by LeRoy Clary
She realized they secretly had wished for her to succeed in claiming to be the Mage’s daughter. They wanted to see one of their own swept away to a life better than theirs. After they had served the morning meal, she avoided them all, even Cleanup, and went to her room. She scooped the uniform from the floor, and then found the slippers where she’d tossed them into a corner. Folding the uniform as best she could, Hannah walked the back way to reach the third floor and in order to make sure the Young Mage was not watching her again. She found the old seamstress and held out the uniform.
“I heard last night was not your best, but that you did well serving until getting ill.”
“Thank you for the uniform.”
The old woman leaned closer and whispered, “It was him, we heard.”
The statement took Hannah aback. Did everyone in the castle know her business? Then, she relented. Yes, they probably did. The castle was that of an Earl, and at a guess, there were fewer than a couple hundred servants. Most were related to others. The seamstress might well be related to a gardener, cook, and perhaps a maid. She might be related to ten other servants. Twenty. “Yes, I think so.”
“Makes me think less of him when he can’t see it. Everyone else did.” She refolded the uniform and inspected it for tears or stains as she did. Then she raised her eyes and said, “Well, that’s over, so you can forget him and concentrate on your job. You’ll be asked to serve at the next party, I’m sure.”
“I guess so.”
“Honey, I was going to have a white horse of my own to ride all day long when I was your age. I was sure a handsome prince was in my future, and we’d attend parties that went on all night. Take it from me, a year from now you won’t remember last night.”
Hannah hesitated. She needed to tell someone. “No, that’s not true, what I said. I saw the Mage, and he recognized me, and then he looked away and wouldn’t look at me again.”
“Men are often asses. That’s another thing you learned last night. Now, I have to put some stitches into a new dress for the Countess or she’ll be taking it out on me.”
Hannah left feeling slightly relieved. Not from the kindly words of the old woman, but from getting away from her. Is everyone in the palace going to treat me like this?”
Outside again, Hannah had time to herself as long as she stayed out of sight of the Overseers. The stables were out because Cleanup would find her there. She glanced at the main gates taller than three men standing on the shoulders of the one below. Two soldiers attended the gate and questioned anyone leaving or entering. She had never been outside, but she felt the need to begin planning her escape.
She went straight to the nearest guard and said, “I’m going to look for mushrooms.”
“Better take a basket,” he said, and both of the guards laughed.
She stared them down. When they finished laughing, she said in a scolding tone, “I’m not gathering them. As I said, I’m going to look for them. Then when I need mushrooms, I’ll know where to go.” She turned her back to them and strode through the gates for the first time as if it were her right and duty to do so.
Neither guard called her back, and they’d think twice before stopping her next time and getting dressed down by her again. She walked along a narrow dirt road for a stretch, then noticed a wide path leading off into the forest. There were plenty of shallow holes in the road, some still filled with water from the recent rain, and the uneven footing was treacherous. But she was the only person on the road, and it was her first venture beyond the gates and her spirit soared.
She took the path, with underbrush growing nearly to the sides, brushing past unfamiliar plants and one that bore little red berries. The air tasted fresher and cleaner, a sharp contrast to that in the castle. She inhaled deeply the scents of tall grass, flowers, and trees instead of dusty hallways and hot kitchens.
The footing on the path was smoother than on the road, although barely wide enough for one. Branches reached out and grabbed her, and birds sang their welcomes. She paused at the edge of a shallow stream. The water ran fast, and when she dipped a toe into it, she found it cold.
She noticed a place on the bank where she could sit and let both feet soak. After a while, a noise drew her attention. A deer looked at her from only a few steps away as it twitched its ears. Hannah extended a hopeful hand to draw it nearer, but the movement caused the deer to leap away, bounding into the dense forest with a crash each time it landed.
