Suzerain of the Beast (Vision Dream Series Book 3), page 25
“Ah…good evening, kind innkeeper,” started Angelterra. “We wish to—”
“We shall not serve the likes of you or your brat,” boomed the innkeeper.
“Let us throws them out, Husband,” growled the woman.
“Ah…wait, we just arrived and we—” tried Angelterra.
“Aye, but I thinks we should take them to the village constable,” said the innkeeper.
“Why? What have we possibly done to thee?”
“Purloiners are severely punished in this village,” said the innkeeper. “And I knows for certain that that horse you ride is not your property.”
“For shame, a woman being a thief of such a noble old horse,” said the innkeeper’s wife, shaking her head.
“Thief? No! Marthleea is not my—”
“Ha, so you admit your crime,” said the innkeeper, and he grabbed Angelterra’s arm roughly. “To the constable with you!”
Then the innkeeper released her just as quickly as he grabbed her.
“Not so fast, Elidril! I think you owe this lady a chance to explain herself,” said the man with the dark beard who had smiled at Selkeeda. He had grabbed the innkeeper’s other arm hard.
“Ow, all right, all right, Constable,” said the innkeeper in agony as the constable squeezed the burly man’s muscled arm.
The Constable let go of the innkeeper.
“Come, Elidril, surely a lady escorted by our friends from Hwevlandar is owed some common courtesy,” said the constable.
Angelterra stood and faced the constable.
“Thank thee, Constable,” said Angelterra. “Marthleea was offered to us by Harridon, the guide,” said Angelterra.
“What proof has she to that claim?” challenged Elidril. “Harridon is an old and dear friend.”
“I have proof of sorts,” said Angelterra.
She dug into her cloak for the leather token. She handed it to the constable, but he shook his head.
“I do not know what this is,” said the constable. “Do you have something else? A writ giving you permission? If you do not, I may be forced to take you to the jail.”
“I do not have a writ,” admitted Angelterra. “Just my word and that token. I am to find someone by the name of Hopper who will know I am telling the truth.”
“I am Hopper. Though I have not gone by that name for a year,” said the innkeeper. “Let me see that disk you hold.”
The constable handed the leather token over to the innkeeper, who looked at it and shook his head no.
“Husband!” bellowed his wife. “Give me that, you know you cannot read!”
The woman took the token from his hand, inspected it and then looked at Angelterra in shock and horror. She quickly knelt before her and grabbed her husband’s arm, yanking him down as hard as she could.
“Forgive us, we did not know,” pleaded the woman.
“Have you gone batty, Wife?”
“It is from Harridon. And he made the marking for A.”
“A? Are you sure? That would mean she be…” the innkeeper looked at Angelterra with new eyes. “Arrandrind’s daughter!”
“It would seem everyone here knows my father,” said the princess. “Please rise, I am not your sovereign. Just your guest for the night…if you will have us.”
“Of course, of course,” boomed the innkeeper, as he and his wife rose.
“We are honored to have you and your child stay with us, Your Highness,” said the innkeeper’s wife. “I am Bethidarra.”
“It is nice to meet you, Bethidarra,” replied Angelterra. “You must call me Angelterra and nothing more. No titles while I travel. And though I have grown quite fond of this child, she is not my daughter. I found her wondering lost, and I was hoping that your constable here would be able to help find her parents.”
“So instead of a thief on my hands, I have a lost child and a wondering foreign royal,” said the constable. “I am not sure which is more trouble.”
“Well, we will try our hardest not to cause thee any trouble,” said the princess. “Though I would be ever so grateful if you could tell me where I might find the girl’s parents in this village.”
“I am sorry to say this, but I have never seen this little girl before. Being constable for three villages, I know most everyone for miles around,” said the constable. “There has been no child reported missing, and no distraught mother and father has come to me or anyone here looking for this girl.”
