Night Bells

Chapter Eight

  In which arrangements are made…

  When Arna and Soryn returned from Fanndis’ cabin, they spent a while in Ulla’s study to let him know they had found the old snow woman. He asked how the meeting had gone and they replied that they would be returning during the afternoon. After spending nearly an hour or so with the pig, they returned to the tower room above. During their lunch, they discussed their surprise at Fanndis’ mention of Soryn’s mother. They also talked about their interest in the cottage and how comfortable they felt there.

  “I wonder if she’ll really teach us the Seidh,” Arna mused, during their meal.

  “I don’t know. Maybe she’ll tell us more about the night of the fire,” Soryn whispered.

  Arna shivered in the drafty room. They had not had time to make a fire when they arrived. Sitting quietly for a little while, they were startled when Ulla’s voice seeped into their minds.

  I think you may want to stop eating. You have two visitors coming down the hallway…

  Ulla said no more and Soryn’s and Arna’s bodies tensed. They listened intently to the footsteps moving over the stones of the passageway. Silence and utter stillness overcame the children when they saw Fanndis come into the room with an old man dressed in fine clothing. The woman smiled kindly at them as she had in the cottage and said, “Well, I see we’ve come too late for the noon meal. Shall we go for a stroll in the fresh air instead?”

  The man behind her said nothing. Instead, he pulled his cloak more tightly about himself.

  “Fanndis…what are you doing here? How were you able to come?” Lord Maslyn was bewildered by her strange entrance into the tower.

  “I was as tired of exile as you were of being stuck in the tower. Why not gain freedom for us both at once?” She sat down in one of the chairs at the long table.

  “Who gave you the key to the tower?” the boy asked.

  “No one— I let myself in,” the old woman replied.

  “You let yourself in?” Soryn repeated.

  “With the Seidh. It’s not difficult to command a door to open.”

  Arna stared at the old man. She knew it was Governor Frey and could not fathom what he was doing with Fanndis. Arna saw him looking at Lord Maslyn with what she perceived to be both kindness and pity.

  “You’ve been living in here all these years, Lord Maslyn?” Frey asked as he looked about the stony prison. He shivered even in his heavy clothing. “It’s abominable…and freezing!” the old man added.

  “Yes. It’s been…interesting,” Soryn laughed, trying to keep the mood light despite his confusion.

  “I am truly sorry that you have had to endure this situation. It was only brought to my attention this morning by your benefactress here. I was under the impression that you had been released many years ago. I received your papers—signed with your seal—and I assumed…Please forgive me.” Governor Frey bowed his head to Soryn and continued, “Let me assure you that from this day forward, you are free to move about the castle and the village at will. You need not remain in this tower any longer. Your father had exquisite quarters in the main castle that you can be moved into immediately, if you wish.”

  Soryn’s mind had trouble processing the stranger’s words. He still had no idea who the old man was, but Soryn was sure he had some estimable power. Suddenly it struck him—Governor Frey!

  Soryn promptly responded, “Thank you very much, Governor.”

  The boy thought he should make some gesture, so he stood up from his chair and bowed before the man. Soryn saw Fanndis smile when he righted himself.

  Governor Frey sat at the table next to Fanndis and looked at Arna. “I do not believe we have been introduced, my dear. What is your name?”

  Arna blushed and stood up to curtsey as she gave her name. “It’s Jordis, sir, but I prefer to be called ‘Arna,’, if you please.”

  “Well, Arna, it is a pleasure to meet you. May I ask what your connection is to Lord Maslyn?” He smiled and hoped his words did not sound overly suspicious.

  “I am his personal assistant. I fetch his noon day meal and his dinner, take care of his laundry and cleaning, and help with paperwork.” She kept her eyes downcast as she replied, out of respect.

  “I see. Well, from now on, I expect you won’t have to act alone in your duties. Once he is out of the tower, he’ll have the entire household at his service,” Governor Frey said.

  He liked the girl’s countenance. She seemed to enjoy her post. He suspected that Arna and Soryn’s relationship was one of friendship, rather than merely master and servant.

