I mounted a living beast for the first time. Who would have thought a landed beast could be so much wilder than my pledge-sister. But it was unnerving, and even with Thea’s aid, I was not quite sure whether to swing myself hard from the stirrup, or to gently and timidly steal upon its back lest I gall the beast. Awkwardly I did, then allowed Thea to guide us both trotting towards the main building. For what it’s worth, the horse was overfamiliar with the path, that I daresay my riding ability did not ultimately matter. As likely it was a well-trained horse, for which by the time we arrived I had not suffered aught involuntary dismounting.
That ordeal over, we passed into the house. Fine was the interior, marbled and carpeted richly, if a bit too gaudy for one familiar with the captain’s refined taste. Tapestries and paintings upon every wall, ancient and new, of different styles as well as materials. A fine abode fitting for princes, in my reckoning.
Wisteria crossed the high windowed hallways with grace, but also in hurried steps. As though she was fleeing her own home.
Only once in her room, and the tea brewed, did she ease up, and well so, at a small table where she received us. Or as well as could for one of her nature, who I’d wager does not stir unbecomingly even in sleep.
“I think you marked my little sport there at the field,” Wisteria said over a cup of honeyed bergamot. The tea was calming and sweet, much like its maker on this occasion. She smiled in the leisure of her elements, and regarded us with cordiality. “But trust me when I say all alares of the Ala Estival are welcome so long as I live. All servants of our Mistress, to be sure, but I’d fain give up that lengthy challenge of my father’s supposed authority and direct my guests elsewhere for better accommodations. There’s also the matter of your secrecy, of course. Well, you have me now – what is it?”
Without preambles, I heeded her request right away.
“Acis sent this and only this, Miss Loredan, ‘She comes from the painting.’”
At length, Wisteria stared hard at us, and so determined that I would add naught more verse to the message, she knitted her brows.
“Only that? You told me she sent a message, but I only found a puzzle, what painting?”
“I had a mind that you would know, Miss. I am no wiser.”
“Bah, no Miss for me,” she dismissed the title with a light wave of hand, “You are my superior, and soon my senior, ma’am Aster. Azure or not.”
“Still,” she said distractedly, “a wonder she would send an azure, where I would have expected ma’am Valerian, my pledge, or ma’am Gladiola as her representative.”
“Even as the message,” I said, rising with Thea in turn, for I considered the riddle well delivered, so without further business to bother the host, “she knew only that it should be delivered through me, but not why.”
This started Wisteria. Greatly. A pallor stole to her placid mien. And she returned with a long gaze of bewilderment, as though we wore a guise that had only then been dispelled. As startling, however, she turned away, saying simply, “Stay for a while. I do think we have yet matters to discuss.”
Thea and I looked at each other askance. Now the young wyverness commenced pacing around the room, deep in thought. Then and again she paused at a random spot, looked at us, or at another vague place in her surroundings.
At long last, she stopped before a tapestried wall and stood unmoving as a statue. With an estranged look, she said, “’Tis farfetched to presume. Yet the only that comes to mind: that our house’s industry is the dyes and paints, garments and artworks, and so it follows that she meant to betoken a traitor in my house.” She shrugged. “No need to give me that look, you see with your eyes what happened out there. The heads of this house have no love for me. Do you know that I was never planned for Venier’s pair?”
“Acis seldom speaks of herself. No, I had no idea.”
Which was as great an understatement as it gets. For all that I had learned of her in her home city, not much beyond the surface of her story had ever been revealed to me.
“No wonder, of course she does not!” she said, and for a moment keen venom surged in her speech, only to disperse quickly enough, turning to a flat tone, with which she now related her story, “It is customary for the head of our house to serve upon the Mistress’ vessel, chiefly in pair with a Venier, and has been thus for as long as written memories could be called for. And yet the Veniers' head begot a girl only once this generation, while ours thrice. So it was that the one of us who made the pair would inherit the house. My eldest sister was chosen by father, you see. Though in the end, being of the same age, Venier and I became friends, and… things happened. Without meaning to, I had supplanted my father and sister to come into the inheritance, so it seemed. What think you I did when confronted with such facts?”
Amid her story, the question she cast caught me off guard. And for a second I stared at her dumbly. It was Thea, always with her quick wit, who answered her, as though it was but common knowledge to guess, “You severed the relationship.”
Wisteria looked at the maid, blinking. “That I did,” she said quietly. “There was the issue of duty, the matter of obligation, and my wish for our house’s prosperity, and… something else besides. Yet my own wish was of little import.”
That at least I could guess. I had seen her father indeed, and ‘twas enough to surmise what happened then.
She went quiet out of a sudden. Leaning on the mantelpiece, she fingered the locket upon her chest, the one which bore the strange design. “I did myself too much credit with that,” she said quietly, “my mother supported me then. As she would have all of my decisions.” She turned away from us, smiling awkwardly as a child caught in the act of shameful posturing. “But I was... proud. I thought I was strong enough to bear it all.”
