Dark Wood: Legends of the Guardians (14 page)

The
woman led her down a series of alleys. As Aryaunna wasn’t too familiar with
Kenan, she was completely at a loss for where they were. Not that she could
complain about choosing a path not so heavily traveled as the main roads.

Cora
led her down a putrid alley. The smell would have been too much in the summer
months for all the garbage and human waste. There was a wooden door along a
solid stone wall that was clearly her aim. It wasn’t until they were inside
that Aryaunna realized they were in the town’s public bathhouse. “My name is
Cora. What are you called, girl?”

“Marybeth,”
she answered automatically, rehearsed. Cora led her up stairs, past the open
wash rooms filled with wooden tubs and great pots boiling atop fires to boil
clean water. The entire building was filled with steam and the stank of sweat
and sex. “You work here?” she asked cautiously.

“Live
here, work here, survive here. I only have to in the winter.” Cora remarked
begrudgingly. “It’s not the most private place, but the people here have no
interest in us.” She opened a door, hung without a latch, and Aryaunna followed
her into a large room with six beds set up. These were not beds for customers
or patrons, but a room to house the whores that lived and worked in the
bathhouse.

One
woman with coal black hair and pale skin was asleep in her bed. Another
brunette was dressing for the day, which required taking more clothes off than
putting clothes on. The rest of the room was empty of people. Cora went into a
fit of coughing as she sat down on one of the beds that Aryaunna presumed was
her own. The women ranged over ages. The girl dressing was near Cora’s age, but
a few years younger. The girl asleep looked little older than Aryaunna.

The
woman dressing showed little interest in the two, if maybe a little pity. It
was clear she assumed that Aryaunna was seeking work and shelter from the cold
like so many others. Despite the six beds, it was clear that people were
sleeping on the floor as well. She couldn’t help but wonder what merited one a
bed.

When
Cora’s throat had cleared she motioned for Aryaunna to sit, as she’d delayed
herself from doing so until then. Uneasily, Aryaunna perched on the edge of the
cot. “What can you tell me?” Aryaunna whispered, weary of the ears around her.

Cora
looked down at Aryaunna’s stomach pointedly. She didn’t want to draw notice to
the gift of food, for she couldn’t afford to share it with the others. There
wasn’t enough, and each had to fend to their own selves in their harsh world.

Sliding
her hand inside of her cloak, Aryaunna unfastened the satchel and slid it
between them. What Cora did with it from there was of no concern to Aryaunna so
she didn’t pay attention as she looked over the room again. “I can tell you
she’s a stranger to Kenan. She’d never been here before the eve of the new
moon.” Two days ago, Aryaunna realized. “Most people say she’s a pagan but I
don’t think so.”

“Why’s
that?” Aryaunna questioned quietly. Their whispers weren’t easily carried.
“What makes you think she’s not one of them?”

“This
woman’s skin is painted. Her skin is like rich honey and a white moon is
painted over her eye and a beautiful star on her cheek,” as Cora spoke she
looked away from Aryaunna, as if someplace else in her thoughts. “It was filled
with something, a pattern I couldn’t see. I was too far away. Her eyes weren’t
normal. They were wider, but she wasn’t afraid.” Shame washed over her
features.

“Cora,
what’s wrong?” Aryaunna didn’t know this woman, but she oddly found herself
concerned for her. She, like many, had a hard life, barely doing more than
surviving it, certainly not living it. Aryaunna wanted to help her. She wished
she’d brought more supplies, and found herself entertaining the thought of
coming back with more as soon as she could.

“I’d
seen her the first night she’d come. I was in the tavern, trying to find a man
that might buy me so I could get some food.” Cora’s arms wrapped around
herself. “She looked at me from across the room. There was something about her.
There was something about her eyes that were so kind. I’d never had anyone look
at me that way before. With positively no want, just love.” Shaking her head
she looked up at Aryaunna. “I sound like a complete fool. She was surely
younger than me, and I think in that moment I loved her like a mother. She
spoke to the tender, and he brought me the biggest meal they served, and a warm
honey mead. He said it was paid for, and that I had a room for the night. That
was the coldest night we’d had yet this winter.”