They all glanced down at the girl who had placed her dolls on the table so they sat upright with its legs dangling over the edge of the table. Selkeeda just stared at the dolls, seeming oblivious to the discussion about her fate. The dolls stared back at the little girl with the same empty look.
“There was a group of orphans that passed through here about a week ago on their way to Hwevlandar,” said the constable. “The Sisters of the Children run an orphanage there. They still come to West Lunverdaire to find children who have lost their parents. As they did during the War of the Lords. Perhaps she and one of the sisters were separated from the group. And now she must have become separated from the sister who was watching her.”
“There was no one around. She came out of the woods looking shocked and unable or unwilling to speak,” said Angelterra. “Maybe something bad happened to…”
“Well, she is here now safe with us,” finished the constable. He walked over to the girl and knelt down to her level. “Ah…” He looked over at Angelterra for a name.
“Selkeeda,” said the princess, and she walked over to kneel down on the girl’s other side. “Sweetie, the nice Constable here wishes to ask you some things. Do you think you could answer his questions so that he can help you find your parents or your home?”
The little girl did not answer, but she turned to Angelterra and touched her auburn hair.
“Selkeeda, child, do you know where your home be?” tried the constable.
The girl stopped stroking Angelterra’s hair and pointed.
“That is east,” said the innkeeper. “Towards Hwevlandar. Perhaps the Hwevlandarian lord could take her there. He and his men will be returning to Hwevlandar soon.”
Selkeeda suddenly looked frightened and reached for Angelterra with both arms. She clung to the princess as tightly as she could and buried her head in Angelterra’s shoulder.
“Shhh, my Sweetie. I am here,” comforted Angelterra, as she stroked the girl’s wild blonde hair. “I will not let anything happen to you.”
The princess felt her own heart almost break as the frightened child embraced her tightly.
“That is so sad,” said Bethidarra sounding as if she was going to cry any minute.
“Now, do not go blubbering around these good people, Wife,” said the innkeeper trying to sound tough, but Angelterra thought she heard him sniff away something…perhaps a tear. He hugged his wife to comfort her. “Maybe she could stay with…”
“Oh, could she?” asked Bethidarra excitedly.
Then Selkeeda lifted her head and looked at Angelterra.
“Momma…” said the girl.
“Your Mother?” asked Princess, hopeful that the girl would reveal something about her parents.
Then Selkeeda touched Angelterra’s hair again.
“Momma,” was all she said.
“Oh my, she is calling you momma,” said Bethidarra.
Selkeeda pointed again to the east.
“Momma. Home.”
The realization hit her like an avalanche. The little girl now considered her to be her mother and protector…and her family.
“It appears, Angelterra, that she has chosen you to take her to Hwevlandar,” said the constable.
“But my travels were to take me north,” said Angelterra.
“These are lawless times, and I am the only Constable in the three villages here. I cannot take her to Hwevlandar. And it could be months before the sisters return to this area.”
“We can keep her until then,” said Bethidarra. “If she would let us. With an inn to run, it will be challenge to look after her. But I think we could manage.”
Selkeeda buried her head in Angelterra’s neck. The princess felt the girl’s silent, warm, wet tears dripping down her neck.
“No. Momma. No.” pleaded the little girl in a hoarse whisper.
Selkeeda was indeed talking more, but Angelterra was not sure she liked what she was hearing. She would have to continue to go out of her way in searching for this child’s home.
What if I never find it?
“Where do you go to the north, if you do not mind my asking?” wondered the constable.
“To a place known as Swevladiliona,” said Angelterra.
The innkeeper and his wife gasped.
“Your…Angelterra, that is a very dangerous kingdom,” said Bethidarra.
“Aye, they be a warring bunch who hate strangers in their kingdom. They would soon kill you than offer you any welcome,” said Elidril.
“But they are supposed to be a peaceful, spiritual people,” said Angelterra.
She remembered how her aunt, Queen Nancyadril, went on and on how wonderful a land it was.
Had things changed that much?
