by Linda McNabb
After a few minutes she pulled her knees up and sat on the edge of the bed. Her head spun and her neck ached. She massaged her neck as her mind started to clear a little. In the darkness she could just make out something by the door. Was it a person? A sliver of light crept around the edges of the door but that meant nothing. Was it day or night? Had she slept a short time or a whole day?
Rem stood up and went to the window. She pulled the curtain away from the window and the room was flooded with light. Rem’s answer was immediate, it was well into the day. The sun was high in the sky and it streamed into the room.
The ‘person’ she had seen by the door was just a dress, hanging from a hook on the back of the door. It was a very elegant, and probably very uncomfortable, dress and Rem had a sinking feeling that it was meant for her to wear. She walked over to it and saw a piece of paper pinned to it.
There were just four letters on the paper and they meant nothing to her.
R.R.F.F
A knock at the door made her jump and she cleared her throat before opening it ever so slightly and looking out The Gap. A young girl stood there and she looked nervous as she dropped her gaze to the floor.
‘Yes?’ Rem queried.
‘Your father would like to see you in the drawing room,’ the girl replied without looking up. ‘Your clothes are hanging on the door’
‘Yes, I saw the dress,’ Rem muttered a little sourly. ‘I’ll be down in a while.’
‘I’m Tess, I’m to help you dress, Miss,’ the girl said.
‘I’ll be fine. I know how to dress myself,’ Rem assured her, and shut the door.
Rem sighed and unbuttoned the green cloak that she had worn on Delantia. As she removed it her riding clothes and sword were visible. A mirror hung on the wall at the far end of the room and Rem had to admit that she looked the picture of a dragon rider if there ever was one.
This dress was what she was expected to wear here though and she squeezed into it with some effort.
Rem tugged on the clothes, which consisted of a green tight-fitting undergarment and a red and gold dress that hugged her so tightly that she wondered how she was supposed to breathe. She began to regret the offer of help to dress as she was out of breath by the time she managed to get it all in place. A matching red and gold headdress covered her spiky hair and most of her tattoo, making her look almost ‘normal’ as far as Deek society was concerned. With high peaked shoulders of gold and a raised golden peak on her headdress, she felt like she was someone else entirely. How she was supposed to walk in the narrow dress was a mystery and she wriggled her feet into the soft red shoes that sat by the chair. She felt like laying down for a rest after all that but she doubted she would be able to stand again due to the stiffness of the outfit.
She took a deep breath, well, as deep as she could in the confining dress, and headed for the door. She left the sword on the bed. She doubted anyone would be able to steal it even if they tried as she knew she was the only one who could lift it.
After a dozen steps she worked out how to walk without toppling over and it was with dainty steps that she walked along the hallway and down the stairs. She would not be sorry to see the back of this dress!
Tess was waiting in the downstairs hallway and looked relieved to see her dressed appropriately.
‘This way, or do you remember where the drawing room is?’ Tess asked.
‘I was five last time I was here. I don’t remember anything,’ Rem replied. Neither statement was a lie but gave a completely different impression when put together.
‘The last door at the end of this corridor. Call for me if you need anything,’ Tess said, pointing the way, then withdrawing through another door.
Rem felt nervous for the first time since she had been waiting for StarFire to hatch. Dressed like this she didn’t feel like she was in control. She missed the comforting weight of the sword on her back and she felt her heart ache a little at the thought of never seeing StarFire again. She heaved out a sigh of frustration. Of course she was going to see StarFire, for she was going to take Caden back to the mainland and there would be no returning here after that.
Several night-shadows lay in the hallway near the door to the drawing room and they both sat up and looked at her with interest as she came near. One of them, the largest one who seemed familiar, cocked his head as if he didn’t like the change in her appearance. She did not feel any fear as she walked up and put her hand on the great cat’s head. She scratched gently behind his ear and was rewarded with a deep purr.
The door to the drawing room was open a little and she could see several people walking about. She was about to knock when a sharp shout of anger made her hesitate. The cats pricked up their ears and looked unsettled. The voice belonged to a man and he was clearly very cross.
‘I demand you show me now!’
Rem peered through the crack in the doorway and saw an older man slam his fist down on a table and glare across the room.
Kranos’ reply was calm and quiet. ‘The council will meet tomorrow and I will reveal all about the well at that time.’
‘Some of us are desperate. We have very little magic left and soon we will have to resort to doing things without magic like the peasants in the lower city.’
‘The night-shadows dispersed enough to last for weeks in their last delivery,’ Kranos said. ‘Did you not receive your allotment, Frar?’
There was a strangled sound as if the man wanted to shout but was trying to restrain himself. When he finally spoke Rem could see that it was through gritted teeth. ‘Yes, but it isn’t enough. I need more! A lot was used to bring your family back from the mainland. We all had to give towards your return. I hope it was worth the cost. My children will suffer because of it.’
‘Have patience my dear Frar. There will soon be more than enough magic for everyone.’
‘Everyone? Surely you don’t mean to give magic to the lower city?’ Frar looked horrified.
Rem moved slightly so that her father came into view. He stared at the man. ‘Why not? There will be enough to go around, forever!’
