Shadow of the Unicorn

by Susan Skylark

  1

  They found the Lady awaiting them in an informal sitting room, hiding both her burning curiosity and mild irritation behind a face of placid patience. She greeted the peculiar servant and his weary companion with a slight nod as the boy collapsed in a chair while Jared gave the necessary courtesies. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but remembered the man’s warning that the boy would be rather disoriented for a time after his trial, whatever it was, and this seeming affront must therefore be laid at the feet of whatever currently afflicted the boy. She studied him briefly, frowning slightly at the heavy cloak he wore despite being indoors, and then turned her attention back to Jared, said she, “I see he has emerged.”

  Jared smiled wryly, “aye Lady, and as I said, a little worse for wear, but nothing a little rest will not set aright.”

  She raised an eyebrow, “and just what is going on in the lowest levels of my Keep?”

  The servant shook his head, “I have told you all I can my Lady.”

  She took a chair with a heavy sigh, said she, “to think there are things within Astoria to which even I am not privy!” She smiled wryly, “the Brethren would think it scandalous.”

  Jared smiled openly, “that they would my Lady, but you need fear no nefarious business as we are all servants of the same Master.” He bowed deeply, “we answer to you as well.”

  She arched an eyebrow, “do you now? I thought you were the one giving the orders of late?”

  He bowed again, “there are rare occasions when it must be so, I fear, but in general we are ever at your command.”

  She smiled in amusement, “I see,” while studying the boy anew, her smile vanishing as something suddenly registered, she had noticed it previously but only now realized its significance. The boy slumped in his chair, little noticing what passed between his companions, seemingly focused on his own thoughts, but there was no mistaking that he was now numbered amongst the Brethren. In all the strangenesses of the day, she must have overlooked this small fact, which was not surprising when everyone all but assumed of late that he was of their number, save he had not taken the Oath. She shook her head in astonishment, “how can this be? He was forbidden from taking the Oath yet here he is numbered amongst us?”

  Jared quashed a vastly amused smile and said as seriously as he could, “it was the Master Himself, my Lady.” Suddenly he shifted, seeming to grow taller, less grizzled, and thirty years younger while also bearing the unmistakable signs that he too was of that brotherhood. The Lady was quite happy she was already sitting, for this revelation might well have collapsed her in a chair had she not been. She sat up and studied him with incredulity, all the while he grinned like an impish child.

  At last she sat back and shook her head in wonder, “how can this be?”

  He smiled mysteriously, like a cat that will never divulge its secrets, and said, “that I cannot tell you Lady, but know it is of the Master’s doing, and we are technically a part of the Brethren.”

  She smiled wryly, “technically?”

  He shrugged, “for all intents and purposes, yes, but in certain circumstances our orders come from the Master Himself and supersede even your own.”

  She shook her head in wonder, “am I ever to know the truth of the matter?”

  Jared shifted again, and suddenly he was again the man she had always thought him to be, said he, “I am only allowed to reveal so much Lady, and that solely because you are the Lady of Astoria. Even his own kin cannot know half so much, the rest of our comrades, even less so.”

  She nodded and said, “I suppose we had best get the lad to bed. Why is he so dreadfully listless? What happened in my dungeon? What did his sister see and what happened to her?”

  Jared’s eyes widened in horror as Jace jerked violently at mention of his sister, no longer indifferent to all that passed about him. The servant barked, “Lady, turn away and cover your eyes!” while simultaneously leaping atop the boy and drawing the heavy cloak about him as that awful light threatened to break forth anew. “Easy lad,” soothed he, “your sister is well, easy.”

  The Lady did immediately as she was bidden, horrified that she had slipped so terribly, wondering what tragedy it might wreak. Even with her eyes closed, covered with her hands, and her back turned, she felt rather than saw a dreadful light, knowing full well that it would have blinded her had she not obeyed that very instant, beginning to understand what it was the girl had glimpsed.

