Mysterious Woman
T he menders had told Karigan to expect to feel drowsy now and then and not to fight it, to take a nap if necessary.
It was all part of healing, they said, not to mention a product of Ben applying his true healing ability to repair her body.
At the moment she felt anything but drowsy.
Soup and a biscuit had been brought to her and she felt much more herself after filling her belly.
After eating, a servant prepared a bath for her in which she reveled in the heat that warmed her, but did not entirely melt the cold of the heavens from her bones.
Just thinking of that endless space of nothing between the stars made her shiver, sending ripples across the steaming surface of the water.
She forced herself out of the tub before the water grew tepid and dressed in the shirt and skirt that had been left for her, and pulled her sweater back over her head.
She worked a comb through her hair, feeling renewed.
Wind rattled the window and a glance outside revealed whirling, gusting flurries, and she shivered again.
Too restless to watch the day pass by, she shuffled down to the sitting room.
A brisk fire burned in the hearth and Aisla glanced up from the book she was reading, and hastily returned to it.
Karigan thought about sitting before the fire, but after being abed for so long, and stuck in the heavens or wherever, she feared she’d lost all her muscle and conditioning, so she started walking back and forth from one end of the suite of rooms to the other, swinging her arms. She’d need to get training again with Master Drent.
Maybe someone could bring her her swords if she had to stay here much longer.
When next she reached the sitting room, she grabbed the heavy iron poker.
She went through some rudimentary forms and found the poker would do, and was pleased that she did not seem to be as out of condition as she had expected.
Strange that, but did she really know how time worked when she was the avatar? Or among the stars?
“What are you doing?” Aisla demanded, clearly annoyed.
“Working on my conditioning.”
“You are not to overdo so soon.”
“I’m not—”
Before she finished, her visitors arrived. To her surprise, it was Estora and Mara. She lowered her poker and bowed.
“Well, look who’s up and about,” Mara said, “and ready to do something dangerous with that poker.”
Karigan hastily replaced it by the hearth.
“It is very good to see you up,” Estora said.
Mara gave her a hug, and so did Estora, who wore her usual light scent of lavender.
“You may be excused, Aisla,” Estora said, “to attend to your other duties. We will keep an eye on Rider G’ladheon.”
Aisla looked more irritated than usual at being dismissed. Perhaps she had relished the opportunity to remain in the queen’s presence.
When she was gone, Mara said, “You were about to use that poker on Aisla, weren’t you.”
“Hah! If only. She really doesn’t like me.”
“Trust me when I say,” Mara replied, “she doesn’t like anyone.”
They sat before the fire and Estora said, “His Majesty will be along to speak to you about where you went after you vanished during the harvest ball, but it is audience day, so it may be a while.”
An eager tremor fluttered through Karigan at the prospect of seeing Zachary. She cleared her throat and rearranged her skirts about her so as not to reveal her excitement.
They asked how she was feeling, but not directly about her disappearance.
“The king will not address the details of what happened to you with his advisers, nor with Captain Connly,” Estora said, “and not even with me, though the danger you were in was clearly of an extraordinary type. We are, of course, curious, but he asked us not to press you.”
“I understand,” Karigan replied, and she thanked the gods that Zachary was trying to preserve the secret that she was Westrion’s avatar. “All I can say is that the wraith set off a strange chain of events the night of the ball.”
She could tell both Estora and Mara were disappointed she would say no more.
They told her about the new constellation that had appeared in the night sky and knew from the Eletians it meant the passing of a god.
She had to bite her tongue to not tell them she’d been with Salvistar when he was slain.
The constellation, they said, brought fear and uncertainty to many.
“Doomsayers have flocked to every street corner and square,” Mara said.
“You wouldn’t believe it. They say outrageous things about it being the end of the world and even the moon priests can’t get them to shut up, so the city guard has been ordered by the mayor to temporarily lock them up for vagrancy.
When they’re released in a day or two they’re right back at it. ”
“We have been reassuring the people as we can,” Estora said.
“Riders have been sent to all the provinces with the king’s reassurances that no one should panic,” Mara added.
They chatted a while longer about what had been happening while she was missing and then under Ben’s sleeping spell. It appeared, aside from the doomsayers, she had not missed much.
“Oh, here is some news,” Estora said, brightening. “Both of my children can roll over, and Dav looks like he wants to start crawling.”
Karigan knew almost nothing about babies and frowned. “I don’t understand. Aren’t babies supposed to do those things?”
