by Dave Kirk
"Which is why I desire no better help than these two. They noted that I got tired, just now. Guided me here with out a word said. Just as Ellen alone noticed my feet swelling back at court."
Daphne chucked as the corporal broke his rigid attention stance to stare at her slippers and wince at the fleshy ankles. "Pays to be closer to the ground. So long as they feel up to it, they will do. Sigh. Corporal as long as you feel the need, help a fat lady to her fat feet." Daphne held out her hands.
As expected, the corporal sputtered. "M-mil-lady is ...is n-not..." At her chuckle, he composed himself and grasped Daphne's wrists. "On three my lady? One, two, three ...ugh." She was heaved upright.
She waddled to the royal bedchamber just ahead of their trio of guards, who took station outside. Inside, Daphne sighed happily at her bed, but was guided to a nearby chair instead.
"Milady needs her feet bathed and rubbed first." Marie stated firmly.
Daphne was petulant as they raised legs onto an ottoman. "Oh poo. It's not like I can see them." She sighed blissfully as Ellen removed slippers and began kneading the sole of a foot.
Marie soon had feet soaking in a warm basin. "I think we should keep the corporal milady he's nice. And that trooper Burke. He's clumsy but fast. Never seen anybody run like him."
"Yeah. When ya, uh you, stubbed y’all foot. He slammed inta the hall end on the way ta the midwife. Nobody run like that. Splat." Ellen resumed kneading Daphne's right calf, giggling.
"YOUR FOOT not y’all foot, we will work some more on your grammar ...later. He thought I went into labour. What with me doubling up and crying out. You are not to make fun of him for it. He's such a dear."
"Sure run lik one. Don think the prince's horse kin match his time downtown." All three laughed at Ellen's joke.
"Still no jokes, about that, outside of here. OK? Now what did you two think of the Burgundy delegation?" Daphne's tone had become serious.
"They up to sumptin." Ellen nodded solemnly. "Sumptin sneaky." Ellen had become adept at reading the moods of people. She often spotted deception in others. Her problem, she tended to blurt it out when she spotted it. It had taken great effort on Daphne's part to teach her WHEN she should talk about her insights.
"Wine ...im-port vi-sas are just talk." Marie pronounced carefully. "What they want worse is a mil-it-ary cop-per-a-tion pack." She nodded to herself at this feat of elocution.
"Cooperation pact hon. Good work." That bought Daphne a smile. Marie was developing quite a knack for extracting precise quotes from people. Daphne wasn't sure yet, but she suspected, many of the hearsay quotes were not spoken aloud by the ones she questioned. Useful knack.
"They don lik they Goth princes much." Ellen added eager not to be left out.
"Very good. We don't want to go to war with Gotham any time soon now do we?" The children were wide eyed at this. Daphne made a calming motion. "OK. Pact good. They protect us, and we protect them. But, if they already plot war... Bad. Very bad. Check it out with Lady Bertha before dinner. Talk to Adam later." She held a finger to her lips, signalling to both children that what had been talked of should not be repeated. Daphne pointedly held Ellen's eye until the precocious child sighed and nodded. “Good.”
After a moment . "Bertha?" Ellen puzzled.
"Wife of the foreign minister squirt. Esmas's boss." Marie often gossiped with the servants of the powerful and influential at court. Daphne’s briefings were often more complete than Prince Adam's. Marie sneered at Ellen. "Forgive her ignorance milady. Kids."
Ellen playfully back-handed her cousin at this before reaching for a dry towel.
“Hm. While I nap, Ellen take my card to Esmas and ask if her mistress would please join me for tea. Now, what will you do?'
Ellen mimed holding up a silver platter. “I curtsy and ask. Will your mis-tress honour my mis-tress at tea?”
“Good. Remember to smile while you wait for a reply. The Pettifogger family have been serving Bertha's family for generations. Esmas is VERY formal, so best behaviour. Right?”
“Right!. Make you swell with pride mam.” Ellen chuckled.
