I need to take a brief hiatus. No more than two weeks, I promise. Real Life is kinda overwhelming right now and I need to devote some time and energy on fixing the mess. ETW isn't going in the direction it needs to be, so I need to fix that as well.
I don't want to leave you guys with nothing though. I've been working on another story about a young girl who loses her arms. It's kinda steampunky and weird. I honestly have no clue where its going, and I wanted to know what you guys think. The prologue is 3500 words long, so that's about two postings worth of story right there.
http://lmbricker.blogspot.com/2009/11/donor.html
I'll keep you all posted, and I promise ETW will be updating again soon.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Sister Bride pt 5
“Thank you,” Hesper said to Bernard before they went to sleep that night. “If you hadn’t brought me I would never have found my family.” She had fixed Maleen a bed inside the wagon, which would be more comfortable than the ground. Both of her boys had made beds underneath, as near to her as possible. Hesper wondered at them. They both seemed completely devoted to her.
“I just can’t believe she fell into our laps like this, when you thought her dead.”
“Destiny is a friend of mine, apparently,” Hesper assured him. “It always seems to put me in the right place at the right time.”
“All this time she’s been alive,” he wondered. She knew what he was thinking. She had been unjust in killing Jorgen. Hesper pushed the thought to the back of her mind, unwilling to let her guilt mar the happiness she felt. Maleen had come back to her, Bernard was speaking to her again. They were going to find Purvis.
And you killed a man who did not deserve to die.
He hurt her and left her for dead. I am just.
******
As they reached the capital the next day the road became congested with wagons and horses and people on foot. A limited number of people would be allowed at the actual ceremony, but tents had been set up at the city limits for a festival. “Free food,” Rob pointed out as they moved slowly down the road. He clearly wanted to stop.
“My sister,” Maleen reminded him. Her chest was full of feelings—the joy of finding Hesper, the anticipation of finding Purvis again. But mostly joy. “The food will be better at the palace,” Maleen reminded him.
“There aren’t any rich people at the festival,” John pointed out.
Hesper, still riding beside Maleen, gave her a look. “They run a charity,” Maleen offered, knowing what Hesper was thinking. Where had she gotten these boys? “They are my friends. They help me.”
‘Trust me Maleen, I cannot judge.” Her voice had a cold edge to it and Maleen wondered, but not for long. She was beginning to learn that the fewer questions asked of the ones you loved, the better off you were.
******
One more day, Purvis thought. She was wandering the palace, hiding from those attempting to teach her how to dance. One more day and she would be married, and a princess. She was beginning to rather like the married part, but not the princess bits. How could she be what Charles needed her to be? He wasn’t overly concerned, so she knew she shouldn’t be either.
She slipped into the library and sat down in a big cushioned chair. It had a high back and if she pulled her feet up under her no one would see her if they glanced into the room. She stared out the tall, wide windows lining one wall. The room was was on the second floor looking out over the green expanse of lawn and out into the city. There were people everywhere, camping out and waiting for the chance to attend a royal wedding. All of those people, staring at her as she walked down the aisle in the beautiful but ridiculous white and gold dress.
This was supposed to be Maleen’s fate, not mine, she thought, staring out at the people on the lawn. She had always assumed she would get married to someone as poor as she, but this…no one could have ever expected this. It was too much.
*****
It was close to evening before the group of travelers reached the palace, where they had to fight past even more people to get to a door. Bernard announced himself to the guard, Hesper and Maleen flanking him. “I have a delivery for the prince.”
“Of course,” the man said. “We’ve been expecting your arrival.”
Hesper nudged his shoulder. “My companions would also like to request an audience with the bride. They are her sisters.”
The man looked at them quizzically. “The lady only has one sister.”
Hesper rolled her eyes. “Tell her that her grandmother Gotel is here to see her. She will understand.”
“Wait here please.”
The five stood in place at the door. ‘I wish people didn’t think I was dead,” Maleen fretted. “It’s incredibly inconvenient.”
After what seemed like forever another man came to the door. He was tall and heavy-set and, Maleen could see, well dressed, though his clothes were not extravagant. “Where is my sister?” Hesper demanded immediately, while the dwarf beside her dropped immediately down to one knee.
Oh! Prince! Maleen took the cue and immediately did the same, and she felt John bump into her as he and Rob did the same. Hesper remained standing, even when Maleen smacked her leg. The prince only laughed.
“Thank you,” he told them. “Please, stand.”
Bernard stepped forward and handed him the box containing the ring. The prince snapped the box open and barely glanced at it. "Good. Very nice. You will be paid well.” But his attention was on Hesper and Maleen. “My man says that you are my bride’s sisters. Maleen is dead.”
“I’m not,” she said quietly. “It’s a complicated story. Please let us meet her.”
He looked at Hesper. “You are Hesper?” She nodded. “You have been pardoned for your crimes. You don’t need to go by the name you gave the guard.” Maleen gave Hesper a sharp look, but her older sister did not betray any emotion.
“Thank you. Can we please see her now?”
“Come in. I have someone tracking her down.”
******
“Miss Rose?” Someone’s voice called into the library. Purvis did not reply or move from her curled position in the chair. But the voice apparently had a sixth sense, or had been saying the same thing to every room she encountered. “Your sisters are here.”
Purvis scrambled out of the chair. “Wait!” The maid paused in the doorway as Purvis crossed the room. “Sisters?”
“They said to tell you your grandmother Gotel is here.” Hesper. She was alive, and she had found her. Sisters? Her mind continued. There must be some misunderstanding.
“I’m coming.”
Purvis followed the girl downstairs to the large reception hall where they were preparing for the wedding. Charles was standing with a group of people including a dwarf and two women. They turned when Charles nodded at her.
With all of her good fortune Purvis never once thought of wishes coming true. So it was not until Maleen broke into a run that Purvis believed it was her, it wasn’t until she had her lost sister in her arms that she knew she wasn’t dreaming. She had never imagined they would be together again. Hesper loped over to them and put a hand on Purvis’s arm. “So,” she said to her. “I hear you’re marrying a prince.”
******
A/N:
I'm having issues. This chapter is balls and a feel like a hack. Nano is going in a similar bad fashion. Hopefully by Tuesday's update I will snap out of it. Sorry. *sigh*
“I just can’t believe she fell into our laps like this, when you thought her dead.”
“Destiny is a friend of mine, apparently,” Hesper assured him. “It always seems to put me in the right place at the right time.”
“All this time she’s been alive,” he wondered. She knew what he was thinking. She had been unjust in killing Jorgen. Hesper pushed the thought to the back of her mind, unwilling to let her guilt mar the happiness she felt. Maleen had come back to her, Bernard was speaking to her again. They were going to find Purvis.
And you killed a man who did not deserve to die.
He hurt her and left her for dead. I am just.
******
As they reached the capital the next day the road became congested with wagons and horses and people on foot. A limited number of people would be allowed at the actual ceremony, but tents had been set up at the city limits for a festival. “Free food,” Rob pointed out as they moved slowly down the road. He clearly wanted to stop.
“My sister,” Maleen reminded him. Her chest was full of feelings—the joy of finding Hesper, the anticipation of finding Purvis again. But mostly joy. “The food will be better at the palace,” Maleen reminded him.
“There aren’t any rich people at the festival,” John pointed out.
Hesper, still riding beside Maleen, gave her a look. “They run a charity,” Maleen offered, knowing what Hesper was thinking. Where had she gotten these boys? “They are my friends. They help me.”
‘Trust me Maleen, I cannot judge.” Her voice had a cold edge to it and Maleen wondered, but not for long. She was beginning to learn that the fewer questions asked of the ones you loved, the better off you were.
******
One more day, Purvis thought. She was wandering the palace, hiding from those attempting to teach her how to dance. One more day and she would be married, and a princess. She was beginning to rather like the married part, but not the princess bits. How could she be what Charles needed her to be? He wasn’t overly concerned, so she knew she shouldn’t be either.
She slipped into the library and sat down in a big cushioned chair. It had a high back and if she pulled her feet up under her no one would see her if they glanced into the room. She stared out the tall, wide windows lining one wall. The room was was on the second floor looking out over the green expanse of lawn and out into the city. There were people everywhere, camping out and waiting for the chance to attend a royal wedding. All of those people, staring at her as she walked down the aisle in the beautiful but ridiculous white and gold dress.
This was supposed to be Maleen’s fate, not mine, she thought, staring out at the people on the lawn. She had always assumed she would get married to someone as poor as she, but this…no one could have ever expected this. It was too much.
*****
It was close to evening before the group of travelers reached the palace, where they had to fight past even more people to get to a door. Bernard announced himself to the guard, Hesper and Maleen flanking him. “I have a delivery for the prince.”
“Of course,” the man said. “We’ve been expecting your arrival.”
Hesper nudged his shoulder. “My companions would also like to request an audience with the bride. They are her sisters.”
The man looked at them quizzically. “The lady only has one sister.”
Hesper rolled her eyes. “Tell her that her grandmother Gotel is here to see her. She will understand.”
“Wait here please.”
The five stood in place at the door. ‘I wish people didn’t think I was dead,” Maleen fretted. “It’s incredibly inconvenient.”
After what seemed like forever another man came to the door. He was tall and heavy-set and, Maleen could see, well dressed, though his clothes were not extravagant. “Where is my sister?” Hesper demanded immediately, while the dwarf beside her dropped immediately down to one knee.
Oh! Prince! Maleen took the cue and immediately did the same, and she felt John bump into her as he and Rob did the same. Hesper remained standing, even when Maleen smacked her leg. The prince only laughed.
“Thank you,” he told them. “Please, stand.”
Bernard stepped forward and handed him the box containing the ring. The prince snapped the box open and barely glanced at it. "Good. Very nice. You will be paid well.” But his attention was on Hesper and Maleen. “My man says that you are my bride’s sisters. Maleen is dead.”
“I’m not,” she said quietly. “It’s a complicated story. Please let us meet her.”
He looked at Hesper. “You are Hesper?” She nodded. “You have been pardoned for your crimes. You don’t need to go by the name you gave the guard.” Maleen gave Hesper a sharp look, but her older sister did not betray any emotion.
“Thank you. Can we please see her now?”
“Come in. I have someone tracking her down.”
******
“Miss Rose?” Someone’s voice called into the library. Purvis did not reply or move from her curled position in the chair. But the voice apparently had a sixth sense, or had been saying the same thing to every room she encountered. “Your sisters are here.”
Purvis scrambled out of the chair. “Wait!” The maid paused in the doorway as Purvis crossed the room. “Sisters?”
“They said to tell you your grandmother Gotel is here.” Hesper. She was alive, and she had found her. Sisters? Her mind continued. There must be some misunderstanding.
“I’m coming.”
Purvis followed the girl downstairs to the large reception hall where they were preparing for the wedding. Charles was standing with a group of people including a dwarf and two women. They turned when Charles nodded at her.
With all of her good fortune Purvis never once thought of wishes coming true. So it was not until Maleen broke into a run that Purvis believed it was her, it wasn’t until she had her lost sister in her arms that she knew she wasn’t dreaming. She had never imagined they would be together again. Hesper loped over to them and put a hand on Purvis’s arm. “So,” she said to her. “I hear you’re marrying a prince.”
******
A/N:
I'm having issues. This chapter is balls and a feel like a hack. Nano is going in a similar bad fashion. Hopefully by Tuesday's update I will snap out of it. Sorry. *sigh*
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Sister Bride pt 4
Purvis stared at her reflection in the mirror. The white dress seemed to fill the room, the skirt poofing out around her. It looked like she was standing in the middle of a cloud sewn all over with roses made of her gold thread. The bodice, like every other dress she had been forced into since coming to the palace, dipped too low and had even more gold embroidery than the skirt. The damn thing weighed a ton. To make matters worse, that afternoon they brought in the shoes she was supposed to wear. They were made of solid gold.
“Why?” she demanded when the serving girls put them on her feet. “No one can see them under the dress.” They hurt her when she walked and made her stumble (or perhaps it was the dress).
One day, she thought. One day they will have to let me be myself again.
