The Everlands Chronicles: The Truth

by A. J. Bell

  “A woman,” said Sir Richard. “Victor seems to be in love with her, and Dorian got too close to her that night. Victor wasn’t happy about it.” He paused momentarily. “But he would never send out Dorian hoping he would not return.”

  Lord Darius was visibly upset. “If you are so sure of that, why do you have to keep apologizing for Victor? He could have any woman he wants; why sacrifice his cousin for this one?” he said, disgusted.

  I shook my head in disapproval. I didn’t know what had happened that night until now.

  “She is different, Uncle,” said Sir Richard.

  Lord Darius stared back at him. “Is she that pretty? Is she worth spilling your cousin’s blood for her?” he asked.

  “I don’t know what you mean by that.” Sir Richard tried feigned indifference, but he didn’t fool his uncle.

  “I see. She has caught your attentions too.”

  Sir Richard didn’t know what to say in reply to Lord Darius.

  “His Majesty knows better than to create a war for the sake of a woman,” I said, hoping not to get in trouble since my opinion was not asked for.

  Sir Richard chuckled. “It would not surprise me that he sent Dorian away trying to protect you,” he said. His words startled me. “Uncle, I’m afraid Victor has a very tender spot for my squire. As you can tell, they defend each other. Victor said he has learned many things from John, things that make him a better man, things that a great ruler should know. I’ve wondered what those things are, but regardless of that, if he had sent me there, I would’ve taken you with me, putting you in harm’s way, John. That could’ve been the reason why Victor didn’t send me.” I knew he was joking. He had to be. But whether I was John or Elle, they both were blaming me. “I am certain that sending Dorian to the Gardenhills was a result of his skills and not jealousy because of his interest shown to Lady Elle, Uncle,” Richard concluded.

  “So she has a name,” repeated Lord Darius. “New courtier? I’ve never heard of her… It doesn’t matter. I’m never in the palace anyway. As long as my son returns to me, I will not seek her as the one to be blamed.”

  The woman who first greeted us when we arrived was named Kressie. She was the motherly figure in the home and kindly guided us to the chambers we would be occupying during our stay in Abilene. The rooms were on the second floor of the house. Sir Richard was given a room at the beginning of the hallway to the right of the staircase, one of the biggest rooms, according to Madam Kressie.

  She pointed out my room so that I could get there by myself after I helped Sir Richard settle in his room, an action that didn’t go without a comment by Lord Darius.

  “You would think that at twenty-eight-years-old, Richard could make his own bed.” Sir Richard rolled his eyes at his uncle’s comment but it drew a small chuckle out of me. I didn’t mind serving Sir Richard but I agreed that for some things he didn’t need my help.

  My appointed chamber was a small and simple room, with a bed and a dresser, a little night table next to the bed with a brass oil lamp, and a few canvases on easels leaned against the side of the dresser. At the end of the room, almost in front of the panoramic-sized window, stood a sturdy desk. Piles of paper, ink bottles, quills, and some chalk-shaped coal pieces were on top of it, as well as some burned-out candles and half-empty oil lamps. The size of the window made it possible to see both Abilene’s shore and the east side of the city. The walls of the room had drawings and paintings similar to ones that adorned the walls of the house.

  A picture of the sun setting on the rooftops of Abilene lay on top of the pile. Every detail that could possibly be seen through the window was recorded on the paper. I browsed through other pictures of trees, flowers, people, and even a few birds. I was submerged into the ink world that lay before me.

  “My son is as good with the quill as he is with the sword.” I almost passed out at the sound of Lord Darius’s voice. I dropped the drawings back on the desk and clumsily turned around to face him, but by so doing, I spilled one of the inkwells on top of the pictures I had laid down. I tried to clean the ink with my bare hands, but this only increased the mess. I then pulled out my shirt and used it to absorb the ink. It worked, but the ink was absorbed by the fabric of my shirt faster than I would’ve expected. Soon enough, I looked like a spotted cow. I removed my little shoulder bag, but it was too late; the ink has already seeped through.

