The Serpent and the Unicorn: Book I and II

by Susan Skylark

Chapter 3

  Once Jace had retired for the night and his companions had dispersed, Briane hastened down to the kitchens in search of her mother. A few of the servants looked askance at the girl in the Student’s uniform hurrying through that part of castle at so unseemly an hour, seeing only the uniform and not the face, but those that recognized her thought nothing of it, for Students were rarely found in the kitchens at that hour so the former thought her up to some mischief while the latter knew her true errand. “Mother!” said the girl eagerly, “might I have a word with you?”

  Juliene, the head cook, frowned at her daughter in consternation for her unseemly behavior, but quickly wiped her hands on her apron and motioned towards the pantry, which was for the moment unoccupied. The girl smiled exuberantly, quite unconcerned with her mother’s disapproval and dashed into the small room, impatient to impart her strange news, the flummoxed dame following in her wake. As soon as the door was securely shut behind them, the girl burst out, before her mother could reprimand her for her impudence, “did you not once tell me a tale concerning yourself and that awful fortress up the river?”

  The lady frowned the more, wondering what had gotten into the child, but said slowly, “yes, but what brought it to your attention tonight and why the secrecy?”

  The girl grinned unabashedly in her excitement, “there is a new student, a boy about my age, who claims to have fled the place, just last night.”

  The good lady sat down suddenly on a barrel, her hand over her heart and a small gasp marring her usually unflappable demeanor. Briane took a step towards her mother in concern, never having seen her so shaken, said she, “have I said something wrong?”

  Juliene smiled wanly, regaining her composure, said she, “no, you have just said the impossible child, did this boy say what role or position he held in said ruin?”

  The girl grinned, “he claimed to be the proprietor’s son.”

  The woman shook her head adamantly and locked eyes with her daughter, “you are certain of this?” The girl nodded, curiosity burning in her eyes. The cook could not help but smile, knowing the girl took after her mother in that particular trait, perhaps too much so, said she, “I once mentioned I was an inmate of that place, but have said little more, for it is yet a painful subject to me and some might take the story amiss, but it is time you knew something of my own past and your own history.”

  She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, as the girl’s eager eyes tried to burn a hole into her mother’s mind, continued she, “you have often asked of your father but I have said little of him. If this lad’s tale is true, that would make him your twin brother.” She paused and allowed the girl to absorb the shock before resuming, “I was once mistress of that wretched keep, at least in title, but was in truth little more than a servant. I was a daughter of noble stock, but with no wealth left to the title, and so it was also with your father, though neither of us admitted as much until long after the wedding, both assuming the other to be in possession of a fortune and embarrassed about our true straits.

  It was shortly after your birth that the truth came out and I fled that place in fear of my life, such was your father’s reaction, though the fault was as much his as mine, but it was far more grievous a blow to himself, in his own thinking, because his only true love was that wretched fortress and now there was no dowry to continue in the building thereof. We fought, his temper as unruly as my own,” the girl smiled openly at this, “and you can imagine the outcome. At last fear overcame pride and I snatched up my infant daughter and fled, bitterly leaving my son to his father’s ill-mercies, but unable to carry both of my children away. I came here and was given a place among the servants, eventually working my way up to my current position. I thought your brother long dead or forever a prisoner within the grim walls of that horrid place, but your news gives me exceeding hope that it is not as I feared.”

  The girl’s eyes sparkled with tears of sorrow and joy as she leapt forward and embraced her mother. They stood there for a long moment before the lady separated herself from the girl and said, “now, I shall look further into the matter and you, my dear, should be in bed.” A mischievous smile lit the girl’s face but her mother said sternly, “do not even think about it Briane, you are to say nothing nor act upon any of your girlish impulses until I give you leave to do so. Remember, you are a Student now, not just a servant’s child, and as such you must act accordingly, am I understood?” The girl nodded contritely, her mother smiled gently, and chivied her to bed, but did not emerge from the pantry herself for some time, a hopeful smile on her face and unshed tears glistening in her eyes when she did so.

  The next morning, contrary to her mother’s commands, Briane waited impatiently outside Jace’s door, convinced that she would die of curiosity if she did not do something, and soon. After all, no one had forbidden her from speaking with the boy, she just could not reveal anything in particular to him at the moment, besides, he was new and undoubtedly in desperate need of a friend, thus she reassured herself repeatedly as she waited for his emergence.

  At last the door opened and the boy jumped to find the impertinent girl of the broom lurking without like some predator waiting in ambush. Said he in annoyance, “could I help you?”

  She grinned impishly at him, sensing his was a temper akin to her own and that of her mother and thus infamous, said she, “I thought you might appreciate having someone show you around today.”

  The boy gaped at her pertness, but a mildly amused smile replaced his frown, as he said, “I suppose it would not be the worst thing in the world, though I had hoped Adan would be my guide again today.”

