Mythran's Master Of All

Ren arrived at the building next to Donan's place and stopped. Lucy almost ran Ren over, but caught herself in time and Lucy ended up giving Ren a quick hug from behind.

“Lucy... what do I say?” Ren asked in a small voice.

Lucy turned Ren around and looked him in the eye. “The truth.”

“But... but I can't tell him that I forgot about him! It makes me feel bad just knowing I did forget him... how is Donan going to feel if I tell him that?” Ren said, exasperated.

Lucy shook her head. “Come on, Ren. If someone did that to you, would you want them to make up excuses?”

Ren opened his mouth and then closed it. “Yeah, you're right.” Ren sighed and hunched over a little bit. “Plus, I'm a horrible liar.” Ren said and smiled.

“Yes, you are.” Lucy said and turned Ren around. “Now go in there and be honest with him.”

“You... you're not coming?” Ren stammered and looked over his shoulder.

“I'll be right here if you need me, but this is a moment that should be just between the two of you.” Lucy said and tried to give Ren a little shove. Ren didn't budge, however. He really is a lot stronger than me in here. Lucy thought.

Teepo hopped out of Ren's hood and landed on Lucy's shoulder. “She's right.”

Ren sighed and straightened his back. “Okay. Here I go.”

Ren walked the rest of the way and then cautiously stepped into Donan's shop through the double wide entryway. Ren could hear metal being pounded on an anvil and looked over to Donan's regular working spot. Donan stood there with his back to Ren and was hammering something that Ren couldn't see clearly.

“So... the prodigal hero returns to grace me with his presence.” Donan said without turning around.

Ren winced at the disappointment that oozed through the room and hit Ren in the face. “I have a really good explanation for not coming sooner, Sir.” Ren said in as respectful a voice as he could muster.

“Alright then.” Donan said and put his hammer down on the anvil. Donan turned around and crossed his arms, making himself an imposing figure. “Let's hear it.”

Ren squared his shoulders again. “I forgot.”

Donan had a shocked look on his face. “You... you forgot?!?”

Ren nodded. “Yes, sir. I won't make excuses. After I woke up in the mansion and several other things happened, I needed to get away from the city for a while. It never even crossed my mind to come and see you.” Ren said. “I should have come to you first, to let you know I was leaving for a while.” Ren bowed deeply. “All I can offer is my sincere apology, Sir.”

Donan uncrossed his arms and walked heavily towards Ren. “Did you know that I came to see you while you were healing at the mansion?”

Ren shook his head. “No one told me, Sir.”

Donan snorted. “That doesn't surprise me. I guess they didn't tell you that Sally came to visit, either.”

Ren looked at Donan in surprise.

Donan smirked. “Yeah, I didn't think so. They don't think of us working folk as real, you know?”

Ren nodded.

“I'd heard you woke up... and then saw you running around town... but you didn't come here once.” Donan said and scowled down at Ren.

“You do realize that I've had to do all the work here by myself.”

Ren nodded.

“I even had an order for a thousand short swords... that I couldn't do.” Donan said without inflection in his voice.

“I didn't know that... but that's no excuse. I've been negligent in my duties as your apprentice. I'll do anything you say to try and make it up to you.” Ren said. Ren lowered his head again then said something that hurt to have pass his lips. “I... I won't even protest if you don't want me to be your apprentice anymore.” Ren clenched his teeth so that he wouldn't start crying in front of Donan.

“Well... it would be quite the punishment to take that from you.” Donan said.

Ren felt a couple tears fall from his face and they hit the floor. Donan reached out a hand to rest on Ren's shoulder.

“That would be too harsh to do to you.” Donan said and made Ren stand up. “If my mentor had tried to take that title away from me when I was his apprentice, I'd have hollered and cried and screamed at him for being an idiot.” Donan said and grinned. “You wouldn't do that to my face, would you... but you'd be thinking it.”

Ren nodded and Donan laughed a big belly laugh.

Donan ruffled Ren's hair. “I know Adventurers need to travel sometimes... and I knew you would come back... eventually.”

Ren chuckled and took out the 15 gold coins that Lord Eric had paid him for the Aurora Expedition.

“This is yours.” Ren said and handed over the 15 gold coins.

“What's this? Are you trying to bribe me?” Donan said and almost shouted the last word.

“No... of course not.” Ren said and Donan calmed down. “That's the fee Lord Eric paid to have a blacksmith along on the Aurora Expedition.”

Donan tried to hand it back. “No, you earned this. If I hadn't sent you in the first place, you wouldn't have been hurt and stuck in the mansion all that time.”

Ren refused the money. “If you hadn't sent me, I wouldn't have learned a ton of new skills that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. Plus, Lord Eric hired your business and I'm your apprentice. It's your money.”

Donan grinned and kept the money. “I'm glad you were honest about it.”

Ren raised an eyebrow.

Donan chuckled. “I had a bet going with all the other shopkeepers that you would tell me about the fee. They bet that you would just keep it and not say anything... and now you're giving it to me because you believe it's mine.” Donan laughed. “That's pure honesty right there.” Donan turned around and went to a cabinet next to his work station. Donan put the money inside and came back with something he hid behind his back.

“Now that that's out of the way, here you go.” Donan said and handed over a sack of gold coins.

Ren stared at the gold. “What... what's this?”

“You remember all those chef knives you made from your poor quality ingots the last time you were here?” Donan asked and Ren nodded. “I sold them all.”

Ren's eyes widened as he looked at the gold and then at Donan.

“I know you gathered the materials and did the forging; but this is my shop, and I worked hard to sell them all.” Donan said. “All your other ingots are still here, btw. I kept half of the profits... some of which was to cover the storage.”

“That's only fair, Sir.” Ren put the money into his coin pouch and 53 gold was added. Ren now had 1 Platinum, 37 gold, 20 silver, and 25 copper.

Donan clapped Ren on the shoulder, but Ren had seen it coming, braced himself and didn't stumble this time. Donan smiled again. “Now... lets get to work, shall we? A thousand short swords aren't going to make themselves.”