by Kate Kelley
Every step felt part of a funeral march.
✽✽✽
A week had passed since Alec had sailed away with his mysterious words. A week since he handed her the rarest gem she had ever seen. Lyra knelt by her bed, pulling a small wooden chest from underneath it. Opening the tiny iron latch, she lifted the lid and peered inside, eyes catching the opulent gem in the center. Her eyes flitted across the other precious gems nestled in the old box. Obsidian, rose quartz, emerald, amethyst, and a few others she couldn’t name but were brilliant nonetheless. And now the moonstone. The morning light streaming through her window reflected off of the stone’s facets into bursts of brilliance. They were like stars, like constellations in a lonely sky. If only they could tell me what the future holds for my brother and I. She wondered just where her brother had found these mysterious minerals. They held secrets of faraway places she would never see. Closing the lid and placing the box underneath her bed again, she took a deep breath, then she stood and smoothed her simple cream colored skirt.
Today was the day she was going to visit Edwin. Walking to her desk with purpose, Lyra picked up her hairbrush and gave a few strokes to the wild golden curls that her Aunt said was the bane of ladylikeness. “If only your hair was a bit more tame. Ah, then, you would look just like your mother. Just the picture of a lady,” she would say. Her Aunt was her father's sister, but the woman hadn't been close to him. SHe had lived in a further Northern village and only came to live with her and Alec after the death of their parents. She was a quiet woman who took care of them but didn't try to cross the line from caretaker to family. She never hugged Lyra or Alec, and didn't sweeten her words for them. She often talked of genteel society, and berated Lyra for not being more ladylike, as was her birthright.
It didn’t bother Lyra one bit, as she didn’t pay attention to societal workings and hierarchies. And, in truth, she knew she got the golden locks from her father, and it made her feel tied to him.
Picking up a silver-framed looking glass, she studied her face. Dark brown lashes lined olive green eyes with feathers of brown striked through, changing in shade depending on the color she wore or the color of the sky. She thought they were her best feature. Those she got from her mother.
Her high cheek bones offset a sun-kissed, diamond-shaped face. Delicate rosy lips that were always pouting, she was told, were her least favorite feature. She couldn’t seem to keep her resting face from frowning, and had been told to smile by strangers too many times to count. Was she beautiful? She wouldn’t know. Edwin seemed to like her well enough. Traipsing through her open bedroom door, she passed her aunt who was busy soaking garments in a cauldron of boiling water.
“Library today, then?” was her absent-minded greeting.
“Yes, Aunt, to visit Edwin.” Holding her breath she waited for her Aunt’s response. Her aunt glanced up quickly with a silent question.
“Best be off, then. Men don’t like to wait.” The innuendo was taken. Lyra’s face reddened.
“You’d have me marry so soon?”
A small smile blossomed on her Aunt’s lined face.
“How old are you, girl?” The question was rhetorical.
Lyra smiled tightly and went to the door. She wouldn't be engaging in that conversation. “Good day, Auntie.”
Her black boots hit the stone walkway with a click, and her body moved of it’s own accord, following a path with muscle memory alone, while her thoughts followed another. Her mind wandered to her age, marrying Edwin, her brother, the stones, in and out of scenarios until she realized she had reached her destination.
The large oak doors were center of the front of the stone building. It was Terra’s largest building by far, just outside of town. It wasn’t frequented by rural folk, but that had begun to change over recent years, especially when Edwin had moved here and had begun offering free classes to adults. Grabbing the round door knocker, Lyra knocked three times slowly, then two times quickly. The library was closed to the public during morning hours, so she knew she had to knock the secret rhythm to get a response from Edwin or another scholar. Mostly it was just Edwin who spent time here, scouring parchment after parchment, comparing maps and inscribing long letters to the elders, or writing papers. The large door opened wide and there stood the handsome man, as if he had been waiting for her. His steely blue eyes twinkled out at Lyra, his mouth twisted in smirk.
