The 4 Andys - Chapter 1

The hum of rumour buzzed around the practice yard amid the cold clang of steel. Barr raced between the duelling pairs as fast as his stocky legs would carry him. His three friends were slumped against the far stone wall. Wee Andy was idly digging his blunted practice sword into the dirt. Tall Andy's big blue eyes watched for the teacher. Hari sat on the ground, his gloved hands tracing out runes.
"Hey Barr." The group casually greeted him.
"Hey...guys!" Barr fell against the wall, his red face battling the breeze for his breath.
"Guess ... what?!"
"What?" replied Wee Andy intent on digging a hole.
"We're...get...ting...a...new...PUPIL!"
Hari jumped to his feet, "A new boy?" he asked, pushing his dark hair out of his brown eyes. The two Andys aimlessly started flicking dirt at each other with the tips of their swords.
"NO!" having finally won his battle, Barr clenched his fists in frustration at his friends' in-attentiveness.
"IT'S A GIRL!"

Everyone's heads snapped to attention and Barr beamed with pride at getting the 'big news' first. After a bated intake of breath, Wee Andy muttered, "Big deal! Look at the girls here. Not exactly princesses; they would scare away the dragons!"
Tall Andy nudged Barr whispering loudly, "Andy is still bitter because Jessica knocked lumps into his arms with her sword not ten minutes ago. Maybe this girl would be more like the goddesses of your country, Hari?"
Hari grinned, "A goddess may have a chance of keeping your eyes open in class, Andy. But no family in my land would face the disgrace of sending their daughter to this school."
"Mmmm, goddesses...." Barr was murmuring when a large shadow engulfed the four boys.

"SALLERN! CASSON! BARR! AND ...um...yes, YOU! Why are you boys not practising?" the shadow bellowed with the deep rumble of an approaching storm. "Casson, you will never succeed in besting the Viklei girl if you do not practise."
Wee Andy's face burned as he replied, "Yes, Swordmaster Mackin."
"You four will each spend thirty minutes in a solitary cell before the dusk meal."
"Yes, Swordmaster." they replied in unison, their heads hanging low. Grudgingly, the boys moved away from the wall, formed pairs and began to spar. After a few minutes, the Master moved away. Their moves became sloppy as the boys concentration waned.

"That was lucky," Hari called, "Only half an hour. Thankfully, Mackin likes you two, eh?"
"Likes us?" Tall Andy replied, "He shouts at us every single lesson. Especially at Andy. The slightest mistake and we get it."
"Yeah, like I said, he likes you. He wants you two to be perfect swordsmen."
"Nah, don't think so. What do you think?" Tall Andy said to a strangely quiet Wee Andy.
"I think we need to get more information."
"About whether Mackin likes us or not?!"
"What? ... No about this new girl."
"Oh."
"Eavesdrop."
"Ah. When?"
"After the dusk meal."
"After the cells as well. Perhaps, we can____ah!" Barr fell over as Tall Andy clutched his trodden foot.
"Sorry." Barr said as he scramble up from the dirt.
"Don't worry about it. Let's practise that new feint we learned."

* * *

The boys entered the dining hall as soon as the dusk bell rang. They raced straight to the food table and began to heap their plates.
“Blah! Some unidentifiable meat again!” Wee Andy muttered, “I would kill for a good meal.”
“We should think ourselves lucky,” Hari intoned, “Some families do not even have the luxury of meat.”
“Hari’s right,” Tall Andy joked, “You can’t expect your father’s banquets at school, Andy.”
“I’m not asking for a banquet, just s meat that I can recognise. Is it chicken, pig, horse or maybe rat?!”

