There were slits in the wall every dozen paces that showed the main hallway running parallel to them. Memory turned back and closed the secret doorway behind them and wedged her small stump of a candle into a gap in the rocks next to it. “I don’t know if anyone else knows about that tunnel, but I want to be able to find it again.”
Will heard voices and put a finger to his lips, not wanting to be found there. Along with the men’s voices, the rhythmic thump of a walking cane could be heard.
Memory pushed past him to look through one of the peep holes. She always was the game one, breaking rules, daring risks.
She said in a breathy whisper, “That’s Hayes. I want to hear what he’s saying.”
Memory stood close to Will in the small space, so she could press her ear to the hole. He put his back up against the wall, shivering as he inhaled the scent of her, rising from her hair. Blood and crushed flowers. The scent of hair dye she used to always carry had left now that her hair was its natural pale blonde again. She had changed in so many ways; the loss of a whole life’s memories did a lot to her. But in others, she was still Hope. Impulsive, brash, and fragile. He breathed her fragrance again, and let it take him back to when he was young and idolized her, and never dreamed she’d ever see him as anything other than a little boy. Now he towered over her, and she seemed so delicate as she brushed against him in the confined space. The desire to wrap her in his arms, bury his nose in her hair, press his lips onto the soft skin of her neck, rolled over him with knee weakening force. He denied the desire. Even if he wasn’t a boy anymore, he still remembered the rules.
Will could hear the conversation clearly through the wall without moving closer. His time with the fae had improved all his senses.
“Plans for coronation and surrounding celebrations are going well. Princess Eloryn has undertaken her rehearsals with diligence.”
“That’s Bors, too,” Memory whispered.
“She is perfectly amenable, is she not? What of the other one? That scamp can’t even be kept track of half the time.”
“She does as she wishes, sir, completely wild. We’re no closer to understanding her in any way, not her upbringing or her magic.”
Memory grunted. “Yep. That’s me they’re talking about.”
Hayes continued. “I had hoped schooling would add some needed structure to her life, but she’s already resistant to that concept. We simply need something to keep her entertained to which she agrees, and once occupied she will stay out of our way and out of trouble. I have a thought or two on that matter.”
Their voices carried out of range as they left that area of the corridor.
“Pfft, I doubt I’d find anything they chose for me entertaining,” Memory said. She looked through the peephole again. “I think we’re in the old keep, near the Round Room. Oh, do you want to see it?” Memory asked.
Will looked through the hole above her head. A number of nobles in well-tailored and spotless suits were wandering through. Will looked down at his fraying clothing and furs. “Can you find your own way through the castle from here? I think I’ll go back out the tunnel, the way we came in.”
Memory also seemed to be assessing how he looked, then looked down at her dress, spotted all over with powdery dirt and slime.
“Okay, maybe it’s not the best time for a tour, but I hate that you feel like you can’t be in the castle.” Memory folded her arms tight around her chest. “We can probably make it most of the way to the gardens in these servant halls, then if you want you can leave from there. But my rooms are pretty close too. We could do a runner and no one will see us. I mean, if you didn’t mind. I’d like to spend some more time with you.”
Will enjoyed these times he had with Memory, getting to know who she had become, but the more time he spent with her, the more terrified he became. He knew how easily, how quickly, everything in his life could be taken away, his parents and whole family lost in one tragic natural disaster and then his whole world in an entirely unnatural way. I only just got Hope back. Not Hope, Memory, he reminded himself, trying to get her new name right. He’d only been able to be with her while Mina wasn’t demanding his company, something she had been demanding more and more often lately. Mina had always been possessive, but the more time he tried to spend with Memory, the more possessive she became.
Memory put her hands together like she was praying and made a puppy dog face.
Will smiled. “Okay, let’s go.”
Memory dashed into her chambers, startling Clara as she tidied up.
“I don’t even want to know where you’ve been.” Clara raised an eyebrow at Memory’s dirt-covered dress. Then something cheeky flashed in her eyes. “Or maybe I do? Did it involve a man?”
Memory had managed to apologize to Clara the night before, and Clara had received the apology as an invitation to take over all of Memory’s maid’s duties. She’d become downright feisty since Memory gave the order to be free with her words and opinions.
“Clara, could you come back later? I’m expecting company.”
Will chose that moment to emerge over the top of the vines on the balcony. He’d refused to come through the last small stretch of palace with Memory, so she agreed to meet him there.
Clara studied Will up and down.
“Oh my. Now I understand why you leave your windows open,” she said. Memory’s cheeks flooded with hot blood, and she imagined she must match Clara’s hair. Will looked ready to bolt, but too stunned to move.
“Clara, this is Will. He is my friend, from when we were kids. It's a long story. Clara, since you busted us anyway, would you mind helping us get cleaned up?”
Memory still found it hard asking for help for everyday tasks. But she had to be honest. She had so much trouble getting changed and looking after the antiquated chambers on her own, she needed someone. She couldn’t even take a hot bath on her own. Water came out cold, and people expected her to use a behest to warm it.
“Anything, Hope.”