  Jace had been listening vaguely to their conversation, paying little heed to what passed between them, rather trying to focus his own wandering thoughts and befuddled mind. Then he heard mention of his sister, he had a sister, Briane, that was it, but what had the Lady said, she had been there when...no! It could not be...it must not be! He lost what little concentration he had had and immediately the light within him burst forth, so carefully concealed since they left the cell, but now a danger to anyone who even glimpsed it, but Jared was suddenly there and his calming words soon brought the boy back to himself, quieted his reeling mind, and with it his concentration returned, at least enough that he could drape that deadly light again in shadow. He looked up in horror, his eyes pleading understanding.

  Jared smiled gently and reassured, “easy lad, it is not your fault. It will take you some time to readjust, and you yet know nothing of the quest upon which you have just embarked. We’ll get you to bed soon enough.”

  He relaxed instantly, nodding like a sleepy, comforted child in his father’s arms, falling again into his half-somnolent contemplations. Jared looked to the Lady and said just as gently, “you may look, my Lady, it has passed.”

  She turned back towards the man, a plaintive look on her face, at which the man smiled and said, “no harm done, thank the Master, but as you can see, the boy is not himself, yet.”

  Her eyes narrowed, “you said he must readjust? To what?”

  Jared smiled mysteriously, “mortal life. He was, for a time, in the very presence of the Master, in a place outside of time and space, away from the sin, doubt, pain, sorrow, and fear with which mortality is fraught. His mind has been through too much and it needs time to adjust to the confines of this reality once more.”

  She nodded, her eyes slightly wide, the only sign that this was proving to be a night of enigmas, wonders, and rather than answering her questions, had only birthed a thousand more. Said she at last, “I suppose you had best get him to bed.” She smiled ruefully, “after this conversation I feel like I need to do the same!”

  Jared bowed, “there is only one other thing I wished to discuss with you Lady.” She nodded that he should proceed, said he, “he will need to be apprenticed to someone in the coming days, might I recommend Baye?”

  The Lady smiled in amusement, “my foremost Messenger? Why am I not surprised that he is part of your little conspiracy? When he returns, I will do as you ask.” She frowned suddenly in remembrance, and said, “am I right in remembering that two hundred years ago, when I was but a Student myself, there was a similar fiasco surrounding him?”

  Jared bowed deeply, “it was as you remember it my Lady and there is a reason he is one of your most talented servants.”

  She smiled at him, “of course you cannot tell me the precise reason but you can hint all you like?”

  He nodded, “I see you understand, I bid you goodnight and will see that the lad is settled.” She shook her head in wonder but stood in dismissal as he gathered up the compliant lad and vanished out the door. She sat again and spent a good portion of the night staring into the fire, pondering questions that had no answers.

  Jared escorted the lad back to his room, or rather half carried him as the boy leant heavily upon him. Adan was still up, unable to sleep with wondering what had come of Jace and having heard that Briane had also suffered some accident but no one was willing or able to say more. When the door burst open and the upstart servant entered, half carrying Jace, Adan leapt to his feet and helped the man settle his friend
in his bed. Said the man with a nod, “he’ll be very disoriented, easily excitable, and have little energy for several days. Your job is to keep him quiet, comfortable, and oblivious to all else passing in the Keep. He is to have no visitors without my approval, including his mother. If he should become agitated, immediately cover your eyes and turn away from him and send for me with all haste.” With these comforting words, he smiled impishly and departed while Adan stared after in complete astonishment before turning wide eyes upon Jace, who was snoring blissfully in his once familiar bed.

  Later that night a quiet knock came at the door, an anxious looking Juliene standing without. Adan, who had been trying to read, but spent more time studying his sleeping companion while uneasy thoughts meandered through his mind, withdrew into the hall, closing the door behind him. He motioned towards the far end of the hall towards a small sitting area where they might speak without disturbing Jace or the neighbors. He sat but she was too restless to follow suit, pacing back and forth as she began, “how fares my son?”

  Adan smiled ruefully, “I am assured he will be fine in a few days, but I haven’t seen him do anything but sleep.” His smile faltered, “how is Briane?”