Laughing, the boys took their seats midway down the pupils’ table. The rest of the school began to enter the hall, pupils and Masters together. An older boy clapped Tall Andy on the back, “Hey Tall Andy, heard about the new pupil?”
“Yeah, Barr told us this afternoon.” Tall Andy replied not looking up from his plate.
“Barr?”
“That’s me,” Barr mumbled, his face sheet white.
“Right, the fat one,” Clark sneered.
“What do you want?” Wee Andy snapped, “Thought you had lackeys to hang off your every word.”
Ignoring Wee Andy, Clark continued, “Personally, I can’t wait. I’m fed up charming our current girls. I’ll have a new pretty face following me around. Hey, Tall Andy, let’s break tradition. Why don’t you come join us at the top of the table? I could give you some pointers. Charming is a very useful skill.”
“Umm … I … I don’t….” Tall Andy stumbled.
“I didn’t know that people made retching noises when they’re being ‘charmed’, Clark.” Wee Andy interjected.
“Heard that Jessie beat you today, WEE Andy. Again. I mean you let a girl win once in a while for her pride but not everyday.” Clark stalked up to the top of the pupil’s table. Wee Andy’s face glowed red for the second time that day as he murmured, “One day … one day, I’ll get the better of him.”
“Let’s get out of here!” Barr hissed. Hari glanced over his shoulder and met the baleful eyes of Horsemaster Pacon. “Pacon’s watching us,” he whispered.
“Follow my lead,” Wee Andy hissed; loudly he continued, “Can you believe how much work we have to do!”
“Yeah, I know! I’ve not even started that essay for Leyal yet,” Tall Andy shouted across the table.
“Heck! I’d forgotten about that! Better get to it then.” Wee Andy rose from the table, followed by Tall Andy, Hari & Barr. They carried their plates over to the washing table by the door. The leftovers were dumped into the scrap's bin; the plates dunked into the hot water basin; half-hearted scrubbed; dunked into the cold water basin and placed on the drying rack. When four plates rested in the rack, the four boys trooped out, their heads hung low.

Out in the hall, the boys paused at the foot of the main staircase. A narrow watchfulness came to their eyes. With a slight nod, Barr headed up the stairs and sat down on the mid-landing where he could see the dining hall doorway. He withdrew a small official scroll from his tunic pocket, unfurled it and began reading. His left hand rested casually on a banister post. The rest entered the Masters Corridor to the right. Hurrying along, they rounded the corner at the end and crouched down outside the Schoolmaster’s door. Hari extracted a slim piece of metal from a pocket up his sleeve and inserted it into the lock. “It’s a new lock!” he muttered, “One of these automatic locking ones.”
“Blow! We’ve broken in too often. Veran must have thought he was getting too forgetful; constantly leaving his door unlocked,” Wee Andy exasperated, “Can you open it, Hari?”
“Yes. But it will take longer.”

The senior boys were leaving the dining hall, when Clark noticed Barr on the stairs. Sneering, he shouted, “You, fatty! What a stupid place to read. Have you not heard of a chair or is your father too poor to buy one?” Clark’s group laughed dutifully. He continued, “Here, I saved you a scrap,” he lobbed a hunk of bread at Barr.
“Wait, Clark! You’ll love this,” a small weedy boy sneered, “Here’s milk to go with your bread.” Zevon began muttering under his breath, waving his hands dramatically. A drop of milk hit Barr on the nose. “Pathetic!” Clark shoved the smaller boy, who fell against the bottom step. “Oh forgive me, I forgot how small and weak you are and how strong I am! Even your magic is weak.”
“I … I … try … I”
“Well now you’ve drawn the Masters’ attention.” Clark hurried down the Senior Corridor with Zevon grovelling behind him, “Clark, I’m sorry, Clark?” Barr gritted his teeth; “You’ll pay later for that.”

“What are you reading there, my lad?” Barr looked down at Tacticsmaster Avace standing at the foot of the stairs. “It’s an account of one of King Maxae’s battles,” Barr replied.
“Excellent! Why are you not in your room?”
“Oh the dormitories tend to get very rowdy at this time. The landing is actually more peaceful.”
“Ah! Very clever.” The rest of the Masters were exiting the hall, “Well I have a meeting to go to. I will see you in class tomorrow.” The seven Masters entered the corridor as Barr frantically pinged the wire on the post where his hand rested.