“How about calling me Memory now?”
Clara smiled and answered as she went to draw the bath. “Unless you’re taking back your order to let me speak my mind, I’ll stick with Hope. It’s such a pretty name, and I can’t be changing what I call you every time you ask.”
Memory had no other response than to stick her tongue out, so she went and dragged Will in from the balcony.
Clara eyed him again. “Would you like me to fetch some clothing for Master Will?”
Memory thought back to the last time she’d offered clothes to Will, and they were left untouched. “Okay. Maybe between the two of us we can wrestle him into wearing something clean.”
“Oh, I like the sound of that.” Clara giggled and left the chambers to find something for him.
“And bring us some food!” Memory yelled after her.
Will was giving Memory a look.
“What? I should have said please, right?”
“Maybe I should go.” He looked catastrophically uncomfortable.
“You said you’d stay for a while. Come on. Let me do this for you. Everyone likes a bit of pampering, right?”
“Just worried about your idea of pampering. You painted my nails hot pink once. Got me picked on for months.”
“Just a hot bath and some clean clothes this time, promise,” she said, swiping an X over her heart.
“A hot bath… that would be nice.” Will half-smiled.
Memory put her hands on her hips, appraising him. “And a haircut. Let me cut your hair, please?”
There was a lot of grumbling, but Memory soon had Will on a chair and worked at removing the largest of knots from his hair. She had a plan to make Will more presentable, so he'd fit in at the castle, but with scissors in hand, she realized how much she liked his hair how it was and became scared of doing something that changed it. She didn’t take much off, just trimmed the roughest parts out to make it a bit more manageable.
Clara returned with clothes for Will and sent him int
o the bathroom where the tub had filled and warmed. She put down a tray of neat sandwiches in a range of cut shapes and rolls, and Memory grabbed three.
Stuffing them in her mouth, Memory took the chance to kick off her muddy shoes, leaving them in the middle of the floor while she went to the closet for a clean dress.
Clara picked them up, pouting. “I’m happy to assist you in whatever way I can, but that’s no excuse to be a slovenly. Watch out, or I’ll have to call in extra help again.”
Memory smiled at the motherly tone. “And I sure don’t want that.”
Clara inspected the muddy shoes. “You two look like you’ve been on quite an adventure.”
“You know me, anything to get out of the castle.”
“Funny when so many people would do anything to get into this castle.”
Memory pawed through her current selection of dresses. Only a dozen or so filled the wardrobe, but these were exchanged and refreshed every few days so she was never seen in the same dress twice. Each one looked like it would take a month to create, with delicate beading and embroidery, and so many layers of fine fabric folded to create bows and roses. “That’s just the thing, Clara. Look at this stuff. This isn’t me. Or maybe it is, but the point is I don’t know yet. I’m a diary full of blank pages. I went from nothing, to forests and fear for my life, to crazy opulence. I feel like I’ve missed a few steps in between. I want to know more about the normal people of Avall, what their lives are like.”
“It’s a fine sentiment. But after all you’ve been through you may find us quite dull.”
“If everyone else is anything like you, I doubt it. Is there any chance… Could we go out somewhere? Into the city, just for a night?”
Clara pouted a cheeky smile. “You know the whole of Avall has been celebrating. It’s a shame you’re stuck in here on your own while the celebration is so much for you. You have me scheming now. I think we could do it. Oh, partying with the princess! My sisters will be so jealous when they hear!”
It will be good for Will too, to get out with some normal people, Memory thought. “Can we go tonight? Will isn’t around much, and I want him to come with.”
“We’d better get you changed then. One of the coachmen is a friend, but his shift ends soon.”
In just moments, Memory leaned against the thick carved post of her four-poster bed as Clara tugged at the lacings of her corset. “Oof, really? Aren’t I skinny enough?”
“Might as well flaunt it,” Clara said.
“Skinny is over-rated. I want curves like Lory. Do you think I’ll get boobs if I eat enough, or have I permanently stunted my growth?”
Memory reached for the silk bolero to match the gown Clara had chosen for her. The smoky purple skirts fell in a neat bell shape with a small bustle, and the shrug jacket buttoned over a simple square topped corset. Classy but unassuming, Memory liked it.
After she was dressed, Clara set to work on Memory’s hair while Memory threw on some make up. Memory flinched and twitched as Clara poked through her hair with fingers, combs and pins. She was growing fond of Clara but still not keen on having other people dress her, touch her. But her hair was one of her most recognizable features, and there was no way she could do something with it herself to disguise the modern cut. She’d been trying to let it grow out, but a month hadn’t gotten it much longer.
Clara managed to create a style that completely hid her ragged haircut. With a few strategically placed braids and curls, it looked like her hair was a lot longer than it really was.
Just as they finished with Memory’s hair, the bathroom door opened slightly. They turned around, but Will didn’t immediately emerge.
“What’s up? Come on, I’ve got a surprise for you!”
The door opened fully and Will stepped out. Memory got her own surprise. She fumbled behind her for a chair but found nothing, so put extra energy into her legs to make them keep holding her up. Oh dear god, he’s gorgeous.
