Jasper addressed Soren as he strode quickly back to his horse. "Find your sister and bring her to the house, and make haste," he said, taking his horse's reins from his son, who wheeled his own mount to dash across the meadow, Mayhew clinging to his back, before disappearing through the trees. Victoria took note of the hushed, almost secretive tone in which he gave the order. It made her nervous. The man brought his horse around to stand several feet from where she still sat huddled against the tree. He hurried to the animal's side, extracting a plain, dark brown hooded cloak from the saddle pack. Returning to stand before Victoria, he handed the cloak down to her.
"Please, put this on. Quickly."
Eyeing him suspiciously, she slowly took the garment, but made no move to stand or put it on. Jasper was looking around nervously, not in an overly obvious manner, but enough that she could recognize the look of someone wanting to conceal something before someone else saw what they had. Victoria glared up at him defiantly, still unmoving except for the cloak trembling slightly in her grasp. Sensing her apprehension, he stepped back, hands held open in front of him.
"Young lady, I do apologize for my frankness," he said calmly, still keeping an eye on their surroundings, "but I will explain, just as soon as we get you indoors. That," he pointed to the stone, "is not safe to have out in the open."
His statement rang with an ominous tone, enough to convince Victoria to stand as quickly as her shaking legs would allow, wrapping the cloak around her and concealing her head within the oversized hood.
"Come," he said as he turned to stand next to his horse, leaning down and lacing his fingers together. He stood looking at her in this position for a moment as Victoria's eyes bounced from Jasper's hands, to the horse, and back several times before meeting his eye with a look of embarrassment. Jasper cocked an eyebrow at her. "Can you ride?"
"Um..." She ducked her head self-consciously. "The last time I rode a horse was at the FFA carnival when I was seven...and it was more of a pony than a horse. And it was walked in a circle by a high school kid..."
A brief flicker of confusion crossed Jasper's face before he heaved a quick sigh and pulled Victoria to stand at the animal's side.
"Now, hold the saddle here, and here," he demonstrated, reaching up to show her. "Put your left foot here." He laced his fingers, indicating where to place her foot. "And swing your right leg up and over. Think you can do that?"
Though she couldn't discern whether it was directed at the apparently dangerous situation he'd found himself in, or the fact that she didn't know how to ride a horse, Victoria could detect a hint of irritation in the tone of his question. At this, she lifted her chin indignantly, giving him a quick scowl as she moved purposefully to follow his instructions. However she wasn't prepared for the upward force that nearly launched her over the horse's back. She steadied herself in a huff as Jasper rushed to adjust the stirrups and, flipping the hood of his own cloak over his head, swung himself into the saddle behind her, trapping her with his arms to grasp the reins.
Victoria didn't have time to be offended by the unexpected and sudden invasion of personal space before Jasper set heels to his horse and they were barreling across the open field. Her body went rigid as she grabbed at handfuls of the horse's mane in a white-knuckled grip to keep herself from flying off the animal's back. Her fear was unfounded, though, as Jasper led the beast with the skills of one long trained to it. Just as they were coming upon the approaching tree line, Jasper turned his horse's head and they veered through an opening in the trees where a well-used, and previously unseen, earthen path snaked its way deeper into the forest.
The awe-inspiring beauty of the meadow didn't end at the forest's edge. Though the foliage through which they sped was thick, it was no less spectacular. Splotches of vibrant color, both flora and fauna, dotted the rich green landscape, creating brightly colored streaks as they raced along the path. Victoria's hands relaxed slightly in a moment of brief distraction as she tried to focus on what she could see. A metallic red butterfly, a creeping vine of huge blue and white flowers, some...thing in an impossible shade of magenta. There was so much to see, and Victoria despaired at not having the chance to enjoy any of it.
The horse leapt over a tiny creek, and the force of the landing jolted Victoria from her reverie. The forest around them began to thin and ahead she could see an opening between two large trees that gave way to another clearing. A large stone structure came into view as they breached the line of trees. Jasper urged the horse forward, increasing their speed to close the distance between them and apparent safety.
As they drew closer, Victoria could see that the structure was a four-story, stone manor house, situated on an island about thirty feet out into a wide river. The gap between land and stone was spanned by a wide stone bridge. Several smaller buildings were scattered in close proximity, and from one of them a red-headed teenage boy appeared, racing in their direction, and a small blonde child on a spotted pony trailed behind him. Jasper pulled the reins back sharply, dismounting from the back in a smooth motion. The red-haired boy grabbed the reins just as the horse came to a halt, steadying the winded animal.
