Lunamae

by April Sadowski

  “I was chasing after Lunamae,” I explained.

  She giggled and told me, “That explains a lot.” I took off my stockings as well and deposited them nearby. I didn’t want to track the dirt all over the room. At least we had servants that could take them out for washing.

  I sat down on the chair so Brynna could help with the aftermath. After the stockings were off, she poured the water from the pitcher into the bowl. I stuck my feet in and she helped get the rest of the mud off. We’d have to figure out a way to craftily dispose of the dirty water. Dumping it down one of the common privies in the keep was the first thing that came to mind.

  “Are you excited for your wedding?” I asked Brynna. She smiled heartily and nodded.

  “Oh yes. We don’t intend to make a great scene, but with your brother being the chief dame’s nephew she demanded we have a lovely wedding in the gardens of Bexweth Abbey. I wish the chapel was done here, but it will probably take another few years before they finish construction. I think it’s nice that the people of the village have been contributing their time so much in helping with it,” Brynna told me. She helped me into the clean clothes that were laid out on the bed.

  Once I was fully dressed I inquired more, “Have you received all the help you need in arranging it?” I wondered. I had never seen a wedding before and it all was new and exciting.

  “I think so. Your mother and aunt both volunteered their time to help. We have already asked Barri to officiate. The other monks are too quiet and I’m afraid to talk to them. They seem like they are perfectly fine being quiet and reclusive. They don’t want us to do anything with flowers and such, being it at the abbey. They want it simple. We have been given the ability to have the feast afterward in their abbey so that will help. I didn’t want to delay it and have it here. As much as I like living in the keep, I’ve seen enough of it. All I want now is to spend the rest of my life with Logan.”

  “What will you do?” I inquired. “The only thing you’ve known is how to be a maiden. I know you would be a housewife, but surely you had more in mind.”

  “I decided that I would sell my knits and needlework to the merchants. For the men who have lost their wives, they have no one to sew for them. I was thinking I could even set up a small shop to darn socks and make clothes. You know I’m really good at it,” Brynna answered. I agreed with her. She was quite adept with her hands. Another reason why she was a good fit with Logan. Although he only had one hand, he made up for it.

  “I better be off to find the chief dame. I’m sure she has more work in store for me,” I said, hopping off to the door.

  “What about any men in your life?” she asked me. “You aren’t exactly getting younger.” I stopped in my tracks.

  “There is one. I don’t know if I’ll see him,” I said, my mouth suddenly dry. Shivers raced up my arms and my heart rate increased as I thought about Theron.

  “What do you mean? It’s not as though the people in the village are hiding.” Brynna giggled. I couldn’t join in her joviality. Instead I shook my head.

  “Nevermind,” I said as I walked out of the door. I went to look for the chief dame in the keep. As I did, I couldn’t help wondering about the last letter I had received. It was the one where Theron said that he was interested in the apothecary job.

  Chapter 8

  Theron The Healer

  Talfrin was in bad sorts. The chief dame, knowing I was capable with herbs, told me to help him in his shop until an apprentice or replacement was found. She had put a request out to the neighboring clans as one of their apprentices might be able to carry on here.

  The old man could barely lift his arm to place the bottles and leather pouches on the shelves in his store. He would have to hand them to me and I would have to stretch sometimes to reach, or enlist the assistance of a stool. I was glad that it was Joyai, for summer months didn’t take their toll on him as much. He had more energy now, but the arm didn’t want to cooperate with him. I was helping him in the store and Eclipse was curled up in a corner, being a good and quiet cat.

  “If only you were my apprentice,” the old man told me, handing me a pouch full of chamomile. With all the new growth in the village it was always good to have plenty of extra to ease the pains of childbirth.

  “It could only have been in secret, but I’ve already made my choice. I’m a maiden now. I couldn’t imagine what my parents would think of me taking on a male role in the village,” I said, putting the pouch made by Logan on a shelf next to the comfrey plant, imported from Fanarion.

