Bloom

Chapter Twenty-Five

The party was to celebrate a new marriage, and Jaime was already bored. They’d eaten, the courtiers were dancing, and he’d gotten a sweet from Mother’s parents, Mémé and Nonno. Like Grandma and Grandpa, Father’s parents, they’d gone to dance in the Hall. If Jaime went to ask the only child his age there, Mary, she’d try to kiss his cheek, and he didn’t like her that much.

His Aunts, Uncles, and cousins were scattered in the Hall or dancing. Jaime was supposed to sit quietly and not run about.

Mother said the marzipan wouldn’t be brought yet, and when it was, it’d be shaped like the bride and groom who had a large table in the Hall for themselves and their immediate family. The bride had a white dress with silvery trim that matched her husband’s clothes.

Jaime thought Mother was much prettier. Tiny diamonds had been sewn all over her pink dress, and they twinkled with every movement. She’d used a diamond clip shaped like a rose in her hair, which she’d twisted up.

Even though he was supposed to sit nicely, he slid out of his chair to hug her waist and press his ear to the big bump where his little brother or sister was growing. He had to wait another three months to see the baby.

Mother continued speaking to Father while she patted Jaime’s back. He wished the baby would speak inside her stomach so he could hear it and know whether to expect a brother or sister. How was he supposed to wait a whole three months to find out?

Sometimes, the baby moved, and he’d felt it before. It didn’t tell him anything. He hoped it was a brother because he wanted to take him outside and show him how to fight with a wooden sword.

To one side, the entrance leading to side halls, the back passages, and the kitchen was covered by a screen. He could have sworn he heard a faint scream from that direction, and he lifted his head just as Jed, the Master Steward, yelled from somewhere in the Hall.

The second scream was much closer. Over the edge of the High Table, he saw one of the friends of the groom yank his sword from a man’s body. The room exploded with noise as Jaime struggled to comprehend what he’d just seen. The bride got up to run, and several other men were drawing their swords. A young woman shrieked as her Father was struck down.

As Father stood, a man swung at Nonno’s back.

Mother snatched Jaime up. Five men were hurrying to block the entrance to the Hall. A ball of fire flew across the room, and a table was knocked over as two men fought. Glass shattered, and shards of broken plates skittered across the floor. A woman screamed as a man grabbed her arm and sent his lightning magic through her.

Mother ran for the screen, and the last thing Jaime saw in the confusion was Mémé lying facedown on the floor.

Mother struggled to hold him up and ran down the hall. Jaime still couldn’t understand what exactly was happening or where they were going. Why had they been fighting?

Mother set him on the floor. “Don’t let go of my hand.”

“We have to get Mémé and-”

“We can’t. I can’t carry you the whole way either.”

But Mémé had fallen, and her knees often ached. What about Nonno? Mother often wore a decorative dagger tucked in her belt, and he’d never seen the actual blade before. His parents said he wasn’t to ever touch it. The long, wicked dagger gleamed in the light of the lanterns hanging from the ceiling when she drew it from its sheath. She pulled him along, and he heard a crash from the direction of the kitchens.

Someone was lying on the floor farther down. When Mother tugged him by, he recognized one of the servants. Her throat had been cut, and her eyes stared at the lantern overhead. One of her tattered sleeves was burned. Not far down, one of the kitchen boys lay unmoving on his side in a pool of red.

She took him right and through a narrow corridor. He had often run through various back passages while playing but never while crying. He’d also never seen any of the servants lying in their blood. How could they be dead? The bad men were in the Hall.

Mother grabbed a lantern from the ceiling and let go of his hand to push on a blank stretch of wall. A click came from it, and he noticed a crack on one side. She pushed harder, and it swung open to reveal a dark space.

“Get in.” Her voice shook.

Somehow, Mother’s shaking voice scared him worse. She followed him in and closed the wall. Another click made him jump as he tried to see ahead. The rough walls had a few hanging cobwebs, and she made him go ahead while holding onto his shoulder. In the secret passage, he couldn’t hear anything except his low sobs and Mother’s heavy breathing.

“Where’s Father?”

“He’s coming. It’ll be alright. You have to be a big boy and stay quiet, okay?”

