* * *
Within the hour, Arna reported to Lord Maslyn’s quarters, her laundry basket in hand. However, instead of her usual servant’s attire, she now wore a very nice dress that had fur trim around the neckline and sleeves. It was a becoming green that somehow made her grey eyes change color. Her face flushed and he noticed that she kept swirling her skirt, just slightly as she walked. She dropped her basket to the floor by the bed.
“Good morning, Arna,” Soryn smiled.
“Good morning, Bialas. I hear that I’m to be your personal assistant from now on.”
“Is that alright with you?” All at once, the boy realized he had not considered her feelings on the matter or even asked her about his idea before demanding that it be carried out.
“Are you joking?! I’m ecstatic! This will give us time to go exploring in that tunnel! I want to see what other secrets this old castle hides,” she neatly remade the bed while she spoke. Then, she went about her other daily duties.
Soryn supposed that habits were too hard to break and stayed quiet while she worked. He was dressed for the day, ready to go exploring, and had Arna with him, but was still glum. They had one or two problems to solve before they were free to go gallivanting in the tunnel and perhaps to freedom.
“Arna,” he cleared his throat. “We have a couple of things to consider before we start planning trips down that tunnel.”
“You’re referring, I assume, to Jori’s visits and Father Kimbli’s weekly chat?”
“Yes, actually,” Soryn affirmed.
“Here is what I think: during the daylight hours today, we observe Jori’s comings and goings. I know that we are both already familiar with them, but since you have retained me as your assistant, things may change a little for Jori’s rounds. I will be taking care of our lunchtime and dinnertime meals. I’ll go get them, bring them back, we’ll eat, and then I’ll take the dishes back. There are so many dishes in the kitchen, Inga won’t notice when I bring them. If I like, I can take them all down at the end of the day when I supposedly return to my room for the night. Jori will still bring your papers around lunchtime, so we should make sure we are always in the tower during the half hour before and after noon. He also returns just before Night Bells, correct?”
“Correct.” Soryn enjoyed hearing her scheming at work.
“You’ll need to be in your room a half hour before Night Bells, then. Does Jori come at any other times during the day?”
“Never. Not unless I summon him, which I haven’t in a long time. I think the last time was when I was ill about three years ago. He’s always very precise with his time and activities.”
“Alright then. We’ll still watch him today to see if anything changes. Now, Father Kimbli visits you on Freya’s Day, right? What time?” Arna looked very serious and involved.
“After lunch, usually, and he stays about an hour or so.” Soryn was amused by her business-like manner.
“So…he’ll be coming the day after tomorrow. You’ll need to make sure that you are there for that. I think we’ve taken care of the main issues, then.”
“I believe that about covers it. Now, as enthusiastic and excited as I am about the potential of getting out of here, I was promised a fire in my room. I have nearly frozen to death for the last six years of my life. Do you think you could oblige me and let us have a fire while we experimentally watch the day go by?” The prospect of being warm tantalized him.
She seemed a little put out by this suggestion. Soryn felt a bit guilty. He knew it would make things much messier in the hearth than the night before.
“I suppose. It will be a great big sooty mess, but the cold is quite intense in here isn’t it? I’ll go get firewood right away. While I’m gone, why don’t you talk to that scrawny pig of yours and see what he thinks of our plan.
I am sure you are aware that I can hear everything you’re saying. Ulla snorted at the idea that he was “scrawny”.
“Yes, I know, Oh Wisest Swine.” Arna stuck her chin up and swirled her skirts regally around herself. She trotted down the steps humming.
Though Soryn was extremely fond of the girl, he was bewildered by how much she had come to life in the last few days. Again, he was reminded of his sorrow over not becoming friends years ago.
You certainly wasted a lot of valuable time feeling sorry for yourself. You would have done better being a little more bold and outspoken. Well, no matter. It seems you two will make up for lost time. I like this plan you have concocted with that hellcat.
“Don’t call her that. She’s nice, Ulla.” Soryn frowned.
I think you are beginning to develop a small obsession with her…
“That’s ludicrous and you know it. I’m just happy to have some human interaction, that’s all.”
Well, it is of no consequence to me. I’m just a part-time-advice-giver and bystander anyway. I think I’ll go to sleep.
“You do that.”
Arna returned after a few minutes with a brass firewood rack hung over one arm and a sack in the other hand. Soryn rushed to help her with the brass rack and was astonished when he felt how heavy it was. Arna was certainly much stronger than him. He hoped that he could gain some muscle with their endeavors in the tunnels. He sat the rack down on the hearth and watched Arna place kindling underneath the stacked logs. He offered assistance, but she just smiled and waved him off.
