Leslie Moore - Griffin's Daughter

Both women looked up in surprise as Gendan swept through the common room door, cradling Kami in his arms. He paused to look beseechingly at Aneko, then at Jelena. “Will you please tell this pig-headed girl that she’s in no condition to go back to work tomorrow?” he cried in exasperation. Jelena leaped up and ran over to embrace Kami as Gendan gently set her on her feet.

“ Thank you, Jelena,” Kami murmured, her voice still weak from illness. “Gendan said you stayed with me the whole time. You must be exhausted.”

“ I am much better now,” Jelena replied, wiping away tears of relief and happiness with the back of her hand.

“ Gendan won’t let me go back to work tomorrow,” Kami complained, her pale lips in a pout, but Jelena clearly saw the spark of resurgent mischief in her friend’s eyes. Jelena laughed and hugged the other girl again, and her heart swelled so full of joy, she marveled that it did not burst.

“ Maybe he’ll let you go back the day after tomorrow,” Aneko said.

“ P’raps,” Gendan replied, smiling.

It has begun.

Tell me what happened.

The girl came to me last evening. She had a strange dream, a nightmare, really. Some…thing stalked her, something she couldn’t name but knew was evil. She is afraid it wanted what she harbors, but, of course, she doesn’t understand why.

Nor can she, not yet. What did you tell her?

I explained it away, attributing it to unspoken fears about her Talent. I’m certain that she didn’t fully accept it, but she chose not to press me. She is a highly intelligent girl. It will become more difficult to conceal the truth from her as time passes and she grows stronger and more confident.

Did you scan her?

Yes, and I found the energy residue of a magical attack.

Then there can no longer be any doubt. The Nameless One is awake, and he has located the Key. How much time we have before he is strong enough to come after it is anyone’s guess, but we must assume that it will be sooner rather than later.

I think it’s time for a council. We can no longer sit on our hands, hoping and praying that this will go away.

I agree. You will accompany your husband to Sendai, then?

Yes. Ordinarily, he would expect me to stay behind to run things in his absence, so I must come up with a good excuse; also, there are my three youngest children to consider. It’s a very long journey.

The girl needs protection as well, protection only you can provide.

My son would disagree, I think! He and the girl are to be married before we leave.

I still think that’s a mistake, especially if we are to use him in the Working.

My son will do what’s necessary.

You should tell him the truth now.

No. When we are all gathered in Sendai, I’ll tell him. I’ll not take away his happiness any sooner than I need to.

There is still the question of the girl’s paternity. Has your husband decided what he is going to do?

He is torn. We all know what a scandal this will cause, but my husband won’t lie to his oldest friend. Also, he swore to help the girl find her kin, and he won’t go back on his promise.

Try to get him to reconsider. This could complicate matters immensely.

He won’t.

Then I suppose we’ll just have to find a way to deal with the consequences.

Ai, Goddess! How did we let this happen? Why were we not more vigilant? We knew that the Key was due to reappear during our tenure! Why did we not search for it so that it could be secured? And why…why did we allow the wards to fall into disrepair?

We’ve been shamefully complacent. I’ll be the first to admit that, and as head of the Society, I must take responsibility. But now is not the time to indulge in guilt. Protect the Key, continue training the girl, and we’ll all meet in Sendai.

Until then.

Jelena and Ashinji were joined in a small ceremony held in the family chapel, attended by the Sakehera clan and a select few among Jelena’s friends on the staff. The simple nuptials stood in sharp contrast to the lavish affair that had been held for Sadaiyo and Misune, but this was perfectly proper. Ashinji was, after all, the second born child, and Jelena had no family at all. Still, the simplicity of the proceedings suited Jelena just fine. She needed no spectacle to confirm her love for Ashinji.

That morning, Jelena rose early to prepare herself to become Ashinji’s wife. She began with a leisurely soak in the staff bath house, followed by a light breakfast in the barracks common room, surrounded by the people who had come to mean so much to her since her arrival at Kerala.

When the time came for her to dress, Aneko assisted her with a little help from Kami, who, though recovering rapidly from her illness, still tired easily. The wedding robes Lady Amara had provided were not nearly as sumptuous as the many-layered extravaganza an elven lady of high station would wear, but Jelena thought them beautiful just the same. A sheer undertunic of fine white cotton rested against her skin. Over that went a robe of lightweight, cream-colored silk, embroidered with a simple design of flowering vines along the borders. The main garment-a robe constructed of heavy silk and dyed a glorious yellow-cinched at her waist with a green sash. The image of a crane-symbol of good luck-embellished the back from nape to hem. The sleeves, with their long tippets, were slashed to reveal the delicate pattern decorating the robe beneath. To finish, yellow silk slippers graced her feet.

Jelena declined the headdress of gilt-silver made to look like a cluster of flowering vines, choosing instead to secure her mane with her birth mother’s ivory combs. About her neck, she hung the string of blue Kara glass beads-her dearest bequest from her heartmother, Claudia. Beneath the layers of rustling silk-resting against her heart and secure on its silver chain-hung the ring of her unknown sire. It seemed right that this small thing that had once belonged to the man who had helped create her should accompany her on this, the most important day of her life.

After the last tie had been secured and all the layers arranged to perfection, Aneko applied a rose-colored stain to Jelena’s lips and a light dusting of powdered eggshell to her face. Jelena refused to allow anything more elaborate in the way of makeup, believing she would only look foolish if done up in formal style. She wanted to stand at Ashinji’s side as herself, not some poor imitation of a high-born elven lady.

After one final check of herself in a mirror borrowed from Aneko, she emerged from the barracks to applause and exclamations of admiration.

“ Jelena, I would be honored if you’d allow me to escort you to your wedding.” Jelena, fighting back the tears that threatened to spoil her simple makeup, nodded in assent as she linked her arm with Gendan’s. The gruff Captain of the Kerala Guard stood as living proof that an essentially good heart could be liberated from seemingly insurmountable walls of bigotry, even if those walls had existed since childhood.

With Aneko and Kami trailing behind, Gendan walked with Jelena from the barracks to the castle proper. It was midway through the month of Nobe by the elven calendar, Actea by Soldaran reckoning. Though fall approached, the days remained hot and would be so for many weeks yet. By the time the wedding procession reached the chapel doorway, Jelena felt miserably and thoroughly wilted.

Aneko must have seen her distress. “You look beautiful!” she whispered, and Kami nodded in agreement. Jelena flashed a nervous smile and gripped Gendan’s arm more tightly.