Mandra Page 5

  * * *

  With Valen gone, and bits and pieces of her memory starting to come back, Isabel grew restless. She began taking long walks once again. In the garden, and over the hills. She discovered in her treks, quite far away from the castle, a small lake. Trees surrounded it, and hills rose up from it, but at one spot there was a clear gentle slope down to the water. Almost spanning the clearing was a fallen tree. She went over to it and sat down on the end with no branches. It made a perfect bench. The sun was beginning to set, and Isabel watched it glisten off the melting lake. Suddenly she heard a rustling in the trees.

  Her eyes darted over, but she couldn't see anything in the dark woods. Snow was falling softly that she hadn't noticed before. She convinced herself that the sound was a branch shifting under heavy snow, and looked once again toward the lake.

  Then she definitely heard it again, louder this time. She stood up and whipped around to face the sound. "Who's there?" she asked firmly.

  To her great surprise, she then heard someone walking toward her through the trees. She cursed herself in her head for having spoken at all. But she stayed where she was, not sure she could outrun this person and not being able to even try without going right past him. "Fool!" she scolded herself.

  Then a man emerged from the trees dressed in a black cape with a hood. It was the same man she'd met in the woods before.

  "You!" she said.

  He started walking towards her, and she made up her mind she would try to outrun him. She put a foot on the log, and stepped on top of it, meaning to leap over it and away. Then he came towards her quickly, seeing her intention. She made one last effort to escape, but her dress caught on the bark and she fell off the tree and right into the man. He fell too, and she landed on top of him. An "umpf!" escaped him. She must've knocked the wind out of him.

  Then he spoke in a young man's voice, "Well we've been here before."

  She climbed off of him and stood up, staring at him. "Do I know you?" His voice had struck a chord in her mind.

  "Are you Mandra?" he asked, pulling off his hood. A tousled blond mop of hair sat above an almost angelic face except for a faint scar from his right eye almost to his ear. He looked about 20 years old.

  Her mouth dropped open, and she pressed one hand to her head. She pointed at him with the other. Then she waved them in the air, as she searched her memory. She almost had it.

  "Kie!"

  "In the flesh," he said pushing himself into a standing position. "You had me worried there for a while. I wasn't sure it was you."

  Her mouth was still agape as she stared up at him.

  "Mandra?" he said trying to pull her back to the present.

  "Oh, my God," she exclaimed finally. "What could you have been thinking all these months?" she asked putting a hand on her heart.

  "A hug for an old friend?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

  She laughed, still trying to digest this new information, and gave him a hug.

  They sat down on the tree and stared at one another for a moment. She spoke first.

  "I'm so sorry," she began, "I never made it to our meeting place—"

  "Believe me, not as sorry as I was," he interrupted.

  "What did you do?" she asked.

  "Oh, I stayed in the village for a week or so. There was a barn there I could sleep in and... well, you know, I needed food, so... I had to do a little thieving."

  "Kie!"

  "Well..." he stammered. "I didn't want to get myself hanged, so I tried to find a cave or something. There's a little cabin just a ways over those hills—"

  "Oh, yes, Valen's cabin," she said. "You stayed there?"

  "I see you can guess the rest. Who's Valen?" he asked. "And what's with these clothes?" he added with disdain. "You look like a real girl now, you know."

  "Well, I AM a girl," she said smoothing her ruffled skirts as he chuckled. She shot him a glare, and he stopped. Then she told him her story. How she'd had an accident on her way to meet him so they could run away together.

  During the story, Kie threw in a few low whistles and "Really?"'s for effect, but he had expected such a tale. Why else would she fail to meet him? He knew she must have had some bad luck of some sort.

  "I was very lonely, you know," he said seriously, and yet the twinkle never left his eyes. Everything he said was laced with potential humor, as if he feared being sucked into a dark abyss by his emotions.

  "Oh, I can't even imagine," Isabel said kindly. "I am sorry." She entwined their touching arms. "Ever since we were children, we've been together. I would never have failed to meet you on purpose. Do you know that?" she asked.

