by Ren Garcia
"A friend. Someone who loves your brother. Someone who is like you and wants to help. You needn't endure this alone any further, Lady Poe."
Syg, finding her hand in the fog, took it and placed it on her Shadowmark. "I am going to teach you how to live with this … the Shadow tech. It will turn to silver, and it is a wonderful thing—you'll see. Today is the last day you will ever be lost in the fog."
"You're … Sygillis, the Black Hat who wanted to kill my brother?"
Syg smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I didn't, isn't it? I guess it's a good thing your brother is such a wonderful, charming man. I love your brother very much, and I am going to help you."
Syg helped Poe stand, and together they carefully exited the courtyard, shrouded in fog.
* * * * *
They made their way back into the castle, Poe following Syg like a lost kitten, hanging on her every word. Syg had suggested that they wait until the next day to begin her training, that she should rest today, but Poe didn't want to. She wanted to begin immediately.
Syg relented and asked Poe to change into something comfortable and to meet her in Dav's tower. There, they would begin her first lesson. Syg changed into her favorite outfit, her Chancellor's bodysuit—she had about twenty of them —and waited for Poe. Enoch wanted to come and watch, but Syg forbid it, told him it wasn't safe. Pardock dragged him off by the ear.
After a bit, Poe appeared, wearing a light red and blue Blanchefort gown. Syg looked at it. The style was simple, yet elegant and pleasing. The style was starting to grow on her. She began forming ideas as to what she wanted hers to look like.
"You aren't going to want to wear that," Syg said.
"Why not?" Poe asked, looking down at her lovely gown.
"Because, as of right now, you are a Shadow tech novice. Shadow tech is very bad for clothing. It eats through it. It creates ugly permanent stains, and I don't want to see your gown ruined. You are going to want to wear something light and out-of-the-way, like what I am wearing. Here …" Syg gave her a spare bodysuit, and though Poe felt shy about wearing such a tight-fitting, stretchy garment, she went into the bathroom and put it on.
"Also," Syg said, "don't bother putting your shoes back on. Shadow tech is very much a thing of feeling, and in order to better control it at this early stage, you are going to need to firmly feel the floor beneath you—and that means bare feet."
"A-all right," Poe said, a little dubious, through the door.
"If you are anything like your brother, then I know that you are probably loath to be parted from your shoes. Getting Dav out of his boots is like fighting a major battle all the time."
Poe laughed and emerged from the bathroom. She was finally dressed to Syg's liking and shoeless, and Syg stepped out onto Dav's balcony, into the wind, and bade Poe to follow.
"I am not going out there, Lady Sygillis," Poe said.
"Why not?"
"Because I am afraid of these heights. Because it is four thousand feet to the rocks below."
Syg smiled. "Lady Poe, here is your first lesson, and I don't want you to forget it, because it's important. Fear is what Shadow tech feeds on. If you feel fear, your Shadow tech will consume it like candy, and you right along with it. The Black Abbess … she made us do … terrible things. She starved us, pitted us against each other, made us crawl in the dark, made us fight—and these weren't innocent wrestling matches either. These were fights to the death, but all that had the effect of removing fear from us. We are fearless, and it's out of necessity. You cannot hope to control your Shadow tech if you're afraid of everything."
She walked out onto the creaking balcony and climbed up on the rail, her hair waving in the strong wind, the long drop yawning behind her. "You must not fear—and if you master your Shadow tech, you'll have nothing to fear, ever again." She paused a moment. "Come out here—feel the wind. Know that nothing can harm you."
Slowly, tentatively, Poe stepped out onto Dav's creaky, lofty balcony, probing its strength with her pale feet. "I-I always begged Dav to get rid of this insane balcony. Our g-grandfather Maserfeld put it here."
"Why, tell me?"
"This tower was once used for guests, so the story goes. Our grandfather put guests he didn't like in this room. He hoped they would become possessed by some Blanchefort ghost and suicide off of it. Dav has always loved this balcony. He and Lady Hathaline."
"What about Hathaline?" Syg said quickly.
"They sat out here, jumping up and down, making it creak and rock, hang over the side, falling off and Wafting down, and sending signals to each other. They'd wrestle on it too. I'm certain they have told you that you—"
"That I look like her … yes. I suppose I can't help but feel a bit jealous that he was so close to her."
"Well," Poe said, sitting down, not wanting to stand, "He never asked her to marry him. She was his friend, though she wanted to be much more. You look exactly like her, but you do not act her at all, I can tell that already. She was a bit … arrogant. Very Blue."
"I've heard. Dav promised to take me to Castle Durst when he returns. We are going to determine if I am a daughter of House Durst. I must be."
"Well, you do look just like her—or she just like you, I should say."
Poe smiled. "I'm … so glad you're here, Lady Sygillis."
"Syg, Lady Poe, just call me Syg. That's what Dav calls me."
