The Cursed Heir

Chapter Eight

By her third morning in Telyre, Cassie no longer awoke confused and frightened, unsure of her location. She stirred as tendrils of the sun gently reached into the shadows of her little room and knew exactly where she was. She was in bed, on the second floor of Aldine's home. In the forest town of Telyre. Skylar and Silvana had left her here four days ago. This was her home now.

Out of habit, Cassie began dressing for the day in Skylar's old clothes, but slowly stepped back out of them, remembering the new, proper peasant dress she had to wear. She, Leora, and Aldine—mostly Leora and Aldine—had completed the stitching the night before. The banisè clothes excepted, it was the plainest outfit she had ever worn. The soft olive fabric had no jewels or a single stitch of gold embroidery, the square neckline and natural waist were nothing like the current court fashions (or what court fashion had been half a year ago), and her sister wouldn't have allowed a servant to be seen in it. But it was light and comfortable, the cloth durable, and would not fall apart easily. The banisè clothes were folded carefully and placed under the bed with her other belongings. She would keep them readily available. If she had to run again, she would need clothes that allowed for an easy escape.

When she joined Aldine for an increasingly routine breakfast of bread and sweet fruit preserves, the jovial woman beamed to see her new apparel. It was unclear whether Aldine's cheer was due to excitement over the newness of the outfit or relief that Cassie was finally clothed appropriately, but Cassie took pleasure from the unexpected approval. She even found herself making a twirl at Aldine's prompting, eager to display how well the dress fit, but stopped almost immediately. What if her father could see her now? What if Elisabet could see her? Would it be the obscenely plain dress that would be more upsetting for them, or the mundaneness of her life?

The boredom of her new life could be comforting, but it was at times all-consuming. Having spent her entire life employing any ruse possible to avoid her embroidery, she found it difficult to break the habit. Her remaining in Telyre relied on her being apprenticed to the seamstress, however, which meant resisting the urge to shirk her duties. Cassie was able to persevere through the morning hours, but often by midday the dragging hours of sitting and sewing left her frustrated and restless. Living in the forest had been grueling, but it had also provided infinite outlets for Cassie's irrepressible energy.

She took to prowling the streets once Aldine released her each afternoon, determined to know the streets as well as anyone else. If she had been able to learn the layout of a labyrinthine castle, she could surely find her way around one small village. It was tiny, as settlements go. All of the houses would have fit inside the walls of the king's fortress with room to spare.

The stable, the town square, and the grove of nut trees that had been her first point of entry were her three landmarks. From one of the three, she would radiate out into the town, exploring and mapping until she hit another one. Slowly she began to know her way around. Drawn by the signs of animal life, the first building that Cassie located and recognized had been the wooden stable. A pigsty and chicken coop were nearby, but Cassie far preferred the stable. The five horses that occupied the stalls were docile and gentle workhorses, and once she had grown more comfortable in her new home, Cassie was looking forward to taking one of them for a ride. She had missed riding. Before that, however, she had to better acquaint herself with Telyre.

The open square marked the center of town, where there was always somebody gathered for conversation, business, or the rare arrival of news. It was ringed by shops, many of which were for food. The smell was what had first drawn Cassie there. She never could resist the promising aroma of baking bread. An unused bell tower stood menacing guard over the town fountain, a simple ring with four gargoyle-headed spouts giving off a steady stream of water. There was always a constantly varying hub of chattering townsfolk around the fountain, some come to fetch water, some to socialize. Too many people, too many playing children, too many eyes. Cassie was happy to know where the center of town was, if only to better avoid it.