by Joseph Lallo
Leaving her room, she tried to retrace the route Elise used yesterday. She was lost minutes later. She was sure that she’d followed the same turns, but the door with only one handle never arrived. Was she walking in circles? Stopping for a minute to take stock, she looked around for someone to direct her, but the place seemed deserted suddenly. She needed a map just to find her room again! Further along the corridor, she could see a set of double doors. She decided to see if anyone was home. She knocked and entered without pause.
“Good morning, my dear. May I help you?”
Julia stopped on the threshold in embarrassment. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I’m lost. I don’t want to be a nuisance.”
“No, it’s all right,” the woman said with a gentle smile. “This old pile of stone can be confusing at times. Please, come in and sit down.”
Julia closed the doors and sat in a comfortable armchair opposite the imposing woman. She seemed to be in her mid-sixties, with her grey hair piled high on her head. She was a handsome woman still. She was wearing a grey fustian dress similar to the one Julia had chosen to wear, but it was far less revealing. A lace panel in the front reached to her chin. A rope of gold was displayed to perfection around her neck where it lay upon the lace, and another golden chain encircled her waist fastened with a brooch. She wore matching pendant earrings that hung from her lobes and sparkled in the light coming through the open windows.
“Do I meet with your approval, my dear?”
Julia blushed. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. My name’s Julia Morton. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Two names? My name is Jessica, just Jessica. Where do you come from Julia Morton?”
She smiled weakly. “I don’t know. I mean I know, but I don’t know where it is at the moment... Oh! I don’t know what I mean.”
Suddenly, she felt tears threatening. She tried to hold them back, but they spilled over despite her best effort. All she could think about was never seeing Jill again and missing the games.
Stop it! You’ll get to the games. If you could get here, then the reverse is possible too.
Jessica came over and sat on the arm of her chair. Julia couldn’t help it. She hugged Jessica and cried harder. It was just too much take in. Her parent’s deaths and now this! Her life surely couldn’t get any more messed up.
“Hush, it will be all right. Hush, hush, hush...” Jessica said rubbing her back and smoothing her hair out of her eyes.
She wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m never like this...” she took the piece of lace Jessica held out to her and dabbed at her eyes. “I must be tired or—”
“Tears can be healing. I remember when Kevlarin died,” Jessica said faintly.
“Kevlarin?”
“My lord husband. Here, I’ll show you.”
Julia followed her across the room.
Jessica gestured up at a large portrait on the wall. “This is Kevlarin. He entered the Other World almost ten years ago.”
The portrait was of a much younger Jessica sitting with an older man. She was glowing with happiness. Ordinarily, she would have called Kevlarin brooding, ominous even, but the artist had captured a different feeling. It was love, pure and simple. Kevlarin wore rich velvets in dark colours as if trying to fade into the background, but the way he looked at Jessica gave him a different aspect altogether. It was as if her presence shone a light upon him, one which he couldn’t escape. The adoration in his eyes was obvious. Jessica could only have been twenty or so when the portrait was commissioned, but it wasn’t her beauty or the age difference that made her lord husband seem plain.
There was something familiar about him that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Something about the eyes? She shrugged. Whatever it was, she couldn’t dredge it up out of the jumble she laughingly called a memory.
“He’s... strong looking,” she said lamely.
Jessica laughed. “You mean plain don’t you? It’s all right, everyone remarked on it at the time. Oh Jessica, you can do so much better. Oh Jessica, you should marry Athlone, he’s so handsome.”
“And were they right?” she said, stifling her laughter.
“Bah! Kevlarin is beautiful in my eyes and that’s all that matters. Athlone was, and still is by all accounts, a brigand. I wanted nothing to do with him. He married a beauty a while later and I never heard from him again. Well, not directly anyway. He’s caused some trouble for Keverin since then.”
Jessica’s eyes shone with her memories and glistened with tears, but they didn’t fall. She was a strong woman. Julia remembered the nightmare months after her parents died, and envied her that strength.
