Blood and Water_The Lionheart Province

by J. R. Castle

  Before she reached the cottage, a scream came from inside. Kardia raced for the back entrance. But before she entered, she hid the mandolin behind the woodpile. First, she’d see what had startled her mother, then she’d share her story. Most likely she had gotten her skirts too close to the hearth again and caused them to smolder.

  “Mother?” Kardia called out as she entered the darkened home. “Mother, what’s wrong?”

  “Kardia, come quick. I fear I’m hallucinating, child. Come quick, I say!”

  She rushed into the main room where Mother stood with a basket in her hands. Small golden disks fell from the top and clattered over the floor. “Mother? Where did you get that basket?”

  “Foolish child, it is our gathering basket. I had just finished emptying it of the few goods I was able to acquire today. When I came to put it back on the shelf, I found this!” She thrust the wicker container into Kardia’s hands. It truly did brim over with gold pieces.

  “Are they real?” She took one and examined it, not recognizing the symbol on the front and back. Instead of the tree as was the standard mark on what few pieces of gold she had seen, these had an odd five-pointed shape. “Is that a star?”

  Mother took one of the coins and examined it. Her eyes widened, and she threw it onto the floor. “That is a sorcerer’s mark!”

  Kardia gasped. Had the visitor been a sorcerer? But a sorcerer wouldn’t have been able to make the White Tree grow, no matter how powerful he was. None of this made sense. She looked around the room and noticed that every empty container they owned was filled with the same coins. “Mother, look!” She pointed to the bowls setting over the hearth mantel.

  Mother let out another startled scream. She began to race around, finding more and more places, drawers, pots, and boxes filled with the same kind of marked coins.

  She stopped her frantic searching and stood dumbfounded over a crate. Scooping the gold into her hand, she straightened, staring down at the glittering coins as they spilled from between her long fingers. “What have you been up to today, child?” Her furious glare turned toward Kardia.

  “Nothing, Mother. Except we did have a visitor. But he…couldn’t have…done this. He was begging for food, that is all.”

  “And did you send him on his way?” She dropped the coins and swooped across the room, grasping Kardia’s arms in her tight grip. “Did you tell him we are as destitute as he? Tell me you did not strike any bargains with a stranger.” Mother gave her a hard shake. “Tell me what happened.”

  “He asked for a piece of fruit from that old White Tree. He…he gave me a mandolin in trade. That is all, Mother, I swear it.”

  Her mother’s hand smacked the side of her head. “Stupid girl, what stories! This isn’t like you, Kardia. That tree hasn’t produced fruit in five years. Why would he trade for nothing? And where is this…this…”

  “I do not lie, Mother. I left it outside by the woodpile. I’ll go get it.” She started for the back door, wanting to put as much distance between her furious mother and herself as possible. “He was able to make the tree grow a fruit. I watched it with my own eyes.”

  Mother’s fists clenched as she screamed. “Such lies! Why are you doing this, Kardia? You are not one to tell falsehoods. What has gotten into you?”

  Before Kardia could protest her mother’s accusations, the front door burst open as Dadda rushed in breathless. Sweat poured down the sides of his face and caused his shirt to cling to his chest. “What is this ruckus? I heard screaming all the way from the bridge. I ran home fast as I could, what has hap—” His eyes bulged as he took a look around their home. Baskets were turned over. Bowels lay across the floor among the gold coins that carpeted the dirt floors.

  He let out a gasp, pressing his hands to the sides of his face. “It’s true. He was not playing a joke on me.” Her father fell to his knees and began scooping the coins up. “There’s so much. More than I imagined.” His laughter was just as frightening as Mother’s screams.

  Kardia hunkered in a corner of the room, trying to remain hidden. This was not her doing. She’d only given the stranger access to their tree, he did the rest. She’d made no bargains. He’d given her the instrument by his own free will. Darnel couldn’t be a sorcerer. Perhaps he was elfin like from the tales Dadda often told on winter nights while they huddled around the fire. Or maybe he was of the race of powerful Beings that inhabited the White City. She’d loved those stories most.

