Defiant

by M. J. Haag

  “These look delightful,” I said, reaching for one.

  Maeve complimented Sabine’s skills after the first bite. I could tell the young woman desperately wanted to please us so she could secure a place for herself. While I liked her, I hoped her position wouldn’t be as Judith or Anne’s replacement. I wanted our friends safely returned. Yet, with each passing day, my hope of that happening was dwindling.

  After dinner, Maeve and Sabine went to the sitting room to discuss supplies and expenses. Kellen grabbed me by the hand and dragged me upstairs. Instead of taking us to our bedroom as I expected, she led me to the attic.

  When I’d last been up there, the space had been a disorganized mess of oil-cloth covered furniture. Since then, pieces had been moved and recovered, creating little pockets of space.

  Kellen noticed my surprise at the change.

  “Maeve had mentioned a delay in the arrival of her possessions, and I wanted to be sure there was enough storage space for anything that did not fit downstairs.”

  “How can you spend so much time up here?” I asked, suppressing a shiver and wishing for my cloak.

  She just smiled as she guided me toward the back of the room. Finally, she stopped at a large stack of furniture and lifted one of the oil-cloths to reveal a small crawl space.

  “After you,” she said, motioning. “And keep quiet.”

  I crawled through a short tunnel and emerged into a cleared space within the cluster of furniture. A swath of oil-cloth created a ceiling for the nook. Moving further in, I sat on the floor and looked at the exposed items. There were books and an oil lamp and a chest.

  Kellen came in behind me and noticed my shiver.

  “It will warm well enough with both of us in here.” She went to the chest and lifted the lid. “Mother saved strands of our hair, clothing, and other things in here,” she said. “This is where I found the letters. They were at the very bottom. I thought they were nothing more than memories of the past, like the rest of the items. Then, I found this.”

  She reached toward the lid and pulled back a few inches of the fabric that lined the inside. Underneath, was a bit of parchment.

  She removed and unfolded it. I leaned close to read it with her.

  * * *

  Margaret,

  * * *

  Although my heart is heavy, I have not forgotten my promise. For the remainder of your life and that of your children, I grant you and your family use of the caretaker’s cottage for the royal retreat north of Towdown. The retreat was Sevil’s favorite place to visit, and I cannot see myself going there without her.

  For all that you’ve done and sacrificed for the good of this kingdom and my family, I pledge my aid should you and your family ever have need.

  Be well in life, Margaret. When we meet again, I hope it is in a safer time with far better circumstances.

  * * *

  Aftan, King of Drisdall

  * * *

  I looked up at Kellen, stunned.

  “I do not know what Mother did,” she said, “but given the contents of this letter, I cannot believe her death is the result of the Crown.”

  My initial surprise gave way to a slow, burning anger.

  “That means whoever killed her is acting against the Crown. And this letter gives us the audience we would need to present our case.”

  “Once we have proof,” Kellen said.

  “Yes. Once we have proof. I need to speak with Tommy Bell.”

  “I agree. However, there seems to be a second mystery surrounding this house,” Kellen said, folding the letter.

  “What do you mean?”

  “There were three other letters with this one,” she said. “Not from the King, but from Elspeth.”

  I frowned recalling what my sister had said about the letters she’d read thus far.

  “Mother hid away three letters from her but not the rest?”

  “Precisely why they intrigue me.”

  She handed over the letters.

  * * *

  I hope this letter finds you in good health, dear one. The ban on magic is making my search more difficult than I anticipated. However, I am certain I grow closer each day to discovering the identity of the one who killed the Queen. Keep the babes safely hidden until I can return.

  E

  * * *

  I looked up at Kellen.

  “Hidden?”

  “Keep reading.”

  * * *

  I’m relieved to hear that the children are thriving despite the situation of their births. It is something that has weighed on my mind greatly since I left you. My search is not progressing as I had hoped. Every location spell I cast returns nothing. There is another spell I might try. However, we both know the cost of that which is cast in blood.

  Keep the babes safely hidden until I can return.

  E

  * * *

  I quickly read the last one.

  * * *

  Time is passing too quickly. I fear I may need to give up this search or face too many questions when I finally settle somewhere. Kiss the babes for me and tell them that I will come to collect my charge from you soon.

  E

  * * *

  I looked up at Kellen.

  “Mother knew a caster,” I said in awe.

  “Very well, it would seem, if she had planned to give one of us over to the woman.”

  I frowned and read the last letter again but could not refute Kellen’s suspicion.

  “So it would seem. I wonder what happened.”

  “Perhaps whatever spell she thought to cast had a deadly result as she hinted it might.”

  “Or she was caught casting and sent to the forest,” I said.

  I placed the letters on the floor and studied them.

  “You’re right that there’s a second mystery. What did Mother do for the kingdom that would warrant a letter of protection from the king? And why would she give one of us to a caster, the very type of person who was outlawed by the king?” I exhaled, trying not to let my frustration gain control of me. “Do you think Maeve would know anything about the events surrounding our births? The second letter alludes to something.”