As quickly as she had descended into melancholy, Wisteria straightened her back, “That I did, and then Venier ran off with the white wyverness, she who some call the White End. And while she was away, there was a great feud between the houses, begun by the Veniers and ended by the iron hand of my mother. Their house was vanquished, and the Mistress executed or exiled the rest for acts of betrayal, next she came. The ones exiled were some few of proven loyalty. But most were killed.”
I winced, it came up again, that story of the punishment upon Acis’ family. How horrible a thing, one downright massacre, and yet there could be no consequence of clemency for those who dared rebel against the captain. Upon the thought of my pledge-sister, I shuddered. Yet the feelings that were to come were checked by the teller’s carrying on nonchalant beats.
“Well, at any rate, my failure of an eldest sister still failed the trial, then my second one also. Leaving me the only one to attempt it now. See you the cause for treachery now?”
“They would frame you as an attempted murderer just to prevent you from taking the ritual?” I asked foolishly.
“My own family, and to take my life, if they could,” she shrugged.
“A grim thing to say,” Thea remarked with her mind elsewhere. I stared at her, but the maid’s mind was being set further than our present. What captured her wit so I could not guess.
It was then that a distinct sound diverted our attention. Distinct, for whereupon the wyverness started towards the door, yet I had not at all noticed it.
So it was that our host left us for the door. And such a long room it was that we could not glimpse the presence beyond the threshold. I could but see and hear Wisteria greet them with a somewhat hushed voice, then, to my amazement, crouched down on all four. She leaned forth, then rose again. On her return with a troubled expression, the identity of the author to her humiliation was revealed in her arms: a purring ball of fur in the shade of the moonless night. So small, he fit neatly in her bosom and vibrated with comfort at her caress.
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“I beg your pardon,” the wyverness said, “but Luna is… deeply troubled, he keeps scratching at the door since yesterday.”
“The cat?” I asked.
“Yes, he. An old member of the family, and eldest among his brethren. Are you not good with cats, Aster? I am told azures are oft cause for apprehension in animals.”
Somewhere along the way she had dropped, or unconsciously forgot, her respectful title for me. Not to my surprise, mind. And she was rather occupied by the restless pet in her arms now.
“Not really, or I don’t think so at least. The ship cats don’t mind me in particular, and there’s one in the Hall of Wreaths who tolerates me rather well.”
“That’s good to hear,” she said, somewhat mysteriously. “Well, I was telling you of those who would like to see me killed. If not my house, then another. For the prize certainly warrants the risk. Should one of the other magnates succeed in their ploy, and our house be branded traitors, we should share the same fate as the Venier, with our estate forfeited. It would not be the first time, to be sure. And indeed, before your message, I thought they the very like culprits. For I do not in truth think my sisters, such failures as they were, yet being Loredans, would risk their own heads so. But now, I’m not entirely sure. Either way, I have many enemies, within and without. Here among the paintings, or yonder.”
“That is not possible, isn’t it?” Thea gave voice to her thought almost the instant the wyverness finished, as though she had been holding it in for an intolerable while. “There’s the captain. She should know if you are the culprit or aught else. It does not stand to good sense to conspire in such a fallible way.”
“Ah, for a change, you think too highly of myself,” Wisteria smiled with only the faintest hint of amusement, and I wondered if that was not towards the furry creature. “Such trifles as I do not concern the Mistress. She would have the chief mate judge it, and like as not I would be hung, just so. Or at least the conspirator had expected that development.”
And to be sure it was how things could have gone this morning if not for Litzia’s involvement.
“Did the captain judge the Venier in that manner also, by leaving it to the mates?”
Wisteria eyed my friend, seemingly bemused. “So indeed you arrived at the matter, clever maid! That is the heart of your accusation, is it not? The Venier? You think of all this as a matter of grudge, that Venier herself had feigned her own capture, to frame me?”
“Surely she thinks not that!” I cried, entirely nonplussed by the notion. I had known Acis and Galanthus, who were not always pleasant company, but neither were they murderers.
“Revenge is a sensible motivation, and many would not judge it senseless murder,” Thea said evenly.
“So,” Wisteria paced across the room again with her usual measured steps, rocking gently the creature in her arms as she went, “I shall not bother contradicting you. Be that the truth, Venier is but one more addition to my many enemies.”
A sad thing to say. And it was not that I did not pity her circumstance, but if her little sport with her sisters from earlier came only a little short of explaining the enmity she suffered from her own kin, it did prove that she had the strength to weather it.
“I am sure,” Thea said, “you need not us or ma’am Acis’ message to discern all this. You had taken precautions beforehand I think. Be it against your kin, as hinted at by the riddle, or from fellow magnates.”
