Delphinium- or A Necromancer's Home

by V. M. Jaskiernia

  Perdita returned then, blushing and refusing to reveal what she had spoken about. Charlot pulled out her chair for her and as she took his hand a new bracelet caught the light.

  “And I do have something for the rest of you as well,” Charlot added after sneaking a quick kiss to Perdy’s cheek. “We, that is the advisors and steward, ask that you all come have dinner in the east dining hall tonight at eight o’clock. An informal-formal gathering for us, so we may all get to know one another now that things have settled down.”

  Charlot bowed to them all again then and left with a spring in his step.

  Lizzy dealt the next hand.

  ***

  Elizabeth and Síofra returned to their rooms after playing several more games. Perdita had even lost the hand right after Charlot had come to pay her a visit. She only blushed when the others teased her that her mind was in other places, then won the next three games in a row. At that point Cordelia had given up and apologized to her new friends for such unfairness.

  “Next time we shall play without her,” she added with a wink.

  They walked in through Síofra’s doors, her rooms right next to Elizabeth’s and in fact connected by a door inside, that was left open at all times now. It was not the usual room Síofra had stayed in when she had visited before, but she insisted when she realized there was a connection with Lizzy’s.

  Síofra walked over to her vanity right away, seeing that something had been placed prominently for her eye to catch as she came in. There was a note and a box wrapped in colored paper. She picked up the note and looked at the seal before breaking it with her finger.

  “Thank you for the pen, ma cherie. I reply to you now with it in my hands. Please accept this in return and wear it tonight,” she whispered aloud.

  “Lizzy, it is from Renaud! For me!” she shrieked, spinning around to face her friend before taking the package. She began to open it and motioned for Lizzy to come see.

  “When did he even have time?” she said, more to herself than to Lizzy. “I gave him the pen yesterday afternoon.”

  “Maybe he was planning this already?” Lizzy suggested, looking at the note.

  “Oh!” Síofra brought out an elegant pendant. Flakes of silver were suspended in a glass bauble that was filled with water, the entire thing wrapped in silver wire and on a chain of the same metal.

  “Here, let me help.” Elizabeth spun Síofra around and brushed aside her hair, fastening the clasp and letting the pendant rest against her heart. Síofra, still wanting to see it, reached up to bring it up before her eyes and then flinched, dropping it.

  “What’s wrong?” Síofra turned around and opened her hand up, showing a small smear of blood was on her palm.

  “There must have been a loose wire,” she said. Elizabeth nodded and then held up her own hand to press it to the one Síofra still had open in the air. A moment later there was no wound. They wiped their hands of the remaining blood and looked over the pendant again, seeing nothing that would have done any harm. Síofra even took it off so they would have a better look.

  “Perhaps I merely held it wrong,” Síofra said.

  “Perhaps, yes. Do you wish to still wear it?”

  “Oh, yes, I want Renaud to see!”

  Elizabeth put it on her again. Neither noticed that while Lizzy had been healing Síofra’s hand the water inside the pendant had become red before the blood was absorbed by the metal.

  ***

  Pierre and Elizabeth were last to arrive at dinner. He had forgotten the time while busy, and Lizzy waited while he finished his last reply to one of the nobles of his land. They had thought to go find the aviary together, but realizing they would be late beyond what could be even considered at times fashionable, a servant was asked to take it and send it for them (including Lizzy’s letter to her brother, as she had never actually found the aviary with Síofra).

  Everyone made to stand as they walked in, but Pierre waved his hand in a gesture indicating they should stay down, even Vivien and Maiolaine as host and hostess. “No, no, please sit. This is informal, even if we are all present. We are friends and family tonight.” He then grinned sheepishly. “Otherwise I am in terrible breach of etiquette being this late.” The first course had not been served yet, but some servers had already come into the room as Pierre and Lizzy entered.