“You
mean Evangeline,” the girl that they’d thought was sleeping remarked. Her voice
was hoarse with illness. She never looked over, too sick to sit up. “She is
very beautiful. She’s not human. Evangeline is an Owl Maiden.”

“A
what?” Aryaunna questioned intently. Her full attention was on this young girl.

When
the girl went to speak she went into a fit of coughing. Talking had taken its
toll on her. Aryaunna rose and walked over to the girl, kneeling beside her. “I
have nothing I can give you in trade but this, my promise that I will come back
and help you when I am through here. I will bring you food, and medicine.”
Turning her head, Aryaunna looked back at Cora, side glancing to the woman
who’d chosen not to speak. “All three of you. If you will tell me what I need
to know, I swear I will return this favor,” she was begging.

“Speaking
about her is heresy. They could kill you all for talking about her.” The
brunette with the long straight hair looked away from them, unwilling to meet
their gazes as she tied off her corset.

Aryaunna
rose slowly. Her hands hung easily at her sides, not going near the hilt of her
blades, pointedly being cautious. “I swear, upon my return, I will bring you
food, medicine, and anything else I can carry. Such a promise can only be kept
if I am certain none of you will speak about this to anyone.” The woman’s eyes
were sharp and narrowed. She was suspicious of Aryaunna, but afraid. “I know
what you’re thinking. The guards would want to know about anyone that’s asking
about the heretic that’s going to burn at the stake. Don’t think they will help
you. They will not. If they think you’re holding anything back, they will
torture it out of you. They will hurt you at a whim. If you ask for money or
food, they will throw you to the wolves sooner than toss you a piece of crust.”

She
looked like she was considering something, but said nothing for a long moment.
“I want a cloak. A cloak like yours. I can find my own food if I don’t have to
worry about freezing to death.”

“You
will have a cloak,” Aryaunna promised. “I will bring three.” She looked back at
Cora, and then down at the sick girl. Finally her gaze returned to the
brunette. The woman nodded in taught agreement.

Aryaunna
knelt back beside the girl. “What is an Owl Maiden?”

“A
woodland goddess. She can transform herself into an owl or a human at will.
Their skin matches the color of their feathers. Their feathers are pure magic.
Some people think if you find an Owl Maiden’s feathers you can claim one wish.
Others think you will capture the Owl Maiden, because they won’t give up their
feathers to you unwillingly.” A wet gurgling cough rasped her voice until it
overcame her completely. Aryaunna rested her hand on the girl’s forehead. She
was burning hot. Her eyes were red rimmed and yellow with jaundice.

“How
do you know this? How do you know about Evangeline?” Her hand pet against the
girl’s hair lightly. It was matted terribly.

“My
mother told me stories when I was a little girl, about the faye kin of the
world. Elves, Nymphs, Dragons.” The girl smiled weakly. The brunette sat down
on her bed and dropped her head into her hands. She was horrified about what
she’d just gotten herself into. If anyone ever found out, she was dead for
sure.

Aryaunna
leaned closer and whispered so only she could hear. “Was your mother a witch?”
The girl stared up into Aryaunna’s eyes and said nothing at all. Aryaunna
smiled slightly and said nothing as she stood up. Looking over the three woman
she questioned them, “Do any of you know the prophecy? Did any of you hear what
she said?”

Cora
shrugged helplessly, looking down at the floor. The girl in the bed shook her
head meekly. The brunette’s mouth puckered into a hard tight line, staring hard
at her feet. Aryaunna stared at her, waiting. “She said that a lifetime of war
was coming soon. That an Emissary sent by the Guardians themselves was to be
their hand in this war. That this Emissary would snuff out the age of hatred
and the control of fear…. But that’s all I know. This is what the guards were saying
while I was, while I was taking care of one of them. The others were talking
about the beautiful gypsie they wanted to rid of sin.” She licked her lips
slowly, as if Aryaunna didn’t understand what that meant. “They asked me to be
their wicked gypsie that night.” She forced a half smile as if she were proud
of it even though she wasn’t.