“Swell.” Daphne sighed rolling her eyes. “Marie, you shall invite Maybell, Lord Pit's lovely young bride. This is the perfect opportunity for me to encourage her to take interest in her husband's military affairs.” Young Lord Pit was not the commander of Galt's armies, merely that worthy's new aide-DE-camp or secretary. As such, he prepared the briefings his commander gave the king and would have a better grasp of the kingdom's military activities than either of his bosses would. Daphne preferred her information fresh and close to the source.
“Yes milady. I shall bring her your usual welcome-to-the-castle floral bouquet.” that won Marie a smile.
Both would come to her tea, Daphne had no doubt. She had developed a reputation amongst the nobles as a person to meet to get things done. Her favour trading kept her well informed of the business of the kingdom. In addition, the castle staff loved her for her efforts to make their efforts more rewarding and less vexing. “Marie you seem ready to say something?” Shy Marie often needed gentle prompting.
"Oh! uh. Leo finally talked to me..." Marie paused blushing.
"Marie gots a boy-friend!" Ellen giggled as Marie coloured more deeply. Leo was a muscular boy with acne. Ellen was amused at his clandestine glances, and social awkwardness towards her cousin.
"Do not! ...talked about his stewarding King Tobias last week at Beltane. His majesty complimented you."
"Really? Go on." Her father had been awkward around her since the wedding. Daphne sensed he still felt guilty about embracing the witch as his daughter while en-spelled.
"Said: Galt has been good for you. You take charge. Just like his queen would have, you have grown-...um"
"Greatly." Came from Daphne's right foot.
Marie tapped the back of Ellen's head. "Ah-em! Grown into a fine hostess and is certain to make a good mum. He misses his little girl but is proud of the woman you are. Don't think he referred to the wedding day milady. Doesn't want any to tell you he said those things. It was late. He was a bit drunk."
"Oh father!" Daphne smiled, she would mend this fence after the baby was born. She made a face as she sipped red wine. "Watered ...a-gain!"
"Court physician's orders Mam. Feast with toasts tonight for our Burgundy guests. That wine won't be watered Mam." Marie looked solemn.
Daphne sighed. "We wouldn't want to exceed his precious two glass limit, I suppose. Good that you remember these things. Now, before I nap, how is progress?"
"She kin cheat at cards now, but ah'm still better at doin' that." Ellen piped up.
Marie looked pained. "Did NOT cheat. Can't cheat at go fish, not like a real game."
"Is too a real game!" Ellen stuck out her tongue. "Learn me poker ‘n I'll show ya cheatin'."
"I meant the closed boxes game. And no, you are NOT learning gambling young lady. Not from me."
"Did five of five seven times." Ellen put her towel down. "Done."
"Only cause you do it durin our breaks too." Marie sniffed. She patted Ellen's belt pouch to be rewarded by the rattle of the dice box.
"Still, way more better than you." Ellen smiled.
"Grammar, young miss. Now back to the point, how did you do Marie."
"Guessed right, four out of five often last night milady. Five of five twice." Marie beamed.
The boxes were actually one box with five divisions each containing a single six sided die. The children shook the box and wrote down their guesses on which sides would be uppermost when the box opened. "You will have to devise a better game soon mam." Marie nodded at a job done, as she eased slippers on.
"Excellent. Perhaps a game with cards. I must think on it." Sonya had claimed that, with stimulation, the sight would grow, and she was proved right. Both children had some ability and it had improved! In years to come, her staff might prove invaluable if another Sonya showed up. In the meanw
hile, their political insights were proving useful.
So far, other staff in the castle had failed to have any detectable insights. Sonya HAD said the sight was rare. Only her two handmaidens had seen visions when the door hinge exploded. Impressive, they both had been on the far side of the castle at the time. Well, that bishop had seen things too, the poor man. Everyone knew he had experienced something supernatural at the wedding. All he knew, was he wanted to live quietly and forget that day ever happened. He was currently the subject of a church inquest.
Daphne had heard, it was benign, part his being considered for sainthood. Her interview with the inquisitors had gone well. As Sonya had said, the church only found fake witches. Her girls weren't interviewed at all. So far, the official church story was that it was all the Bishop's fault. His powerful holy blessing of the church and the wedding couple at the start of the ceremony caused the explosion and the death of the witch. Kingdom saved by the power of God himself. There was even debate about allowing repairs to the doorway.