“I loved Kevlarin very much,” Jessica went on. “He was older than I, as you can see. He was lonely. This pile of stone takes a lot of work to manage. He kept himself busy by building up the fortune and avoiding his mother’s machinations. She wanted him to marry a girl from Chulym to tie Athione to the masters there.
“Anyway,” Jessica went on in a more upbeat tone of voice. “His mother arranged a banquet and invited all the lords. In those days this place was bustling. This lady or that lord would come to visit, and children would be running in the corridors playing. Every day felt like a holiday. This old place feels dead now, but you should have seen it forty years ago before the troubles began.”
“Is that how you two met?”
Jessica nodded. “My parents brought me with them when his mother invited them. Kevlarin was at the dance dressed in black and brooding in the corner. He did it on purpose of course. His mother was livid, but what could she do? He was Lord of Athione in his own right. Most of the ladies were afraid of him for being so big and ugly in their eyes, but I saw something different behind the scowl he wore.”
Julia listened as Jessica transported her to an Athione of long ago...
“Excuse me a moment would you?” Jessica said in a distracted voice. “I want to have a word with Lord Kevlarin,”
Athlone bowed stiffly. “As you wish.”
Jessica walked away from him, hardly aware of his disgruntlement.
She made directly for Kevlarin and didn’t see her mother whisper to her dance partner. Lord Padrig faltered at his consort’s words and looked worriedly after his daughter. Another whispered comment made him relax suddenly tight shoulders, and he concentrated upon his dancing.
The music was wonderful and the ladies beautiful as they danced gaily with the lords. The hall was decked with bunting, and the chandeliers seemed to blaze brighter than the sun. Kevlarin made an ominous figure dressed as he was all in black. It accentuated his strength, though she was sure he didn’t realise it. It wasn’t his intention to attract notice; quite the opposite she was sure, but his very darkness amid so much light couldn’t help but do so.
“My lord Kevlarin,” she said with a deep curtsy.
“You have the advantage of me lady,” Kevlarin said with a bow.
“Yes I have, haven’t I?” she said with a laugh. Kevlarin grumbled something under his breath. It sounded like he wanted to hide in the stables. “Oh don’t do that! We won’t be able to hear the music.”
“I’m not dancing...” Kevlarin broke off looking sharply at her.
Jessica grinned and closed her trap. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”
“You can’t ask me, I’m supposed to ask you!” he said in outrage, but his lips were edging toward a smile.
“Thank you my lord, I accept.”
Kevlarin looked around for an escape, and saw his mother approaching with a young woman in tow. He inclined his head in assent. “You honour me, lady.”
Jessica took his offered arm and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.
“You haven’t told me your name,” Kevlarin said as he whirled her around the dance floor.
She felt a little breathless and wished she’d chosen a dress a little less tight. “Jessica—my name I mean,” she said breathing hard but enjoying the giddy fee
ling that was coming over her.
“You’re a vision come to life.”
“Don’t do that. Every man I’ve ever met says something like that and I’m sick of it! All my friends say I should let Athlone court me—he’s always saying stupid things like that.”
“I meant every word.”
She looked up at him in confusion. She was feeling more than a little giddy now. “Can we walk outside for a while? I’m feeling a little giddy.”
“Of course,” Kevlarin said in sudden concern. “Here, take my arm and I’ll see you safely outside.”
Jessica walked unsteadily on his arm, but she quickly regained control of herself, the night air refreshing her as they walked slowly around the courtyard. It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear and the stars shone down. She could still hear the music even this far away, and wished Kevlarin would dance with her under the starlight.
“I’m sorry to be such a bother. I’m feeling much better now.”
“It was my honour to escort you,” Kevlarin said guiding her steps through the darkness. “You still haven’t told me where you live.”
“We’ve met before, my lord, though it was some time ago. My father is Padrig.”