  “Doubtful. Mother never mentioned her cousin. If Maeve was present at our births, I would think she would have been included in whatever events Mother had been involved in and would have remained in our lives. Despite that, I did consider approaching Maeve with this, but you saw her today. She’s exhausted and has enough to worry over.”

  “Where does that leave us?”

  “In the same ignorant position we were previously. That hasn’t changed. The letter only proves the King thought of Mother in a kind light at one time. We know too little to assume more than that. You need to speak with Tommy Bell.”

  Hearing that statement, I knew she was officially releasing me from my promise to forget what was happening around us.

  “You believe things will get worse, don’t you?” I asked.

  “I do.”

  Trying to dispel the chill her answer had given me, I looked around the space again.

  “Was it like this when you found it?” I asked.

  “It was.” She returned the letters to their hiding place. “I think Mother used to come up here, too.”

  She’d come up here and hidden the letters she had received from Elspeth and the King. She’d also hidden the truth from us.

  “Why didn’t she tell us any of this?” I wondered.

  “I don’t know, but I doubt that knowing the tale behind those letters will change the course of events before us.”

  “I'll try again tonight,” I said.

  “Tonight? You were lucky last time. We should wait until tomorrow and find a reason to go to town.”

  “You know Maeve will not permit us out of Hugh’s sight long enough to track down this boy. And, I'm less concerned about the dark than I am about letting these disappearances continue without hindrance. I will be safe tonight as I was last night.”

 
; Kellen gave me a doubtful look but didn't argue.

  “Look at this,” she said instead. She plucked one of the books from its position on the floor and handed it to me. I opened the cover and skimmed the hand-written scrawl that described the medicinal purposes of several plants.

  “At first glance, these books seem like simple herbalist notes. However, I've been reading them and have come across other things. Potions.”

  I looked up from the book.

  “These are books on magic?”

  “I have a lot more reading to do before I can say that, but I believe so.”

  “Why would Mother keep books of magic?”

  “I don’t believe they were Mother’s. Elspeth was a caster by her own admission. Based on her letters, she intended to return here.”

  “I’m glad she didn’t.” I couldn’t imagine a life without Kellen beside me.

  After crawling out of the hidden nook, Kellen showed me around the rest of the attic. There were many pieces that I could now see had never belonged to my parents. Having read the king's letter, I understood from where much of the furniture had come.

  We returned to our room and settled in for an evening of reading while we waited for Maeve to retire. However, the candle burned low without a sound from below.

  Kellen and I went to check on Maeve's whereabouts and found her in the sitting room still at the desk. She seemed lost in thought until we entered. She looked up at us with clear eyes and a smile.

  “Is everything all right, dears?”

  “Yes,” Kellen said. “We were worried since you hadn’t come upstairs yet and wanted to check on you.”

  “You’re so sweet. I seem to have an abundance of energy from my nap and much too much to think on. I cannot seem to find the deed for this house. It shouldn't pose any problems, but it is a curiosity given its proximity to the king’s retreat. I don't suppose you know how your parents came to own such a property.”

  “Actually, I was rather hoping that would be a story you could share with us,” I said. “Mother and Father never mentioned it, and we never thought to ask.”

  Maeve sighed.

  “I thought as much. I'm sure we will find the deed somewhere. I’ll check the papers in your father's room tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'll keep going over the books. Don't stay up too late tonight. Growing girls need their rest.”

  She looked at the papers, and I knew she was already distracted with whatever she had found there.

  Kellen and I quietly withdrew, leaving Maeve to her thoughts. Back in our room with the door closed, Kellen tried to dissuade me from leaving that night.

  “She has to sleep eventually,” I said softly.

  “Until she does, you had better change into your bedclothes. It would look suspicious if you’re fully dressed if she comes to check on us.”

  Kellen's forethought saved us from being caught as Maeve did indeed check on us hours later.

  “Still up reading?” she asked when she poked her head in. “I picked up one of your books, Kellen, and can understand what holds your attention so thoroughly.”

  Kellen blushed.

  “They are quite difficult to put down,” I agreed, wondering why my sister was acting so oddly.

  “Can I fetch either of you something from the kitchen? I found some ledgers that detail your father's accounts, and fear I'll be up with them all night.”

  “We're fine, thank you,” Kellen said.

  I smiled and agreed.

  As soon as Maeve closed the door, Kellen and I blew out the candle by silent agreement. There was no point in staying up that night.

  We woke late the next morning to grey skies and a light rain, and I knew there would be no sneaking off that day either. The delay festered in my mind as an ominous sign. The need to do something crawled over my skin like an army of ants. It took every ounce of restraint to calmly lounge in the sitting room with a book in my lap all morning.

  When a carriage rattled up the drive after our midday meal, Kellen and I hid in the kitchen with Sabine.

  “Do you get visitors often?” she asked.

