She shrugged. “I agreed to the lessons last night because I still thought this was a dream and I was going to be waking up soon.”
“But now you realize that it’s reality?”
“I don’t know what to think, and hopefully it’ll give me enough distraction to figure it out. All I know is that I want to go home. I’ll have you know that I have a life. And while this Lady Dragon sounds nasty, she’s not my problem, and I wish I hadn’t been drug into it.”
“I am sorry that we’ve had to drag you into it since it bothers you so,” said Jakob.
She frowned. “Maybe I wasn’t scared last night, but that was because I thought it was a dream. Now it seems that it isn’t, and so I am scared. Terrified. I know that, in the books, kids always get to go home, and when they get back, no time at all has passed, but I can’t help but worry if it isn’t actually the case.”
“I’m sure that Alphego has everything under control and that you needn’t worry.”
“But I don’t know Alphego!”
“You don’t? I was under the impression that He existed in every world, though He goes by different names.”
She turned to the Hill. “Perhaps so, and perhaps I do know Him in my world, but the fact remains that I don’t know Him here, and I can’t help but worry. What if I’m gone for a long time? What if I die here? My friends – my parents would be distressed. I’m an only child. My mother was lucky to have me. If she were to lose me, it might break her completely.”
He was silent for several long moments. “Then I hope, for her sake, you return safely, and in good time. But for now, we need you here.”
“Can’t you just return me to my own world?”
“Unfortunately, we cannot,” said Jakob, with a shake of his head. “Only the Doorkeeper can open the doors between worlds, and she will only do it when it is your time to return.”
Clara turned back to Jakob. “The Doorkeeper?”
“It is assumed that she was the woman who brought you down from the mountain, though we can’t be certain.”
“I see. Well, I hope she decides soon that it’s my time to return.”
“I strongly suspect that it won’t be until you’ve vanquished the dragon, at least.”
Clara folded her hands at her waist and pinched her lips together as she searched for a reply. But before she could, he was speaking again.
“Know what? You are one of the strangest girls I’ve ever met.” Jakob sounded exasperated. “You clearly know how to fight, yet you deny it. You’re friendly and hostile at the same time. You wear that outfit…”
“What’s wrong with it?” asked Clara. “It was in the chest provided for me in my bedroom.”
“There’s nothing wrong with it exactly,” said Jakob. “But no one has worn that style in years. We sent you a chest of Essua’s clothing since she was about your size; I guess they didn’t realize that it was in there.”
“She wore things like this?”
“Usually for travel,” said Jakob. “We thought she had taken all of those dresses with her.”
“Seems she left one behind,” said Clara, shrugging. “And I found it.”
“And your maid let you wear it?” asked Jakob.
Clara shrugged again. “For all I know, Jasmine’s still asleep. I’m perfectly capable of dressing myself, so didn’t see the point in waking her.”
“You have Jasmine?” asked Jakob, his expression changing.
“Yes…” said Clara, drawing out the word. “Why?”
“Nothing, it’s just that that girl’s position here is precarious at best,” Jakob explained. “If Mother finds out that she slept in while you dressed yourself and wandered off, she’ll send her back to the village for certain.”
“Oh,” said Clara. She glanced over her shoulder. “I guess that means that I ought to get back to my room quickly, then?”
“It would be advisable,” said Jakob. “Do you need a guide back?”
Clara hesitated, not wanting to admit how hopelessly lost she was, and then nodded. “I would be honored, good sir.”
He snorted. “Follow me. One bit of advice though – if you’re going to pull off the helpless girl act, don’t wear that again.”
“Noted,” said she.
It didn’t take as long for him to get her back to her room as it had for her to get to “Alphego’s Hill” in the first place. Clara had obviously taken the scenic route.
The door was open when they got there. Clara clearly remembered closing it. Voices came from within.
“Too late,” said Jakob. “Well, I’ll leave you to pick up the broken pieces. Good luck to you.” And with that, he gave a slight bow and disappeared down the hall.
