[Firenze]: 56.Sharman - The New Beginning: Chapter6

CHAPTER SIX – THE HIGH SHARMAN

  The High Sharman was the most powerful and mysterious Sharman in the entire guild. His appearance made him look taller than he actually was. He had slick black hair and dark brown eyes made him slightly attractive amongst the young female apprentices and Sharman alike. But his personality was cold-hearted and his stare would scare anyone. 

Kerrin and Sharman Kenaz were almost at the High Sharman’s house when Sharman Kenaz turned to Kerrin and said to Kerrin,

“If you don’t feel safe at any point tonight, call for me and I will be straight down to get you and take you back to my apartment”

“I will be fine Uncle, there is no need to worry about me as I will be in the home of the most powerful Sharman in the provinces” said Kerrin.

“Very well but if you do, you know what to do” said Sharman Kenaz.

“Okay, good night, Uncle Kenaz, I will see you tomorrow morning” she smiled and gave Sharman Kenaz a quick kiss on the cheek.

Kerrin was nervous and was unsure of how she was supposed to talk to the High Sharman or how she was to act before him. She arrived at the door with a few minutes to spare. She straightened her uniform and knocked on the door. Within a few short seconds the door swung open and there stood the High Sharman dressed in his black robes from head to toe. Kerrin stood there admiring him before she entered his home.

“Welcome to the Guild Kerrin and welcome to my home. Our meal should be ready in about an hour, so would please go into the study and make yourself comfortable” said the High Sharman and he gestured to a comfortable looking chair.

Kerrin did as she was told and entered the room, and then sat down in the chair he had pointed to. Once she was comfortable, the High Sharman gazed at her wondering what she thought of him so far.

“Well Kerrin, what do you think of the Guild so far?” said the High Sharman.

“It is a big place and I hope to adjust quickly from my original status to this one, sir” replied Kerrin.

“I see, please don’t call me High Sharman or Sir tonight, my name is Morea, family of Perdhro, you may call me Morea as I hate long winded titles. Kerrin, what do you know about the Guild so far? And what is it that you know about me?” asked Morea.

“First of all which question would you like me to answer first Morea?”

“The first question if you would Kerrin”

“Well, so far I have noticed that apprentices wear different coloured uniforms to my own, I know that mine means that I am favoured by the High Sharman but I have not been told what the other colours mean. I know that a Sharman follows two of four elements. The four elements are fire, earth, water and air. That’s about it really” said Kerrin with slight disdain.

“To answer your question about the different colours of the apprentice’s uniforms. The colours mean the different seasons, green being spring, red being summer, brown being autumn and white being winter”

“I know you want to know what I know about you. I know that you are no ordinary Sharman. You are a BLACK SHARMAN; you kill innocent people whilst they sleep. You tried killing me when I was a child but I keep quiet like a good little citizen of Nied because who would believe a little street urchin like me. No one would and plus if I did say anything to anyone, I was afraid you would come after me and kill me or worse take me as your apprentice.” Kerrin relaxed back down into the comfort of her chair. Whilst the High Sharman got up out of his chair and began pacing the room.

“So you were the child that night, I knew, I spared your life for a reason but at the time I did not know why. Kerrin did you know your mother?” asked Morea.

“No I didn’t. My mother died giving birth to me but my Father says that my mother hid something from him. Ever since she died he has been through her private belongings over and over again to find out what it was and when he did find out her secret he didn’t speak to me for nearly six months.” Replied Kerrin. Kerrin hated talking about her mother and at this time her father as well.

“I knew your mother before she married your Father Othel I believe. I was engaged to your mother and the day she met your Father was the night of our engagement party. She was pregnant with my daughter and when Jenna told me she couldn’t marry me, I came back here and contemplated on what I should do next. In the end, I decided to let her go but I insisted on seeing my daughter when she was born. But it never happened, so Kerrin, I think that I am your true Father not Othel”

“If you are truly my Father, then you will know what birth mark I have on my left shoulder, my Father does not know what the symbol means but I do, so what is the birth mark?”

“On your left shoulder there is the Jeran symbol for the falcon, the same as mine; it is my family’s symbol”

“You are correct; the symbol on my left shoulder is the Jeran symbol for the falcon. I knew my Father hid something from me from the day he started not talking to me but if you are my Father then why didn’t you come looking for me?” said Kerrin disappointed to find the man whom she had called father for sixteen years was not her real Father.

“You seem upset to find your real Father is a Sharman and a Sharman with such a high position but you shouldn’t be upset, you should be proud. I did look for you Kerrin, I searched all the provinces but couldn’t find you, I even went to The Hajj and put a contract out on you”

“You went to The Hajj and put a contract on me! But when they found out that their best thief’s daughter was really yours they decided to protect me from you, didn’t they!?” bellowed Kerrin.

