by B. K. Parent
There were a few more folks gathered in that small room in the basement of the greenhouse than there had been on the night of the first meeting. One that surprised me was the Captain of the royal guards and one that delighted me was Evan. Just as I was about to move across the room and talk to Evan, Master Clarisse entered the room followed by Beezle and Lord Hadrack.
“A few more might be arriving later,” stated Master Rollag, “but for now we need to get started. The Captain has informed me that the Regent has ordered sweepers through the grounds from midnight on, and even though we should be able to move freely, the sweepers have been told to detain and thoroughly question anyone found wandering. Scrutiny is something I would imagine we would all like to avoid this night.”
Just as Master Rollag finished speaking, Master Clarisse rose and left the room as if signaled, only to return a short moment later accompanied by a young dandy wearing the latest in modern fashion, dressed as if he were on his way to an evening at the theater, cloak rakishly thrown back over one shoulder showing the bright yellow lining, wide brimmed hat pulled low at an angle, yellow plume feathers, impossibly long, flowing from the hat band. He strode into the room, placed himself in front of Lady Celik, doffed his hat, and made an exaggerated bow.
“Mother, how very lovely to see you again,” Elek said, as he straightened and lifted his mother off her feet in a hug. She laughed when he set her down, gave him a good swat, and then returned his hug. Sighing, Elek glanced around the room, noted who was present, and said, “I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally be here as myself. This trying to stay invisible from both friend and foe alike has become tiresome.”
As I glanced around the room, I saw the look of surprise on the faces of some, and that is when I realized that at our last meeting, Elek had been introduced but not as Lady Celik’s son, just as I had been introduced but no connection had been made between Da and me.
“That flamboyant entrance brings up the first order of business for this meeting. I think introductions are in order, for while you think you may know all of those gathered here this night, it is time for others here to become themselves once again too,” suggested Master Rollag,. “After tomorrow all this cloak and dagger business will be moot. If things go badly, all of us will be exposed anyway and declared traitors. If all goes well, it would be nice to be acknowledged correctly, so Lady Celik, perhaps you would like to formally introduce your son.”
“I would be delighted. As you can see, the rumors of my son’s early demise have been greatly exaggerated. This is my son Elek.”
I heard a slight gasp from the Captain who had begun to look a bit uncertain. Lady Celik nodded to her son who briefly explained where he had been these many years and what he had been doing recently. He acknowledged to the Captain that, yes indeed, they had met briefly when he had traveled to the capitol with the Raven. After that brief interruption, the introductions went around the table and came to my Da.
Da looked around the room, and then said “Many of you have known me as Jonzee Smed, driver for the Glassmakers Guild. Prior to that helpful disguise, I have gone through life as Thorval Pedersen and . . .”
Again there were some looks of surprise, but not as many as I thought there might be.
“. . . it is with great pride that I introduce my daughter, Arial Pedersen, who most of you gathered here know as Nissa.”
Well, the cat was surely out of the bag with that announcement. Actually the cat was sitting patiently at my side, as if waiting his turn to be introduced, and so to divert the looks glancing my way, I introduced Carz. The introductions continued around the table, but there were no more who had been traveling under aliases. Then it was time to get down to business. The Captain asked to go first since she had to get back. All of the royal guards were pulling double duty, and she had a meeting to attend later this night.
“The capitol peacekeepers have been told they are all on duty tomorrow and have the responsibility to guard the merchant and upper levels of the capitol. Whatever the Regent has planned, he is preparing for the possibility that the general public is not going to be pleased. The royal guards are being sent to both the fairgrounds and the docks, not to mention to all of the gates into the capitol. In addition, the royal guards have been summoned in from out country and set up at key spots along the royal road and other roads leading to the capitol. The elite royal guards, the Regent’s special royal guards, are being split between the palace and the Well of Speaking.”
“I have been assigned to the Well of Speaking. My job is supposed to be crowd control, but the number of royal guards I have been assigned is well beyond what would be normal for the Well of Speaking. I have hand selected the officers and sergeants for my patrols and asked them to select members of their patrols. Those I selected are loyal to the Crown, and I am sure the royal guards they select will be loyal to them if nothing else. I will be meeting with the patrol leaders and briefing them to be extra vigilant tomorrow. I do not want to give them too much information, for there is a chance for that information to get to the wrong ears, but they will be alert to any signal from me and follow it.”
“I am indebted to you, Captain, for your loyalty and for the very great risk you are taking,” stated the Princess.
“It is an honor to serve you,” the Captain replied as she rose, gave a slight bow, and slipped out of the room.
After the Captain left, the remaining group spent the next two hours hammering out plans for the next day and variations of those plans, trying to cover all contingencies, which all admitted was an exercise in folly since we had so little information and so many things could go wrong. Rather than worrying about what could go wrong, we instead tried to concentrate on how we could get the Princess safely into the Well of Speaking undetected, and then keep her safe. When the meeting broke up, the Princess stayed behind with Master Rollag, Seeker Eshana, Master Clarisse, and Evan. I did not even have a chance to speak with her as I left with Oscar and Bertram.