“I like my job. Don’t worry about trying to help too much. I feel useful when I’m being productive.”
Within a minute, she had a small flame going on the hearth. She had wisely moved the metal log stands out of the fireplace, so that once it burned down by the end of the day, they would safely be able to step around the ashy remains to access the secret doors. Soryn was fascinated by the fire. He had not seen it in years, except for the oil lights in the red lanterns and the candles. Immediately, the radiating heat coming off the flaming tendrils warmed his face and hands. Relishing every minute, Soryn planted himself on the floor near the hearth and bade Arna to sit as well.
“So, what would you like to do today?” he asked her.
“Shouldn’t I be asking what you would like for me to do today?”
“Nonsense. You are my assistant, not my slave. I’d much rather have you for a friend than an assistant. We’ll just let Jori think you’re merely my servant. We’ll know better, won’t we?” Soryn smiled while his back grew deliciously toasted. It seemed as though he had not been warm in years.
“Hmmm…what would I like to do today? Well, other than observing Jori’s comings and goings, I would like to….” She narrowed her eyes and put on a mischievous face. “Talk.”
“Talk?” Soryn lifted his brows.
“Yes. As you can probably imagine, a servant’s life isn’t exactly filled with chatter. I never really get to sit and talk with anyone. I’m one of the youngest servants, so there aren’t many people my age around that I can talk to. I was thrilled when you started up a conversation with me the other day.”
“Well, let’s talk,” Soryn chimed.
“Alright.” Arna grinned.
“Um…what do you want to talk about?”
“Tell me about what you do all day up here? Don’t you get bored to death?” Her eyebrows went down and she listened intensely.
Soryn thought about his answer and, before long, realized that he was a very dull creature. “Well…” He made circles with his thumbs. “I wander about, look out the window, sign all those dreadful papers, and…”
“Yes?” she prompted kindly.
“I sit and think. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I write in a journal that I keep in my nightstand.”
“That’s it? Oh dear, that tunnel must have truly upended your world, huh?”
“You could say that. I’ve had more activity in the last few days than I’ve had the rest of my life.” He smiled, despite the pitiful nature of his daily pursuits. She was easy to talk to. “Well, enough about me. As you can see, I’m rathe
r boring. What do you do all day—at least when you aren’t doing chores in here?”
She leaned back against the hearth, well away from the fire. Soryn watched as she crossed one leg over the other knee and bobbed her foot lightly in the air.
“I’m afraid I’m not boring at all. I stay busy all day long. I rise with the suns, don my uniform, and head to the kitchens to report to Inga. She gives me a list of items to procure down at the village market and I go get them. When I return, I drop them off and then come up here to fetch your linens. I take them to the laundress, Salme, and then I eat my breakfast in my quarters. After that, I help Darby, the assistant chef, with his chopping and dicing. I take any vegetables he gives me to Inga for the evening’s supper. By then, it’s time for lunch and I eat again in my quarters. If I have time, I read from one of the books in the library—Steward Asmund lets the servants borrow one at a time. During the evening, I polish the silverware in the dining cabinets, wash the kitchen floors, help Inga clean, and give Salme a hand with folding. After evening prayers, I’ll read some more. Then…I go to sleep.”
Her life sounded extremely productive. It made Soryn feel even more useless and commonplace. Arna looked over at him and could tell he was feeling a bit low.
“Cheer up. I think your life has taken a turn for the busier.” She winked. “I don’t know what I’ll do with myself now that my routine has changed so much.” Her smile widened.
Over the next few hours, they talked and laughed together. Once, Soryn took Arna to the window and showed her the things he looked at each day. He pointed out the horses in the barn and his view of the village chapel. Later, she showed him how to play a game he had never heard of called, “Expikaer”. It had Ulla so interested he often gave suggestions to fortify each side’s strategy.
Arna retrieved lunch and they ate together, still talking. Jori came shortly after to drop off Lord Maslyn’s paperwork for the day. Soryn and Arna sat, wading through the dreaded flotsam and jetsam for the better part of an hour and a half. After, they played another game of Expikaer and explored some of the Seidh books on the lower shelf. An hour before Night Bells, she stacked the dishes together and told Soryn that she would return about an hour after Jori left him for the night. After she had gone, Lord Maslyn went to his window and gazed at the falling snow. Though their planet was covered with the white blanket all year, he never tired of watching it fall. It made him feel peaceful in the same sort of way that Arna did.
It is nice to have friends, isn’t it, little Maslyn?
“Yes, Ulla. It is a wonderful and mysterious thing.”