  Isn’t it a shame that they came to your rescue after you’ve already found a way out yourself?

  Ulla’s voice gave Soryn pause.

  I don’t know much about the governor. Fanndis is the one you want to help you. Ensure that you remain on her good side. As far as the governor is concerned, do as you wish, but I recommend remembering the importance of powerful allies.

  Soryn, acknowledging the wisdom of Ulla’s words, chose his next words carefully, “Governor Frey, Fanndis, I have been locked in this tower for six years. If I were to go down to the castle and take up my post as the Maslyn, I don’t imagine that the house would take me seriously, let alone the village. I need to learn how to be the town’s Maslyn before I take up the position. I would not want to let everyone down.”

  In truth, Soryn was troubled by his new freedom. He had wanted to continue, in the secrets of the passageways, learning about the Seidh. It did not seem terribly attractive to be out in the open and responsible for an entire town—especially without any training. He fought hard to hold back tears. For some reason, he had trouble controlling the emotions welling up within. The older woman saw the change in expression on the young noble’s face and suspected the boy’s conflicting emotions.

  “My lord, we don’t expect you to begin your full duties immediately. In fact, we believe that you should have ample time to train for your position as the Maslyn. No one would expect you to start right away. You’re only a boy. I do not speak for the governor, but I would propose something like the following: perhaps you should be given tutoring in the mornings and, in the afternoons you should be allowed some choice in your activities. You have been cooped up in this tower so long you need a chance for social interaction and the pursuit of leisurely activities that befit your station in the city. How would you feel about that arrangement?” Fanndis’ words seemed sincere and encouraging.

  Soryn was reminded of how much he liked her. The young master cleared his throat and looked at Arna. She appeared to be as overwhelmed as he was by the sudden change of events. Soryn was at a loss for words. Fanndis’ suggestion seemed ideal. Since he had been locked in the tower, he had no idea what was expected of him as a noble and the Maslyn of New Kristiansand. Even though he held no real affection for his title, he owed it to his family to be the best leader he could. He also longed for interaction with other people. Deep down, he knew he desired to learn the Seidh and discover its role in the events of the night his family died. Fanndis’ arrangement would allow him to do all the things he wanted to do. In his heart, he silently thanked the old snow woman.

  He mustered what courage he could and tried to sound dignified as he said, “I think those terms are agreeable.”

  Arna smiled at him. Though she knew they would still use the secret passageways, it would be nice to know that Soryn could walk freely. Governor Frey’s fidgeting caught her attention. He seemed overly nervous. She remembered her servant’s training and asked, “Governor Frey is there anything that I can do for you? Would you like anything to eat or drink?”

  He looked up in surprise, “Why, no thank you, young lady. I’m afraid I must attend to some business concerning the stewardship position of this castle. Because Lord Maslyn is still unable to fully inherit his duties at present, we will need a suitable replacement for Asmund.”

  Soryn remembered that the steward had worked with his father when he was yo
ung. Lord Maslyn suspected that Asmund was the reason he had been in the tower for so long. If that was the case, he was glad that Asmund was going to be replaced. Governor Frey stood, and everyone in the small tower room rose out of respect. He promised Lord Maslyn that they would speak again soon and left without further comment. Fanndis turned to the two children and smiled.

  Once Governor Frey was gone, Lord Maslyn blurted out, “What in the world did you do, Fanndis?”

  She shrugged and said, “I thought you would have a better position if I took action immediately. I’m sure it would have been enjoyable for you to go traipsing around in secret, but this will allow you far more freedom and less heartache.”

  The boy admitted that she was probably right. Asmund might have kept him in the tower indefinitely. A comfortable silence settled over the three of them and it was only after several minutes that Lord Maslyn began to wonder why Ulla was so unusually quiet. After that thought, he waited for the pig to reply with some cynical comment, but none came. He found this very odd, indeed.

  Soryn offered, impulsively, “Fanndis, would you like to visit the study or see the other passage?”