My homewagon felt very empty when Carz and I entered and settled in for the night. Though I had traveled with the Princess for only a few short weeks, it seemed longer. I had grown to enjoy her company and certainly to admire her. I think I had begun to call her a friend. Now she was no longer here, and after tomorrow, who knew what would happen to all of us who had traveled these many roads to gather here to participate in whatever would happen. I thought I would have trouble sleeping with all the worry swirling around in my head, but I slipped easily into sleep.
When I awoke the next morning, I felt a strange sense of calm. It was early; the sun was barely above the horizon. I took my time getting dressed, then opened the drawer under my bed and pulled out the clothes that Nana had carefully packed there, oh those so many weeks ago. Placing the bundle upon the bed, I unfolded the thin paper the bundle was wrapped in, took the pants that were the top layer and shook them out, carefully laying them on the bed to be followed by the shirt, vest, and cloak. These clothes had been my mother’s, made by her, in her clan colors and patterns. I intended to change into them just before we were to head to the Well of Speaking.
I bent back down and pulled the drawer farther forward and reached under to flip a recessed latch, which opened a compartment that was so cleverly hidden that it would not be discovered except by a really intensive search. I took a flattened bundle out of the opening. Before I had left home, Nana and I had packed Da several sets of clothing in hopes that someday sooner rather than later, I would connect with him, and all would be well enough that he would be happy for a change of clothes and would travel with me. For some unexplained reason, I had packed his best set of clothes, the one he wore to festivals and weddings. This was what was in the bundle I had laid on the bed. Calling to Carz, I grabbed up Da’s clothes and left the homewagon, heading towards the Glassmakers Guildhall. Once I got to the guildhall, I was really not sure how I would find Da, but luck was with me and the f
irst one I ran into, even before I reached the guildhall, was Master Clarisse.
“Could you do me a favor?” I asked.
“Whatever you need.”
“I need to find Jonzee, but I don’t even know where to begin, and I’m not sure it’s even a good idea to be seen with him, but . . .”
“I am so sorry, Nissa, but he is not available right now. What can I do to help?”
“I brought him his own clothes. I thought he might want to be himself going into the Well of Speaking. I . . .”
I found I could not go on with what I wanted to say. Master Clarisse seemed to understand. She put a gentle arm around my shoulders and led me to an arbor that was tucked away in a decorative garden.
“I will make sure Jonzee gets this bundle. The reason he is not available is he is with Master Rollag. They have taken themselves off to the guild’s men’s bathhouse and we were told that they were not to be disturbed for the next hour. I have a feeling that while it was Jonzee who went in, it will not be Jonzee who comes out. I will find Evan and have him take your bundle to the bathhouse and make sure Jonzee gets it.”
I noticed that even though we both knew who Jonzee really was, we were still both being careful not to mention him by his real name. We all had been cautious for so long that the habit was ingrained, and for now, that was a good thing. With my task completed, Master Clarisse and I gave each other a quick hug, and Carz and I returned to the homewagon and to breakfast with the others. I tried not to dwell on the idea that this might be the last breakfast I would have with my friends. Once breakfast was finished and the chores done, I went and set out my wares. Shyla joined me.
“I know you are going to go to the Well of Speaking with my father and my uncle. I would look after your booth if that would be alright,” Shyla said in that quiet way she had of speaking.
I had not even thought about whether I would close my booth, or anything at all about my booth for that matter, having been concentrating so much on what would happen later. I was grateful that Shyla at least was being practical, and I accepted her offer. Of course, we would not all close up our booths at the time the Regent was set to speak. The fair was not going to close down. Most folks who came to the fair would probably not even stop their visit to go listen to the Regent. Maybe that was what he was counting on. All too often the common folk just do not pay very much attention to what the ruling class is doing, unless it directly affects them. I did know that while there was a ground swell of discontent, I did not think everyone who entered the fairgrounds this day was here to see what the Regent was going to say or do.
Time seemed to race by, and soon the noon hour was almost upon us. I noticed that while there were still folks moving up and down our lane, some stopping to look at the wares set out in the booths, some stopping to buy, there were equal numbers of folks who were beginning to head purposely in the direction of the Well of Speaking. It had been determined the night before that those of us who had met in the greenhouse should not enter the Well of Speaking together. Such a socially mixed group might be noted. Rather we had decided we should head in in smaller groups, so I was going to go with Oscar, Bertram, and Shueller. Carz was going to stay back. I excused myself, thanking Shyla for staying behind to watch the booth, thinking perhaps I should tell her that the homewagon and cart were hers should I not be able to return, but I discarded that thought for it was much too negative.
