Crane

Crane blinked again to clear her vision, but the sight was still there. She opened her mouth, but her disbelief was so great that she couldn’t even speak.

The girl looked exactly like her. Undeniably the same. Crane could find no words to express the thoughts running through her mind. She was stunned. No, beyond stunned. It was simply not possible.

“How-“ she couldn’t even begun.

The girl let out a half-smile, also shocked past words.

“Maybe we’d better start over,” she said slowly. ‘My name is Creel Enstar, bodyguard to Lady Sheenavora.”

It finally clicked. “You… are the bodyguard.” She'd been expecting… well, Crane wasn’t sure exactly what she’d been expecting, but this Creel definitely wasn’t it.

Creel nodded.

“But… I don’t understand.”

Creel shook her head. “Me neither.”

“We’re… identical.”

Creel nodded again. “But we’re not even- I mean, you’re not-?”

“I’m…” Crane took a split second to debate whether to use her real name and decided to play it mostly safe. “I’m Rain Nightcrest.”

Rysind let out a flood of indignant chirps as Crane gave her surname.

Oh, Rysind. She can’t find me. She didn’t add the unmentioned “I hope” that she knew followed. Now stay still and stay quiet.

Rysind let out a very growlish hmph and fell silent.

“Rane… I just can’t-“ Creel shook her head.

“I-“ Crane started, but at that moment the ground trembled with the sound of hoof beats.

Jasa.

Both girls froze for a second, and in that second Crane’s thoughts sped onto crackling trails of lightning- fast thinking. A thousand questions erupted that she knew she had no time to ask. Guilt and duty collided. She knew what she had come for, and no matter their outside likeness, Crane had promised Cadrin she’d return.

Her loyalty came first. Creel served evil, whether she knew it or not, and Crane had no time to convince her otherwise.

She grabbed the hilt of her knife and pulled it from the bushes. Before Creel could blink, Crane had cracked her over the head with her knife pommel. Creel slumped to the ground as Crane hung both knives back on her belt.

The carriage was nearly there, and Crane had only enough time to climb the overhang before it was approaching. Jangling harnesses, rattling wheels, snorting horses.

Crane whistled one short note for Rysind to follow the carriage and hopped onto the roof. She landed with hardly more than a muted thump among the bags and trunks.

She glanced back at the unconscious Creel in the woods and her heart sank. She felt like a traitor.

What was wrong with her? This is my mission.

But for some reason she suddenly questioned everything she stood for. Crane let out a growl of frustration.

Vensgone bodyguard.

“Hey!”

Crane startled, nearly falling off the roof. An auburn-haired girl a few years older than herself stuck her head out the window, craning her neck to look up.

So this was Jasa.

Crane gripped her knife, ready to demand the documents from Jasa, but she spoke again before Crane could open her mouth.

“Swing in here before my escorts see you!” Jasa hissed.

Crane had been expecting blatant resistance and possibly even a fight, but she didn’t miss a beat. She swung through the window in a fluid motion, landing on a velvet covered seat piled with paper.

“You’re one of the Lowlanders, I assume?” Jasa asked in a business-like manner.

Crane nodded. Jasa was… expecting her? She was stunned.

“You’re expecting me.” Let her look like she didn’t know anything. She was sick of being kept in the dark about everything.

“Of course.” Jasa titled her head to the side. “Weren’t you told?”

Crane opened her mouth, not even sure how to form coherent words. “I- I was simply told to intercept you and get a document.” Ohhh Cadrin, you’re going down.

“Oh, yes. The documents.” Jasa opened the satchel that sat next to her and took out two sheets of paper. “Here we are.” She handed them to Crane.

“Thanks…” Crane took them in a state of shock.

“You really didn’t know, did you?” Jasa seemed amused.

“Um…”

“I’m on your side. I was a Lowlander once, you know. I still am, in fact. Just in a position to relay information easier.”

“So you know all about the royals?”

