Shadows & Secrets part 6
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C
Cáit watched the interaction between Rian and Deryn with interest. She remembered how different learning from a teenager was compared to her other teachers. He hadn’t wanted a pupil either, but her mother asked for just a month of lessons every other day and he had reluctantly agreed. The lessons had been grueling, but Cáit threw herself into them, determined to learn all she could. A day after her last official lesson she had stood on the porch and practiced anyway. She returned as if for lessons for a week before Rian had come out and resumed teaching her.
“Indeed I am,” Rian replied, “and it’s thanks to a Fae.” Cáit winced at that, wondering if Rian felt betrayed that she was friends with a Fae.
“Was it an attack or a bargain?”
“A bargain,” Rian admitted, “a foolish one, but then aren’t they all?” Rian motioned for Deryn to sit on the stool beside his chair. “Would you like to hear the tale?” Cáit leaned against the porch railing as Deryn hopped onto the stool. She had heard the story before, so merely watched Deryn’s reactions as Rian recounted the bargain.
It had been a warm, spring day when eight year old Rian had stormed away from his uncle. The man was highly critical of Rian, bitter from having to raise his sister’s ill begotten child after she died the winter before, and had once again cruelly demeaned his music. Angry tears flowed down his face as he charged blindly towards the lake. Reaching the shore, he glared at the violin clutched in his tiny hands. He was tempted to hurl it in the lake, but he couldn’t discard the last physical connection he had to his mother. Instead, he played, pouring his pain into his music.
“What pains you so little bard?” asked a voice after his playing ceased. He was surprised to see a woman in the lake, though she was far from human. Her hair was the darkened blue of a stormy ocean and hung like curtains of kelp that draped down her chest and swirled around her. Smokey gray skin was covered in tiny iridescent scales and her large eyes were completely black.
“I wish my playing was so good even my stupid uncle would have to compliment it,” he said, his voice quivering like a plucked string. A voice inside him whispered to run, to flee this dangerous creature and its trixster bargains, but his emotions were too strong for logic.
“I can give you such a gift,” the Fae crooned sweetly, “but nothing is free.”
“What,” he paused, swallowing the growing fear, “what payment do you require?”
“The gift of music is tied to one sense, so I shall take another as payment,” she replied, “I ask for your sight as payment.”
“If I am blind,” he countered, “I will be greatly handicapped and unable to survive long even by mortal standards. Choose a different price.”
“A clever child,” she praised, “Though you will lose the use of your eyes you will know your surroundings better than even those with sight. Do we have a bargain now little bard?” Rian knew he should say no, but his little hand reached for the webbed one outstretched towards him.
“We have a bargain,” he agreed, clasping the cool wet hand. A shock ran up his arm and pain lanced into his eyes. Crying out, he let go of the Fae and crumpled to his knees. The glittering gray scales of her tail as she dove back into the lake was the last thing he saw before the world blurred away forever.
D
Deryn sat on the stool, transfixed by the tale. Fae bargains were usually nasty affairs and either left the humans far worse off or dead. Rian had gotten a rather decent deal considering, though he hated the fact a young child had been taken advantage of.
“You are lucky,” he told Rian, “merfolk are more likely to drag you into the water and feed on your drowned carcass than make bargains. Even other Fae tread cautiously near their shores.”
“Every year I return to the spot and play for her,” Rian admitted, his voice softened, “I can sense her there, though we have not spoken since that day.” Deryn noted the tone and realized Rian was not angry at the Fae at all, but grateful.
“And your uncle?” he prompted. Rian laughed, the edge to it sharp and hard.
“Heard me playing one night and hated the fact he couldn’t insult it so much he stormed off and drowned himself.” Deryn suspected the merwoman of the lake had given Rian another ‘gift’ by drowning his uncle, but decided to stay silent. “I was taken in by Biddy for a few years,” he continued, “learned how to take care of myself. Then when I was fifteen, this stubborn girl was dropped onto my porch. Two Fae have thrust gifts at me now, will you be the third?” Deryn was not usually one for bargains, but decided to ask anyway.
“What gift would you ask of me? To regain your sight?” He was surprised when Rian shook his head.
“I can ‘see’ well enough,” he said, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth up. It turned wistful as he whispered, “though I can’t swim.” Deryn pondered the implied request. Swimming, he knew, was an easy enough skill to learn without magic, but Rian was asking for something more than that. He couldn’t give the gift for free either, all magic demanded a cost equal to the gift.
“You have thought on this,” Deryn ventured, “what price are you willing to pay?” He tried to ignore how Cáit stiffened behind him. It was clear they were close and he knew she would never forgive him if he hurt Rian with the bargain.
“I have thought on it for a good many years,” Rian replied, “I believe I have a price that’s fair.” Rian leaned over and whispered into Deryn’s ear. Impressed, he nodded.
“A fair price,” he agreed, “we have a bargain.” Shifting into his other form, he drew three fingers along the sides of Rian’s neck and gills split open in their wake. He watched as a shudder went through Rian, the magic taking its price.
“Have you heard Cáit play yet, Deryn?” Grateful to move the topic away from the bargain, he shook his head.
“I have not yet had the pleasure,” he replied smoothly. He could see she was not pleased with either of them, but sighed and retrieved her instrument anyway. He knew not knowing the price Rian paid was eating at her, but understood why Rian had kept it secret. It was a fair price, but not a gentle one, and likely not one Cáit would have accepted someone she cared for paying.
