Lunamae

by April Sadowski

  “Would you be willing to give up your power in the clan?” Angharad asked with interest.

  “I would. Not only that, but Barri would also build a chapel here, assuming Feyris is the location for that one rule,” Enrik affirmed. Angharad put her hand on her chin in thought. I wondered what she would be thinking. I knew it wouldn’t bode well with the Kyrians if they found out she was hiding prisoners in the dungeon. She would have to release them before any discussion of marriage between them could occur.

  “I would have to spend some time to consider this. It’s certainly something that I wouldn’t do with only a light thought. Lunamae is my only child and heir. I am still waiting to hear back from Fanarion,” the chief dame told him. He nodded in understanding, and then didn’t continue on the conversation, but instead allowed Barri to speak.

  “We do think that the chapel would be helpful in meeting the needs of many, and some clans might merge into this village. That is why we have agreed to it,” the friar said, scratching his tonsure for a second. “As I had mentioned, I would be willing to lead the congregation here. There is already a chapel in Moir Awin so we would have greater reach this way. It would be the best way to spread the word of the Teacher and Creator.” I was surprised he spoke so eloquently. Then again, we rarely had any clergy visit. It was nice to hear faith talked about with such passion. I wondered what Theron would do if he came here. While believing in the Creator is not a requirement, I think he’d be looked down on if he did not follow with us.

  The chief dame remained silent, only nodding her head. I realized suddenly that Lunamae was in the room. Being a maiden, I had completely forgotten about my family there as well. I took a look at Lunamae who looked utterly despondent. She didn’t want to marry just anyone from Kyrie, she wanted Marcus. If Marcus went back to Kyrie, I wonder if he would reveal the imprisonment. I then thought how they would explain their disappearance without lying. Perhaps the thought of peace would overcome the anger they might have.

  The conversation was then transformed into a lighter tone when one of the village women complimented the chief dame on her dress choice for the day. Then we had some minstrels come in and jugglers to perform, although the jugglers had some difficulty with the tree. It lent itself to be quite comical. After the entertainment, we were allowed to participate in dancing. We rarely had dancing, but this was a special occasion. I took the time to run up to Lunamae and see how she was doing. She shoved me away. She didn’t want to be messed with.

  “How about we go visit your friend?” I asked her. Her eyes instantly lit up like those of a candle wick. “I don’t think anyone will notice me gone, especially your mother since she will need to keep the chieftain entertained.” Lunamae followed me out of the hall and down the stairs to the dungeons. We didn’t have any food to give, but that time had long past. We had been issuing servants to do it for us, especially since Lunamae was in the care of another and I was a maiden now.

  “Come to say hello?” the guardsmen said. “He’s been asking for you, Lunamae.” The guards were also quite jovial, having been used to our routine for so many years. They had also grown sympathetic. I suppose the Winter Feast helped as well, putting everyone in a lighter mood. Lunamae skipped past him and clung to the cell that Marcus was in. A few of the prisoners had been separated, most likely to allow more breathing room in the cells. There was no reason to keep them cramped together.

  “Marcus?” she called out and one of the shadows in the back of the cell came forward into the light, his hands holding the bars of the cell.

  “Yes, my dear?” he answered back.

  “I think you will be out of here soon!” she said, uncontrollable excitement in her voice. “The chieftain and Barri said that if I got married to a Kyrian, they would unite. There isn’t any way we could keep your presence here a secret. You would have to go home!”

  “You would have to marry a Kyrian?” he asked with curiosity.

  “Yes.” She paused, not sure how to continue on.

  “Not me,” he said, his voice lowered in sadness. “She would most likely address the delegate before I returned, before we were freed. My father would think me dead by now. He wouldn’t have an available son.”

  “I know,” she said, taking his hands off the cell and holding them. “But you will be free. Perhaps you’ll find some nice Kyrian woman and you can live your life in peace.”

  “I don’t care about peace. I want you,” he said sternly.