‘But who will serve us if they are equal to us in magic?’ Frar sounded stunned and shook his head furiously as if that would change Kranos’ mind.
‘The council meeting is the time to discuss all of this,’ Kranos said.
‘And where have you hidden this well? What if someone steals it before then?’ Frar asked, as he looked around the room, peering into corners and under tables. Rem had to retreat quickly as the man’s gaze slipped past the open door. ‘I heard that you carried nothing across the bridge with you. Where is it?’
‘The well is safe.’ Kranos appeared to be losing his patience. ‘Now, if you don’t mind I have things to attend to. It’s been a long ten years since I was here.’
Rem retreated further and stood a short way down the corridor then started taking small steps towards the drawing room as she saw the door open further. She kept her gaze downcast and her expression blank, just like a good daughter should. That much she instinctively knew even though her memories had not returned.
If the council meeting was tomorrow then she had to make her move tonight and be long gone by morning.
Frar came blustering out of the room and almost tripped over the great cats who had not moved. He swore as he went to kick at them and they leapt out of the way. He noticed Rem and stopped suddenly. His fixed stare showed he was assessing her and didn’t care if she knew.
‘I heard that you looked more human than Yarris,’ he said, sounding puzzled. ‘But you look quite normal to me apart from that mark on your face.’
Rem nodded, not knowing if she was supposed to comment.
‘It’s nice to meet you,’ Rem said, offering her hand in the traditional handshake manner she had seen so many times while living at High Gate.
The man stared at her extended hand as if it might harm him.
‘How dare you insult me!’ he snapped.
Rem was confused. She wa
sn’t sure what she had done wrong and she took a step back as she heard footsteps coming from the drawing room.
‘Frar, please forgive me. I should have educated Arianna on our ways here,’ Kranos said, smiling broadly as he hurried to Rem’s side and put his arm around her. ‘She meant no harm. It is a common form of greeting with humans.’
‘They touch each other’s hands?’ he asked, still looking furious but now mixed with disbelief.
‘They have no magic,’ Kranos replied as if it explained everything.
‘Ah, I see,’ Frar said, letting out a sigh of relief. He gave Rem a pitying look. ‘I forgot that you had to spend so long with the humans.’
‘I’ll see that she understands our customs,’ Kranos assured the man and he nodded briefly then walked off muttering to himself.
Rem felt her face colour a little from embarrassment.
‘You don’t shake hands to greet someone here?’ she asked, knowing the answer, but not understanding what was so bad about it.
‘Let’s talk in more comfort than a hallway,’ Kranos said, ushering her towards the drawing room.
When the door was closed her father paced the room a little before he spoke.
‘You should be relieved that Frar did not take your hand. If he had he would know that you were human,’ Kranos explained.
‘He would?’ Rem asked, suddenly worried that she would be discovered before she could leave Deek.
‘The Yarris do not touch hands with strangers or any skin for that matter. Simply doing so allows the other person to draw on your magic. In a matter of heartbeats they could steal it all and leave you powerless.’
Rem just nodded. No wonder he was scared of her handshake!
‘Frar is not the first of the upper city residents to visit me today. It seems that everyone wants control of C… of the well, for themselves.’ Kranos frowned as he spoke as if the situation had come as a surprise to him and was unsure what to do about it.
Rem wished there was another way to solve this all without running off with Caden and losing her newly found family. She took a deep breath and decided it was worth a try.
‘Father, you know the well…’
Kranos tipped his head a little, seeing that she had something important to discuss. ‘Yes, child.’
‘Have you noticed… umm… that when life is given… umm… the well… looks older.’
Kranos looked to be considering her question for a few seconds, then shook his head. ‘Not really. It’s just like the cats, Ca… the well is just a channel for life, it doesn’t harm … the well.’
Talking in riddles appeared to be frustrating for Kranos and he waved his hand to show the discussion was over. ‘No more talk of wells. You don’t know who is listening around here. We should just be rejoicing that our people will continue to live. Our race has been saved.’
Rem looked at the relieved joy on her father’s face and knew that there was no way he would give up Caden willingly.
‘Where is my brother?’ she asked, hoping that if there was anyone listening they wouldn’t make the connection and would just assume she had changed the subject.
‘He’s out seeing the city with your mother. She is keen to show him off,’ Kranos said with a slight sigh.
‘Show him off?’ Rem queried.
‘Ah, yes, the male heir of the line inherits the title and rank of their father on Deek,’ Kranos looked a little embarrassed to admit that his daughter received nothing while the new pretend-son was legally entitled to everything. ‘If there was no son, then the daughter takes the throne, like my mother did. My brother and I are twins, as you may have guessed. Nobody knew which of us was first-born as we were so alike. The ascension to the throne was to be earned by the greatest deed to help our people. It seems I have now earned the title that my brother has been holding for me since our father passed away.’
‘Wizards die?’ Rem queried softly, looking nervously at the door. Anyone overhearing her asking such questions would know she wasn’t one.
‘Eventually, sooner if we use too much of our magic at once - for then we become human and age quickly like humans, but we can have accidents as well that we die from,’ Kranos explained.