“Yes they did hide you from me and when I found out that they were hiding you from me, I came into The Hajj tunnels and began looking for you myself. I was caught searching the tunnels by Sigel and he attacked me with numerous people from The Hajj. But I killed them with ease using what you call black Sharman magic and entered your Father’s chambers finding a small girl no more than five holding a halket facing towards me and when I looked into her eyes I saw something I had never seen before in my life, I saw in her the spirit of a Sharman, and she stood there watching me until I left” said the High Sharman in a particularly calm voice.

Kerrin sat there looking deeply into the High Sharman’s eyes wondering if what he was saying was true or if it was some trick to get her to forget her Father. A slight knock on the door separated their eye contact as they turned to the door and a man no taller than Tucker entered the room.

“High Sharman and Apprentice Kerrin your meal is served” said the High Sharman’s servant.

“Thank you, Danu” said the High Sharman and Danu exited the study and went into the dining room.

Kerrin still intense from her conversation with the High Sharman got up from her chair and followed the High Sharman into the dining room where there were two bowls at either end of the table filled with a delicious smelling soup. At one end of the table stood Danu, with a straight back and a bottle of Pekin wine waiting for them to sit down, and begin their meal. The High Sharman gestured for Kerrin to sit at the end which Danu was standing at. Kerrin gracefully walked to her seat and sat down. Danu walked beside her,

“Apprentice Kerrin, would you care for some Pekin wine?” asked the humble servant.

“I would be delighted to have some Danu and might I add that this soup smells fantastic” said Kerrin as she looked at Danu.

“Thank you Apprentice Kerrin you are very kind” answered Danu with a smile.

“My pleasure Danu, I like to make people happy as it makes me happy” replied Kerrin as Danu walked over to the High Sharman to pour some wine into his wine glass.

Kerrin picked up her soup spoon and began eating her soup. The soup tasted as good as it smelt. As she ate her meal she began to wonder what Kenaz was up to and how he was feeling, as he had been so far the only Sharman other than the High Sharman who treated her with respect.

Watching Kerrin, enjoying her soup the High Sharman placed his hands upon the table as if he wanted to express something of importance to Kerrin but realizing how much she was enjoying her meal, he declined and went back to eating his own soup.

Kerrin had just finished her soup and was now sat up straight waiting for the High Sharman to finish his. The High Sharman finished eating his soup just after Kerrin and indicated to Danu too remove the plates from the table ready for the next course.

“Well Kerrin, seen as you will be the next High Sharman, if anything happens to me. I believe you should be able to plan your own education, so where would you like to start?” asked the High Sharman.

“I would like you to recommend Sharman whom you deem worthy to teach me, first of all” replied Kerrin, slyly.

“I would recommend no Sharman to teach you except myself when it comes to water and air but for fire I would recommend your Uncle and for earth I recommend Sharman Tailtiu” said the High Sharman.

“I will go with what you have said, that is if you are willing to teach me Morea, I know my Uncle wanted to teach me but I have never met Sharman Tailtu so I do not know what she is like” replied Kerrin.

“I would be more than happy to teach you but be warned your lessons will not be as easy as an ordinary first years lesson. I will inform Sharman Tailtiu that she will be teaching you from now on”

“Thank you, Morea. I have one question, will I be with other apprentices?” asked Kerrin curiously.

“No you will not. A future High Sharman must be strong of mind and must not be distracted during their studies. Having two guardians to please means you have to work twice as hard” replied the High Sharman with a certain flare of anguish.

Just as the High Sharman finished talking Danu walked in with the main meal, this next course smelt better than the soup. As he placed the plate in front of her, she realised that it was her favourite meal; Og in zerect berry sauce with roasted potatoes, she began carving her breast of Og into mouth-sized pieces making it easier to chew. An Og is a bird similar to chicken but tastes just like turkey and zerect berries are a purple berry that taste just like cranberries.

She was eating her food when she suddenly dropped her cutlery as twinge of pain went shooting through her mind as if it was connected to another mind and the feeling that something bad was happening in the city to her father came over her all of a sudden.

“What is wrong Kerrin?” asked the High Sharman.

“I don’t know but something is not right in the city, I can sense it” replied Kerrin, her face full of fear the High Sharman remained concerned about what was wrong.

“Are you sure Kerrin?” he asked concerned for her well-being.

“Yes but tomorrow I must go into the city” said Kerrin as she slowly went to pick up her knife and fork off the floor in order for Danu to take back into the kitchen. Danu swiftly replaced the dirty cutlery for a clean set and went back into the kitchen where he was preparing their dessert.

“Why must you go into the city tomorrow, Kerrin? Surely you would want to begin your lessons immediately?” concerned at her reply, did she really think that some matter in the city was more important than her education as a future High Sharman? To the High Sharman it seemed that way and that he was some how going o have to put a stop to it but how was the question, he could not possibly confine her to the guild grounds as she would rebel totally against him. As Morea thought about it the more intent he was on getting rid of Othel altogether but what would Kerrin and Sharman Kenaz do if they ever found out that it was him who hired some thug off the streets to kill a Hajj thief and the man whom raised his daughter, he had to plan this carefully if this was to be a plan to keep Kerrin within the Guild.