  The old woman was not surprised by his offer. She was keenly aware of how hard the animal below was trying to communicate with the children; something that she was not about to let him do in her presence. It took quite a bit of her mental willpower to block his messages to Lord Maslyn and Arna. The Seidh was a powerful tool, but she knew she would later feel drained by the amount of effort she was expending. It was obvious that the creature was highly intelligent and crafty. She wanted to meet him in person.

  “That would be splendid, Soryn. Still, you don’t want to leave and explore the castle a bit first? Father Kimbli won’t be coming today, since you’re officially free of the tower. He’ll visit soon.” Fanndis smiled.

  “No, I think I’d like you to meet Ulla before we go anywhere else. He’s been feeling left out the last few days and I want him to know how thankful to him I am for his help.” Soryn stood up and Arna followed his lead.

  The old woman laughed inwardly when the children were showing her the secret latches to the passageways. She had designed and created them so long ago that it seemed like returning home after many years away. She assured the children that she would be fine following them down. When Soryn and Arna had already disappeared down the stair to the study, she eyed the ornate desk on the wall to the left of the fireplace. It had been Stigg’s desk when they lived in the tower. Smiling and remembering Stigg’s younger years, Fanndis bent down and entered the passage. The staircase felt so familiar to her, though it had been ages since she had been down to her study. She wondered what sort of mess the animal down below had created.

  The darkness did not bother Fanndis. She rather liked the close feelings the walls gave her as they continued deeper down the tower steps. The familiar orange glow from her sun spire flooded her heart with nostalgia and longing, even though her cottage suited her tastes far more than the frigid stone. She caught up to the young ones easily and they soon were at the bottom of the tunnel. The three of them walked up the few steps into the study together.

  The black pig rested on the table in the center of the room. The air about him was strange…as though all the color had been absorbed and only darkness remained, shrouding him. Fanndis’ wariness of the animal grew exponentially. He threateningly peered at her with eyes as black as jet. Soryn and Arna were both taken aback by his malicious appearance. They still heard nothing from him in their minds. Suddenly, Arna had the idea that Fanndis might have blocked his attempts to talk to them.

  She asked, “Fanndis? Is he trying to speak to us right now?” Arna was impressed by the old woman’s power if her suspicious were true.

  The old snow woman’s eyes never left those of the animal’s when she replied, “Yes. He’s quite put out that I’m not allowing it.”

  Ulla let out an unnatural growl—one that Soryn could not imagine coming from a real pig. Arna shivered. Fanndis simply held her resolve and steeled her hold on the pig’s mind.

  “I want you to know who the master is here, Ulla. I’ll not have you talking to the children until I know for certain you mean them no harm,” Fanndis declared. Meanwhile, Ulla was desperately pleading with her.

  Why would you think I mean them harm? Ulla spat.

  You knew about me. You want him to learn the Seidh…I’ve never seen you before. Clearly you are not what you seem and I don’t trust you, Fanndis replied mentally.

  Ulla responded, I have only ever wanted to help the boy—I referred him to you, didn’t I? As you are aware, animals know much about the connections between humans in the villages. I heard about you through two friends of mine—cats, if you must know. The boy wanted to learn the Seidh and escape. I thought I’d help him do both.

  How can I be certain that what you say is true? The woman raised an eyebrow.

  Because, in return for your trust, I will tell you my darkest secret.

  Oh? Fanndis thought she knew his secret already, but she wanted to hear him admit it.

  Arna and Soryn kept quiet, as they could tell that the others were engaged in some sort of mental battle, which could be perceived by only the occasional, tiny changes in expression by the combatants. Fanndis stood perfectly still and Ulla menacingly poised on his four legs, making vicious grunts at irregular intervals. Soryn wished he could hear what they were talking about.

  Are you still listening, old woman?

  What’s your secret, Ulla? Fanndis demanded.

  I’m not an animal at all. I am human.

  Fanndis had been suspicious before about the pig. His abilities to converse with humans were far more advanced than an ordinary beast. He could read minds—but not hers. She kept hers well guarded. His interest in the Maslyn’s life was very unsettling. She smirked in response to his admission.

  I see, she said.

  You see? That’s all you have to say? Ulla was already furious with the woman. He had hoped Fanndis would turn him human again or at least teach Soryn to, but now he knew this woman would not help him willingly. He had to make her trust him.