“Hari, hurry up,” Wee Andy muttered.
“It’s very complicated.” A bell rang above them.
“Hurry!”
“They’re coming,” Tall Andy added. Hari rapidly began to twiddle his piece of metal. A bead of sweat glistened on his temple. “We should abandon it,” Tall Andy whispered.

Click.

The door swung open. In a fluid movement Tall Andy hoisted Hari into the rafters above the corridor. Wee Andy dived inside. Tall Andy followed. The door was clicked closed.

The Masters rounded the corner. “I have many grievances,” Swordmaster Mackin was saying.
“We do not wish to hear a rendition of your personal problems. Body odours are embarrassing, but not something you must discuss with the group.” Scrollmaster Leyal sniggered. Potionsmaster Kalin and Magicmaster Broque laughed. “Quiet!” Schoolmaster Veran hushed. He unlocked his door and led them inside. The Masters took their seats at the table in the centre of the room, while the Schoolmaster closed the door. Veran eased himself into the large cushioned chair at the head of the table. Sighing, he noticed that the Masters were in their ‘usual’ chairs. Magicmaster Broque, Potionsmaster Kalin and Scrollmaster Leyal to his left: Swordmaster Mackin, Tacticsmaster Avace and Horsemaster Pacon to his right. He sensed a long night of arguing ahead.

“We should not tolerate this kind of ‘person’ in our school.” Master Mackin began.
“Person” interrupted Master Broque, “Say what you mean, Mackin. To you this girl is not human.”
“Please address me as Swordmaster Mackin. Yes, this girl is little more than an animal. Rumours say that she crawled out of a forest and had to be tamed.”
“She is the King’s ward and should be treated thus. I do not know that you deserve the title of Master, when you have never read a scroll,” Master Leyal retorted.
“Our skills can’t be taught with scrolls,” Master Pacon countered.
“Any skill can be taught with scrolls. Perhaps, the horseman should wash before councils. He stinks worse than the stable boys,” Master Leyal replied. Uproar broke out across the table, where no words could be heard but passions cried loudly.

“Masters!” Master Veran tried to regain control but his voice was lost to the clamour. He slammed his fist on the table. Jumped to his feet. Yelled, “STOP!” The Masters quietened and those that had risen regained their seats. “Must we have these petty arguments at every council?” Schoolmaster Veran continued. “This is not what we need to discuss. If you can not regulate yourselves to civilised behaviour, then the council will be abolished and I shall dictate the actions of the school.”
“Your father stipulated that each Master was to have a say in the running of the school,” Master Leyal said.
“Yes, my father did. My father also wanted a school that had three direction of learning: Skill, Magic and Mind. Yet it appears that some of you do not respect that. You were all handpicked for my father’s admiration of your knowledge in your respective areas. Yet, if you can not respect my father’s decision, then I feel no obligation to continue these councils. I am tired of mediating these petty squabbles. You will all now acknowledge the council as it stands or leave and I will find new masters.”

The six Masters all muttered an assertion to this speech. Though there was many a guarded glare of unfinished business across the table.
“Good. Now we will discuss our new pupil.”
“In my opinion, this is our first pupil who has shown any true aptitude towards magic. To maintain a magic element in the school, we can not refuse her.” Master Broque preened himself at his first-rate argument.
“It is not as simple as that,” Master Mackin replied, “We have the safety of the other pupils to consider.”