  Jourdain laughed and stood, “Too right, Your Grace! Lady Elizabeth, will you please allow me to escort you to where my wife currently sits, so she may sit beside me in another terrible breach in etiquette?”

  She hesitated, but only for a short moment. “I shall, Lord Jourdain.” Elizabeth smiled up to Pierre before she was passed over to the other man and taken to one side of the table before switching places with Cordelia. Seeing what his brother had done, Renaud too stood and asked Síofra to abandon her spot and take a seat at his left. Laughter filled the room as everyone moved about and reseated themselves, sometimes more than once.

  In the end Tibault sat at the head of the table where the host should have been, Vivien at his right followed by Elizabeth, Charlot, Cordelia and Renaud. Síofra sat at the foot where the hostess normally would, and continuing on there was Sabine, followed by Jourdain, Perdita, Pierre, and finally Maiolaine at Tibault’s left. Wolfram was not among the guests, it being decided he was too young and still a child, not to mention the uneven number at that point. Vivien’s children similarly had already had supper and had gone to their rooms before bed.

  The soup was finally served, though it was no longer as hot as it should have been. No one seemed to mind, conversations starting around the relatively small gathering.

  “You look the perfect lady,” Renaud said, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind Síofra’s ear and caress her cheek.

  “I borrowed the dress from Lady Elizabeth,” she replied. It was a deep blue with an ivory corset, a restricting fashion that was nonetheless beautiful, even if she was not used to it. Her hair too was pinned up and caught in a coil of gold. The only jewelry she wore beside was the necklace Renaud had bestowed upon her.

  “How has it been, living in the civilized world?”

  “I have stayed at the château before, you know! But true, never as a lady-in-waiting to know and follow the etiquette. I am learning though, if only so I know what rules I can break without bringing offense.”

  “Seating seems to be one of them, though for that I am a bit glad.”

  “My lord Vivien,” Elizabeth greeted the steward after she tried the soup. “Thank you so much for this pleasant gathering, even if I assume it is already a bit different than you had desired.”

  “Somehow I shall survive,” he replied. He was only one spot away from his original seat, sitting where the lady guest of honor should be sitting in fact. It had originally been open for Elizabeth.

  “I am, though, glad that I am still beside you,” she continued. She had noted the empty seat as well. “I had hoped to talk with you tonight, hence my earlier hesitation at the seating being played with.”

  “Oh, do tell, dear lady.”

  “I have heard you are a practitioner of blancræft,” she began. Her hands were clasped in her lap and she played with the hem of her napkin to try and calm her nerves. “I am a blanc-witch without any formal training, though I have read as many books on the matter as I could find. I understand you are very busy, but if you could find an hour or two a week to help me harness my cræft I would be much obliged.” She finished in a rush and looked away from him, catching Pierre’s proud smile at her before he continued to talk with Maiolaine about the Ladies Spadé.

  Vivien smiled as well.

  “Of course, my lady, it would be an honor to assist you. Perhaps every Iunday evening after dinner? An hour or two depending on how the lesson progresses and what else needs to be done.”

  Iundays began the week, always falling upon one of the important moon quarters. Magic was often most strongest on this day, though some types of magic changed with the daily phase. Today was Siwenday, t
he last day of the week and so their lessons would begin tomorrow.

  “That sounds wonderful, thank you Vivien.”

  “It will be my pleasure.”

  Twelve

  “Síofra?” Elizabeth asked that evening, “Shall you do something with me? It is to be a secret though.” The two were in her room, Lizzy sitting by the vanity and Síofra brushing her hair before bed. Dinner had been wonderful, everyone chatting and getting to know one another. After the second course they had even decided to again swap seats and keep things lively. She hoped these informal-formal dinners would continue.

  She had spoken with Vivien about blancræft, so very glad he had said he would teach her, and then Pierre about magics in general. Tibault had been interested in that as well, asking some things about the fée. That conversation was what prompted this one with her new friend.

  “Of course! Though why is it secret?”