  No such Creatures, Fae, or Beings had entered their town in ages. All Creature and Fae had left the Province long ago, from what she’d been told.

  Darnel had been a handsome man. The few magicians that traveled through their town on occasion frightened her with their strange markings and their inexplicable tricks they conjured. She didn’t like them and was glad when the Prior had chased them away.

  But he was gone now, and there was nobody here to stop those leeches, as Prior Johnnes would call them, from entering their town.

  “What have you done, Wilhelm?” Mother was asking. “This is your doing, foolish man? Tell me you did not strike a deal with…with…”

  “He looked like an ordinary traveler, Asmita. Be calm, my dear and let me explain.” He poured the coins he’d collected into the nearest basket and began to sweep up the remaining spilled mintage. “Come Kardia, help your Dadda clean this up. I will explain everything.” His smile was contagious. If Dadda was excited about this bounty, it must be good. She hurried over to help him right the turned containers.

  “We need to put these somewhere safe, somewhere nobody can see them for now. Can you imagine what might happen if others know of our wealth?” He patted Kardia’s back, still grinning. “We’ve expected this, haven’t we? A change of season, yes? Haven’t we waited and hoped? Fortune has smiled on us this day, my dearest girl. Let us gather it all up, put it somewhere safe and then I’ll explain everything.”

  While she helped her father collect all the gold into bags they used to store grain in, Mother worked on preparing their meager meal, not wishing to touch the cursed gold. She was so sure it would bring them terrible harm. But Kardia so believed in her father, she not once doubted his enthusiasm. As they worked, he excitedly talked about what good this bounty would bring.

  “We can purchase grain and seed. This comes at the perfect time for summer planting, don’t you see? Somehow, we’ve been granted a favor, my dears. I pondered on this all the way home.” Dadda sat back on his haunches as his green eyes grew dreamy. “I’d feared the traveler’s request was a farce. But then, I dared to allow myself to think…what if? What if he was speaking the truth? What if we would be rich beyond our most outlandish dreams?” He laughed again, grabbing Kardia’s head and smacking a kiss on her forehead.

  “And as I considered it, I began to make plans. What would I do if money were no longer a hindrance? And I thought to myself, ‘Why Will, you’d bless the town with it, you would.’ And that’s what I aim to do. I will use our bounty to bring our town back from the brink of death.”

  He stood and turned to Mother. “Can you imagine it, dear Asmita? I will send out trustworthy men to purchase goods and seed for the town. In turn, when their production yields, they will give me a percentage of their bounty. We wouldn’t even need to worry about doing the backbreaking work ourselves, would we? Imagine, can’t you? I’ll purchase new livestock that the butcher can raise on his land. And new horses for the livery. And that will give Carpenter Ellis work again. We might even get our Healers, Miltie and Mr. Tillus, to come out of their seclusion.” He patted down his rumpled vest with pockets sagging with gold.

  “But Wilhelm,” Mother reasoned, wagging her wooden spoon at him. “Have you seen the mark on those coins? Who will trade such—”

  “My dear, gold is gold. Nobody in our surrounding area would dare turn their noses up to it. We will trade with those outside of Rodonal, if necessary. Who cares if it’s been melted down and pressed with a different mark? It all comes from the same place and can b
e spent in the same manner as the tree coins.” He shook his head, chuckling. “Do not fret yourself, but admit, this is a grand day for all of us. Admit you were wrong to scoff at our hoping and waiting, my dear.” He moved around the table and took her in his arms. Kissing her neck and causing her to giggle, he said again, “admit that I have come through for us and you don’t know what you’d do without me?”

  Finally, Mother relented and hugged Dadda back. “I do not know what we’d do without you my wonderful Wilhelm, and I pray I’ll never find out.” She sighed and pushed him away. “However, you have yet to explain how this miracle happened. Why are we bursting at the seams with gold coins?”