  How did you come to be in my study, Ulla?

  That is my business. I think you should release your barrier so that we may all speak freely. The pig desperately wanted the topic to move away from him.

  Very well. You and I will chat again later.

  With that final remark to the pig, she lifted her mental barrier from the children’s minds and relaxed. It was as though a coil had been released from around her head. The tingling sensation receded and she felt wholly herself again, albeit tired.

  Soryn and Arna could tell something had changed. Ulla immediately spoke to them.

  This woman is a master practitioner of the Seidh. You would be privileged to be under her tutelage, Ulla said, truthfully. Though he did not like Fanndis, he knew she was an expert with magic.

  The children were relieved that they were able to converse with the pig again. Ulla and the woman were clearly not on good terms with one another. Soryn did not know what to say to the pig now that he was free to leave whenever he wished.

  “Ulla, I wanted to come down and thank you for all your help in freeing me from the tower. We were able to find Fanndis because of you. Thanks to her, I’m now free to leave the castle as I please. I am going to train for my position as the Maslyn of New Kristiansand. Thanks to you, my life is about to begin.” Soryn said, hoping it would be enough.

  The pig jerked his head to look away from the three humans in the room and smirked. It was a pleasure. I’m glad I was useful.

  Arna grew antsy—the day’s events were overwhelming. She put a hand to her forehead and leaned against the table. Soryn, keenly aware of her movements, impulsively put an arm around her shoulder.

  “Are you alright?” he asked, blushing at the contact.

  “Yes, it’s just been a full day. I think I’d like to get some fresh air. What do you think, Fan
ndis? Would you like to come along? Ulla?” she replied, sounding tired.

  “That would be lovely, dear. Shall we retire to my cottage in the woods?” Fanndis offered.

  “That sounds wonderful. What do you think, Soryn?” Arna asked.

  “A walk would be nice. I’d like to talk to Stigg, if he’s at the cottage. Ulla, would you like to get out of this study and enjoy the outdoors with us?” Soryn hoped the pig would say yes.

  No, thank you. I’ll stay down here and sulk, if you don’t mind.

  “Ulla…” Soryn groaned.

  Enjoy your day. I’ll be here, should anyone ever want to talk to me again.

  With that, Ulla hopped from the table to the counter running along the back wall and then onto the top shelf, where he slept. Within seconds, he was as still as stone. Soryn sighed. He wondered just what had passed between the older woman and the animal.

  The two young ones turned to head back up the stairs, but Fanndis was feeling along the wall to the right of the sun spire. Her movements caught Lord Maslyn’s attention and he asked her, “Fanndis, what are you doing?”

  “I’m sure there was a shortcut here, I seem to remember…yes! That’s the one!” Her indiscriminate ramblings led to her pushing on a stone towards the corner of the wall, causing a loud scraping noise. Before their eyes, part of the wall began to push itself back. Fanndis used all her strength to move it aside to reveal a doorway.

  The children were dumbfounded to see the wooden door that led to the field behind the castle. Whoever had created the passages had connected those two staircases. Not for the first time, Soryn admired the creator of all the hidden secrets in the tower. Then a thought struck him. He felt foolish for not recognizing it before.

  “Fanndis,” Soryn asked, “Do you know who created these secret stairways in the tower?”

  Arna, wanting to know as well, gazed up at the Seidh woman. Fanndis was quiet until they had opened the great door and began to climb out of the hole. She smiled and chuckled before she said, “Stigg and I did, long ago.” She looked up at the birds overhead, grinning at their flight.

  Soryn asked, “How?”

  “It took hard work, the Seidh, and time—from when Stigg was ten years old to his fifteenth year. The study was completed soon after the first passage and we were able to use that for our work when we needed a break from construction. The secret study and exit were actually your father’s idea. He thought it would be an excellent hiding place for the family, should they ever be threatened by an enemy.” Fanndis grew pensive as she continued, “I suppose that, in the end, I was unable to help them. Secret stairways are of no use when the enemy already knows the castle.”