As long as they forgot and forgave her the state of her undress at that time, Daphne wasn't about to correct them. She was also glad no one asked about any stone. Best if none knew of it. She personally never wanted to experience another one again ever.
So far, Daphne had managed to keep her own second sight a secret. Ellen and Marie knew little more than they had a knack for good guesswork. Well, Marie might have an inking as to why they played the dice box game. Ellen just liked outperforming her cousin at something. Daphne planned to tell them both her full story soon. One day, her girls were going to be her secret special agents to guard Galt from evil magic.
Upon first being summoned by adult princess Daphne, Marie fell to her knees and apologized, in tears, for her cowardice. Marie confessed she had witnessed the witch Sonya use the stone many times, but hadn't known what to do about it. All knew that for a commoner to accuse a high rank of any crime was foolhardy. However, her gran had told her about witches. To interfere with a powerful witch invited worse than mere death. Far worse. Still, she was so sorry. She just hadn't known that 'little one' was anything other than a mistreated toddler. She promised she would work hard to be worthy of forgiveness from her princess.
Daphne had rejoiced that day. She had found another with the sight! She told Marie she knew all about worse-than-death, personally. They reminisced about the many kindnesses Marie had managed for the cute little one amidst the twisted cruelties the witch had inflicted upon her ward. Marie gave credit for some of these to her cousin Ellen.
Daphne asked where Ellen was and why she hadn't come yet.
Marie then told how she had taken Ellen home on the day Ellen was dismissed, because she had fallen when snowstorm of colours momentarily blinded her.
“Snowstorm? Both of you?” Daphne had asked carefully.
Marie shook her head sadly. “It was so strange milady, brightly coloured snow came sideways, right out of the walls! Came and then the lights were gone. Fortunate I was, making beds and did not come to harm. Poor Ellen, was carrying crockery at that time, tripped fell, broke most every plate. You know how busy the scullery was the day of your wedding...”
The lights! At that point, Daphne had interrupted the story by hugging Marie and announcing her new role as handmaiden. It was far more than she had hoped for. They both saw the results of the stone's magic explosion from so far away, right though all those walls.
The story also confirmed Ellen's supernatural gifts. Daphne sent for Ellen immediately, and hired her over Scurryfunge's objections. Daphne had found two witches without having to enquire further and risking exposing herself to church inquisition. Daphne had been struggling with secretly training the youngsters ever since. As well as teaching Ellen the wisdom of discretion as her abilities grew.
Returning to the here and now, Daphne stretched and twisted, craning her head. From her chair, she tried in vain to admire, or even properly view, her distant feet directly, then sighed. She rose and caught a glimpse of her profile in the vanity mirror. "Look like a child hiding a large boulder under her clothes. Fat." She frowned.
"HE thinks you glow. You are most beautiful milady. " They had taken station on each arm Marie smiled as she spoke, Ellen nodded rapidly in agreement.
"Thank-you." Daphne smiled as she gave each a gentle hug.
"He loves you ...hugely. Great lady." Ellen giggled.
"You..." Daphne shook her head smiling wryly. Ellen supposed saying great or large often in this last month of pregnancy to be the height of humour. It was good that her staff felt so relaxed around her. Daphne recalled too well the stifling fear that Sonya had tried to instill in everyone.
She allowed herself to be helped to bed. As she settled, her mind's eye followed the shifting colours of castle activity. Since her wedding day, the sight had happened each time she thought of the stone exploding. At first, it had been confusing, overwhelming and frightening. Later, with practice, she had learned to focus on the people she cared about. Hm, Adam had retreated to the stables, again! When he could be participating in statecraft to the benefit of HIS eventual kingdom. That man!
She picked up her writing table and jotted a note. "Marie hand this love note to a trooper outside. It conveys my regrets at napping here, this once, instead of being by his side at the privy council meeting. Be sure to ask that trooper to run by way of the royal stables, where he should NOT find my husband."
Marie smiled knowingly. "Oh Trooper Burke..." She sang as the door closed behind her.
The end.
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