  She studied him for a moment, trying to gage how he felt about her daughter, she still hadn’t quite forgiven him his abandonment of her for that silly Oath, but she could hear the concern in his voice and see it in his eyes, said she at last, “she wakened about the time Jace emerged from the dungeons.” She paused, having more to say but unsure how to proceed, far from the joyous woman she should have been to tell such news, “she seems to be blind, the doctor hopes it is temporary but there is no way to know.” She fell to her knees before the aghast Apprentice, pled she, “tell me what it was that happened to her? What it is that Jace has entangled himself in?”

  Adan raised her to her feet and said awkwardly, “I know nothing madam, only that Briane is lucky to be alive and that Jace endured something terrible or wonderful, likely both, that we shall probably never understand, but which is of vital importance to those he will one day serve.”

  Tears trickled down her cheeks, “can I at least see him?”

  Adan shook his head firmly, “nay madam, he is not to have visitors until he has fully recovered, but I will keep you posted as to his progress. Hopefully by then Briane will be herself once more. How is she faring with everything?”

  Juliene shook her head, “her mood swings rapidly from despair at her condition to astonishment that she is yet alive to anger that she should be so severely afflicted for a girlish prank to embarrassment that she was caught.”

  Adan grinned ruefully, “no remorse that she was where she knew she should not have been?”

  Juliene smiled wanly, “you know her well.” She paused, “I am not sure if a visit from you would be of benefit or not, perhaps in a few days when she has resigned herself to the situation and recovered from the shock? I will give her your greetings first and see how she takes it.”

  Adan laughed, but it was hollow, “she’s apt to throw something.” Juliene smiled sadly, squeezed his hand in farewell, and returned to her daughter’s room and Adan to his. There was little sleep that night for either of them.

  The student body was aware that something strange was going on involving the pseudo-apprentice, but as it concerned the Brethren they paid it little heed until Briane suffered for it. She was a popular and well-liked girl, such an incident could do little to endear the Brethren, the Master, or most especially Jace to them. Rumor was rampant and nothing the teachers or even the Lady herself said, did anything to improve matters, all that could be done was to wait for time to reveal what it would and let matters work themselves out. It was probably for the best that Jace spent the first few days after his return confined to his room with no one but Jared, the Lady, and Adan for company, albeit the two former only visited on occasion to see how his recovery was progressing, while Briane refused to come out of hers, for fear of what people in general would think. She was glad Jace had survived, whatever it was he had so foolishly endured, but somehow managed to blame him for her predicament, even so.

  Adan awoke with a start the next morning, where he had fallen asleep in his chair, book still open in his lap, and glanced worriedly at Jace, who still slept on. He smiled wryly, laid aside the book, and stood, stretching the stiffness from his unaccustomed sleeping position out of his arms and back. He froze mid-stretch and stared anew at his slumbering friend, for there was no mistake, Jace had somehow joined the Brethren. He lowered his arm and approached the still form on the bed, shaking his head in wonder. Could not take his Oath indeed! Whatever was afoot, at least that strange business was behind them. Which got him to wondering exactly what it was his friend had gotten himself into, but he did not have time to ponder long, for Jace just then blinked groggily back to consciousness.

  He studied Adan blankly for a long moment and then said slowly, “Adan?”

  Adan grinned, “welcome back, my friend.”

  Jace nodded sleepily, turned over, and went back to sleep like a little boy reluctant to get out of bed. Adan shook his head, smiled, and returned to his morning routine, but then sighed, he would have to skip his classes until Jace was himself again, for he could not leave him alone, if he were as spooky and discombobulated as the servant implied. What of their meals? A knock upon the door answered this question quite efficiently, as a servant stood without bearing food for the both of them. The interruption roused Jace once more, who stared blankly at the plates as if he had no idea what food was, but a little encouragement on Adan’s part soon brought the concept back to the fore. After breakfast, Jace was soon enough asleep once more.

