Several markings around the eyes and cheekbone area reminded Wisdom of plucked feathers. He had seen the same on Corrigan’s mother, forcing a more human appearance.
“Anything else you need, M’ Lady?” he asked in a crisp voice.
“You’re to tend to our Glory from now on,” Lady Pena said. “Treat her as you do myself.”
“Yes, M’ Lady.” Bright eyes turned to Glory. There was almost a happy sheen to them, which Wisdom hid a smile. Even her servants can’t stand her. How does her father?
“Really, I don’t think—” Glory began when Wisdom interrupted.
“Actually, I do think it’s a good idea,” he said. “And Lord Gracie was kind enough to offer a few of his own to take back with us. We’ll be needing them soon enough.”
“Always the gentleman, Lord Gracie.” Roland nodded to that statement. “Always lending a hand. You will keep me informed, then?”
“Of course! Will you still be making travel arrangements?”
“As it stands, but I will send word.” He gave his wife a knowing glance with a sideways grin. “Give you plenty of time to prepare for our arrival.”
“Then we look forward to greeting you there. And My Lady.” Wisdom bowed humbly to her. She declined to comment, but dipped her head with a slight smile. “I think she’s warming up to me,” he leaned over to whisper.
“Keep the drinks coming, she’ll learn to like ya real fast,” he heard Galaxy mumble behind his back.
CHAPTER 8
It was not the clink of utensils on a breakfast tray that woke him. It was the smell.
Wisdom cracked an eye from under the bed covers, his nostrils filling with the scent of freshly baked bread. With a yawn, he slowly pulled himself up to further inspect it. A dish of churned butter sat beside a juice glass.
And something else.
“Morning!” came a salutation.
“Morning, Irene.” It was hard to sound as cheerful when sleep still lingered. The prince yawned again, then reached over to pick up the sapphire necklace next to his juice. He glanced over the petite woman – a White Wing, he was sure. Her hair was a mix of light gray and dark browns – mostly browns. A hint of amber outlining her green irises marked her harpy heritage when she turned to meet his gaze.
Can’t hide the eyes. Always a giveaway.
She pointed to the necklace between his fingers. “Lord Gracie wanted to make sure you had it first thing this morning.” She turned to leave. “I’ve a task of cooking ahead of me, which you’ll need for all the guests you have.” She headed out, no openings in the back of her clothing for wings.
They must have been cut back at… He dared not think about his own days of slavery at Castle Mire. What he had seen, what he knew… She’s lucky Lord Gracie bought her when he did!
He listened to her footsteps trek through the adjoining social room. The sound of door shutting confirmed her absence, and he took the opportunity to try his breakfast. It was the first time a meal of any sorts had been fixed in the clan, and he relished the thought of more to come.
That’ll give Alexander’s cook a break. He smiled to himself. The Western Clan had provided much of the meals for the prince’s guests since they had arrived. Even some of the townspeople had pitched in, delivering homemade remedies that Blackavar swore even made Lexington’s merchant-baked goods look bland!
From outside his balcony doors, he could hear voices of other new servants getting a run-down of the clan by Chanté. The harpy’s occasional throaty chirp conveyed his enthusiasm of having other ‘Ken around. Wisdom could not blame him. The idea of behaving like a grounded servant had not been a favorable plan. Now, he no longer needed to pretend as flapping confirmed them all in the mood for flight.
Wisdom took a bite of bread. Such a simple meal, yet its warmth was enough to ward off sleep. Like a child, he dipped a finger in the golden sauce of melted butter to finish up the rest. The memory of his childhood days came to him. Such happy times!
Can I not produce the same for future generations? With the dark unicorn still on the loose, promises to the clan and town to keep, and other minuscule tasks to perform, Wisdom doubted he would have much time to enjoy it until the Purification was at its end.
If I survive long enough.
Shoving the thought aside, he quickly downed his juice. The necklace was still between his fingers when he called upon it to release its inner secret. The stone glowed with anticipated use, allowing his thoughts to activate its barrier holding items within. In truth, he had only used the crystal sparingly, and did not know its capacity limit, nor if it even increased in burden.
An oval mirror instantly appeared next to his writing desk. At first, the wooden frame’s coloration seemed lighter than the furniture. Yet after a moment it darkened, matching the surrounding wood texture.
A silken gown draped around his ankles as he slipped from bed to gaze at his reflection. Unlike before, the mirror’s illusion stayed intact.
“So now what?” He eyed himself, looking for the slightest signs of Osha’s presence. “Lord Gracie believed you needed the portal, even though I don’t feel exactly comfortable knowing Sapphire’s right around the corner! If the dark unicorn can freely go outside its territory, what makes this a safe idea to have it so close by?”
With a sigh, Wisdom turned away to clean up and get dressed, then paused. Although he had stepped away from the mirror, his reflection had not. He glanced over one shoulder to find himself still standing in full frontal view.
“Patience has always been one of your strengths.” It was his own voice he heard, but the words of a unicorn within. “It will be patience that opens the way.”
Wisdom cautiously approached the mirror.
“Are you saying the portal will take me there?”