"Syg then … I feel so much better. I feel safe with you here. I know that you're going to help me."
"It's my pleasure. Perhaps you might be able to help me in turn, in preparing my gowns. According to Countess Pardock, I have to wear them."
"Oh, I would love to. I would like to help very much. The countess is very … insistent … about certain things."
"Yes, she is. Now," Syg said. "We are going to reach out and touch the ground."
"Touch the ground?"
"Yes. I want you to tell me how it feels."
"How?"
Syg extended her arm and allowed a thin, shiny stream of Silver tech to shoot to the ground—Poe watched the shining stream with wonder.
Syg smiled. "The ground is cold and rocky. Strange, I feel a coarse, low type of grass."
"It's horse grass … grows well in this cold climate. You can feel that?"
"I can. The Silver tech stream is an extension of my body, and I can feel everything it feels, I can hear sounds around it, I can almost see what it sees. I want you to reach out and grab me a handful of horse grass."
She peeked over the side and shuddered at the height.
"From way down there?"
"Yes, from way down there."
Poe looked puzzled.
"Tip the glass, and your Shadow tech will flow. Pretend you're tipping over a glass of water. Feel it flow. Feel it move. Remember, feel is everything with Shadow tech"
Poe reached over the side and pointed. Nothing happened.
"I am not certain what I should be doing."
Patiently, Syg walked the rail and took Poe by the hand.
"You feel that?" she asked.
"It feels warm…floaty."
"Now, tip the glass. That's all you're doing is tipping over a glass of water. Pretend Dav's down there—pretend you're pouring water all over him, getting him soaked."
Poe giggled and closed her eyes and a thin, brackish gray stream squirted out of her hand, spraying in the wind.
"Good," Syg said, "good. Can you feel that? Can you feel it moving?"
"I can," Poe said, looking at her hand.
Syg released her hand, and the flow stopped. "Now, Lady Poe, do that again, by yourself this time."
It took some doing, but eventually, Poe "tipped the glass" and created her first feeble strings of Shadow tech by herself. She dangled them over the side of the balcony.
"It will be a while before you're ready for more advanced manipulations. Just master the basics first, and then you'll be ready. Now, I want you to practice every day. Not only will tha
t sharpen your skills, but it'll also keep your levels down. You cannot go too long without casting, remember that. If you start feeling tired and confused, you've got too much. Too much is very, very bad."
"You mean to say that by just by doing this, I'll not fall into spells anymore? No more pain?"
"I mean to say. A little bit of casting every day, and that will never happen to you again."
Poe sat there for a moment, trying to take it in. A lifetime of pain, of hiding, of feeling herself a faulted and sick failure … over.
Poe's face burst into a joyous smile. She put her face into her hands. She wiped tears away. Syg paused and let Poe have her moment. As Dav had told her, it was impossible to spend any time with Lady Poe and not immediately like her. She seemed such a good person.
"Also, Poe, make sure you're alone when you're casting. Shadow tech is very poisonous, very dangerous to everybody other than me and you. Do it out in the Grove or up here … and for Creation's Sake, make sure Pardock's children aren't around. Children just love Shadow tech. You saw how Enoch had to be dragged away, yes?"
"Are you leaving? Are you going somewhere?" Poe asked alarmed.
"I'm leaving with Dav at the end of the week."
"You're not going to stay here? A Countess-in-Waiting usually stays in the castle. It's tradition. Pardock will …"
"The countess is going to have to be mad on that point. We'll start a new tradition then. Where Dav goes, I go. I will not be a stay-athome wife. But don't worry, I'll be back, and Dav told me that Bethrael will be staying here until the Hospitalers pick her up next month. Beth will be a good teacher. You'll like her."
Poe smiled. "So, you love my brother? I can tell that you do."
"I adore your brother. Love is not an adequate word. He is everything to me."
"We had heard that you wished him dead. We were afraid for him."
"You were right to be afraid for him. That was a dangerous thing he did. I was a hideous, evil, angry, murderous woman. And he was man enough to face me, all alone. It seems like that was a long time ago."
"What kept you from trying to kill him?"
"Don't know. A combination of things, possibly. I think I loved him from the start—at least that's what I tell myself. And now look at me … in love body and soul, ready to become his countess, teaching his sister how to control her Shadow tech."
"I am very glad you were able to find each other."
Poe lit up. "Look, Syg … look!" She pulled back her tiny rope of gray Shadow tech and had a bit of horse grass stuck at the end. "I could feel it, plain as day, just like you said. I could hear the wind down there, and I even thought I could see the grass too!"
Syg hugged her. "Excellent job. Soon your Shadow tech will turn silver, and you won't believe what you can do with it."
"Will I be able to make little animals with it? Not monsters, but cute, friendly little creatures?"
"Ah, you've a Painter's soul, I see. Yes, if you like. That takes a great deal of study and practice, but yes, if you commit yourself, you will be able to do that. You can make anything you want and give it a heart and a soul however you please."