  “It may get us in trouble,” Lizzy said softly, not turning around to look at Síofra just yet. She trusted the other girl but was not sure about revealing the book or telling her about her dream-vision. She did not wish to burden Pierre with it, though she was certain she could trust him with her secrets.

  “Those are by far the best!”

  Elizabeth did not smile at that and Síofra put aside the brush to give her her full attention. “Lizzy? How much trouble?”

  “I found a book,” she replied. She wrung her hands together in her lap. “About magic and Clandestina. It has sections on necrocræft and things about the fée that I do not think are widely known. Perhaps the tome that has been hidden here for years and years. But I want to go read some more of it tonight. I saw it in a dream, I did not just find it lying around, it came to me! Or, she did. A woman gave me the book in a dream and I then found it in the same place in the library. I either deceive you to sneak past, which seems unlikely, or you come with me. I would like you to come with me.”

  “Necrocræft,” Síofra whispered. It was not a magic that the fée practiced often, or at least she knew of no one that did. It was illegal for them as well, though if caught it was not the death sentence that that laws of human lands came with. The guardian of the magic, Mora, sometimes did come to visit the land. There was more chaos and blood in that plane than in this one and she thrived on it.

  “Let us go then,” Síofra said. “I wish to read this as well. Maybe I can speak with Mother and Father about it, they may know more.” She did not like to be ignorant, and being at least in part human her father had insisted that some of the darker aspects of being fay were kept from her. Her mother taught her some things, but not as much as she would like. And this was too much even for many unseelie, as her mother was.

  Lizzy stood up and walked over to her closet to pick out an evening robe. As she buttoned it she felt herself being called again. Not waiting for Síofra to gather her own overclothes she walked out of her door. As soon as she stepped foot into the hallway there was a chill, and a tug from her heart to the direction of the library. The night air and flickering candles only made it seem more surreal. She stood there in silence until she felt Síofra behind her.

  “Do you feel that?” Elizabeth asked. Perhaps Síofra could sense it as well. But the other girl shook her head. She walked a few steps ahead of Elizabeth as if the change in position may help, but she then again shook her head.

  “No, not a thing. How does it feel?”

  “Like I will soon be pulled there by force if I do not go myself.” As soon as she said this common sense seemed to return. Perhaps this was not the wisest of ideas after all.

  Síofra had already made her her mind though and was back at her side. “Go on. Show me.” She took her hand as if the connection would help her sense the magic.

  Lizzy smiled to her friend, but it was strained, and she began to walk to the library. No guards, servants, or other inhabitants were to be found. It was late, but not terribly so, and it was odd that they ran into no one.

  Instead of the feeling easing as they walked it seemed to pull her more. She felt it in her heart and it grew higher, curling around her neck and throat. She began to walk faster and faster.

  “Lizzy! Slow down!” But she did not. She could not.

  When they found the doors she flung them open and ran inside, gasping for air. The ‘line’ that was pulling her forward snapped and the pulling ceased with a sharp pain in her breast. She touched the spot, certain she may feel blood, but there was nothing there.

  “My lady!” Síofra ran to her, knelt beside her (when had she fallen onto the floor?) and helped her to sit up. “Elizabeth!” She had thought Lizzy ran because it was a delight to do such things, but clearly not.

  “I am alright,” Elizabeth replied. But Síofra was not sure if she spoke true.

  “Shall I go fetch Pierre, or Lord Vivien? A healer?”

  “No. No, I do not need anyone.”

  The fay girl bit her lip but did not move. This was more, much more than finding an old book and wanting to read it. There was a need here and a magic she could not identify or feel.

  “We should go back,” Síofra said. Her earlier desire to see this book and know the things inside had vanished. She felt cold instead.

  “Non, I am fine.”

  Lizzy stood up and then walked, slowly, to the back of the library. There were candles lit here and there, not many, but if anyone wished to read something in the evening it was still welcoming. Another servant would come douse them when it was deemed too late for reading. This made her feel better. It was still early enough that this was fine.

