Savrien: Chapter Two
Ismene and her mistress receive some horrifying news.
“How’s the calming potion?”
I opened a bottle of dewdrops and sprinkled a tiny amount into the cauldron. “I’m just adding the last ingredients, Mistress.”
The rose petals were already chopped and waiting on a board. I picked up the board and used a knife to scrape the petals into the simmering potion, then reached for the bottle of ground cinnamon.
All the flowers and herbs Mistress Heloise and I used for charms and potions were grown in the garden outside. We also dried and stored them in jars and bottles for whenever we needed them. I could find my way around the storage room blindfolded – and I had on more than one occasion.
My parents still spoke with pride of the day Mistress Heloise had arrived at our home and announced that she had chosen me as her apprentice. Many of the town girls – or rather, their families – had hoped for the honour, and I hadn’t expected to be chosen at all. It was only after I started learning to be an enchantress that I befriended Meralyn, whose father owned these lands.
Mistress Heloise walked back into the room, carrying two bunches of herbs. She glanced at the liquid, sniffed twice, and nodded approvingly at me. “That smells perfect, Ismene. How long does it have to go now?”
“I’ve just added the rose petals and cinnamon, so it needs to simmer for ten minutes.” After the ten minutes were over, I would remove the cauldron from the flames and leave the potion inside to cool.
There was a rapid knock on the door. “Mistress Heloise? Are you there?” a voice barked sharply.
We looked uneasily at each other. That knock had sounded urgent, and the voice frightened.
Mistress Heloise put the herbs on the nearby table. “Keep stirring that potion; I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I resumed stirring.
“How may I help you?” I heard Mistress Heloise ask.
“We need your assistance, Mistress. There is a rogue dragon in the area.”
My fingers tightened their grip on the spoon. This was not good. Normally dragons lived in the mountains, far away from humans and faeries, but I had heard tales of dragons flying down and scorching entire flocks of sheep with their breath before devouring them. They hadn’t cared if innocent people were burned alive as well.
“We were approached by someone with a burn on his arm; he said he and his party were attacked last night and that they’re certain the dragon flew in this direction. Their injuries are not as bad as they could be – we’re amazed they even survived at all. Will you help us to track the beast?”
“I will get potions for their burns. Has the king been informed?”
“A messenger is on his way to the palace, and Lord Sebastian has .”
Mistress Heloise hurried back into the room. “Did you hear that?”
I nodded numbly.
“Stay in the house; I will return as soon as I can.” She gathered up some vials, smiled at me encouragingly and left with the soldiers.
I tried to keep myself busy by hanging the herbs she had gathered up in the storage room, then sat down, well away from any windows in case the dragon went past the house. I should have offered to come with her, but she would have refused, and I was too terrified of the dragon to make the offer at all.
Then horror ran through my veins.
Nobody knew Princess Cerilde and her attendant had left the palace except me. Lord Sebastian’s mansion was in the opposite direction to the river. If that dragon found them before the soldiers did…
I rushed out of the house as fast as I could. There was no time to warn Mistress Heloise and the soldiers.