Kevlarin frowned. “Lord Padrig? I don’t recall ever meeting Padrig’s daughter.”
“I was only eight at the time,” she said.
Realisation dawned and he gaped. “You can’t be! What ever happened to that mutt?”
Jessica laughed. “Lord Growley is not a mutt I’ll have you know. He’s a noble beast!”
Kevlarin’s laugh boomed across the courtyard. “My apologies to the honourable Lord Growley then, but he did bite me first.”
“Only because he was protecting his lady.”
Kevlarin stopped laughing abruptly and raised Jessica’s hand for a kiss. “I can understand his need to protect you.”
The kiss made her feel all tingly, and she wanted him to do it again on her lips, but he very properly escorted her back to the dance. He danced beautifully. The night progressed with him glaring at anyone even attempting to come between them.
Jessica was well pleased.
“And what happened then?” Julia said eagerly, breaking the mood that had come over her new friend.
“What?” Jessica said blinking in confusion. “I’m sorry. I was lost in the past there for a moment,” she sounded sad to be back. “Well, the next day we went riding together; the next hawking, and the day after that my father informed Kevlarin that we were leaving for home. Kevlarin said he would escort us, and he did all the way to the castle, but afterwards, instead of leaving he camped outside the gate. When my father came outside the next day, Kevlarin asked him for my hand in marriage.”
“And your father said yes of course?”
“He said no!” Jessica said with a laugh. “I was outraged I can tell you. Father, I said, I love Kevlarin and if you don’t go out there and tell him that you’ve changed your mind, I’ll go. He wouldn’t have that of course. He was the master of his own castle. He asked Kevlarin to come up and stay a while. The next day we were married by the priest in one of our villages.”
Julia grinned. “A master of his castle but not of his daughter!”
They both laughed. Jessica brought her a glass of wine, and Julia sipped it occasionally while telling her about Earth.
“No, we don’t use magic at all,” she said. “Everyone knows it’s just trickery. We use technology to do the things you described. Anyone can fly where I come from. We use jet planes—big metal birds that hundreds of people can sit inside of to travel anywhere in the world.”
Jessica shook her head gently in wonder. “That is truly amazing. To think that something so marvellous can be done, but is it possible your world does have magic? You see, we believe that magic comes from the God. It is His power to bestow. Surely He made your world as he did ours.”
“I can see that your people and mine are the same. I believe God did make both our worlds. As for magic, we have stories of mages, but that’s all they are. Why is this so important to you?”
“I’ll tell you why,” a deep voice said from behind her.
Julia turned to find the man she had flattened upon her arrival, just then entering the room. Mathius was hiding behind him.
“Though I cannot imagine how anyone could sleep through the noise, you should know that we are under attack. Athione will likely fall in the next day or so—”
Mathius gasped in protest, but the man ignored him and continued.
“—and most here will die. If you had been who you were supposed to be, we might have prevented it!”
Before she could think of a reply, Jessica bounced to her feet in outrage. “How dare you! Lord you may be, but you don’t rule here! You burst in unannounced and think to insult my guest—I’ll not have it! If you don’t apologise I will have you barred from the women’s quarter!”
Julia nodded to herself. So this was Jessica’s son, Lord Keverin. Trust her to use the only lord for miles around for her landing mat. She watched the confrontation with interest. Keverin was easily a foot and more taller than Jessica, and heavily muscled, but the way his mother stood toe to toe with him made her appear the larger. He was struggling to hold his temper, clenching and unclenching his bandaged hands. They were bleeding through the bandages. The injury must be recent.
Keverin bowed stiffly. “My lady mother, I... apologise to you and your guest.”
Julia nearly laughed to hear him strangling on the apology. He noticed. “I’m Julia Morton. I’d like to say that I’m pleased to meet you, Lord Keverin, but I’m not.”