*****
Maleen sat on the open back of Bernard’s wagon while Hesper applied salve and bandages to her feet. “I can’t believe it’s you,” she said for the fifth time.
“I can’t believe you’ve been walking like this,” Hesper replied in the know-it-all voice Maleen had missed so much. “Have you learned nothing about medicine as my sister?” Her voice caught on the word 'sister' and she stood up, wrapping her arms around Maleen’s thin shoulders. “My sister,” she whispered into Maleen’s hair.
“I’m so sorry. This was all my fault.”
“Don’t say that.” Maleen held her sister close while their three companions looked on at the embracing girls. She couldn't remember the last time Hesper had hugged her. (Their mother's funeral perhaps?) It was an odd, good feeling. “It’s not your fault he didn’t love me enough to save me.”
“I thought you were dead! What happened?”
Maleen pushed her sister away gently. “I have something to show you. Please don’t be afraid.” Hesper stepped back, a puzzled look on her face, and Maleen peeled back one of her gloves, revealing one shining silver hand. Hesper continued to stare, unblinking, as Maleen revealed the other hand. She flexed her fingers, reflecting flecks of sun across Hesper’s face. “I saved a unicorn but lost my arms. The fairy queen gave me new ones.”
“Not to interrupt,” Hesper’s dwarf companion said, “but I have a ring to deliver by tomorrow? Shall you girls chat on the ride?”
“He’s so impatient,” Hesper said, a tone of fondness in her voice that made Maleen wonder. She packed up her herb bag and jumped up beside Maleen. “We’ll ride in back. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
******
Behind the wagon the two boys, Rob and John, walked in silence. Neither, Hesper noticed, let their gaze fall away from Maleen.
Meanwhile, Hesper felt herself growing sick as Maleen relayed her story to her. Maleen had been alive and hurting all that time, and Hesper had almost killed the wrong man. Amazing how fate had steered her apple into the correct hand, and Maleen’s injuries had been avenged despite Hesper’s visions of the tale being incomplete. If only she had been a little better at reading the tale in her looking glass bowl all those months ago, so much hurt could have been avoided. She could have gotten Maleen and brought her home, and the events that separated them further never would have happened.
“Do you really think that Purvis is the princess?” Maleen asked Hesper when she had finished telling her story. “It just doesn’t seem real.”
“Has anything these past months?” Hesper questioned, as much to Maleen as to herself. “If she isn’t, we’ll just thank the girl with Purvis’s name and go home.” She paused. She hadn’t told Maleen what she had done and had no plans to. “Actually, we’ll just send for Purvis. I have a house. A nice one. Far away from all the people who ever hurt us.” Well, a little close to the ones that hurt me…but Maleen and Purvis will like it there.
“What about father?”
“The Taverners were paying him for you in beer. We’re better off without him.”
Maleen looked down at her lap. “I think he might be dead. Hesper, these hands can do magic. She told her about the visions, of seeing Hesper and Purvis, of seeing John and Rob before they came to her. “A few weeks ago I saw our house. It had collapsed and was covered in blooming roses. It had to have been ours.”
“I call it Elm Cottage," Hesper said, glossing over the possibility that what Maleen saw was true. "There’s two rooms and a fence around the house and garden. Bernard is only a few miles down the road. He lives with his mother and children—I don’t like them much but you will, I’m sure.”
”Excuse me,” Bernard’s voice floated back to them. “What about my children?”
“Nothing,” Hesper called back. “They are darlings.” She raised her eyebrows at Maleen. “I don’t like children,” she said in a whisper.
“How did you get a house?” Maleen asked her.
Hesper sat silent, considering her options. “I pretended to be someone’s widow.”
“Hesper!”
“There was no one else to claim the place, and I nursed his mother until she died.”
“Oh. That’s okay then.” If only, Hesper thought, biting the inside of her lip. Maleen stared at the ground as it rushed past under them. “What happened? Our lives were so normal, and all of a sudden we’re thrown all over the country and you thought I was dead. Now we’re going to the palace because Purvis might be a princess.”
“Destiny. That one day, with the golem and Hugh. That’s what put us on this insane path. What I really want to know,” Hesper said, “is how Purvis turned straw into gold.”
“Are you a witch?” Maleen asked her sister. Hesper nodded. “I think I’m one too. If we are—”
“So is Purvis.”
“Where did it come from?”
“Not from father,” Hesper said. “I know that much.” She twisted around her silver ring. She wore it all the time now that she did not have to hide her magic or the power stored within it. “Mother’s family is ancient, and we got the witches hearts from her.”
“Hesper, this all happened because my locket broke and it wasn’t protecting me. I’m so sorry I lost it.”
“No you didn’t.” Hesper dug into her bag and pulled out the locket, dangling from it’s broken chain. “Bernard can fix the chain.” She let the ancient, tarnished heart fall into Maleen’s shiny hand, the two metals clinking together. “See? Everything is going to be okay again.”
******
Once Purvis was released from her wedding dress (and back into an only slightly more practical hooped marvel) she went back to her room. In her jewelry box full of shiny things she didn’t want was a battered heart of silver. Only Puss and her witch’s heart remained of her old life. She wanted to wear it to the wedding the next day, but there was no way she could get away with it unless it were gold.
Purvis hadn’t felt like doing any magic since the three exhausting days of alchemy, so when nothing happened on her first attempt to turn the silver to gold, she wasn’t surprised that it didn’t work. She was out of practice, and the task had taken a lot out of her. After three more tries the silver stayed silver. And the wooden armrest of her chair remained wood. She did not succeed in changing the color of the book beside her chair, and no amount of effort could produce honey from the flowers beside her bed. She did manage to light the fire set out in the hearth, but it fizzled and went out before the wood caught.
It’s gone, she though in despair. My magic. What happened? She felt the panic begin to rise. Maybe she had burnt herself out completely changing all of the straw. Maybe there was only a finite amount of magic in a person and she used it all up. Maybe it was nothing more than a joke to Puck, and she never really had it in the first place. Charles thought he was marrying a great magician. Not a nobody.
*****
Charles came to call on her that evening. She had already changed into her night clothes, her dressing gown hanging open. She stared into the fire that she had been unsuccessful in lighting stroking Puss on her lap. “Come in,” she said at his knock, pulling her dressing gown close around her. Charles balked at the sight of her. “You shouldn't let me in here dressed like that. Or, um, not dressed.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, voice flat. “Because there isn’t going to be a wedding.”
“Purvis, darling, what are you talking about?” he came over to her side.
She handed him the silver heart. “I tried to turn that into gold today so I could wear it on my dress. Nothing happened.”
“Purvis?”
“My magic is gone. I used it all up. No one will ever believe me when they find out. They’ll call me a fake and a fraud, and you’ll have to divorce me or cut my head off to save yourself from ridicule.”
“Cut your head off?”
“Well, you wouldn’t want to keep me around.”
“Of course I would.” He looked down at the brooch. “You had no magic?’
“Hardly any at all. I could make sparks in the fireplace.”
“No one has to know. We can buy time. Maybe it will come back.”
“I doubt it. It was too good to be true.” She laughed once. “He had me thinking I was a goddess. I thought I could rule the world. You have no idea what it’s like to have that kind of power.”
“Um, crown prince?”
“Alright, maybe you do. But I felt special. And now I’m a nothing. Less than nothing because I don’t have a home to go back to anymore, and no sisters to help me.”
“You’re not nothing.” He placed the heart in her hands. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Many, apparently.”
“We’re getting married tomorrow. If you want to wear that, go right ahead. I don’t
care if it doesn’t match your dress.”
“Have you seen the dress?” Purvis said with a half-laugh. “It’s terrifying.”
“I’m sure it will look lovely on you.”
“And the shoes. I don’t know if I can wear the shoes.”
“So don’t. I don’t care.”
Purvis smiled at him. “You know, I think I kind of love you right now.”
*****
A/N:
Lots of fairy tale stuff to talk about in these notes. I spent way too long agonizing over Purvis's shoes and what they should be made of. Glass was of course my first thought, but really, what did that have to do with her? And I knew Cinderella's shoes had been gold in Into the Woods so I did some reading.
The first Cinderella was named Yeh-Shen. The Chinese version of the tale is the oldest, dating back to 850 AD. In that story a magical dead fish gave her a pretty dress and gold shoes. The Cinderella we know and love was written by Charles Perrault in the 1600's, and--this is the most interesting part--the glass slippers might be a typo. It is uncertain whether the original text used "verre" (french for 'glass') or "vair" an obscure french word for fur. Through so many printings and translations, no one is sure. So she might have been wearing fur slippers. Imagine that.
I know I mentioned not posting more pics...but.
The white castle by the sea is all part of the disney fairy tale. We all know that castles do not look like cinderella's castle (Buckingham Palace looks like a courthouse on steroids), but this one does, and this is the grand palace Purvis is getting married in. So it has to be over the top. (I also like the movie 'Enchanted' more than my feminist views (and good taste) should let me.)
Some non-fairy tale notes:
Thanks Valentine for the donation. We're 1/2 way to an extra chapter ppl!
@Fiona--on the subject of soul books, I'm pretty sure mine is a children's book by Patricia MacLachlan called Unclaimed Treasures. It's more of a novella really, and not one of her most famous works, but it kinda grabbed me in the 5th grade and has not let go since. I've read it once or twice a year for the last 16 years.
“Why?” she demanded when the serving girls put them on her feet. “No one can see them under the dress.” They hurt her when she walked and made her stumble (or perhaps it was the dress).
One day, she thought. One day they will have to let me be myself again.
*****
Maleen sat on the open back of Bernard’s wagon while Hesper applied salve and bandages to her feet. “I can’t believe it’s you,” she said for the fifth time.
“I can’t believe you’ve been walking like this,” Hesper replied in the know-it-all voice Maleen had missed so much. “Have you learned nothing about medicine as my sister?” Her voice caught on the word 'sister' and she stood up, wrapping her arms around Maleen’s thin shoulders. “My sister,” she whispered into Maleen’s hair.
“I’m so sorry. This was all my fault.”
“Don’t say that.” Maleen held her sister close while their three companions looked on at the embracing girls. She couldn't remember the last time Hesper had hugged her. (Their mother's funeral perhaps?) It was an odd, good feeling. “It’s not your fault he didn’t love me enough to save me.”
“I thought you were dead! What happened?”
Maleen pushed her sister away gently. “I have something to show you. Please don’t be afraid.” Hesper stepped back, a puzzled look on her face, and Maleen peeled back one of her gloves, revealing one shining silver hand. Hesper continued to stare, unblinking, as Maleen revealed the other hand. She flexed her fingers, reflecting flecks of sun across Hesper’s face. “I saved a unicorn but lost my arms. The fairy queen gave me new ones.”
“Not to interrupt,” Hesper’s dwarf companion said, “but I have a ring to deliver by tomorrow? Shall you girls chat on the ride?”
“He’s so impatient,” Hesper said, a tone of fondness in her voice that made Maleen wonder. She packed up her herb bag and jumped up beside Maleen. “We’ll ride in back. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
******
Behind the wagon the two boys, Rob and John, walked in silence. Neither, Hesper noticed, let their gaze fall away from Maleen.
Meanwhile, Hesper felt herself growing sick as Maleen relayed her story to her. Maleen had been alive and hurting all that time, and Hesper had almost killed the wrong man. Amazing how fate had steered her apple into the correct hand, and Maleen’s injuries had been avenged despite Hesper’s visions of the tale being incomplete. If only she had been a little better at reading the tale in her looking glass bowl all those months ago, so much hurt could have been avoided. She could have gotten Maleen and brought her home, and the events that separated them further never would have happened.
“Do you really think that Purvis is the princess?” Maleen asked Hesper when she had finished telling her story. “It just doesn’t seem real.”
“Has anything these past months?” Hesper questioned, as much to Maleen as to herself. “If she isn’t, we’ll just thank the girl with Purvis’s name and go home.” She paused. She hadn’t told Maleen what she had done and had no plans to. “Actually, we’ll just send for Purvis. I have a house. A nice one. Far away from all the people who ever hurt us.” Well, a little close to the ones that hurt me…but Maleen and Purvis will like it there.