The debate continued long into the night. It was a long time before the Masters retired for the night, letting Tall Andy and Wee Andy exit their hiding places. They closed the door as quietly as they could, so not to wake the Schoolmaster. Tall Andy retrieved Hari from the rafters. They crept up the stairs to their bedchamber where Barr had long since fallen asleep. “Barr!” The three boys leapt on to his bed. Barr woke with a start pulling a dagger from under his pillow.
“Hold!” Wee Andy shouted as the point narrowly missed his gut.
“Sorry,” muttered Barr, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Thought it was Clark come to pull a prank on me.”
“Well, we’re not Clark.”
“Yes, I know, sorry.” Barr put the dagger back in its sheath under the pillow.
“Is Clark giving you a hard time again?” Hari put his hand on Barr’s shoulder, sitting down next to him.
“No, he just threw an insult my way, while I was on the mid-landing. About me being poor. You know the usual. I’m fat, poor and slow.” Barr turned his face to the wall as he dashed tears from his eyes.
“Pah! Barr, your father is Lord of Norpas. Clark is only some merchant’s son. You are far higher in rank than he can ever dream to be. That’s why he picks on you.” Wee Andy said seriously.
“As for being fat,” Tall Andy added, “ You’re just stout. One day you will be so broad-shouldered, that I won’t want to fight you.”
“But we will get revenge for that insult.” Hari muttered.
“Yes!” Wee Andy exclaimed. “ I’ll think of something, don’t you worry. One day, Clark will learn not to irritate us.” Barr’s face shone with unspoken gratitude.

“So, what did you hear about the new girl?”
“Yes tell us!” Hari cried, “They refuse to tell me anything until we were in the room.”
“She’s a sorceress!” Tall Andy said.
“And a freak.” Wee Andy laughed.
“Go on, you tell them Andy.”
“Right,” Wee Andy continued, “ So after the Masters were done insulting each other as they normally do, Veran gave them an ultimatum.”
“An ultimatum?” Barr cut in.
“Yes, they had to start working together of Veran would take full control of the school.”
“Did the Masters dispute that?” Hari asked.
“Yes, but, look, that’s not the good bit. After that they started discussing the new girls. It was all in bits, this is what I can put together of her story. She’s the first true magic user to be born to this land for a long time. And there hasn’t been a sorceress for centuries.”
“Apparently, there’s some kind of difference between a sorceress and a witch,” Tall Andy added.
“Yeah, we’re not really sure what the difference is. But Broque was really excited about her coming to the school. He kept on rambling on about an elemental skill that has been detected in her.”
“Say, Hari, do you think you could find out more about magic?” Barr interrupted.
“That’s a great idea, Barr,” Wee Andy said, “ Why didn’t I think of that. Yes, Hari, do you think you could get some scrolls on it? We need to know about Sorceresses, Witches, Elemental Skill, everything. We need to be prepared.”
Barr’s face shone with happiness, as Hari muttered, “I don’t know. Leyal might get suspicious. I’ll have to concoct some reason to be interested in magic. Let me meditate on it.”

“Come on, Andy. Tell them how she was found,” Tall Andy pushed.
“Yeah. This is what Veran is excited about. She’s a ward of the King, about seven harvests ago, she just showed up at Kingate, leading a donkey pulling a little wooden cart. In the cart was the body of her dead mother.” Wee Andy paused for dramatic effect as Barr and Hari’s jaws dropped. Before they could start asking questions, he continued, “The guards at the gate wanted to turn her away, because she looked so wild. Luckily for her, the King’s mage appeared and took her to the royal court. Now they are sending her here to finish her education.”

The boys sat in silence for a while; each lost in their own thoughts. “She sounds wonderful,” Hari murmured, “Like some romantic character you hear in stories.”
“She’ll probably be stuck up cause she’s the King’s ward. She’ll join up with Clark and tease me.” Barr twiddled the end of his end covers in his hands.
“Pah!” Wee Andy said, “She’s just another stupid girl. Mackin said they had to practically tame her, she was like a wild animal. What do you think, Andy?”
“I’ll wait till I meet her. Now I want to get some sleep.” Tall Andy began to pull of his boots. The other boys followed suit and soon all their candles were snuffed out.