The passage ended with a small, metal ladder he had to climb. It only went up about seven feet and led to yet another hall. Since he’d never seen that part, he wasn’t exactly sure where he was. He had to get on his knees and reach down for the crystal lantern. She was barely able to manage the small ladder with her belly sticking out. Once she was up, she took a hold of his arm.

“There’s another ahead. We’re over some of the back rooms.”

After about fifteen feet, another ladder led down. The next section was shorter, and she stopped him at the end. He stared at her face in the lantern light as she stood with one ear against the wall. Her dark hair had come loose from its twist, the rose clip was gone, and she was sickly pale in the light from the crystals. He wanted to start crying again because he’d never seen her look like that, and everything was wrong.

After a minute, she pushed on the wall until it clicked. That one slid aside instead and led into a back sitting room. It was quiet, the fire was out, and a single lantern set on low gave them light from its spot on a side table.

“I’m going to show you a stone, and you have to use all your strength when I tell you to push on it,” she whispered as she set her lantern on the floor by the fireplace with a shaking hand.

Boots thumped down the hallway, and a faint yell came from somewhere. She didn’t get to speak to him again as two men burst into the sitting room. One rushed Mother with his sword raised. Lightning crackled around the blade, and she summoned fire to her free hand.

She got him with a fireball right to the face. The man missed with his sword and snarled as he swiped at his scorched face. Mother lunged with her dagger, and the soft flesh of his throat slit under the force of her weapon as she stabbed him.

Jaime froze where he was standing as blood sprayed out. Mother jerked the dagger away, and the man stumbled back. He fell, and the other swore.

Earlier, the other man had patted Jaime’s head, said he was a cute kid, and showed him a trick with a coin he’d made vanish before pulling it from behind Jaime’s ear.

He came forward without the earlier smile and with a tight grip on his sword. Jaime knew the sword would hurt if it hit him, and it would cut his flesh too, but he couldn’t seem to make himself move, and he didn't know what to do. Mother was suddenly between them and grabbing Jaime to push him back. He lost his balance and fell on his rear.

The diamonds twinkled as the tip of the blade emerged from her stomach.

“Bitch.” The man yanked his sword out of her, grabbed her by the hair, and threw her aside.

“Don’t hurt him-don’t-” Blood trickled from her mouth as Jaime got up. Mother couldn't be hurt. She couldn’t…

Something in her chest cracked when the man thrust his sword into it. Crimson had blossomed all over the bump under her pink dress, and more stained the bodice. She let out a raspy breath and went still when the man planted a boot on her stomach.

Jaime screamed and ran forward to beat the man’s legs with his fists. “Get off her!”

The man grunted and shoved him back before yanking out his sword. Jaime fell again, and the room blurred as the man turned and lifted his blade again. Drops of blood ran along the edge.

Mother’s blood. She was dead, and he was sure the baby in her stomach wouldn’t move again either.

Jed ran into the room with a sword that wasn’t his own. The other didn’t move fast enough, and he cried out as metal sliced through his coat and bit into his side. He stumbled aside, and Jed, while his moves weren’t smooth like Father or the Castle guards who trained outside, brought the sword down again on his back. The man shouted as he fell to his knees and lost his grip. His weapon clanked on the floor.

“Wait-”

Father limped in just as the man collapsed with Jed’s sword buried in his back. Father was covered in blood. One trouser leg was partially soaked from a cut on his upper thigh. Someone had gotten him in the side too, and streaks of red marked his sleeves and face. His pale blue coat was completely ruined, and his sword was dirty as if he too had run someone through.

Father’s eyes found Mother’s body, and he leaned on the doorway as he made a sound like a wounded animal, and his face collapsed. “M-Meredith…”

Jed yanked his sword free and grabbed Jaime’s arm. “Are you hurt?”

Jaime burst into tears. Why wasn’t Father doing anything to help Mother? They needed the physician.

Jed glanced at Meredith. “Fuck.”

Father covered his eyes. “I should have gone with them. Elira…the baby. I thought…”

“Get in. We already lost, and we have to go.”

As soon as the double doors were slammed shut, Jed slotted the sword into the handles. It didn’t look steady, and with enough shaking, it’d probably fall loose.

“Father-the physician-” Jaime finally said.

