becoming a powerful, young wizard and kept him on as his apprentice for many, many years.