Armaran chapter 14

Amina watched Jared's performance, smiling, and dared to take a peek from the corner of her eye to see what her friends were thinking. They were positively smitten.

Jared asked for a few more torches from the blacksmith and kept on juggling them all successfully. Eventually, he picked them all in his hands and bowed deep. He received a thunderous applause.

The blacksmith took the torches from him and placed them firmly in an iron bucket.

”Thank you, thank you so much, but I didn't come here to perform myself!” Jared addressed the audience. ”I was sorry to arrive so late in the afternoon that I missed most of the stories. Now I'm begging you, if there is even one person among you who could spare the energy to tell one great story, would such person please step forward?” He turned to face Amina.

Amina was smiling so hard it hurt her cheeks but she didn't care. She took a step towards the stage and ignored the mumbling of the growd who were perhaps thinking about getting one of the earlier story tellers.

Jared jumped down and lifted Amina on the stage. He sat down cross-legged in front of the stage, smiling. ”Something very pompous, if you'd please.”

Amina turned to face the audience. Most of the villagers were still there, along with lots of merchants and craftsmen, even some folks from other towns. She could feel her heart beating in her chest and a blush climb up her face. She took a few deep breaths and said aloud one of the many Fatil greetings she could remember her parents had started their performance with.

Some villagers murmured their acceptance. Maybe their children had told them about the day the stundents had been mending the roads.

Amina chose to tell about one of the many civil wars that had occured in Everion. This one took place about 1 500 years earlier. She knew there was a more detailed version of the story, but luckily she couldn't remember it that well. It described a lot more cut arms and other hacked parts of the body flying through the air. The war in question had been unusual as all of the Kahtal had refused to fight on anyone's side and there had been at least five different regions of Everion battling one another. Any alliances and contracts were violated and nullified in a matter of days and each faction was ruthless in their ambition to gain more power in Everion. When the war was finally over, the biggest University of Everion, situated in the capital city of Eprus, and its headmaster were given a new task to uphold the peace of Everion with the powers of knowledge and erudition. It was also to strengthen the position of Eprus as the centre of all governance, as many larger cities had attempted to become independent by administrating their own regime over the past centuries.

After finishing the story, Amina curtseyd low and received vibrant applause from the audience. For the first time, she dared to take a good look at the audience and spotted the Streckke family quite close to the side of the stage. Ms. Slava was standing in the middle of the crowd, looking pensive. Many of her friends were still stading close to the stage and some other students were in the crowd with their families.

Jared stood up and the crowd fell silent. He was slightly perplexed by this authority, but he asked for another story.

Amina curtseyd but hesitated.

Jared took the opportunity to ask the audience to bring something to drink for the storyteller who had strained her voice for their entertainment. A bucket full of fresh water straight from the well was procured almost immediately.

Amina agreed to tell another story but she was careful to choose a rather short and joyous one, as she felt slightly fatigued.

She received loud applause after the story, but it was obviously a good time to end the night. Many families were guiding their children towards their homes and the evening air was getting cooler.

Jared helped Amina down from the stage. He was smiling but didn't say anything.

Amina got serious. ”Was I that bad?”

Jared shook his head. ”You were quite nervous, but the stories went really well. When you get more experience, it's going to be easier to empathise. No one as young as you could have done any better.”

Amina could see her friends moving a bit nervously at the edge of her vision and she turned to face them. No one said anything.

”He's really good, right?” Amina said to open the conversation because she wanted them to acknowledge the events on the stage somehow.

Couple of the girls giggled, one tried to look into Jared's eyes but turned her head at the last moment, and a couple more were nodding. ”Do you know him?” one of them dared to ask in a loud whisper.

Amina smiled. ”He is a family friend. Not from around here, though,” she said and looked quickly around in case the Streckke family was in ear shot. Someone tapped Amina on the shoulder and she turned to look.

Mr. Augustin gave her a kind smile. ”Splendid stories. I had no idea you were from a line of Fatil. Mr. Streckke hasn't mentioned it. Are you related through his wife?”

Amina shook her head. ”As far as I know, Mr. Streckke had no interest in the family legacy but he would have been entitled to learn the stories.”

Mr. Augustin thought about it for a while. He looked at the whispering and giggling girls, puzzled. ”Have you been telling stories at the town fairs before?”

Amina shook her head. ”When I asked for a permission for the first time, the chargé d'affaires of that town said I was too young to perform. Tonight is the first time I was telling stories by myself, though I've been on stage many times with my parents.”

Mr. Augustin was nodding. ”Right. Spendid. Good. Good. I hope you'll still return...” he mumbled as he walked away lost in his thoughts.

”Mr. Augustin is the herbalist of Tenera,” Amina explained to Jared, who nodded, obviously amused.

Parents were trying to usher their children back home but many of them would have wanted to speak with Amina. They moved along, however, as they saw Ms. Slava approaching her.

Amina curtseyd to her teacher.

”I am positively surprised. I haven't heard that many stories of the Fatil before and those have been... shorter and far more simple. You have an excellent memory,” Ms. Slava complimented Amina. She tried to avoid looking at Jared, but kept glancing his way from the corner of her eye.

Amina curtseyd again. ”I wouldn't have performed if I only knew children's stories.”

Ms. Slava nodded and turned her gaze to the side. ”Good evening, Mr. Streckke, Mrs. Streckke,” she said and bowed slightly to the approaching family.

