GROUNDLING 3: THE TAKING OF NAMES

by ardavenport

- - - Part 12


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Sami,

I found who your father is. He's from the North and is the heir of a Lord. But I need to write your mother to tell her that I know. She did not want to tell anyone about what happened and I have to respect that

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Sami,

I learned who your father is. One of his relatives is at the Collegium and heshe looks like you. I am writing to your mother, too. It is her secret and she should be the one to tell you

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Sami,

I learned more about your father's family. He's from the North and one of his relatives is at the Collegium in a couple of my classes. I can't say more . . . .

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Mec,

I learned about what happened with you and Kendron Jetstren and Lady Delias here in Haven and I understand why you wouldn't tell Ma and Pa why you would not say anything about Sami's father. Kendron's brothersister is at the Collegium and is in a couple of my classes . . . .

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Onie put her pen aside and frowned down at the letter fragments on the parchment. She had been trying for days to compose letters to Sami and Mec. But anything she told Sami betrayed Mec's secret, one that her sister had withheld even from their mother. And Chellie only knew what she had been told by Lady Delias. Over the dinners she shared with Chellie for the last few days, Kendron's younger sibling admitted that there were many things that Delias would not speak about. Had Kendron and Mec been in love? Had Mec and Lady Delias been in love?

And Chellie's relationship to Kendron only complicated things. How could she tell Mec what she knew without saying how she found out? Kendron might have said something about his younger brother, but Mec would only know about Roston Jestren and it would take another page or more for Onie to explain about Chellie, if that was a story she was even entitiled to tell. Roston Jestren was dead and gone; Chellie had been adamant about that, especially after she received her first new dress just that day.

There were two hertasi who lived in a small suite in the below ground levels of the Palace. They were an older couple whose children were grown and on their own and they discretely tended to the needs of any Hawkbrothers in Haven, Princes Elspeth's consort, Darkwind, and a few Mages left after Sunwing's departure. Onie had never met the hertasi couple, but Chellie had and she enthusiastically praised their work, skill and manners. They never questioned what she needed, as if they were asked to fashion female clothes for a young male body all the time. They measured every part of her and recommended colors and styles. Luba had strongly advised against anything like the flamboyant colors, skirts and sleeves that Tayledras Mages favored and Chellie admitted that the Healer was right that she should wear something practical, for now.

Chellie showed Onie her new dress, blue (matching her eyes) with white trim. Chellie twirled and danced about, reminding Onie about how little she could recall ever seeing Roston Jestren smile. It was a simple, basic style, always in fashion and easy to make. But this new dress was flattering and very well fitted. The little bit of gathering at the waist made Chellie look like she had more female hips and even a little waist; the collar and a little padding in front implied a slight bust. Beyond that, the hertasi had trimmed Chellie's hair. It was still too short, but the dark wavy locks now made her face look rounder. They had also shown her how to use face powder and color on her cheeks, eyes and lips. Now Chellie really did look like Roston Jestren's sister. Chellie's blue eyes radiated happiness that verged on wonder, as if she had just discovered that she was a royal princess.

Luba and Ingress had been very pleased with how well the new dress turned out and talked about Chellie soon going out into Haven with them. Their suggestion was like cold water on Chellie's new enthusiasm. Suddenly fearful and touching her short hair, she asked if it wasn't too soon for her to be seen yet. The Healers accepted this and asked about the other new dresses that the hertasi were making for her. But later, when Onie was leaving, Luba confided in her that they were concerned about Chellie hiding out in the House of Healing. She had to go out sometime. She was not physically sick, so she had been making herself useful by cleaning and helping out. There were always things that needed to be done in the House of Healing and Chellie did all of them, clearly hoping that if they liked her work, no one would think of putting her out. She was certain that if she ever returned home, the men would take her out one night to the woods, beat her up and kill her, or worse. Ingress, especially believed her. Even with all the legends of heroes, Bards and Heralds who had crossed the lines between man and woman, in most parts of the countryside, it was only accepted in song and story.

"The problem is, she's under age and Lord Drogon is her legal guardian," Luba said that evening as they walked down the front steps of the House of Healing. "She's barely fourteen, and I suppose there are plenty of children who enter apprenticeships younger than she is, but her guardianship was formally approved by the Crown when her brother was made heir. She's actually next in line, though I doubt that would continue after we tell Lord Drogon about her disposition. But we can't just terminate the guardianship without some explanation."

"If ye tell Lord Drogon, won't'ee solve ye problem by dis-inheriting'er?"

"Then she would be without any family or a place to stay and then the only place she could go would be the Temples." Luba shook her head. "I must admit that she might do better than we ever expected in a Sisterhood. Before she came here, she was a privileged lordling, but I haven't heard her complain once about any of the work we've given her, and some of the cleaning jobs around here can be very unpleasant. But there are only a few orders who would take Chellie as she is now, and some of them are likely to demand that she be made physically into a woman."

"Aye?"

"Castration." Luba scowled over the word. "But we won't do anything that permanent until she's lived as a woman for at least a year and only if there's no other way. The herbs we've given her have taken well and stopped her turning into a man for now. She has time."