  Dadda stepped away and moved toward the window that overlooked their garden and yard behind the mill. “I do not really understand it myself, wife. He said he was looking for a bit of land and wished to trade. Said he would pay handsomely for the land behind our mill and everything that is upon it.”

  Kardia’s heart iced over. “What do you mean, Dadda?”

  He turned to face them. “What I mean, my precious is that he specifically wished for the land that old dead tree grew upon and everything that was upon it. I made sure he did not wish to take our homes or the mill from us. He assured me he only wished for the acre of land beside the river. He even knew the tree was dying and did not care. Said it should be chopped down anyway.”

  Kardia raced to the window. “You promised to give him everything that was near the tree when you made the deal? Was that the specific request?” To her horror, the last few leaves had fallen from the branches that had suddenly begun to turn black. Her hands flew to her mouth. “Dadda, when did you make this deal?”

  “Oh, it wasn’t too long after I reached the forest that I happened upon the fellow, traveling by caravan. We talked for some time. He had caught a rabbit and was roasting it. Offered to share a bite with me.” Dadda glanced at his wife with a sheepish expression. “I tried to find the warren where the man caught that one, but the day was waning, and I needed to hurry about to collect our wood. I fear, when I heard your call for help, I abandoned the bundle to rush home.”

  Kardia gripped the base of the window, her knuckles turning white from her attempt to hold on. Her head swam so fast with her racing thoughts she had to lean against the wall to steady her weak legs. Had Darnel lured her to that spot on purpose, or was it a coincidence? He’d kept her there for some time, hadn’t he? On purpose or… but why?

  Dadda continued explaining to Mother, “But it’s no loss, is it? We’ve made our trade and now are the wealthiest family in Goia. Tomorrow I will go speak to the remaining council and begin negotiations.

  A small cry escaped Kardia’s mouth. This couldn’t be! None of it made sense.

  “Kardia,” Mother rushed to her side, turning her away from the window. “Why are you white as snow? What… oh, but you never finished telling me your story. What happened to today?”

  Somehow, Kardia managed to explain about the stranger’s trade and how she spent the afternoon sitting under the tree playing the beautiful mandolin.”

  Dadda rushed out the back door and returned with the instrument. “She tells the truth. But the tree? Did he really…?”

  Kardia reached into her pocket and withdrew the seed, holding it in the palm of her hand as she showed them. “Yes, he did. I was under the tree, Dadda. I was there nearly all day.” Her voice cracked.

  Mother cried out, hugging Kardia to her chest. “Wilhelm, tell me you did not trade our daughter for gold. Tell me it’s not so!”

  Dadda turned away, pressing his hands to his face as he shook his head. For a long moment he stood silently, eyes wide as he stared at the sea of glittering disks surrounding his feet.

  Finally, he let out a long wail. “Oh, dear Shaydon, what have I done?” Dadda called out, raising his fist in the air. He paced across the tiny room, knocking over the bags they’d just filled. The clattering of coins was like thunder in Kardia’s ears.

  “No, no!” Dadda shouted. “I’ll take it all back. We will gather up every last coin, and pile them into the cart. I will pull it myself like the mule that I am. And I will return every last bit.”

  Mother released her and grabbed the front of his shirt. “You will do no such thing. If you go back on your oath, he will kill you as sure as the sun rises every morning. Nobody crosses a sorcerer without paying with their life.”

  Dadda wrapped both of them in his arms. “What will we do, Asmita? I will not give that man our daughter! Our only child. It’s out of the question.”

  “When will he come to collect?” Mother asked.

  Kardia didn’t hear the answer. Her mind scrambled with the thought that some stranger would soon come to take her away. That she’d been traded for gold that wasn’t even kingdom gold. This was more than she could accept and before Dadda answered, her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor, falling into complete darkness.

  Chapter Three

  Had he really heard her playing the mandolin? Darnel was sure he’d imagined the sound. Perhaps nothing more than the wind in the trees or a song of a bird. There was no way she could play such beautiful music with a broken string.