Without preamble, Jasper plucked Victoria from the saddle and set her carefully on the ground, allowing her a brief pause to steady her shaking colt's legs. Then placing a large, calloused hand over the small of her back, steered her briskly toward the miniature fortress. The warm light of dusk lent its hard stone face a soft but dazzling pink-orange glow, making it seem a bit less intimidating. Victoria felt a bit at odds with herself.
How am I supposed to be afraid when literally everything is so beautiful?
They all but ran across the bridge, and Jasper, pushing open the heavy wood and iron door, practically shoved her inside.
"Stay here," he ordered, slipping back outside and pulling the large door closed behind him.
The weight of the oversized cloak put her off balance, and she barely caught herself before she pitched forward onto the hard floor. All was silent except for the voices outside, and as far as she could tell, she was alone. She slowly pulled the hood from over her head, taking in the large room she now found herself standing in. Victoria was surprised to find that the manor house, though extremely rustic by the standards she had always known, had a comfortable, lived-in feel to it.
The right side of the large room was dominated by a long dining table made of a glossy, dark wood set about with almost a dozen matching high-backed chairs. A primitive but attractive two-tiered chandelier like enormous wagon wheels and ringed with candles in large glass globes hung above the center of the table. A massive stone fireplace nearly as tall as a grown man took up the center of the wall behind the table. A large coat of arms depicting the black silhouette of a dragon on a field of crimson emblazoned with golden flames hung above the mantle. The memory of a certain mysterious box flashed in her mind. She could still hear voices outside, and they didn't sound like they were coming closer, but she felt she wouldn't be alone much longer.
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To her left was a bulky stone staircase that spiraled to the home's upper levels. At the back of the room there were several comfy-looking couches and chairs set around a low table, upon which sat a vase of striking yellow lilies. A smaller chandelier hung above the cozy sitting area. The far wall, aside from a few paintings and tapestries, only held a single door. Inhaling deeply of the pleasant aroma that wafted about the room, Victoria assumed that it led to the kitchen. The smell of food cooking caused her stomach to rumble loudly, reminding her that it was still empty. Ignoring her empty belly, her eyes continued to follow the wall, coming to rest again on the heavy shield above the fireplace. The design was nearly identical to the one on the cover of the strange leather-bound box from the closet. The same claws that gripped the stone that dangled about her neck, and that adorned the lock on the secret box, also grasped the edges of the huge crest. A stone that matched the one she wore dotted the silhouette's menacing eye.
Who are these people?
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than the sound of approaching hooves filtered in from outside. She hurried to a nearby window, peeking out carefully so as not to attract anyone's attention.
Two riders were racing toward the manor. The one at the fore, hooded and cloaked, sat astride and enormous black horse, while the other followed several lengths behind on a painted mount. As they drew closer, Victoria was able to recognize the second rider as Soren, Jasper's son, but the other's features were completely concealed within the hood of the cloak. Much as Jasper had done, both riders dismounted as they halted their horses, jumping off to the side. They left the animals to the stable boy and ran to the end of the stone bridge where Jasper stood waiting. After briefly consulting the older man, the trio, now led by the hooded figure, hastily made their way across the bridge to the door.
The door burst open as the mysterious person, closely followed by Jasper and Soren, barged across the threshold, looking about as if searching for something. Jasper turned quickly to close and bolt the door behind them. Victoria felt eyes lock with hers and the figure yanked down the hood of the cloak to reveal the lovely face of a young woman. She was maybe in her mid-twenties, with dark chocolate brown hair tied in a thick braid that lay over her shoulder, and the most piercing, crystal blue eyes Victoria had ever seen. Beneath the large dark green cloak, the woman wore fitted black pants, black knee-high leather boots, and a corseted top of thick, red-brown leather. She wore a thick belt around her waist, from which dangled a plain silver dagger and several small pouches, and a longbow was slung across her back. A red, oval stone glittered from the silver clasp on her cloak.
For a moment, the woman stared in wide-eyed disbelief. Not at the unusually attired stranger that stood before her, but at the sparkling stone that hung about her neck. Blinking, she looked the strange girl up and down quizzically before turning to Jasper, spearing him with her icy gaze.
"Are you sure this is it?" the woman said, pointing in Victoria's direction. The wonder and suspicion that was evident in the scowl on her face also laced her words.
"Would I have expressed such urgency if I believed otherwise?" Jasper asked, stepping around the woman to stand before Victoria. "Forgive me, young lady, I apologize again. This all must be quite overwhelming." He turned to motion to the cloaked woman. "This is Astrid, my eldest." The woman nodded at her. The scowl had fallen away, but her demeanor was no less serious. "If you would like to make yourself more comfortable, my daughter and I will explain things." His expression softened as he held his arm out toward the arrangement of couches, looking to her for consent to lead her further into the house.