Kerrin watched the High Sharman whilst carefully planning what she was going to say to him as she was unprepared for those questions and did not wish to insult the High Sharman on her first day in the guild, at last she had finished and began her reply, “I must go into the city to see my father and Sigel about a few things before any lessons go ahead, the reason being we have discussed an issue I would like to put before my Father and Sigel to see if what you say is true. That is why I must go into the city plus there are a few items in my home that I would like to bring back to the Guild as they belonged to my mother and I cherish them dearly.”

As she finished her reply Morea sat back in his chair and looked her as if she were a nothing more than a puppet on strings, Kerrin did not enjoy this staring from him and as a feeling that made her feel uncomfortable came over her, the High Sharman pushed his plate aside and said to Danu who was now back in the dinning room that he was no longer hungry the servant looked upset but said nothing as he collected the plate and walked towards Kerrin.

“Apprentice Kerrin, have you finished?” whispered Danu into her ear.

“Yes thank you Danu and might I add that this course was better than the first” as Kerrin said this Danu’s face lit up almost instantaneously with joy and he walked into the kitchen still smiling.

“I haven’t seen Danu smile like that since he came to the Guild, well back to you going into the city tomorrow, if you are to go into the city tomorrow I demand that you take an escort with you as you will now be a prime target for anyone and I think it would be best if I escort you in the city” said Morea.

“You! escort me! in the city! and what about when I go into The Hajj tunnels, Sigel will think you have come back to kill more of his men if what you say is true but if you are willing to risk your neck for my safety then you are more than welcome to come with me tomorrow” replied Kerrin, surprised at Morea’s offer.

The High Sharman turned from Kerrin disappointed at her response as any apprentice normally would relish the offer he had just given her. But Kerrin was not like any ordinary apprentice within the Guild, she was a day ago the daughter of a highly respected thief named Othel but now she was the Sharman Guild’s future leader and was unknown by anyone in the Guild whereas in The Hajj everyone knew her, and she was treated like family. The Guild could not offer this but this is not what she will say when the time comes for her to lead the Guild, as it will not be the thieves who save her life.

There was silence throughout the dining room as Kerrin and the High Sharman sat there waiting for the other to start the conversation but nothing happened, so as time passed by Kerrin closed her eyes and waited until he spoke. In a sort of trance-like state Kerrin could seek out other people’s minds to see what they were thinking, The Hajj used her little technique to get the truth out of some of their miniscule dealers when they decide not to pay up for products The Hajj smuggle in for them. She knew this would annoy the High Sharman.

Morea did not understand Kerrin or what she was doing but after a while he felt a presence in the back of his mind and could not recognise who this person was, so he moved closer to the intruder; totally unaware that Kerrin was able to do this; he approached the figure in his mind carefully hoping that the might reveal themselves by accident. He was almost in range to touch the figure when it turned around.

- Who are you? Demanded the High Sharman.

- You know who I am Morea as I am sat across the table from you. Replied Kerrin some what pleased with herself.

- Kerrin?

- Yes. You didn’t know I could do this did you?

- No I did not, how long?

- Since the day you spared my life.

- Right. Now could you possibly get out of my head as there are some things I do not wish you too see.

- Very well. Goodbye.

Kerrin slowly came out of her trance not knowing what to expect from the High Sharman sat opposite her. As she began to come around to her full consciousness, she looked up at Morea but the facial expression she was expecting was not there but in its place was a smile.

“Welcome back to the real world Kerrin” said Morea sarcastically to Kerrin as Danu stood beside her pouring a glass of water for her.

Kerrin still drowsy from the trance did not reply to Morea’s comment; picked up her glass with two hands to insure she did not drop it and smash it in the process. The crystal clear water trickled down her throat refreshing her whole body within a few seconds.

“Kerrin did you hear me?” asked Morea, concerned.

“Yes I did hear you, I choose not to reply that is all” replied Kerrin.

“Very well, Kerrin you said you have been able to do this since I spared your life, do you realise what sort of control you need to what you just done.”

Kerrin shook her head in reply saying no and hoped it wasn’t a lot of control that was needed to do it.

“You need to be very powerful to master that technique, well put it this way I only just managed to learn that sort of control when I was in my last year of apprenticeship” said Morea shocked that she did not know this and began to wonder if she managed to gain that sort of control at a young age, how powerful is she going to get?

Kerrin shocked at what he had just said, kept quiet for a few seconds before replying to him.

“Is that true? But if what you say is true, won’t I become more powerful than you in the future?” asked Kerrin.

“It is true and possibly, yes, you will become more powerful than I in the future but for now let us finish our meal with dessert. Danu please fetch the dessert, thank you.”

Danu was less than a minute in the kitchen before he returned with two drakberry sorbets, one of the most delicious desserts in the kingdom of Nied. Kerrin enjoyed drakberry sorbets so much she once took a job in a small restaurant in the city and she asked them to pay her with some drakberry sorbet and one gold coin instead of the three gold coins. She quickly tucked into the sorbet before the High Sharman could say anything to her. When the High Sharman wanted to talk to her, he noticed how much she loved the sorbet and left her in peace to eat it.