  "I guess." He nodded. "But I kinda forgot," he said sheepishly. "I guess I don't see why you'd go out of your way for me. I didn't blame you for not coming. A common thief—"

  "Kie," she interrupted, "you are my best friend, and my family too, in a way." She smiled remembering. "I don't care if we aren't really related." She squeezed his hand. "We'll always be together."

  "Okay," he said quietly. Then he jumped up, and paced a little. "What now?" he asked.

  "Come with me for now," she answered, thinking as she spoke. "Tonight I'll sneak you into the castle, and tomorrow we'll think of something." She began to worry quietly. Was this fair to Valen? Sneaking a thief into his house, when he'd been so good to her?

  It was only for one night, but then his cabin? That was just as dishonest. She would talk to Nole about it. It wouldn't be kept a secret. She couldn't keep it inside herself like that. Zenie wouldn't be around until morning, so it would be all right until then.

  They walked back to the castle as the snow fell, Kie trying to juggle rocks as they walked. "Nice place," he said, following it up with a whistle, as he caught sight of the castle.

  "Yes, it is," Isabel agreed.

  There was no trouble sneaking him into the castle, and Isabel opened up one of the unused rooms herself, and they dusted off the bedding, and tried to make things livable. They started a fire, and sat in front of it for hours, late into the night, talking about old times. Neither of them had anything new to say it seemed.

  To Kie's eyes, Mandra had changed. This was not the daring tomboy he had known. She had softened, in a nice way, he had to admit, but still... He missed the fire that used to be behind everything she said, the impatience in her quest for an adventurous life. A quest they had shared once. But now she seemed very calm, and peaceful... settled. That was something he did not want to do himself, and yet in her—or through her—it began to appeal to him.

  Chapter 8

  Isabel nodded as she listened to Devon lecture on poetry the next morning. She'd had little sleep, since she and Kie had talked so late. She felt her mind wander, even as she tried to focus on Devon's deep voice. She realized she had failed when, what seemed like minutes later, she heard a pause in the lecture, and the kind accusation, "Am I really that boring, Isabel?"

  Her eyes popped open to see him staring sternly down at her. "No..." she reassured him. "I'm sorry, dear, I..." She yawned.

  "Mm hmm," he said decidedly. "Did you sleep at all last night?" he asked.

  She glanced up at him coyly, suspecting he knew she was hiding something. "Okay," she said finally, sitting up straight. "I was up very late." He took the chair opposite to hers, and listened with curiosity. "I met... an old friend while I was out walking, and I invited him to stay here for a while. We talked for a while." She searched his face for a reaction. His eyebrows merely raised.

  "Him?" he asked.

  She smiled. "He was at Kargid with me—us," she answered. "I've known him since childhood."

  He still looked at her suspiciously.

  "He's like a brother to me," Isabel added with exasperation. "You know where my heart is." She placed a hand on his.

  "I know." He winked at her. "So, how did he find you, Isabel?"

  "We were running away together, and were supposed to meet somewhere, but I never got there, s
o he looked for me... and found me."

  "Why was he leaving Kargid? Were things not going well for him either?"

  "Uh, no," Isabel stammered. "Devon, will you promise not to lose your head, or do anything against my wishes?"

  "Why?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

  "Well... he's wanted for stealing a castle stallion. It wasn't his first robbery. They wanted to hang him. But they haven't found him... yet." She peered up at him carefully, ready for an angry outburst.

  "Isabel!" Devon said shaking his head. "I'd almost think trouble seeks you out. How can you associate—where did you become acquainted with—how did this man become your friend?" he asked finally, looking over at her pityingly.

  "He was one of the maid's sons. We played together as children, and we just stayed friends, Devon. That's not so unusual," Isabel protested.

  "Maybe it's a good thing you didn't meet him before," Devon said soberly. "Where would you have gone, Isabel? How were you planning to live? On stolen goods?"