  “Peace is the reason we came here,” I heard Gaius from the back of the cell. “You cannot simply toss it to the wind. If the chief dame is serious about the union, then it is important we do as she commands. If she wants us to go home we will go home. Marcus, I do not want you engaging in anything rash that might damage those chances.” Marcus shook his head in defiance.

  “Don’t treat me like a child!” he told the ambassador, turning to address him face-to-face. “I’m fifteen, nearly sixteen. I’m old enough to engage in battle. I’m old enough to be a delegate.”

  “You haven’t learned much in here then,” Gaius said, sighing heavily.

  “I’ve learned love. Isn’t that important too?” Marcus retorted.

  “Love?” Lunamae wondered with eyes full of tears. Apparently he had never told her that before, not even in their letters while she and I were in Fanarion.

  Marcus looked back at Lunamae. “Yes. I think I do love you. I can’t imagine a day without you. You’ve brought joy to every single one I’ve had.”

  “We should get back,” I said, aware of the time that had passed. We needed to return in time to exchange gifts.

  “You are quite right,” Lunamae admitted. She said her farewells to Marcus and then joined me to continue up to the main level. Luckily the group hadn’t entered the keep entrance yet, so we were able to dodge back into the crowd in the feasting hall. My mother grabbed me as I entered. My hair flew violently around.

  “Where were you?” she demanded. Lunamae saw that I was getting reprimanded for something so she wandered off where she would be away from the confrontation.

  “I went with Lunamae to see Marcus, she was —” I started but my mother cut me off.

  “How dare you leave the chief dame! That is not appropriate behavior. If you want to go somewhere, you have to ask her permission. Otherwise, you need to be at her side at all times,” my mother said forcefully. She calmed down and released her grip on me. “I am sorry, Muirenn. You were never told the rules were you?”

  “No. I didn’t know there were any other than to be with her when she needs me to be there,” I said tentatively.

  “She needs you all the time unless noted,” my mother said.

  “I’ll try to remember that,” I said.

  “Go back to the chief dame before she notices you were gone. Thank goodness the chieftain of Alta is here, otherwise there would be so much more trouble in store for you,” my mother warned.

  I did as was asked, all the while wondering if I had made the right choice to become a maiden. I liked to be able to roam as I willed. This was all strange and new. I didn’t know if I liked it so much. I didn’t know how much I could take.

  Chapter 7

  Back Home

  It was spring finally and the snow had melted away. The month of Mawth was nearing the end and the rains of Ebril would be following. I was learning my role as a maiden in the keep. I had finally been granted a small apartment that I shared with Brynna. Brynna had been given leave to marry Logan and be released, so I would be getting another person to share the room with in the coming months. I assumed the chief dame would find another maiden to replace her. There were a few, younger than I, who could be given positions.

  The last month, Fwyfer, Angharad had sent out an embassy to Kyrie, stating her interest in marrying Lunamae to one of the delegates or their sons. She wanted someone that was younger than her, just so the transition for Lunamae would be easier. Angharad, using her conniving tactics, told the embassy to tell the Kyrians
that their kinsman had been spotted.

  Because of the new ties Angharad was willing to make, the monks of Bexweth had been overseeing the new chapel’s creation. The foundation was laid and they were starting on the stone work.

  Presently, I was in the sewing room of the keep, diligently crafting a tapestry of my own. I intended to hang it in my own home, if I ever got one. It had taken me a few months to craft a couple inches so I knew it would be a great work when finished.

  Angharad had me stay with her after the other women were dismissed for the day. She urged me to follow her so I did—into the depths of the keep, and not exactly sure what she had planned on doing down there.

  We entered the dungeons and were greeted by the guardsmen. Angharad dismissed them as well, taking their keys and allowing us to be the sole watch over the prisoners.

  “This is quite an unexpected surprise,” Ambassador Gaius said, addressing the chief dame. He had stood up at the sound of the guards leaving.

