Cobweb Bride (38 page)
Percy listened to the rattle sound of her grandmother’s unending breath. “How
. . . how is Gran?” she finally managed to say, even though, without needing to look or be told, she knew it already.
“The same
. . .” Niobea signed with a shudder. “Your grandmother remains the same.”
Percy took off her shawl, and shook it out, then handed it gently to her mother, handing back the precious heirloom. She then took off her soggy dirt-soaked mittens, and put them down on the table.
Next came her coat, which she hung on a peg at the door, in the usual place.
Finally, off came her wet snowshoes. Her mother had not yet reproached her about bringing in the wet snow on her feet past the doorway and leaving melting dirt on the beaten floor, but the lessons stuck with Percy. She unwrapped her feet, and took off her under-socks, and put her numb feet into her old pair of wooden clogs.
Then she straightened, shook the folds of her skirt with its dirtied bottom edges, and smoothed it around her, and patted the top of her dress down neatly.
Last of all, she smoothed her hair with her fingers still raw from the cold, and wiped her brows with her fingertips.
With a shuddering breath, she took the few steps to cross the room, while the sound of the death-rattle was growing louder as she neared it.
And Percy stood by her grandmother’s deathbed.
Bethesia lay, as she had lain so many days ago, breathing with the rusty gears of a clockwork mechanism running down and yet never ending. . . . Her skin was the color of greyish silver, and the sweat at her brow glistened in the red firelight, emphasizing her hollowed cheeks and the skeletal structure underneath.
When Percy leaned over her, the old woman opened her film-covered eyes and they moved slightly, watching her in impotence.
Help me
, the eyes seemed to beg.
And then Bethesia moved the gnarled fingers of one quivering hand to point to the shadow, her loyal sentinel in the corner.
Percy glanced, and she saw the rich pocket of darkness, the familiar shape of smoke and soot.
She was so jaded now, having seen Death’s shadows in so many varied forms.
. . . What was
this
one but another shadow?
Percy put her hand on her Gran’s ice-cold fingers, and she squeezed them tight, feeling a twinge of response, the lightest pressure. The old woman knew her and responded, and there was a world of love in that tiny contact.
“I am so sorry, Gran . . .” she whispered, leaning closer and putting her lips on her grandmother’s forehead.
Bethesia’s feathered lips quivered into a smile.
“L-love . . .” the old woman exhaled the word. The eyes were looking up at Percy, warm and dark, nothing but filmed over memories of once-burning youth and grace.
The shadow at the foot of the bed regarded them.
And then Percy reached out, and she put her hand forward, into the darkness, into the
depth
of the shadow, the turbulent spot where it was thickest.
And there, she rummaged around in the morass, and she took hold of
something
.
Her other hand still held her grandmother’s.
In one hand was the dying old woman.
In the other hand—her death.
Percy reached deep into herself, reaching
inward
for a fragment that was once given her as a Gift by a glorious white Bridegroom—a fragment of
his
heart. The moment she found it, the triangle of connection was complete.
Death, dying, dead.
With one thought, clean and sharp like a blade of smoke and dreams, Percy
pulled
, and drew the three together.
With a hard snap, the shadow-form at the foot of the bed was jerked toward her, swallowed like a flapping serpent tail of vapor, and was somehow diminished into nothing, drawn in
. . . and the old woman on the bed suddenly started, her shallow chest rising upward, taking in one powerful final rattle-breath, her eyes opening wide, then closing in ultimate gratitude.
And then, with that breath, she expired.
Percy stood, sharp and resonant, feeling the opulence of silver and steel and fertile darkness in her mind—inside, everything was overflowing with rich inner sound, and ringing like bells at Mass, and now there was a strange small wound also, a hurting spot in her chest in the vicinity of her own heart. She stood thus,
tolling on the inside
, while holding her dead grandmother’s hand.
And outside—outside her mind, in the room—there was, for the first time, perfect
silence
.
The shadow in the corner was gone.
Her father and mother and her two sisters stood frozen, stunned by the serenity.
“What—what have you done, child?” Alann exclaimed, coming alive at last, rushing to his mother’s side.
But Bethesia was gone.
“What? What has come to pass?” Niobea was speaking, hearing her words as they hung in the air, tangible, solid, silver-hued. “Persephone, daughter! What have you done?”
“She is at peace now. . . .”
“But
how?
Percy! What has happened? Who—how is this possible now, when no one can die? You
killed
her!”
And then her mother stared at her, and she made a holy sign of God, and she whispered, beginning softly, and then screaming: “You are
her
, aren’t you? You had gone and come back and you are different, because you are his
Cobweb Bride!
”
Percy gently released her Gran’s cold lifeless hand, and she turned to look at Niobea directly. For the first time in her life she was meeting her mother’s despair-soaked accusing gaze without fear, guilt, or weakness—or even any emotion at all.