“What about father?”
“The Taverners were paying him for you in beer. We’re better off without him.”
Maleen looked down at her lap. “I think he might be dead. Hesper, these hands can do magic. She told her about the visions, of seeing Hesper and Purvis, of seeing John and Rob before they came to her. “A few weeks ago I saw our house. It had collapsed and was covered in blooming roses. It had to have been ours.”
“I call it Elm Cottage," Hesper said, glossing over the possibility that what Maleen saw was true. "There’s two rooms and a fence around the house and garden. Bernard is only a few miles down the road. He lives with his mother and children—I don’t like them much but you will, I’m sure.”
”Excuse me,” Bernard’s voice floated back to them. “What about my children?”
“Nothing,” Hesper called back. “They are darlings.” She raised her eyebrows at Maleen. “I don’t like children,” she said in a whisper.
“How did you get a house?” Maleen asked her.
Hesper sat silent, considering her options. “I pretended to be someone’s widow.”
“Hesper!”
“There was no one else to claim the place, and I nursed his mother until she died.”
“Oh. That’s okay then.” If only, Hesper thought, biting the inside of her lip. Maleen stared at the ground as it rushed past under them. “What happened? Our lives were so normal, and all of a sudden we’re thrown all over the country and you thought I was dead. Now we’re going to the palace because Purvis might be a princess.”
“Destiny. That one day, with the golem and Hugh. That’s what put us on this insane path. What I really want to know,” Hesper said, “is how Purvis turned straw into gold.”
“Are you a witch?” Maleen asked her sister. Hesper nodded. “I think I’m one too. If we are—”
“So is Purvis.”
“Where did it come from?”
“Not from father,” Hesper said. “I know that much.” She twisted around her silver ring. She wore it all the time now that she did not have to hide her magic or the power stored within it. “Mother’s family is ancient, and we got the witches hearts from her.”
“Hesper, this all happened because my locket broke and it wasn’t protecting me. I’m so sorry I lost it.”
“No you didn’t.” Hesper dug into her bag and pulled out the locket, dangling from it’s broken chain. “Bernard can fix the chain.” She let the ancient, tarnished heart fall into Maleen’s shiny hand, the two metals clinking together. “See? Everything is going to be okay again.”
******
Once Purvis was released from her wedding dress (and back into an only slightly more practical hooped marvel) she went back to her room. In her jewelry box full of shiny things she didn’t want was a battered heart of silver. Only Puss and her witch’s heart remained of her old life. She wanted to wear it to the wedding the next day, but there was no way she could get away with it unless it were gold.
Purvis hadn’t felt like doing any magic since the three exhausting days of alchemy, so when nothing happened on her first attempt to turn the silver to gold, she wasn’t surprised that it didn’t work. She was out of practice, and the task had taken a lot out of her. After three more tries the silver stayed silver. And the wooden armrest of her chair remained wood. She did not succeed in changing the color of the book beside her chair, and no amount of effort could produce honey from the flowers beside her bed. She did manage to light the fire set out in the hearth, but it fizzled and went out before the wood caught.
It’s gone, she though in despair. My magic. What happened? She felt the panic begin to rise. Maybe she had burnt herself out completely changing all of the straw. Maybe there was only a finite amount of magic in a person and she used it all up. Maybe it was nothing more than a joke to Puck, and she never really had it in the first place. Charles thought he was marrying a great magician. Not a nobody.
*****
Charles came to call on her that evening. She had already changed into her night clothes, her dressing gown hanging open. She stared into the fire that she had been unsuccessful in lighting stroking Puss on her lap. “Come in,” she said at his knock, pulling her dressing gown close around her. Charles balked at the sight of her. “You shouldn't let me in here dressed like that. Or, um, not dressed.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, voice flat. “Because there isn’t going to be a wedding.”
“Purvis, darling, what are you talking about?” he came over to her side.
She handed him the silver heart. “I tried to turn that into gold today so I could wear it on my dress. Nothing happened.”
“Purvis?”
“My magic is gone. I used it all up. No one will ever believe me when they find out. They’ll call me a fake and a fraud, and you’ll have to divorce me or cut my head off to save yourself from ridicule.”
“Cut your head off?”
“Well, you wouldn’t want to keep me around.”
“Of course I would.” He looked down at the brooch. “You had no magic?’
“Hardly any at all. I could make sparks in the fireplace.”
“No one has to know. We can buy time. Maybe it will come back.”
“I doubt it. It was too good to be true.” She laughed once. “He had me thinking I was a goddess. I thought I could rule the world. You have no idea what it’s like to have that kind of power.”
“Um, crown prince?”
“Alright, maybe you do. But I felt special. And now I’m a nothing. Less than nothing because I don’t have a home to go back to anymore, and no sisters to help me.”
“You’re not nothing.” He placed the heart in her hands. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Many, apparently.”
“We’re getting married tomorrow. If you want to wear that, go right ahead. I don’t
care if it doesn’t match your dress.”
“Have you seen the dress?” Purvis said with a half-laugh. “It’s terrifying.”
“I’m sure it will look lovely on you.”
“And the shoes. I don’t know if I can wear the shoes.”
“So don’t. I don’t care.”
Purvis smiled at him. “You know, I think I kind of love you right now.”
*****
A/N:
Lots of fairy tale stuff to talk about in these notes. I spent way too long agonizing over Purvis's shoes and what they should be made of. Glass was of course my first thought, but really, what did that have to do with her? And I knew Cinderella's shoes had been gold in Into the Woods so I did some reading.
The first Cinderella was named Yeh-Shen. The Chinese version of the tale is the oldest, dating back to 850 AD. In that story a magical dead fish gave her a pretty dress and gold shoes. The Cinderella we know and love was written by Charles Perrault in the 1600's, and--this is the most interesting part--the glass slippers might be a typo. It is uncertain whether the original text used "verre" (french for 'glass') or "vair" an obscure french word for fur. Through so many printings and translations, no one is sure. So she might have been wearing fur slippers. Imagine that.
I know I mentioned not posting more pics...but.
The white castle by the sea is all part of the disney fairy tale. We all know that castles do not look like cinderella's castle (Buckingham Palace looks like a courthouse on steroids), but this one does, and this is the grand palace Purvis is getting married in. So it has to be over the top. (I also like the movie 'Enchanted' more than my feminist views (and good taste) should let me.)
Some non-fairy tale notes:
Thanks Valentine for the donation. We're 1/2 way to an extra chapter ppl!
@Fiona--on the subject of soul books, I'm pretty sure mine is a children's book by Patricia MacLachlan called Unclaimed Treasures. It's more of a novella really, and not one of her most famous works, but it kinda grabbed me in the 5th grade and has not let go since. I've read it once or twice a year for the last 16 years.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Sister Bride pt 3
Hesper glanced at Bernard next to her on the seat of the wagon. They had been traveling for three days and had barely said a word. She was waiting for him to say something, to give her a clue to what he was thinking, how he felt, but it became obvious that it wasn’t going to happen. “Bernard. I would never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it.”
“I know.”
“And you would never do anything to deserve it.”
“I hope not.”
“I’m beating a dead horse here, aren’t I?” He said nothing. “Have you ever been to the capital?”
“Quite a few times,” Bernard said. “I do a lot of work for people there.”
“Why don’t you move?”
“Because Almstead is my home, and has been for five generations now. You don’t have any concept of that though.”
“I do,” Hesper replied. “But my home isn’t my house or town. Home is Purvis, and the memory of Maleen.”
“That’s the most honest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I promise never to lie to you again.”
Bernard smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”
*****
Maleen's feet hurt. She wished the fairy queen had given her silver feet instead of silver hands so she wouldnt be limping along after three days of walking from sun up to sun down. Her too-small boots had, by the end of the first day, pained her feet so much that she took them off. John tied the laces together and tossed them over his shoulder. The walking didn't seem to phase John or Rob in the slightest. They took turns carrying Maleen's carpet bag of supplies so she wouldn't be burdened with it. At dusk on the third day they found a stream to drink from and Maleen collapsed on a bed of moss near the water. "I can't do this anymore," she said.
"C'mon Maleen," Rob said, dropping the carpet bag and running over to her. "We're almost to the main highway, and after that its a straight shot to the Capital. No sweat."
"Maybe we should find her a ride," John said.
"Whose gonna let us ride with them?" Rob questioned. "Look at us!" They were a ragged bunch, their clothes dusty and in ill repair. Maleen had never felt so tired and dirty in all her life, not even on the ride down to the lilac woods. She crawled on her hands and knees to the stream and lowered her sore, dirty feet into the cool water, hissing as it hit the cuts and blisters she had accumulated over the journey. They needed to be wrapped, but she didn’t see the point in walking on dirty bandages.
"That water looks pretty inviting," Rob offered and started pulling off his shirt.
"Don't," John told him. "Not in front of Maleen."
"She don't care," Rob countered. "Country girl like her?"
"How do you know I'm a country girl?" Maleen asked, averting her eyes when he slipped off his trousers and jumped into the water. She had avoided speaking about her past.
"It's okay," he called to her. "The water comes up to my waist." She looked back at him, bare-chested and cupping water to dump over his head. The wound on his shoulder had healed, but there would always be a nasty scar as a reminder. "Because you can cook and wash clothes and live in a tree without complaining. Your stomach doesn't go all squishy when digging bullets out of people. I don't know what happened to you to get you there, but you're not some rich filly unable to take care of yourself."
"I'm, from a farm in the north," she admitted. "I was supposed to marry a rich man. We went to see the unicorn first."
"Not the whole 'use a virgin for bait' deal," John scoffed. "He left you there when the unicorn didn't come?"
"Hey now," Rob said. "Don't insult the lady's chastity."
"I didn't mean--the unicorn doesn't come for anyone!" John defended himself.
"It did for me." She looked down at her hands and continued to speak, relaying the entire unicorn hunting story. As she spoke John sat down beside her, putting a big arm around her shoulders. Rob scrambled out of the water and got dressed, sitting on her other side so she was flanked by her protectors and friends. She cried, wetting her opera gloves. "I want my hands back," she finished. "I want my sisters back. But I'm afraid to go home. I just want to see Hesper and Purvis again."
"That's what we're doing," John promised her, sitting down at her side. "If this princess isn't your sister, we'll take you back to the north."
Maleen shook her head. "I can't ask you to do that. And I can't go back there. I like the lilac wood. I'll just go back there and live with the unicorn."
"We're going there either way to go kill those bastards Hugh and Jorgen," Rob said with feeling, putting a sun-browned hand on her leg. "No one messes with our Maleen. I'll cut their heads off and kick them.
"And then you can come back," John offered. "If you don't want to stay there. We'd like you to stay with us."
"I'd like you to," Rob said. "I was thinking, the lilac wood is a good place to have a base camp to come back to. And if you were there, it would always feel like home."
"Come back from your charity work?"
"Yeah."
Maleen smiled. "If the princess isn't my sister, I think I would like that. I couldn't bear to go home after what's happened."
"Of course," John said. "Don't worry Maleen."
Rob stood up. "Well now, let's have some dinner and sleep."
"I'm too tired to eat,” Maleen said, pulling her feet out of the water and stretching out on her bed of moss. “I just need to sleep and sleep.” She listened to the boys crunching on apples and nuts and drifted off, waking a little when she felt the presence of a boy on either side of her, not too close, but near enough to let her know they were there for her. She was so glad.
*****
By mid-morning the next day they had reached the main highway leading towards the capital. Maleen’s feet hurt too much to walk for very long, but John had the strong arms of a laborer and carried her easily while the smaller Rob carried the bag. Feeling ridiculous, every now and then she would get down and walk, but it was faster to be carried than hobble along. On the main highway there were other travelers spaced far apart but noticeable. Ahead of them was a small cart pulled by a single horse, two men, one tall and the other short, squeezed into the wagon seat.