  “It is a surprise for me too. It took me five years to recognize my ignorance,” Angharad said. “I apologize for keeping you here. Since the monks of Bexweth have been here overseeing the construction of the chapel I have learned that my cold heart has been contrary to the teachings set in the Text of Illumination. I have been selfish and stubborn. I will not get my husband back through tormenting you. I can’t blame his death on you. I also recall the Guardian of Harper Wood telling me about this. Will you forgive me?”

  “Does that mean we are free to go?” Gaius said, his words hopeful.

  “Yes,” she said simply.

  “I forgive you,” the man said. “We also follow the Text of Illumination. That is why we came. The Dominar Delegate had thrown out the ones that did not—the ones that followed the Destroyer and only wanted chaos and war.” Angharad drew out the key and used it to unlock all the cells and then turned to leave. I was half-expecting them to try to kill her but they were complacent. Marcus looked at me, pain in his eyes.

  “Might I be dismissed?” I asked the chief dame. I was never sure what to call her. “Aunt” seemed too informal and “chief dame” the opposite.

  “Yes, you may,” Angharad answered me. I followed the group of Kyrians up the stairs and told Marcus to wait by the bridge. Angharad told them all to enter the keep for a wash and fresh traveling clothes.

  I had to find Lunamae before he left. Otherwise she would never get to say goodbye. If she knew I had been down there, who would know how long it would take for her to forgive me for not telling her.

  I assumed that I would find Lunamae at Brynna’s house so I made my way there. The construction of the house was similar that of my own. Well, it wasn’t my own anymore really since I was in the apartment and it was owned by my parents. When I entered, I found Lunamae sitting in the main living area reading the Text of Illumination with Flurry on her lap.

  “Lunamae?” I asked quietly, not wanting to startle her. She didn’t notice me when I entered so I assumed she was deep in concentration. At the sound of my voice she closed the book and looked up at me.

  “What is it? Shouldn’t you be at the keep with my mother?” she asked me.

  “I asked to be dismissed. The prisoners have been set free. I thought you would want to know,” I said calmly. Lunamae jumped out of her chair, scaring the cat. Lunamae coddled her pet, saying she was sorry and asking for forgiveness—like the cat would reply. She ran out of the house and darted for the keep. Unfortunately the ground was quite saturated as it had rained the day before so she was making an utter mess of herself.

  “Not that way, and stop running!” I called after her, breathy from the chase.

  She stopped abruptly and turned to ask me, “Where is Marcus then?”

  “He’s by the bridge. For heaven’s sake, don’t go on it in your state,” I said. There was no doubt in my mind Lunamae would have issues crossing. The last thing I needed was for the bridge to vanish and her to fall down into the depths.

  “I’ll be fine,” she stated, head held high. She marched towards the bridge and caught the shape of Marcus in her view on the other side. I heard her repeating the words of command in the Text of Illumination as she crossed. It reminded me of when she was little; going over things she had learned to keep her thoughts occupied. I followed her, of course, to make sure she was safe and that her encounter remained appropriate. The rest of the Kyrians were some distance away, on a hill about a half a meeley away, waiting for him.

  Lunamae ran over to Marcus and threw her arms around him, a completely unexpected gesture and not proper, but I let her do it anyway. I knew how much she cared about Marcus and they might not ever see each other again.

  “I am so glad to see you not all locked up in that cage,” she said. She looked into his face, and I realized we had never really seen him without the dim light of the torches in the dungeon. He was quite good looking. He was tall, with a broad chest. He would probably have had more musculature if he could leave the cell, but you could tell he used to, even as a boy. He had brown hair and hazel eyes and his hair was cut haphazardly. The guards were afraid to give the prisoners anything more than a dull blade which in the right hands could still be a deadly tool.

  Marcus pulled from her embrace, studying her for the first time. Her long blonde hair cascaded over her delicate shoulders. Her blue eyes smiled at him.

  “You are amazing,” he said in awe. She looked at him, her otherwise pale face turning red in an obvious blush. “You are.”