“She’s dead. She can’t help anyone.” Father clutched his side. “I need you to go with Jed and do exactly what he says. He’s going to take you out, son.”

Jed shoved the couch against the doors and paused. “What-”

“I’ll stay behind and hold them off.” Father held out his sword by the blade. “Take it. Protect Jaime and get him away. If they’re in the city-go to Rhyo and explain to the Baron what happened. He doesn’t know me, so show him the sword-”

“You’ll show it to him yourself, and he’ll help the three of us.” Jed approached and pointed at the fireplace. “You’re not-”

“They’ll figure out the fireplace and try to follow. I can’t lose Jaime too-I won’t even make it to the end, and I’ll slow you down. Take my sword and use that to protect him if you need it. If you can get to the end of the tunnel, you’ll be fine. Head for the woods.”

Jaime understood enough to know they were leaving the Castle. And Father wasn’t coming. He was bleeding, and if the physician was dead, she couldn’t help him or Mother. How could he and Jed leave Mother on the floor while Father continued to bleed? Somewhere, a woman started shrieking, and it cut off.

“Damn it.” Jed snatched the sword and hooked it on his belt.

“F-Father.” Jaime ran to him and grabbed his coat, heedless of the blood. “I want to stay with y-you.”

Father gripped Jaime’s shoulder. “Go with Jed. I’ll catch up later, okay?”

“N-no! Come now!”

“I can’t. Do whatever Jed says. Remember, you’re my son and a Scaliger.” Father leaned down to kiss Jaime’s forehead.

Jed was heading to the fireplace. “We have to go, Jaime.”

Father took Jaime’s shoulder. “Come on.”

He limped over and released him to push on a stone on one side of the fireplace. Opposite him, Jed pushed on another. Metal scraped in the fireplace, and the entire structure shifted slightly. Jed gripped his side and the fireplace swung open like a heavy door to reveal another passage. The floor was rough, and the walls weren’t even. Jaime couldn’t see far.

“But Mother-” he started. If they got her to another physician, they could heal her and make the baby move. Mother couldn’t be dead. Not truly.

“I’ll stay with her,” said Father.

A banging came from the hallway followed by a shout.

“Remember, you’re always a Scaliger. Don’t forget it.”

Father squeezed Jaime’s shoulder and pushed him toward Jed with a pained look.

“It’s been an honor to serve you,” Jed said in a low voice before grabbing the lantern Mother had held.

He picked up Jaime with one arm and didn’t hesitate to enter the narrow tunnel. Jaime grabbed Jed’s shoulders, struggling to look over him. The fireplace scraped as it slowly closed, and the last thing he saw of Father was his shadow.

“We can’t leave him.”

“Shh. We have to go. I’ve got you, okay?”

It was slow going since Jed had to carry Jaime and the lantern through the passage. The ceiling was low, and he had to keep his head ducked as he moved his bulk through and tried to keep steady on the uneven floor. The sides and floor turned to dirt and tilted down. It widened a little, although it was still a bit too small for a man of Jed’s size. The air smelled strange, and Jaime couldn’t imagine where they were going.

Father had mentioned Rhyo village. Jaime had never been there and had no idea where it was. He remembered Father saying a few days ago that the village had a new lord since the last had died with no heirs. Something about him having a family and how they should invite him. He had a son around Jaime’s age.

Father would catch up. Somehow. He’d get a physician for Mother, she’d be alright, and so would the baby. Everything would go on like before because he couldn't imagine any other way. He told himself that over and over while trying not to remember Mother on the floor.

He was sure he heard a noise that wasn’t Jed’s boots on the hard-packed dirt, and he hesitated for a second like he’d heard it too.

He whispered a swear and started moving faster as the tunnel narrowed again. “Not a word.”

If it hadn’t been for the lantern, they wouldn’t have been able to see anything, and beyond its glow, Jaime couldn’t make out much ahead. Jed was blocking the way they’d come, and it wasn’t long before he heard a steady thumping. Like a man’s boots as he hurried along.

Jaime had the sudden thought that Father couldn’t possibly run. His leg had been hurt.

Jed tried to look behind him. Someone was catching up, and they both caught the faint glow of a lantern. He stopped to set Jaime down and took Father’s sword from his belt.

“Get back!”