"Aye," Onie agreed as they stood together in the chilly evening; there was still no first snow, but the nights were cold enough for it now. "She told me ye wouldna do it. Said she hadna worked up tha nerve ta do it ta herself, but she was afeared o'tha pain an' bleedin' ta death. An' tha if she lived, she'd be worse off, if anyone found'er."

"She told you, then?"

Onie nodded. "Aye."

Luba smiled. "Good. Ingress will be pleased to hear that she took you into her confidence. That's very important for her to make the transition."

"How does ye do it?" Onie had wondered aloud. "Make a boy inta a girl? Or a girl inta a boy. In tha ballads they finds a wizard. Or die pinin'ta death o'er it."

"It's complicated. There are herbs and medicines, and sometimes physical alterations, if that is the only way the patient can live in their own body and be at peace. And usually they have to start a new life in another town. These cases are very rare, but the family that can accept this kind of change is rarer still. But they still need confidants, to help them make a new life for themselves."

Back in her room at the Collegium, Onie now stared at the lamp on her desk. She had become Chellie's confidant. But she was also her nephew's confidant. And her sister's. Chellie wasn't the only one who had started a new life. Mec had done that more than ten years ago, when she left home for Haven. And then came back. But even with a fatherless son, she was still welcome. Chellie had no safe home to return to. And even if she did not return, she feared that he would send an assassin to make sure that she could never inherit anything, or just have her killed our of anger that she was not the younger 'son' he had adopted after all.

Suddenly turning, Onie listened. She heard small feet shyly creeping toward her door. She got up.

"It's a bit late fer yees ta be out isnit?" she asked a surprised Saston at her door. He gulped, holding his book to his chest.

"You weren't here earlier," he answered, his brown eyes turned up to her. "Or yesterday."

"Oh, aye." Onie bit her lip and opened the door for him. "I been out a bit this week, I s'pose."

Saston went to his usual spot on the bed and Onie sat down next to him.

"Where were you?"

"I was at tha House'a'Healin' wi' Luba an' a friend."

Saston's eyes went wide with worry. "Are you sick?"

"Oh, no, not me. Luba an' all'a'Healers say I'm tha healtiest person they sees," she reassured him. "It's me friend. She's got things tha Healers need ta be tendin'."

"You won't get what she has will you?"

"Na likely." Onie half-smiled. "But she's got family problems, an' that's makin' it worse. So, I been havin' dinner wit'er fer tha pas' few days ta cheer'er up."

"Oh. Is she going to die?" he asked solemnly.

"Na. But she's afeared'er family'll do'er in. They's na very nice."

"Like my uncle?"

"Worse if ye asks'er. They wouldna take kindly ta her seeing tha Healers bouts'er condition."

Saston nodded. "My uncle . . . he always blamed my mother for getting sick. And dying. Said she was weak and cost him money."

Onie put her arm around the boy and hugged him to her side. His small arms went around her waist as far as the could go. "Well, we know what he says isna very important. We jus' needs ta get me friend ta see that way 'bouts'er family." She looked down at his head, pressed to her side.

"So, ye wants ta meet me friend? Maybe ye can settle who's family is worse."

A grin threatened to break out on Saston's lips. "Does she like stories? I can bring my book." He held up his volume.

"Aye. I can ask'er. But I first gots ta ask if she wants more visitin'er than me."

"Why are you visiting her?"

The room was silent for a moment.

"Ye knows I said I gots a nephew back in Fair Fields wit' me sister an' parents? Well, I ne'er said afore, but he's like ye. He gots na father. An'ee asked me afore I come'ere if kin find outs anything about where'ee comes from, 'cause that's where me sister had'im, here in Haven. An' I find out that this friend o'er in tha House'a'Healin' is part o' his family. An' she's been tellin' me about'em," she glanced back at her desk, "An' I been tryin' ta work out tha words ta tell'im. An' me sister, that I knows."

Saston's brown eyes went wide. "I never heard anything about my father." He looked down, as if ashamed. "I never asked."

Onie laid her hand on his shoulder and he leaned in for another hug. His mother was dead and had taken what she knew to the grave. There was little chance that he would ever get reliable information from his aunt and uncle even if they know anything. At least Sami had his mother, who could tell him something.

The candle on the desk crackled and guttered. It was getting late.

"Ye wants ta come back t'morrow fer a story? It's getting' a bit late and we gots na classes t'morrow, so we gots all tha time we need. An' I'll come lookin' fer ye if Chellie wants visitors."

He nodded and climbed down off the bed, taking his book, clutched to his chest, to the door with him. Onie offered to go with him, but he shook his head.

"You're too big. I can sneak out and back in without being seen." She grinned back at his practicality and he left. Going back to her desk, she reread the letter fragments again. Then she picked up a clean parchment and a pen, dipping it into the ink.

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Sami,

I know who your father is. One of his relatives is in some of my classes at the Collegium and told me about your father, Kendron Jestren, and Lady Delias and why Mec had to leave Haven and come back home and not tell anyone why. When you are alone, show this letter to your mother. What happened is hers to tell. I will say nothing to anyone else about it, not even Ma and Pa, without her say so.

Love,

Onie

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- - - End Part 12