Soryn continued to watch the falling flakes. Shortly before Night Bells, Jori arrived to help Lord Maslyn dress for the night. Soryn was all smiles when Jori entered and when he left. The manservant was pleased that Jordis’ assistantship had brought the boy so much happiness. It was good to see Lord Maslyn interact with someone his own age.
Once he was alone, Soryn sat by the dying embers of the day’s fire and closed his eyes. A strange feeling of contentment settled over him. He was still in his tower, but he had made a friend and he was about to explore the other passage in the fireplace. He wanted her to come back. While he waited, he talked to Ulla.
Oh you will talk to me now that she’s gone?
“Don’t be silly, Ulla. You’re important, too. You helped us find the other passage.”
So you will tolerate me because I’m useful to you?
“You’re a cynic, Ulla. You need to have more faith in me.”
And you need to have more trust in me.
“Fair enough. What do you know about the second passage?”
I know that it can lead you outside the tower.
“Is that all you know about it? Do you know where outside the tower it leads?”
From what my friends tell me, it takes you to a door that faces the forest.
“Who are these friends of yours? You’ve mentioned them before.” Soryn was very curious about the sort of company the pig kept.
I befriended two felines several years ago. Geri and Freki are their names. They are flighty little creatures, but they’re loyal and have all sorts of gossip about the castle and its inhabitants.
“Ah, two busybodies: just what you need. You already spend your waking hours eavesdropping on my life. Now you have those two to help you nose your way into everyone else’s business.”
You wound me, Maslyn. And here I was thinking that we were comrades. I thought we were…friends.
In truth, Soryn did consider Ulla to be somewhat of a friend. However, despite his appreciation for the animal, the pig was somewhat creepy.
I get it. I’m helpful, charming, kind…but I make you uncomfortable.
“Well, to be frank, Ulla, yes you do. This whole mind reading thing of yours is strange. I’ve never even heard of such a thing. Telepathy is one thing. Mind reading is entirely different.”
Ah, I understand. I suppose you just need time to get to know me. I do have many idiosyncrasies. I think your friend is coming up the stairs. She’s thinking about the tunnel and the day she spent with you. I think this relationship is developing nicely.
Ulla faded out of Soryn’s mind and the boy sat up. Arna came up the stairs and walked into the room. She wore the same attire as the night before. He, thankfully, had the good sense to change back into normal clothing after Jori left. It would have been painfully embarrassing for her to see him in his nightclothes. He smiled and thought she looked pretty in the dim red light of the lanterns.
“You came early! I’m glad. I was getting antsy with only Ulla for company,” Soryn said as he stood up.
“Better watch out. Ulla heard you, I’m sure.”
Humph, was all the black pig muttered.
“Well, shall we?” Soryn extended his hand towards the right panel of the fireplace.
Pinpricks of excitement inched their way up Soryn’s spine. He stepped onto the hearth and made sure there was room for Arna. He was careful not to touch any of the remnants of the fire or the ash around it. She reached past him to push the secret brick in the center panel of the fireplace. As expected, the right side panel swung open, revealing a dark descending corridor. They looked at one another and Arna nodded to Lord Maslyn. Taking the lead, Soryn stepped into the blackness below. Just as he set foot on stone, he remembered they did not have a candle. The stand was still down in Ulla’s study.
I think you should be alright without it. Go on. Have an adventure in the dark, Ulla told them.
Arna shrugged and Soryn nodded for her to come into the tunnel. She followed behind, checking to make sure that the reverse side of the panel had a latch as well. She tested it before closing it behind them. Total blackness swallowed them up. Soryn reached back until he found her hand. She clasped it firmly while he felt along the walls with his free hand. They were rough against his skin. Slowly, they made their descent into greater darkness.
There were many steps. Arna kept a count of them in her mind. When she made it to one hundred and sixty, she began to wonder if they would descend underground. Eventually, Soryn discovered his feet were on a level plane. He stopped and whispered to Arna that he thought they were at the bottom. Arna stopped and waited for him to check out the area. He let go of her hand and felt around ahead for other walls or openings.
The floor remained level for a few paces. Soryn decided it might be better to try and guess the dimensions of the width of the passage before moving too far forward. For all he knew, they could be in a huge room or hallway. He stood still and oriented himself. Since he had only tried walking forward, he turned slightly to his left and walked slowly, arms outstretched, towards what he hoped would be a wall. After about seven paces, he felt it. He traced his steps backwards toward the stairs and easily found them. Instead of going out towards the center again, he followed the width of the bottom stair and followed the wall to his right. He kept a hand on it this time and called for Arna to follow him.