Between Jed’s legs, Jaime saw boots and a man’s fine trousers. He recognized the crimson coat with split tails. The man had told Father he was lucky to have such a fine family with another child on the way.

“Give me the kid.”

“Fuck you.”

Metal flashed. In the tight space, they fought for maybe three seconds, although Jaime couldn’t tell who had the upper hand. Jed made a strange sound, and metal scraped.

Jed lurched forward, and the enemy gasped. Blood spattered the dirt, and the man collapsed to his knees with a gurgle. Jed thrust the sword into him one last time since there wasn’t room for proper swinging.

“Fuck!” He jerked back and hooked the sword into his belt before grabbing Jaime again.

“Jed!” Jaime shook and expected more men to appear from beyond.

“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

His breathing grew heavier as he carried Jaime through as fast as possible. Jaime was too scared to speak again in case more were following and listening. He wanted to curl up in the dirt, sleep, wake up in his bed, and find it had all been a dream. Maybe it was just a bad dream, and he didn’t know how to get out of it. Mother said dreams weren’t real, so if he woke up, he could run to his parent’s room and get between them in their big bed to feel better.

The tunnel sloped up, and Jed’s ragged breathing grew strained. It widened again and ended at a large, round stone. Jed set him down again and gave him the lantern to hold.

The round stone had to be rolled aside although there wasn’t much room. When Jed moved, Jaime’s mouth opened slightly at the huge spot on one side of his coat.

Blood. The other man had gotten a hit in.

The stone didn’t move entirely out of the way, but it was enough. Jed pushed Jaime through and told him to be careful on the rocks.

“Go up.”

Jaime had to fight through brush. A rocky slope led up, and he almost slipped halfway while he tried to clutch the lantern. He glanced behind him to see Jed forcing himself through the gap. He grunted and followed.

Sharp stones scraped Jaime’s palms, and he accidentally hit the lantern hard enough to break the glass on one side. The crystal shards inside started pouring out like pebbles from a bag to tink back toward the tunnel. The pieces, still brightly lit, threw odd spots of light around.

“It’s fine. We don’t need it. Too visible.” Jed took the lantern and flung it back down. “If they’re riding around to look. Elira…”

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“Is there a physician in Rhyo?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“And we’ll bring them back to Father?” Jaime’s voice wobbled. The man had simply slipped by Father. That was all. “And Mother?”

“You’ll be fine.”

That didn’t answer his question. He had no idea where they were. The moon was hiding, and no stars shined. All around them, the landscape was dark except for a few dots of light far off. For a moment, he caught the whiff of something burning. Jed took his hand.

“They might be attacking a few of the farms.”

Jaime couldn’t smell the sea, and rocks threatened to trip him up as he stayed alongside Jed. He assumed they were near the farms behind the city if one went roughly north. He’d gone riding with his parents before through a spot that was empty fields with patches of bushes, trees, and stumps that needed digging out. Jed’s breathing worsened as they walked, and it wasn’t long before their pace slowed.

“Jed,” said Jaime, not knowing what else to say or do.

“Too deep to bandage,” mumbled Jed. “We’re still okay.”

He didn’t make sense. Jaime couldn’t shake the light tremble in his chest and limbs. The darker mass ahead scared him because it seemed so black compared to everything else. The woods?

Jed let out a pained grunt. “S-stop. Listen to me.” His bulk lowered as he presumably sank to his knees by Jaime, and something rustled. “Are you listening?”

“Yes,” whispered Jaime, trying to make out his face.

Jed took his shoulders with shaking hands. “I need you to take your Father’s sword and keep walking. Go to Rhyo village.”

Into the woods? Jaime couldn’t leave him too like Father and Mother. “No.”

“Yes. You’re a big, brave boy, and if you keep going, you’ll make it.”

How was he supposed to find the physician and bring them to Jed? He couldn’t see where he was, and he didn’t know how to get to the village. Forget bringing someone back. “You have to come. What if-”

“Shh,” hissed Jed. “You have to go quietly. When you get there, someone will take care of everything. They’ll keep you safe. You can’t come back here. Keep this-” He pressed warm metal into Jaime’s hands. Father’s sword hilt. The cloth around the blade was scratchy, like embroidery. Jed had wrapped his coat around the blade. “Hold it, and don’t take the cloth off until you find someone and can show them. It’s proof of who you are. Tell them what happened.”