When they stopped for their mid-day meal and rest the wagon stopped too, about a mile ahead of them. John sat Maleen down under a tree and Rob dropped her bag beside her. “I’m gonna run ahead and see if they can give Maleen a ride,” he said.
Maleen wanted to protest, but she knew John couldn’t carry her forever, so she only nodded and leaned against the tree, wanting nothing more than to sleep until it was over. Rob trotted off at a brisk pace that amazed her. “I don’t know how you boys do this,” she muttered as John handed her an apple. She was so sick of living off of fruits and nuts…
“We’re outlaws,” he answered seriously. “Running is what we do best.”
“No,” Maleen said. “You do charity work.”
“It’s nice to see you and Rob have the same outlook on the whole thing,” he said, and Maleen could tell from his tone of voice that he might not.
Maleen looked at him seriously. “You are just making the rich be generous.”
“It’s still illegal.”
“I think there’s something noble to it. You can’t afford to help people, but you’re willing to risk your lives and your freedom to do good. I’d rather you didn’t, I worry about you two getting hurt, but…well, I don’t like rich people much either anymore. I may be biased.” She gave him a wry smile.
She could see Rob returning with one of the taller men from the cart. He carried a brown bag over one shoulder and didn’t quite walk with the loping gait Maleen connected with masculinity. As they drew closer and the wind blew against the figure’s body it looked even less so, but when the person pulled off their hat to reveal long black hair tumbling down over their shoulders Maleen knew it was actually a woman. More than that. It looked like her sister.
*****
Bernard wasn’t comfortable with letting a strange girl ride with them and Hesper didn’t blame him, considering their precious cargo. Still, the little ragamuffin was earnest and Hesper decided she would at least do what she could to doctor the girl’s feet, and too her herb bag and set off with the boy. He was slight of build and dirty, not keen on information such as names and why they were going to the Capital. He did not look particularly trustworthy and Hesper wondered if they would be safe to sleep that night and wake up with any belongings left.
As she approached the tree his companions were resting under Hesper took note of the huge man standing next to the girl, tiny and blond curled up on the ground. She was watching them and suddenly scrambled to her feet. Hesper heard her cry out in pain and fall again, but she didn’t expect to hear her name from the girl’s lips.
“Hesper!”
She felt her heart jump in her chest and she immediately broke into a run. The girl called out her name again. “Hesper!” And it was Maleen’s voice and as the blond staggered towards her she recognized her sister, back from the dead with tears of joy running down her face.
*****
A/N:
Chapter would have been up earlier, except I had a keyboard malfunction in the form of a cup of hot chocolate. My new keyboard is most excellent and superior, and only cost a dollar at the salvation army.
I wrote a lame article--you don't have to read it, but I need 1,000 hits to get my 3 bucks for it.
My nano has been suffering due to me being depressed about money, and the fact that the hero isnt really the hero, but since the heroine spends the first 1/4 of the story sleeping with him he has to have some attraction to her.
A bit about the story: Deirdre is a witch whose super power is being able to find a person's "soul book." she can go into a library or bookstore and find the book that will touch you in ways no other book ever will. The thing is, she meets Dorian when she is assisting him at her bookstore and his soul book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Not that being a capitalist individualist is bad, but there's not much that is cuddly in a character like that, and he does later turn on her and become the villain.
Maybe he could like cats....
Deirdre's soul book, for comparison, is The Secret Garden, and the guy she's actually *supposed* to be with, his is an HG Wells book. (not sure which one yet)
“I know.”
“And you would never do anything to deserve it.”
“I hope not.”
“I’m beating a dead horse here, aren’t I?” He said nothing. “Have you ever been to the capital?”
“Quite a few times,” Bernard said. “I do a lot of work for people there.”
“Why don’t you move?”
“Because Almstead is my home, and has been for five generations now. You don’t have any concept of that though.”
“I do,” Hesper replied. “But my home isn’t my house or town. Home is Purvis, and the memory of Maleen.”
“That’s the most honest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I promise never to lie to you again.”
Bernard smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”
*****
Maleen's feet hurt. She wished the fairy queen had given her silver feet instead of silver hands so she wouldnt be limping along after three days of walking from sun up to sun down. Her too-small boots had, by the end of the first day, pained her feet so much that she took them off. John tied the laces together and tossed them over his shoulder. The walking didn't seem to phase John or Rob in the slightest. They took turns carrying Maleen's carpet bag of supplies so she wouldn't be burdened with it. At dusk on the third day they found a stream to drink from and Maleen collapsed on a bed of moss near the water. "I can't do this anymore," she said.
"C'mon Maleen," Rob said, dropping the carpet bag and running over to her. "We're almost to the main highway, and after that its a straight shot to the Capital. No sweat."
"Maybe we should find her a ride," John said.
"Whose gonna let us ride with them?" Rob questioned. "Look at us!" They were a ragged bunch, their clothes dusty and in ill repair. Maleen had never felt so tired and dirty in all her life, not even on the ride down to the lilac woods. She crawled on her hands and knees to the stream and lowered her sore, dirty feet into the cool water, hissing as it hit the cuts and blisters she had accumulated over the journey. They needed to be wrapped, but she didn’t see the point in walking on dirty bandages.
"That water looks pretty inviting," Rob offered and started pulling off his shirt.
"Don't," John told him. "Not in front of Maleen."
"She don't care," Rob countered. "Country girl like her?"
"How do you know I'm a country girl?" Maleen asked, averting her eyes when he slipped off his trousers and jumped into the water. She had avoided speaking about her past.
"It's okay," he called to her. "The water comes up to my waist." She looked back at him, bare-chested and cupping water to dump over his head. The wound on his shoulder had healed, but there would always be a nasty scar as a reminder. "Because you can cook and wash clothes and live in a tree without complaining. Your stomach doesn't go all squishy when digging bullets out of people. I don't know what happened to you to get you there, but you're not some rich filly unable to take care of yourself."
"I'm, from a farm in the north," she admitted. "I was supposed to marry a rich man. We went to see the unicorn first."
"Not the whole 'use a virgin for bait' deal," John scoffed. "He left you there when the unicorn didn't come?"
"Hey now," Rob said. "Don't insult the lady's chastity."
"I didn't mean--the unicorn doesn't come for anyone!" John defended himself.
"It did for me." She looked down at her hands and continued to speak, relaying the entire unicorn hunting story. As she spoke John sat down beside her, putting a big arm around her shoulders. Rob scrambled out of the water and got dressed, sitting on her other side so she was flanked by her protectors and friends. She cried, wetting her opera gloves. "I want my hands back," she finished. "I want my sisters back. But I'm afraid to go home. I just want to see Hesper and Purvis again."
"That's what we're doing," John promised her, sitting down at her side. "If this princess isn't your sister, we'll take you back to the north."
Maleen shook her head. "I can't ask you to do that. And I can't go back there. I like the lilac wood. I'll just go back there and live with the unicorn."
"We're going there either way to go kill those bastards Hugh and Jorgen," Rob said with feeling, putting a sun-browned hand on her leg. "No one messes with our Maleen. I'll cut their heads off and kick them.
"And then you can come back," John offered. "If you don't want to stay there. We'd like you to stay with us."
"I'd like you to," Rob said. "I was thinking, the lilac wood is a good place to have a base camp to come back to. And if you were there, it would always feel like home."
"Come back from your charity work?"
"Yeah."
Maleen smiled. "If the princess isn't my sister, I think I would like that. I couldn't bear to go home after what's happened."
"Of course," John said. "Don't worry Maleen."
Rob stood up. "Well now, let's have some dinner and sleep."
"I'm too tired to eat,” Maleen said, pulling her feet out of the water and stretching out on her bed of moss. “I just need to sleep and sleep.” She listened to the boys crunching on apples and nuts and drifted off, waking a little when she felt the presence of a boy on either side of her, not too close, but near enough to let her know they were there for her. She was so glad.
*****
By mid-morning the next day they had reached the main highway leading towards the capital. Maleen’s feet hurt too much to walk for very long, but John had the strong arms of a laborer and carried her easily while the smaller Rob carried the bag. Feeling ridiculous, every now and then she would get down and walk, but it was faster to be carried than hobble along. On the main highway there were other travelers spaced far apart but noticeable. Ahead of them was a small cart pulled by a single horse, two men, one tall and the other short, squeezed into the wagon seat.
When they stopped for their mid-day meal and rest the wagon stopped too, about a mile ahead of them. John sat Maleen down under a tree and Rob dropped her bag beside her. “I’m gonna run ahead and see if they can give Maleen a ride,” he said.
Maleen wanted to protest, but she knew John couldn’t carry her forever, so she only nodded and leaned against the tree, wanting nothing more than to sleep until it was over. Rob trotted off at a brisk pace that amazed her. “I don’t know how you boys do this,” she muttered as John handed her an apple. She was so sick of living off of fruits and nuts…
“We’re outlaws,” he answered seriously. “Running is what we do best.”
“No,” Maleen said. “You do charity work.”
“It’s nice to see you and Rob have the same outlook on the whole thing,” he said, and Maleen could tell from his tone of voice that he might not.
Maleen looked at him seriously. “You are just making the rich be generous.”
“It’s still illegal.”
“I think there’s something noble to it. You can’t afford to help people, but you’re willing to risk your lives and your freedom to do good. I’d rather you didn’t, I worry about you two getting hurt, but…well, I don’t like rich people much either anymore. I may be biased.” She gave him a wry smile.
She could see Rob returning with one of the taller men from the cart. He carried a brown bag over one shoulder and didn’t quite walk with the loping gait Maleen connected with masculinity. As they drew closer and the wind blew against the figure’s body it looked even less so, but when the person pulled off their hat to reveal long black hair tumbling down over their shoulders Maleen knew it was actually a woman. More than that. It looked like her sister.
*****
Bernard wasn’t comfortable with letting a strange girl ride with them and Hesper didn’t blame him, considering their precious cargo. Still, the little ragamuffin was earnest and Hesper decided she would at least do what she could to doctor the girl’s feet, and too her herb bag and set off with the boy. He was slight of build and dirty, not keen on information such as names and why they were going to the Capital. He did not look particularly trustworthy and Hesper wondered if they would be safe to sleep that night and wake up with any belongings left.
As she approached the tree his companions were resting under Hesper took note of the huge man standing next to the girl, tiny and blond curled up on the ground. She was watching them and suddenly scrambled to her feet. Hesper heard her cry out in pain and fall again, but she didn’t expect to hear her name from the girl’s lips.
“Hesper!”
She felt her heart jump in her chest and she immediately broke into a run. The girl called out her name again. “Hesper!” And it was Maleen’s voice and as the blond staggered towards her she recognized her sister, back from the dead with tears of joy running down her face.
*****
A/N:
Chapter would have been up earlier, except I had a keyboard malfunction in the form of a cup of hot chocolate. My new keyboard is most excellent and superior, and only cost a dollar at the salvation army.
I wrote a lame article--you don't have to read it, but I need 1,000 hits to get my 3 bucks for it.
My nano has been suffering due to me being depressed about money, and the fact that the hero isnt really the hero, but since the heroine spends the first 1/4 of the story sleeping with him he has to have some attraction to her.
A bit about the story: Deirdre is a witch whose super power is being able to find a person's "soul book." she can go into a library or bookstore and find the book that will touch you in ways no other book ever will. The thing is, she meets Dorian when she is assisting him at her bookstore and his soul book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Not that being a capitalist individualist is bad, but there's not much that is cuddly in a character like that, and he does later turn on her and become the villain.
Maybe he could like cats....
Deirdre's soul book, for comparison, is The Secret Garden, and the guy she's actually *supposed* to be with, his is an HG Wells book. (not sure which one yet)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Sister Bride pt 2
“Maleen.” John’s voice was gentle. He filled the doorway of her tree while she shoved things into her carpet bag. “What are you doing?”
“If my sister is marrying the prince I can’t sit around eating nuts and berries. I have to go to her.”
“At this very moment? Maleen, it’s almost dark, and it’s a long walk to the capital. Even Rob and I have never gone that far. And you’re just a girl.”