  The three of them were quiet as they walked towards the forest. Snow shone brightly in the suns’ light. Each one shielded their eyes. The field they walked through was like a great mirror reflecting the sky’s brilliance. It took Soryn’s mind off of Fanndis’ words. He turned back to look at the castle and was startled to see a line of guards on the parapet that led from the tower to the castle. They were holding their swords aloft to the sky in what he imagined to be a salute. He squinted at the tree line and saw nothing that would illicit such behavior. When he turned back to his companions, he was struck with an indescribable emotion.

  Fanndis and Arna were glancing at him with teary smiles on their faces. He cocked his head to the side in confusion and then looked back at the guards. Then it hit him. Fanndis confirmed his thoughts,

  “They’re saluting you, Lord Maslyn.”

  He stood up a little straighter. He did not know much about being the Maslyn of New Kristiansand, but now, for the first time in his life, he felt like it. He bowed to the guards and, when he straightened up, saw that they were all bowing in return. Small tears formed at the corner of the boy’s eyes. He had never felt respected before. The sensation, wholly new and strange, was almost more than he could bear.

  He turned and led the way to the forest, attempting to hide his tears. It wouldn’t do to appear weak, especially now. Arna’s hand gently slipped inside his and he looked at her before he could hide his face. She was smiling at him and a small tear rolled down her own cheek.

  “It’s alright, Bialas. We have all been waiting for the day you would walk out in freedom. It’s alright,” she promised.

  Soryn did not reply, but squeezed her hand instead. They navigated through the snow-covered forest in silence. When they were closer to the cottage, they heard sounds of Stigg’s work in the clearing, shoveling the snow away from the cottage’s foundations. He looked up, saying nothing when they came nearer.

  “Stigg,” Fanndis chided him, “Come on inside and take a break before you work yourself to death.”

  Without a reply, he set down his shovel, took a cloth out of his trouser pocket, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He followed the children into the house. Once inside, Fanndis and the children sat around the fire. Stigg disappeared into one of the rooms branching off the center. Fanndis laughed under her breath.

  “Don’t mind him. He’s not a talker, if you’ll remember.” She stoked the fire as she had that morning when the children visited.

  Arna and Soryn were deeply intrigued by Fanndis’ silent son. They wondered what he was like, why he was so quiet, and why he had never gone off into the world. He looked like he was in his twenties at least. Stigg returned to the room, dressed in a simple tunic and trousers. His face was washed, his hair combed, and he wore different shoes—clean ones. He sat on the hearth near the fire and leaned back against the stones, hands behind his head in a relaxed posture.

  “Good morning,” Arna muttered, her heart pounding in her chest.

  He nodded with a small, “Mmfph.”

  “Stigg…you can do better than that, for heaven’s sake.” Fanndis frowned.

  He glared at his mother, sat up, and cleared his throat before he mumbled, “Good morning…”

  “There, that wasn’t so hard now, was it? It won’t kill you to speak once in a while.” Fanndis patted him on the knee in a way that Stigg felt was keenly patronizing. Still, he knew his mother meant no harm and he tried his best to appear pleasant. He was not fond of speaking, and preferred to keep his mouth shut and listen. It was rare that he had anything he wanted to say.

  The old woman stood up and asked Arna to follow her into the other room for a moment. Soryn was surprised that Fanndis would leave him alone with Stigg when the man hardly said or did anything social. He managed a smile at the man, but Stigg was gazing out the window behind Fanndis’ chair. Fanndis and Arna walked into the kitchen. It was a bright room with two windows, on opposite walls, and an open door leading to the clearing behind the cottage. Arna shivered when she looked at the open door. She went to shut it, but Fanndis stopped her.

  “Keep it open for Eira, dear. The cold is a test of will for a practitioner of the Seidh, you know. You must learn to dress warmly and steel your mind against the rest. That is something you will learn.”

  “Something I will learn?” Arna felt excitement welling up inside.

  “Yes. I want your training to start immediately, but we’ll need Lord Maslyn’s formal permission for you to be dismissed from your castle duties. I sensed it the minute I saw you last night in the dark. You will be an exemplary practitioner. Your training must start today.”