  That first day he did nothing but eat and sleep, but the following day, he managed to sit up and chat with Adan upon rudimentary topics for short periods, much as a small child might seriously discuss something rather trivial with his elders, who try desperately to maintain their sobriety. The day after that, he got out of bed and was far more himself, though still easily distracted, a little spacy, and far too quiet. Jared appeared the fourth morning, ordered Adan out of the room, and spent half an hour with Jace, when he emerged, he smiled broadly at Adan, saying, “he is well on his way to recovery, tomorrow he can leave the room, have visitors, and the like. The day after, he can resume his usual routine.” He nearly skipped down the hall, whistling happily as he went. Adan watched him go with a smile, before returning to the room, where Jace greeted him with a warm smile. He still did not know what had happened to his sister, and Adan figured it best to wait a day yet before broaching such a distressing topic.

  Briane’s recovery was nowhere near so promising. Physically, there was nothing wrong save the persistent blindness, but emotionally she had been devastated. The other students knew she had been injured somehow but not in what way or how badly, her continued absence bred rumor upon rumor, yet she refused to emerge from her chamber and get on with her life. How was she to function at all? A girl struck blind in her prime? Or worse, would be the pity they’d feel for her! She was strong, she was resilient; she needed no one but herself! Then she would collapse into a sobbing heap of despair, not knowing what to do. The doctor visited her daily, but seeing no sign of improvement, he said gravely, the day Jace at last emerged from his room, “without some miracle, I fear this is a permanent condition.” Briane nodded glumly, having already resigned herself to that particular doom but said nothing, absolutely refusing to touch her food that day or speak to anyone.

  On the morning Jace was allowed to venture forth for the first time, Adan decided it was time to inform him of his sister’s predicament, said he as they both prepared for the day, “Briane was in the dungeon with you, you know?”

  Jace froze, tunic half on, said he in horror, “I have some vague recollection of someone saying that, but cannot remember who. It is true?! How can that be?”

  Adan shook his head, “you know Brie, she’ll stop at nothing to be
where least she should be.”

  Jace smiled wryly in remembrance, but then frowned, remembering what it was they were discussing, “is she alright?”

  Adan said quietly, “that odd servant insists she should have died, but she managed to survive, though she was stricken blind and might remain so permanently.”

  Jace grimaced, “lucky to be alive indeed! No man should look upon that and live...” He trailed off suddenly and met Adan’s wide-eyed gaze as he realized he might be saying something aloud that should not be casually spoken of, even to his best friend. He cleared his throat awkwardly, but thankfully Adan had tact enough not to press him for more details but a thoughtful look had entered his eyes. If no man could look upon whatever it was and live, how had Jace survived when his sister was stricken blind for the least glimpse? Continued Jace, hoping futilely to change the course of his friend’s thoughts, “I hate to say it, but it is her own fault, she well knew she was not allowed down there and the guard even double-checked to make sure no one was inadvertently trapped down there when they shouldn’t be.” He sighed heavily, “but I suppose she does not see it that way?”

  Adan smiled grimly, “of that you can be certain. She blames you, the Master, the Lady, even me, but certainly not herself.”

  Jace shook his head in dismay, “will she allow visitors?”

  There came a brief knock and then the door swung wide, revealing a smiling, albeit sad, Juliene standing without, replied she, “she refuses to see anyone but me, even Ella isn’t allowed within.” She studied her son as she spoke and her smile deepened, becoming downright mischievous, “but exceptions must be made for family. Are you up for this? What she needs is a good spanking, and I fear we have been two peas in a pod far too long for me to do her any good, but maybe her stern, no nonsense brother can make her see sense?” She smiled pleadingly at Adan, “and perhaps her estranged but dearest friend could aid her as well?” They nodded their hearty agreement, smiling with in impish delight to have their part in such a plot.

  Juliene had been studying her son the whole time, heartened by what she saw, knowing he had come away from his trial not only whole, but far stronger, more mature, and possessed of a confidence that defied his recent fall from Astoria’s social pinnacle, for it was a confidence not borne of this world and thus not easily shaken thereby. But then she frowned as one small detail finally register, said she in some confusion, “did you intend to don Adan’s clothes or are you still confused enough to need help getting dressed of a morning?”