Togethe
r, they made their way across the level floor. It took several minutes, but finally, Lord Maslyn felt the wall curve slightly towards the left and his right hand brushed against wood—very cold wood.
“What is it?” Arna asked, noticing they had stopped.
“I think I may have found the door.”
She exhaled, and reached until she felt the wood as well. Soryn let go of her hand again and felt the door’s surface for a latch. When his hand brushed against metal, he grew very still and quiet.
“Are you alright, Bialas?” Arna whispered.
“All this time…the exit was right here. All those years up there…”
She took hold of his hand and squeezed it. “Open it. Let’s see what’s out there.”
He nodded. Soryn grasped the door latch and turned it. It took both of them to wrench the door open. It scraped inward across the floor. Loud screeches and metallic clanks announced the door’s reluctance to open. After considerable effort, the pair finally had it opened as wide as it would go. What they saw when they opened the door made them both gasp with shock.
A great white-blue wall stood before them. It glowed as though it were lit from within. Soryn touched it…ice. Arna could not help herself and touched it as well.
“I suppose the door is buried under a snow drift,” she frowned.
Soryn’s excitement dwindled with the realization that they had no tools with which to dig a tunnel up and out.
“Well, Ulla, you didn’t mention that this door would be buried under who knows how many feet of snow,” Soryn grumbled.
How was I supposed to know something like that?
“Didn’t your friends, Geri and Freki, mention anything about the door being hidden beneath the drift?” Arna retorted.
I seem to recall they found it during a summer some years ago. The drift would have mostly been melted, then.
“Yes. I suppose it would have,” Soryn turned to Arna, “Do you know where we could get some snow shovels?”
“Of course. I’ll get some tomorrow morning before I come up. Now that we know Jori hasn’t altered his schedule, we’ll be able to work on it during the morning and the afternoon.”
“You might want to find us some boots, too. If the snow we dig out melts and refreezes in that small passage, we’ll need shoes with good traction, right?”
“Right.” She winked at him and Soryn liked how her face appeared blue in the light from the snow wall.
“I remember my mother giving us boots to walk across the creek when we would take walks in the forest. She loved the forest,” Soryn told her.
Arna smiled and closed the door over the ice wall. It went back into place easier than they expected and they turned to hike back up the staircase. They did not speak to one another. In all honesty, they were both disappointed that they were delayed in getting out of the tower. Arna started to say something comforting, but imagined it would be better to stay silent.
When they returned to the tower room and left the fireplace, Arna turned around and knelt to make another fire.
“You don’t have to do that, Arna,” Soryn mumbled.
“Yes I do. I’m still your assistant, after all. Can’t have you frozen in the morning with all the work we have ahead of us.” Arna saw a small grin settle on his lips.
“That would render me almost entirely useless, wouldn’t it?”
She did not reply and finished building a neat, warm fire for him. Before she left for the night, she put a firm hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t let this get you down, Bialas. You will get out of here, you know, possibly as early as tomorrow.” Arna squeezed his shoulder before taking her hand away.
She left and Soryn watched her go, his heart sinking. He changed back into his nightclothes and sat by the fire, warming himself. For a few minutes, he let the waves of heat crash over his back and allowed himself to ponder Arna’s words. He should not let it get him down. In the last few days, he had discovered that there was far more to life than he had guessed. He had a friend, a warm fire behind him, and the prospect of leaving the tower whenever he wanted. He had a good life, even if it was still spent in the tower. There were many blessings to be thankful for. That thought sparked another memory of his mother. He could see her soft, red-brown eyes over him as she tucked him in. He heard her bell-like voice saying, “Remember to thank God for all your blessings before you go to sleep. Whenever you’re sad, look up at the pretty stars and count a blessing for each one. Soon…you’ll be too full of happiness to be sad.” She told him that many times when he was a young child. Thankfulness for Arna flooded his heart. She helped him to remember things long forgotten. That was a blessing.
Lord Maslyn left the fire and crawled into bed, moving to the edge so he could pull back the drapes over the barred window. It was a clear night and a great sparkling net of stars spread wide over the castle. Making sure he could still see them, he buried himself under the sheets and covers. Taking his mother’s advice to heart, he counted a blessing for every star he saw. He found within minutes that his disappointment had washed away and a smile formed behind his lips. The dimmed red lanterns cast a warm glow over his head while the orange light from the fire flickered over his feet. If anyone had looked over him in those moments, they would have thought he was illuminated from the inside. As he fell asleep, he realized that Night Bells had come and gone. He had not even noticed.