  Arna gasped when she understood that it was Fanndis they had seen with the lantern the night before. Everything that she and Soryn had hoped for had more or less happened within a twenty-four hour period. It was all a bit overwhelming.

  “What about Lord Maslyn? Won’t he learn the Seidh as well?” Arna questioned.

  “If what I can sense about him is true, he will not have the yreth necessary in his body to support magic. I can’t be sure until he is given the test, but I’m not frequently wrong about such things. One practitioner can recognize another, even if they are untrained and unskilled. That is how I know you will become a great one,” Fanndis explained. r />
  Arna felt an ambitious fire spring up within her. She hoped with all her heart that Fanndis’ words were true and that she would be a tremendously powerful Seidh woman. Arna remembered well from many years ago how Great-Granny Arna would walk off into the night when the full moons would appear together in the night sky. Sometimes, Arna followed her and would watch her sitting before a fire, entranced by some invisible visage. She often heard her repeating prayers in the same breaths as she would beseech the natural world for answers to her questions. Arna wanted to experience that world. Fanndis could show her.

  “Will I ever get to see Lord Maslyn again?” Arna whispered, without thinking.

  The old snow woman smiled and laid an aging hand on the girl’s shoulders. “Just because I can’t teach him the Seidh does not mean there is nothing he can learn from our way of life in the woods. Since the boy has been locked up there for so long, it’s obvious that he is sorely in need of physical exertion. I’m sure Stigg would help teach him the way of the forest—things he should know, not only as a Maslyn, but also as a person. You’ll see him, perhaps daily. I do not imagine he’ll want to stay away from you for very long, anyway.”

  Arna blushed. The girl had always liked the young noble ever since she had begun serving him alongside Jori. She hoped they would be able to remain friends now that Bialas’ time would be filled with more responsibilities and commitments. A gust of cold wind blew in through the open door and Arna was reminded of the drafty tower her friend had been forced to live in for so long. She wondered if he would maintain that room as his residence or if he would move down to his late parents’ quarters. Fanndis looked at her with an odd expression and Arna shook her head.

  “Sorry. I got distracted and was thinking of many different things,” she apologized.

  “Quite alright…this time.” Fanndis smiled before adding, in a more serious tone, “You will also have to learn to still your mind and to call things into focus instead of allowing your mind to run rampant. It’s a difficult ability to learn, but one that will improve your magical skills.”

  The girl nodded, knowing that the woman had criticized her for good reason. Arna wanted to learn how to do those things. She wanted to become like Fanndis.

  “Now then,” Fanndis began again. “We need to perform the test and we must do it outside. It shouldn’t take more than a minute or so.”

  The spry old woman bounded out the door without telling Arna anything further. The younger girl shrugged and walked out into the snow after her. Fanndis was fidgeting around with some small trinkets on top of an overturned barrel. Her hands were unwinding some twine and she turned towards Arna, holding a small piece with the thumb and forefinger of each hand. She held it horizontally aloft in front of her chest.

  “This is the most ancient test used for knowing the yreth capabilities within someone’s body. Yreth, as you know, allows you to perform the Seidh—to perform magic. You must still your mind, like I told you before. You must focus all your thoughts on one thing…fire. The easiest bit of magic to create in the entire world is fire. The twine is necessary the first time to help you concentrate your efforts in a single location. In the olden times, they did not use the twine. Because they had nothing to concentrate their power on, some extraordinary peoples’ fire would engulf everyone around them. The twine gives us parameters that enable us to focus our energy in one location. Once you are focused enough, the yreth will begin to course through you. Watch as I perform this task. Learn what you can.” Fanndis spoke solemnly and Arna felt chills rise on her arms—chills that had nothing to do with the frigid temperature.

  Fanndis closed her eyes and stood exceptionally still. Arna kept her eyes on the twine the entire time. It took two or three seconds for the old woman to ignite the whole length of string. It continued to burn for several minutes while Arna watched in fascination. The girl noted that Fanndis had controlled the fire to the point that it burned around the flesh of her fingers, never touching them.

  “Does the heat bother your hands?” Arna inquired.