Victoria looked nervously from the three sets of eyes watching her to the sitting area. Her eyes landed on a plain, but very comfy-looking, dark wood and brown velvet loveseat against the wall, and her knees began to ache and quiver slightly at the thought of collapsing into something soft. A hard ride and an inexperienced body make for an achy rear and sore legs.
Can I really trust these people? What if they're just getting me to lower my guard so they can take the necklace and make me a slave or something?
She flicked a quick glance at the imposing shield above the fireplace. Weariness and the desire to know what was happening to her eventually won out, and she turned back to Jasper with a quick nod. Jasper stepped to lead the way across the large room, and Astrid and Soren fell in behind her, blocking any chance of escape if she came to find her trust had been misplaced.
Reaching the cluster of furniture, Jasper motioned for her to choose any seat she wanted. With only a momentary hesitation, she went straight for the brown velvet couch, sinking pleasantly into the down-filled cushions; it felt more luxurious than its plain appearance suggested. As she did, the door to the kitchen swung open, and a dark-haired, green-eyed boy of maybe six or seven years scampered out into the room, followed by a woman carrying a tray of white porcelain cups and a steaming tea kettle.
She looked to be in her early forties, and wore a simple, long white cotton dress under an equally simple cobalt blue frock that laced at the bodice. The front of her ensemble was covered by a stained, much-used white apron that hung down past her knees. Her pale golden hair, streaked with wisps of silver, was swept back in a loose but tidy braid that lay like a thick cable down the length of her back. Exquisite light green eyes looked upon Victoria from a kind, motherly face that creased in a disarming smile, which helped ease her very much still-present apprehension.
Meeting the woman's gaze, she found herself wondering if her own eyes appeared as bright and animated as everyone else's so far had been. Or maybe it was a gift of being born in an apparently magical land, and her eyes actually appeared devoid of life and color to everyone else. Her thought was interrupted by the soft thud and clink of the tray being placed on the low table next to the vase of lilies.
The woman picked up the shiny copper kettle and poured steaming amber-colored liquid into one of the cups, reaching to hand it to Victoria. "Be wary of strange drink." The line from her favorite book echoed in her mind as she bounced an uneasy look between the woman and the cup she held.
Seeing the girl still visibly wary, the woman smiled again, bringing the cup to her lips and sipping its contents. She gave a small smack of her lips and set the cup down on the table, reaching for a clean one and filling it.
"Hot cider and a little honey," the woman said kindly, extending the second cup to her. "You've no need to fear, young lady, you're safe here. My name is Lenore," she said, extending her hand.
"Victoria," she replied, reaching to timidly shake Lenore's work-roughened hand.
Turning on her heel to face Jasper, her smile fell into a scowl and she poked at his chest with her index finger. "Don't you give that poor girl any hassle, you hear me? She's obviously been through some kind of hell to end up here, and I'll not have you, or you, causing her more distress." She directed the emphasis at Astrid, who looked away guiltily. "And you," she turned now to Soren, giving him an accusatory glare, "had better mind yourself. You may be a man now, but I'm still your mother." Soren blushed high into his cheeks, and Victoria smiled a little at his being called out. She wagged her finger in warning before striding away to collect the small boy, who had been watching the scene with a child's wide-eyed interest, taking his hand and whisking him back into the kitchen. Pausing in the doorway, she turned to address Jasper again. "You'd best get on with it then. Supper's nearly finished, and I'll not deny anyone in this house a hot meal when it's ready." With that, she gave Victoria one more quick smile before turning away and pulling the door closed behind her.
"Well." Jasper turned to Victoria. "I guess we'll make this quick and spare you from having to witness the wrath of my wife," he said humorously, stepping to the low table, and picking up his wife's cup of cider, settled himself into one of the armchairs across from her. The familial atmosphere Lenore had exposed helped to settle Victoria's nerves, and she felt herself finally begin to relax a little.
Jasper took a quick sip from his cup before continuing. "We belong to a secret order of citizen guards employed by the King, known as Seekers. Our purpose for the last twenty-nine years has been to locate that." He pointed to the stone. "Our singular priority is that if the stone should be found, it is to be taken to the king with all haste and without question."
Victoria merely looked dumbly between the two of them.
This time Astrid spoke. "Which means, young miss, that the order to begin preparations for our journey has already been given. At first light, we make for the city of Coeur D'Homme."
* * *