“Thanks for the heads up.” Sarah teased.
“I just wanted to see how long it took you to notice he was staring down your dress.” Kelly giggled back.
Sarah glanced down at her cleavage, which was rather impressive in the bodice she wore. “No wonder you and Lady Branwyen get along so well,” she said, giving the brunette a playful wink, “you both love keeping secrets.”
Kelly pointed out there was no way of keeping those things secret since everybody could see them.
“That reminds me.” Kelly said as the young server returned with Sarah’s drink. “Where did you get that dress? It’s beautiful.”
Sarah feigned exasperation with a dismissive wave of her hand. “What, this old thing? I was just looking in the closet for something to show the twins off with.”
Kelly let out a loud snort of laughter. Sarah snickered while the brunette covered her mouth with a gloved hand trying not to look embarrassed.
“I got it today at Lafitte’s.” Sarah told her. “Lady Branwyen got me an appointment since I was tricked into coming here.”
Kelly’s eyes grew in size as she turned to look at Sarah, as if seeing her for the first time. “Raven took you to Lafitte’s? She never does that for anyone, even me! And you really should call her Raven.” She added, almost as an after thought.
“I don’t know her well enough for that.” Sarah train of thought was instantly derailed as the most devastatingly handsome man she had ever seen walked up and bowed deeply before them.
“Greetings, Ms. Masterson.” The man, with hair so dark it could have been spun from midnight, eyes that seemed to be broken off pieces of a summer sky, and a dimple in his chin that Sarah guessed might be just deep enough to snuggle in, took Kelly’s offered outstretched hand and kissed it gently.
“And warmer greetings still to her companion, Ms. Petty.” Sarah threw her hand up in an instant, wanting it to be kissed. The man with the devilish grin didn’t disappoint. Sarah fought the urge to faint but Kelly giggled.
“Always charming aren’t you Mr. Blackstone?’
“Not always, or so I’m told.” Mr. Blackstone smiled and released Sarah’s hand. “I’m afraid I have come on a matter of utmost importance.” He sounded slightly distressed.
Kelly rolled her eyes and asked what urgent business he was about while Sarah tried to figure out how to put her arm down.
“It’s seems that the most beautiful woman in the room will fail to dance with me before the end of the night.” He simply oozed charm as he stared into Sarah’s eyes. “I most humbly request that she allow me one spin across the floor before I take my leave.”
Kelly said he knew very well that Sarah was Raven’s escort, not hers. Sarah, promptly forgetting who Raven was, who the brunette was, and quite frankly who she was, accepted the hand of the Adonis before her. Her knees felt a little weak as she stood and followed him to the dance floor.
The two stopped at the edge while the band finished the current song. When the music stopped, they strode out to the center as the band director announced that this would be a waltz. When the music began, the man wrapped his strong arms around Sarah’s waist with a smile and the two danced as softly as leaves on an autumn wind.
Please never let this song end, Sarah pleaded with whoever was in charge of such things. She smiled back, Mr. Blackstone’s impish grin proving to be quite contagious. Mr. Blackstone himself was quite taken with the charming partner he was currently cavorting with. The light from the chandeliers haloed in her golden hair and the deep blue of her dress made her eyes shine all the richer. He took great pride in his flirtatious ways but even greater pride in never lying. This Ms. Petty was without a doubt the most beautiful woman attending the gala.
Alas, the song ended as they all must and the dazzling couple strolled off the floor, towards the champagne table. When they stopped Mr. Blackstone bowed, kissing Sarah’s hand. “A true honor, Ms. Petty. You dance divinely.”
Sarah coyly insisted that he call her Sarah from now on.
“Only if you call me Daniel and promise me another dance.” He replied. “I must be going now but I do hope to see you again in the future.”
“I hope so as well.” Sarah made a mental note that she would be doing everything possible to meet him again. As she watched Daniel disappear through the throng of people, a voice from behind spoke up.
“It seems Daniel has his eye on you.”