“Lord Gracie never had to say anything to Jenario about it. We know. It is what we are accustomed to.”
Wisdom’s brow furrowed at the thought. “Then he’ll be looking for this.”
“The laws of Nature still hold. We know our limits. But that does not include others under our influences.”
“Besides Jenario, you mean.” The prince shook his head. “Unless he uses Abraham.”
“Dark magic can sense those whose thoughts have darkness thrust upon them. Jealously, fear, hate. Do not concern yourself too much with those already associated with Jenario, for it will not be one of them who seek the mirror.”
“I don’t have time to play guessing games! Who else could he use?” Wisdom waved a hand as if to dismiss the matter and walked over to the breakfast tray. He carried it to the desk and set it down, then returned to straighten up his bed. “If it were possible, I’d go over there right now and strangle Jenario for all he’s done! As if there isn’t enough to worry about, now I need to look for some depressed….”
He stopped, letting his thoughts trace back to yesterday’s events. When he glanced over his shoulder to the mirror again, his image only mimicked the movement.
“Thank you,” he murmured while quickly assessing his garment options for the day in a nearby wardrobe. He pulled out a red shirt that laced up the front with covering frills, a black sash for the waist, and matching pants. He grimaced at the overbearing flush against his pallid figure. A quick illusion spell tuned it down. The frock had been a snatch as a thief, and was thankful for Blackavar bringing his collection from the guild.
As he checked himself in the mirror, he decided against the color altogether. At a thought, red switched to blue, more fitting to his tastes. A pair of boots completed the look.
“Should I leave the mirror?” he wondered aloud. It seemed the safer decision to put it back in the necklace. One thought, and it would be done. His finger was already over the crystal when a knock pulled his attention to the bedroom door.
“Yes?”
“Me prince?” Eclipse peeked around the door’s slightly opened position. A mop of black, scraggly hair fell in all directions around his face that limited direct eye contact.
“Morning, Eclipse. How fairs Mididus and others?”
A grin, with the Simpleton’s open thoughts connecting him always with his clan.
All well.
Returning a pleasant smile, Wisdom took a sidelong glance to the mirror before joining Eclipse in the hallway.
“You have news for me?”
“Those merchants ye send for? ‘Tis set in town. New faces. They come from the Point now!” Excitement welled in his voice, his sentences a series of chopped fragments.
Wisdom depended on the Simpleton’s active thoughts to provide the rest of the information. From the unknown faces seen in town, he deduced that travelers had arrived to check the new merchant wares.
“Lord Gracie must be spreading the word,” he said. “Good for the town. So Blackavar has everything set up?”
Another nod.
“Good. I’ll check in with them. Thank you, my friend.” He watched Eclipse continue down the hall while pausing in front of Ashpin’s bedroom door. It was the only one closed along this particular floor. Most of the others were vacant, their doors open from merchants coming and going while setting up in town.
With Osha’s warning still fresh, he gave a quick knock.
“Ashpin? May I come in for a moment?” He held his breath, tuning his ears to the slightest response. A few seconds passed before he heard movement within, and let out a sigh in relief when his presence was acknowledged.
Upon entry, he found Ashpin leaning against the window overlooking the front yard. A few voices floated in from below, those of merchants loading items onto carts.
“You all right? You were quiet on the ride back yesterday.”
Ashpin shrugged. “Just...thinking.”
Wisdom left the door open as he strolled closer to the window. A series of squeaking carts from outside confirmed the merchants leaving for town. “About what Lord Gracie said?”
The boy continued to stare out his window. “Sometimes I have to wonder about all the things my mother told me while she was sick. I learned to believe the ones when I knew she was aware, and just listen to the ones when I knew it was just...” He finally looked at the prince. “You know.”
Wisdom gave a slight nod in understanding. He recalled when his own mother had taken ill. Never once had he doubted her words to discover what he was or where he came from. Then again, she had been well enough to tell him before the illness completely claimed her, while Ashpin’s mother had lingered in uneasy cycles between truth and fiction.
“Did she ever mention something happening to your father?”
“No.” Back to the window again.
An awkward silence lingered while the prince thought of ways to liven the mood. News of the boy’s father darkened the room; its presence was a testimony to Osha’s warning. There were no more carts outside. The last of the merchants had disappeared under the draping trees that led into town. It was there the prince needed to be, and with that thought an idea emerged.
“Why not come to town with me this morning?” He studied the boy’s reaction to his invitation. “Take your mind off things for a bit.”
It took a moment for Ashpin’s unfocused gaze to steady after peering over his shoulder.
“If it’s not going to burden you.”
With a chuckle, Wisdom motioned for the boy to follow. “The only burden is knowing you’re miserable and not being able to do anything about it.”
That cracked a smile.
“Come on, then. Let’s get out while the day’s still young!”
*****
Ashpin let conversation drown his sorrow. The man envisioned had a beard – black, of that he was sure. He had worn dark clothing the night he disappeared. Ashpin remembered him as a person who always carried a trap or two, hunting knife, and a crossbow. The rest was a blur of movement disappearing on a wintry evening. It was the last memory he had of his father.