  “One learns to control the body’s reaction to different elements. Fire can be friendly: generating heat, but not hot enough to damage skin. This fire is warm…go ahead and run your fingers through it.”

  A fluttery sensation bathed the girl’s fingers as she ran her hands slowly through the fire. She had absolute trust in Fanndis’ words and did not hesitate when the old woman asked her to touch the flames. It was, as she had promised, warm, but not hot. Red and orange hues danced within and Arna was astonished that the fire did not even singe the twine at all.

  “Could this fire burn through the twine if you asked it to?” Arna queried, curiosity racing through her.

  “Of course,” Fanndis replied.

  Before their eyes, the twine suddenly disintegrated and Fanndis quickly whipped her hands through the air to ward off any lingering sparks. All was silent for a few moments. Arna wanted, more than anything, to perform the task herself. She eyed the old woman with a hopeful expression.

  “Take a piece of twine from the barrel. If you have the gift that I think you do, it should not take you more than a minute to perform this feat.”

  Arna held the twine aloft in front of her chest, stretched out between her fingers, as Fanndis had. Many fleeting thoughts flitted through her mind, but she pushed them all back to some unused corner of her brain. She breathed rhythmically to help calm her nerves and still her thoughts. When her mind cleared, she called forth the image of fire. Though her eyes were closed, she imagined the stretched twine; saw it engulfed in “friendly” fire. She commanded the fire not to burn her hands or the twine she held.

  Strange tingling sensations began to creep from her spine down into her arms. It was an odd sort of feeling. Arna imagined that it was similar to the sensation of a limb that had been asleep regaining its feeling. When would she know if it had worked?

  “Open your eyes, Arna,” Fanndis whispered.

  Arna peered down at the twine stretched between her two hands. It was blazing brightly with fire twice as large as Fanndis’ had been and was warm, but not scorching. In her excitement, she lost part of her focus and the fire singed her fingers. She gasped, but Fanndis reminded her, “Focus. Ask it to become harmless and it will.” Arna did as she was told and the fire once more became tame.

  “This is…” Arna could not finish her words. She was utterly enchanted by her own abilities. It was incredible and impossible, yet the fire burned strong and lit her eyes with wonder. The fire burned down through the twine when she asked it to, but it avoided her fingers. The ashes fell and melted tiny black holes into the white snow below.

  “Well done, apprentice.” Fanndis bowed towards the young girl.

  Arna bowed in return and replied, “Thank you, master.”

  Fanndis chuckled and linked her arm with Arna’s. “We’re going to have great fun, you and I.”

  With that, they walked back into the cottage kitchen and headed to the sitting room to bring Soryn, what they imagined to be, greatly desired conversation.

  Stigg sat in precisely the same position as when they had left the room minutes before. Soryn looked stressed. Arna thought it might have been because Fanndis was already teaching her the Seidh. She sat down, feeling a bit self-conscious. Soryn looked at her with a thankful expression, but before he could ask her what the older woman had wanted, Fanndis announced, “Lord Maslyn, I need to see you for a moment. Follow me, if you please.”

  The older woman turned back towards the kitchen. Arna squeezed Soryn’s hand as he walked towards the hallway. She hoped that Fanndis was wrong about him and that she and Lord Maslyn would be able to learn the Seidh together, but something in her heart told her that would not be the case. Soryn winked at his friend and followed Fanndis out of the room. In the kitchen, he saw that Fanndis had already gone out the open back door. Outside, Fanndis held a piece of twine in her hands.

  “Lord Maslyn, I am about to do something tha
t you will need to be able to do in order for me to teach you magic. If you are unable to perform this task, it means that your body does not possess the necessary yreth to support the use of the Seidh. Are you ready to accept the outcome of this test?”

  Soryn pawed at the ground with his foot, kicking the snow away in little semi-circles. Soryn knew he would be disappointed if he could not perform magic. Instead of dwelling on it, however, he just shrugged.

  “I’m ready,” he said, simply.

  Before his eyes, Fanndis lit a length of twine on fire using magic. He smelled the smoke and could see that it was real. A small bead of sweat ran down his face—not because he was warm, but because he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to do it. She slowly told him the steps to perform the test and then handed him a fresh piece of twine.