She whipped her head around. “I know. And this girl has been hiding long enough.”
“You can’t go out there with your hands looking like that.” She looked at her hands, shining even in near darkness. “Look, you can’t leave tonight. Tomorrow we will make a plan and go together.”
“I don’t need your protection.”
“What about my company?”
Maleen smiled. “I would like that.”
“Good. Come back out and finish your dinner.”
*****
Hesper pulled Bernard from the house and into the yard as soon as he was free of his family. “Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”
“It means you have the right to make sure your sister is okay. I’m not sure how I feel about you.”
“I’m not happy,” she answered honestly. “Now do you see why I didn’t tell you? I never should have in the first place. Now you hate me and I already hate myself and I’m afraid.”
“It does put a damper on things,” Bernard agreed, sounding more sad than mad. “We need to just befriends for now, while I figure things out. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes,” she answered, knowing it was the best she would get. “So when do we leave for our great adventure?”
“Tomorrow. I suggest you get home to pack. Do your best to look as poor as possible. I doubt we’ll be stopped by highwaymen, but I’d rather be safer than sorry.”
“As though I have anything that would suggest I were rich.”
Bernard shrugged. “I bet your new dress will look pretty on you.”
“Like you care.”
“I do,” he told her. “I just don’t know if I should.”
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I do believe you. But Hesper—you killed people. Normal women do not kill people. There’s something wrong with you.”
“You wouldn’t say that if I were a soldier or a police officer or an executioner. It’s all well and go to be paid to kill someone, but if a woman kills a man who justly deserves it, there is something wrong with her. That isn’t right Bernard. I help people every day. I make them feel better and take away pain and suffering, while I suffer on in silence for what I’ve done. I have voices in my head telling me that I don’t deserve to be happy and I don’t deserve you. But I do. I know I do.”
Hesper did not wait for his reply but turned and walked out of the yard, towards the road home. She had only been there a few short weeks, and already she was preparing to leave. I’ll be back soon though. Once I’m sure that Purvis is okay.
*****
Purvis sat at the head of a long table in the dining hall, staring at the place setting in front of her. She was familiar with one plate, one cup, but there was a whole array of dishes in front of her, enough place settings for her entire family, in front of one person. “Salad fork is the smaller one,” her tutor explained, motioning that Purvis should pick it up. “No, dear, that is the dessert fork.”
“You said the smaller one—“
“In proximity to the dinner fork, which is right next to it. Wrong hand dear.”
Purvis stopped reaching for the water glass with her left hand and froze, placing the offending limb in her lap with her napkin. She lifted her glass with her right hand and took a sip. “I really can’t do this anymore,” she said. “Really, I can’t.” Puss wrapped himself around her ankles under the table.
Couldn’t spinning a room full of straw into gold be enough for these people? There seemed to be an awful lot of work involved in marrying a prince. Purvis had all new clothes, more than she could possibly imagine ever wearing, and every morning a girl would come in to help her dress and fix her hair into a heavy pile of braids and curls on top of her head. She tried to laugh at herself, really, but it was all too much.
The only time she enjoyed herself was when she and Charles could sneak away for some alone time, far away from people correcting her table manners and lecturing her about the use of slang language in formal company.
“Miss Rose,” her tutor began, “a princess must know how to behave around the court.”
“Why? I don’t see Charlie’s father being all pretty and nice.”
Her tutor closed his eyes in exasperation. “You should be an example. To show the country that just because you’re some northern hick—”
“I am not—“
“--doesn’t mean you are not capable of civilized society.” Puss took that moment to jump up on the table and knock her water over. The tutor swatted at Puss, who hissed at him and shot out of the room.
“I’ll civilize you right out the door,” Purvis exclaimed, stalking out of the dining room behind Puss. She caught him in the hall and carried him upstairs to her own set of rooms. She was beginning to appreciate her little sitting room connected to her bedroom, a place she could hide from the castle. There were books in the room, and she would curl up in the chair by the fireplace and read until someone found her and dragged her back downstairs again.
Charles found her there that evening. “You yelled at your tutor again,” he told her.
“I know, I’m sorry.” She closed her book and stood up, letting Puss fall from her lap. “I wasn’t meant to do this.” He kissed her forehead to comfort her and she smiled. “How was your day?”
“I proclaimed to lower taxes in celebration of out upcoming nuptials and funded a series of scholarships towards the study of alchemy using some of your gold.”
“A good day,” she offered.
“Yes, but I also had to go out and kiss about a dozen babies.”
“You don’t like babies?” she asked.
“I don’t like other people’s babies,” he said quickly. “Of course I’ll love ours.”
Purvis smiled up at him. “Good.”
“I’m looking forward to our wedding next week.”
“I’m not looking forward to the wedding,” Purvis answered truthfully and Charles’s face began to slack when she laughed. “I am, however, looking forward to being married. Theirs is a big difference between the two.”
He smiled again, and laughed. “Maybe we should just elope.”
“Can we?” she asked, her question perfectly serious. She had a dress fitting the next day and it seemed that every time she tried on the white and gold monstrosity it got harder and harder to move about in.
“If we could, you know that we would.”
Purvis sighed and sat down in her chair again. Charles sat down on the floor, leaning against her legs and looking at the warm coals in the fireplace. Puss walked up to him and meowed. “The cat approves of you,” Purvis told him as he rubbed Puss’s head. “That means this is going to work.”
“Does it?”
“I trust the judgment of animals much more than I do of humans. Though, Hesper says you should never trust a cat.” She sighed. “I wish my sisters could be here for this.”
“I’ve pardoned your sister—one of my less popular moves in some people’s opinions, but they will forget when I keep dumping your gold all over the place. If she ever turns up she will be welcome here.”
“She might have sent letters home.”
“I have Quincy on it.”
“Thank you.”
******
Hesper carried only her new dress in her herb bag the next morning when she walked to Bernard’s house. He had his horse already hitched to a small cart which had been loaded with enough food for a week and camping supplies. Bernard was securing a box with rope wearing a pair of threadbare trousers and a well-patched shirt. He had also donned a rather chewed up straw hat. He looked ridiculous.
Still, his jaw dropped when he saw Hesper wearing pants and a shirt herself, her hair tied up and tucked under a felt hat of Albert’s, her feet bare. “I like traveling in comfort,” she offered when he did not speak, and tossed her bag into the back of the cart.
“You never cease to amaze,” he told her, going back inside.
Hesper gave Blanca a pot of salve for while they were gone and stood aside while Bernard kissed each of the children goodbye in turn. She felt a surge of jealousy, which was ridiculous. It was only that it had been so long since he had kissed her.
Hesper climbed up onto the cart’s front seat and Bernard sat down beside her. It was a vehicle meant for dwarfs to travel in and because of her stature they were squashed quite close together. He hadn’t touched her since they had fought. “To the capital,” Bernard announced and she nodded. To my sister. I hope.
*****
Maleen busied herself with packing early the next morning. John and Rob had gone into town for some mysterious supplies while Maleen packed a supply of apples and hulled acorns, the only food the unicorn’s forest yielded that was remotely portable. She wished the unicorn would emerge so she could thank it and say goodbye, but as long as the boys were in the woods the creature would not dare to emerge.
Maleen wrapped the apples in her extra petticoat and looked down at her clothes. Her best blue dress, the only one she had, was no longer so nice and she wished for something new to meet her sister in. She knew the impossibility at the idea. There was no way Purvis could possibly the prince’s bride, but she couldn’t ignore the coincidence and somehow, maybe, it had happened. If Maleen could have silver hands that gave her visions, why couldn’t Purvis spin straw into gold.
It couldn’t be real gold anyway. The boys had to have gotten some of the story wrong.
Maleen didn’t even hear the boys return, but they appeared out of the trees none the less, carrying only one item, wrapped in a handkerchief. “I though you were going out for traveling supplies,” Maleen said, confused.
“We did,” John answered, handing over the bundle.
It was soft and small, and Maleen could only guess what was in it until she opened it. A pair of white elbow-length gloves, the tops edged with lace. “Where did you get these?” she asked them, letting the handkerchief fall as she pulled the gloves on. They covered the silver all the way up to her bell-shaped sleeves. Her hands looked like a normal girls’ again. At least, they were not silver anymore. The gloves were opera gloves paired with a day dress.
“The less you know the better off you are,” John answered. Maleen picked up the handkerchief from where she had dropped it on the ground. It was trimmed with more lace and the initials K. P.
“I can guess,” she said, but couldn’t be mad. No one would know her secret now.
“Now we’re ready to go,” John told her, picking up her bag. “Let’s find your sister."
******
A/N:
Remind me never to post pictures of anything again. Not that I care because I like the ring and it's my story, but it is early Victorian, and ETW is set in a non-specific period of the 19th century. I wanted something complicated looking to show that Bernard is a competent artist.
Today's chapter is longer to make up for the short one on friday. It also fills my nano quota for the day.
On the days that I don't have an ETW chapter I'm working on a supernatural romance called 'Deirdre and the Warlocks' except there aren't actually going to be any warlocks in the story, but I got attached to the working title before I decided that. My wordcount is 5,731 (Deirdre and ETW combined).
Here's my favorite bit from Deirdre so far:
She hadn’t had a real boyfriend in almost two years, not since the poet/barista she’d been seeing left her for a girl who claimed she knew what “my soul is a venti iced dolce latte with cinnamon and extra whipped cream/your love is a shot of espresso through my heart” actually meant.
I wonder if I'm the only nano person to use the starbucks menu as inspiration?
In other news:
My unemployment application was denied due to me only being half-laid off. (It's very complicated.) This really annoys me because I wanted a vacation. Everyone else in the world gets a year long vacation when they lose their jobs, but me, I have to go out job hunting right away.
Anyone out there happen to be rich and willing to give me a thousand dollars so I can have a month off? I'll write you anything you want.
“If my sister is marrying the prince I can’t sit around eating nuts and berries. I have to go to her.”
“At this very moment? Maleen, it’s almost dark, and it’s a long walk to the capital. Even Rob and I have never gone that far. And you’re just a girl.”
She whipped her head around. “I know. And this girl has been hiding long enough.”
“You can’t go out there with your hands looking like that.” She looked at her hands, shining even in near darkness. “Look, you can’t leave tonight. Tomorrow we will make a plan and go together.”
“I don’t need your protection.”
“What about my company?”
Maleen smiled. “I would like that.”
“Good. Come back out and finish your dinner.”
*****
Hesper pulled Bernard from the house and into the yard as soon as he was free of his family. “Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”
“It means you have the right to make sure your sister is okay. I’m not sure how I feel about you.”
“I’m not happy,” she answered honestly. “Now do you see why I didn’t tell you? I never should have in the first place. Now you hate me and I already hate myself and I’m afraid.”
“It does put a damper on things,” Bernard agreed, sounding more sad than mad. “We need to just befriends for now, while I figure things out. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes,” she answered, knowing it was the best she would get. “So when do we leave for our great adventure?”
“Tomorrow. I suggest you get home to pack. Do your best to look as poor as possible. I doubt we’ll be stopped by highwaymen, but I’d rather be safer than sorry.”
“As though I have anything that would suggest I were rich.”
Bernard shrugged. “I bet your new dress will look pretty on you.”
“Like you care.”
“I do,” he told her. “I just don’t know if I should.”
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I do believe you. But Hesper—you killed people. Normal women do not kill people. There’s something wrong with you.”
“You wouldn’t say that if I were a soldier or a police officer or an executioner. It’s all well and go to be paid to kill someone, but if a woman kills a man who justly deserves it, there is something wrong with her. That isn’t right Bernard. I help people every day. I make them feel better and take away pain and suffering, while I suffer on in silence for what I’ve done. I have voices in my head telling me that I don’t deserve to be happy and I don’t deserve you. But I do. I know I do.”
Hesper did not wait for his reply but turned and walked out of the yard, towards the road home. She had only been there a few short weeks, and already she was preparing to leave. I’ll be back soon though. Once I’m sure that Purvis is okay.