Will had been a bit cleaner lately than the day she first saw him, but she’d never seen him like this. His hair, Memory saw with relief, looked great. Still wet, he must have finger combed it back from his face, and it fell in neat waves to around chin length. There was nothing animal about him anymore, the furs and skins replaced with a neat pair of trousers, a black shirt and vest and a deep blue knee length overcoat that his shoulders were just a bit too wide for.
He held a tie of some kind in his hand. “I don’t know what to do with this.”
“Oh my, I could volunteer a few ideas,” Clara muttered, fanning herself with a hand. Memory elbowed her.
“You look great, really.” Memory beamed. Her comment caused an obvious blush on Will’s high cheekbones. Or maybe it had been Clara’s comment. “We’re all ready then. We better get going!”
“Going where?” Will asked.
“That’s the surprise.”
Chapter 5
Clara left them briefly to get changed from her maid’s uniform and arrange for their exit from the castle. Memory spent the time convincing Will that he looked good enough to go out in public.
As the three of them climbed into the carriage, Clara gave the coachman a sly grin. He tipped his cap in return, and the horses broke into a trot.
The cool night air blew softly in through the windows as the carriage clattered along the road, and a sense of freedom exhilarated Memory. Caermaellan castle lay just on the outskirts of the city and before long they were being driven through narrow cobbled streets, full of revelers and the subtle smell of wood-smoke. It had been explained to Clara that Memory suffered a form of amnesia and was relearning everything about Avall, and Clara took pride in offering as much information as she could. She pointed out various important buildings they passed, including the finishing school the twins would soon be attending, and sprinkled her information with juicy bits of gossip.
Memory asked if they could stop, to get out of the carriage and continue on foot. The coachman pulled up near a watering fountain for the horses and agreed to wait for them there. Memory hopped down from the carriage, wanting to run off in every direction at once. The city was so enticing, full of misty secrets and winding pathways to explore.
The lively sounds of a busking fiddler filled the air. Men in top hats and waist coats and women in dresses much like hers surrounded them. Clara had chosen her outfit well. The utter volume of people passing by made Memory feel completely anonymous. She found comfort in that. The pebbled pavement under her feet felt real compared to the silky marble floors of the palace. She kept checking on Will to see how he was managing the crowds, and he seemed more intent on keeping an eye on her than worrying about himself. She smiled. He’s doing fine.
To cater the city-wide street party, food vendors had set up on nearly every corner. Some roasted chestnuts and whole potatoes in small ovens. Others offered boiled sweets and candy apples. The sweet smell intoxicated Memory, but she could see that not everyone was benefiting from the business taking place on the streets. Next to nearly every stall that sold food there was a child or teenager begging. And where there weren’t stalls there were yet more people hunched together, either sleeping or pleading for alms.
“Who are these people? Are they homeless?” Memory asked Clara.
Clara grimaced unpleasantly. “I guess you could say that. They’ve nowhere else to be. They’re beggars.”
“Why are there beggars? I thought Avall was supposed to be all prosperous and rich.”
“Oh, it is,” Clara said. “But I’ve heard some of the older folks say that things are changing. That there are less fae in the world these days, and it is the fae that turn Avall from barren to abundant. There are stories of some land becoming infertile and dead like in the olden times.”
“Like Kenth?” Memory shocked herself in having information to offer the conversation.
Clara nodded. “And when a township cannot grow food any more, folk must look for work elsewhere and often go missing, and the children who are left behind
find their way here, looking for help.”
“Are they not finding it? Why isn’t anyone helping them?”
“I’m not sure anyone knows quite what to do with them. This has never been a problem before. Some say it was Thayl the fae disagreed with, but others say it started earlier. Anything I know is just gossip and rumors of course, I mean there has even been wild talk of beggars being found drained of every drop of their blood. Vampires, some say it is, but I don’t prescribe to such superstition.”
Superstition? In a world full of dragons and fairies?
“Well this is a terribly depressing topic of conversation for your night out on the town. Shall we find something more entertaining to do?”
“How about we go there? It looks good.” Memory indicated a busy looking tavern across the road from them called “Beyond the Veil.”
“Oh fun! They welcome the fae there, and boy do the fae know how to have a good time!” Clara grinned.
Will had been following along a step or two behind the girls as they chatted, but moved up close beside Memory now. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
Memory hesitated. “Yeah, isn’t that dangerous?”
“Dangerous? Pish. It’s all fine as long as one adheres to the usual precautions when dealing with fae.”
“What, like don’t piss them off?”
“Indeed. Also remember that although they may sometimes appear human, always be on guard,” Clara warned. “Never accept food or drinks lest they’ve been spiked with fae-food. Always purchase at the bar. And certainly don’t agree to do anything for anyone. If in doubt about whether someone is really a human, offer to share some bread or some salted food. They won’t touch the stuff. That’s a sure way of telling whether or not they’re fae. Just follow my lead, you’ll be fine.”
Memory looked up at Will for confirmation. He frowned, but shrugged and nodded.
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