  “Often enough,” I said. “It seems that the Prince is returning and will be in residence at the retreat soon. It has many of the townspeople curious. They come here under the pretense of condolences and the false belief that we know more than they.”

  “I heard much the same news about the Prince while still at the House of Cresstol,” Sabine said. “No one seems to know when he'll arrive, though. Everyone is waiting for banners to go up at the castle. A sure sign of an imminent welcome.”

  “Do you miss town life?” Kellen asked.

  “No, Miss. I quite like the quiet here. You two and Lady Grimmoire are gracious and kind. Not everyone in town can boast those traits.”

  She had shared enough stories that I believed her.

  “Sometimes the quiet can be a bit dull,” Kellen said.

  I turned to give her a disbelieving look, and she kicked me under the table. With relief, I kicked her back, glad that she was up to something rather than calling our mother’s death and the subsequent disappearances of our friends dull.

  “I can imagine it might seem that way to two young girls. Maeve is sending me to town tomorrow with Hugh for some supplies. Would you like to accompany us?”

  “That would be lovely,” I said, appreciating my sister’s wit.

  “Please stay out of trouble,” Maeve said before she waved then went inside.

  “Do you two cause trouble often?” Sabine asked from her place on the seat beside Hugh.

  “Rarely,” Kellen said. “However, trouble does have a way of finding us.”

  I elbowed her.

  “That was before Maeve spoke with the families of the boys who were causing us trouble. Since then, we’ve been trouble free.”

  “True,” Kellen agreed.

  We both glanced at Hugh, who had remained impassive through the whole conversation. He hit a particularly large divot in the road that lifted Kellen and me from our places in the back. She landed with a wince.

  “I miss the carriage already,” she said under her breath.

  “Your backside has grown too soft,” I said with a smirk, hiding my own wince. I would have preferred the carriage as well; however, the need for supplies necessitated the wagon.

  The jostling ride had thoroughly bruised my backside by the time we reached town. Kellen watched me with a knowing grin as I eased from the wagon.

  “Shall we meet here again in three hours?” Sabine asked.

  “Meet?” Hugh said. “We should stay together.”

  Sabine laughed.

  “I believe the last thing these two want is to stay with us while we’re purchasing boring supplies.”

  “I did finish my book last night,” Kellen said, lifting the bag at her side which did indeed hold a book. We’d come prepared with a reason to go off on our own. We hadn’t anticipated Sabine proposing we do so.

  “They’ll be fine,” Sabine said. “This isn’t their first trip to town. If you two run into any trouble, I’m sure you’ll find us easily enough in the market.”

  I nodded in agreement and hooked my arm through Kellen’s.

  “We might even read a book while we’re there,” she said. “I do like those slim volumes Mr. Bentwell has on the shelf by his desk.”

  As she spoke, I turned us toward the book shop, and we started on our way. When Hugh didn’t stop us, I knew we’d won our way free of his company.

  Turning the corner, Kellen and I stopped.

  “Should we stay together, or should one of us go to Mr. Bentwell’s?” she asked.

  “I think it would look more suspicious if we split up.”

  “Together then.”

  It took us over an hour to walk to the outskirts of town and navigate the landmarks the boy had given me. Our dresses, even though mourning black, were too fine for the area. However, no one gave us more than a single curious glance as we passed.

  I found the Bell home and
knocked on the door. By luck, the young man in question answered.

  “Are you Tommy Bell?” I asked politely.

  He gave me a suspicious look, but there was no recognition in his eyes at the sight of Kellen or me.

  “What if I were? What would you want with me?”

  Kellen produced a copper to show him.

  “We have a few harmless questions to ask you,” she said.

  He snatched the coin.

  “What do ya want to know?”

  “First, can you show me the king’s cap you’re said to have? It will prove that we are indeed speaking with Tommy Bell,” I said.

  “Just a moment,” he said before he dashed off inside and returned with the cap in question sitting atop his head.

  “You look quite dapper in that,” Kellen said.

  “What’s dapper mean?”

  “You look well-dressed and handsome,” I clarified.

  He grinned.

  “Can you tell me how you came by such a hat?” Kellen asked.

  “It’s a king’s hat. How do you think I came by it?”

  “I’m afraid I have no idea how one comes to be in the service of the king, but I’m desperate to try to be a messenger myself,” I said.

  Kellen produced another coin.

  “We promise not to accept any message from the king unless you’ve had a chance to take it first.”

  He studied us for a long moment.

  “I wish I could help you. I truly do. I don’t exactly recall how I came by this hat.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Well, I remember standing in the dark, watching for any abandoned dregs. My da likes when I can bring something home for him. A man came up to me and asked me a question. It was dark, and I couldn’t see him clearly. Dark hair. Tall.” He shrugged. “He gave me a package and told me to deliver it. Then he gave me the cap and a coin to see the job done.”

  “Where did this chap send you?”

  “I don’t know,” he said.