Sarah turned and saw three women standing beside the table, having obviously taken full advantage of the free alcohol. The two on the left and right were rather drab and non-descript. Tall and thin, almost gaunt, they leered at Sarah with undisguised disdain. The woman in the middle was way more interesting to look at. Shorter and heavy set, she wore too much makeup, her eye liner and lipstick a shocking shade of pink that would’ve been better on a flamingo, a pink dress with pink feathers in her hair. Sarah managed not to laugh when she thought, “She is a damned flamingo.”
Still, she had been raised to be polite to the upper crust so she managed to plaster on a fake smile. “I don’t know about his eyes being on me. He was just being friendly.”
The pink one gave a drunken sneer. “You’re right. He was just being friendly. Of course, Daniel has been known to be friendly with plenty of women.
“Hey, aren’t you the girl who shoes our horses?” The girl on the left slurred with a cruel laugh. The other two mimicked her with mean chortles of their own.
“I believe so, yes.” Sarah answered, still trying to be polite.
The gaggle of girls erupted in laughter at that. The noise carried over the band and everyone around them stopped what they were doing and watched with interest. Knowing she was about to lose her temper, Sarah turned and tried to walk away.
The one in pink reached out and grabbed her arm roughly, spinning her back around. “Don’t you dare turn your back on us.” The woman was swaying slightly on her feet, bloodshot eyes barely focusing.
“Yeah,” The one of the right chortled in a high pitched whine, sending shivers down Sarah’s spine like nails on a chalkboard. “Why don’t you stay and maybe you can shoe our horse for us right now.”
Sarah had just about as much as she could stand and spit out, “Why, didn’t they come with that hideous pink dress you’ve already stuck her in?”
The pink dressed girl’s eyes flared angrily. “Do you know who you are talking to, you low born blacksmith?” She started to say something else but a venomous voice cut the tirade short.
“Right off hand, I bet she thinks she’s talking to a flamingo that somehow escaped from a nearby zoo. Is that about right, Sarah?”
Shaking with rage, her jaws clenched so tight they almost hurt, Sarah nodded slowly in response. Never in her life had she spoken to a member of the upper crust like that but she had been pushed to far. The three girls glared at the redhead in the purple ball gown as she stood beside the target of their barbs.
“Raven.” The flamingo snarled, baring her teeth.
Raven’s right eyebrow arched. Despite her voice not raising an octave, it carried clearly over the low hum of the gala. “It seems you have forgotten your place, Patricia. My name is Lady Branwyen, and as you well know people of a lower class are not to speak in such familiar terms with those of a higher social ranking unless given permission. I do not recall allowing you that familiarity, nor do I believe I ever will. Apologize to both myself and my escort.”
Like a serpent Raven’s word slithered through the air. The threat behind it was unmistakable. “Now.”
A small crowd had formed a semi-circle around them, Sarah noticed, feeling uneasy now that her anger was starting to abate a little. A quiet murmur rippled through the congregation as the five women stared at each other. Sarah glanced at the redhead out of the corner of her eye. Raven stood fully erect, arms folded across her chest with a contemptuous look on her face.
“I apologize, Lady Branwyen. Mandy told us”, Patricia, or the Flamingo as Sarah would always think
of her after this night, indicated the two crones standing behind her, “to think of her family as our friends.”
The look of disgust on Raven’s face matched her tone. “My younger sister is not here nor does she speak for me.”
The Flamingo nodded with down cast eyes and spoke to her feet. “Forgive my impertinence, Lady.”
“And to my friend?’ Flashing emeralds darted meaningfully from the three girls to Sarah.
The gangly creature standing behind Patricia’s shoulder decided that she would point out Sarah was just a commoner, and that they had no need to apologize to a blacksmith.
The flamingo picked up on that idea quickly, thinking she could turn the tables again. “Yes, Lady Branwyen,” she spoke in a nerve grating squeal, using Raven’s full title in a mocking tone, “according to you, as she is beneath our social class, she should apologize to us for speaking as she did.” The heavy set girl jutted her chin out in defiance and stared with renewed arrogance at Raven and Sarah.