  She made a face of disgust, said she, “why would you want to be guided about by that stuffy boy? Besides, he is a far more advanced Student whereas we are both beginners. Do you have your schedule yet?”

  Jace grinned at this description of his new friend but said nothing as he rummaged around in his pocket and withdrew a crumpled paper and handed it to the girl, who took it with interest and nodded as she studied it. At last she said, “we are in the same classes it seems, so I am far more suited to guiding you about than that bore.”

  Jace wore a vastly amused smile and the girl paled in horror, guessing immediately who it was that must be standing at her shoulder. She turned with wide eyes to meet those of Adan, which were dancing with silent amusement. She blushed scarlet, but held her ground, refusing to be so easily thwarted. Said he at last, amusement strong in his reply, “come now Briane, I am not all that bad am I?”

  She stared at him, never having imagined he possessed such a thing as a sense of humor, but his eyes continued to dance while she floundered awkwardly for some way to regain control of the situation, said she at last, “I suppose not, I was just trying to...well anyway...we had best get down to breakfast ere we are late.” The boys exchanged an all too amused smile, but politely followed her hasty retreat to the dining hall. As they walked, they whispered quietly together, much to Briane’s continued mortification and fury, though the conversation had nothing whatsoever to do with her, her mounting frustration only fed the amusement shared by her companions. They reached the dining hall just in time, for she was fit to burst or throw something in her angst while the gentlemen could barely contain their mirth. Thankfully the obtaining of food and seats allowed all and sundry a chance to regain their composure and take up the conversation as if nothing untoward had happened.

  Adan said genuinely, “I think Briane has the right of it Jace, she would be a far more appropriate guide, seeing that your schedules are comparable. She’s also a native of Astoria so she just might have more insight into how things work around here than I do. She’d be a perfect source for any information I failed to give you last night.” His smile deepened and his eyes danced, “and she’s a far more lively conversationalist and much more interesting person, and thus a far better companion.”

  She glared at him and then turned her fiery gaze upon Jace when he sm
iled in reply to Adan’s observations, which made them both smile all the more. She sighed, resigning herself to their continued mercilessness regarding that particular topic, and said quite sweetly, “I am happy to see Adan agrees with my assessment. What do you say?”

  Jace squashed his grin and said as solemnly as he could, “I would be grateful for your help in the coming days.”

  She nodded curtly, as if the boy were at last speaking sense, and said, “very good, now we had best get to class.” The gentlemen stood as the lady vacated her chair and then each proceeded in the appropriate direction. Said Briane as Jace accompanied her to their first class of the day, “I suppose Adan isn’t as stodgy as I thought, in fact he hides his wit quite well, so well I once doubted he even knew how to laugh.”

  Jace grinned, “you just haven’t spent any time in his company but rather chose to judge him from a distance and decided he wasn’t worth knowing.”

  She stared at him, this sudden insight worthy of her own quick wit, she smiled proudly, a possessive light in her eyes, which made Jace a little uneasy, but she said contritely, “you have the right of it, sir, I congratulate you on your insight.”

  He stared at her as if she had uttered complete nonsense, never having believed this half-fey creature capable of such contrition or of offering true praise! He shook his head in wonder but was saved from contriving a reply by their arrival at their classroom. They silently took their seats and awaited the advent of their teacher, a creature Jace was much desirous to look upon, as it would be his first close look at one of the near mythical Brethren, having paid little heed in his class the previous day and being too nervous to look too closely at those warding the gate upon his arrival. He blinked in astonishment when the man entered the room, at the sheer commonality of the man, having assumed the members of said brotherhood would be obviously different from ordinary men. This time he attended to the lecture with open ears and a ready mind, gaining at last answers to some of his myriad questions and birthing far more. He smiled in amusement at his own tenacity, wondering if he would ever be sated when it came to knowledge or if he were doomed to ask more questions with each answer he was given. He sighed at his tendency to wander and forced himself to pay attention to what the man was saying.

  Afterwards, Briane met him at the door with a quizzical smile on her face, asked she, “well?”

  Jace grinned, “if this class is any indication, this place has well earned its reputation as the center of learning and wisdom in the civilized world.”

  She nodded proudly and escorted him out to the practice yard where their sword class was to commence. Jace was both eager and anxious for his next class, for the old guardsman had taught him much, but claimed Jace was too clumsy, slow, and muddleheaded to learn aught else of the weapon, but the boy wondered if it were rather that the man had come to the end of his knowledge and was too ashamed to admit it to a mere boy. Today might tell him the truth of the matter. The class was apparently made up of neophytes who did not know one end of a blade from the other, and it was with a broad smile that Jace realized he was at the top of his class the very first day.