  Síofra followed her a few steps behind. When before Lizzy had become frantic now she was calm—perhaps it was not that bad. Her smile had returned, that was good.

  Lizzy brought out the book, having hidden it behind a few other tomes so it would not be seen, and placed it reverently on a desk. She smiled up to Síofra before opening it to the table of contents. Dutifully the lady-in-waiting grabbed a candle and used it to light the candelabra on the desk for more light.

  “Let us see…where is that chapter about fée,” Lizzy said softly, scanning the sections. “Maybe you can tell me if some of the information is correct or not?”

  Síofra nodded and they both sat and began to read.

  Faery is a land as wide and diverse as our own many realms. The Fae, the term for all the kinds of people who live in that plane, are also diverse and many. Each realm inside Faery is connected to one of our realms, but they are not connected to each other like ours are. Think of it like our realms having a second floor above it that can only be accessed from the correct location below.

  The names for the Faery realms are largely unknown, but I am told they are based on the name of the realm they attach to. I have found out that the realm Clandestina is linked to is called Destina.

  Síofra gasped. Lizzy looked over to her, not reading as quickly as her friend. “What’s wrong?”

  “The book is correct. There are things written that I was sure are unknown here.” A name was sacred; a name gave power. As having the name of a person could give you power over them, the name of a land was also important. Destina was very rarely called her true name because it would be too much information freely granted. The only reason she knew was that would be margravine after her mother. Her father was not aware of Destina’s name at all.

  “You should not read this,” Síofra said. “I do not think I should be reading this.” Secrets had to be kept safe. In the wrong hands, the wrong tongue, they could destroy. It was why her parents still held secrets from one another, and from her. Not that Rhianu did not trust her husband or daughter, but Elwin might be forced to tell something he would otherwise keep quiet.

  “If it makes you uncomfortable then let us go back.” Lizzy did not say she would stop reading though. Hearing it confirmed that the book was true, and held secrets that were rarely uttered, convinced her that this was something she could not yet pass up even if dangerous.

  ***

&n
bsp; The next morning Síofra confessed to Pierre in part what they had done. She was worried about Lizzy and whatever magic or entity had her enthralled.

  “I can break no oath to her, so let me be vague, Your Grace. She, and now I, have found a text about the cræfts and people of this land. It is… Extensive and elaborate in a way that is not often printed or even spoken of. I felt nothing unusual when I read it, but she feels drawn to it. I am worried! She ran to the library last night, gasping until the book was in her hands.”

  Pierre closed his eyes. Was Mora playing with Elizabeth? Was the goddess still angry that Elizabeth had been chosen over her? Mora’s presence could be overwhelming at times and as a young suitor he had felt urges to kill or harm that Ophion confirmed were from her. Sometimes he was drawn to an area where there was illness or death. This could be similar. Or was this yet another entity all-together that Pierre had no knowledge of or association with? He could not tell which would be worse.

  “Take care of her when I am not there. I will keep a close eye on her as well.” He prayed silently that Mora would return to him soon so he could ask her what was going on, beg for forgiveness, and offer himself up as the person to receive punishment if it was in fact punishment that drew Lizzy in.

  “And where is this text?” he asked before Síofra left.

  “In the library, deep in the back. I could not see it until Elizabeth herself took it out and showed me.”

  “Take me there.”

  Pierre searched the library, asking for Síofra to show him exactly where they had been standing the night before. She showed him the candelabra she had lit and the bookshelf, even the books she knew Lizzy had used to hide the tome. There was nothing there for either of them to find. It seemed the text was for Lizzy alone.

  He thought about confronting Elizabeth, telling her not to read this book any longer, but that would reveal that Síofra spoke to him. And he was not certain she would, or could, listen. He had his own grave secrets, he was inclined to let her therefor keep her own as well, but he would keep her closer. Slipping her blood might also help him.