  “Do you have to go home?” she wondered, her eyes welling with tears. “Perhaps you could visit another clan close by and we could visit each other. You could be a keeper of the King’s Pass and act like a nomad. You could —”

  Before she could say another word, he put his finger to her lips, although not directly touching it. “Hush. You know my father and the rest of Kyrie are wondering where I am. It is my duty to report back home. He needs to know I’m alive. But I will promise you something.”

  “What would that be?” Lunamae asked, her voice barely more than a squeak.

  “I will come back to you. I don’t care if you are married. I don’t care if you have an army of children. I don’t care if we are at war. I will come back. If just to see your face once more, I will come back.” Marcus took her into his arms again, kissed her, and then left to join his people.

  I looked at Lunamae, who was wiping her eyes. “Will you be all right?” I asked her softly.

  “Not if I have to marry a stranger. But … it’s for the good of everyone in our village. So I must do as I must. At least I know in my heart that I will see him again. I only wish I knew when it would be,” she told me solemnly. It took a lot of courage for her to say that.

  “I need to go back to the keep,” I told her. “Your mother might need me and I want to be there if she does.” Lunamae nodded in understanding. I am sure she had to go back to her studies as well, although I don’t know if anyone would have noticed her disappearance. She had a tendency to wander around the village quite a bit. She was a free spirit, not wanting to be fixed in one place for too long.

  I left Lunamae’s side to head back to the keep. My feet kicked up some pebbles from the bridge and after I crossed I had to watch my footing because some mud had developed. I looked down at my skirts and giggled. I hadn’t looked at them in a while since I was otherwise preoccupied. Running after Lunamae had left them completely soiled.

  I went into the keep, mindful to keep my dress lifted so nothing would drip on the floor. I tried to be quiet and unnoticeable going to my apartment but I couldn’t get past Tegan.

  “What in the Creator’s green earth have you been doing?” she asked, flabbergasted at my condition. Luckily it wasn’t actually raining or I would have looked so much worse.

  “I’ve been running in the mud. What does it look like?” I retorted smartly. She didn’t like my reply and huffed. Tegan and I didn’t get along so well. She always acted like she was better than everyone else—save the chief
dame as that would cause issues.

  “Why do you always have to be so maddening?” Tegan asked me, her voice arcing in anger. I took in her fiery red hair and green eyes. Her pale freckled face was turning scarlet.

  “You should ask yourself the same question, Miss High-and-Mighty,” I shouted back. I wasn’t going to let her get the upper hand in the argument. She didn’t deserve it.

  “One of these days, I will report you to the chief dame. I don’t care if she’s your aunt. You need a good whipping,” the woman snapped back. I just stood there, stunned.

  I still wasn’t going to let it end with her, so I hammered back, “I should go into the sewing room and request that your mouth be sewn shut!” Tegan’s mouth gaped in horror and she promptly marched off in a fury to her own apartment. I entered mine and Brynna was there, reading a book.

  “Where did you get that?” I asked, surprised on its construction. It was smaller than any other book I had seen. It didn’t look like the Text of Illumination either.

  “There was a merchant from Pinor that had it. He said the Kyrians were trading them. It was made with that new printing press. They have so much more in Kyrie, but few people of Pinor can afford it. The Kyrians are too afraid to trade here,” Brynna explained, putting the book down. She looked me over and her jaw dropped. “You are a mess! Don’t come any closer.” I was still on the wooden planks of the apartment and hadn’t yet crossed onto the rug in the room. The rug on the floor was just between two beds—Brynna’s and mine. We had a wooden table with a pitcher of water and bowl and towel off the doorway with a chair nearby. I had planted myself there.

  “Well I’m not actually dirty. It’s only my clothes,” I said, a smile forming on my lips.

  “Oh good grief, let me help you,” Brynna said with a motherly tone in her voice. She helped me out of my muddy vestments and wet boots and took out some fresh ones from a chest near my bed. “We need to get your feet clean. It looks as though some of the mud got between your stockings and the boots, though I don’t know how it would be possible.”