  Jace grinned sheepishly, “no mom, this is my rightful attire. I am now an Apprentice of the Brethren.”

  She smiled half in consternation, half in amusement, “well, it was nice of you to keep me apprised of the situation. I had thought you indifferent to the Oath.”

  Jace grinned impishly, “not so much indifferent as incapable of taking it at the time, but that small matter has been rectified, though quite unexpectedly, in the midst of everything else.”

  She hugged him fiercely, smiled proudly, and said, “well, if this is what you truly want, and I know that it is, I could not be happier for you. Now let’s go talk some sense into your sister!”

  As they accompanied her down the corridor, Jace asked, “why are you not more concerned about Briane’s condition? I would expect you at the least to be angry with me, the Master, fate, or who or whatever you chose to blame.”

  She stopped mid-stride and turned to her son, said she, “I don’t know what happened down there and probably never will, but I do know the fool girl brought it upon herself and should be happy she lived to tell the tale. Do I grieve for her loss, certainly, but is it the death sentence she has resigned herself to? Certainly not! She is alive and mostly well, while this will prove a major hindrance to life as she once knew it, it is not the end of the world as she assumes it to be. She is sulking like a spoiled child and right now the kindest thing we can do for her is to help her see that.” She smiled villainously, “and if it takes a swift kick in the pants to do that, so be it.” The boys exchanged a mystified expression, silently vowing never to cross so fierce a woman!

  They continued on their way and came to the room wherein Briane skulked and lurked and lately kept her being. Juliene did not bother knocking but barged right in, the two Apprentices in tow. Briane looked up, fury in her unseeing eyes, unable to discern who her visitors were, scowled she, “mother, is that you? Who do you have with you? I absolutely refuse to see anyone.”

  Juliene said dryly, “as you won’t be seeing anyone for some time to come, perhaps the rest of your life, I don’t see how that matters. Your brother and best friend have a great desire to speak with you, whether you would reciprocate or not. I will leave them to it my dear and you would be wise to listen.” She added archly, “two esteemed representatives of the Brethren must possess at least a little wisdom betwixt them.” Smiling amusedly, she withdrew, closing the door after her.

  Briane’s face was a study in first astonishment then horror as she took in what her mother implied, at last she growled, “can you not leave me in peace? Am I not miserable enough?”

  Jace grinned, “you are certainly most miserable, dear sister, but much of it, I fear, is self induced.”

  She turned on him and hissed, “come to taunt me then in my wretchedness? Is not this all your fault or that of your precious Master?”

  He said quietly, “nay, I am not here to taunt or tease, but rather talk sense into that stubborn heart of yours.” He smiled ruefully, “was not mine just as mulish?” She smiled wanly at this, as he continued, “how is it my fault or anyone’s but your own?” He became grave, “it is a miracle you survived!”

  She collapsed on her pillows, sobbing, and he was at her side in a moment, holding her close, stroking her hair, patting her back, allowing her to grieve as she must. Adan stood awkwardly by the door, averting his eyes and shifting his weight from foot to foot. At last her tears slowed to a mere trickle and hiccups and sniffles replaced her sobs, said she morosely, “how was I to know what would come of it? How ever am I to get on with life?”

  Jace said quietly, “you knew full well what it was you did, though perhaps not the gravity of the situation.” He smiled sadly, “and while your loss is grievous, you are still a highly talented and capable young woman, you will figure things out, one day at a time.”

  She smiled at him, unseeing, but said, “trite, brother, trite. You will make a proper Brother indeed.” She grimaced in horror, having forgotten her other visitor, turning her attention to Adan, who she could hear by the door, said she in an aghast voice, “I am sure you think me truly wretched!”

  Adan shook his head, though she could not see, and said, “do not be ridiculous Brie, I know who and what you are, and love you for it,” he smiled impishly, “or shall I say in spite of it?” She grabbed a pillow and launched it at him, scarily accurate for one who could not see to aim.