  "Please, you know I would never do that," she said to him as he paced. "I had some jewels," she said quietly. "We were going to sell them and buy some land for a farm." She glanced up at him, afraid he might find their childish dream stupid.

  "I'm sorry," he said, standing before her. "I just lost my head. But I never promised I wouldn't," he said with a slight smile. Then he stared out the window for a moment. A thought occurred to him. "Where are the jewels now?" he asked.

  Isabel thought about it. "I don't know," she admitted at last.

  * * *

  Later that night, Isabel tried to fit together her pieces of broken memory, to figure out where the jewels had gone. She'd had a delicate sapphire and diamond necklace that had been her mother's. Also a gold and diamond ring, an emerald ring, and a large diamond studded choker with an emerald in the center. She had a bit of sentimental fondness for the sapphire necklace. She had no memories of her mother, and had only seen her in a painting at Kargid. Kella was her name. Isabel had her mother's blond hair, and her father's green eyes. The blue eyes of the painting had often haunted Isabel, for in every other way, Kella looked just like her daughter.

  Kella had died when Mandra was 2. She just faded away. The doctors couldn't figure out what her illness was. She just grew weaker, and her eyes seemed far away. She became bedridden, and one day, staring out the window at the falling rain, she just quietly passed away. Her eyes were still open, facing the open window.

  It had been Kie's mother who had told Mandra this, when she and Kie were children. She was Kella's personal maid and nurse at that time. She found her there like that with just a sprinkling of windblown rain on her beautiful face.

  Still Isabel was willing to part with the necklace that linked her to her mother, if only it could buy her freedom. Freedom from a father who had grown too fond of material things to even notice his only daughter.

  And where was this necklace now? And the other jewels? Had she hidden them or taken them with her? She was sure she'd had them with her the whole journey. Hadn't Valen said there were no footprints near her in the snow when they'd found her? It was just the horse's prints, and he was nowhere to be found.

  Isabel paced her room, suddenly obsessed with this new puzzle. Where were the jewels? She began looking for the dress she had been wearing that night. There could be a clue. Finally she found it, and searched all pockets. There was nothing. It was a heavy dress and the thought occurred to her that jewels wouldn't weigh it down much. She began feeling every layer and quickly found what she had suspected: a lump near a seam. Undoing the threads by candlelight, her heart leaping in anticipation, she finally held the rings in her hand. They sparkled in the soft light. But she set them aside to continue her search. She had certainly been thorough about hiding them. The choker was lodged in the fabric under the dress, tied with threads to the seam. The necklace was the hardest to find. She'd actually sewn it into the lower end of a sleeve.

  After her collection was reassembled, she sat gazing at them and rearranging them on her small table. Amazing that all this had been hidden in a dress. And she hadn't known it until now. Of course, she hadn't worn the dress since the day of the accident. Otherwise she would've surely felt something.

  A new problem arose then in her mind. What to do with the jewels now? She'd felt secure before, knowing Valen would take care of her, at least until she was better. But now she was better, and her family was not what she had hoped it would be. Her father seemed to be the enemy of the whole world. She could not have thought of a worse situation if she'd tried. If he missed her at all, it was only as a valuable playing piece in his sick game. Without her, he'd lost a desired bit of land. A very large bit. She wasn't sorry for that, but there was no doubt in her mind... he was.

  Chapter 9

  Isabel and Devon walked arm in arm across the rolling meadow of Valen's land. It was spring, and the air was cool, yet inviting. The grass was still dull brown from its hibernation, but the sky was blue, and birds were singing in the distance. They walked in silence, enjoying the day.

  As they walked, Devon became curious. "Have you remembered anything lately, Isabel?"

  Isabel answered slowly, as if being pulled back from a far away place. "Yes, I had a memory about my mother," she said. "I mean, I don't remember her. She died when I was a baby, but I remember Kie's mother telling us about her death. She was cleaning one of the rooms. Kie and I were about seven." Her story stopped there.

  "Isabel?"

  "Yes?"

  "How did she die?" he asked gently.

  Isabel fiddled with her overcoat as she answered quietly. "I don't know. She just sort of... faded."