He was pulled from his internal musing by the smooth note Cáit drew from her fiddle. She started off with a slow, almost haunting melody and Deryn found himself getting swept away by her music.
C
Cáit lost herself in her playing, pushing away the roiling anger at the two boys that were her audience. Rian had already paid far too much and yet still had paid more. What infuriated her further was the fact he hid the cost from her, as if knowing she would have argued. Still, she knew what was left unsaid about the merwoman of the lake.
Rian had indeed not spoken to the merwoman since that day nineteen years ago, but he had sensed her with the extra gift she’d given him. Every time he played on the porch, he felt her come closer, an unseen audience. When the first anniversary came, he made his way back down to the shore and found the exact spot he had met her, not because he knew where it was, but because she had been waiting just beneath the surface for him. Cáit knew Rian had no other friends besides her, most of the others too unnerved by his knowledge of not only his surroundings, but of things he should have no way of knowing.
There had been quite the scandal early on when, at age twelve, he had innocently commented about a seamstress’ unborn daughter. She had shown up one summer quite vocal about her purity and her search for a husband. There had been skepticism at first, because even the most skilled midwife was unable to tell, but he was proven right. Many of the adults had shunned him after that, far more concerned about protecting their secrets than how they hurt a young child’s feelings. Her mother had ignored the whispered warnings and had encouraged Cáit to be the little sister he needed. She had certainly annoyed him like one if his exasperated sighs were any indication, yet he had never once told her to leave. She fervently hoped his new gills brought him the happiness he deserved.
By the time her set concluded, her anger had been replaced with acceptance. If this new bargain eased his loneliness then perhaps it was worth the cost, whatever it was. She carefully packed her violin back in its case and awaited her audience’s critique. Deryn, she noticed, had looked completely enthralled by her playing which set the butterflies in her stomach into a flurry. Rian had a soft smile on his face.
“I think it’s safe to say I have no more that I can teach you,” he told her, “I do hope you’ll remember to visit often.” He stood and gently wrapped his arms around her. “Safe travels, Cáit, you were a better family to me than my own blood.” He turned his attention to Deryn, his arm extended. “Take care of her out there.” Deryn clasped the arm and smiled.
“I have already made that promise.” Cáit wondered at that, but decided to leave it for another time.
D
Deryn shifted back into his malk and padded along beside Cáit as she made her way to a cabin not far from Rian’s lakeside home. Unlike the stone homes with their thatched rooftops, this home was entirely made of wood. Thick logs made up the walls and neatly carved shingles made up the roof. An axe design decorated the door and he suspected a woodcutter lived here. The thick forest that lay just beyond the stone wall here added to the likelihood.
Cáit knocked on the door, her body language calm and confident, but his nose picked up on her nerves which did not help his own. The male that opened the door fit the woodcutter build he had expected though the mostly white of his hair and beard suggested retired might also apply. The broad smile was genuine and he waved Cáit in with enthusiasm.
“Maeve won’t be done at the inn until much later, but I have a feeling it’s not her you’re here to see,” he told Cáit. She nodded and Deryn could feel her gathering her nerve.
“I need to talk to Lonán if he's available,” she said politely. Blue eyes narrowed beneath snowy brows at the request, putting Deryn more on edge.
“He’s out back,” came the reply, “the Fae attacks have him on edge so tread lightly.” Cáit nodded and thanked him, then led the way to the back of the cabin. Deryn had expected more fiery red hair, but unlike his father and sister, Lonán’s was a dark brown. He noted the blue of Lonán’s eyes matched his father’s and they even narrowed the same way as Cáit approached.
“Hello Lonán,” she greeted calmly, though her scent was far from it. Deryn watched as Lonán put down the chain he had been inspecting and glared at Cáit.
“We got your father’s restriction,” he snapped in reply, “are you here to add further hardship?”
“The restriction is an effort to halt the Fae attacks, Lonán,” she countered, “and it was my idea that my father decided was worth trying, unless you’re ok with the Murray’s farm not being the last one torched.” Deryn blanched at the new information. Woodland Fae willingly using fire was deeply concerning and would require more finesse with negotiations. He hoped Cáit’s faith in his ability to solve this problem peacefully was well placed because he was beginning to have doubts.
“So I will blame you when we start starving this winter,” he sniped back, though he seemed to mostly back down. “Why are you here little mouse?” Deryn was surprised by the nickname, but noticed Cáit just rolled her eyes.
“I’m here, Lonán,” she replied, drawing herself up with as much dignity as a Fae High Lady, “to ask for your assistance in escorting myself and a Fae emissary through the northern woods to negotiate a peaceful resolution to this mess.” A raised eyebrow and appraisal followed, but Deryn mirrored Cáit’s example and Lonán sighed.
“You realize if we leave without Maeve she will hunt us both down and likely take her sweet time killing us,” Lonán said, his tone serious enough that Deryn got a chill down his spine.
“Which is why you’ll be going to the inn and giving the head cook a plausible excuse as to why she will have to do without Maeve for a few days,” Cáit shot back, “I don’t need to stress the importance of secrecy with our mission further, do I?” Deryn was very glad he was sitting because Cáit had him floored. He had to admit she could probably go toe to toe with any in his father’s court with enough information.
“No, you don’t,” Lonán agreed, getting up and heading towards the cabin. As he passed Deryn, he muttered under his breath, “demons, the both of them.”
Continue Reading: Part 7
I won’t be sharing the details of Rian’s bargain with Deryn, but you’re more than welcome to guess at the cost in the comments.
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