The Blacksmith's Apprentice
By Lonelyrider

James rode into town on his faithful Belgian Draft stallion Diablo, dismounting from the English-style saddle as he reached Blacksmith McEwan's crude shop; it was little more than a tent that the smith worked out of, but James, an avid swordsman, was very impressed with the smith's products.
"Hey there, smith. What have we got today?" James asked with a hearty beam, folding his beefy arms proudly, he surveyed an array of weapons and shields.
"I have a few wares that might interest ye. Take yer' time." The dwarven smith greeted in his rough brogue.
"Hmm...so many good selections today," James gave the smith a dashing smile and picked out a one-handed axe that he spun in his big hand for measure and a rectangular metal shield with a pointed base that was reinforced with iron; it was somewhat heavy, but James was big and strong, so it was't an issue for him.
"These will be great for the arena. I'd like to commission for an armor order too, if I may."
"Yes lad, write it down here. That'll be 185 gold coins for the axe and shield, only cause that shield is double-layered, lad." The dwarf said, wiping his brow from the heat of his forge and going back to pounding a red-hot sword with his hammer.
"Let me see...150...ahh, here you are." James plopped a heavy sack of gold coins on the smith's display table and filled out the order forms for his armor, glancing intelligently at the many options listed and jotting down his preferences and info. James went to hand the completed form back when the dwarf's annoyed wife appeared, wiping her apron and glancing over at James.
"Angus, he's done it again! The boy's not shown." She said in a terse tone.
"Damn." Angus cursed, as his wife hurried away, flour on her hands.
"I don't mean to pry, but is everything alright?" James asked heroically. The smith sighed.
"My intern hasn't showed again. Business has been good, so I've needed help of late. But the boy is unreliable at best. His heart isn't in it." The dwarf plunged the sword he'd been hammering into cold water and it gave off a huge cloud of steam.
"May I be of service?" James offered kindly, patting Diablo, who nickered as James sweet-talked him and fed him a big sugar cube.
"Ye? Hmm." The dwarf looked James up and down, James smiled boyishly at him. The smith pondered. The huge angel WAS his best customer, out of single buyers, anyway.
"Okay, get back here." The dwarf said, James looked excited and hitched Diablo to a post, putting a feed bag of oats on him, and joined the smith in his small forge behind the tables. "Now, look. What I practice isn't angelic forgery, there's no magic in my blades. It's dwarven smithing. Just brute hardiness. You look like you have both." The dwarf pondered, looking at James.
"Oh, I've never worked at an angel foundry, though I do own a few pieces my parents gifted me. I'd be more than happy to work the dwarven method, I've found your wares to be just as fine."
The dwarf looked pleased at that information.
"Good. Okay lad, put these on, and do as I tell ye. I'm Angus. You're James, right?"
"Oh, yes sir! Nice to formally meet you, Angus." James extended a beefy hand and arm and Angus shook it, as James donned the long heavy-duty apron and gloves.
"Hold this blade while I hammer." Angus commanded. He found James to be bright and willing, eager to please.
"Yes sir." James agreed quickly, keeping the red hot pike steady as Angus hammered it; James was fascinated, watching a weapon being born. He dearly loved combat & its tools, being a gladiator for fun.
"Dip this in water and lay it on the cooling rack, then meet me back at the anvil." Angus ordered. He gave James a pair of thick tongs and the angel obeyed, returning as Magnus hammered out some horseshoes; the smith asked James to pack and load his wagon with the weapons that were ready to be sold and James eagerly complied, taking two heavy boxes at once he was so strong, he had the wagon loaded in no time.
"Good lad. Put these in water."
James dunked the horseshoes to much steam and laid them on the rack, as Angus shared his lunch with James and they took a break. After lunch James assisted Angus in crafting a shield and two more swords, and Angus asked James for a final favor as he secured his modest shop for the night.
"Which way is yer' home, lad?" Angus inquired, hanging up their aprons and gloves.
"West, in the Warlock District." James answered, thanking Angus as he took James' gear.
"I would ask a tall favor of ye, boy. Could ye deliver that wagon to my business partner in Westhamton, he'll make sure the wagon gets back to me. It's on your way home."
"Oh sure, sure. Diablo can handle that no problem, I'll send the invoice your colleague gives me to you via messenger pigeon." James replied cheerfully.
"Aye, that'll be fine. I'm expecting the assistant boy back most of the week, but if he doesn't show, can I call on ye as an auxiliary intern? In return, I'd teach ye the craft, and let ye forge your own weapon, with my tutelage."
"I was going to say yes anyway, but now I'm sold! This was so much fun, I can't wait to tell my girlfriend. She interns with our local midwife, she and another girl." James said gleefully.
"Aye, I know the midwife. Real battleaxe, for one so relatively young as she. I'd say you & I had the easier profession here. Go on now laddy, get those armaments to Callum, & send me that bird paper. I thank ye, James." Angus patted James on his massive firm muscled arm roughly and headed for home at a walk, James waved and called to him.
"Goodbye for now, Angus, sir! I look forward to smithing with you again!"
"Aye!" Angus called, not looking back and raising his arm in a dismissive motion. James grinned excitedly as he harnessed a calm Diablo with the smith's wagon, talking to him.
"Did you see that boy? I'm gonna be a blacksmith's back-up intern! Oooh I'm so pumped, I can't wait to tell Lonely about this, Savera too, oh, and dad and momma. Okay buddy, this too heavy? No? I didn't think so! Let's go pal." James talked to his massive horse happily as Diablo lunged in his harness and got the wagon rolling without much issue with James holding the reins in the driver's seat, and the two males set off with the wagon and goods at a healthy trot towards Callum's armory.



A big ty & photo credit to:
https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-w.....ce-ayh8xpNMRn4