The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

A nice, light scene, Nezz. Much appreciated, since things are likely to turn for the worse at some point.

As usual, thanks to Laurna for Amyfying this scene.

"You look refreshed from your nap," Airich said to Amy as they walked behind Elspeth and Muirea, headed back to the boarding house. Regardless of his own errands, he would see the women safely home before he returned to the cathedral.

"The nap helped quite a lot, thank you," Amy said.

"I meant to speak with you before now," he said. He slowed his pace to give themselves some distance between the other two women.

"Oh? What about?"

"Nothing specific. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you. Or avoiding you. After the other night."

"You'd said you needed to take care of personal matters, so I didn't expect anything," Amy said. "And this morning has been... well, it's certainly been something, hasn't it? But it was nice to wake up and see that you'd been checking in on me." 

"Oh, well, I was concerned about you. Edwin said that you'd been in rapport all morning, and since he hadn't been controlling it, you must have been. I was worried you'd exhausted yourself."

"I seem to be well enough," she said. "Perhaps my mind isn't as sharp as usual, but I'm certainly able to serve customers and juggle drinks. And I've still got a few more hours to rest before I have to do that."

"Just be careful. Don't take any unnecessary risks." They continued walking. Then he asked, "Did you see anything... interesting while you were in rapport with Edwin?" He looked away as he asked this, his face as expressionless as he could possibly make it.

"Thank heavens, no. The worst of the fire was over by the time Edwin got there, so I didn't see the body, although I'm sorry to say I could sense the smell. I did hear Edwin's speech, which was impactful and expressive. Wouldn't it be nice if we could stop the Willimites just by turning all the students in the school against them? I suppose that's not likely if there are more people like that nasty Eddard de Nore out there." Amy was not an overly superstitious type but saying his name caused her to cross herself and mumble a word under her breath.  "What a relief that the Purple Guard heard his confession." She clenched her jaw, wishing, hoping, that his incarceration would bring an end to this mess. But she knew that was a false hope. 

"It's too bad de Nore managed to get such a good kick at Edwin's leg. I felt it when he slipped down the steps after." Amy almost told the knight of the scribe's pain, but decided that was not for her to tell. "It's a good thing Elspeth got there by the time—" Amy stopped suddenly, then began speaking quickly. "I told Elspeth about the injury, and she ran off almost immediately. Once I was alone, I think I fell asleep."

She looked up at Airich. He was watching her intently, but looked away when she made eye contact. "Asleep?" he asked.

"Must have been. Because, I presume, I lost the connection with Edwin, some time before I woke up. Maybe being asleep breaks the link. Does it? I guess I should have closed it sooner. I was so tired." Should she say anything about her dreams; they had not all been pleasant? Some of very personal nature, and others of... well. No need to share the pleasure of those. "I needed the rest, I will have to learn to shorten Rapport. Sleep must have ended it, or Edwin did," she said as they approached the boarding house.

"Or I did."

"Oh!"  She looked up at him confused, but then a smile caught in her eyes.  "The ancient mermaids were marvelous to see. I would love to see them some day with my own eyes." She giggled and then dodged into the boarding house door before Airich could say anything more.

I should have guessed you'd like the sea creatures, he sent her, getting in the last word after all.

Darn, she'd forgotten he could do that.

I wonder what special task Airich has planned for this day. I do worry about him.

Pleased to be properly introduced to the boy

With thanks, as ever, for others' contributions.

Edwin woke up with a start and a stiff neck, he must have fallen asleep over his plate. At least it wasn't soup. Looking around, he could see that the same weariness had overcome Bede, though the archer was still asleep with his head cradled on his arm. Amy, he noticed, was sitting in the corner of the room, absorbed in some mending. He stretched to ease the crick in his neck and was just thinking that he really ought to go up to his room to find somewhere more comfortable to have his sleep out when the remembrance of the morning's events came flooding back into his fatigue befuddled brain.

As he came fully awake, his first concern was to keep the contents of his stomach where they belonged, as the sight and stench of the burning came back with its full horror. Breathing slowly and deeply, he managed to force the nausea back down, but the churning of his thoughts was not so easily subdued. What was happening to the university he loved, and had he made things better or worse with his heroics? And most of all, what were they doing sleeping like this when their first duty was surely to report to Canon Damian?

He pushed back his stool and jumped to his feet with a suddenness which shot a burning arrow of pain up from his wounded leg. He swore loudly, which woke Bede and earned him a disapproving look from Amy. Thank goodness Elspeth wasn't there to hear him. As he thought this, he could hear Elspeth speaking as she and Airich came down the stairs. He thought he heard her say something about Airich's nose being out of place like the rest of him, but, whatever that was about, they didn't have time for such nonsense. He was beginning to worry what Canon Damian would be thinking of his declamations, and there was only one way to find that out.

He did not dare tell the others to hurry up, but it seemed that they had all had similar thoughts, and in a very short time they were standing outside Canon Damian's office next to the University Library. Edwin waited for Airich to knock, only to find the latter looking impatiently at him.

"You're the student here."

"Not anymore."

"Oh. For heaven's sake," Elspeth pushed past the useless menfolk and knocked firmly on the door, which was opened almost immediately by the slight young novice, a youth who was old enough to have taken temporary vows, but surely didn't look any older than fifteen, if barely that– the same novice whom they had last seen in the infirmary. He looked inquiringly at them, but, seeing the women, at once dutifully lowered his eyes and waited to find out what this interruption to the usual routine of the monastic day was about.

"We are here to report to Canon Damian," Airich said calmly. The lad seemed unnerved by being addressed directly by one with such obvious authority and stammered out, "Ah'm sorry m'lord, but Father Damian is wi' his excellency the Bishop and canna be disturbed."