*****
Purvis sat at the head of a long table in the dining hall, staring at the place setting in front of her. She was familiar with one plate, one cup, but there was a whole array of dishes in front of her, enough place settings for her entire family, in front of one person. “Salad fork is the smaller one,” her tutor explained, motioning that Purvis should pick it up. “No, dear, that is the dessert fork.”
“You said the smaller one—“
“In proximity to the dinner fork, which is right next to it. Wrong hand dear.”
Purvis stopped reaching for the water glass with her left hand and froze, placing the offending limb in her lap with her napkin. She lifted her glass with her right hand and took a sip. “I really can’t do this anymore,” she said. “Really, I can’t.” Puss wrapped himself around her ankles under the table.
Couldn’t spinning a room full of straw into gold be enough for these people? There seemed to be an awful lot of work involved in marrying a prince. Purvis had all new clothes, more than she could possibly imagine ever wearing, and every morning a girl would come in to help her dress and fix her hair into a heavy pile of braids and curls on top of her head. She tried to laugh at herself, really, but it was all too much.
The only time she enjoyed herself was when she and Charles could sneak away for some alone time, far away from people correcting her table manners and lecturing her about the use of slang language in formal company.
“Miss Rose,” her tutor began, “a princess must know how to behave around the court.”
“Why? I don’t see Charlie’s father being all pretty and nice.”
Her tutor closed his eyes in exasperation. “You should be an example. To show the country that just because you’re some northern hick—”
“I am not—“
“--doesn’t mean you are not capable of civilized society.” Puss took that moment to jump up on the table and knock her water over. The tutor swatted at Puss, who hissed at him and shot out of the room.
“I’ll civilize you right out the door,” Purvis exclaimed, stalking out of the dining room behind Puss. She caught him in the hall and carried him upstairs to her own set of rooms. She was beginning to appreciate her little sitting room connected to her bedroom, a place she could hide from the castle. There were books in the room, and she would curl up in the chair by the fireplace and read until someone found her and dragged her back downstairs again.
Charles found her there that evening. “You yelled at your tutor again,” he told her.
“I know, I’m sorry.” She closed her book and stood up, letting Puss fall from her lap. “I wasn’t meant to do this.” He kissed her forehead to comfort her and she smiled. “How was your day?”
“I proclaimed to lower taxes in celebration of out upcoming nuptials and funded a series of scholarships towards the study of alchemy using some of your gold.”
“A good day,” she offered.
“Yes, but I also had to go out and kiss about a dozen babies.”
“You don’t like babies?” she asked.
“I don’t like other people’s babies,” he said quickly. “Of course I’ll love ours.”
Purvis smiled up at him. “Good.”
“I’m looking forward to our wedding next week.”
“I’m not looking forward to the wedding,” Purvis answered truthfully and Charles’s face began to slack when she laughed. “I am, however, looking forward to being married. Theirs is a big difference between the two.”
He smiled again, and laughed. “Maybe we should just elope.”
“Can we?” she asked, her question perfectly serious. She had a dress fitting the next day and it seemed that every time she tried on the white and gold monstrosity it got harder and harder to move about in.
“If we could, you know that we would.”
Purvis sighed and sat down in her chair again. Charles sat down on the floor, leaning against her legs and looking at the warm coals in the fireplace. Puss walked up to him and meowed. “The cat approves of you,” Purvis told him as he rubbed Puss’s head. “That means this is going to work.”
“Does it?”
“I trust the judgment of animals much more than I do of humans. Though, Hesper says you should never trust a cat.” She sighed. “I wish my sisters could be here for this.”
“I’ve pardoned your sister—one of my less popular moves in some people’s opinions, but they will forget when I keep dumping your gold all over the place. If she ever turns up she will be welcome here.”
“She might have sent letters home.”
“I have Quincy on it.”
“Thank you.”
******
Hesper carried only her new dress in her herb bag the next morning when she walked to Bernard’s house. He had his horse already hitched to a small cart which had been loaded with enough food for a week and camping supplies. Bernard was securing a box with rope wearing a pair of threadbare trousers and a well-patched shirt. He had also donned a rather chewed up straw hat. He looked ridiculous.
Still, his jaw dropped when he saw Hesper wearing pants and a shirt herself, her hair tied up and tucked under a felt hat of Albert’s, her feet bare. “I like traveling in comfort,” she offered when he did not speak, and tossed her bag into the back of the cart.
“You never cease to amaze,” he told her, going back inside.
Hesper gave Blanca a pot of salve for while they were gone and stood aside while Bernard kissed each of the children goodbye in turn. She felt a surge of jealousy, which was ridiculous. It was only that it had been so long since he had kissed her.
Hesper climbed up onto the cart’s front seat and Bernard sat down beside her. It was a vehicle meant for dwarfs to travel in and because of her stature they were squashed quite close together. He hadn’t touched her since they had fought. “To the capital,” Bernard announced and she nodded. To my sister. I hope.
*****
Maleen busied herself with packing early the next morning. John and Rob had gone into town for some mysterious supplies while Maleen packed a supply of apples and hulled acorns, the only food the unicorn’s forest yielded that was remotely portable. She wished the unicorn would emerge so she could thank it and say goodbye, but as long as the boys were in the woods the creature would not dare to emerge.
Maleen wrapped the apples in her extra petticoat and looked down at her clothes. Her best blue dress, the only one she had, was no longer so nice and she wished for something new to meet her sister in. She knew the impossibility at the idea. There was no way Purvis could possibly the prince’s bride, but she couldn’t ignore the coincidence and somehow, maybe, it had happened. If Maleen could have silver hands that gave her visions, why couldn’t Purvis spin straw into gold.
It couldn’t be real gold anyway. The boys had to have gotten some of the story wrong.
Maleen didn’t even hear the boys return, but they appeared out of the trees none the less, carrying only one item, wrapped in a handkerchief. “I though you were going out for traveling supplies,” Maleen said, confused.
“We did,” John answered, handing over the bundle.
It was soft and small, and Maleen could only guess what was in it until she opened it. A pair of white elbow-length gloves, the tops edged with lace. “Where did you get these?” she asked them, letting the handkerchief fall as she pulled the gloves on. They covered the silver all the way up to her bell-shaped sleeves. Her hands looked like a normal girls’ again. At least, they were not silver anymore. The gloves were opera gloves paired with a day dress.
“The less you know the better off you are,” John answered. Maleen picked up the handkerchief from where she had dropped it on the ground. It was trimmed with more lace and the initials K. P.
“I can guess,” she said, but couldn’t be mad. No one would know her secret now.
“Now we’re ready to go,” John told her, picking up her bag. “Let’s find your sister."
******
A/N:
Remind me never to post pictures of anything again. Not that I care because I like the ring and it's my story, but it is early Victorian, and ETW is set in a non-specific period of the 19th century. I wanted something complicated looking to show that Bernard is a competent artist.
Today's chapter is longer to make up for the short one on friday. It also fills my nano quota for the day.
On the days that I don't have an ETW chapter I'm working on a supernatural romance called 'Deirdre and the Warlocks' except there aren't actually going to be any warlocks in the story, but I got attached to the working title before I decided that. My wordcount is 5,731 (Deirdre and ETW combined).
Here's my favorite bit from Deirdre so far:
She hadn’t had a real boyfriend in almost two years, not since the poet/barista she’d been seeing left her for a girl who claimed she knew what “my soul is a venti iced dolce latte with cinnamon and extra whipped cream/your love is a shot of espresso through my heart” actually meant.
I wonder if I'm the only nano person to use the starbucks menu as inspiration?
In other news:
My unemployment application was denied due to me only being half-laid off. (It's very complicated.) This really annoys me because I wanted a vacation. Everyone else in the world gets a year long vacation when they lose their jobs, but me, I have to go out job hunting right away.
Anyone out there happen to be rich and willing to give me a thousand dollars so I can have a month off? I'll write you anything you want.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Sister Bride
The last thing Hesper wanted to do the following morning was return the box of gold thread to Bernard, but she didn’t want him to come to her. Somehow that would be worse. And her dress was still in pieces in his sitting room, and she still had to—she shouldn’t have told him. She shouldn’t have trusted him. She had barely slept the night before for fear that someone was going to come for her and take her away.
Hesper didn’t want to leave her little cottage. She was so happy here. But how much of that happiness could she contribute to Bernard?
*****
She didn’t go into the house but instead entered the forge in the front. He was sitting at a low table near the window, sketching out something on a scrap of paper. He looked up as she entered and saw that she carried the box. “Good. I needed that.”
“Bernard—“
“I’m sorry Hesper. I can’t deal with this. I have work to do and not much time to do it.” He stood and took the box from her. “The prince has put a rush order on this and it’s a very complicated piece.” He tipped the contents of the box out onto the table. Under the gold a small cache of gems spilled out, catching the light. Diamonds and rubies glittered across the table. “I needed these.”
He started to arrange the jewels and Hesper looked over his shoulder at the drawing. A large cluster of gems on a filigreed band. It looked very extravagant and…royal. She couldn’t imagine her plain, practical sister wearing such a thing. How on earth had she ended up engaged to a prince? The only way to find out would be to go. She knew she had to. As long as—
“You aren’t going to turn me in to the authorities, are you?” she asked abruptly.
“I’ll just run again. What I did was justified. It was necessary.”
“It was revenge,” he said quietly, not looking at her. “There were other ways, Hesper. You didn’t have to—“
“You don’t know that. You’re not me. I did what I had to do. It bothers me, okay? But I’m not going to lose any sleep at night because a few horrible men are no longer in existence.”
“And the servant you accidentally killed.”
“That’s what it was. An accident. It was not my doing.” When he didn’t reply she tried again. “You said you trusted me. You said you loved me.”
“And you lied to me. Go away, Hesper.”
“Promise you wont turn me in. Promise that I’m safe here.”
“Go away.”
Hesper stormed out of the forge in a fury, only to meet Blanca in the yard. “What is going on?” she asked. “The two of you had a fight, didn’t you?”
He hasn’t told her, Hesper thought. But which one of us is he protecting? “Blanca, I just want to go home.” Instead the old woman led her inside and poured her a cup of tea, sitting her down with a slice of bread smothered in jam. Hesper let her, because it was easier than resisting.
I don’t want to lose this, she thought, trying to smile at Blanca as she fussed over her.
You don’t deserve to be happy. You don’t deserve him.
******
Maleen gathered apples from the ring of trees beyond the lilacs, missing her sisters, missing John and Rob. The unicorn trailed behind her, pawing at the occasional apple on the ground. It had been spending more time with Maleen, recognizing her loneliness. She knew it was trying to help, the soothing presence of the unicorn did help, but she did not want to be alone any more.
As she was walking back to the oak she thought she heard voices. At first she thought she was only wishing for voices, but when she glanced back at the unicorn it had disappeared, and she knew the people were real.
Maleen began to walk faster, stumbling into the great oak’s clearing. John and Rob were there, Rob sitting on a log cleaning a chicken while John started a fire safely away from the Oak’s low hanging branches. “You’re back!” she exclaimed, dropping her skirt-full o’f apples and running towards them.
Both boys smiled and Rob jumped up, setting the chicken aside. “We brought you things,” He bragged. John moved more slowly, and Maleen wondered if the feelings she thought he had for her were imagined. But his smile was wide and honest, and she felt warm and safe and happy. He had come back just like he promised. Hugh had abandoned her. John hadn’t.
The boys had come with the chicken, some potatoes and carrots, and a small bag of flour. Once John started the fire Maleen prepared the chicken (Rob was mangling it) and she started soup with the things they had brought, using an old dented pot they had snagged from somewhere for her. John held up another very small sack from his pocket. “We also got you some salt.”
“This is too much,” she said, unable to stifle a grin as she cooked and Rob produced three ceramic plates, all decorated in hand painted roses. “Why did you do this?”
“Maleen,” Rob said. “You live in a tree. If anyone needs help, it’s you.” He shrugged. “And you fixed my shoulder. We owe you.”
“But where did it come from?”