“What a lovely morning surprise, dear Lyra. I had not expected you today.” His voice was melodic, calm, and a smile brightened his tone.
Lyra’s cheeks flushed. She stammered at what to say.
Oh dear, why is this suddenly hard to do.
“I—uh, just wanted to…..say hello. I thought you might be here.” She forced a smile, feeling stiff.
I’m already ruining this.
His smile widened and he opened the door fully, stepping aside and motioning her inward. “Come in, fair maiden, I will try to make it worth your while.” His tone was playful and cordial, as always.
Stepping into the room, she trailed her eyes upward to the beautiful copper-plated vaulted ceilings. Giant arched windows lined the upper half of every wall. The high walls were lined with hundreds of books, rows of volumes filling the large round room. Straight ahead was a space with several roomy chairs surrounding an expanse of wall layered with different maps of different kingdoms throughout history. An intricate handwoven rug lay on the floor in the center of the chairs, a few floor pillows filled with down spread across the rug, inviting a cozy meeting, or place to read undisturbed. She glanced at Edwin who was waiting, hand outstretched, face amused.
“Come. I was just going over a particular inscription on the First Wars, a battle that had apparently mostly taken place in the valleys instead of the plains, according to a new scroll we’ve found. Which makes more sense when many soliders had disappeared out of thin air. I believe they were thrown into acidic hot springs, which ate them alive. I am writing our Gem scholars to get this changed in the First Wars volume that currently has it stated otherwise.” They made their way over to the cozy chairs lined with crushed velvet. He pointed to a disarray of parchments covering the floor in front of one of the floor pillows.
Lyra's stomach clenched at the sordid story. “That’s fascinating. It’s a wonder you can translate the language in the first place, let alone make out what is true or false.” Lyra sat in one of the chairs facing the parchments. Edwin settled on to the floor, heaving a sigh and laying on his side. He peered at her with those twinkling eyes again, and Lyra stopped breathing for a second. She had never seen him like this, practically sprawled out, comfortable, vulnerable. He was usually in his best clothes, cravat and all. Today he was in black pants and a loose, untucked white shirt, the stays loosened on his chest. She noticed his blonde hair was getting shaggier around his ears and jaw, seeming to make his jaw stronger and eyes more piercing. She followed his thin nose down to his plump lips and her eyes dipped back to his chest. She could see that it was muscular even on his lean build. Eyes dipping lower she noticed his muscular thighs and calves on his long, outstretched legs.
Did I find Edwin attractive?
Edwin’s eyes locked onto hers and Lyra’s eyes widened like a deer caught in the wood. She saw the heat in his gaze for a second, and then it was gone. His knowing smirk was still there, his mouth slightly opened ready to speak but hesitating. She waited, tense, her eyes down cast. She busied herself by reading some text Edwin had written in one of the scrolls sprawled out in front of him and her interest peaked when she saw the word “Devastation.” She read on.
‘...a mysterious plague broke out all across Terra. Half of Terra’s plants and crops were destroyed, some eaten up by locusts and others decaying for no known reason. Rivers dried up, the soil itself became dry, useless. Thousands of animals died. Many families nearly starved that year. It was a hard year, but the Terra people were smart when it came to the land. They knew how to plant, grow and harvest what they had. So they adapted, and tried
to put the strange plague in the past, but some varieties of plants never grew again. Like blackberries. Some farmers still tried, keeping the seeds and replanting them every year, only to find them dead in the ground like pebbles--”
The scroll rolled with a rush and her eyes darted to Edwin's intense gaze and then down again. Shame reddened her face.
“You remember the Devastation, don’t you?” His voice was low, but he smirked at her. She had, actually. Not only had she lived the plague, she had read about it once or twice in a book similar to Edwin's scroll, though it wasn't nearly as descriptive. Edwin took a breath and laid a hand on Lyra's. She lifted her gaze to his.
“Lyra. You know about it. All the people do. It was a terrible tragedy and yet….why does no one here speak of it?”