If she had, then it was cleverly done. For the memory of that day in the Sanctuary came to mind, where she had deliberately provoked Acis while lavishing the other children of the magnates with praise. It was as though she sought her succor in enemies, and deliberately framed herself as Acis’ bitter rival before them. But all this I could guess only by the pregnant conversation now occurred between the maid and the wyverness. And quite obvious so that the conversation had shifted to between the two of them. It was but natural, for I had naught more of import to offer beyond the delivery of my sister-alae’s message, and being noble-born, these two fit one another’s society quite nicely. Only I was excluded, a bit rudely reminded of my lack of education, and felt lonely for it, by their exchange to follow.
“I severed my ties with Venier, you know,” the wyverness said coyly, “And for the benefits of us both, I would have preferred another Ala than hers.”
“That was how you persuaded Valerian, I trust. You used these perils of yours to pressure ma’am Valerian into the pledge.”
Yet another accusation from my old friend. My brain labored to follow Thea’s effortless reasoning. A violation of the ordained pledge. Yet one that I would believe, for I knew Valerian and her great heart, as well as the guilt that weighed ever on her. She lived now as a martyr, suffering the sins she committed for her own sake, dearer than any villain who ever had lived. It would not be strange if the saintess had been softened by such demands for protection from a Daybright’s alaris in her. On her own during the ritual, Wisteria would be exposed on all fronts to danger, and should Thea’s accusation of Acis and Galanthus prove, only by pledging to an alaris onboard would she deter the likely assailants.
Yet Wisteria gave no confidence to this theory. The wyverness simply laughed with subdued glee, brushing over the concern of her life and death, as though it was no more than some relationship drama she had the misfortune to be involved in.
“Well, you are a little too clever for your own good, maid. Tell me then, so I may censure your true worth, what think you I summoned Venier yesterday for?”
Thea drew a breath, and appeared to think on it. Yet I knew well she already had the answer ready within her palms. Her little play, her unnecessary feign, that I was too used to witness. Then, “I could think of a few possibilities. And yet,” she shook her head, “every one of them presented risks too great to readily venture. You knew well the perils, and yet you invited an enemy over, one who had every reason to take revenge on you and your family, one who had the advantages of your mistress’ protection. And if she did not do it herself, it would take very little to cause such an incident that would make you the prime suspect. I could think of no reason you should seek out Acis yourself, ma’am. Unless,” she paused, and for the first time, there was unfeigned uncertainty in her voice, “you deliberately gifted the opportunity to all of your enemies at once.” She looked squarely at the wyverness, narrowing her eyes. “You exposed yourself to dangers to lure them out. You lied to Justitia. Though indeed you sent your people to look for Acis after the fact, it was but a feign. Mayhap you spied on ma’am Acis since the moment she left your estate. And you did find something, or someone. But you sought to deal with them on your own terms. And if you could not, or wish not, were the culprit your kin, you could always elect to ignore the evidence or hand it to the mates. Effectively, you set up a bait of your own life to eliminate the boldest foe ahead of the ritual, with all the possible course of actions available to yourself only.”
This time was Wisteria’s brightest laugh so far, which started the cat in her arms.
“Oh Aster,” she said, with somewhat tears in her eyes from laughing in a delight so great, “where did you find such a funny maid to your service? Envious I really am. Look, maid. I said you were clever. Too clever perhaps. And therein lies your greatest flaw, don’t you see? If you were a little bit more ignorant, mayhap, you would have come closer to the truth. But as it is, you are much too clever, and missed the forest for the trees. No, I would never send for Acis only for that contrived and flimsy plot. And I told the truth when I said I knew not who kidnapped Acis.”
“So you had another motive,” replied Thea evenly, “I could not guess, ma’am. What could it be?”
“Oh, that’s a secret. We have gone over this already. Now…”
The awakened cat suddenly bolted from Wisteria's arms and interrupted her speech. And, having landed on the floor, he looked about as though addressing the situation, then without a second wasted, fled to the door, and commenced frantic scratching on the oak panel.
“Behave, Luna!” the wyverness cried in her chase, rushing to open the door. And yet now free, the cat halted at the threshold, wide eyes lifted to his mistress.
“In or out, Luna, choose one!”
“I think,” Thea said doubtfully, “he wants you to follow.”
This time, even Wisteria looked at her askance.
The maid shrugged, “it is so in stories, you know. Cats have senses that we don’t. Some tales told of their leading to treasures, or something else.”
“Something else?” Wisteria raised an eyebrow.
So it was that the maid rose and approached the door where the wyverness and her cat were having a stand-off. I followed her.
Without a doubt, upon seeing our approaching, the cat darted away down the hall. And some way off, he halted again anxiously, mewing and looking over his arched back, waiting for us. Even as he did the slight body trembled, as though repressing an urge so great to not leave us behind.
Wisteria sighed, “So it seems he wants all of us to follow.”
“I don’t mind entertaining your cat,” I said.
“Neither do I,” Thea agreed.
And so we followed Wisteria Loredan’s cat towards some unknown treasure. Or something else.