Assassin's Apprentice

"It won't be easy, even for one with as light a touch as yours," he warned me.

"Try me!" I challenged him in return.

"Oh, in another month or two, perhaps, when you've had a bit more teaching. I've a game to teach you tonight, one that will sharpen your eye and your memory." He reached into a pouch and drew out a handful of something. He opened his hand briefly in front of me: colored stones. The hand closed. "Were there any yellow ones?"

"Yes. Chade, what is the challenge?"

"How many?"

"Two that I could see. Chade, I bet I could do it now."

"Could there have been more than two?"

"Possibly, if some were concealed completely under the top layer. I don't think it likely. Chade, what is the challenge?"

He opened his bony old hand, stirred the stones with his long forefinger. "Right you were. Only two yellow ones. Shall we go again?"

"Chade, I can do it."

"You think so, do you? Look again, here's the stones. One, two, three, and gone again. Were there any red ones?"

"Yes. Chade, what is the task?"

"Were there more red ones than blue? To bring me something personal from the King's night table."

"What?"

"Were there more red stones than blue ones?"

"No, I mean, what was the task?"

"Wrong, boy!" Chade announced it merrily. He opened his fist. "See, three red and three blue. Exactly the same. You'll have to look quicker than that if you're to meet my challenge."

"And seven green. I knew that, Chade. But ... you want me to steal from the King?" I still couldn't believe I had heard it.

"Not steal, just borrow. As you did Mistress Hasty's shears. There's no harm in a prank like that, is there?"

"None except that I'd be whipped if I were caught. Or worse.

"And you're afraid you'd be caught. See, I told you it had best wait a month or two, until your skills were better."

"It's not the punishment. It's that if I were caught ... the King and I ... we made a bargain ... ." My words dwindled away. I stared at him in confusion. Chade's instruction was a part of the bargain Shrewd and I had made. Each time we met, before he began instructing me, he formally reminded me of that bargain. I had given to Chade as well as the King my word that I would be loyal. Surely he could see that if I acted against the King, I'd be breaking my part of the bargain.

"It's a game, boy," Chade said patiently. "That's all. Just a bit of mischief. It's not really so serious as you seem to think it. The only reason I'm choosing it as a task is that the King's room and his things are so closely watched. Anyone can make off with a seamstress's shears. We're talking about a real bit of stealth now, to enter the King's own chambers and take something that belongs to him. If you could do that, I'd believe I'd spent my time well in teaching you. I'd feel you appreciated what I'd taught you."

"You know I appreciate what you teach me," I said quickly. That wasn't it at all. Chade seemed to be completely missing my point. "I'd feel ... disloyal. Like I was using what you'd taught me to trick the King. Almost as if I were laughing at him."

"Ah!" Chade leaned back in his chair, a smile on his face. "Don't let that bother you, boy. King Shrewd can appreciate a good jest when he's shown one. Whatever you take, I'll return myself to him. It will be a sign to him of how well I've taught you and how well you've learned. Take something simple if it worries you so; it needn't be the crown off his head or the ring from his finger! Just his hairbrush, or any bit of paper that's about – even his glove or belt would do. Nothing of any great value. Just a token."

I thought I should pause to think, but I knew I didn't need to. "I can't do it. I mean, I won't do it. Not from King Shrewd. Name any other, anyone else's room, and I'll do it. Remember when I took Regal's scroll? You'll see, I can creep in anywhere and- "

"Boy?" Chade's voice came slowly, puzzled. "Don't you trust me? I tell you it's all right. It's just a challenge we're talking about, not high treason. And this time, if you're caught, I promise I'll step right in and explain it all. You won't be punished."

"That's not it," I said frantically. I could sense Chade's growing puzzlement over my refusal. I scrabbled within myself to find a way to explain to him. "I promised to be loyal to Shrewd. And this-"

"There's nothing disloyal about this!" Chade snapped. I looked up to see angry glints in his eyes. Startled, I drew back from him. I'd never seen him glare so. "What are you saying, boy? That I'm asking you to betray your king? Don't be an idiot. This is just a simple little test, my way of measuring you and showing Shrewd himself what you've learned, and you balk at it. And try to cover your cowardice by prattling about loyalty. Boy, you shame me. I thought you had more backbone than this, or I'd never have begun teaching you."

"Chade!" I began in horror. His words had left me reeling. He pulled away from me, and I felt my small world rocking around me as his voice went on coldly.