Tiny fish swam near her feet. She watched to see if any would nibble a toe, but a blue jay landed on a branch and scolded her, and she looked up at it. Higher above she saw a squirrel leap from a branch of one tree and land in another. What must it be like to have that sort of confidence?
What other animals are here watching me? She started to feel the eyes of the forest on her. Still, for her first venture from the castle, it felt like an accomplishment. The guards would soon get used to her hunting for mushrooms, herbs, and berries, until one day she left and never returned. Humming a small tune to match the chuckling of the brook she followed the path back to the road and then towards the castle gates.
Instead of the original two guards, there now stood ten, all of them dressed in the Earl’s blue and white colors. One of them addressed the rest, barking orders in a loud voice while nine stood at attention and listened, until someone shouted, “There’s Hannah!”
All of the soldiers turned as one and looked at her. The leader stalked in her direction. Just because I went outside?
CHAPTER FOUR
All ten soldiers ran to her, the leader followed by nine others. Their heavy boots struck the ground at the same time hammering out a heavy military rhythm. Their response happened so fast that Hannah turned to see who behind her they were chasing. In her entire lifetime, she had never drawn so much as a wit of notice from the palace guards. But today ten of them were after her.
“I didn't mean any harm,” she wailed as one took her firmly by the arm.
“You’re sure that’s her?” The soldier wearing more gold stripes and loops than the others asked.
Another soldier answered, “Seen the girl a hundred times before. It’s her, alright.”
The leader of the soldiers then stood taller and faced her. He ignored the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Are you the one called Hannah?”
“Yes,” she sobbed, knowing she would never leave the castle grounds again after this.
He reached out and took her other arm, pulling her along. “Come on, now. Don’t fight me.”
The others fell into a double line behind, their feet striking the ground at the same time as they fell into a marching step, two-by-two. Inside the gate stood more people gathered to watch her capture. They looked at Hannah and whispered behind hands held to their mouths to cover the words. She recognized most of them, but not one called out to her or waved. None smiled, laughed or offered support.
Hannah didn’t know what she would say to the Overseer when they stood her before him. It had just been a little walk in the forest to clear her head. That’s what she’d say. She hadn’t been out of sight of the castle walls. Not really. Then, in resignation, she quit resisting the guard and tried walking beside the soldier, head held high, back straight. Whatever happened, happened.
The guard led the procession directly to the stable instead of taking her back to the kitchens. The main doors stood open, but they used another smaller door that took them into the wide area where the wagons and carriages sat, instead of where the horses were stabled. One carriage stood alone in the center of the wood chips covering the floor, ready to be pulled by the matching steeds already in the harness. It was the gleaming white one that shimmered in the light. Cleanup stood in the shadows; half hid near the other doorway, his shovel and pail ready, but his eyes focused on Hannah, a look of fear on his face.
The other soldiers remained outside as if they were not good enough to occupy the same barn as the wagons and horses. Only the one who held her arm entered with her. H
annah became reluctant again and drew back. The Overseer would shout and threaten, and maybe give her a swat or two, but she had no idea of what might happen in the stables and she had no intention of entering without a fight.
Four other horses were saddled, including the beautiful mare, and men in uniforms stood beside each. Their eyes looked resentfully at Hannah, even uncaring. They wore the dark blue and red colors of the King. The four were Knights.
A small group of noblemen gathered beside the wide stable door the carriage would use. The palace guard holding her arm announced, “Found her, the one called Hannah.”
The Earl, his eldest son, and the Old Mage turned to face her as one. The Earl asked the Mage, “You’re sure about this?”
“My duty, and my pleasure, your grace.”
“Okay then, I wish you well.” He took the arm of his young son in the crook of his and strolled away to the main entrance of the Royal Wing without another glance behind.
The Mage moved slowly to stand before Hannah. In a voice filled with gravel, he said, “Have you anything of worth or sentiment you cannot live without?”