  “Hold it between your hands and close your eyes. Imagine the fire burning, but not harming you. Concentrate as hard as you can…call it forth,” she told him.

  He held the twine between his two hands as she had. Concentrating with all of his might, he imagined the burning fire in his mind and envisioned it blazing over the string he held. After about two minutes, Fanndis broke his concentration.

  “Soryn, open your eyes.”

  He knew, without looking, that he did not have what it took to become a Seidh man. It was useless for him to try. He knew, too, that Arna had passed. Though Fanndis did not mention it, he was sure of it. Soryn was surprised that he was not as disappointed as he had expected to be. Still, he was sad that he would not get to spend as much time with his new friends.

  “Lord Maslyn, there is no shame in being unable to use the Seidh,” Fanndis assured him.

  “I know,” Soryn said.

  “There is something I would like for you to do, however. Now that you have some free-time in the afternoons, I was wondering if you would like to come and help Stigg out with things that need to be done around the cottage and in the woods. Since I will be spending my time training Arna, there will be lots of chores to do around here.”

  Fanndis hoped that Soryn would not perceive her offer as a patronizing attempt to make him feel better. She truly thought the boy would benefit from working with her son.

  “Could I? I haven’t really gotten the chance to do much of anything physical. That would be great!” Soryn was overjoyed that he would still get to see Arna, Fanndis, and Stigg each day.

  “It certainly will. We’ll expect you here each afternoon—you are welcome to have lunch here with us, if it is alright with the steward and with Jori,” Fanndis stated.

  “Who will the new steward be?” Soryn asked.

  “I expect you’ll find out soon enough,” Fanndis assured him.

  Soryn thought they might go back inside the cottage to talk with Arna and Stigg, but instead, Fanndis continued to speak, “Lord Maslyn, there is one other matter we need to discuss before we go inside.”

  “Yes?”

  “If Arna is to train with me, she’ll need to live here. That means that you would need to formally discharge her from your service in the castle. There will be paperwork to sign—ensuring that she was not dismissed on negative terms and such. Jori will be able to explain things to you. She’ll need to return to the castle tonight to get her things, but after tonight, you’ll need to have another servant assigned to you. Arna needs to be able to focus all of her time on the Seidh,” Fanndis explained.

  “I understand,” Soryn responded. “I’m glad that I’ll get to see her. I would have missed her a lot.”

  “I think these arrangements will work out nicely.” Fanndis winked at him.

  With their discussion ended, the two of them returned to the cottage and sat down with the others to talk for a while about the events of the day and about the future. Stigg even contributed arbitrary, noncommittal noises every now and again to assure them that he was in fact listening and approved of various things. They sat and talked well into the evening and Soryn’s growling stomach alerted them to the lateness of the hour.

  “Well,” Arna said to Soryn as they walked back to the castle, “I suppose everything is about to change, isn’t it?”

  “I suppose,” Soryn whispered so Stigg, who was ahead with the lantern, would not hear.

  “I think things will work out marvelously from here on. After all, if anyone deserves a ‘happy ever after’, it’s you,” Arna beamed, laughing softly.

  “A ‘happy ever after’? I’ve heard that phrase before,” Soryn said, thinking.

  “I imagine that your mother or father read you fairytales as a child and all good fairy tales end with, ‘and they lived happily ever after’. Isn’t that wonderful to think about? I suspect that, in the end, you’ll have a ‘happy ever after’ for others to tell stories about.” Arna smiled as they broke through the tree line. The suns were setting and both children were reminded of how hungry they were.

  “Everything is going to change,” Soryn repeated. “I just hope that you’re right about how it will all turn out.”

  Arna slipped her hand into Soryn’s. He smiled and squeezed hers. Stigg remained at the edge of the forest when the children broke through the trees. They continued to the door in the bottom of the tower. Each tried to imagine what their lives would be like and how they would interact with one another after Arna was no longer a servant in the castle. Later, when they were both in their beds, each secretly prayed that, whatever the ending, they would be together when it came.