“What about you?”

Jed hesitated. “I’m going to rest for a bit…I’ll…go see my wife later.”

But she was dead. Grandma had once said so.

“Remember when I said you’ll grow into a good man like your Father? You’re going to go straight and keep walking no matter how tired you get. You’re not going to stop until you reach the village. Find a house and bang on the door. Shout until someone gets up. Ask for the Baron. Can you do that for your parents and me?”

“Y-yes.”

Jed squeezed his shoulders and turned him. “Go. Just walk straight. You’ll make it.”

“I’m scared…” Jaime imagined the woods full of bad men who’d kill him and find Jed.

“You’re Federico’s son and a Scaliger. Don’t let go of the sword.”

He gave Jaime a last pat on the back and nudged him forward. “Don’t stop.”

The grass rustled under Jaime’s feet as he started walking. He’d find help while Jed had a rest. Maybe he’d feel better after a bit and catch up.

He didn’t dare to stop, but he chanced a last look before properly entering the forest. The field was a dark blur, and he couldn’t see Jed or hear his rough breathing anymore.

“Jed?”

An owl hooted from the branches above.

Jaime walked because Jed said so. Going straight was hard in the dark with tree roots threatening to trip him, branches blocking the way, and bushes that were too thick to stomp through. He bumped into trunks and clutched the sword, still wrapped in Jed’s coat. His fingers felt a wet, sticky spot and something…like the fabric had been sliced. It was about the right size if a sword had been thrust into the spot.

He’d seen the bloody patch. But Jed was resting.

Crickets sang, unaware of the events of that night and uncaring of Jaime who struggled through while trying to keep straight. He couldn’t see shit, and his legs burned. Branches and twigs caught his clothes, and he stumbled more than once. He kept seeing Father’s face as he stared at Mother’s body.

More than once he heard rustling far off, and he thought one of the attacking men would come crashing through the undergrowth to stab him too. Who would get help then?

He couldn’t tell how many hours had passed when he tripped and scraped his knee.

Ahead, something quite close rustled, and he imagined an animal watching him, ready to pounce and eat him. Father said forest lions were typically in the north, but a lone man should be careful even in the south. Like the black forest panthers of Soleil, the big brown cats liked to stalk prey from trees. All it took was a single stray to go wandering.

They were supposed to be huge and nothing like the Castle cats Jaime knew. Could they see in total darkness? His breathing came in ragged gasps as he stared at the nothing ahead while his knee stung. He couldn’t take off the cloth. He didn’t know how to use a sword, and it was too big for him to try swinging it.

“Who’s there?” demanded a rough voice.

Jaime made a strange noise. He wasn’t at the village yet, and if someone was out here, had they been looking for him?

Shrubbery rustled. “Are you hurt?”

It suddenly made sense. Jed was going to see his wife because she was dead, and when people died, they could see their family again when Elira took them. He knew he’d been bleeding out, and Jaime had been fooling himself. Father was dead too, just like Mother-the baby-nobody was going to save them, and he was the only one left. A physician wouldn’t be able to do anything for Jaime either once the voice killed him.

He burst into great racking sobs and couldn’t move even as footsteps came closer. It didn’t care what his last name was, and he didn’t know how to be brave like Father.

Fur touched his face, and he screamed. The forest lion was going to sink its teeth in, and he’d bleed like Father-

The voice hushed him and took his arm to pull him up. Jaime’s legs shook like jellied fruit.

“I won’t hurt you. You can’t see me, can you? I’m a werewolf. I don’t eat little boys. Are you going to tell me why you’re wandering around in the dark?”

Jaime blubbered out an unintelligible response, not knowing how to answer.

The voice sighed. “Did you get lost? I bet a whole bunch of people are looking for you.”

Jaime sucked in a breath, not knowing if the werewolf truly planned to eat him. He’d heard others speak of them and call them trash. Animals. Dogs. Jed said they weren’t animals, and they didn’t appreciate being referred to as such or as fairies either. They were werewolves and not so bad even if they often preferred roaming and living off the land in most cases.

A courtier had once told him how werewolves liked gnawing on little boy’s legs after dunking them in garlic sauce.

