Dragons and Destiny (25 page)

He began to
wish Isobel didn’t exist and that he was free to woo this charming
girl. It was impossible, he knew that
, if wishes were
horses
, the poem sprang to mind. He was under a binding
contract, sanctified by the church to wed Margravessa Isobel
Cocteau and he realised that he could not, did not want to persuade
Zilla Talansdochter into a casual dalliance.

I am falling in
love with this girl.

Zilla was
experiencing similar sentiments.

The rains
stopped two days later and Philip pronounced Nibbles as fit as
ever.

The four took
their leave of the
Little Rover
Inn.

Elliot rode in
silence, ignoring all of James’s idle banter. Eventually James gave
up and rode up to the position beside Robain who was looking much
happier now that he had met Hilla’s parents.

In his mind’s
eye Elliot could see Zilla, that last picture, waving from the
door, a brave smile on her face.

In his right
pocket he had her letter to Rilla.

In his left
pocket he had one of her kerchiefs he had filched when she had
dropped it the previous evening. It smelt of her, the scent she
used, it was all he had of her, all he could ever have of her.

All that day
and the next Elliot’s thoughts were of Zilla Talansdochter. Not one
day was to pass during his journeys through Argyll and Vadath but
that he thought of her at least once. The old Elliot had derided
those who talked about ‘love at first sight’. Never again would he
laugh.

* * * * *

Isobel

“I can hardly
believe it’s only been seven years,” said Isobel to her
sister-in-law Katia turning her head away from the view from the
carriage window.

“What’s that?”
asked Katia who was sitting in a half-daze, her arms round her
little sister Jill who was sound asleep. It was hot in the carriage
and the little girl, tired out with all the excitement had found it
impossible to keep her eyes open.

“It’s only
seven years since I made this same journey,” Isobel explained. “I
was even younger than Jill, only eight.”

“Mama didn’t
want her to go sooner,” said Katia. “It was Father that persuaded
her, that and meeting you. She says two years then Mama wants her
home. She’s still not exactly happy about it.”

“She can go
home for holidays,” comforted Isobel, “me and Estelle always did
and so did Jessica the first year.”

“I never met
your cousin Jessica,” said Katia.

“She’s Sister
Cynwise now,” Isobel corrected. “She decided to stay. All the girls
get the chance. Jessica became a postulant five years ago, I was
only ten and frightfully excited about it all. She entered the
novitiate two years later. There were four of us,” Isobel’s eyes
were dreamy, “cousin Jessica, me, Estelle and a girl called
Annette.”

“Annette?”

“Van Buren. She
decided to stay as well; her name in religion is Sister
Coenberg.”

“Strange
names,” observed Katia.

“All the
sister’s names are like thers, they are all named after ladies from
a long time ago.”

“When was
that?” asked Katia.

“Never was
interested enough to ask,” admitted Isobel with a small smile. “I
never wanted to be a nun. Goodness, it will be good to see Jess and
Annette again after all this time, Sister Earcongota too. She’s in
charge of the school.”

“What do they
look like?”

“The nuns?”

“No, the
habits.”

“They are
grey,” Isobel informed the less learned Katia, “I’ve always thought
they are so much nicer than the Thibaltine black, softer
somehow.”

“I hope Jill
will be happy there,” fretted Jill’s older sister.

“I wouldn’t
worry,” answered Isobel. “Sister Earcongota is a dear if I say so
myself. She mothers all the younger ones as if they are her own.
Old Sister Hereswald, she’s awfully nice too. Things might have
changed since Estelle and I left. Sister Hereswald was old then and
another sister might have taken her place in the schoolroom. Might
even be Jessica herself though that’s unlikely as she’s still a
novice.”

“Do all the
sisters teach?”

“No. The
convent is famous for its decorated religious manuscripts and I
believe some of the sisters write religious concordances and
interpretations of the scriptures. Some teach the local children
and there are their devotions; they do a lot of praying in the
chapel. That wasn’t one of my most favourite occupations when I was
there. I always felt, especially in the summer it was such a waste
of good weather being cooped up inside the chapel for all these
candle-marks. Jessica enjoyed it. I wasn’t surprised when she
decided.”

