Amice's Viewpoints
After years of training, Amice was beginning to feel the real rewards. She worked hard, and was usually only beat by her mother and Alainne.
Nobody knew where Emma was. Most presumed her dead, but Amice knew better. She saw Emma, occasionally, hanging in the air, or in a mirror.
It was almost midwinter, and a warm year. Amice enjoyed the warmth, but knew that it was truly a bad omen. Less snow meant that the immortals were more active, and the upcoming farming year would be dry.
She was right about the immortals. In an unofficial court tally, Amice had killed more spidrens than any other page. When not on border patrol with Alianne, Amice enjoyed it with the squires.
Alanna and George came a few weeks before Midwinter. All was well at Pirate's Swoop. It was one day, everything being done, that Alianne suggested they go into the city for the evening. There was a twinkle in George's eyes and a grin on Alanna's face that drove Amice mad.
"Amice, go get the grandson." Alanna ordered. "We'll introduce you all at the Court."
"Court? What court? I can't be presented yet."
"Just go. You'll see."
Amice trotted off to find Thom.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was a busy night; the din from inside the tavern could be heard down the street. Amice could just make out 'The Dancing Dove' on the faded sign above the door.
Just outside George took a deep breath. "Feels just like home." He led them inside.
There was a silence as the large party entered the Inn. An old man stared for a moment, the grinned. A young woman in a blue cloak gasped and fled.
George broke the silence. "Marek Swiftknife, how are you?"
All else was lost in the melee of hugs and introductions that followed. Amice got her arm pumped off half a dozen times by her parent's old friends. Larac, the innkeeper, found them a table. He was about to get them all brandy when Alanna stepped in and got lemonade for the two youngest. Amice and Thom pouted.
The chatter around them barely subsided after a quarter of an hour. The drinks didn't come either.
"Salven!" Larac called hoarsely. "Where are you, girl?"
"I'll find her." offered a flower seller.
"You do that." Larac ordered. "See, this Salven girl is new, from the Grimhold Mountains, and real mysterious, but usually she works well, so I don't ask no questions."
The blue-cloaked girl came back with two pitchers and several cups balanced precariously on her arms. Larac chided her, and she murmered and incomprehensible apology. When the drinks were served, Salven went to see to the wants of a rowdy group of Rogues in the corner.
Amice watched her, letting the adult's talk wash over her. Salven's face was hidden by her hood, but dark brown hair fell around her neck. Amice was painfully reminded of Emma. She looked away.
"...knew your foster-daughters well." Larac was saying. "Real shame. But I shouldn't talk about it. It was only a small while ago."
Amice winced, thwarted once again. The Salven girl was removing a drunk. He laughed, the sound burbling from his chest. His friend protested and tugged at her cloak...
...revealing the black-and-silver hilt of a dirk.
Amice's eyes bulged. "Mynoss, Mithros, and Shakith." she whispered. Absentmindedly, she chewed a nail, thinking. If it was Emma or Emily... It made sense. They came here a lot, preferring not to socialize at the palace.
The Salven girl glanced her way. Immediately Amice became mesmerized by the cracks in the table.
How could she find out who that girl was without looking like an idiot in the off chance that she was wrong? Neither Emma or Emily wore jewelery. Emma kept her dowser. Emily only had Wild Magic, so she didn't carry anything of the sort.
The dowser.
Magic that powerful would be detectable three blocks over, unless Emma kept it hidden.
Gods, Amice thought. Does this have to be so dastardly complicated? She watched the Salven girl from across the room. She didn't look anywhere ready to take off her cloak.
The I'll just help her. It must be ~awfully~ hot under a cloak that hot. Amice drained her beaker and raised her hand, asking for seconds. The girl fetched the pitcher and came over. As she turned to leave, Amice stuck her foot out.
Down the girl tumbled. A quick push with Amice's Gift disloged the hood. The girl slapped the ground and came back up before anyone knew what happened.
Her back was to them. Everyone stared. Amice spotted the dagger in her braid and paused for a moment. The girl swallowed and slowly turned around.
Amice was first to throw herself at Emma because she waas the only one who didn't have a table in the way.
"I'm sorry." Emma whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek. "Emily's dead.
"It's all right. You're not."
Emma looked past them, eyes not seeing anything. "Now I just want to kill the person who did that to her."
Amice was now a little spooked. Emma wasn't prone to killing anyone who didn't present an immediate physical danger to herself. But then again, she thought, we all change, and sometimes not for the better.