“Did
they say anything else? Did they say when they would burn her?”

“Tonight.
When the moon is highest in the sky. They want the fires to be seen all the way
to Valhanna, they’re doing it up on the hill, in the Church courtyard.” The
highest point in Kenan. The Church sat at the top of the hill so that it could
be seen from far away. Aryaunna’s eyes closed tightly as she grimaced. She’d
been hoping they would burn her at the town square. She’d been counting on it
in fact.

“Thank
you,” she spoke seriously as she looked at the brunette. “What is your name?”

“Amelia.”

Aryaunna
looked down to the girl in the bed, inquiring silently. “Francesca.”

Nodding,
she forced a weak smile at Francesca then looked to Amelia, then Cora. “Thank
you all. I have to be going. Forget you saw me this day. You’ll be better off
for it. The next I see you, I will fulfill my promise.”

Aryaunna
pulled the hood of her cloak back up, and straightened the burlap scarf to
cover her mouth. With a last look at the three of them she left the room
quietly. Refusing all eye contact as she descended the stairs. Aryaunna was
careful as she made her way out of Kenan. It took her longer than she’d wanted
as she’d gotten so turned around going to the bathhouse. Dark was coming. She
had to get to Sita if she was going to make it to the Church before full dark.

As
she saw the open gate she almost took off running, but instead she kept her pace
steady as she walked for the open gateway. She was trying to walk next to a
horse drawn cart when a guard grabbed her shoulder. She had to be smooth about
it or they would draw attention from the other guards. When he pulled her
closer, he mashed his body into the side of hers. “You smell too sweet to be a
beggar.”

Debating
her actions she kept her head down. “You look too fat to be a guard,” came a
voice from her right. Looking up, startled by the comment, the guard did the
same. His jaw was slack to shout something but instead blood poured from his
lips. His hand on Aryaunna began to loosen. He wasn’t dead, but dying quickly.
“Take his arm.” Aryaunna grabbed the guard and held him tight against her as
Allos grabbed his other arm. It was awkward, but it looked like they were
simply walking with the guard out of the gate to most anyone who gave them a
glance.

They
walked alongside the cart. The three of them arm in arm. “He’s dying. When he
collapses, stop, help toss him on my back and run for the woods.”

“You’re
insane,” Aryaunna regarded her friend. “Don’t worry it’s a good thing.” The
guard’s knees gave out and Allos jerked the load up behind him as Aryaunna
shoved the armored man up over his back. They were such an awkward looking
mass, that no one seemed to recognize what they were seeing. As soon as they
hit the woodland Allos dropped him and fell into a tree to catch himself. He
was out of breath and panting heavily.

Aryaunna
gave a low song bird whistle as she looked around the wood. It only took a
moment before Aryaunna saw Sita trotting through the trees. “Ladies first,”
Allos waved from Aryaunna to the mare, a little less than gallantly. With no
time to hesitate, Aryaunna grabbed a hold of Sita’s neck and mane, and slung
herself up onto the horse’s back. Sita trot the last two steps to Allos as
Aryaunna held her hand out to him.

His
fingers encircled her wrist as she did the same. With one hand on Sita’s back
while being pulled up by Aryaunna, Allos found himself mounted behind Aryaunna.
A soft click of her tongue and Sita took off running as Aryaunna leaned
forward. “We have to get to the Church. They’re going to burn the prophet at
full dark.”

As
they rode, Aryaunna explained what she had learned. “I thought for certain they
would have burned them in the town square. They make such a show of the public
executions. I never thought they’d burn them on Church ground.”

“This
is more than petty crimes against Kenan. These are heretics. Heretics they
think are Pagan. Burning them at the highest peak, it’s possible that even the
Pagans would see the fires if large enough and I am sure that’s part of their
intention,” Allos shared his opinion.

“They’re
that close?” Aryaunna questioned.

“Just
across the Sundaland valley, south of Kenan. With a clear night I’m certain
they’d see the pyres.”