“You were
close,” surmised Katia.

“Brought up
together. She was that bit older but she always made time to
play.”

“Does she know
about your betrothal?”

“I don’t know.
I never wrote and told her but it’s not a totally enclosed order
like the Thibaltines. The sisters know what’s happening outside.
Mother Bregusund reads out the news every tenday.”

“Wonder what
they said when they heard?” pondered Katia but she never heard what
Isobel thought about it because at that moment their carriage went
over a particularly deep pothole and lurched.

Jill opened her
eyes and rubbed them. “Are we not there yet?” she asked in a cross
voice.

“Not far now,”
promised Isobel after a quick glance out of the window.

“I need the
necessary.”

“Hold it in a
bit longer,” said Isobel as the carriage gave another lurch and
flung the three girls over. “This road was always bad but it seems
to have got worse.”

“When you’re
married you could always persuade Elliot to endow the convent with
some coin to maintain it,” suggested Katia.

“I think I
will,” Isobel replied.

The carriage
came to a stop outside the well-remembered entrance a short while
later and the girls waited for the outriders to open the door.

Isobel heard
the bell ringing as she was assisted down and walked towards the
carved wooden door. A plump figure dressed in the familiar grey
habit popped her upper half outside.

“Isobel,” she
said, her face wreathed in smiles.

“Sister
Eanfled,” exclaimed Isobel, giving her a hug. “It’s so nice to see
you again.”

“Come in, come
in,” said Sister Eanfled opening the door wide, “and this is little
Jill who is joining us. You must be her sister, Countess
Cocteau?”

“Call me
Katia,” said the owner of the name. “Isobel told me there is no
rank here.”

“In God’s eyes
we are all equal. Now enter and be welcome in our house.” She
turned to the coachman and the outriders. “If you go round the back
good sirs you will find those waiting to care for you and your
horses.”

“We have an
area outside the enclosure proper,” she explained to Katia as she
drew them inside, “where the lay sisters work although they sleep
inside the walls. It’s a pity you can only stay the one day with us
and not longer.”

“But we can,”
smiled Isobel. “We can stay an extra day if we so desire and I do
desire. I’ve got so much to tell you and I want to hear all your
news.”

“I’m to take
you to Mother,” Sister Eanfled said.

“I remember the
way,” Isobel replied. “Why don’t you take Katia and Jill to where
they are to sleep and I’ll go to her? Jill is very tired and Katia
will want to see her settled.”

Sister Eanfled
nodded. “You were always considerate Isobel. If you are sure?”

“I am sure,”
Isobel answered and made her way to the Reverend Mother’s room.

* * * * *

“When we heard
about your good fortune there was much excitement here,” Mother
Bregusund told Isobel. “We gave thanks to God in our prayers.”

“Good fortune?”
queried Isobel, “the whole thing scares me witless.”

“Why?” asked
Mother Breguswið in her habitual calm voice.

“Because,
because its all happened so quickly. I thought Father would find me
a husband but I thought it’d be someone like the man he found for
Estelle. I thought I’d be a wife of perhaps a Baron with perhaps a
manor to run and a family to bring up. I never thought I would be a
Queen. I’m scared Mother.”

“You must pray.
Then your way will become clear,” Mother Breguswið advised. “Pray
for help. God does not ask his children to do anything beyond their
capabilities. That would be cruel and we know God is not cruel. We
may not understand what He asks of us but prayer helps. You must
ask.”

“I will try
Mother,” said Isobel.

“When you left
us last year,” Mother Breguswið continued, “I wondered if you might
return.”

“I did think
about it Mother then it all happened. I wanted to see you before
the betrothal ceremony but it was impossible. Now it is too late,
even if I wanted to join you I cannot.”

“The reason of
God is unfathomable. The only advice is as I have said already.
Pray to God when you are in need of guidance and you face
difficulties along your road.”

“Will he
reply?”