“I am afraid my two friends are right,” said the constable. “Lunverdaire was once a whole and proper kingdom, until some jealous lords from the western part revolted and marched against our king. It was the Swevladilionians who offered them weapons and soldiers. They killed our king and wished to take over all of Lunverdaire, but some of the eastern lords fought back and with the help of the Hwevlandarians, drove the rebels back to the western lands.”
“Yes, and now our lovely kingdom is no more. It is divided into two lands. West Lunverdaire and East Lunverdaire,” said Elidril. “Though our village be on the west side of the river, the Hwevlandarians patrol here to keep us safe from roving bands of Swevladilionian mercenaries and the criminals employed by the Westerner lords. I would pick up and move my inn to East Lunverdaire if I could.”
“This report is shocking to me,” said Angelterra. “We know nothing about the Kingdom of Hwevlandar in the South, but what we have heard of Swevladiliona has been all good.”
“Then you have been ill advised,” said the constable. “Perhaps in Hwevlandar you can find those who can help you. There are some there that have families in Swevladiliona. It would be safer than going straight to Swevladiliona alone.”
Angelterra had not ever considered Swevladiliona to be a place of danger.
Now how was she going to ever find out anything about the white tear? Was it not supposed to be in the land of her aunt’s birth?
Her hand went to her wrist to where the bracelet her aunt, the queen, had given her. She had not even thought about looking at it since her quest had changed from finding out more about the white tear to finding out where Selkeeda’s parents were. Angelterra got up and walked over to the tiny window on the opposite wall. Through its partially ice-frosted glass, she looked out onto the narrow muddy street. Only here and there did she see patches of mud-stained snow. Then she glanced down at her bracelet. Two of the stones glowed brightly. With her back still turned to the others, she took off the bracelet and laid it flat in the palm of her hand. The two glowing stones now pointed only slightly to the north of the direction that Selkeeda had indicated was her home. On her flight with the bone dragon, the stones had pointed more northerly. Now they seemed to indicate that Hwevlandar may actually be the place she needed to go. That being true, Angelterra could then take the troubled little girl with her to the Hwevlandar orphanage, and still be on course with her private quest. The sisters would surely be able to help locate Selkeeda’s family. No matter how long it took. Freeing up the princess to continue her quest. Angelterra felt someone tug upon her dress. She looked down and saw that Selkeeda was now standing next to her. The girl stood on her tiptoes to peer out the window, while holding the two dolls.
“I will take you with me, Sweetie,” said Angelterra. “To your home.”
Selkeeda said nothing, but just rested her small head against Angelterra’s leg.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Please, Sweetie, you must lay down,” Angelterra said to the girl who was still sitting up in the bed, gazing at her two dolls.
The princess sat up too and hugged the child and touched the yarn hair of the girl’s own doll.
“Hollybee called her doll here, Master Marn. Do you have a name for your dolly?”
“Angel,” was the little girl’s simple reply.
That name, her name, coming out of Selkeeda’s mouth made Angelterra’s heart skip a beat and her eyes teared.
How was she ever going to go on with her search for answers about the white tear without this little girl at her side? You must pull yourself together, Angelterra scolded herself. The girl was better off with people who could keep her off the road and keep her warm, safe, and dry. The princess realized that she was putting the child in such danger from the harsh elements and wild creatures and even criminals. Angelterra would never forgive herself if something happened to Selkeeda.
“Now it is time for you to sleep, my little Sweetie,” said the princess softly to the child.
In response, Selkeeda obediently laid her small head upon her pillow and hugged her doll, Angel, tightly. Poor Master Marn had to settle with lying on the bed next to them.
When she was satisfied that Selkeeda was truly asleep, Angelterra laid her own head down upon her pillow. After such a long day the straw-filled pillow felt as soft as down. She was just starting to drift off to sleep when there came a soft knock upon the door of their room.
“Just a moment,” muttered Angelterra, as she tried to wake herself.