“Of course.” Jasa laughed merrily. “Maybe you’d like an introduction? I’m Jasa Olmar, Ambassador for Norhenn, the Kingdom of Seven Cities.”

“Crane Nightcrest.”

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“Oh. Cadrin’s sister, I assume?”

Crane nodded.

“Well, we’ll probably seeing more of each other in the coming months. But we’re getting closer to Oncore with each word, so I suggest that you hop out.

Crane didn’t respond, her thoughts whirling.

“Oh, and give this to your brother, will you? Tell him hi from me?”

Jasa thrust a paper at Crane, who didn’t miss her slightly red cheeks and voice tinged with pleading.

Great. She’s sweet on my brother.

Crane just nodded to Jasa and swung out the window, rolling to absorb the impact. Thank the Seven Cities the horses were only at a trot.

Crane had a feeling that the guard stationed at the back of the carriage was also with Jasa, because he made direct eye contact and saluted. Crane saluted back and started walking.

Rysind landed on her shoulder seconds later, chirping and shaking out her wings.

Crane let her thoughts turn to the documents and her anger at Cadrin.

“Why wouldn’t he tell me?” she cried angrily, shaking the papers.

Rysind let out a sad warble.

Oh, sparks would fly tonight, and certainly not the good kind. Crane looked down at the papers in her hand.

You wouldn’t dare…

Yes.

Yes, she would.

Crane unfolded the first document Jasa had given her and began to read it.

~The Heirs of Merwyn

Over the years, there has been much debate about whether Merwyn’s heirs exist or not. As far as the public knows, she was never married. This, however, is just what the royals want people to believe. Merwyn was married, not for long, but long enough to produce an heir.

She had a small wedding with Eald, a common Lowlander. They had a deep love for each other, and it was only a month later that Merwyn became pregnant. Nine months later, their son Ealdson was born.

Merwyn sensed the unease of her people, however, and sent Ealdson and his nurse into hiding, as much as it pained her.

Not a week later, General Thrain, who had been stirring the people to mutiny, betrayed Merwyn and killed her. Eald was never seen in the resulting chaos.

Now, traitors rule the land, dividing its beauty. The kingdom is broken. One day it will all come back in their faces as the Creator will have it.

The land never should have been divided.

The throne never should have been usurped.

I hold to the hope that one day the heirs- I pray there will be some by the time this document is found- will turn things back to the way it always should’ve been.

I pray they will turn the peoples back to their Creator and honor what He has made.

And of course, you might wonder how I know this.

I was there.

I was there the day Merwyn fell.

I was there the day Thrain, that sorry excuse for a man, betrayed.

I was there as Eald drew his last breath.

I was there as Ealdson grew up and married a young farmer’s daughter.

I was there when they had a son, and again when they had a daughter.

My life draws to a close, but I must pen these words before the truth dies with me. Thrain’s descendants will try to bury the truth, for they will not give up the throne without a fight.

I have carried this secret all my life, and at last I set it free.

I am Ealdson’s nurse, and to all who wish to see such a wrong righted: take hope. This is only a passing shadow.

-Jennathir~

Crane almost dropped the page as she started reading. It couldn’t be. Her hands trembled. Merwyn was married. Merwyn had a son.

An heir.

Cadrin’s words flooded back.

“We may be on to something.”

“It has something to do with Venhaven and the heirs.”

Crane shook her head. She had thought Cadrin was grasping at nothing. She’d never actually considered that there was an heir. After all, she’d grown up hearing about the fall of Merwyn and never once did it mention Eald or Ealdson.

But of course not. The royals couldn’t let that be known.

One moment Crane was berated herself for her lack of faith and the next she wanted to strangle Cadrin.

Espionage is running rampant over the Tri-Kingdoms and he doesn’t think to tell me that Jasa is on our side?!

She needed something to smash.

Crane grabbed a twig from the road and broke it furiously in half. Her mind pulsed with so many thoughts she didn’t know what to do.

If Jasa is on our side, then who else is, I wonder? This is all so complicated. We’re weaving a huge tangle of secret identities and double crossings. We’re going to get ourselves stuck in it if we’re not careful.