‘Like poison?’ Rem asked with a flat expression.
‘Yes…’ Kranos pressed his lips together. ‘It must have been an accident. The wrong herbs in the evening tea perhaps…’
‘And how old are you?’ Rem asked.
Kranos shook his head. ‘I am young, almost five decades. I was named after my Great Grandfather. But it’s all the same after we reach fifty. Our bodies age very slowly from then on… as long as there is magic. Most of the elders died off before I was born. They used too much magic and became human. There are only one or two left. You met one last night, Moris. My mother’s generation were the children that grew up to continue our existence.’
‘Which is why you look the same age as Grandma Felise?’
‘Exactly,’ Kranos replied, looking pleased that she understood.
‘I was sent to the mainland to ensure a steady supply of the life-force we require to keep our magic going. The previous overseer was cruel and insisted the cats take much more life than was good for the humans. But now that we have the well we have no reason to go back to Delantia again.’
‘What if the well doesn’t like it here?’ Rem asked but her father dismissed the possibility with a gentle smile.
‘He will adjust quite quickly. It will be a good life for him. But onto more important subjects,’ he said. ‘You must be starving. You slept through both breakfast and the high-noon meal. I had food put aside for you and it will be brought here now that you’re awake.’
Rem nodded. She hadn’t even thought about food, but now that her father mentioned it, she was definitely hungry.
‘Oh, and Sufi will be here for a visit soon. I had no idea you would sleep this long so I agreed she could come after the high-noon meal.’
Rem frowned. ‘But I don’t remember her. I don’t remember anything.’
‘That’s okay. I’m sure she won’t expect you to remember much from when you were both five years old. She’s probably just lonely. There aren’t many young ladies your age in the upper city to talk to. You’ll get on just fine.’
Rem wasn’t so sure but her father had already turned towards the door and her lunch was arriving on a large silver tray. It was set down on a low table near the window and in a few seconds she was left alone. She walked over to the window and looked at the view. It was a remarkable one since they were so high on the island. Forest obscured the ramshackle houses at the base of the island but she had a view out to sea that seemed to go on forever. It was different shades of blue and green and there was no sign of any other islands. Several windows afforded similar views on different angles out to sea and Rem wondered which direction led to the mainland. She couldn’t see the hall where they had arrived and after a few minutes her thoughts returned to her empty stomach. She attempted to sit down next to the food but the dress was so stiff she doubted she would be able to get up again.
The lunch on the plate smelled delicious and she took a bite from a delicious looking apple. Within seconds she put the rest down. She might be physically hungry but the thought of eating made her feel ill. She forced down a few more bites of several delicacies on the plate and turned her attention back to the window.
‘It’s a beautiful sight,’ a voice said from behind her.
Rem turned and saw Sufi standing at the door. She was dressed in an outfit almost identical to Rem’s but in blue and silver instead of red and gold. Sufi smiled broadly. ‘I’m pleased to see the dress fits you.’
‘Oh, it was from you?’ Rem queried. She hadn’t even wondered why there was a dress there ready for her to wear.
‘But of course,’ Sufi said with a grin. ‘We always dressed alike. Don’t you remember? Didn’t you get my note?’
Rem grimaced inside. So much for Kranos’ idea that Sufi wouldn’t remember muc
h from ten years ago. She still had no idea what R.R.F.F meant and she definitely couldn’t ask Sufi.
‘Of course,’ Rem replied with a fixed smile.
Sufi hurried over, taking as large steps as the restrictive dress would allow and threw her arms around Rem. Rem blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected anything like this and she had no idea how to react. She didn’t much like physical contact but pushing Sufi away would cause too many questions.
Sufi eventually pulled away but as she did she paused and touched the small part of Rem’s necklace that showed above the high-necked dress.
‘Is that the necklace? Really? You still have it?’ Sufi was so excited she was almost bouncing as she stepped back and put her hand to her own neck. She withdrew a chain and pendant exactly the same as the one Rem had tucked inside her dress.
‘Of course,’ Rem said, wondering if repeating the same phrase would work throughout their reunion. She pulled the necklace out and held it loosely by part of the chain.
‘I thought you must have lost it. The magic wouldn’t work as soon as you left the island.’ Sufi was rubbing the pendant between two fingers, and Rem recognised that as the same action she had done many times over the years.
Sufi looked down at the pendant and squealed with delight so loudly that Rem stepped back half a step in surprise. Rem gulped as she saw golden words appear on the pendant and she leaned a little closer to read them.
‘Remember, Remember, Friends Forever.’
At least she knew what the note meant now. She realised that Sufi was chanting them at the same time and without thinking about it Rem raised her right hand and linked little fingers with Sufi. It seemed such a natural thing to do and as their fingers touched a memory came flooding back.
Rem didn’t recognise the room immediately but somehow she knew it was at Sufi’s house. They were sitting on a seat by a window and were exchanging necklaces, and promising to keep in touch forever. ‘I will talk to you every day through the necklace,’ Sufi was saying. Words glowed on both pendants as the girls chanted together. ‘Remember, Remember, Friends Forever.’
