beverage for a decade or more.'
Thorn poured Urel a generous portion of the golden liquid, which the Magemaster accepted with a nod of gratitude. Thorn poured himself an even larger quantity and settled back comfortably in his chair, on familiar territory now.
'I always liked Afelnor, ever since we were Students together,' Urel said, the fire of the expensive brandy seeming to loosen his tongue. 'Whatever possessed him to attempt to murder Lord Prelate Geral? We all loved Geral, and I had often heard Loras speak highly of him.'
Thorn had handled similar questions many times before, and he was not fazed. 'Loras was my firmest friend within the House as you know, Urel. I would no more have expected him to attack Geral than to assault me. I suspect that he despaired at the old Prelate's illness, as we all did, and sought to relieve him of further suffering. It was with a heavy heart that I exposed his act to the Presidium and watched him stripped of his powers. Yet the rules were clear. Justice, no matter how painful, had to be done.'
'He took his punishment with great dignity, and I was pleased to see that.'
'He did. Let us see that his chastisement does not extend to his grandson.' Noticing that Urel had finished his brandy, Thorn wanted to refill the Senior Magemaster's glass, but he did not move to do so. The Prelate was often lonely and maudlin, but he knew this was the price that had to be paid if he was ever to rule the Guild and get his hated mother off his back. He recognised, only too well, the demon of depression as it hopped onto his shoulders, and he resolutely dismissed it.
'Thank you for your company, Urel. I have enjoyed our little discussion. However, I am afraid that I have some urgent matters to attend to. Would you excuse me?' Urel bowed and left, and Thorn was alone again with his papers and his problems.
Chapter 5: Cell 17
Doorkeeper led Grimm through an iron gate, and the colourful opulence of the Great Hall was replaced by a dull green and grey; a musty smell filled the air.
'This is the Charity Wing of the Scholasticate, Grimm,' intoned the major-domo. 'You may stay here for a long time, but the years will soon fly, believe you me! Sometimes, I wish I was back here as a Student. It would free me from all my obligations; they seem so hard at times. So hard…'
He sighed mournfully in self-pity and assumed his official manner once more. 'The normal term doesn't begin for another two weeks, and so there will be very few Students here for a while, just other charity boys. The paying Students are allowed home at the end of term, although you, as a charity boy, will not be allowed leave unless granted special permission by your Magemaster or by Lord Thorn.
'I think there are a few other charity Students within the House at this time, so there should be a few other boys of your own age for you to make friends with. Here, this is your cell.'
They had stopped in an ill-lit corridor outside a door bearing the number 17. 'This will be your number as long as you are a Student here. Your clothes will bear this number, and the Magemasters who teach you may address you as number 17. Some of the Magemasters don't have such a good memory for names as I do.'
Doorkeeper opened the door to show a clean but dismal room. The walls were painted in cabbage-green with off-white tiles up to knee height. The small room's accoutrements were few: a brass bed with a thin mattress and a neatly-folded but threadbare bedroll; an off-white, crazed ceramic washbowl; a rickety chair set beside a small, round, wooden table; and a warped bookshelf bearing a single volume.
The major-domo moved to the shelf and handed its sole occupant to Grimm: a weighty tome bearing the title Rules and Regulations of the Scholasticate in black on a battered brown leather cover. 'Read this book carefully, Grimm. It's very important, yes, very important, and you may be tested on it.
'It contains all the rules and regulations for charity Students, for the Guild in general, and for this House in particular. The Magemasters and seniors may ask you questions about it at any time, and you'd better be able to answer them without a moment's thought, or you may be punished. We don't want that, now, do we?'
Grimm shook his head, mute in his encroaching misery.
'There's a similar book for the paying Students,' continued Doorkeeper, 'but the rules aren't as strict. The House needs money, and most of it comes from the parents of the rich boys. Make sure that you know all the Rules by heart, and be sure to obey them all.'
Grimm nodded wordlessly, his heart too full to speak. 'I will be back to take you to luncheon in a few hours,' said Doorkeeper. 'Don't try to get back into the Hall; you won't be able to. But I think the Scholasticate will be a large enough world for you, even over the long time to come.
'Be strong, Grimm; the loneliness will pass soon enough once your studies have begun, and you will find your days full to bursting with new knowledge, new friends and new experiences. Be strong for me.'
Doorkeeper left, closing the door of the cell with a thump that sounded to Grimm like a knell announcing the death of his old, familiar, life in Granfer's smithy.
Cell! The word echoed and rebounded through the boy's head; it sounded as if he were a criminal to be locked up.
Although the door was unlocked, the green walls of the cell seemed to close in on Grimm. He felt a swift, cold shiver of fear run through him. His lungs seemed to have turned to stone, and he felt unable to breathe properly.
With a mighty effort, he forced himself to draw a few, deep breaths, and he tried to take stock of the situation, but he felt hot tears begin to well from his eyes, unbidden. A jagging sob racked him, as a heavy wave of desperate homesickness washed over him.
He lay face down on the bed and wept with bitter anguish for a few minutes until it seemed he would break in two. With one last shuddering sob, he forced himself to sit up. For a few moments, he gasped like a beached whale until his breathing normalised. With stolid determination, he planted himself in the chair and picked up the book that Doorkeeper had said was so important.
The pages were yellowed and obviously well-thumbed. How many boys had read this before him? The number 17, which was stamped on the flyleaf, told him that the book belonged in this very cell, and Grimm felt a kind of communion with the previous incumbents of the cell. He hoped they had all become mages rather than scullery servants.
The first part of the book was interesting enough, detailing the history of the Guild and the House. Apparently, Arnor House was actually a hundred and fifty years older than the Guild itself. The Guild had been inaugurated four hundred years before by common consent between several feuding groups of magic-users, the Arnor Institute for the Arcane Arts among them.
The founding of High Lodge gave the squabbling organisations guidance and a common purpose. Eventually, more and more Houses joined the new Guild of Magic-users, Sorcerers and Thaumaturges until it became the premier organisation for magic throughout the land.
Each House paid a certain amount to High Lodge every year, based on its ability to pay. High Lodge had the right to request temporary or permanent secondment of magic-users or scholars to the governing Lodge for the fulfilment of certain spells, or to ensure that there was always a full complement of mages at High Lodge. In return, the House was assured non-aggression from all other Guild Houses, financial aid in times of crisis and exclusive authority for all matters magical in its locality.
The highest honour for any Guild Mage was to be elected to the post of Lord Dominie of the Guild, who could only be selected from among the ranks of High Lodge every year.
A few brief paragraphs gave sketchy details of former Guild notables, and then the main part of the book began.
Student!
You have been granted the honour of induction into the Guild of Magic-users, Sorcerers and Thaumaturges. This is an august and venerable establishment, and you are privileged to have become a part of it.
As a Student at Arnor Guild House, you have the responsibility to heed and obey the rules of the Guild and of the House. Read these well. The House Magemasters will accept no ignorance of the regulations as an excuse for failing to observe them, and punishments will be assessed against each transgression, up to and excluding