It was probably the innkeeper’s wife, Bethidarra with yet more blankets. The woman was truly sweet, and had gone out of her way to make sure that the princess and her little charge were both warm and comfortable. The two bed warmers had made the covers so inviting and the room itself was very warm, being just above the wide fireplace downstairs in the tavern. Though the room was spartan, it was much more tastefully decorated than Angelterra would have guessed. It seemed that it was Bethidarra who made the decor decisions. Groggily, the princess rose and shuffled over to the door. After a bit of fumbling, she figured out how to throw open the bolt.
Suddenly the door burst open and before Angelterra was aware of what was happening a hand was roughly squeezing her mouth shut. Four men were pushing her towards the bed. She bit down hard on the hand that covered her mouth.
“Aw, the wench bit me!” complained her attacker in a loud whisper and shaking his hand vigorously.
“I want to gets this one in the sheets,” said one of the men.
“In good time. Bar, get the child out of here first,” said a man by the door.
Angelterra recognized their leader as the tall lanky man from down the street that had leered at her as she and her escorts had passed him.
“Aye, my lovely, you remembers me now,” said the lanky man. “No knight to protect you this time.”
A huge man grabbed Selkeeda out of bed. The little girl awoke and just stared at the man who was carrying her out of the room. She did not yell or fuss.
“Selkeeda!” screamed Angelterra, through the hand that covered her mouth. “Leave her alone!”
“Hush up wench or the girl dies right here!” hissed the lanky man.
“Whatta I do with it?” said the big man.
“I do not care what you do with it. Dump it in the street somewhere. Just get it out of her,” growled the lanky man. “Now, where’s those gold coins of yours, my lovely?”
“Aye, Heen,” laughed the big man.
The little girl looked at the princess as she was being carried away, her precious doll fell from her hand and was crushed under the big man’s boot.
Seeing Selkeeda being taken away from her made Angelterra blind with fury.
Fire!
A flash of fire sparked up on the small dresser near the lanky Heen. He flinched, but the fire dissipated just as fast as it appeared.
“Did you see that!” exclaimed Heen.
The others stopped and stared at the dresser for a moment. All of them looked apprehensively at the place where the fire had appeared. But no fire came.
Why did the fire not stay? She had put all her fury into it.
They relaxed and set once again to their dirty task.
“Now, give me the gold coins,” demanded Heen, glaring at Angelterra.
“Gold? I be just a poor traveling woman,” replied Angelterra, matching his glare.
“Yoas, you promised me this wench has gold,” said Heen.
“She does,” said the one that must be Yoas who was holding one of her hands. “And I will finds it for ye.”
And Yoas began to grope her sides, grinning through his scraggly beard. The others all laughed their encouragement to him. Angelterra fought her attackers, but she still could not get free.
Where was her power? Where was her strength? Where was her magic?
Then she felt Yoas grab the pouch hidden at her hip. The one Lord Bazzleron had given her when she was not much older than Selkeeda.
No! Not her pouch of First Magic!
“Here it is,” said Yoas, “And it was my pleasure to find it, My Lady.”
The others laughed as Yoas plucked the pouch from its hiding place and tossed it to Heen.
“That is not gold,” said Angelterra.
“We shall just see about that,” said Heen and he opened the pouch. He looked inside and his eyes squinted. “What be this stuff?”
“It is…it is…just the ashes of my dear mother,” said Angelterra. “A…tradition to carry it for a year in my land.”
Heen made a disgusted face and flung the pouch in the corner. The powder within it spilled all over, forming little dust clouds. Heen pulled out a sword and put it to Angelterra’s neck. Its point burned her neck as it he pushed it in deep. She could hardly breathe and felt like coughing, but she dare not.
“First the gold!” yelled Heen. “Then your charms!”
“Over there on the chair,” said Angelterra, indicating with her eyes the chair below the window.
Heen immediately went over to the chair and grabbed Angelterra’s satchel and began rummaging through it.