Poe smiled and considered the possibilities—such things she will create.
Syg pulled her of off the floor of the balcony and slowly walked her out to the end, the stone creaking and bending slightly as they walked. Poe held on to her tightly, feeling the floor carefully with her feet.
"I understand there's to be a grand dinner here when Dav returns."
"Y-yes," Poe said. "We—we have those from time to t-time. Many people are coming … they wish … to see—"
"They wish to see several ex-Black Hats."
"Yes, they are, understandably … curious and … wish to make your acquaintance. You will … no doubt … be a great hit."
"I am looking forward to it; it'll be my first here. I also understand a certain gentleman will be coming—one who asked for you by name yesterday."
"Oh …" Poe said, brightening. "May I ask that gentleman's name?"
"Milos, Lord of Probert. A wonderful man … a genius."
Poe smiled and blushed. "Milos … he is a good friend."
"It appears he wishes to call on you. I should be most flattered if I were you, such an intelligent, witty man."
Poe giggled. "Milos has always appeared to like me."
"Do you fancy him in return?"
"I—I don't know. I've always been troubled with this … Shadow tech. I've never been able to plan anything … to look forward to anything, least of all, courtship."
"Those days are past. You've your whole life ahead of you now."
"I'm already past my Time of Good-byes …"
"It doesn't matter. The Shadow tech, it will extend your life. There are many Black Hats who are well over three hundred, some over four hundred. When it turns to Silver, I believe it will extend it even more."
Poe smiled and thought … her whole life. No more spells … no more agony.
"Poe, look where you are."
Poe looked around. They were standing the very edge of balcony, the yawning drop right ahead of them, the sunshine-filled landscape far below laid out as a mosaic of color, the Seeker like a little white dot in the dark waters of the bay. She shuddered for a moment and then was fine.
6
THE DINNER
"Syg, I didn't say we'd be apart forever—just for temporary until I can apprehend Marilith."
Dav had never seen Syg's eyes catch fire like this before.
"Dav," she said in a low, dangerous voice, "I knew you would come up with something like this—I knew it!"
"Syg," he said, "I'm just thinking of you. If you were to come to harm, I …"
"And you want me to go away—to run and hide. Dav, if you think I'm going to allow Princess Marilith of Xandarr to come between us, even for temporary, then you have a few things to learn about me!"
"Syg, Princess Marilith is capable of doing a lot of things. I've been fighting her for eighty years—"
"You don't think I have the power to fight that spoiled Xaphan blue-haired brat?"
"In a straight-up fight, yes, you have more power than she does, clearly. But she isn't going to fight you straight up. She's going to wait until circumstances favor her, and then she'll strike. She isn't going to fight fair."
"You seem to be thinking that I'm going to be fighting fair, Dav! I can be just as devious, underhanded, and sneaky as she can be! And if you think you're saving me by kicking me out, the first thing I'm going to do is hunt her down and kill her! That's right—KILL HER!"
"What if she tries to poison you?"
"She can't poison me, Dav. Black Hat, Shadow tech—remember?"
Dav shrugged, went out onto his balcony, and sat down, letting his legs dangle off of the side. Syg slowly sat down beside him.
"Sorry I got mad, love."
"It's fine, Syg. Sorry I suggested we temporarily part ways. That is not something I was wanting to do, anyway."
"I'm never parting ways with you, Dav. This is just the sort of thing Marilith's hoping for—to get you to do her work for her. To drive us apart." She leaned her head on his shoulder and kissed him.
"Are you really going to try and kill her?"
"I am. If she wanted to stay safe, all she had to do was leave us alone."
The wind picked up, and the balcony rocked a bit.
"You and I, Dav, there isn't anything we can't handle. If Marilith comes, we'll face her together. I was just getting used to the idea of having to wear a gown."
Dav laughed. "I won't make you wear a gown if you don't want to, Syg. I'm not overly big into tradition. And if I am to guess, I will bet that you will not be staying here at the castle when I return to the Seeker."
"Well, you're right on that one, love. I am coming with you, but I will wear a Blanchefort gown. I'll happily wear one—one that fits me, that is. I want to be your countess. I want to make you proud of me. And the last thing I want is for Pardock to throw d
own the baton over something as silly as a gown."
Dav put his arms around her, and she snuggled into his lap.
"If Marilith comes, we'll face her together, you and me."
* * * * *
The dinner the next night was a grand affair. Dav, Syg, and Kilos were there, and so were Pardock, her sons Enoch and Grenwald, Poe, Ennez, and Bethrael. Lord Probert, dressed in his garish best, sat near, Lady Poe along with an assortment of his craftsmen. Twenty of the Seeker's crew were seated at the table, along with ten Marines and two Admirals. Pardock and Poe's friends and various hangers-on rounded out those in attendance, over ninety in all.