  “Kressie!” called Lord Darius into the hallway. He came over and stopped me from spreading the mess even further. When Madam Kressie saw what had happened, she quickly dug in the pockets of her apron and found a couple of rags. Immediately, she worked on cleaning the mess I had made.

  I wasn’t only embarrassed due to my clumsiness, I was also extremely sad. I had literally killed those beautiful paintings and drawings in a matter of seconds. Dorian’s masterpieces were gone. I wanted to cry, but I knew that would only make matters worse. Madam Kressie took the pictures and threw them in the waste basket. Then she looked at me with a grin. I backed away.

  “We are going to scrub your skin really hard to get all that ink from your hands, face, and body, since your shirt also seems to be soaked in ink.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “Your son’s paintings. I didn’t mean to–”

  Lord Darius took me by the shoulders. I noticed there was ink now on the sleeves of his shirt from where he had restrained me from cleaning up my mess. “I have rooms full of them,” he said. “These weren’t that good anyway, or they would’ve been hanging on a wall already. If he had actually adored them, my son would’ve put them away in that chest.” Lord Darius pointed towards the door. Next to it was a chest, probably the only gold item in the entire household.

  “Those,” he said, “you’re only allowed to look at after you have cleaned up yourself and after we make sure that there is no ink or other liquid nearby, or Dorian will make you pay for it.”

  Chapter 14

  Who would have thought that taking a bath in Sir Dorian’s home could be such a hassle? Madam Kressie wasn’t going anywhere until she personally scrubbed out every possible ink residue that might have hidden in my skin.

  After many pleas, she agreed to let me bathe by myself, but only if she, once I was half-decent, could come and help me thoroughly wash my ink-stained skin. She was annoyed when she came into the room to drop a couple of towels, I ask her to leave and sunk deeper in the tub.

  No matter how hard I scrubbed, the ink did not wash off my shirt. Now the white was gone, replaced by random black and grey spots. When I was done, Madam Kressie came to inspect. My hands were “good enough.” My shirt, on the other hand, earned her disapproval. She left the room and came back in and lay carefully on top of the dresser a black shirt along with a black pair of trousers. “This is what you will wear tomorrow. I’m sure Master Dorian wouldn’t mind you having them, since he has plenty. Here is also one of his night shirts. Now, get ready for bed and have a good night.”

  “Goodnight,” I replied.

  I sat at the desk chair for a while, staring out the window but keeping my distance from the ink danger lurking in the room. Sir Dorian was miles away while I was in his room; his bed would cradle me to sleep tonight while he and his men kept watch over our borders in case of war. Before lying down, I picked out from the trash the pictures that Madam Kressie had thrown away after I had so carelessly ruined them. I folded them over and put them in my black-ink-stained shoulder bag. I lay on his bed, thinking about him long after the lights in the city had been extinguished and only moonbeams lit up the streets.

  Although the sheets had been freshly washed, Sir Dorian’s scent remained in the room, as if he were present. The bed was soft. I don’t recall ever feeling something as cozy and inviting, not even in the palace. How I wish he were here, right now. I‘ve so many questions for him.

  As the morning came, the sun rose brightly through the window. It lit up the room completely. The reflection of the sun on the gold chest by the door blinded me for a moment.

>   I remembered Lord Darius saying that Sir Dorian’s most valuable things were in that chest. Do I dare open it and look into his life while he’s away? I wanted to do it, but it would have to wait for later. Madam Kressie was already at my door.

  “I hope you are decent,” she said, “because I’m coming in.” Madam Kressie wasn’t alone. A girl of about eighteen was with her. “You’re still in bed?” Madam Kressie rolled her eyes. “Breakfast is about ready, so you’d better get dressed and come down.” The young girl was giggling. “This is Meav, my daughter. She will show you around the city whenever you need to go and get anything for Sir Richard. Now I’m warning you, Meav has a great fist. Don’t give her a reason to try it on your face. Master Dorian himself taught her how to defend herself, so if you try anything… well, you’ll see.”

  Try anything? Like what? I wanted to be insulted, but the tone in her voice and Meav’s laughter were a little contagious.

