~
I left through Anya's rear window, running as fast as I could, sometimes crouching to all fours for brief stints, my face leaning into the wind. A few villagers looked at me in surprise, some raised their fists in a curse. My Indentured Contract was held in my right paw, clasped tightly as I leaped fences, crossed yards and raced to Mother Margrette's log cabin at the edge of the woods.
A glance around showed me there were no Dog Soldiers here yet. But they would be, and soon. I listened at the door and heard Mother Margrette singing to herself. I heard the sound of water boiling in a kettle. Was she making tea? I knocked on the door, and after a pause, Mother Margrette responded "Come in."
I opened the door and closed it, already untying my cloth belt filled with coins in their buttoned pockets. "You have to leave Mother Margrette, now. Here, take this money, you can travel far with it."
Mother Margrette smiled at me with her wrinkled face, but did not bare her teeth. Her eyes flashed in the darkness, showing me her soul. "I am old Skag, I cannot flee. All I can do is pray to the Empress Elene to render justice, and protect me from Her zealous servants." Mother Margrette got up and took the kettle off the tripod over the fireplace, using an old rag wrapped several times for the handle. On the small table was set a single teacup and saucer, a bronze ball on a chain hanging from the side. I knew inside were tea leaves imported from the East from one of Master's trips to Carlisle. He was also Mother Margrette's main supplier for medicines from abroad.
"But the people need you here. Anya is pregnant with her third child. I know of four other families blessed by the Goddess this annum who will need you to help them."
Mother Margrette poured the boiling water into the teacup. It quickly started turning color. She set the kettle on a ceramic plate so the heat would not mar her maple table, crafted by Ulrich in exchange for medicines to help his second child get through the Cough, a malady that afflicted many newborns in the area. "I know, and Elene will provide if She has pity upon this village."
I held my cloth belt up to her, but she waved me away. "Skag, I know what you would give me, but I cannot take it. Use it to buy your freedom, do not waste it on someone who will die of old age soon enough."
"But I am free already! Master freed me today! I do not need this anymore, but you can use it. Please Mother Margrette, take it!" I pushed it towards her again, but with tears in her eyes she pushed my life savings back.
"No Skag, these will buy your dreams. Don't you like Henry's stories of Sea Adventures? Don't you want to become a sailor, or even a captain of your own boat?" I saw the flash of her soul again in the fire's light, and reluctantly I nodded.
"I do want to have adventures on the seas, but... I owe you my life Mother Margrette. How can I repay you?"
With a laugh, Mother Margrette smiled and petted my deformed fingers. I do not like anyone touching my fingers, but I felt powerless under her gaze. "Skag, I wish I was more skilled so that I could return what was taken. I cannot. You do not owe me your life, your Mother gave it to you, and her Mother before then for countless generations of Catiin all the way to the first of your kind. According to the Heathens, the Catiin owe their lives to Morgana, Queen of Cats. I've told you that story many times. Henry knows it well, for it is in the book I gave him."
I watched her smooth wrinkled hands touch my paws and stared at her. Mother Margrette's gaze shifted from me to her tea cup, and I noticed the tea leaves floating up, bunching, spiraling and dancing on the surface like errant stars in a night sky.
"What... are you doing?" I asked feebly, unable to take my gaze from the tea cup.
"I am not so skilled at Healing to give back what was taken, but I have other skills, and I can direct you to one who might. Yes, there she is, in the company of a Lynx, tall and strong. They have need of your help and discretion. She is young, with scarlet hair, now raven, carrying an ancient burden, but she is powerful... she lives now, she will come from the northwest, from the Heathen Wood... She will make you whole, then you must part, but you will get your boat Skag, many annums from now. You must help her, she must not fail in her ancient burden, or the North's agony will break the Covenant with the Stag King... Keep saving, keep learning, teach yourself the things we cannot teach you."
Mother Margrette let my furred paws go, and I felt strange, as if I was forced to drink wine.
"Now you must leave Skag, for the zealous draw near."
I got up reluctantly and put on my belt again, unsure of what had just happened. I stumbled out of Mother Margrette's cabin, holding onto my cloth belt of coins, and slinked behind the cabin amid the rose bushes. In the distance I caught the glint of steel flashing with the dying sun's light, the hour of dusk upon us all. I watched from a huge yew taller than the Rooster as the Inquisitor's Dog Soldiers surrounded the cabin, and two of the brutes broke down Mother Margrette's door, pulling her out to face the Inquisitor. I could not hear their conversation due to the Dog Soldiers marching in a circle around the pair. After a few moments, the Inquisitor shackled Mother Margrette after reading her something from a little leather bound notebook. Then, I watched them escort Mother Margrette back through the town towards Judge Fenton's manse. I watched and I tried to commit to memory all the things Mother Margarette had said by repeating them slowly until it became a mantra.
The last bit made me think. What must I learn that cannot be taught me? How shall I prepare to meet this Scarlet-Raven Woman?
~
When I returned to the Rooster, the common room was empty. Cook wept in the kitchen. I found Henry Rose in his room, rummaging through his books on the shelf, each procured at great expense in Carlisle.
"Master?"
Henry Rose glanced at me. "What? You don't call me that any more. You are free, I've meant to do so for a while now, and I hope you will stay on at the Rooster. You've proven to be invaluable to me, but I cannot afford to pay you much you understand." Henry Rose looked at another slim volume for a moment, then set it down again, rummaging through the back rows.
"Of course I will stay with you... Henry Rose... I know no other life."
"And that's the problem isn't it? You don't know any other life, but now you can make your life what you wish! Think of it Skag, you can find your mother and siblings, maybe even buy their freedom if you work hard." Henry Rose apparently found the volume he was searching, for he suddenly held it close to his chest and sighed.
"What is that book... Henry Rose?"
"Henry is just fine. You're free Skag. Oh, what happened to my things?" His face became worrisome again.
"I shall fetch them from Ulrich and Anya's in a moment, but please, what is that book?"
Henry Rose shook his head and laid it on the table. "What book? Everything is as it should be. Oh, would you take this garbage to the furnace? Or if you want it, to draw on I suppose, that would be fine too." Henry Rose slid the slim volume across the desk to me. I glanced inside the beaten book, leafing through it. There were small drawings on each page, with one word scripts under each. After a moment, it dawned on me. This was a reading primer.
"Yes, to the fire such garbage shall go... Henry Rose." I picked up the book and bowed my way out, holding the slim volume tight to my chest. I bared my teeth in what I hoped was a smile. Henry Rose smiled back and winked at me with his left eye.
Mother Margrette had foretold that I would go on adventures in the annums to come. I now know what I must do to prepare; the Scarlet-Raven Woman will come from the Northwest in the company of a Lynx Catiin. To become whole, I must help this Woman, and then I shall become my dream.
END
About the Author
Silas A. DeBoer temporarily resides in the fifth circle of hell (some call it Oklahoma). A native born Nebraskan and life long student of history, philosophy, and legend, Silas makes a life with his wife Carrie and their five cats. Silas and Carrie enjoy role-playing games, video games, and reading for pleasure.
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