“Listen, kid,” growled the werewolf. “I’m not going to eat you or whatever your family probably tells you about us. Tell me where you live, and I’ll drop you off nearby.” The hand rubbed his arm. “Are you rich? This feels like silk. Are you a merchant’s kid?”

“I live-at the Castle-Hemshire. I-I’m Jaime Scaliger.”

The werewolf said nothing for several moments. “Why are you out here?”

“Men attacked-Mashai and Gary were getting married, and the men…they stabbed Mother, and Father was bleeding. Jed said I had to walk.”

Fur rustled as the werewolf moved, although he didn’t let go. “What’s this?”

The werewolf tugged on the sword, and Jaime pulled it to his chest. “It’s Father’s. I have to go to Rhyo. Jed said so.” Would the werewolf help? “I have to get help and show them the sword.”

“Hmm. Come on. You’re not exactly heading to Rhyo. You’re a bit too far east.”

Jaime screamed when the sword was pulled away, and his feet left the ground.

“I’ll take you to someone who can help, and it’ll be a lot faster if I carry you. No screaming. Were you followed?”

“No. I need the sword.”

“I got it. Lucky you, my vision is pretty good in the dark.”

Jaime didn’t have a choice but to cling to the warm, furry body. He’d never touched a werewolf before. It was sort of like a fluffy soft toy, except a lot bigger. The werewolf also didn’t stink like a wet dog despite what he’d once heard. Despite being unable to see, he could tell they were moving quite fast as the werewolf ran.

He didn’t know what to do except hold on. It was a while before the werewolf finally slowed and set him down. The sudden stop made him feel quite unsteady.

“If anyone was following, they wouldn't catch up so fast. I can’t keep you since you need to be with fairies, and you can’t hunt like me. I know someone who will take you in.” A hand took his. “Hold your sword.”

“I have to talk to the B-baron.”

“Hmm. No. We’ll talk to a couple I know first. What’s your name again?”

“Jaime.”

“You might have to pick a new name, Jaime. I’m Vemer.”

What else could he be called? They walked for a bit with Vemer holding his hand which made Jaime feel better. It grew a little less dark. By the time he saw a new shape in the distance beyond the thinning trees and stumps, he could tell the werewolf was much taller than Father or even Jed.

The new form was a house with a faint light in one window. Vemer took him to the door and knocked while Jaime squinted at him, trying to make out his features.

“Who is it?”

“Vemer. I brought a friend.”

The door opened to reveal a dimly lit room and a man. “It’s early-oh.”

“He was out in the woods. Something happened at the Scaliger’s in the next hold over.”

The home belonged to an old man and his wife. Both had grey hair, and the wife’s yellow wings had streaks of greyish-brown in the feathers. She was dressed, but her hair wasn’t combed, and the old man’s shirt was untucked. Jaime wasn’t sure what to say or do anymore as Vemer told them what little he’d heard.

“Can I see that?”

“I have to show the Baron.” Jaime hugged the sword. “I’m supposed to go to Rhyo.”

“This is Rhyo,” said the elderly man. “We live on the edge. Are you sure you didn’t come from the cart?”

“He said his name is Jaime Scaliger.” Vemer crouched by the fire.

“How could someone attack their home? I’ll get the Baron up and tell him.”

“No,” growled Vemer. “How do you know if you can trust him?”

“The new Baron seems like a decent man.”

The woman who’d been twisting her hair up slipped in a final pin. “Everyone needs to settle for a moment. No one’s going anywhere or telling anyone right at this second. Vemer has a point because this is quite sudden.” She drew Jaime toward the fire. “You poor thing. You must be in shock.” She settled in a chair and set him in her lap. “Can you tell me what happened?”

***

Vemer left, saying his mate was around somewhere. He’d check for Jed first, and if he found his mate soon, they’d scout the whole area.

The woman, Trida, claimed that telling the Baron might lead to trouble. The man, William, argued they had to. Everyone would soon know anyway.

“Exactly. Everyone will know. Even those who might want this child dead. Let Vemer check around and see what’s going on. I don’t think our Baron is a bad man, but he’s new to the area, and this is suspicious.”

William finally saw sense.