“Yes, Karigan, but only as they grow older and have the ability,” Estora replied. “They are learning and developing and becoming stronger so they can do those things. Before long they’ll be walking and talking.”
Of course. Now she felt like a nitwit.
“Truth be told,” Estora said, “a mother’s enthusiasm for her child’s smallest achievement can be tiresome to others, but should you have an interest, I can regale you in detail over every little burble and smile. It would please me if you would come visit them.”
“Babies don’t seem to like me,” Karigan replied.
“Oh, come now. It can’t be that bad.”
Karigan had not been exaggerating.
Mara moved them on to their next topic. “Your secretary has been here numerous times as he is most anxious to see you.”
Damnation, Karigan thought. She’d been absent a month or more, so it wasn’t surprising issues had come up. It could not mean anything good. She’d contact him when she was able.
“There was nothing we could do to aid him,” Mara said, “since it is clan business, but we thought it was important to warn you. I know you have been in charge since your aunt’s illness and with your father away.”
“Any news on my father? The colonel?” Karigan asked.
“I’m afraid not,” Estora answered. “It’s still too early to hear anything. However, someone else came to see you. Karigan...your grandfather has come to Sacor City and would like to meet you.”
Karigan froze. “My grandfather?”
“Yes, your father’s father.”
She sat back into the sofa and shook her head. After the marriage contract dispute with the Turvals, she could only imagine he wanted to persuade her to honor the contract or, likely, a new one since she had burned the old. It was all so tiresome.
“Did he say what he wanted?”
“No,” Estora replied, “but he was quite insistent.”
“Well, I’ve no interest in seeing him.”
“We can send him away if you wish,” Estora replied, “but perhaps it is worth hearing him out, yes? From my understanding, you have never met because of the rift between him and your father. We don’t all have a chance to meet our elder relatives, and in this case it might be an opportunity to see the other side, as it were.
I think sometimes when our ties to our family are cut, we are left somewhat adrift with questions that will never be answered, and with many opportunities lost. Are you not curious to find out what he’s like? ”
She had a good idea of what he was like from her father and aunts, and she highly doubted she’d sympathize with “the other side.” The idea of finding a connection with the island G’ladheons was so foreign a concept to her that even while growing up she had never wondered much about them.
Yes, there was a little curiosity there, but she wasn’t sure meeting him was worth it unless it was to warn him away from her father and aunts.
“I don’t know,” she said at last.
“Think about it,” Estora replied. “We won’t send him away unless you really want us to, and you don’t have to see him until you’re ready.
Telagioth and his Eletians will wish to see you, as well, but they spend their time encamped somewhere out in the woods as they refuse hospitality anywhere in the city, including the castle.
” She then stood, and Mara and Karigan followed suit.
“I’ve other appointments to attend to, and do not worry, I believe it is on the king’s mind to grant you leave to return to your quarters if you so wish, but he will tell you himself when he comes to question you.
Until then, you should remain here. The servants will bring anything you need. ”
She took Karigan’s hands into her own. “I am so glad you’re returned to us and that you are well. We were quite concerned.”
“Thank you, my lady,” Karigan replied.
Estora squeezed her hands and smiled. “We value you very much, my lady.” With that she swept out.
Mara lingered behind. “We are all curious about what happened to you, but it sounds as if we’ll have to remain curious.”
“I would like nothing more than to tell you everything,” Karigan said, “but it’s not anything I can talk about at this point. Perhaps one day.”
“All right, mysterious woman, I get it. All I know is that Condor was very worried, which of course worried the rest of us, and then when you returned, we had to anchor you from going away again to wherever it was. I’ll make sure everyone knows not to pester you about it.”
“Thanks. How is my Condor? And Ghost Kitty?”
“Both are very well now. Ghost Kitty has been leaving fur all over my bed, and we’ve been spoiling them both.”
Karigan smiled. It was good to hear.
“I’ve got to go, too,” Mara said. “Meeting with the crew at Rider stables. But, if you need someone to talk to about anything, you know where to find me.”
They hugged and Mara left. Karigan dropped back onto the sofa.
Mara had said “anything,” which could have meant where she’d been, her grandfather, or, very possibly, Zachary.
She could not talk about being the avatar, or the disastrous straits her clan business was in, or about Zachary. It didn’t leave much.
A weariness settled over her after Estora’s and Mara’s visit. She hoped Zachary arrived soon so she could roam free of restrictions, but a nap sounded increasingly desirable.
She yawned. A quick nap on the sofa wouldn’t hurt. Yes, she’d take a quick nap and freshen up before Zachary arrived. She was out as soon as she shut her eyes.