Chapter Six
Serena followed a servant up a winding set of stairs Sach at her side, his front shoulder brushing her hip ever now and then to guide her. She could feel the animal's unease at being confined in the house, she brushed her fingers lovingly over the stiff hairs at the back of his neck. The servant showed her into a room informing her that her presence was requested to perform at dinner that evening. Serena thanked the woman and waited until she heard the door of the room shut before she lifted her hands and rubbed at her closed eyes. They had started paining her as they neared dunewald.
She slowly moved across the room allowing Sach to guide her to the raised bed, as she settled on the soft mattress the wolf moved to the hearth and lowered himself there watching is mistress. After a moment a strange voice penetrated the confines of Serena's mind.
You know you cannot run forever Serena...
Serena opened her eyes blinking them trying to rid herself of the muscle fatigue around them, she turned her head toward the wolf and answered aloud. "I also cannot return home Sach."
The wolf let out a huff of breath almost a sigh and rested his chin on his forepaws.
You could go to your cousin the king, and inform him of your stepmother's treachery.
Serena just shook her head at the wolf then flopped onto her back her arms spread out from her body. Her cousin the king, how would she explain to a man she had never met of her stepmother's betrayal? A humorless smirk caressed her mouth, the man would probably have her burned at the stake if she tried to tell him she could communicate with animals. It was a secret not even Nathaniel and Artemis knew, she closed her tired eyes drifting in a fitful nap as the wolf on the hearth kept a close vigil.
****
Darien sat at the high table in the great hall, Andrew was seated to his left and his Uncle to his right. He speared a piece of pheasant with his knife and stole a glance at his cousins. Luna seemed to be staring off into the distance a dreamy look in her eyes, every now and then she would smile softly to herself as she took a bite from her trencher. Amelia sat pensively next to her groom ignoring his attempts at conversation, though when she thought no one was looking she would sneak glances from the corner of her eye at Zachary O'Shea.
He cast his eyes to the lower tables noticing that Malcolm sat just under the salt, his white hair gleaming in the rush light. Next to Malcolm sat his younger sister Lita, barely seventeen and already she drew the looks of the other men-at-arms. Good natured jests and cat calls could be heard directed at the bride and groom. Darien watched it all with a wistfulness of his own, he was tired of being alone. He speared another piece of meat and paused with it half way to his mouth as a silence slowly filtered into the chamber. He looked up sharply his eyes landing on the form of the troubadours as the moved into the center of the hall.
Nathaniel carried a small wooden stool and a viol in his hands, he placed the stool evenly in the rushes spread across the floor kicking a pheasant bone from his path and assisted Serena onto it. Then he reverently handed her the viol he carried and settled himself into the straw rushes at her feet. He pulled a reed flute from his tunic and laughed at something Serena said. Artemis joined the pair carrying another stool and a lute in his hands, he settled himself on the other side of Serena and began a few experimental cords adjusting the strings for the perfect sound.
Serena sat comfortably on her stool, Sach curled at her feet next to Nathaniel and lifted the bow to her viol slowly caressing a slow haunting melody from the instrument. A few seconds later Nathaniel's flute joined the melody, she moved her fingers gracefully over the strings losing herself in the magical world the music called forth.
Artemis stood propping his lute against the side of his stool and stood facing the gathering of people seated at the tables. He wore a long sleeved tunic of silver threaded wool, a sky blue over tunic with a embroidered crescent moon where his herald should be. Dark blue hose encased his muscular thighs and dyed black leather calf-boots covered his feet. He knew he looked as if he had materialized from the moonlight outside. He cleared his throat then grinned wickedly winking openly at Luna before beginning his story.
"My lords, my ladies, and everyone else gathered tonight for this blessed occasion, come with me if you will to a land of enchantment..." He paused bowing low to Zachary and Amelia, he spread his hands out wide as if he could draw the entire gathering into his arms."A land of magick..." he said bowing low again then throwing his hands into the air, from which came a fine silvery power that shimmered and distorted the audience's vision.
Darien felt himself and the rest of the gathered company lean forward toward the man, the haunting sounds of the music played by Serena and Nathaniel drawing them in further to the spell that Artemis was weaving around them.
Artemis stepped through the falling curtain of silver, his skin lightly gilded making him seem to shimmer, he lowered his voice leaning forward at the waist as in conveying a deep secret."Travel with me to a time, where the fae people still danced, to a time of intrigue."
Suddenly before everyone gathered Artemis seemed to transform into Puck the Trickster, as he danced across the floor his steps so light his feet seemed to not touch the ground. His soft tenor voice floated through the hall as he began to sing;
Travel though the hills o' night,
Long pas' the witchin' hour,
Where faerie folk dance and love simmers,
Where the streams are as pale as a woman's skin,
An' the mood graces all with love within,
I will tell you a story of a great love,
Artemis's voice grew quieter and his face seem to crumble unshed tears shinning in the mossy depths of his eyes.
An' a tale of great tragedy,
Where the lady Ileria,
Artemis moved to the high table grasping Amelia's hand and pulling her to her feet, he leaned over and kissed her knuckles inciting laughter as Zachary growled under his breath. Artemis drew Amelia out into the center of the tables and raised her hand bowing over it, she returned the bow with a curtsy. Artemis slowly began to dance with her keeping a respectful distance between their bodies.
The lady Ileria was sought after by all her fathers men,
Not because of her beauty,
For indeed she was fair of face and temperament,
Artemis ran a hand gently down Amelia's cheek cupping it briefly before spinning her about, as another growl rumbled fro the throat of her groom.