  “Don’t you feel trapped? You always have to be at the chief dame’s side, don’t you?” he asked me.

  I nodded, “It could be worse. I’m hoping it will help me after Lunamae gets married—to be matched up with a suitable husband. I would like for my aunt to get to know me better. I think if I was very serious and asked her if I could leave the service, she might let me. I don’t want to touch that subject unless I would absolutely have to,” The chief dame was not as crass as she used to be. She had softened up quite a bit since Mawth. Still, being a maiden was considered quite a high honor and one not to be disposed of lightly.

  “I’ll be out in the back laying down if you need me,” Talfrin said. “If you could, there are some empty pouches that need refilling. The herbs should all be hanging around the shop. I think I have taught you well enough to sort them yourself.” I bobbed my head. I truly had learned much from my travels with Talfrin and Lunamae over the years. I was quite capable of doing it myself and it would give me ideas of what I needed for my herb chest. Talfrin went into the back room and shut the door so I set to my task diligently.

  After getting the pouches filled, I decided I might as well put them up on the shelves for Talfrin since I knew he wasn’t able to do that. I heard footsteps behind me and so I greeted the person.

  “How can I help you?” I asked, stretching my arm to put up one of the last pouches.

  “I’m looking to fill the position of apothecary, if it’s still open. I wasn’t aware women were allowed to work in these kinds of places,” I heard the man say. I knew that accent. It was of Fanarion. I turned around quickly and was met with the gaze of a familiar face.

  “Theron?!” I said, surprised. “What are you doing here?” My face flushed from the unexpected appearance. The fact that we had been exchanging letters and it had been so long since we had seen each other and when we had seen each other I was barely dressed. The circumstances only added to my tenseness. I wasn’t sure how to react. I wanted to hug him, but I felt awkward, so I stood there. Gawking.

  “Muirenn, I would ask you the same thing. I thought you were a maiden, not an apothecary’s assistant,” he said with a chuckle. I took in his appearance. He wasn’t wearing the traditional Fanarion garb, probably since the climate was a bit milder here and he wanted to blend in better. Instead, he had a jacket, undershirt, and britches. For some reason, it was an irresistible sight.

  “I’m assisting Talfrin, he’s in the back resting,” I explained nervously, pointing to the back room’s doorway. The door was still shut. “The chief dame gave me permission to assist him until a suitable replacement arrived. He will still be able to instruct if you need any help.”

  “You know that I have a good knowledge of herb lore,” Theron said, brushing his hand past his curly brown hair. He was carrying a large pack with him that he shifted.

  “You don’t need that though,” I said, implying his use of healing without herbs.

  “It still needs to be kept a secret when possible,” he warned, although he pointed his finger at me in a cheerful manner. “People might abuse the knowledge.”

  “Did you want to talk to Talfrin?” I asked, moving towards the door. “I don’t think he would mind you. I mean, I would like it if you got the job over other people.”

  “Yes, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble,” he said, dropping the pack nearby. He touched his own arm and then sighed in relief.

  “It works with your own
self?” I said while knocking on the door. I heard Talfrin get up.

  “Yes. Sometimes I have to pretend to be sick to keep the secret,” Theron said. “Can I meet you somewhere later to talk?”

  “Across the bridge at the eleventh hour would work. The chief dame would be in bed by then,” I answered, my heart flipping in my chest. Suddenly I was giddy with anticipation. Talfrin opened the door and I introduced the two of them, not mentioning I had known Theron. Theron purposely did not shake hands, knowing that might hinder his progress at being an apothecary since he would have healed Talfrin’s arm. After the two had formally met, I excused myself to go explain the situation to the chief dame. I wanted to let her know Talfrin didn’t need help any longer. I woke up Eclipse who just yawned and mewed for a pet. I gave him one and then picked him up to lead him to the keep.