  “Could you ladies please exit the room so that I can get dressed?” I asked. They did so and waited for me to join them in the hallway. We had a quick breakfast. Sir Richard was already gone with Lord Darius by the time I came down, so there were only servants around the table.

  Madam Kressie needed something from the market. She wouldn’t tell me what it was. Instead, she sent Meav with me to get whatever she needed. I didn’t care. I was excited to take my first tour through the town of Abilene. We walked slowly by the streets, enjoying what the city had to offer. I have not seen a more beautiful place nor one so peaceful – a small paradise indeed!

  Meav pointed out interesting facts and places about the city. She certainly loved Abilene and the family she served, and I wanted to know more about them. “How long has your family served Lord Darius’s household?” I asked.

  “Mother was Princess Maya’s midwife. She helped Master Dorian come into the world. When the Princess passed away a few days after giving birth, Mother nursed and helped raise him.” I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “It wasn’t that bad. She had given birth to my sister Jane six months before Dorian was born, so she didn’t have problems taking care of the new babe. Master Darius had the hardest part. To this day, I don’t think he has ever recovered from his loss,” she said sadly. “I have spent all my life in their service, and I don’t regret it. They have been wonderful to all of us, a real family.” She opened herself to me trustingly.

  “Sir Richard says you’re afraid of women. I told him it might be because the women that you’ve dealt with before were not nice enough. I told him I might be able to help you with that if you wanted me to,” she said shyly while getting close to me. “Do you find me scary?” I wasn’t sure if it was good or bad timing that right then, a young man, not much older than Meav, came our way and pulled her by the arm. “Who’s this? Your new boyfriend!” he said angrily.

  I didn’t have time to deny it before he threw the first clenched fist in my direction. I evaded the punch by leaning to the side, but I wasn’t as lucky with the second one. He hit me in the shoulder and then pinned me against the wall with one of his hands squeezing my neck. “You stay away from her!” he yelled right in my face; his breath was so foul, it made me gag. Meav hit him in the back, demanding that he let me go. Using his free arm, he swatted her away like a fly. She fell hard to the ground and tears welled up in her eyes.

  “You are messing with the wrong girl!” I said with effort as his hand squeezed my neck tighter, only I didn’t mean Meav. I meant me. Once again, I broke that golden rule among men and kicked my attacker in the groin. He fell to the ground, crying like a baby. “You leave her alone!” I said. “Or next time, I won’t be so gentle with my knee.”

  I helped Meav to her feet, and we ran out of there together. She had a small bruise on her face from hitting the ground. I was sure my neck would bruise too, but didn’t complain about it.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly. “He just won’t leave me alone.”

  “I see.” She didn’t want to show me the town. She wanted someone to protect her, so Sir Richard had volunteered me for the job. “I thought you had a good fist?” I said.

  She laughed. “Master Dorian did teach me a few defensive moves. I’m just too cowardly to use them. I mean, what can a woman do against the strength of a man? We are nothing compared to them… we are nothing,” she said again.

  I sighed. I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, but I couldn’t let her believe that women were powerless against men. “Is there a place nearby where we can be alone for a little while?”

  She looked at me suspiciously for a second, but her curiosity was stronger than her caution. “Follow me,” she said.

  We walked to the top of a hill. Behind the hill was an enormous castle. “Who lives there?” I asked.

  “Nobody at this time, but that is Master Dorian’s birthplace,” she said. “That’s where we are heading.”

  Soon, we arrived at the castle. It was probably half the size of Victor’s but certainly larger than any house in Abilene. The gates were open.

  “Master Darius and Sir Richard were here earlier getting the castle safe for the King’s stay in Abilene. We will start to clean it tomorrow. We don’t want hairy spiders creeping on our royal guests.” She laughed. “That’s what Master Darius told us this morning.” She was flirting with me again by playing with her golden hair and smiling every time I stared at her freckled face. She was getting too close, too close!

  I looked around a couple of times to ensure we were alone, and then I took a deep breath. “You better be right about nobody being here,” I said. “The truth is that I’m not afraid of girls.”