  He raced across the bridge, after making sure the coast was clear and hoped Master had finished with his task. Either way, Darnel had done his part. He’d drawn the girl to the clearing, kept her beneath the tree for as long as possible. Now she remained idly passing her time…playing the broken instrument. How had she fixed it so quickly? Surely, she did not carry spare string in her pocket!

  “Oh blast, never mind it all. I’m done and will not think of her again.” At least he hoped not. But when he returned to camp, Fajer was waiting with a satisfied grin on his face as he lounged beside the roaring fire. The sun was nearly set, and Darnel hoped he’d found something for their dinner.

  Collapsing onto his mat, he stared up at the darkening sky, finding the moon star hanging directly over their head. Spring would be there soon, and he was ready for the warmer temperatures. “Well?” Darnel asked, “Did you get what you wanted?”

  Fajer lit his pipe and leaned back against the rear stoop of their caravan. “Indeed, I did.”

  Darnel rose up onto his elbow, watching his master through the flickering flames. He imagined him burning, but then dispelled the thought before the sorcerer detected his dark mood.

  For now, Darnel reasoned, he had much to learn. But one day… hopefully not too far in the future…. “What do we do now?”

  “We wait. I will return to collect the Sano in when two full seasonal cycles have passed. By then, her powers come into their full state.” Fajer puffed on his pipe. “There is a bit of rabbit stew left if you are still hungry.” He leaned forward, elbows on knees. “After your, um, last meal.” His laugh was grating and full of menace. “To eat a healing fruit when it wasn’t needed. I’m surprised it did not kill you, fool. How long were you able to keep it down?”

  Darnel’s throat went dry. Fajer knew exactly what he’d done and to deny it would cost him greatly. Hopefully, he’d not seen him make the fruit grow. Most likely, that blasted cardinal, Marlin reported what had happened.

  Better to admit a little, act like it was nothing, and hope he’d not have to deal his death blow just yet. There was still much he hoped to get out of Fajer. “Not long. But my little trick kept her near the tree, did it not? Which enabled you to make your deal? Correct?”

  Fajer’s violet eyes narrowed, they were like uncut Amethyst and as strange to behold as the markings covering his bald head and hands. The markings of his Brethren of sorcerers. The Solstice Circle, as they called themselves.

  He stood and knocked the dottle from his pipe. “I sense your thoughts, Grunt. Do not become so arrogant to believe you will ever obtain the upper-hand over me. I know you are powerful, but your powers do not equal the Brethren.”

  Darnel held his breath. Exactly how much did Fajer know about him? Surely not his lineage. That would be impossible, wouldn’t it?

/>   Fajer leaned against the door of the caravan. “I keep you with me because I find you interesting and believe someday you will also be a powerful sorcerer, though you have much to learn, I dare say. Watch yourself, Grunt. I can be a patient man, but I’m no rube that can be taken advantage of. To bring harm to me would curse you for the rest of your miserable life. When you agreed to become my apprentice, you bound yourself to me.”

  Darnel glanced down at his hands, wondering if the wizard had somehow been able to leave a mark on him. He’d denied becoming one of the Brethren for that exact reason. He would not be bound to anyone as they were to each other. Fajer had to be bluffing.

  A slow smile crossed Fajer’s face before he actually laughed and waved his hand. “Enough of this, my boy. I like your cunning, and I see potential in you. Release your dark thoughts. Cast them to the wind. You will indeed learn much from me. I swear upon my order that killing me will not advance your desires one measure.”

  He moved toward Darnel, hand outstretched. “Let us be friends. I apologize for my severity earlier. Keep your past a secret for now, if you wish. But let us work together for what we both want. Which is more power.” He fisted his hand. “Is it not, my cautious pupil?”

  Darnel gave a nod. It was what he wanted. More knowledge- which he’d been denied by his father’s people, the Curians. And more power. Or at least, a better understanding of what he possessed from his Logorian blood.

  He would never lower his guard with Fajer, but he would stay and do as asked, without the deathly thoughts haunting his dreams. Taking Master’s hand, he nodded again. “It will be as you wish, Master. I have and continue to pledge my allegiance to you.”