Chapter 43
"I’ll get to study swordsmanship?" he said excitedly.
"And magic as well, the moment that you come into your energies. Even if I have to hire a high arcanite to be your teacher." His voice taking on a tender tone, he said, "I promise you, Alistar, I’ll do everything within my power to keep you safe, as if you were my own son." Stooping down, Caedmon pulled him into a tight embrace.
Just like that, Alistar’s anger dissipated like fog in the wind. All he felt now was an overwhelming sense of gratitude. They hadn’t known each other long, but Caedmon truly cared for him and was willing to do anything to keep him safe and content. His uncle’s warmth reminded him of his mother’s. Suddenly, he found himself endlessly grateful that it was Mister Alder that had found him on the side of the Winding Road and not a danger beast or a band of bandits. His uncle often mentioned his savior, whom he looked forward to meeting.
Breaking contact, Caedmon dipped a hand into his tunic and removed a gleaming string of metal from around his neck. He held a locket of vibrant silver, which twinkled brilliantly even in the dim light of his study. It was an oval piece, the front shaped in a way that showed an elegant butterfly amidst a patch of wildflowers. His uncle opened it, which revealed a small compartment. This slot was empty, though it could fit a few coins or a miniature portrait, perhaps a small piece of folded parchment.
"This belonged to your mother," he said plaintively. "She gave it to me the night before she was sent away. That was almost eleven years ago. Up until today, I’ve kept an artistic likeliness of my late wife within this compartment, but I’ve decided that you should have it. It’s the only true keepsake of your mother’s that I can give you."
Alistar struggled to hold back his tears in the face of Caedmon’s kindness. Living a life as a slave, where possessing a single apple was seen as the peak of luxury, just being allocated a bedroom, being clothed and fed, was more than he could ever have asked for. Compared to the necklaces and lockets he had seen in the market, this piece was likely worth more than one hundred silver lucets. That was enough to feed a person for years, so long as they ate their meals at the market. Even so, selling the locket was the furthest thing from his mind.
"Is it really okay?" he asked, unsure.
Caedmon smiled, placing it around his neck and fastening it in place. "This here is a locking mechanism"—he indicated a small switch—"which makes for a good place to hold a miniature likeliness, as I had up until today. Once the lock is set, nothing will fall out of this compartment." Tucking it into Alistar’s tunic, he patted him on both his shoulders. "And now, a second piece, this one from my own collection. One of the only things my father ever gave me, after he discovered my passions for the arts." He produced a simple bracelet with a small plate of silver as the focus. "Although it was more of an insult to me, I can assure you that I only give you this with the purest of intentions."
"That’s for me?"