I Want To Go Back

Over the next few days, Six and Hy met with the estate's master builder, the steward, the stablemaster, the senior tutor, the head librarian, the doctor, the senior nanny, Chef, and Captain Nightfire to discuss the needs of each department. Six's reception at the meetings ranged from enthusiastic (the stablemaster) to barely suppressed annoyance (the doctor and steward) to indifference. Chef eyed Six warily as he informed her what meals would be prepared throughout the week, as if he expected her to make a break for his sitting room and attack Her Majesty at any moment. Captain Nightfire was businesslike as she delivered her report--which mostly centered around the security risk from the breach in the outside wall--and inquired how Six was holding up once she was finished.

"Its . . . it was a lot easier when I was just responsible for weeding and peeling potatoes," Six admitted. "And I'm pretty sure I made an enemy out of Chatelaine Opalsky because of the sheryn incident."

"She'd already decided not to like you," Hy said dismissively, "You were never going to salvage that relationship anyway."

"Opalsky is very constant in her opinions, once formed," Nightfire agreed.

"The steward doesn't like me much either."

"That's because every time Lady Snowpearl has a consort, they start throwing their weight around by meddling in the house finances," said Captain Nightfire. "One of them came close to bankrupting the house. So he's wary."

Six grimaced. "And I just to see the account books." At the Captain's look of alarm she continued, "There were a lot of requests for expensive things. I thought if I took a look at the accounts, I could tell if the House could afford them without having to make more work for Silverthorn."

"Which worked out badly," Hy contributed, not attempting to hide her amusement.

"Oh?" prompted the Captain.

Six pointed at the stack of ledgers on her desk. "I had no idea how complicated the accounts are, or and none of that actually means anything to me. So now I have to ask him to explain it, and that will probably make him think I'm questioning the finances."

"Just send him a note admitting you're in over your head. That everyone wants to spend money, and you need to know how much we have," said Captain Nightfire, laughing. "That's what I do when I didn't have you or a consort as my go-between. But don't ask IF there's money to spend, because Silverthorn will just say no if you ask that."

"I'm doing the consort's job?" Six asked in surprise.

"More or less, if you define the consort's job as 'all the things the Lady doesn't have time for, or doesn't want to do'," said Hy. "Next week Lady Snowpearl will start bringing you into some of her meetings too, but she didn't want to overwhelm you."

Six groaned and leaned forward to put her head on the desk, saying, "I want to go back to being a nun who gets scolded for being undisciplined and flighty."

"Well, if you are a very good girl and do all your work this week, then I will put together an escort so that you can pick out a treecat," promised Captain Nightfire with a chuckle.

Six straightened, making another face as she said, "I am not sure--"

But before she could finish saying that adopting a demanding creature might not be the best idea at the moment, there was a knock on the door and a grim-faced male in a guard uniform peered in. "I beg your pardon, Miss Six, Captain, but Lady Snowpearl requires Six's presence in the audience hall."

The captain's eyebrows rose and Hy drew in a hissing breath and asked, "The audience hall? Why there?"

The guard directed his answer to Six. "There are representatives from the Temples here."

Six's spirits plummeted. But she rose and asked firmly, "Where is the audience hall?"

"This, way, Miss Six," the guard said, glancing at Nightfire. The captain made a 'carry on' gesture, even as she stepped up to Six's left side, while Hy took up a place on the right.

'We're all here with you,' Sera reminded her, as Six clenched her hands to hid their trembling.

The audience hall proved to be on the ground floor. It was a cavernous room with soaring arches, tall windows filled with stained glass panels depicting scenes that probably represented something important to the Llinn family, and two ornate, high-backed chairs set on a dais at the far end. The end of the hall opposite to the dais had no wall at all and opened out directly into the forest surrounding the manor.

The message of that missing wall was clear - we are powerful, mess with us at your peril.

Quite a few people were choosing to ignore that warning.

Lady Snowpearl stood near the foot of the dais, a handful of people Sera now recognized as her advisors in a loose semi-circle at her back. A dozen or so house guards stood along the walls of the audience hall, but they were far enough away that they seemed more decorative than protective. The noblewomen and her advisors were facing down a half dozen or so soldiers in what looked like military dress uniforms, twice as many men in the uniforms of the constabulary, and three dozen soldiers in camouflage. There were also two contingents of what Sera concluded were the Temple representatives. One was clustered around a man Sera recognized as Father Superior Starwind. Six seemed to recognize most of the second group, so presumably they were from the Third Temple.