That was the last straw. Sarah had enough and she was going to give these people a piece of her mind, even managing a small step forward. Before she could speak, long fingers wrapped around her arm, stopping her.
A vicious smile that never reached her eyes twisted Raven’s lips. “Earlier today this, ‘common blacksmith’, as you called her, agreed to enter a business partnership with me.” Raven breathed slowly through her nose, “Sarah now has the full power of the Chandlish name and wealth at her disposal. In short she has more money at this moment than all three of your families combined.”
Raven paused for a second to let this bit of information sink in. She enjoyed watching the jaws of all three girls hit the floor at once. “Although, to be honest,” she finished, saving the final twist of the knife for a moment when all could hear, “even if Sarah had refused my offer she would still be worth more than any of you.”
Turning on her heel and forcing Sarah to do the same with a gentle tug on the elbow, Raven sauntered nonchalantly away. She did not like Patricia or her little sycophants in the least and thoroughly enjoyed knocking them down a few pegs.
After walking a few steps, Raven grabbed Sarah by the waist. Sarah barely had time to recognize the dance floor before being twirled around.
“What? I wanna dance.” Raven exclaimed, noticing the look of shock on Sarah’s face.
Sarah let herself be spun across the floor. Which one is the real one, she wondered as she studied Raven’s face. Less than a minute ago Raven had been vain and spiky, as cold and distant as the moon. Now she was grinning, a sincere smile that brightened her face like the sun.
CHAPTER 5: GOING HOME
“La la la.” The girl sang a nonsensical song as she poked a finger at a new portrait that had appeared on the wall during the night. Its frame gleamed with polish and the light from the three remaining windows struck it at an angle that seemed to make it almost glow.
In the back of the room, the shadow waited silently. Soon its time would be here. Very, very soon.
The sun peeked through the large window in the hotel room, hitting Sarah’s eyes and dragging her out of a wonderful dream where she had been dancing with the handsomest man she’d ever met. With a few words she wouldn’t have dared uttered in the company she kept last night, the blonde dragged herself off the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in and began getting ready for the day. She still had to pack all of her clothes and a five day ride to Valentria to look forward to. At least, she thought to herself, she’d have a chance to ask Lady Branwyen a few more questions.
Before she was half way done, Sarah heard a knock from the door. She opened it a crack to see Raven standing there dressed in purple with a huge smile on her face. Sarah wondered, and not for the last time, how someone could be so cheerful first thing in the morning but instead of asking, barely managed a sleepy hello. Bursting through the door, already a full of energy, Raven fired off questions rapidly, asking Sarah how she slept, if she was ready, if she wanted breakfast.
The blonde watched with blurry eyes as the redhead bounced from one side of the spacious room to the other. “Do we have time to get some breakfast before the train leaves?” She croaked, her mouth still dry and sticky from the night’s sleep.
Raven, who was intently studying a painting on the wall, grinned crookedly and said they had plenty of time. “The car is waiting for us down stairs. I’ll see you in a little bit.” And just as quickly as she entered, she bounded out the door again.
An hour later, Sarah stood looking around at the dingy shop. It wasn’t much but it had been her home for the last five years. She had worked very hard here and eventually came to enjoy it. With a final farewell she walked out the door into a new world.
After they ate breakfast Sarah fully expected to head for the train station. All of her meager belongings were packed in a small duffel bag that fit easily in the seat between her and Raven. The tools in the shop belonged to Mr. Jackson so all she carried were clothes and few personal affects. She resigned herself to the long ride that was waiting, but instead the driver stopped at a secluded spot outside of town. Both girls got out and after Raven paid him, the driver left them alone.
“Are you going to tell me why you lied about who you are?” Sarah broached the subject that had been rankling her nerves as they watched the car vanish in the distance.
“Would you have believed a daughter of the most famous house of nobility in Florence was asking you to go into business?”