After years of training, Amice was beginning to feel the real rewards. She worked hard, and was usually only beat by her mother and Alainne.
Nobody knew where Emma was. Most presumed her dead, but Amice knew better. She saw Emma, occasionally, hanging in the air, or in a mirror.
It was almost midwinter, and a warm year. Amice enjoyed the warmth, but knew that it was truly a bad omen. Less snow meant that the immortals were more active, and the upcoming farming year would be dry.
She was right about the immortals. In an unofficial court tally, Amice had killed more spidrens than any other page. When not on border patrol with Alianne, Amice enjoyed it with the squires.
Alanna and George came a few weeks before Midwinter. All was well at Pirate's Swoop. It was one day, everything being done, that Alianne suggested they go into the city for the evening. There was a twinkle in George's eyes and a grin on Alanna's face that drove Amice mad.
"Amice, go get the grandson." Alanna ordered. "We'll introduce you all at the Court."
"Court? What court? I can't be presented yet."
"Just go. You'll see."
Amice trotted off to find Thom.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was a busy night; the din from inside the tavern could be heard down the street. Amice could just make out 'The Dancing Dove' on the faded sign above the door.
Just outside George took a deep breath. "Feels just like home." He led them inside.
There was a silence as the large party entered the Inn. An old man stared for a moment, the grinned. A young woman in a blue cloak gasped and fled.
George broke the silence. "Marek Swiftknife, how are you?"
All else was lost in the melee of hugs and introductions that followed. Amice got her arm pumped off half a dozen times by her parent's old friends. Larac, the innkeeper, found them a table. He was about to get them all brandy when Alanna stepped in and got lemonade for the two youngest. Amice and Thom pouted.
The chatter around them barely subsided after a quarter of an hour. The drinks didn't come either.
"Salven!" Larac called hoarsely. "Where are you, girl?"
"I'll find her." offered a flower seller.
"You do that." Larac ordered. "See, this Salven girl is new, from the Grimhold Mountains, and real mysterious, but usually she works well, so I don't ask no questions."
The blue-cloaked girl came back with two pitchers and several cups balanced precariously on her arms. Larac chided her, and she murmered and incomprehensible apology. When the drinks were served, Salven went to see to the wants of a rowdy group of Rogues in the corner.
Amice watched her, letting the adult's talk wash over her. Salven's face was hidden by her hood, but dark brown hair fell around her neck. Amice was painfully reminded of Emma. She looked away.
"...knew your foster-daughters well." Larac was saying. "Real shame. But I shouldn't talk about it. It was only a small while ago."
Amice winced, thwarted once again. The Salven girl was removing a drunk. He laughed, the sound burbling from his chest. His friend protested and tugged at her cloak...
...revealing the black-and-silver hilt of a dirk.
Amice's eyes bulged. "Mynoss, Mithros, and Shakith." she whispered. Absentmindedly, she chewed a nail, thinking. If it was Emma or Emily... It made sense. They came here a lot, preferring not to socialize at the palace.
The Salven girl glanced her way. Immediately Amice became mesmerized by the cracks in the table.
How could she find out who that girl was without looking like an idiot in the off chance that she was wrong? Neither Emma or Emily wore jewelery. Emma kept her dowser. Emily only had Wild Magic, so she didn't carry anything of the sort.
The dowser.
Magic that powerful would be detectable three blocks over, unless Emma kept it hidden.
Gods, Amice thought. Does this have to be so dastardly complicated? She watched the Salven girl from across the room. She didn't look anywhere ready to take off her cloak.
The I'll just help her. It must be ~awfully~ hot under a cloak that hot. Amice drained her beaker and raised her hand, asking for seconds. The girl fetched the pitcher and came over. As she turned to leave, Amice stuck her foot out.
Down the girl tumbled. A quick push with Amice's Gift disloged the hood. The girl slapped the ground and came back up before anyone knew what happened.
Her back was to them. Everyone stared. Amice spotted the dagger in her braid and paused for a moment. The girl swallowed and slowly turned around.
Amice was first to throw herself at Emma because she waas the only one who didn't have a table in the way.
"I'm sorry." Emma whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek. "Emily's dead.
"It's all right. You're not."
Emma looked past them, eyes not seeing anything. "Now I just want to kill the person who did that to her."
Amice was now a little spooked. Emma wasn't prone to killing anyone who didn't present an immediate physical danger to herself. But then again, she thought, we all change, and sometimes not for the better.