The boys looked at each other and John finally spoke. “Don’t ask and we won’t have to tell,” he suggested. Maleen didn’t like his tones, but was too pleased to worry much, especially when, an hour later, Maleen was sitting with them in a small circle eating real food on real dishes listening to the boys dominate the conversation peppering it with local gossip and stories about their family.
“We heard the prince was getting married,” John told her, talking with his mouth full. “It’s a funny story, the girl is dirt poor but could spin straw into gold.”
Maleen looked at her hands. “I can believe anything now.”
“She was from the north—isn’t that where you’re from?”
“Yes.”
“I hear she’s an ugly red-headed thing and she has this cat! A cat that follows her everywhere.” Rob was getting interested in the girls’ oddities. “Imagine someone like that as a princess. You should be the princess. You’re pretty and blond and you have a pretty name. The new princess has some strange name like Peevis or Beevis or something.”
Maleen’s head bolted up from the attention she was paying to her food. “Purvis?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Rob said, shoveling a large chunk of potato into his mouth.
“How’d you know?”
*****
Hesper refused to speak of what was bothering her and eventually Blanca gave up, and they continued to work on her new dress. She came to the house often to work on the dress, and to do her baking (Blanca’s oven heated more evenly than hers and Blanca never burnt anything). Blanca never asked again why she and Bernard weren’t speaking, and he never came into the house as long as she was there.
This went on for several weeks, but one day Bernard came into the house while Hesper was there sewing a lace trim around her finished dress. He was carrying something small and shiny. The ring was a cluster of round-cut diamonds and rubies flanked by two teardrop rubies on either side. The band was made up of open scroll work and filigree, finely detailed and beautiful. It wasn’t anything Hesper would ever wear—she was happy with her mother’s simple silver ring. But this was complicated and rich, the work of a true artist.
“It’s perfect,” Hesper said. Blanca and Karina and Lena were all gathering around oohing and ahhing in appreciation, but when Hesper spoke Bernard looked up and her opinion was the only one he heard.
“I’ll leave tomorrow to deliver this to the palace in the capital,” he announced, still looking at her. “Do you still want to come with me?”
*****
A/N:
A little shorter than I wanted but got stuff to do today and I didnt want you guys to wait.
edit: fixed a few formatting errors. The Maleen scene will make more sense now. also, wanted to add this:
I think it's befittingly over the top for a royal wedding ring. Absolutely nothing like Purvis of course, but they don't know each other very well yet. And I'd never give rubies to a redhead--they're too pink. We prefer emeralds of course.
Hesper didn’t want to leave her little cottage. She was so happy here. But how much of that happiness could she contribute to Bernard?
*****
She didn’t go into the house but instead entered the forge in the front. He was sitting at a low table near the window, sketching out something on a scrap of paper. He looked up as she entered and saw that she carried the box. “Good. I needed that.”
“Bernard—“
“I’m sorry Hesper. I can’t deal with this. I have work to do and not much time to do it.” He stood and took the box from her. “The prince has put a rush order on this and it’s a very complicated piece.” He tipped the contents of the box out onto the table. Under the gold a small cache of gems spilled out, catching the light. Diamonds and rubies glittered across the table. “I needed these.”
He started to arrange the jewels and Hesper looked over his shoulder at the drawing. A large cluster of gems on a filigreed band. It looked very extravagant and…royal. She couldn’t imagine her plain, practical sister wearing such a thing. How on earth had she ended up engaged to a prince? The only way to find out would be to go. She knew she had to. As long as—
“You aren’t going to turn me in to the authorities, are you?” she asked abruptly.
“I’ll just run again. What I did was justified. It was necessary.”
“It was revenge,” he said quietly, not looking at her. “There were other ways, Hesper. You didn’t have to—“
“You don’t know that. You’re not me. I did what I had to do. It bothers me, okay? But I’m not going to lose any sleep at night because a few horrible men are no longer in existence.”
“And the servant you accidentally killed.”
“That’s what it was. An accident. It was not my doing.” When he didn’t reply she tried again. “You said you trusted me. You said you loved me.”
“And you lied to me. Go away, Hesper.”
“Promise you wont turn me in. Promise that I’m safe here.”
“Go away.”
Hesper stormed out of the forge in a fury, only to meet Blanca in the yard. “What is going on?” she asked. “The two of you had a fight, didn’t you?”
He hasn’t told her, Hesper thought. But which one of us is he protecting? “Blanca, I just want to go home.” Instead the old woman led her inside and poured her a cup of tea, sitting her down with a slice of bread smothered in jam. Hesper let her, because it was easier than resisting.
I don’t want to lose this, she thought, trying to smile at Blanca as she fussed over her.
You don’t deserve to be happy. You don’t deserve him.
******
Maleen gathered apples from the ring of trees beyond the lilacs, missing her sisters, missing John and Rob. The unicorn trailed behind her, pawing at the occasional apple on the ground. It had been spending more time with Maleen, recognizing her loneliness. She knew it was trying to help, the soothing presence of the unicorn did help, but she did not want to be alone any more.
As she was walking back to the oak she thought she heard voices. At first she thought she was only wishing for voices, but when she glanced back at the unicorn it had disappeared, and she knew the people were real.
Maleen began to walk faster, stumbling into the great oak’s clearing. John and Rob were there, Rob sitting on a log cleaning a chicken while John started a fire safely away from the Oak’s low hanging branches. “You’re back!” she exclaimed, dropping her skirt-full o’f apples and running towards them.
Both boys smiled and Rob jumped up, setting the chicken aside. “We brought you things,” He bragged. John moved more slowly, and Maleen wondered if the feelings she thought he had for her were imagined. But his smile was wide and honest, and she felt warm and safe and happy. He had come back just like he promised. Hugh had abandoned her. John hadn’t.
The boys had come with the chicken, some potatoes and carrots, and a small bag of flour. Once John started the fire Maleen prepared the chicken (Rob was mangling it) and she started soup with the things they had brought, using an old dented pot they had snagged from somewhere for her. John held up another very small sack from his pocket. “We also got you some salt.”
“This is too much,” she said, unable to stifle a grin as she cooked and Rob produced three ceramic plates, all decorated in hand painted roses. “Why did you do this?”
“Maleen,” Rob said. “You live in a tree. If anyone needs help, it’s you.” He shrugged. “And you fixed my shoulder. We owe you.”
“But where did it come from?”
The boys looked at each other and John finally spoke. “Don’t ask and we won’t have to tell,” he suggested. Maleen didn’t like his tones, but was too pleased to worry much, especially when, an hour later, Maleen was sitting with them in a small circle eating real food on real dishes listening to the boys dominate the conversation peppering it with local gossip and stories about their family.
“We heard the prince was getting married,” John told her, talking with his mouth full. “It’s a funny story, the girl is dirt poor but could spin straw into gold.”
Maleen looked at her hands. “I can believe anything now.”
“She was from the north—isn’t that where you’re from?”
“Yes.”
“I hear she’s an ugly red-headed thing and she has this cat! A cat that follows her everywhere.” Rob was getting interested in the girls’ oddities. “Imagine someone like that as a princess. You should be the princess. You’re pretty and blond and you have a pretty name. The new princess has some strange name like Peevis or Beevis or something.”
Maleen’s head bolted up from the attention she was paying to her food. “Purvis?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Rob said, shoveling a large chunk of potato into his mouth.
“How’d you know?”
*****
Hesper refused to speak of what was bothering her and eventually Blanca gave up, and they continued to work on her new dress. She came to the house often to work on the dress, and to do her baking (Blanca’s oven heated more evenly than hers and Blanca never burnt anything). Blanca never asked again why she and Bernard weren’t speaking, and he never came into the house as long as she was there.
This went on for several weeks, but one day Bernard came into the house while Hesper was there sewing a lace trim around her finished dress. He was carrying something small and shiny. The ring was a cluster of round-cut diamonds and rubies flanked by two teardrop rubies on either side. The band was made up of open scroll work and filigree, finely detailed and beautiful. It wasn’t anything Hesper would ever wear—she was happy with her mother’s simple silver ring. But this was complicated and rich, the work of a true artist.
“It’s perfect,” Hesper said. Blanca and Karina and Lena were all gathering around oohing and ahhing in appreciation, but when Hesper spoke Bernard looked up and her opinion was the only one he heard.
“I’ll leave tomorrow to deliver this to the palace in the capital,” he announced, still looking at her. “Do you still want to come with me?”
*****
A/N:
A little shorter than I wanted but got stuff to do today and I didnt want you guys to wait.
edit: fixed a few formatting errors. The Maleen scene will make more sense now. also, wanted to add this:
I think it's befittingly over the top for a royal wedding ring. Absolutely nothing like Purvis of course, but they don't know each other very well yet. And I'd never give rubies to a redhead--they're too pink. We prefer emeralds of course.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Confessions
The day after her new friends left her Maleen was washing out her spare chemise when she caught a vision up in her hands that jolted her somewhat unexpectedly. It was a pile of rubble on the ground that might have once been a house. She could see broken window panes and a door in the mess, but the spectacular thing was the roses. The climbing flowers had formed a dense net over the refuse and bloomed in white, pink and crimson. And the leaves and branches seemed to shine with light.
*****
That first night Bernard stayed too long when he reached the house but would not stay to sleep. After that there was a strange relationship between them, one that Hesper couldn’t quite fathom. When she would visit his home she would talk with Blanca or have dinner with the entire family (the children all kept their distance, which she preferred). Never were they alone together and they spoke only as friends would.
She spent her days at home working in the garden or gathering plants to make salves for the middle-aged and aging women of the town, who paid her more handsomely than the doc had back home. She was alone, save for the small flock of chickens Blanca gave her, and the pair of young goats she bought with the horse money. But several evenings a week, Bernard would come to her.
One night she lay wrapped in the sheets next to Bernard, feeling the warmth of his body next to hers. “What is this?” she asked him, stroking his long hair that had come lose from the cord usually holding it back. “What do we have here?”
“I’m not sure,” he answered. “But I like it. Do you?” he sat up, concerned.
Hesper sat up as well, kissing him. “I don’t want to be your wife. I like my life the way it is.” She looked around her bedroom. Their clothes had been carelessly thrown across the floor in their hurry to be with each other—one of Bernard’s boots lay beyond the door in the big room. “I like the quiet, I like not having anyone to tell me what to do or how to act. I love being with you, and I love your mother.
But your life, it could never be mine.”
“I know,” he answered. “To be truthful, even if we were to marry, I’m not sure it would be good for the children.” Hesper laughed. It was good to laugh.
Still, she sobered. “And as long as we’re not married, I have nothing to gain by killing you.”
“Don’t do this,” he said, pulling her close to him. She let him embrace her, but she did not look at him. “I love you,” he whispered into her ear.
It was the first time he had ever said it, and Hesper stiffened in his arms as her heart jumped in her chest. “You just don’t trust me,” she managed to whisper back.
“Yes. I do.”
*****
The next day Hesper went to Bernard’s home. Blanca was helping her sew a new dress, her single black outfit finally reaching the end of its usefulness. Hesper was a terrible seamstress, but fortunately, Blanca was amazing.
“I couldn’t do this if it hadn’t been for your salves and spells,” Blanca told her wielding a pair of scissors with ease as she cut the pattern of the new dress without fear. It was a deep, wine colored fabric decorated in small, berry-like flowers in purples and blues. It was the nicest thing hesper had ever owned and felt foolish for buying it when a plain fabric would have sufficed.
“I think he’ll appreciate the effort,” Blanca offered.
Hesper’s head shot up from the hem she was sewing. “What effort? Who?” She felt her face grow hot.
Blanca only smiled. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed my son disappearing into the night. It’s okay dear. I’m glad he’s happy.”
Hesper ducked her head. “This isn’t something I would normally do. I like being alone. But since I lost my sisters…”
“Companionship keeps one’s soul alive. Don’t be ashamed. Besides, being a witch lets you be a little more eccentric without people turning their heads.”
“I don’t care what they think,” Hesper said automatically before catching herself. If she was thought badly of, she would lose her customers. “That is—we’ll be discreet.”
Blanca nodded, still smiling, which Hesper didn’t like. Even if the older woman was her friend, she didn’t need to mention such things.