Lyra frowned. “They do, sometimes. They say it was...well, it was a strange happening, but there were few fatalities and Terra folk are resilient. You know us. We bury the dead and move on,” she smiled tightly.
Edwin raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, you are correct on that. But why did the plague occur? Surely you've wondered this. You're a clever girl. Besides, you do realize your village wasn't affected as much as surrounding areas.” Lyra's eyebrows bunched together. She'd wondered, yes but who knew why the gods decided what they did.
“I’ve never heard an explanation as to why. And I suppose you know, do you?” She smiled but she felt a tingle of unease.
Finally he sat up and began to gather his documents together. When they were situated back in his satchel, he looked back up at Lyra, a quiet fire in his eyes.
“A special lady like you shouldn’t be cooped up inside so much. Let’s go riding.” Confusion hit her.
Her, special? And riding...hmm.
Her social pitcher was already almost dry. She felt herself wanting to retreat back home and sit on the back porch, or dig her hands in the soil in peace. But she did want to hear more about his theories on the Devastation. He stood while Lyra gathered her thoughts. She was intensely uncomfortable, but she pushed herself to accept. If she wanted to stop being so lonely, she needed to get uncomfortable first. And she didn’t have any other task waiting for her that day. Edwin reached his hand out and she took it, her smile reaching her eyes. She allowed him to help her stand.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Chapter 3
The wind whipped Lyra’s hair around her face, her dress billowing behind her as she raced Edwin to the edge of the Forest. She was atop one of his prize steeds, a strong dark horse that was trained well. When they reached the forest, Edwin laughed breathlessly.
“You gave a good run for it, but I think I beat you,” he said with a laugh.
Lyra laughed easily and inclined her head, “It would seem you have indeed, Sir. You are a much better rider than I.”
Edwin unmounted his white steed and tied the reins to a small tree, then made his way to help Lyra down. His grip around her waist was strong, wiry hands clutching her politely. He settled her to the ground. They lingered for a moment. The heat from Edwin’s body warmed her chest and neck. Her face flushed even more and an unfamiliar tingle blossomed in her stomach. She had never been this close to a man before. She peered up into blue smiling eyes, returning the smile. She inwardly buckled under her nerves and turned her head to get a breath of air. Edwin removed his hands and stepped away, walking backwards and grinning broadly.
“What exactly did you have in mind today, Edwin?”
“I thought we could search for something in the forest. Something...elusive.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Don’t tell me you believe in fae, Sir” she joked.
His eyes took on a serious light, staring into her eyes for a moment before responding, “Of course not, Lyra, the last died out over a half millenia ago. As hard as we’ve looked, we haven’t encountered one since, along with all other manner of magic folk.”
Lyra’s smiled faltered at that but she forced a laugh.
What an odd thing to say.
She took his hand as he led them into the forest, following the wide, foot-trodden path. They walked for a bit and then veered to the right off the path, crunching fallen twigs and brush under their boots. Sunshine filtered through heavy leaves and spotted the forest floor. The acrid scent of dying leaves mixed with the earthy tones of bark and soil. Lyra breathed the smells in deeply through her nose and exhaled a sigh of contentedness.
“What exactly are we looking for, then?” she asked cheerfully.
“Berries,” was his short, absent-minded reply.
“Berries? Whatever for? There are raspberries aplenty on the edges of forest.”
“Blackberries. I promised myself if you ever agreed to follow me into these woods I would make you my famous blackberry streusel.” His eyes danced as he looked back at her. She laughed out loud.
“Blackberries?” She scoffed, “Well we are going to have a full day of searching. There aren’t any blackberries in Terra. They died out in the Devastation.” Edwin’s eyes lit up and a fair brow lifted mischievously.
“Correct. But I know of a single bush in Terra…and it’s here in the Black Forest in your village.”
Lyra scoffed again and shook her head disbelieving. “I’ll believe it when I touch my tongue to it. I hardly remember what they taste like. Furthermore, I would not have thought you a baker, but I suppose now that I think of it, it does suit you. You’re so—“ She stopped herself. He raised that eyebrow again.