“No,” she said. “No, mother. I am
not
Death’s Cobweb Bride. I am his Champion.”
The End of Cobweb Bride, Book One
The story continues in
. . .
Cobweb Empire
, Book Two
Available Now
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Author’s Note: Imaginary Hi
story and Geography
If you’ve made it this far, you are probably wondering about some of the liberties taken with history, in particular the fantasy version of the Renaissance, and the unusual European geography and topology in this alternate universe.
Cobweb Bride
takes place in an imaginary “pocket” of Europe sometime in an alternate version of the 17th century Renaissance. I’ve modified the continent of Europe by inserting a significant wedge of land between France and Italy, dissolving Austria and Hungary into Germany and pushing the whole thing up north, shifting Spain halfway to the east and lowering the northern shores of the Mediterranean by pushing the southern portion of the continental landmass further down south so that the French Riviera is now where the sea is in our own reality.
Imagine a cross, with Germany up north, Spain to the south, France to the west, and Italy to the East. In the heart of the cross lies the imaginary land that comprises the Realm and the Domain.
Other minor liberties taken include the referral to some physical parcels of land as “Dukedom” as opposed to the correct term “Duchy.” Royal and noble titles, ranks, and their terminology are similar, but not the exact equivalents of our own historical reality.
The culture of the Realm and the Domain is an uneven mixture of French, Italian, Spanish, and German influences of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The language spoken is Latin-based “Romance,” and the linguistics are also a mixture of the same.
And now, please turn the page to see a list of all the character names with a pronunciation key.
(Dramatis Personae)
With Pronunciation Key
Death
, Lord of the Keep of the Northern Forest
Village of Oarclaven (Lethe)
(Oh-ahr-CLAY-ven)
Persephone
(Per-SEH-phonee) or
Percy
(PUR-see)
Ayren
(EYE-Ren), middle daughter
Parabelle
(Pah-rah-BELL) or
Belle
(Bell)
Ayren
, eldest daughter
Patriciana
(Pah-tree-see-AHNA) or
Patty
(PEH-dee)
Ayren
, youngest daughter
Niobea
(Nee-oh-BEH-ah)
Ayren
, their mother
Alann
(Ah-LAHN)
Ayren
, their father
Bethesia
(Beth-EH-zee-ah)
Ayren
, their grandmother
Johuan
(Joh-HWAN)
Ayren
, their grandfather
Guel
(Goo-EHL)
Ayren
, their uncle from Fioren (south of Letheburg)
Jack Rosten
(ROS-ten), villager
Jules
(JOOL-z), Jack’s second son, promised to Jenna Doneil
Father
Dibue
(Dee-B’YOU), village priest
Nicholas
(NIH-koh-luss)
Doneil
(Doh-NEYL), village butcher
Marie
(Muh-REE)
Doneil
, his wife
Faith Groaden
(GROW-den), village girl
Mister
Jaquard
(Zhah-KARD), villager
Uncle
Roald
(ROH-uld), villager, the Ayrens’ neighbor across the street.
Bettie
(BEH-tee), village girl
Kingdom of Lethe
(LEH-thee)
(Realm)
The Prince Heir
Roland
(Roh-LUND)
Osenni
(Oh-SYEN-nee) of Lethe
The Princess
Lucia
(Liu-SEE-ah)
Osenni
of Lethe
Queen Mother
Andrelise
(Un-dreh-LEEZ)
Osenni
Prince
John-Meryl
(JON MEH-reel)
Osenni
, son and heir of the Prince.