“It was a hunting accident,” he thought back to his mother’s claim. She had spoken in a feverish manner while her son dabbed her burning forehead with a damp cloth. It had been one story right after the other about his father’s lack of presence. As the boy walked alongside the prince, he gradually tuned out his own thoughts to focus on more current matters.
A pleasant charm surrounded the prince at all times. He noticed it with the way the Healer took care to speak to his fellow clansmen. Now, as they walked side by side under a row of overhanging branches, Ashpin began to notice other details. Several chains hung around the prince’s neck, though only one was kept in full view while the rest seemed tucked away under his shirt collar. It was only by chance that he noticed a glint of silver chain while passing under a volley of sun rays filtering through the thick leaves.
Ashpin had heard of albino-looking individuals before, just never seen one. A Healer was the last person to expect, especially one with blue eyes instead of the typical red.
Must be their magic, he thought before realizing the rustle of leaves and crunch of dirt road under their feet were the only sounds in place of chat. “Sorry, you were saying?”
He heard the prince sigh. “I shouldn’t expect you to forget your troubles so soon. But I will say this – you’re not alone. I too have experienced something similar.”
“Did you have to search for your father?”
“Something like that. I was left with only a few words to discover what I truly was.”
Ashpin glanced up at the prince. “Were your parents taken by illness?” He kicked a pebble to the side of the road. “I didn’t think Healers got sick.”
“We don’t.” The tone was sharp, but quiet. “Imagine being something other than human and not even know it.”
“How did you manage?”
The prince waved a hand. “Trial and error. Eventually, I found my father.”
“And?” Ashpin’s quick response reflected his interest. “Was he as you expected?”
“Huh. Anything but.”
Anything but? The boy wondered what might have happened between the two. Had they fought? Had he shown the prince his true heritage, or did someone else do it? If I were to find my father today, would he be the same? Or anything but?
A chuckle next to him. “Don’t let it worry you.” The prince tapped the side of his head at the boy’s quizzical expression. “I can hear present thoughts. To answer that, we...quarreled, yes. But I think in the end there was a decent amount of respect to see me back in the human realms.”
Ashpin nodded. He could see the town just ahead. Already, the tree line was receding from the road, allowing larger pockets of sunlight until they were both bathed in its golden warmth. He took a sidelong glance at the prince, a halo of reflected light over his white hair. That drew a smile. He could relate to Wisdom’s story. So, in turn, could the prince relate to his.
Slowly, the cloud of depression began to lift.
They passed the first set of buildings, with a good majority of people already walking the streets. Different venders were set up along the storefronts. The draw of customers not only benefited merchants, but shops.
A dark-haired man trotted over from one of the stands.
“Morning!” the prince greeted.
“Fine day!” He gripped Wisdom’s hand in a firm shake. “Ye’ve done it!” He motioned wildly to the many customers checking out each stand. “Ye said one-of-a-kind items, and now people are coming for ‘em!”
“And I’m glad to see it’s working. We’ll need the profits to make the realm grow.”
“Grow?” Ashpin pondered the word. “As in, expand like Lexington?”
The merchant rubbed his chin in thought. “Well, that now…that would depend on how much ye make. Lexington took right many years to build it up to that level. But… ye’ve a nice start here.”
The prince grinned. “Actually, when I said ‘grow’, I meant profit. Lexington’s steeped in a history created from the wealthy. What I’m trying to do is simply provide a good life for the people already here. Isn’t that
right, Blackavar?”
His friend crossed his arms. “Well said.”
“Have you met my new apprentice?”
Ashpin’s sudden jaw-drop at the question was met with a few laughs.
“Ye serious?” Blackavar glanced over the boy. “Familiar looking. Have we crossed at some point, perhaps up north?”
“I...was up that way.” Yet Ashpin was quick to return to the former question, having no recollection of the dark-haired merchant in Lexington. “Were you really considering me as an apprentice?”
“I may,” Wisdom said, though he cast a cheeky grin to his companion. “Though I’ll have to figure out what to teach you.”
Blackavar acknowledged the comment with a nod, then lowered his voice to a whisper. “Ye could always teach ‘im the ways of the guild.”
Ashpin leaned in closer to listen. A guild? He wondered what type of guild the prince had associated with, or if he still belonged to one now. I guess being a Healer entitles him to secrets, to which the prince smiled.
Ashpin kept his thoughts in check as he surveyed the buildings. The Tudor-style shops contained no awnings, though some of the carts were covered to keep their goods from direct sunlight. A whiff of fresh paint scented the breeze, and when he checked further down the street he noticed several men hanging a horizontal sign over a doorway. The road through town was mostly dirt, except at the end where the buildings rose a little higher. For those, he could just make out a stone foundation and wide façade, with laid cobblestone instead of dirt. Black iron fencing marked the beginning to the upscale section.
“What’s on that side of town?” Ashpin asked, directing the prince’s attention down the street.
“That marks Schevolsky property. Remember who gave you trouble the other day? He’s part of that family. Luckily, the only one to still act a fool!”
Ashpin grinned. “Like him to try that stunt again.”
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