The Hidden Glade: Part Two
Old maps can hold secrets...
Rael turned away from the window. Her dark brown hair was almost black and it was bound back in a long braid that hung past one shoulder; she wore a black corset over a white shirt that looked a little too large for her, and brown trousers.
“Rael, this is Sonja. She’s going to give you a quick tour of Ivy House,” Hanna announced. She turned to Sonja. “I’ll tell my lady you’re going to be delayed.” With that, she walked out of the room.
Without hesitation, Sonja asked: “Have you been shown around the living quarters already?”
“No, I have not.”
With a smile that she hoped was encouraging, Sonja walked out of the bedroom and towards the communal room. Rael followed her.
“When your work’s finished for the day, this is where you can rest.” Sonja gestured to the couches surrounding a small games table with cards and tokens on it. “There are a few books here, but if you want to borrow something from the library you’ll have to ask Hanna first.”
“Where is the library?” Rael asked. From a distance, her eyes had looked like they were hazel but up close it was clear that they were amber.
“I’ll show you that next.”
“Do you know what my duties will be?”
“Oh.” Sonja paused. “Well, Birgit was an all-worker, so I think that means you’ll be helping where you’re most needed. It could be cooking or cleaning, washing clothes…if anyone needs help with anything, that’s where you come in.”
“What do you do?”
The truth was, Sonja wasn’t sure precisely what her position in the household was. It wasn’t easy to describe. “Well, my lady doesn’t have any family, and I think she’s lonely. I do sewing and embroidery for her, and Hanna gives me tasks as well.”
She started walking towards the door that led to the entrance hall. Rael walked beside her.
“So you’re a companion,” the other girl remarked.
“I do keep her company,” Sonja said. “But my parents were servants, and I don’t go with her to social events. If I was my lady’s companion, I’d be giving Hanna orders.”
She thought she heard a tiny laugh from Rael.
They walked across the hallway floor to a pair of wooden doors. “This is the library.” Sonja pushed them open to reveal shelves upon shelves of books. In the middle of the library was a large table, perfect for reading. “You can read anything you like if you stay in the library, but if you want to take a book to your room you’ll have to ask Hanna’s permission first.”
After briefly showing her the kitchen and the sitting-room, Sonja took Rael upstairs. “A lot of the bedrooms up here aren’t used unless Lady Adessa has guests, but they’re still cleaned and dusted every day.”
“Good.” Rael’s response suggested anything less would have been disappointing.
“She might ask to meet you later.”
Rael’s eyes flickered. “What?”
“It’s something she likes to do with all new servants, to make sure they’re settling in.” Rael didn’t look reassured, so Sonja said: “She treats everyone well here.”
As they continued to walk up the stairs, Sonja glanced sideways at Rael’s face and saw tension around her mouth and eyes.
When they reached the landing, Sonja indicated to Rael where the guest rooms were. “The attic is on the floor above, but servants aren’t normally allowed up there. The green door over there leads to Lady Adessa’s quarters.”
“Thank you. You should go and see her; I can find my way back.”
Sonja smiled at her. “It was nice to meet you, Rael. I’ll see you later.”
Rael nodded and walked back towards the stairs, her braid swinging behind her. Sonja watched her go, unable to stop frowning.
People had died trying to get out of Eraune. Why would Rael willingly choose to stay?
The sound of rustling through the open door of Lady Adessa’s quarters jolted Sonja out of her thoughts.
“Ah. Sonja.”
Lady Adessa Osaro stood in front of her writing desk. The sun fell on her iron-grey hair, making it almost seem like a helmet, and she wore a dress of forest green.
“I’m sorry I’m late, my lady.”
Lady Adessa shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You were doing a task for Hanna.”
Sonja’s needlework lay on the sofa. It was a cover for a cushion, and it was being decorated with purple flowers.
“How long will it take you to finish that?”
“Not long at all, my lady. I’ve only got two more flowers left.”
“Good.” Once Sonja was sitting down and working on the cover, Lady Adessa asked: “How are you liking your new house?”
“I like it very much. It’s got everything I need.”
“Good. I promised your mother I would give you a home of your own when you were old enough, and you’re skilled enough with a needle to make a life for yourself as a seamstress. You’re going to be an independent woman soon, Sonja. Who better to start with than the people of your new village?” Lady Adessa tilted her head, studying Sonja with eyes as grey as her hair. “Have they accepted you yet?”
“I think they have, my lady.” Sonja wasn’t at all sure that they had, but she wasn’t going to complain. The villagers hadn’t been hostile - in fact, they’d been nothing but cordial towards her - but they weren’t being overly friendly either.
“Good.” Since the land Wildkeep was built on was owned by Lady Adessa, she had every right to give Sonja the spare house on the outskirts of the village.
Hanna knocked on the door and peered inside. “Rael Alira’s here, my lady. Would you like to see her now?”
“Send her in.”
Rael entered and stood in front of Lady Adessa’s chair, hands behind her back. She kept her back straight and her chin slightly lowered.