Dukedom of Chidair
(Chee-DEHR)
(Lethe)
Duke
Hoarfrost, Ian Chidair
of Lethe
Lord
Beltain
(Bell-TEYN)
Chidair
of Lethe, his son, the black knight
Rivour
(Ree-VOOR), Beltain’s old valet
Father
Orweil
(Or-WAIL), Chidair family chapel priest
Riquar
(Reek-WAHR), Beltain’s man-a-arms
Laurent
(Loh-RENT), pennant bearer of Chidair
Annie
, girl in the forest
Dukedom of Goraque
(Gor-AH-k)
(Lethe)
Duke
Vitalio
(Vee-TAH-lee-oh)
Goraque
of Lethe
The Silver Court (Realm)
The Emperor
Josephuste
(Jo-zeh-FOOS-teh)
Liguon
(Lee-G’WON)
II
of the Realm
The Empress
Justinia
(Joo-STEE-nee-ah)
Liguon
The Infanta
Claere
(KLEH-r)
Liguon,
the Grand Princess
Lady
Milagra
(Mee-LAH-grah)
Rinon
(Ree-NOHN), the Infanta’s First Lady-in-Attendance
Marquis
Rinon
of Morphaea, her father
Lady
Selene
(Seh-LEHN)
Jenevais
(Zheh-neh-VAH-is), Lady-in-Attendance, of Lethe
Lady
Floricca
(FLOH-ree-kah)
Grati
(GRAH-tee), Lady-in-Attendance, of Styx
Lady
Liana
(Lee-AH-nah)
Crusait
(Kroo-SAH-eet), Lady-in-Attendance, of Morphaea
Lady
Alis
(Ah-LEE-s)
Denear
(Deh-ne-AHR), Lady-in-Attendance, of Lethe
Baron
Carlo
(KAR-loh)
Irnolas
(Eer-noh-LAH-s), Imperial knight
Lord
Givard
(Ghee-VAHR-d) Mariseli (Mah-ree-SEH-lee), Imperial Knight
Doctor
Belquar
(Behl-KWAH-r), head Imperial physician
Doctor
Hartel
(Hahr-TEH-l), Imperial physician
Kingdom of Styx
(STEEK-s)
(Realm)
King
Augustus
(Uh-GUS-tus)
Ixion
(EEK-see-ohn) of Styx
King
Claudeis
(Kloh-DEH-ees)
Ixion
of Styx, deceased
Queen
Rea
(REH-ah)
Ixion
of Styx, deceased
Marquis
Vlau
(V’LAH-oo)
Fiomarre
(F’yoh-MAH-r) of Styx
Micul
(Mee-KOOL)
Fiomarre
of Styx, Vlau’s father
Ebrai
(Eh-BRAH-ee) Fiomarre, Vlau’s older brother
Celen
(Seh-LEH-n)
Fiomarre
, Vlau’s younger brother
Marquise
Eloise
(Eh-loh-EEZ)
Fiomarre
, Vlau’s mother, deceased
Oleandre
(Oh-leh-AHN-dr)
Fiomarre
, Vlau’s younger sister
Lady
Ignacia
(Eeg-NAY-shuh)
Chitain
(Chee-TAY-n), of Styx/Balmue
Kingdom of Morphaea
(Mohr-FEH-ah)
(Realm)
King
Orphe
(Or-FEH)
Geroard
(Geh-roh-AHR-d) of Morphea
Duke
Claude
(KLOH-d)
Rovait
(Roh-VEY-t) of Morphaea
Andre
(Ahn-DREH)
Eldon
(Ehl-DOH-n), the Duke of
Plaimes
(PLEY-m’s), of Morphaea
Duchess
Christiana
(Khree-stee-AH-nah)
Rovait
of Morphaea
Countess
Jain
(JEY-n)
Lirabeau
(Lee-rah-BOH) of Morphaea
Lady
Amaryllis
(Ah-mah-REE-liss)
Roulle
(ROOL), of Morphaea
Lord
Nathan
(NEY-th’n)
Woult
(WOOL-t), of Morphaea
The Road
Grial
(Gree-AHL), witch woman from
Letheburg
(LEH-thee-b’rg)
Ronna
(ROHN-nuh)
Liet
(LEE-eh-t), Innkeeper at
Tussecan
(TUSS-see-kahn), Grial’s cousin
Mrs.
Beck
(BEH-k), cook at Ronna’s Inn
Jenna
(JEH-nuh)
Doneil
(Doh-NEY-l), butcher’s daughter from Oarclaven
Flor
(FLOH-r)
Murel
(M’you-REH-l), baker’s daughter from Oarclaven
Gloria
(GLOH-ree-ah)
Libbin
(LEE-bin), blacksmith’s daughter from Oarclaven
Emilie
(Eh-mee-LEE)
Bordon
(Bohr-DOHN), swineherd’s daughter from south of Oarclaven
Sibyl
(SEE-beel), tailor’s daughter from Letheburg
Regata
(Reh-GAH-tah), merchant’s daughter from Letheburg
Lizabette
(Lee-zah-BET)
Crowlé
(Krow-LEH), teacher’s daughter from Duarden (Doo-AHR-dehn)
Catrine
(Kaht-REEN), sister of Niosta, from south of Letheburg
Niosta
(Nee-OHS-tuh), sister of Catrine, from south of Letheburg
Marie
(Mah-REE), girl from
Fioren
(F’YOH-rehn), originally from the Kingdom of
Serenoa
(Seh-REH-noh-ah) (Domain)
The Sapphire Court (Domain)
The Sovereign,
Rumanar
(Roo-mah-NAH-r)
Avalais
(Ah-vah-LAH-ees) of the Domain
Kingdom of Balmue
(Bahl-MOO)
(Domain)
King
Clavian
(Klah-vee-AHN)
Sestial
(Ses-tee-AH-l) of Balmue
Marquis
Nuor
(Noo-OHR)
Alfre
(Ahl-FREH), ambassador of Balmue, Peer of the Domain
Viscount
Halronne
(Hal-RONN)
Deupris
(Deh-oo-PREE), Peer of the Domain