" . . . find it deeply offensive that you would accuse me of attacking a child of the Temple," Father Superior Starwind was saying. "That you have given so much weight to the words of a clearly disturbed run-away nun is deeply concerning, Lady Snowpearl. It seems you and your household are in need of guidance and would benefit from having Temple monks to advise you."

"I have made no accusations, Father Superior," Lady Snowpearl answered calmly. "I have merely welcomed my son home and granted shelter to an injured child of the temple. A child who does not belong to your temple, I understand. Tell me, Father Superior Starwind, what is your interest in Sister Forty-Six?"

'Now would be a really good time to have showy magic powers,' Sera thought.

'I thought we were keeping you a secret? Or at least quiet?' Six thought back.

'We maybe past that point,' Sera admitted. Six continued towards the confrontation, Nightfire on one side and Hy on the other, the guardsman leading the way and two of her 'personal' guardswomen at her back.

"I must insist that you surrender poor Sister Forty-Six to the Temples and Brother Forty-Three to General Feathergreen's men, so that the former can return to the peace of the Temple and the later faces punishment for his crimes," Father Superior Starwind was saying.

"Do not presume to give me orders here," Lady Snowpearl said icily. She turned to the man in the uniform with the most decoration and said, "General Feathergreen, I regret to inform you that the House of Llinn will not be surrendering any of our members until you are able to present evidence that a crime has been committed."

"We have the sworn statement of Father Superior Starwind," the general answered stiffly. "That should be sufficient evidence."

"You also have the sworn statement of Sister Forty-Six that my son acted in her defense, only after this person attempted to murder her," replied Lady Snowpearl. She turned her attention on the constables—more specifically a slim woman with short, deep purple hair and cherry-colored skin. "Inspector, have you investigated Sister Forty-Six's complaint?"

The inspector answered calmly, "Our investigation is ongoing."

"There is nothing to investigate!" Father Superior Starwind said hotly.

"Nonetheless, the Constabulary will do their duty," said the inspector. She turned towards Six, who froze as if pinned in place by the woman's golden-eyed stare. "Our investigation would proceed far more smoothly if Sister Forty-Six cared to explain why she might have been attacked by the Father Superior."

'Sera?'

"Father Superior Starwind is of the opinion that Sister Forty-Six is an unsuitable host for a Traveler," Sera replied. Several of Lady Snowpearl's advisors started. A few others, among them the steward Silverthorne, frowned thoughtfully as Sera took control and moved forward to stand at Lady Snowpearl's side. The inspector's gave sharpened. "I disagreed, and he tried to kill Six. I am curious to know how he knew I was present. Was it merely good fortune, or did someone from the Third Temple betray Six you?"

This last was directed at the Father Superior.

Who shook his head, affecting a sorrowful expression, as he said, "You poor child."

He glanced over at one of the monks from the Third Temple and continued, "I am sorry, my brother, that I could not help."

"Help with what?" asked the inspector, eyes flicking between Sera and the monk.

"With this poor child's delusion, inspector," said Father Superior Starwind. "As you see, the girl believes she has been visited by a Traveler. She believes it so passionately that she has created this false persona, and when I threatened her delusion by trying to make her see the truth she became hysterical. She was beginning to come around when the monk known as Brother Forty-Three interfered, and has fallen even farther in to her delusion, convincing herself that I acted to harm her. No doubt it was Brother Forty-Three's hope to take advantage of the child's affliction and present her to public as a Traveler that prompted him to assault me and kidnap the child. Obviously Lady Llinn has seen the advantage this could bring to her house, or I am sure she would have returned the sister to the Third Temple days ago, and surrendered Brother Forty-Three to face justice."

As Six gave a mental whimper and Lady Snowpearl's advisors shifted uneasily, Sera snorted and rolled her eyes.

"That's quite the story you've invented Starwind, but how will you prove it?" she asked.

"There is nothing to prove. It is obviously true. Why would any self-respecting Traveler choose a half-wit peasant from the Third Temple as a host?" he asked with a smile.

"Why would the Father Superior of the Second Temple bestir himself to go all the way to the infirmary for the benefit of a 'half-wit peasant' who doesn't even belong to his own Temple?" Sera returned. "Why would the Third Temple not handle this themselves?"

Sera took a step forward, and the monk retreated. With a sour smile she said, "Lady Snowpearl has given her answer. Three will not be sacrificed to hide your sins. And I have given you mine. I am staying where I am. Run along back to your Temple, little man, and play at being pious. There is nothing for you here."

"There is a simple test to prove whether Sister Forty-Six is host to a Traveler," a new speaker contributed.

Noting the satisfaction in the Father Superior's eyes, a stab of alarm went through Six.

'This is bad, isn't it?'