  He looked perplexed. "Faded?"

  "I mean, she grew sick and weak and then just died." Isabel thought for a moment. "It's like she died of... sadness."

  "I didn't know that," he said.

  "Well, it's just that Kie's mom found her. No one else would know how it was. Eret could call it what he wanted." They walked quietly for a moment, then Isabel shook her head.

  "What?"

  "I can't believe that man is my father. I don't even think of him that way. I never called him anything but Eret. Isn't that sad?" she asked, glancing up at him.

  "It can be," he answered, putting his free hand on hers. "But you had people who took care of you and... loved you, right?" He thought back and realized he hadn't even thought of her much when he was there. Now he felt guilty. It was like she was merely a name before. Until the night he helped her escape.

  "Yes, people took care of me," she answered. "It's not the same. I don't know. He's my flesh and blood. That should mean something."

  "I know," he said, giving her hand a quick kiss.

  They strolled in thoughtful silence after that, she still trying to sort through her feelings, and he wondering what Eret thought of him not reporting back.

  * * *

  Mandra and Kie were sitting in her room at the window, giggling over old times when Zenie came in with a duster in her hand.

  "Oh, I'm sorry," she stammered and blushed, and went to leave, but Isabel stopped her.

  "No, Zenie, don't leave. Come meet my friend."

  Zenie turned back around and walked gingerly towards them.

  "Zenie, this is Kie, a friend I grew up with. Kie, Zenie," she finished quickly.

  "Hullo," Kie said with a grin.

  Zenie curtsied quickly, then cleared her throat. "Um, I was going to dust your room... but I'll come back," she said, then looked at Isabel questioningly.

  "Okay," Isabel agreed.

  Zenie looked relieved, and turned to go.

  "Bye, Zenie!" Kie called out.

  "Bye," she said quietly from the doorway, then scurried off down the hall.

  "Mandra, have you been beating the help again?" he teased her.

  She slapped his arm, "Only the obnoxious boys!"

  "She's as shy as they come, huh?" he asked.

  "Well, no
t around me... when I'm alone, I mean. We talk sometimes. She's a good friend. I like her."

  "Me too," he said with a thoughtful look. Then his face grew animated. "Let's go riding now, eh?" he suggested.

  "Okay, but I don't want to see you slipping any horses into your pocket," she warned.

  "Promise," he said in mock seriousness.

  "Okay." She got up and followed him.

  Once out at the stables, Isabel remarked, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Spring is here to stay, I think."

  "Hope so," Kie answered.

  They walked inside, and found Nole brushing one of the horses. His back was to them.

  "Whoa! His hair could use a wash!" Kie noted quietly to Mandra.

  "Kie, be good," she scolded him.

  He chuckled.

  "Hello, Nole," Isabel said to announce their arrival.

  He spun around easily. "Ah, hello," he said.

  "We'd like to go for a ride, dear sir," Kie said with charm.

  "This is Kie," Isabel said almost apologetically. "Kie, this is Nole," she said to the young man beside her. The two men nodded at each other.

  Once saddled up and on their way, Kie and Isabel rode easily in silence together over the small hills.

  "Let's stop at the lake," Kie suggested.

  "All right."

  Once there, they dismounted and began walking along the shore. It was rough and the path wasn't very wide.

  "Are you happy here?" Kie asked suddenly.

  Isabel glanced at him with curiosity. "Yes, I suppose I am." She paused in thought. "It's not what we planned, is it?" she asked.

  "No."

  "I want to stay here," she told him.

  "I know."

  "It's a good place to be, Kie," she explained. "I feel welcome here. It's like a... home." She shrugged her shoulders. "You could stay too," she entreated him.

  He smiled at her. "It's not my place, is it?" he asked. "I am not welcome here, I think," he said.

  "I'm sorry. I know how things are for you." She looked distressed. "I know we haven't talked about it since you came here, but—"

  He stopped her with a hand on her arm. "If you're going to say the deal is off, I'd rather not hear it aloud."