  The aging swordmaster eyed the young scamp with some pride but reproved Jace sternly, “don’t let it go to your head lad, just because you know how to hold a sword without cutting your leg off. You might be good compared to these beginners but we’ll see what comes of you in a more advanced class.”

  The boy’s triumphant smile fell and an anxious light entered his eyes, what would come of him in an advanced class? The man saw his reaction and nodded approvingly to himself before turning to a nearby student to offer comments on his stance and grip on the weapon.

  Afterward, Briane beamed, “I have never seen the swordmaster so impressed! He is not one easily moved.”

  Jace gaped, “impressed?! The man just took me down three pegs and nearly promised to let the advanced students use me as a practice dummy.”

  Briane grinned all the more, triumphant in knowing she understood at least one person better than her brother. She led the way to the kitchens where they would spend the next hour helping with the busywork necessary for the noon meal. He exchanged a glum look with his escort and said, “I forgot that there is more to life in Astoria than learning and leisure.”

  She grinned at him and handed him a knife and a potato, saying, “I hope you are as handy with this blade as you are with a sword.” He returned her smile and they both set to work while Juliene watched surreptitiously from the far side of the kitchen, irritated at her daughter’s disobedience but encouraged at their budding friendship and the little quirks and characteristics that marked the boy indelibly as her own offspring. She smiled eagerly, but forbore telling the lad just yet, not wanting to distract him from his remaining duties that day. The pair finished their tasks and vanished towards the dining hall for their midday meal.

  Jace’s heart dropped into his stomach as a servant approached him after supper that night, for it seemed the head cook was intent on speaking with him privately upon some serious matter. Yet again he was to miss the camaraderie amongst his fellow students that inevitably followed dinner, but he dared not keep the lady waiting, he wondered if he had made some horrid mistake slicing vegetables earlier in the day, if so, the discipline here was far harsher than he had at first imagined! He dejectedly followed the fellow to a small room just off the kitchens, fully chastened before he had even faced the Lady of the Kitchens. The servant opened the appropriate door, bowed himself out, and shut the door as he left. Jace was left alone with the imperious looking woman, who wore a thoughtful smile, which he assumed boded ill for his own wellbeing; the Lady of Astoria herself could not be more intimidating, or so he thought at that particular moment.

  She saw his timidity and said gently, “easy lad, you are in no particular trouble at the moment. I simply had a few questions for you.”

  He relaxed somewhat and took the chair she offered as she assumed the one opposite and then began to interrogate him regarding his history and family. He was unsure what she thought of his answers, as no hint escaped her thoughtful but stony visage, at last she said, “you do know that Briane is my daughter?”

  He gaped and quavered in reply, “no my lady, that she failed to mention.” He added hastily, “but don’t worry, we’re just friends, honest!”

  She could not restrain her smile at such an outburst, how was it her children were so good at discomfiting her of late? Laughed she, at which he visible melted, “that is the last reason I asked for this interview, but I am glad you find her company agreeable, for she is your sister.”

  She gave the boy several long minutes to gape and stutter and then began her own story, he soon lost himself in the telling, nodding and grimacing as he recognized his father in her words, which was all the more proof, had she needed any, that he was her lost son. When she had finished, they looked at one another awkwardly for a moment and then she said rather anxiously, “I know it has been an eventful few days, but I hope this last revelation has not completely overwrought your sensibilities and that you can forgive my abandoning you when you needed me most.” She studied her hands in dismay, “it was the hardest thing I ever did, and you will never know how it wrung my heart, but there was nothing else to be done.” She looked up hopefully, “but perhaps we have a chance to right the wrongs of the past and to start anew?”

  The boy was silent a moment, but there was such a piteous plea in her voice and so desperate a look in her eyes that he could do but one thing: wholeheartedly did he fling himself into the dear woman’s arms; she needed no other answer. They stood there for a long time, sobbing like heartbroken children in both unfettered joy and releasing years of buried sorrow. The weeping subsided into an occasional sniffle or sigh; they looked at one another with radiant though teary eyes, strangely happy, heartbroken, and embarrassed all at the same time. A stifled giggle, quite alien amidst that solemn, nay sacred atmosphere, brought a flare of color to both fac
es and two sets of eyes set to desperately searching the far corners for this profaner of a moment most dear. With an exasperated sigh, Juliene released her son and turned stern but forbearing eyes upon her daughter, in no way surprised that the girl had somehow discovered their tryst and found a way to secret herself in the back of the room. She would have smiled in rueful pride save that it would only encourage the girl, for it was a feat worthy of herself at that age.

  At last she said, “quit lurking in the shadows Briane and let our family be whole once more.” The girl crept unabashedly from her hiding place, nearly glowing in triumph, smiled like a smug cat at her brother, and nodded in greeting to her mother. What followed was long cherished in all their hearts as one of the dearest hours in each of their lives. Finally, long after curfew, all three crept wearily but joyously to their beds.