Lady Adessa reached down and picked up a small bundle. She unwrapped it, revealing two sets of knives. One had curved blades, but the second reminded Sonja of a pair of trowels - although no trowel looked that sharp and wicked.
“When you arrived yesterday, you offered your services as a knifedancer. Since you have both kinds of knives, I would say you’ve had training in both performance and security. Is that correct?”
Sonja hadn’t had much education when it came to Kavaan, but she knew all about knifedancers. They were martial artists, trained since the age of four as protectors or as entertainers. Talented dancers were prized beyond price, if they could find the right patron or were hired by the right family.
“It is correct, my lady.”
“Which are you more skilled at?”
“Security.”
Lady Adessa inspected one of the curved knives. “I’m afraid you won’t find many opportunities for your talents here. Ordinarily, I would send messages and see if anyone else would have employment for you, but they might ask questions as to what a knifedancer is doing in Eraune in the first place.”
Rael held Lady Adessa’s gaze without blushing or flinching.
“You may continue to practise with your knives if you wish, but you will answer to Hanna for your daily tasks. Is that understood?”
“Yes. Thank you, my lady.”
“Good. You may go.”
Rael bowed, turned on her heel and walked smartly out of the room.
“A knifedancer,” Lady Adessa mused. “I never thought I would get to meet one. Sonja, I would like you to keep an eye on that girl; if she behaves suspiciously in any way, tell me at once.”
Minutes passed while Sonja concentrated on getting each purple stitch perfect. She blocked out the sounds of other people coming in and out of the room until the last flower was complete. “Is that the last cover you would like me to do, my lady?”
“Yes. Thank you, Sonja.” Lady Adessa stood with her back to Sonja, facing the writing table. “Come and take a look at this.”
Curious, Sonja approached and saw several brown pieces of parchment spread out over the desk. Most of them had tattered edges.
“We found these in the attic, locked away in one of the old chests. It was tucked away in the corner; I wouldn’t have even known it was there if Hanna hadn’t seen it. My eyes are not what they once were. They appear to be very old maps of Eraune; I believe this one is of the castle.”
Sonja studied the map Lady Adessa had mentioned and saw the faint outline of a building beside a lake. The lines were so faded, it was impossible to tell if Lady Adessa was right. “They look so delicate.”
The maps were definitely older than the other maps in Lady Adessa’s keeping. She also had several maps of Kavaan and Aleveth, the neighbouring kingdoms. Each map had royal crests somewhere on it.
“They are. I’m almost afraid that if I touch one, I’ll tear it.” Lady Adessa passed Sonja a pair of leather gloves. “Put these on for me, please.”
Sonja obeyed. She looked at another fraying square of parchment - and paused, frowning. The parchment was partially hidden under another, but she thought she saw a trace of blue in the middle. “May I have a look at this one, my lady?”
“Of course, if you’re careful.”
Gently, Sonja took hold of the parchment and eased it out from under the others.
She hadn’t been imagining things. There was a blue circle in the middle of the map, as if someone had drawn it in ink.
“My lady?”
“What is it, Sonja?”
Sonja turned to face her employer. “I think someone might have drawn on this one.”
“Really?” Lady Adessa took the map from Sonja and peered closely at it. “I see nothing unusual.”
“It’s just here, my lady.” Sonja pointed at the circle; it was as clear as if it had been drawn on the previous day, but Lady Adessa didn’t even acknowledge it.
Lady Adessa frowned. “What am I meant to be seeing, Sonja?”
“There’s a blue circle in the centre.” Sonja looked at Lady Adessa in confusion. “It’s just there, my lady.” She touched the circle with the tip of one finger.
Slowly, the frown on Lady Adessa’s face cleared and she stared at Sonja as if she had never seen her before.
Somebody knocked on the door. It was Hanna. “Excuse me, Lady Adessa,” she said, “but the menus for this week are ready for your approval.”
Without taking her eyes off Sonja, Lady Adessa placed a finger on her lips and said: “Thank you, Hanna. Bring them in. It’s interesting you found that map, Sonja; it shows the area where Wildkeep is. Of course, it wasn’t built when that map was drawn, but it should be the same place.”
Lady Adessa raised her eyebrows, then turned to Hanna as she entered.
Sonja looked at the rest of the map, trying to see if she could pinpoint Wildkeep’s location. It was very close to the circle. So was her house.
Shivers ran down her arms and spine. If this map was as old as Lady Adessa said it was, why hadn’t the blue ink faded? And if Lady Adessa couldn’t see the circle, why could she?
I was unaware Wildkeep even existed. But then, I don’t suppose many would know of it, if it’s built in a place like this.
Did this have anything to do with the soldier? Was this why he was in the area?
“Sonja.”
Lady Adessa was beckoning to her. When Sonja was close enough, she leaned in and whispered: “Say nothing of the circle to anyone unless you have to. Do you understand?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Good. Then we won’t say anything about it for now.”
Sonja would keep her word. She wouldn’t say anything about the circle on the map - but if there was anything strange around Wildkeep, the villagers would almost certainly know about it.
To be continued…