Edwin felt immediate sympathy for the novice's nervousness, faced with having to deny the request of someone so obviously his social superior. Before either Airich or Bede could respond and unwittingly unnerve the lad still further, Edwin spoke, echoing the lad's own border accent which he himself was beginning to lose but which he could still return to at will.

"D'ye ken when he's like ta be free ta speak wi'us?"

The lad looked up, startled, but obviously put more at his ease. He even managed a tentative smile in Edwin's direction as he shook his head and replied. "He was after saying that he'd no' be finished afore Vespers. I'm sorry sirs." There was a pause, then he added hesitantly, "and mistresses."

Elspeth stepped forward then, noting the tension in Edwin. It was apparent he had wanted to clear the air over his position at the university, one way or the other. Now his stress regarding the matter was to be extended. Edwin was trying unsuccessfully not to twist his sleeve in his fingers, but otherwise appeared calm before a serving young man of the church.  And the Novice was looking at Edwin in hopes that the University student would understand that the presence of women in this holy house of learning should be brought to as short a length of time as possible.

To Edwin's eye, it seemed Elspeth had misinterpreted the novice's discomfort as she asked, "What is your name, son?  I have worked with you, but I don't think we were introduced."

Edwin could sense the lad's unease with a woman of authority, at least in this place, and wondered how long the lad had been so far from home. He would be unused to speaking with women as a novice, but these were hardly usual times and if he was, as he seemed to be Canon Damian's assistant, then it was best he got used to the opposite gender presenting themselves in the office from time to time. He wondered how long it was since the novice had last seen his mother, and it occurred to him that Elspeth was likely near the age that his mother had been when he did last see her.

Maybe Elspeth's approach would be helpful, but still Edwin jumped in to make the introduction more comfortable.

"We're all o'us working wi' th'Canon so let's ken who we all are; I'm Edwin Scrivener of the Scrivener House of Culdi, with me are Sir Airich O'Flynn of Derry, and Mistress Elspeth Rowan, a physicker of Carbury also assistant at St Stefan's nunnery–her knowledge is worthy of the respect of Canon Damian's, you were witness to her ability in the infirmary a few days back." Edwin realized during this introduction his own opinion of his new friends had much improved since those first days.  "And these are our companions, Mistress Amy, Guardian Bede and his family's friend Mistress Muirea."

The church lad's tension relaxed. This seemed a good approach, the novice stood straighter and replied, "Ah am Aidan McLain, from St Machan's Abbey as was; that's in Cassan."

"A McLain?" Airich asked. "One of the McLains?"

"NO! No, no! Just one of the clan branches from generations back. My father's a cobbler. He did good work in his early years, but then... after a hand injury when I was very young, he was troubled to keep working. We were four boys in the house more girls too, My da sent us two youngest boys, to St Machan's Abbey. But then there was a fire..." Aidan swallowed and skipped what ever he was about to say.  "Ah have heard from other sources, that my eldest brother has taken on the Cobblery. Ah could go back, but that is not my desire. Ah have made vows, temporary for now, but I am working toward making them proper."

Airich nodded, but he still looked the boy over, obviously noting any family similarities to a certain Duke of Cassan. But if he saw anything, he made no mention of it.

The thought of injured hands reminded more than just Edwin of Elspeth's special patient. Before he could ask, Elspeth was already broaching the question. "How is Robert doing? I know he was moved to a new room, but I have not seen him since yesterday. Do you think you could take me to him?"

Novice Aidan's shoulders eased. "Sorry, Mistress Elspeth, but th'young student was met by his father just a few hours since an' has left th'university."

There was a sigh of much relief from all six persons standing before Aidan McLain. Sir Airich's eyes opened. "They managed to pass the road blockades? He must have brought several armed men with him?"

"No," Aidan corrected, "He came alone and left only wi' Robert."

Airich and Edwin both looked at each other, and Edwin could see a light suddenly shine in Airich eyes. "But of course," was all Airich would say. 

At Edwin's inquiring glance, he heard the knight's confident voice in his head, Portal transfer.

Mistress Elspeth thanked Novice Aidan for his time and requested if they could return after Vespers. Aidan agreed and all of them left the canon's office, but it appeared they had differing ideas as to what to do next.
Bede turned to Edwin. "Since we can't get in to see Canon Damian, shall we go pay a visit to that friend of ours?" He fingered a pair of green-glass eyeglasses.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Edwin replied. He glanced at Airich. "You with us again?"

Airich shook his head. "I've got a different task to see to this afternoon. But good luck to the both of you."

The old curse comes to mind, "May you live in interesting times and come to the notice of important people." I just had to add the variation, "...of dubious morality and from various enemy kingdoms." 

Quote from: Evie on September 05, 2024, 09:03:13 AM

Quote from: DerynifanK on September 05, 2024, 08:01:13 AMNot sure whether they will end up fighting Gwynedd or each other.

Both should prove interesting. Hope fighting amongst themselves, sneakily , will interfere a lot with their ability to fight Gwynedd.

Thanks for this chapter Evie.  Much dirty work at the crossroads.  I do think the Haldanes are being sensible about empowerment and I really hope Cinhil lives to see his child (wait and see).

I also want Torval, Ingrid, Renier, Remy, Haarkon (and remember always to be between him and the door) et al to get their comeuppances (wait and see).


Thanks again

Oh my, Torval, Ingrid, and Reiner have an interesting alliance since none of them can be trusted and each is planning to outdo the other two. The unholy triumvirate. Not sure whether they will end up fighting Gwynedd or each other. A tangled web indeed and A scary prospect. Can only hope Gwynedd and its allies will win the war.