  “What has gotten into you?” Morwenna asked me, her sweet voice edged on shock.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, surprised. I had been in the sewing room for quite a while with the rest of the maidens, working on my tapestry, and I had realized I was humming to myself. I looked about the room and noticed everyone looking at me, including the chief dame.

  “You are acting strange,” she said, lifting a thread through her cloth. I worked the loom, threading each row carefully and then beating the row to lie flat with the previous one.

  “Oh?” I asked, sheepishly.

  “Ever since you’ve been in here today you’ve been a bit happier than usual. You act like a woman who has been courting,” she said plainly. I swallowed hard, hoping to not let out my secret.

  “I’m glad to be doing something different,” I said, trying to imply my latest workings with the apothecary. As truth is told, making a tapestry was much more tedious.

  “Perhaps she is only happy that Talfrin has found someone to replace him. A well-rounded sort I hear,” the chief dame said, working on the last bit of embroidery before she was to get up for bed. She finished with a coy smile. “Although he is male.”

  “Nonsense,” I said. “Can’t I be happy for a change?”

  “If you must,” Tegan said shortly. “Just keep your humming to yourself.” The women got up to escort the chief dame to her quarters and I put down the loom. I followed them out, noting that the bell of the night watchman rang ten times. Eclipse trotted proudly behind me.

  I assisted with the chief dame’s wash and helped get her into her bedclothes and then into bed and was dismissed. I went downstairs instead of going back to my apartment, hoping that I wasn’t late. I hadn’t heard the bell but it’s very hard to in the chief dame’s quarters. The only thing you could hear in there is the horn of the village guards.

  I left the keep and went over the bridge, Eclipse in my arms. I thought the bridge would be the best spot. There would be no way for my mother or father to see me and no way for Lunamae either. I hadn’t seen her much since her fourteenth birthday. With the Kyrians back home there wasn’t a reason for her to see me every day. I missed her, but I had continued to write letters to Theron and I had Eclipse who kept me company.

  I had never bothered to think about whether an animal’s mind would affect the bridge, but I assumed the mages had thought of that when they enchanted it. I scurried across and then waited for Theron. He was already there, however, waiting for me behind some bushes. He didn’t want to stir up suspicious attention. I put Eclipse down and walked to him. He embraced me and held my head in his hands. A shiver of excitement trickled down my spine.

  “I have been thinking of you daily,” he said in a hushed tone. “I didn’t know if you had met anyone since my last letter. I didn’t know if the position was still available.”

  I whispered back, “It’s been a long year.” He removed his hands and stroked my hair, which I had worn down as I nestled myself next to him. We were both sitting on the grass, not worrying at all if there was dirt below to soil our clothes.

  “Nearly a year,” he corrected.

  “Yes. I couldn’t send another letter as quickly as I would have liked. You see, since I’m a maiden now, I can only leave the chief dame’s side if I am dismissed or if she is in bed,” I told him. We sat down on the grass next to each other, not worrying at all if there was dirt below to soil our clothes. Eclipse skittered right into my lap and curled up after pawing the area.

  “What of us?” he asked. “I know we didn’t part on good terms, at least with your mother. I wonder if there could be a future between us, now that I’m no longer a lowly servant.”

  “There is nothing permanent that I can see. While you aren’t a servant anymore, you still are only an apothecary. I don’t see how that would work. They would most likely want me married off to another country or a clan,” I said, my voice solemn.

  “What if I could change their minds?” he asked me softly.

  “How?” I wondered.

  “Later. I have a plan and I know it will work. Also, I have some documents from the royal family regarding Alexo, and myself,” he told me, repositioning himself in the grass.

  “Alexo? So did they want him to marry Lunamae?” I asked Theron. He just shrugged his shoulders.

  “I wouldn’t dare break the seal on the letter but I didn’t hear them discuss him,” he responded, and got up from the ground. He offered his hand to me which I took. Little shivers scattered between my fingers. “You should go to bed and I need to go back to the apothecary shop. Talfrin had suggested that I sleep in there on the floor which would be fine by me. Perhaps after I talk to the chief dame about my new position she’ll help me with something more suitable. I have enough coin for a house.”