  “I can tell,” she said playfully, taking a step closer to me. “May I thank you properly?” She leaned forward, intending to kiss me.

  I put my hand between us to ensure no contact would occur and pulled my cap off immediately. “Stop, Meav. I’m a woman, like you!”

  She almost passed out as she gazed at my hair and heard my confession. “You kicked Broody in the groin!” she said, astonished

  “I did.”

  “You dress as a man!” Her surprised look didn’t go away.

  “I do.”

  “But you’re a girl!” she said excitedly.

  “I am, and you were about to kiss me,” I said reproachfully.

  “This is so amazing!” She ignored my last comment. “I am assuming that Sir Richard doesn’t know, or is this the way you keep a forbidden love hidden from the world?” She was going on and on about this fantasy of me and Sir Richard together. However, when she became aware of my annoyed looks, she offered to keep the secret, which was what I was hoping would happen. She had so many questions that our conversation actually would take more than one day. Needless to say, we went back empty-handed. Apparently, this had been Sir Richard’s idea so that I could spend time alone with Meav and lose my fear for women!

  The next few mornings, I helped clean the castle. Then, in the afternoons, Meav and I would walk around the city. Broody didn’t bother us again. We would go to the beach into a little cave that few people visited. We would sit down and talk. Sometimes, we would wade into the water and run around. I would undo my hair, loosen up my corset, take my shirt out, and set myself free of worries. In this short period of time, Meav became my best friend and confidant. I learned that her older sister Jane, the best cook in all Abilene, had gone away with Sir Dorian to feed his men at the Gardenhills border, and so had Riley, her twelve-year-old brother who, from the moment he had learned how to walk, became Sir Dorian’s shadow and, eventually, his only squire. When their father passed away a few years back, her family moved into Sir Dorian’s household permanently.

  “What can you tell me about yourself, besides the fact that you dress as a man and like to play with swords?” Meav asked one morning, intrigued.

  “Well, not much,” I began. “I was very ill for a while when I was fifteen, and it seems that fever took away my memories and almost my life. Mother is a great healer, so she was able to nurtu
re me back to life. But I don’t remember my childhood. All I can remember goes back to us arriving in Stoneburg. Ever since, my life has been that of a squire – cleaning stables, traveling with Sir Richard, looking after him and Rogue, working in the blacksmith shop with father, learning my mother’s healing skills, and getting into trouble. I’m very skilled on the last one. I get in trouble quite often.” I sighed at my bad luck.

  “What kind of trouble?” Meav asked curiously.

  “Did you really ask that question? A few days ago, I got in a fist fight with your boyfriend, and before that, I almost got into a fight with Chad, the butcher of Greenville.”

  When I told her about the happening at the inn, and that I thought that Chad had not been fooled by my disguise, her eyes lit up. “Let’s go see him and find out if he truly knows who you are,” she said, determined.

  “Are you mad? I need to keep this a secret, rather than uncover myself every time I get a chance,” I replied.

  “You revealed yourself to me,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

  “This was different. I knew I could trust you.”

  “How do you know you can’t trust him, if you don’t give him the chance? Besides, if you don’t set this straight, he might tell on you when you pass through Greenville again.”

  I had to admit the idea had already crossed my mind. We then went back to the house to ask permission and to make preparations to travel to Greenville. It was crazy, but I didn’t mind untying the corset to allow me to breathe freely for a few days.

  When we told Sir Richard and Madam Kressie of our plan, they didn’t bother to stop us. They were really pleased with the interest that we had shown in each other, although they thought that it was for a different reason. In their minds, they could already hear wedding bells ringing in Abilene’s streets for us. For our journey, I only brought one additional outfit for me, but Meav brought six full-sized gowns. I couldn’t believe it! Who would ever need six gowns for only a few days away from home? Men were easy to travel with because they travel faster and lighter than women do. We also left a little later than we had planned to, since Meav took ages to get her hair done. This was another reason why men get ready faster; they just pull their hair up in a ponytail or let it hang loose and they are ready to go.