Clara took a deep breath and walked into her room and surveyed the damage. Jasmine was cowering in a corner, while Lady Roxanne stood over her, arms folded over her chest.
“Oh, oh please, ma’am,” Jasmine was protesting. “Please don’t send me back home. Momma’ll be so disappointed. I really meant to wake up with the Water Princess. I don’t know where she went.”
Lady Roxanne sighed and shook her head. “I’ve given you second chance after second chance,” she said, quietly. “I’m afraid this was your last one. You’ve only lasted so long because of your skill with hair, but it seems, even with that, you’re just not cut out for the role of a maid.”
“Excuse me,” Clara interrupted. “I believe that Jasmine’s sleeping in was my fault.”
Lady Roxanne turned around. “Good morning, Water Princess.” She gave Clara’s outfit a critical examination and turned back to Jasmine. “And just look what you made her wear!”
“I was looking for something that resembled the clothing I wear back home,” Clara pointed out, stalking forward. “Look, things are different where I come from. I’m not used to having a maid, and I am used to waking up very early and dressing myself.”
Lady Roxanne pressed her lips into a hard line. “Perhaps so, Water Princess, but Jasmine does know better.”
“But she didn’t know that I wake up very early, and I did my best to not wake her, not realizing it was necessary. I would prefer it if you did not use her ‘last chance,’ as you put it, on my mistake.”
Lady Roxanne studied Clara for several seconds. “Very well,” she said at last. “If you insist on keeping her, Water Princess, I suppose I cannot argue.” She turned back to Jasmine. “However, if it happens again, I shall have no choice but to send you back. See to it that she is attired properly.”
With that, she swept out of the room.
“Oh, Water Princess!” Jasmine cried, running up to Clara and throwing her arms around her waist. “Do you really mean it? Do you really mean that I can stay?”
“Of course,” said Clara, bending down and returning the hug. “Now, since this outfit isn’t acceptable, apparently, why don’t you go find me something else to wear? I have no idea what they have planned for me to do today, so just dress me however you deem best.
Chapter 5
Clara stared at the bow Sir Rigel had handed her. Yes, she knew exactly what to do with one, but right now, she was pretending to be clueless. She was trying to give herself time to think through what had just happened to her, and there was still the worry gnawing at the back of her mind that these people would prove hostile, and so it was best that she kept her skills in reserve.
“Doesn’t look very dangerous,” she said, at length.
“No, Your Highness, not on its own,” said Sir Rigel. “But when in the hands of a skilled marksman with plenty of arrows to go with it, it is a powerful weapon.”
“Oh,” said Clara, pulling at the string, frowning with dissatisfaction with how easily it gave. A beginner’s bow. “Harder to pull back than I always imagined it would be,” she said aloud.
“A good bowman can bend a bow three times its strength,” said Sir Rigel. “The harder it is to bend, the further the arrow will fly.” He pulled an arrow from a quiver that stood nearby. “Shall we begin the l
esson, milady?”
“Oh yes, let’s,” said Clara. “It’s so cold out here, I’m afraid my fingers are going to freeze off. Are you sure I can’t wear gloves? Where I come from, it’s summer. I’m not used to such cold.”
He handed her the arrow. “No, milady, with your lack of skill, gloves would make it harder for you to shoot properly. Now, it’s not hard, not really. Just fit the arrow to the bow, pull it back, aim, and let go.”
She nodded and purposefully set the arrow against the string, as she had seen a few of Mr. Leodge’s students do.
“Like this?”
“No, milady,” said Sir Rigel with a sigh. He placed his hand over hers, pulling the arrow forward, and then back again so that the string pressed into the notch at the end of the arrow. “Now, pull back and let go. No, wait a moment.” He turned her left elbow, which she purposefully held in the wrong position. “Now shoot.”
Clara clenched her teeth, and then with a show of more exertion than she actually gave, pulled the string back about two inches and let go.