Amina glanced over her shoulder. The Streckke family was approaching slowly, with dignity, basking in the light of her success as though it was all thanks to them. Amina curtseyd at them.

”Beautiful, darling. It was obviously a good choice for the entire family for your father to take over the storytelling,” Mr. Streckke said. Amina wondered whether it was meant as a grand praise.

”I wanted to do my best. I wouldn't have asked the permission to perform unless I was sure I can do it.”

Mr. Streckke's eyes turned to Jared. Even though nothing in his face changed, Amina felt a chill go down her spine.

Jared bowed lightly. ”Good evening, sir. I'm Jared. I've just returned from Everion where I learned from a mastersmith, and as I was in these parts of Armaran, I thought I'd say hello to Amina. I came to know her when she moved in with Kros and Emma,” he introduced himself politely.

Amina thought she saw Mr. Streckke's gaze soften a little. ”Is that so? How nice. She has been a very cheery girl during her stay here.”

Amina tried to think of a way to make the family show more respect to Jared despite his mundane profession.

”Everion is quite far for an apprenticeship,” Ms. Slava commented.

Jared smiled. ”I've already finished my basic blacksmith training in Armaran and I went to gain more knowledge in different techniques of forging. I'm going to another smithery in Juhvian come next autumn.”

Mr. Streckke was pleasently dumbfounded by this information. Ms. Slava seemed surprised aswell, but quickly regained her composure.

”Do you travel to different parts of Armaran often?” Mrs. Streckke asked.

”My master owns close to two dozen smithies all around Armaran, well, mostly further east-wards and in the central parts, so I do travel some. If he gives me an apprentice to look after, I might stay put for a while,” Jared replied.

”I had imagined that blacksmiths live and work in one sole location,” the son of Streckke said, slightly puzzled.

Jared nodded. ”Most blacksmiths learn and work in the same smithy their whole lives, but my master has gathered several under his guidance. All of those are in some smaller villages. He said he didn't want to compete with anyone in the bigger cities, but he has at least one apprentice in each smithy and he hires several fully trained blacksmiths. He has been very encouraging towards my plan to travel and learn more forging techniques,” Jared explained.

”I am quite surprised, I must admit. I never thought that a blacksmith would have the ambition or the opportunity to advance his career beyond the basic work,” Mr. Streckke admitted.

Jared bowed. ”There are many who don't want to or simply don't have the opportunity to learn more, but I will use every chance I get. I want to discover the limits of my abilities, if such exist. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a long day of traveling behind me even though I enjoyed my time at your town's fair. I wish you all a good night,” he said and bowed again. As he walked away, Amina saw the blacksmith of Tenera standing a little further away. He was waiting for Jared but was exceedingly polite to keep himself outside all the conversation.

Ms. Slava bid them all good night aswell. As she walked back towards the school, she was glancing after Jared.

Amina wondered how big of an impact Jared had had on the townspeople of whom the majority thought of any kind of craftsmen as their inferior. Handsome and ambitious, but well-mannered young man, who knew what he wanted and what he had to do to accomplish it. Those were qualities many civilised people lacked.

The Streckke family didn't ask any more questions about Jared, but Amina was sure they would be talking about this exceptional working man amongst themselves and their acquintances.

When Amina finally placed her head on the pillow, she was exhausted. She had been nervous about the public performance but enjoyed it nonetheless. Praie must have done something to keep her calm. It was present but didn't say or do anything. It wasn't moping, though. Maybe it had had an interesting day aswell.

***

On the next morning, Amina got up early even though she was still tired. She wanted to visit the smithy before her school started because she wanted to see Jared again and she didn't know how soon he'd travel on.

The blacksmith of Tenera and Jared were up and lighting the fire in the big fireplace of the smithy as Amina knocked on the door and peeked inside. She received a kind and warm welcome.

Jared was leaving on the same day but he had promised to help the blacksmith with something as thanks for letting him spend the night in the smithy. However, he had plans to travel to some nearby villages in a few weeks time and he promised to come see Amina again if he had the time to spare.

Amina remembered her promise to Kros and Emma to come back by summertime and she asked Jared if she could travel with him.

Their conclusion was that she could go with Jared after the next few weeks if she could settle her business in Tenera with Ms. Slava and Mr. Augustin.

Amina rushed to school happy. She was watching Ms. Slava with care as she was wondering if the woman might ask her something about Jared, but there was nothing out of the ordinary in Ms. Slava's behaviour. Many of the children wanted to talk to Amina about Jared's performance, though.

Amina gathered all the courage she could muster and asked Ms. Slava on the next day how her absence of several weeks would affect her school. Ms. Slava was surprised at first, but understood that Amina longed to meet other members of her family, and promised that her school wouldn't suffer too much if she took the trouble to practice while she was away. As Amina had witnessed, she had other students who were gone at times and still did quite well at school.

Amina approached Mr. Augustin next. She asked him what were his thoughts on her possible absence of several weeks. Mr. Augustin was somewhat disappointed but he was as understanding as Ms. Slava. His only wish was that Amina would return to his aid when she returned to Tenera. Amina promised and was very thankful that she'd have another chance to learn herbalism.

Amina spoke to the Streckke family last. They had no great interest in her coming and going, provided that they would receive a notification in advance. Amina was happy she'd get out of the house for a while. Tenera had many things she would miss – the school, Mr. Augustin and herbalism, the friendly blacksmith, and her new friends, but with the Streckke family she always felt inferior and miserable.