Keverin growled something, but Julia was distracted from his words when Mathius was suddenly haloed with white light. Just like in the hall yesterday.
“What did you just do?” she asked him.
The glow winked out and Mathius looked at her in bewilderment. “I? Nothing, Lady.”
“What are you talking about wom...” Keverin was cut off by a glare from Jessica. “Excuse me, Lady Julia, but what are you talking about?”
“He just did something.”
“I didn’t see anything,” Keverin said turning to look.
She glanced at Jessica for confirmation, but she shook her head. “But I saw—THERE!” she cried. “He’s doing it again!”
Keverin and Jessica both turned to the distracted Mathius.
He looked up, and jumped in surprise. “What? I mean, can I help in some way, my lord?”
“Julia says you just did something. I’d appreciate you putting her mind at rest.”
Julia’s eyes narrowed. So, he thought she was empty headed did he? She would give him empty headed!
“I swear I did not use magic on you or anyone. Is that satisfactory my lord?”
Keverin nodded.
Julia knew that she’d seen something. There was no way she was letting his lordship shrug it off. “But I saw you glow. I did, I swear I did!”
Mathius gasped. “You couldn’t have! No woman has ever had the gift!”
Everyone started talking at once until Keverin restored order by the simple expedient of shouting louder than anyone else. “Shut up! Let me get this straight. Julia says that she saw you glow. You said that you didn’t use magic. So what was the glow?”
Mathius shifted uneasily. “My lord, that is not... entirely accurate. I said that I hadn’t used magic on her or anyone. No more did I, but I did use my magic to bespeak Renard in the courtyard. The first time, Renard informed me of a meeting later tonight. The second time was to tell me I wouldn’t be needed to maintain the wards today.”
Keverin nodded. “What about the glow she supposedly saw?”
Supposedly! She glared at his choice of words. What was it with the man that irritated her so much? She’d only just met him and already she wanted to kill him!
“When one of the gifted uses his magic,” Mathius began in a lecturing tone, “nearby mages will feel it,
and in extreme cases, hear it as well. More to the point, he’ll see the mage glow. The more power he draws, the brighter the glow will be. Darius drew a colossal amount yesterday, my lord. So much that even you, a non-mage, saw the glow. The noise was...” Mathius shook his head and didn’t continue.
“Does this mean I can work magic?” Julia said.
“I’m the weakest of mages, Lady. You should speak to Renard or Wregan or... but not me!”
“Why not you?”
Mathius regarded her warily. “Lord Keverin saw first-hand what can happen when things go awry. Women have no place in that.”
She turned to Keverin. “What does he mean?”
Keverin shook his head and spoke instead to Jessica. “I didn’t come up here to talk about magic. Renard thinks he can hold the wards, but to be safe, I want you to evacuate. I’ll send a strong detachment with you to the capital. You can return in just a few tendays.”
Julia frowned. She needed to stay close to the mages so they could send her home, and these people were the only ones in the whole world who knew her. She dare not leave here. She wouldn’t.
“I said no, and I meant it!” Jessica said angrily. She stalked away from her son toward the fireplace and abruptly spun back to him. “No one is making me leave my home. If you think you can, you can think again! I’ve lived here with your father over forty years—good years. I’ll never live anywhere else. When my time comes, I’ll take my place beside your father, and still will I be here.” She stabbed a finger toward the floor in emphasis.
You tell him Jessica!
“The same goes for me,” Julia said before Keverin could turn his attention to her. “I know that you could force me to leave, but I’ll not go voluntarily. You kidnapped me—the very least you can do is allow me to stay here where I know a few people.”
A glimmer of respect entered Keverin’s eyes. “Very well. I hope you don’t regret your decision. I can promise you food and shelter, not safety.”
“I understand,” she said with a shiver at his bluntness. “I need to talk with Mathius’ friends about getting home. Will you escort me?”
Keverin could hardly refuse a guest’s simple request. He offered his arm and agreed to show her the way.