Needless to say, it did not hit the target at the other end of the field.
“How was that?” she asked, turning to her instructor with a hopeful smile.
“You … show potential, milady,” he said, though she suspected that this was a great exaggeration. He strode the one step to where the arrow had flown (or fallen) and picked it up. “Let’s try it again.”
Clara again set the arrow to the string, this time more or less properly – she didn’t want Sir Rigel to see her as too stupid, after all – though she fumbled quite a bit, partly thanks to her cold fingers, and the end of her arrow was about three inches higher on the string that it was supposed to be.
“How’s this?” she asked, hopefully.
“You are improving,” said Sir Rigel, just as she dropped the arrow.
“Oh, clumsy me!” Clara exclaimed. “I just can’t do anything with cold fingers. I don’t see why you’re so cruel as to make me not wear gloves.”
“Come now, Water Princess,” said Sir Rigel, bending over and picking up the arrow. “This is only a thirty-minute lesson. Before you know it, you’ll be back inside, warming your fingers next to a roaring fire. Here, try it again.”
Clara frowned as she again put the arrow against the string, this time about two inches too low.
“I hope there’s hot chocolate involved,” she muttered, as she pulled it back about three inches, and made a show of struggling to pull it back farther.
“I beg pardon, milady?” asked Sir Rigel.
“Oh, come on, you don’t know what hot chocolate is?” she asked, easing the string back about a centimeter more before letting go – with the hand holding the bow. It fell forward, and with a pretend gasp of surprise, she dropped the string and arrow.
“No, I confess that I’ve never heard of any such thing before,” Sir Rigel admitted as he picked the bow and arrow back up. “It must be unique to your world.” He handed them back to Clara. “Why don’t you try again?”
She frowned harder as she fumbled the arrow onto the string, with the arrow too low on the string and high on the bow itself.
“Bummer. I like hot chocolate. All hot, and steamy, and chocolatey. What do you drink when it’s cold?”
“Spiced pomella cider, for one,” answered Sir Rigel. “Also, a large assortment of teas. Rest assured, there will be something provided for you to drink. It may not measure up to your hot chocolate, but it will warm you back up in no time at all.”
She let go of the arrow again, this time with the proper hand. It flew upwards at an awkward angle and then fell ingloriously to the ground. At the same time, Clara dropped the bow with an exaggerated cry of pain. She had purposefully not turned her elbow out of the way this time.
Sir Rigel gave a cry of frustration. “That’s why I had you turn your elbow, Water Princess. Come now, it barely grazed you. You’ll face worse injuries in battle, let’s try again.” He handed her the bow and arrow once more.
She stared at the weapon in her hand for several seconds, as if in indecision. “I’m tired of this,” she declared, spinning around to glare at her instructor.
“It won’t be much longer before you can return inside,” said Sir Rigel. “Just give it a few more shots, remembering to keep your elbow turned. You are improving … a small bit.”
“I’m a girl,” she declared with an exaggerated sigh. “I’m not meant to do things like this. Just let me go inside. Please?”
“You may be a girl, but you’re also the Water Princess, and she is meant for things like this,” Sir Rigel countered. “A few more shots, if you will, and then we shall return inside.”
Pouting furiously, Clara turned back towards the target. Once more she fumbled the arrow into place, mostly correct this time, pulled back the string “as far as she could” and let go. It just fell to the ground this time.
“I know,” she said, with an annoyed roll of her eyes as he put the arrow back into her hand. “Try again, Water Princess.”
“Precisely. You’re getting the idea.”
She once more put the arrow to the string, but instead of aiming for the target at the other end of the field, she spun around and pointed it at Sir Rigel.
“I’m beginning to wonder if my title ‘Water Princess’ means anything.” Mr. Leodge’s warning to never point a loaded bow or gun at anyone you didn’t intend to shoot echoed through her head, but she ignored it. She didn’t have the string pulled back an inch, after all, and he was far enough away the arrow wouldn’t reach him. Even if it did, the string was too weak to do any damage, and the arrow was a blunt.