As they worked someone knocked at the door. The eldest girl, Karina, rushed to open the door even as her grandmother got to her feet. “Ask who it is before opening it,” Blanca warned. She did, and a loud voice boomed through the door.
“Government business, little miss,” a voice boomed through the door just as Blanca reached it. Hesper stood prepared to bolt out the back door, but there was only one red uniformed man, holding a small box and an envelope. “I have an urgent order for Mr. Bernard,” he said, and Hesper relaxed. They weren’t after her. But what did the government want with him?
“Run and get your father,” Blanca told Karina, inviting the government official in. Hesper found herself backing into the kitchen door, ready to hide far away from the man as possible, but curious all the same. Karina returned with Bernard quickly, the little girl bouncing with excitement over the stranger. The man handed over both letter and box and bowed. “His royal highness Prince Charles Jacob has requested your services.”
Bernard opened the letter, scanning it briefly before looking up at his family. “The prince wants me to make the ring for his wedding.”
Karina started clapping and Blanca beamed. “My son chosen out of every smith in the country! Imagine that!”
“Who is the prince marrying Papa?” Karina asked, obviously more entranced with the idea of a wedding than her father’s good fortune. Hesper was impressed. She had no idea she was the lover of such a great artist—indeed, she had never even been inside the smithy.
“Someone from the north…Purvis Rose.” He glanced up at Hesper even as she felt her blood grow cold. The name was familiar to him, because he had heard it from her very lips. “That is…interesting.”
Hesper found herself stumbling backwards through the kitchen door. “Impossible,” she mouthed, though she was fairly certain no sound left her lips. In the kitchen there was only the smell of baking bread and quiet, but she bolted for the back door tearing through the yard where Bernard’s boys were playing. It was absolutely ridiculous to think that her sister could possibly be related to the prince. But if it was true, the possibility that it had gotten out that her sister was a murderess was also likely. As she ran home, her only hope was that Bernard had enough sense to keep his mouth shut.
******
He came to her later that evening, finding her sitting up in bed in her night clothes. A plate with some bread crusts sat on the floor beside her and there were crumbs in the sheets. “Are you okay?”
“It can’t be real.”
“Hesper, no one has a name like that,” he said gently. “I asked a few questions. He’s marrying her because she can spin straw into gold.” Hesper sat up a little straighter. “Is that true?”
“It can’t be,” she said. “Purvis could spin—better than anyone—but she didn’t know magic.” She laughed a little. “She didn’t know that I could do magic. Not until…” She stopped. “Anyway, it isn’t possible to turn straw into gold. If it were I would have tried it by now.”
Bernard sat down on the bed and handed her the box that had been delivered with the letter. Inside was the finest gold thread. Hesper touched it. “It has to be faked. Purvis could never do that. And she would never lie to catch a rich husband.” She knew that much at least.
“I’m going to deliver the ring myself when it’s done. Why don’t you come with me?”
Hesper shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve killed three men.” Bernard stood up slowly. “Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Hesper snapped. “You were right all along. Congratulations. Except for the black widow part. I never married any of them.”
“Crispin and his father?”
“They turned me into a Donkey! They killed Sarah—she was in that form for most of her life. Pulling a cart like a dumb beast. They were going to turn her back and sell her to a glue factory in Central. As soon as I had a chance to fight back, I did. I’m sorry I killed them, but I’m not sorry that they’re dead.”
“You said there were three.”
“I tried to kill the man responsible for my youngest sister’s death. I ended up poisoning his servant on accident. That’s what I was running from when I met up with the Corners’ wagon. Not because I was a witch. Well. Not just because I was a witch. I’m sure that had something to do with it.”
“How did you kill Crispin?”
Hesper looked down. “I burned him alive.” She glanced up and saw that Bernard was backing towards the door. “Please don’t look at me like that. It was the first thing I could think of. I knew Sarah and I weren't safe unless they were gone.”
“I’m sorry Hesper. I can’t stay here right now.”
“I would never hurt you,” Hesper said, desperation sounding in her voice. “I-I love you.”
Bernard could only shake his head at her, eyes wide, and walked out the door—out of her life.
For a long time after he left she sat in bed, staring at the box of gold he had forgotten behind.
******
A/N:
Cool chapter, huh? Hope no one is too surprised by the premarital sex--but Hesper's never been one to follow the rules.
Next chapter will be up friday night. I'm going to columbus this weekend to spend some time with the bf--something that I haven't been able to do lately because of the stupid job that I no longer have.
How do you guys feel about dollar downloads for some of my non-ETW or DES stories?
*****
That first night Bernard stayed too long when he reached the house but would not stay to sleep. After that there was a strange relationship between them, one that Hesper couldn’t quite fathom. When she would visit his home she would talk with Blanca or have dinner with the entire family (the children all kept their distance, which she preferred). Never were they alone together and they spoke only as friends would.
She spent her days at home working in the garden or gathering plants to make salves for the middle-aged and aging women of the town, who paid her more handsomely than the doc had back home. She was alone, save for the small flock of chickens Blanca gave her, and the pair of young goats she bought with the horse money. But several evenings a week, Bernard would come to her.
One night she lay wrapped in the sheets next to Bernard, feeling the warmth of his body next to hers. “What is this?” she asked him, stroking his long hair that had come lose from the cord usually holding it back. “What do we have here?”
“I’m not sure,” he answered. “But I like it. Do you?” he sat up, concerned.
Hesper sat up as well, kissing him. “I don’t want to be your wife. I like my life the way it is.” She looked around her bedroom. Their clothes had been carelessly thrown across the floor in their hurry to be with each other—one of Bernard’s boots lay beyond the door in the big room. “I like the quiet, I like not having anyone to tell me what to do or how to act. I love being with you, and I love your mother.
But your life, it could never be mine.”
“I know,” he answered. “To be truthful, even if we were to marry, I’m not sure it would be good for the children.” Hesper laughed. It was good to laugh.
Still, she sobered. “And as long as we’re not married, I have nothing to gain by killing you.”
“Don’t do this,” he said, pulling her close to him. She let him embrace her, but she did not look at him. “I love you,” he whispered into her ear.
It was the first time he had ever said it, and Hesper stiffened in his arms as her heart jumped in her chest. “You just don’t trust me,” she managed to whisper back.
“Yes. I do.”
*****
The next day Hesper went to Bernard’s home. Blanca was helping her sew a new dress, her single black outfit finally reaching the end of its usefulness. Hesper was a terrible seamstress, but fortunately, Blanca was amazing.
“I couldn’t do this if it hadn’t been for your salves and spells,” Blanca told her wielding a pair of scissors with ease as she cut the pattern of the new dress without fear. It was a deep, wine colored fabric decorated in small, berry-like flowers in purples and blues. It was the nicest thing hesper had ever owned and felt foolish for buying it when a plain fabric would have sufficed.
“I think he’ll appreciate the effort,” Blanca offered.
Hesper’s head shot up from the hem she was sewing. “What effort? Who?” She felt her face grow hot.
Blanca only smiled. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed my son disappearing into the night. It’s okay dear. I’m glad he’s happy.”
Hesper ducked her head. “This isn’t something I would normally do. I like being alone. But since I lost my sisters…”
“Companionship keeps one’s soul alive. Don’t be ashamed. Besides, being a witch lets you be a little more eccentric without people turning their heads.”
“I don’t care what they think,” Hesper said automatically before catching herself. If she was thought badly of, she would lose her customers. “That is—we’ll be discreet.”
Blanca nodded, still smiling, which Hesper didn’t like. Even if the older woman was her friend, she didn’t need to mention such things.
As they worked someone knocked at the door. The eldest girl, Karina, rushed to open the door even as her grandmother got to her feet. “Ask who it is before opening it,” Blanca warned. She did, and a loud voice boomed through the door.
“Government business, little miss,” a voice boomed through the door just as Blanca reached it. Hesper stood prepared to bolt out the back door, but there was only one red uniformed man, holding a small box and an envelope. “I have an urgent order for Mr. Bernard,” he said, and Hesper relaxed. They weren’t after her. But what did the government want with him?
“Run and get your father,” Blanca told Karina, inviting the government official in. Hesper found herself backing into the kitchen door, ready to hide far away from the man as possible, but curious all the same. Karina returned with Bernard quickly, the little girl bouncing with excitement over the stranger. The man handed over both letter and box and bowed. “His royal highness Prince Charles Jacob has requested your services.”
Bernard opened the letter, scanning it briefly before looking up at his family. “The prince wants me to make the ring for his wedding.”
Karina started clapping and Blanca beamed. “My son chosen out of every smith in the country! Imagine that!”
“Who is the prince marrying Papa?” Karina asked, obviously more entranced with the idea of a wedding than her father’s good fortune. Hesper was impressed. She had no idea she was the lover of such a great artist—indeed, she had never even been inside the smithy.
“Someone from the north…Purvis Rose.” He glanced up at Hesper even as she felt her blood grow cold. The name was familiar to him, because he had heard it from her very lips. “That is…interesting.”
Hesper found herself stumbling backwards through the kitchen door. “Impossible,” she mouthed, though she was fairly certain no sound left her lips. In the kitchen there was only the smell of baking bread and quiet, but she bolted for the back door tearing through the yard where Bernard’s boys were playing. It was absolutely ridiculous to think that her sister could possibly be related to the prince. But if it was true, the possibility that it had gotten out that her sister was a murderess was also likely. As she ran home, her only hope was that Bernard had enough sense to keep his mouth shut.
******
He came to her later that evening, finding her sitting up in bed in her night clothes. A plate with some bread crusts sat on the floor beside her and there were crumbs in the sheets. “Are you okay?”
“It can’t be real.”
“Hesper, no one has a name like that,” he said gently. “I asked a few questions. He’s marrying her because she can spin straw into gold.” Hesper sat up a little straighter. “Is that true?”
“It can’t be,” she said. “Purvis could spin—better than anyone—but she didn’t know magic.” She laughed a little. “She didn’t know that I could do magic. Not until…” She stopped. “Anyway, it isn’t possible to turn straw into gold. If it were I would have tried it by now.”
Bernard sat down on the bed and handed her the box that had been delivered with the letter. Inside was the finest gold thread. Hesper touched it. “It has to be faked. Purvis could never do that. And she would never lie to catch a rich husband.” She knew that much at least.
“I’m going to deliver the ring myself when it’s done. Why don’t you come with me?”
Hesper shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve killed three men.” Bernard stood up slowly. “Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Hesper snapped. “You were right all along. Congratulations. Except for the black widow part. I never married any of them.”
“Crispin and his father?”
“They turned me into a Donkey! They killed Sarah—she was in that form for most of her life. Pulling a cart like a dumb beast. They were going to turn her back and sell her to a glue factory in Central. As soon as I had a chance to fight back, I did. I’m sorry I killed them, but I’m not sorry that they’re dead.”
“You said there were three.”
“I tried to kill the man responsible for my youngest sister’s death. I ended up poisoning his servant on accident. That’s what I was running from when I met up with the Corners’ wagon. Not because I was a witch. Well. Not just because I was a witch. I’m sure that had something to do with it.”
“How did you kill Crispin?”
Hesper looked down. “I burned him alive.” She glanced up and saw that Bernard was backing towards the door. “Please don’t look at me like that. It was the first thing I could think of. I knew Sarah and I weren't safe unless they were gone.”
“I’m sorry Hesper. I can’t stay here right now.”
“I would never hurt you,” Hesper said, desperation sounding in her voice. “I-I love you.”
Bernard could only shake his head at her, eyes wide, and walked out the door—out of her life.
For a long time after he left she sat in bed, staring at the box of gold he had forgotten behind.
******
A/N:
Cool chapter, huh? Hope no one is too surprised by the premarital sex--but Hesper's never been one to follow the rules.
Next chapter will be up friday night. I'm going to columbus this weekend to spend some time with the bf--something that I haven't been able to do lately because of the stupid job that I no longer have.
How do you guys feel about dollar downloads for some of my non-ETW or DES stories?
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