Then a thought that wasn’t so nice.

If Jasa is on our side and hiding it from the entire kingdom, then who’s on their side and hiding it from the Lowlanders?

Someone had informed about the interception with Jasa.

Crane flung the sticks into the woods. She felt like kicking a tree but knew her toes would regret it.

“Rysind… why? Why would he hide that from me?”

Rysind let out a deflated chirp.

“Yes, he hid it from you too. That wasn’t very nice. Don’t be sad. He didn’t tell me either. Why don’t you be mad instead?”

Rysind agreed reluctantly.

As Crane kept walking, curiosity rose in place of her anger, at least temporarily. The letter from Jasa. At least she assumed it was a letter.

You really shouldn’t.

Well, I’m his sister. And if Jasa likes him, well, I have a right.

Crane resolutely unfolded the paper, not bothering to stop walking. It started with what looked like a poem.

If it’s a love poem…

But it wasn’t.

As Crane looked at, she realized that it didn’t even make sense.

~Time runs out- do not mess or fiddle

Clue one- not off, an apple’s middle

Then shout to the heir’s resting place

And there you’ll find the waking space.

Four felt and two’s right,

Sundial’s waning light

Hurry, do not fail, my friend

For if you do the kingdom ends

Remember the guardian and the spy

My Merwyn’s blissful reign

Must help each other and draw nigh

To right the tilting, break the pain.

For wrong is right, but it won’t be

Now hurry, go, the faithful see

When key is found, danger abounds

But one prevails,

One From Down.~

Crane blinked in utter confusion.

She re-read it. And then re-read it again.

It didn’t make a whit of sense. There has to be something I’m missing.

But the words were exactly the same- confusing and seemingly mixed up.

Four felt and two’s right?

Shout to the heir’s resting place?

What did that even mean?

Crane scanned to the bottom, where Jasa’s flowing script sprawled gracefully over the page.

~Eagle,

In my search for the document relating to Merwyn’s heirs, I came across this riddle. I have no idea what it means- maybe only a faint suspicion, which will be confirmed in time.

The text is mysterious, and I can’t think as to who has written it. It seems no more than fifty years old although with papers like these you can never be sure. It's definitely old. I can only decode that the first line is talking about Oncore.

However…

“The guardian and the spy.” I got your letter-

Crane froze. They were writing letters to each other?!

Simple correspondence of allies. Stop being silly. There’s nothing weird about it.

But it was hard to convince herself of that.

Crane shook herself and looked back at the letter.

~I got your letter, and frankly, I thought of them.

I think it’s time you told Crane.

I’ll be meeting with Leader One in a few days. You’ll know more then. I have a copy of both the riddle and the nurse’s account. We’ll work on decoding them.

We’re nearly there. This is the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for. Soon, Cadrin. Hold hope.

-Leader Two

Jasa~

Crane almost ripped the letter in two, nearly choking on the temper rising in her chest.

A million thoughts swirled like mists through her mind, threading along a million paths in all different colors. It was a tempest that would soon break loose if she didn’t get answers. The gravity of such a truth seemed to settle as she strode purposefully to her house.

The words of the pages were like fiery brands in her mind, blazing against the darkness, giving depth and weight to this mission. Not just the interception mission, but the entire mission to reveal the royals for the traitors they were.

The pages… they held hope and truth, two golden qualities that burned against the lies of the royals.

And yet…

Crane clenched her teeth. Cadrin hadn’t spoken a word. They were supposed to be honest with each other unless it was strictly classified.

And Jasa’s letter…

“I need to know what?!” Crane finally burst out as her questions threatened to collapse and pile back on themselves. “What else is he hiding from me? And who’s ‘them?’ And who’s Leader One? Why didn’t he tell me that Jasa was Leader Two?” She couldn’t help the flood of words. She had to voice her questions before she lost her mind.

As her house appeared in the distance, Crane let out an angry breath.

By the Seven Cities, she was getting answers.