It sounded like a threat on her life. She owned nothing but the shift of a dress she wore, and even that was not technically hers. The Earl provided for all her needs. But she didn’t like the tone or the way he and the others were looking at her as if she was a specimen or a spider. I will not show fear. Her voice was short and firm, “No.”
“You are angry at me?” The Mage asked softly.
“Scared.”
“At the prospect of leaving here? I thought that was your intent.”
Hannah yanked her arm free of the guard and stepped closer to the Mage, eyes wide in wonder and anticipation. “Leaving?”
“Six Gods above, and three more below! Did nobody tell you anything? No wonder you’re scared. You’re leaving with me, of course.”
“With you?” she stumbled over the words, fear and hope conflicting in her mind. “Why am I leaving with you?”
“Because you are my daughter. Did you think I’d abandon you here? I admit I should have known about you many years ago, but I did not. For that, I’m sorry, and you might blame your dead mother, but I will try to repent as we get to know one another.”
Hannah said, “I’m not sure I understand all the words, but I think I want to go with you.”
“Good! Well, then. Climb into the carriage and we’ll get acquainted along the way.” He flashed a smile that made him appear years younger. The smile reminded her of the face in her reflection, and even the guard who brought her here smiled. The knights standing beside the horses remained at attention but looked amused.
Hannah hesitated, asking herself a basic question. If this man was able to perform magic why did he appear as a white-haired old man? Why didn’t he make himself look the part of a young, handsome prince? Then she took another instant to ask herself why was she not in the carriage already? It was the stuff of her dreams.
She spun and leaped to the step and propelled herself into the seat facing the front of the carriage. The Old Mage climbed sedately into the carriage behind her, finally sitting on the same bench, beside her. He leaned closer, “I also like to sit here so I can see where I’m going, not where I’ve been.”
“Should I move to the other seat?”
“Of course not. It will be easier for the two of us to communicate if we’re sitting right beside each other.”
On impulse, she snuggled closer to him. He didn’t move away, and she waited, thinking that she might never see the barn, castle, or her friend, Cleanup again. Not the cooks, the stoves, ovens, or the huge pile of kindling she left behind.
The Mage told the driver, “We can depart now.”
The carriage lurched ahead and pulled into the brilliant sunshine. Hannah tried to look in all directions at once. She spotted Ella beside a doorway, dabbing a cloth to her eye, but it looked like it was for show. All four cooks in the morning kitchen stood outside and waved as if they were the best of her friends. Hannah waved back, and as she did, her eyes found Cleanup scooping another horse apple from the floor of the barn. She wanted to leap out of the carriage and give him a hug and say something encouraging, but nothing was going to get her out of the carriage, at least not for a while.
The four horses carrying the King’s Knights followed them to the main gate where she waved to the palace guards as if they cared. Outside, two of the horses raced ahead and took up positions in front, while the other two rode behind. Hannah glanced up at the thin material that formed the top of the carriage. Silk. Too delicate for her touch.
She said, “Your carriage does not get dirty.”
“Noticed that, did you? A good mage must make a favorable impression on those who believe him important. Others wear fancy clothing, jeweled crowns, or create flashes of light, but none has a sparkling white carriage that remains so in mud or snow, but me.”
“So that’s why you do it. To impress people.”
“Yes, that’s why. But not how,” the Mage said, looking like he would going to say more, but holding back and waiting for her response.
“Now I am supposed to ask you how, but I already know. Magic.”
He held up his index finger and said, “Let that be your first lesson in enchantments. It is easier to put a spell on anything alive, or that once was alive. A carriage is mostly wood and therefore easier.”
“Do you even know my name?” she asked, flashing her best smile, but remembering his words, as well. Things like iron wouldn’t take spells, or not as readily, but that seemed unimportant for now. She waited for his answer because he’d almost snatched her away from her old life before departing. He had not said one sentence about loving her or her mother. Teaching her about magic didn’t make up for all she missed in her eleven years and the resentment in her grew.