Before leaving, Vemer had said someone would be hunting for the child, and while the cart incident had been unfortunate, it could be a stroke of luck for Jaime. It would explain his sudden appearance.

Jaime had no idea what he meant about the cart. He didn’t know what to do with himself anymore, and he said he wanted to go home. Trida said he’d have to eat and get some sleep before they made any decisions. She gave him clothes that were too big and said she was glad she’d kept them even though she’d never had another child. She also gave him bread in warm milk with sugar, and he fell asleep at the table before finishing it.

When he awoke in an unfamiliar bed, he knew it wasn’t a dream. Mother, Father, and Jed were gone. Both sets of Grandparents were dead too.

He didn’t cry when Vemer returned with another werewolf. They’d found a big man in a field far beyond the woods. He’d bled out from a wound in his side. Trida gave Jaime a wooden toy she’d dug out from the chest of clothes and told him to go into the bedroom. They’d get him in a couple of minutes.

Jaime listened at the door. The city of Hemshire was in turmoil, and when Vemer pretended to be passing through alone, he got a fairy to speak to him. Why were so many people by the Castle gates? What was the smell? Why were two farms to one side burning with the crops trampled?

A wedding had taken place the previous day. Nobody was entirely sure what exactly happened, but it was clear someone had attacked. Since no army or group of armed men had been seen riding in, it must have been guests. Or perhaps they’d known of a secret entrance. Nobody was sure. A farmer to one side said he’d heard the hooves of many going by late in the night, although he hadn’t gotten up to see. It had sounded like they were heading away from Hemshire, not toward it.

The smell of smoke had alerted a few city guards who’d also seen flames far beyond Hemshire. They rode out to find a farm had been set alight. Someone had gone to the Castle to check only to find everyone dead.

The parents of the Earl and Countess had been found in the Hall along with several other relatives. While no one in the Scaliger family had been marrying, they’d used the occasion to come together and enjoy the celebration.

Slaughtered servants had been left about. While many bodies had been left wherever, a huge pile of corpses had been made in the yard and burned, creating a horrid stench. The remains were nearly impossible to tell apart. The guards were all dead, and strangely, a few had been found in the guardhouse slumped on the floor, over tables, or across benches with stab wounds. It was like they’d fallen asleep and someone had later come by to kill them and ensure they never woke up again.

William said they must have been given ale to celebrate, and it had been drugged, and Vemer rumbled his agreement. After the ones on watch had been dealt with, the rest had been easier to kill. None would have expected an attack on the night of a wedding. The Earl and Countess had been found in a sitting room with grave wounds. It looked like the Earl had barred himself in the sitting room with his wife. The enemy had gotten in. The Countess had been pregnant, and Trida gasped.

It was assumed Jaime had been in the pile of burned bodies. They’d found little bones in the pile although they hadn’t dared to dig too much out of respect. A few of the citizens who’d looked had vomited at the mound of burned flesh and clothes. They’d never be able to properly separate the bodies for burial.

According to Vemer, a list of the recognizable dead inside was being made, and someone was going to write to King Alton. They weren’t sure who was responsible. If it was guests, they’d never know. They’d succeeded in killing everyone which seemed to be their goal. The wedded couple had also been slaughtered, and with no living witnesses, they weren’t even sure what to tell the King.

Someone had gone out, killed a couple of farmers and their families, burned their homes, and trampled the fields.

“It’s as though someone tried to make it look like an attack on Hemshire,” said Vemer. “Except they did a poor job with only two farms destroyed.”

“But why attack the Castle and kill everyone?” came Trida’s shaky voice.

“I don’t know,” said Vemer. “The inside doesn’t appear to have been looted, so they certainly weren’t looking for money or things to sell. The Castle is also a good ten-minute ride by horseback, so the city guards were clueless until a man’s cornfield, house, and barn were set ablaze. The attackers left, and they’ve got a good head start.”

***

After questioning Jaime, they still didn’t know the reasoning. Had Father gambled a lot? Did he drink? Had he quarreled with anybody? Did it seem like anything had been going on? Jaime had rarely seen Father drink and never saw him playing cards for money. He hadn’t fought with anybody. Nobody had. Nothing had seemed different in the past weeks. Father had acted as he always had, although he’d been especially focused on his pregnant wife.