They sought her ability to commune with nature,
For her mother had been part sidhe,
And the very trees and hills bowed to lady Ileria's will,
But the lady Ileria would have none of them,
For her heart belonged to another,
Artemis spun Amelia so that her back was to his front and nestled the base of her neck drawing gasps from the gathered crowd. He smiled seeing Zachary O'Shea storming toward them his eyes dark with rage, he quickly spun Amelia out and watch as O'Shea caught her staring down into her eyes. Amelia stared back up blushing before looking away, Artemis stepped back from the couple and retrieved his lute strumming along with the music increasing the tempo. He nudged Serena with his knee grinning as she played a series of slow measures. She stood setting her instrument aside her skirts rustling as she unerringly walked around the couple seemingly frozen in the middle of the room. Her voice floated around the people,
Aye her heart belonged to another,
but not one her father could know of,
A sidhe warrior strong and proud and loving,
They met in the secret of the night,
surrounded in moonlight and mist,
They danced with the pixies,
And they ran with the imps,
As if on cue Zachary and Amelia began to dance around the room their eyes focused on each other. The music took a more sinister feel as she stood her voice flowing over the gathering.
Their love was not to be,
for lady Ileria's father did not approve,
he had the lady followed one night,
and when it was discovered who she met,
they were torn asunder.
Amelia let out a cry as Serena pulled her and Zachary apart.
A spike of steel was driven through Ileria's sidhe lover,
For all knew that was the only way to kill a faerie,
At the feet of her father Ileria cried over her fallen love,
And then something magical happened,
Serena joined Amelia and Zachary's hands holding them fast between her own.
Lady Ileria's body shimmered before the eyes of all present,
As did that of her fallen love,
A great light filled the valley,
And when it cleared where the lovers had been,
Stood a patch of valley lilies.
And that my friends is the story of the Lady Ileria,
Her sidhe lover,
And the birth of the lily of the valley.
Serena moved back to her stool releasing the couple who stood staring at each other. The music stopped and a silence filled the room, then a roar of applause filled the chamber threatening to rattle the rafters high above. Serena flushed and bowed her head, her fingers burying in Sach's thick fur. A rain of coins could be heard striking the ground around the three troubadours and Nathaniel and Artemis moved to collect them as Serena once more picked up her instrument and began to play a perky song.
Darien blinked a few times and shook his head to clear the fog from it, the tale had been entrancing and he glanced at his cousin and her groom. They had eyes only for each other, he set down his eating knife his midnight eyes on the woman now lovingly drawing the bow over the strings of her instrument. She was dressed in a burnt orange gown tonight a simple belt of copper at her waist all the adornment, her hair was pulled high into a braided crown and a ring of lily of the valley fastened to her head. She looked all the world like a fae princess waiting for her prince.
The rest of the night passed quickly and the troubadours withdrew from the festivities seeking their beds. Serena moved restlessly about her chamber trying to shake the feeling of Darien's eyes on her. She had felt his heavy stare throughout the night. She rubbed her arms trying to rid herself of the goosebumps. She moved to the doors that opened onto a terrace and pulled them open moving out into the night, she leaned her elbows onto the rail. Her eyes closed and her head tilted back is how Darien found her some time later.
Darien stood on his own terrace outside his chamber and movement below drew his attention, Serena stood below in nothing but a sheer white shift and dressing gown. His breath caught as the breeze caught tendrils of her golden hair wafting them around her face playfully. He leaned forward judging the distance between the two of them, he moved back and took a running leap. He hung suspended in air for a moment, a brief thought that he was going to plunge to his death before he crashed heavily onto Serena's terrace. He half slid to a stop in front of her.
"Good eve to you Lady troubadour." He said slightly giddy from his near brush with death.
Serena let out a little cry which brought Sach running out to the terrace, the wolf glanced at Darien then up as his mistress. Serena seemed to calm her fingers digging into the fur of the wolves neck, Darien stood dusting off his hose and frowning at a tear in it.
"Good morn to you Sir Knight," Serena said softly her sightless eyes focused on him. "Could I ask what brings you hurtling from the heavens this morn?"
Darien glanced at the sky surprised to see the beginning fingers of dawn stretching the sky, he glanced at Serena wondering how she knew the time. For a moment he was at loss for an answer to her question, then he smiled leaning a hip against the railing.
"I saw you and thought I would ask for you to partner with me on the hunt later this day."
Serena shook her head and knelt by Sach burying her face in his fur, she looked up at Darien from her position. "In case you have forgotten Sir Knight, I am unable to see therefor would be more of a hinderence than a help during a hunt."
Darien opened his mouth to respond, in truth he had forgotten the woman's lack of sight. She moved so easily through life that it hadn't seemed important, he glanced into her eyes.
"In sooth I find it hard to remember, you do not seem to need vision." He said softly moving toward her and kneeling so he could cup her face in his hands his thumbs feathering at the corners of her eyes.
Anger darkened Serena's face as she stood pulling herself from his entrancing fingers she looked down at him Sach by her side, "And perhaps I should take your vision. And see how much you need it or not!" She said then turned angrily and walked back into her room slamming the door behind her.
Darien blinked his hands still held out, he cursed himself for a fool, and looked around the empty terrace wondering how he would return to his own room. He glanced at the closed door to Serena's and shook his head. With another heart stopping leap he landed heavily on his own terrace and moved into his room. Instead of seeking his bed and sleep as he should, he left the chamber in search of ale. Hoping to rid himself of the hurt angry look he had caused on Serena's face this night.
( Yay more word definitions.
Sidhe = Nobility of the Faeries
Fae = Shortening of the word Faerie (IE: The Fae Folk)
Can't really think of anything else. Please read and review.)