Dennis McKiernan - Once upon a Spring morn

Verdandi laughed. “Princess, did you realize you just now made a rhyme of your own?”

Celeste frowned. “I did? Oh, I see: ‘lost by day’ and

‘the name I say.’ I did make a rhyme. -Oh, wait: I merely repeated the rhyming words in the riddle.” Verdandi glanced at the sun riding across the zenith and said, “Child, we must hurry, for I have a rede to speak and some advice to give you as well as a gift.” Unconsciously, Celeste’s hand strayed to her chest just above her left breast where a silver needle was threaded through her silk undershirt.

Verdandi nodded and said, “Yes, another gift, one to go with that given you by my elder sister, Skuld.”

“Elder? But she is youthful and-”

“Hush, child. Ask Camille; she will explain it.” Verdandi again glanced at the sun and once more the sound of looms swelled, and she said:

“Difficult tests will challenge you At places along the way;

You and your love must win them all, Else you will not save the day.

“Ask directions unto his tower

In the Changeling Lord’s domain; The answers given will be true,

Yet the givers must be slain.

“Until the sister is set free,

With runed blade wielded by hand Kill all those who therein do speak;

Question not; you’ll understand.”

Celeste’s eyes widened. “Kill all who speak?” Verdandi’s face fell grim. “You know I cannot answer, Celeste. Yet this I will tell you for nought: blunt half of your arrows, for you will need them. . both to kill and to not kill.”

“But Lady Lot, I do not understand,” said Celeste.

“Heed me, you will,” said Verdandi. Again she glanced at the sun, and the thud of batten and the clack of shuttle swelled, and Verdandi said, “Here, you will need these,” and she stretched out her hand, something gleaming held in her fingers.

Celeste reached forth, and Verdandi dropped the gift into her palm, and in that moment the trailing limb of the sun left the zenith, and the sound of weaving looms vanished, as did Lady Lot and the sod-roofed cottage as well.

“What th-?” Roel stood in the middle of the grassy clearing, his arms curled as if holding a bundle of branches, but he embraced only empty air.

Celeste frowned down at the gift she held: a pair of golden tweezers, their tips so rounded they would be hard-pressed to grasp anything.

Qualms

“Lady Lot? The crone was Lady Lot?”

“Oui, though she changed from a crone to a matron.”

Roel looked back at the place where the sod-roofed cottage had stood, where now was nought but the glade.

Sighing, he said, “First Lady Wyrd and now Lady Lot. I suppose next it will be Lady Doom.” He shook his head.

“My love, it is as you say: you and your family are somehow involved in the intrigues of the Three Sisters.”

“All mankind is caught up their weavings, though in my case-hence, yours as well, Roel-it seems they take a more direct hand.”

“And this was Verdandi,” said Roel, his words not a question.

“Oui,” said Celeste, “and she gave me these.” The princess handed over the golden tweezers.

Roel took the Fate-given gift and clicked together the smooth, rounded ends. Perplexity filled his eyes. “Skuld gave you a silver needle, and now Verdandi, golden pincers; whatever for? I wonder.” He handed them back to the princess.

“She gave me a rede as well, along with some advice.”

“Advice?”

“Oui. She told me to blunt half my arrows so as to kill and to not kill.”

“To kill and to not kill? What kind of advice is that?” Celeste shrugged. “I know not, cheri, yet I will follow it. Surely it will come clear.”

“And the rede. .?”

“Ah, that. It seems quite straightforward in places and totally horrifying in others.”

“Say it, love, and we will puzzle it out together.” Celeste smiled. “Just as we puzzled out the first rede, eh?”

Roel laughed. “Perhaps we can do better with this one.”

Celeste nodded and said, “Oh, unlike the first rede, I believe there is not much mystery as to just what we must do. Yet it is, as I say, quite horrifying.”

“Horrifying?”

“Oui. List:

“Difficult tests will challenge you At places along the way;

You and your love must win them all, Else you will not save the day.

“Ask directions unto his tower

In the Changeling Lord’s domain; The answers given will be true,

Yet the givers must be slain.

“Until the sister is set free,

With runed blade wielded by hand Kill all those who therein do speak; Question not; you’ll understand.” Roel’s eyes widened in shock. “Kill all who speak?”

“Oui. That’s what Lady Lot said.”

“And slay those who give us guidance?”

“Oui.”

Roel shook his head. “In war I left slaughter in my wake. I do not relish doing so again.”

“Nevertheless, it seems we must,” said Celeste.

“Nay, love, ’tis not we who must do so, but only I instead, for Lady Lot’s words say it must be done with a runed blade, and that means Coeur d’Acier.” Celeste turned up her hands and asked, “Then why did she tell me that I should blunt my arrows?”

“Did she not say ‘half your arrows’?”

“Half, all, still the question is why.” Roel shrugged.

They stood without speaking for a moment, and then Roel said, “At least the first stanza seems clear. We will face many tests along the way, and those we must overcome.”

“Roel, she said that we must win them all. We cannot lose even one. Else we will not save the day, and by that I think she means we will not save your sister and brothers.”

Roel touched the hilt of his sword and said, “With my blade and shield and spear and horse, I have bested many a challenger.”

“Oui, Roel, you have. Yet what if the test is not one of combat, but a test of another kind: riddles, games, puzzles, foot races, feats of strength, of skill, and the like?”

“Oh,” said Roel, illumination filling his face. “I see.” He shook his head in rue. “Ah, me. Ever the knight.

Ready with arms and armor, ready to enter the lists; yet these might be lists of another sort.” Celeste smiled. “Indeed, yet recall, in the rede Verdandi said ‘You and your love must win them all,’ which means the two of us together will have a chance to prevail.”

“Or each of us separately,” said Roel.

“There is that,” said Celeste, nodding.

“The second stanza in the rede seems clear as well,” said Roel. “We must ask directions to the Changeling Lord’s tower, and then slay those who respond.”

“But only in the Changeling Lord’s domain,” cautioned Celeste.

Roel frowned, “Why say you that?”

“Because, Roel, I think if we get guidance from someone outside his domain, then we do not have to slay that person. Hear me: does not the third stanza of the rede say ‘Kill all therein who speak’? And I deem that means all within the Changeling Lord’s domain, as is stated in the second stanza. I do not believe the rede intends for us to kill all who give guidance if they are not in that realm. I mean, if that were so, then we should have killed Florien, and I would have refused to do so.” Roel frowned and said, “It is not clear, Celeste, for the second stanza tells us to ‘Ask directions unto his tower in the Changeling Lord’s domain,’ and that might mean we need ask directions whether or not we are in his domain, and to slay those who answer. But on the other hand, it might also tell us to ask directions when we are in his domain, and only then to kill those who answer.” Celeste nodded and said, “As usual, the redes of the Three Sisters are ambiguous.”