“It means plenty, Water Princess,” said Sir Rigel, taking a step to the side. “You are our prophesied savior, and we want you to win in your fight against Amber. We’re trying to teach you the skills you will no doubt need to face her.”
She turned so that the arrow was again pointed at him. “You’re holding me hostage out here, refusing to let me have gloves. I could get frostbite, you know! And then where would you be?”
He took a few steps backward. “I assure you that it is not so cold today that frostbite is an issue,” said Sir Rigel. “Besides which, you will be heading inside very shortly.”
“‘Very shortly’ is not soon enough. May I remind you that I nearly froze to death because of that waterfall I came out of yesterday?”
“You appear to have recovered well, milady.”
“Oh? Well, I bounce back easily.”
“All the more reason to continue the lesson.”
Clara rolled her eyes and let go of the string. The arrow flew a graceful arch straight to the ground.
“Then again,” said Sir Rigel, “your thirty-minute lesson is almost at an end, and I suppose that since we have until the spring thaw to train you, we don’t need to overwhelm you all at once. Why don’t we go inside now?”
“That sounds lovely,” said Clara, brightening. “I’m sure I’ll be in better spirits after I get warmed up.” She grinned as he took the bow and arrow away from her. “What do I get to learn next? Dancing?”
“Not quite,” said Sir Rigel, as he put the weapon away with a shake of his head. “I hear that Sir Martin will be your next tutor.” He turned and offered her his arm.
“And what does he teach? Embroidery?” asked Clara, as she accepted the arm.
“No, martial arts,” Sir Rigel explained, leading her inside. “How to use your body itself as a weapon. He doesn’t look forward to teaching you, but his lesson will be inside, near a fire.”
“Oh, good, then I shall probably perform much better for him.”
He let her sit in the guard room in front of the fire for several minutes, offering her a steaming mug of what he called “spiced pomella cider.” It tasted of cloves and vanilla and was actually quite good. “Almost as good as Hot Chocolate,” she admitted.
He laughed and then it was time to go to her next lesson with Sir Martin.
Sir Rigel led her to a large ro
om, which was quite warm thanks to the four fireplaces that stood at each corner. In the center of the room stood a short man who reminded Clara eerily of her own dad. She couldn’t put her finger exactly on what it was, as he didn’t look a thing like her dad, though he was similarly short. It was something in his bearing.
However, unlike her father, who was always ready with a smile when she walked in the room, the man was frowning. Clara glanced behind her, but Sir Rigel was gone. She took a deep breath and walked up to the man. “Hello,” she said, simply.
“Don’t think because you’re our Water Princess I’ll be treating you special,” he said, in a hard voice. “If anything, I’ll make your lessons harder.”
“But I’m just a girl,” she protested.
“You’re not just a girl,” he countered, walking to a table at one side of the room and picking up a folded bundle of clothing. “You are the Water Princess, who will be fighting. And if it’s my duty to make sure you know how to fight, by the rainbow feathers I’ll teach you.” He handed her the clothing. “Here, take these behind that screen and change into them.”
Her eyes widened as she examined what she was expected to wear. A loose shirt and pair of pants, and a strip of cloth that was clearly a belt.
“But, I’m a girl,” she protested once again. “It’d be hardly proper for me to wear these, especially in the company of men.”
“It never stopped Li’Daughter Essua,” Sir Martin countered. “Now go and change. You’re wasting my time.”
Quietly cheering the change into something that didn’t have a skirt, she ducked behind the screen. She honestly hadn’t been looking forward to taking these lessons in this dress, even though she knew it would make for a good number of amusing “mistakes.” Jasmine, fortunately, had given her a dress that buttoned up the front, so it was easy to slip out of it, and then into the new clothing.
She stepped out from behind the screen, folding her arms over her chest, as if self-conscious.
“Okay,” she said. “Now that you have me in clothing hardly befitting a lady, what now?”
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