  “You are lucky you have that letter. I don’t know if the chief dame has seen you, but if my mother knew you were here she’d try to kick you out,” I said with a giggle. I realized Theron was still holding my hand. I didn’t mind. I let him guide me over the bridge, making sure to remind him to think about something that wasn’t about himself or what he was trying to achieve so he just started counting. As soon as we crossed the bridge I let go of his hand. Even though the only people around were the night watchmen, I didn’t want anyone to see me. Eclipse padded along behind us.

  “I hope to see you later. By the way, it looks as though your cat has grown up well,” he said to me. I nodded with a smile. As he left, my heart dropped. Why did I have to be so important? Why couldn’t they marry off Lunamae and be done with it? I didn’t want to marry a stranger. Well, Lunamae would have to. I understood finally how she felt. She wanted to be with Marcus but couldn’t.

  I entered the keep, picked up my cat, and headed up to my apartment. By the time I arrived, the new maiden I shared it with was asleep. Emylyn was her name. She was the daughter of the candlemaker. I hadn’t had much time to get to know her but we did seem to get on well. She was petite compared to me. She had auburn hair that she liked to keep curled around her head in tight braids. On special occasions, such as Brynna’s wedding—which was wonderful—she let it down. I missed Brynna as she was much more talkative.

  I poured some water for Eclipse and made sure he had adequate food in his bowl. I had decided it was so much easier to feed him if I had the food and water in my chamber. The cat started to lap the water and then munched on the morsels hungrily.

  Emylyn was snoring blissfully as I hopped into the bed beside hers. All the excitement led to several minutes of tossing and turning, wondering what plan Theron had. I had such a feeling of completeness with him nearby. It was hard to explain. I had only known him for seven months. It seemed like so much longer. When he wrote, I tried to imagine his voice. It was so much better to be able to hear it in person now. When I finally dozed off I imagined what life would be like if I was allowed to marry him.

  Chapter 9

  Death and Life

  “I think he’s dying,” Theron told the chief dame. We were in the hall of duty and the chief dame was seated on her throne. I stood beside her as did the other maidens. It was a windy afternoon in Aust and Talfrin wa
s getting worse now as his age was catching up with him. Theron had taken over the shop completely. He had his own house now and had been checking in on Talfrin frequently. “I think he knows it as well. He’s in bed now if you would like to visit him.”

  “You have tried all the herbs you can think of to help him into the afterlife?” the chief dame asked. “So he can meet the Creator in peace?”

  “Yes, Chief Dame,” Theron replied.

  “Then I will accompany you to visit him. Muirenn, I know you were close. You may come as well. The rest of the maidens may be dismissed,” the chief dame instructed. I followed her lead, wanting to ask Theron why he didn’t heal Talfrin. “I will be a moment; I think your cat, Eclipse, should stay up in my apartment until we get back. You can wait here Muirenn.” The chief dame went up to her apartment, carrying my cat with her, and I was left alone with Theron.

  “Why can’t you heal him?” I asked. Talfrin was a longtime friend. He was also a very good teacher and I didn’t want him to pass from this world just yet.

  “I can’t grant immortality Muirenn. I could heal his arm, sure, but it won’t make him live any longer. He’s old and it’s his time. It’s natural,” Theron explained lovingly, putting his arm around me. “He’s had a good, long life.”

  “You don’t even believe in the Creator. Where do you think he will go when he dies?” I suddenly asked, curious. I broke from his embrace to confront him.

  “I don’t really dwell on such things. I try to enjoy life instead,” Theron stated.

  “But surely there is something more? You don’t have a hope there is more?” I wondered with interest.

  “I suppose. Perhaps I should talk to Barri since he’s been knocking on my door often asking about my ‘spiritual well-being’. He seems like a good enough sort,” Theron said. The chief dame started down the stairs. I could hear the footsteps by her shoes.