Whatever happened, it seemed like a revenge killing. Men didn’t suddenly start attacking a roomful of guests for nothing. They also didn’t go about to take care of guards or kill servants on a whim either. The attack had been carefully planned, and when Trida caught rumors from other villagers since the tale was spreading like a disease, and it was said nothing had been stolen.

They whispered how it was like the attack had been plotted to wipe out every last member of the Scaliger family and nothing more.

No one in the village knew Jaime was the last surviving member. To explain his sudden appearance after a massive event, William made up a story.

Earlier in the day before the wedding, William had gone hunting and emerged on the road a couple of hours away. He’d seen a cart by a camp with two bodies. Since bandits liked to set traps with “injured” people to catch a good person who stopped, he’d hurried around and fled.

With a group, he’d returned to check it out. The two people lying by the remains of their campfire were dead. Both had been pale with sweat stains on their clothes. One had dried vomit clinging to his cheek, and it was clear they’d been sick. They must have stopped to rest, and they’d grown so ill, they hadn’t been able to continue. Unfortunately, no one had come along in time. After carefully burying the bodies, washing in case the illness had clung to the corpses, and returning, they’d decided to head out the next day and burn the cart. If sickness was on it, they didn’t want to bring it into the village.

It was assumed they’d left their horses free to graze, and they’d fled. Or someone had stolen them.

Jaime had to pretend he’d been on the cart and fortunate enough to not catch what his parents had. Seeing them dying, he’d panicked and wandered away, hoping to find other adults to help. He’d been lost in the woods, and what luck that he’d managed to find Trida and William’s home after being lost for so long. He had no other family, so they didn’t need to write or send him away.

His new name was Theo, and he had to repeat the story over and over with other lies including the name of a village far away. Trida barely left his side in the first few weeks, and if he stumbled over a detail, she always butted in to help while comforting him and saying the whole thing had traumatized him.

Trida said she didn’t know if their lord could be trusted because they couldn’t tell who was responsible for the slaughter of the Scaliger family and their entire court. He hadn’t been the Baron for long, and then all that happened?

William said he likely had nothing to do with it, but it was best if they said nothing. He might blab, and if anyone knew a Scaliger remained…At night, Jaime heard Trida whispering and worrying. Surely, they’d look for Jaime, thinking to silence him even though he knew nothing of the few attackers he’d seen.

Jaime feared the same. He often huddled under his blanket at night, listening for boots running toward him. Or he cried himself to sleep because he missed his family.

After a couple of years, the villagers had accepted him and his story. He was one of them. He learned to respond to the name Theo, and the Baron seemed to think nothing odd of Jaime. Trida stopped being suspicious of him, but she said Jaime couldn’t utter his real name or who he was.

She tried to change Jaime’s speech too because his accent was a bit too fine in her opinion. William covered it up by saying that’s how everyone sounded back where Jaime came from.

He called the couple Aunt and Uncle. Aunt Trida said Elira must have guided him to them because they’d had a son once. He’d died a long time ago, and she’d never had another child. Elira knew Jaime needed a family, and she’d made sure he found Vemer.

Jaime grew into a teenager of sixteen. When Uncle William died, Aunt Trida, who had been with him for over sixty years, soon followed.

After burying her, Jaime hadn’t known what to do with himself. The familiar house was too empty and might as well have belonged to strangers. The new roots the kind couple had put down for him had been ripped out, and he had nowhere to go. His old home wasn’t his anymore. King Alton had later given Hemshire to a Knight because a hold must have a lord.

If Jaime went inside the Castle, everything would be different with a new man sitting in Father’s chair at the High Table. He knew nothing of the Knight-turned-lord, but he guessed the man’s children ran about the halls where Jaime had once played. If he went into his parent’s old rooms, he wouldn’t see their portraits or Mother’s jewelry box on her vanity. Jed and Father wouldn’t be heard laughing from the office, and even the servants would be different.

The Scaliger’s were merely a memory to everyone who knew of them.

All he had was Father’s sword with the hilt wrapped in leather and hidden under his Aunt and Uncle’s bed, and their empty house.

He had no idea the truth of that night and he never would. Either way, it was time to leave Rhyo. Maybe he’d be able to put roots down somewhere else.