“I do. Hannah, a very pretty name.”
“Do you have any other children?”
“I’m sorry to say I don’t, but I’ve always wanted a little girl.”
“You knew my mother, the gossips whisper.”
His face brightened. “Their whispers are right for once. I knew your mother quite well for some time. Actually for about three years, as I fondly remember. We were very good friends, although I was older and already set in my ways. But we managed.”
The carriage bumped and swayed with the ruts and holes in the road. Hannah grabbed one of the poles that held up the top to keep her from bouncing as much. If the ride continued as rough as it began, she’d rather walk. A single glance behind found the castle no longer in sight. The forest closed in on the sides, making the ride seem rough, dark, and lonely. “My mother never mentioned you, not once. She promised to tell me about my father when I turned twelve, and she thought I’d be old enough. Then she died before I was eight.”
“Your mother never told me about you, either, so we’re even on that score. She should have sent word to me, and I’d have come running, but when we last saw each other, we had a terrible fight and decided not to see each other again. Now that I look back on it, I believe she already carried you and she may have caused that fight on purpose to keep you hidden from me, though I cannot think of one reason why. She did not like magic.”
“But you’re a rich mage. Why would my mother want us separated?”
“Hannah, not everyone appreciates or likes magic or mages. She was one of them. She would not allow me to practice even the smallest spell in her presence. Not even a tiny flame at the tip of my finger.”
The mention of the flame at the tip of a finger made her look at him again to judge the truthfulness of his answers. He didn’t have to admit she was his. He could have ignored her at the banquet, and nobody would ever know. But there were things still unsaid, hidden from her view. Why hadn’t he leaped to his feet and declared her his daughter during the meal? “I knew you saw it. Then you pretended you didn’t. I thought you didn’t want me.”
He laughed and placed a casual arm around her shoulders to e
ase the bumps and grinds of the rough road. He said, “Did all the cooks in your kitchen get along? Or were some jealous of the others?”
Hannah joined in his laughter. “You don’t know anything. I’ve heard of cooks peppering another’s food, and once a cook claimed she baked a pie she never laid a hand on.”
The Mage listened closely, then said, “It is the same in my world. Some are always claiming the fruits of another, and often passing on blame where it does not belong. The simple truth is; I have many enemies and thus, so will you. There were more than a few who noticed you at the banquet, especially when you came and stood close to me. Our noses are similar, as are our eyes and hair color, before mine turned white. Only the blind would not see the similarities.”
“So you knew I was your daughter, and you said nothing?”
“I suspected who you were and intended to investigate. That was before you displayed the flame to me and that settled that. For your protection, I didn’t react, no matter how much I wished. But I needed to know more, to be sure. I put two discrete guards in the hallway near your door, and they trailed behind you all night and the next day, twice preventing attacks.”
Hannah sat stunned. She hadn’t seen any attacks or known about any of it, yet she found she believed the man. He had little reason to lie. But, she didn’t understand. “Why would they attack me?”
“Power. Jealousy. Revenge to get even with me. Many reasons, none of them your fault.”
She watched the forest pass by the carriage and then let her vacant eyes shift to the road ahead while thinking. She saw him watching her from the corner of her eye, letting her reason it out, and she appreciated his consideration. What he probably wanted to know was if his newly found daughter was a dunce or capable of reasoning out a problem. “If there are several reasons, that still does not tell me, who is responsible.”
Chuckling, he adjusted himself in the seat. “Now, that is a question, isn’t it? Who indeed? My first guess would be that the junior mage assigned to the Earl is deeply involved. He wants the power I possess, and the respect others give to me, let alone the gold they pay for my services. He wants it all because he is ambitious, and that is why I assigned him to this backwater years ago. I wanted him out of my hair, at least until he ages and understands matters of the world. But there are forces arrayed against the Earl, as well as against our King. My advice and spells are in demand by both, but royal intrigue is a way of life for some.”