It was with some reluctance I climbed the steps to my homewagon to change my clothes, wondering if I would return. Carz must have sensed my mood for he stuck close to me, and when I would have closed him in the homewagon, he pushed past me carrying a short coil of rope in his mouth and waited patiently at the bottom of the steps. I guess he would not be staying behind after all. I tied the rope to his collar, something I had never done before and had never thought to do, and he allowed it. I do not know how he felt, but I felt better that Carz was with me. I was not sure if he would be allowed into the Well of Speaking, even on a rope, but it was worth a try. Trying to look calm, as if this walk to the Well of Speaking was something I did everyday, Carz and I joined Bertram and Oscar, and then stopped by Shueller’s homewagon to collect him. None of us said anything other than quick hellos as we left the campsite and entered the lane, all lost in our own thoughts as to what might happen next.
Chapter Seventy-Eight
As we approached the Well of Speaking, we became part of a steady stream of folks and that gave me some comfort. If anyone were suspicious of us, they would be hard pressed to locate us in the growing crowd. I noticed however, as we walked along, more and more rovers formed up around us, including Zeroun who was keeping up but leaning heavily on Gersemi. Just as I noticed him, I began to notice that the rovers who now surrounded us were more of Shueller’s age than even that of Bertram or Oscar. It struck me as a little odd, since I knew only a few of them and only by sight. Then I laughed to myself, since I realized I had thought they were joining our group because of me, when in all reality most of them were probably Shueller’s friends. The rovers were dressed in their finest, as if they were on their way to a festival.
While there were royal guards at the gate when we entered into the Well of Speaking, they did not seem to be either troubling or stopping anyone. As we began to descend the stairs, folks began to stand to the side and let us through. I was taken aback for a short moment, until I realized that folks were only being courteous, allowing the elder rovers to go first. I was about to step to the side also, but Shueller firmly took a hold of my arm, urging me forward.
“Old folks are always given seating close, both to honor their age and because some of us don’t see or hear as well as we used to,” Shueller told me, and I noticed a twinkle in his eye. “Also conveniently, we will be seated near the nobles, richer merchants, those with high standing in the guilds, and other folks of significance.”
Once seated, I had a chance to look around and soon spotted Beezle in the rows to my left, sitting with Lord Hadrack. Sitting next to them was Lady Celik. To my right sat Master Rollag, and to my surprise, Master Clarisse was sitting next to him. I could not see Da in the crowd, nor could I see Elek or Seeker Eshana. I had mixed feelings about not being able to spot the Princess. On the one hand, if I could not spot her then the Regent’s minions probably could not either. On the other hand, since I could not spot her, I could not be sure she was safe.
More and more seats were filling up, and while there was a lot of noise from conversations going on around me, the mood in the Well of Speaking was somber. It struck me as odd that some of us were sitting here waiting to hear what the Regent had to say, and what he had to say would affect not just the folks here but throughout Sommerhjem, and yet just above me on the fairgrounds, folks were going about their day attending the fair as if nothing were more important on this day than finding just the right gewgaw for their home or seeing whether their entry had won a prize. I felt some irony about that last thought, since the woodcrafts were to be judged this afternoon, and depending on the outcome of the next hour, I might never know whether my carved chest was considered worthy by the judges.
Suddenly a quiet descended over the gathered crowd, and glancing over my shoulder, I saw a patrol of the elite royal guards begin to come down the stairs, and I realized that they flanked a group of very well-dressed nobles. I had to assume that the Regent was among them. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, the group headed to the speaker’s platform and the nobles settled themselves in the seats arranged there. The elite royal guards formed up behind them. It was then that I noticed a patrol of regular royal guards, and they placed themselves several deep in front of the speaker’s platform. I noticed that our friendly Captain was in charge of the second group. Other patrols of royal guards took positions along the outside edges of the Well of Speaking. It certainly looked like the Regent was expecting trouble. From the murmurs of the crowd, I got the impression that this show of for
ce was not usual.
Ever so slowly the murmurs quieted down, and a heavy silence fell over the crowd. An officious-looking gentleman stood up from his seat on the platform, and with a kind of grave dignity presented the honorable Regent Cedric Klingflug to the gathered crowd. I do not know what I was expecting, but found myself surprised when a very ordinary-looking man of middle years, dressed conservatively in black, stepped up to the speaker’s stand. This could not be the Regent, I thought. This man, who had caused so much heartache and trauma for so many, should look imposing and downright evil, not like someone you would pass on the street and not even give a second glance. Even his voice, when he started speaking, did not ring out with power or command.
“Under usual circumstances and during usual times, a call to the Well of Speaking by the Crown would be to welcome you to the fair, or for some type of ceremony to honor someone, but I regret that is not the reason we have gathered here this day. This fair should have been a week long celebration of the coming of age of our fair Princess Esmeralda and her rise to the leadership role she has been trained for all her life. Alas, this has not come to pass, for as I am sure many of you have heard, our beloved Princess has taken gravely ill. Despite all of the combined knowledge of our best healers and herbalists, her condition does not seem to be improving.”
The Regent went on for several more minutes about how everything was being done to keep the Princess stable, and how they were working frantically to find a way to improve her condition. I almost laughed out loud at that point since I knew he was just blowing a lot of smoke, but I just gripped Carz’ rope tighter. The Regent then changed the focus of his speech, and I sat up straighter to listen.