“Not in so many
words my child but he will listen. Keep to your faith and all will
be well. Now, do you wish to pray?”

“Yes
Mother.”

“Do you
remember the way to chapel?”

Isobel
nodded.

“It should be
quiet at this time. Vespers is not for a candle-mark.”

Isobel made her
reverence and made for the chapel. She didn’t stay overlong at
prayer and left before the sisters arrived.

After Vespers
came the evening meal. Isobel got the opportunity to meet her
friends again and to exchange news. Sitting at the visitors table
with Katia, eating the simple meal laid before her, Isobel felt
some of the strain she had been living with dissipate.

She met the
stares and nuances of recognition from amongst the sisters with a
shy smile. Meals were taken in silence here except for the few days
when rules were relaxed in honour of one of the Saints but in the
common room after the meal Isobel was surrounded by a collection of
excited sisters who all wished to welcome her back and to
congratulate her about her betrothal. Katia had gone back to the
school wing to see Jill.

When she did
enter the room with Sister Earcongota she saw Isobel deep in
animated conversation with a group of younger nuns and settled down
with Earcongota and old Sister Hereswald to talk about what Jill
would be doing in the coming months.

No wonder she
talks about her time here so much and has such fond memories;
they’re all so kind, goodness seems to seep out of them with every
breath. Jill will be happy here.

Isobel was
renewing old friendships. Mary, youngest daughter of a junior noble
who held land from her Father had been one of Isobel’s ‘best
friends’ during her convent schooldays. They were the same age.

The previous
year, when they had reached the great age of fourteen, Mary had
decided to remain at the convent. She sat beside Isobel; dressed
from top to toe in dark grey, her auburn curls peeking out from the
half-veil the postulants wore.

Isobel had
decided to go home to think whether she wanted to enter religion
too.

“Fate’s a
strange thing Isobel,” Mary said. “If you had stayed here your life
would have been so different.”

“True,” smiled
her friend. “Are you happy Mary?”

“Yes I am,”
Mary replied, “you?

“I’m getting
used to it,” said Isobel with a laugh, “and it’ll get better.
Mother helped. We had a long talk before Vespers.”

“She’s
marvellous isn’t she? Oh, here are Coenberg and Cynwise,” and
Isobel looked up as the one time Jessica Cocteau and Annette van
Buren appeared at her side.

The two were
now in the last year of their novitiate and wore the same full
habit in pale grey as the professed sisters; the only difference
was that their veils were white. Their hair was, as Isobel was
aware, cropped short underneath their wimples.

The four of
them embarked on an orgy of reminiscences and the candle-mark
dedicated to recreation and talk was over almost before Isobel was
aware of it. When the candle-mark was up the sisters stopped
talking and tidied away before departing for Compline.

When, two days
later, Isobel allowed herself to be guided into the carriage she
felt more at ease within herself than she had been for some time.
She felt at peace and ready for what the future might bring. Old
ghosts had been laid to rest. The life of a Religieuse was not for
her and she was content. With Gods help she would meet the
challenges of the secular life of marriage to the Prince-Heir and
eventually Queen of Murdoch.

* * * * *

Niaill

Hansel had
accepted Niaill’s offer of a pillion seat behind him with joy. He
was a skinny little individual and Taraya made nothing of the extra
weight.

The First Ryzck
were still at Douglastown when the Forty-First arrived to relieve
them and two days after the handover, thirty-five vadeln-pairs and
one ecstatic boy set out on their journey to Vada, the authorities
after initial objections, having signed over Hansel’s guardianship
to Niaill.

Not one of the
vadeln wanted to waste any time on their trip back. It was the
First Ryzck’s turn for what was called, ‘Long Leave’.

There were ten
months in a Rybakian year. Each tour of duty for a Ryzck lasted
three months with two months leave in between. These two months
were not long enough most vadelns complained because travel to and
from their patrol area ate into it (some patrol areas were as much
as fourteen days run away), so did patrol debriefing and
preparation for the next duty tour. Training also took place during
this time.