Sarah agreed that if she had received a letter from one of the Chandlish clan she would have thought it some kind of bad joke. “I’ll give you that one, but why aren’t we at the train station?” She was really curious about this one. “I don’t think they’re going to lay down new tracks just because you’re nobility.”
Smiling over her shoulder, Raven said. “I don’t ride trains because they take way to long. Close your eyes; I have a surprise for you.”
The idea of another surprise worried Sarah a little as she closed her eyes. What could possibly surprise her after everything that happened yesterday? She heard Raven give a sharp whistle. Sarah felt a breeze blow softly through her hair and heard a muffled thump.
“Okay, open ‘em.”
Sarah did so and froze in fear. A dragon, a very large and very black dragon, was laying there, its head resting on enormously clawed front paws while the serpentine tail curled and uncurled itself lazily around the trunk. Great leathery wings folded neatly along the monster’s side and its eyes watched her intently. Sarah was much more concerned about the teeth though. Dazzlingly white and incredibly sharp looking, they were each about the size of her hand and there were quite a few of them.
“Bryson, Sarah. Sarah, Bryson.” Raven provided introductions.
“Enchanted my dear.” The dragon’s words rolled off his tongue like boulders down a mountain.
“The pleasure is mine, Bryson.” It was a testament to Sarah’s adaptability that she didn’t faint or scream, both of which seemed perfectly logical reactions to being face to face with a 30 foot winged monster that could removes one’s head with barely a passing thought.
“Bryson is my familiar.” Raven explained, rubbing the dragon’s neck. “And since everybody knows everybody, let’s head home.”
“You know I require a tribute before someone’s first flight.” The large head swung to face Sarah, who stuttered to ask what tribute a poor blacksmith could provide such a noble creature. Bryson laughed with the sound of thunder.
“I have always enjoyed the attention of a comely maiden. It would do this old dragon’s heart good if he could have but a small kiss.” Bryson twisted slightly away from Sarah, offering his left cheek to her while Raven fussed disapprovingly. Sarah smiled and bent forward, planting her lips on the dragon’s scaly face. The scales were rough against her skin but not unpleasant.
“Don’t let him fool you Sarah. He’s not ‘old’.” Raven rebuked while giving Bryson’s head an affectionate pat.
The drag
on looked offended, or as offended as a dragon could look, and pointed out that he was two hundred and twenty seven years old which made him quite a bit older than either of the young ladies keeping him company. Raven argued that dragons lived thousands of years so he couldn’t pass himself off as an ‘old’ anything. Sarah laughed and asked if they shouldn’t be leaving soon so the redhead and the dragon stopped their friendly banter.
Raven swung herself up onto the dragon’s muscular neck and reached her hand out. Sarah pulled herself up behind, wrapping her arms tightly around Raven’s waist. Serious second thoughts about this idea rushed into Sarah’s mind and she was about to voice those concerns when her stomach gave an unpleasant lurch and they were airborne.
‘I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die. Sarah repeated the mantra over and over as she closed her eyes tightly against the wind and stomach churning fear. Suddenly the unpleasant shaking stopped and all she could feel was the cool wind in her face and the muscles of Bryson’s wings rhythmically undulating underneath.
“How’re you doing back there, Sarah?” Raven asked.
Sarah responded by burying her face in Raven’s back and hugging tighter.
“You really should look around you. Not many people get a view like this in their lifetime.”
Steeling her resolve, Sarah opened her eyes. The sight took her breath away. To their right, the sun gleamed orange over a sea of puffy white clouds. To her left, she could see Vestavia stretched out to the other horizon with the ever present gray smog of pollution hanging over it. “This is amazing.” She finally managed to say, still staring blankly at the world she knew from an unaccustomed angle.
Raven laughed, “Glad you like it. When you’re a little more comfortable, why don’t we ask Bryson to show off a bit?”
Though she didn’t exactly care for the way that sounded, Sarah got the feeling she was going to see Bryson show off sooner or later so she might as well get it over with. “Let’s do it now.” No sooner than the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake.
WINDOWS: A BROKEN FAIRY TALE Page 5