“So..?”
“So..gentlemanly and…gently bred. Affluent” She swallowed her embarrassment. She had forgotten how to converse like a normal human.
He barked out a laugh, “Well, you aren’t wrong about that. My parents made sure I was thoroughly educated on every subject. They did everything for my advancement.”
A sense of sorrow wisped through the air. “And where are they now—your parents?”
He crouched down to a single blackberry bush that had seemed to appear out of nowhere. Lyra gasped quietly and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Dead,” was his curt reply. He didn’t turn around. Lyra swallowed and crouched beside him, looking him in the eye and placing a tentative hand on his shoulder. “Mine are dead too,” she returned. He looked solemnly at her for a fraction of a second before turning back to the bush and picking a dark berry from within it. He brought it to his lips and took it into his mouth, eyes closing in pleasure.
He picked another and brought it in front of Lyra’s mouth. His mouth twisted in a smirk, “Touch your tongue to it,” he demanded, mimicking her own words. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth, then closed it around the berry, lips brushing the tips of his fingers gently. She looked away to avoid his suddenly heated gaze. Her lips tingled. The berry practically exploded in her mouth, tart and sweet and the rolling, seedy texture coated her tongue. “Exquisite,” she finally said, “This is amazing. We have to tell the fruit merchants in town. I will have to collect more later.”
He smiled and nodded. “Well, it’s a secret of mine. I found it last summer shortly after I arrived in this blessed village. Now the summer is almost over, I fear. I must take advantage of this forest’s pleasures. Let’s keep it our secret for awhile longer.”
Lyra giggled.
Giggled like a young maiden.
Truth was, she liked that someone trusted her enough to tell her their secret. The intimacy of it pleased her. She agreed to keep the privileged information to herself. They walked leisurely back to their horses, Edwin’s straw hat filled to the top with the elusive berries.
“Why this village?” she finally asked. “You from such prestigious background. You could live anywhere in Terra. You could live at court. ”
Edwin sighed. “Well I happen to like Terra’s mainland. I think this particular village is quaint and quiet, and town is bustling but still small and friendly. The library here is extensive enough—“
“Because you have filled it with over half of it’s store since
you moved here!”
“Well, that may be true.” They grinned. He continued in his silky, sweet voice, “When you are a scholar, and you complete your courses and and final examinations, you are awarded a Scholar Master title—you know this—but you don’t get to choose where you end up as School Master. Sort of like a priest. You always hope it’s somewhere lovely. Well, this Terra Mainland village has exceeded my expectations.” He smiled over at her, his eyes becoming softer. “And I found the most lovely teacher in my school, which doesn’t hurt either.” His sparkling, white smile dazzled her much as his words did, and she wondered why she hadn't been receptive to his attentions before.
My heart is ready. Ready to fall in love.
She took a deep breath and felt lighter than she had felt in a very long time. Courage took hold of her and she blurted out her lingering thoughts, “Tell me your suspicions about the cause of the Devastation.” He looked at her, considering. She held his gaze and finally he stopped walking just before reaching his horse. He faced her, his expression calm, his eyes boring into hers.
“The day after King Terrin was crowned, a mysterious plague broke out all across Terra. We call this plague the Devastation.”
He paused, gauging Lyra's reaction. Her stomach filled with lead at his words.
He knew the King’s name too. And what was he implying?
She stared agape as he began pacing, his speech coming at a more frantic pace. “Our mysterious majesty, King of Terra, rules all behind closed doors, the same King no one speaks of for fear that he would strike anyone down for daring to connect the Devastation with his coronation of ten years ago,” he turned to her, pausing his pacing, and his eyes taking on a wild light. “Think, Lyra, think. Why does no one speak of the King? Why does no one speak of what happened?” Lyra shook her head, ignoring the gnawing at her insides.
“It’s how it’s always been--”