The Hunter's Apprentice Read Online Free Page B

understood him at once. They walked towards him and began to bark joyfully. He was soon put to ground and licked all over his face. They were really playful and as he loved dogs, he spent a long time with them outside. The hunter did not wait for him for he went inside the house immediately and the lights inside lit immediately. Soon there was frail smoke coming out of the chimney. This surprised Aerys a bit for the hunter had not given me the impression that he was a cook nor a man who seemed to like doing house chores. He walked towards the little house too followed by the dogs who had adopted him completely now. He stopped on the porch and examined the house. It was a solid one built with strong wood. However it was very plain looking for it was built as simple as possible. He opened the door and walked in. The place was small and he found himself in the kitchen. The fire was burning in the chimney and something really good was already being cooked on the fire. His eyes wandered around and he jumped in surprise as they fell upon a tiny man who was busy waving his hands in front of knives which moved on their own in front of him and cutting vegetables.
    He saw Aerys but did not say anything. Who was this tiny man? A dwarf? Aerys had heard of them but they lived far to the west. How come this one was here? Had the hunter brought him? His head was filled with questions and he watched him unashamedly until the dwarf could no longer bear it. He turned and said angrily.
    -Stop that lad; he said in a tiny and high pitched voice that was so funny that Aerys laughed loudly before he could stop.
    The dwarf cursed and before Aerys knew it several things were flying his way. He managed to dodge them and hurried inside the other room. He found himself in what appeared to be the study room. The walls were covered with dusty books which lay on equally dusty shelves. The hunter was there sitting on the only chair around an oddly round table which was covered with what appeared to be a map. He was reading a parchment and he looked up at him.
    -You met Erasmus I presume, he said turning his attention back to the parchment.
    -Is he a dwarf?, asked Aerys as he wandered round the place looking at the books. There were so many and he wanted to do just one thing; read them all.
    -Erasmus is a gnome, rectified the hunter. A domestic one.
    Aerys looked up in surprised. He had heard of gnomes but never knew that they could be domesticated.
    -How did you do that?
    Drake smiled.
    -I managed to find his name. Just simple as that and now he has to do whatever I ask of him. He’s very handy and such an excellent housekeeper. I don’t know how I would manage without him.
    -So Erasmus is his name then? Aerys asked secretly thinking of the things that I might ask the gnome.
    -Obviously not lad, replied the hunter. It’s one of the many names he uses. Only I know his real name and I am not telling you.
    Aerys watched him sullenly. It would have been pretty good to have a gnome that could do your bidding.
    -Don’t make that face, said the hunter sourly. He would not have been a great help to you anyway. Gnomes have a very limited use. They can only make basic magic and tricks.
    -Don’t they have gold? Aerys asked suddenly remembering something of the stories Master Elric used to tell me at night.
    -That’s just an old woman’s tale. They have as much gold as you, which is nothing. They are just magical creatures which live mainly in deep forests. They are very tricky and foul, explained Drake. Their favorite activity consists in attracting people in forest so that they wander endlessly until they eventually die or become mad. So you see they are not a pretty funny bunch of guys.
    He tossed the parchment aside and stood up. He walked towards the shelves and said.
    -I think that it is high time that you start your apprenticeship for I won’t lecture you all day long. I don’t the time or the patience to do so. So you will have to read a lot and I trust