Cornerstone (12 page)

Pointing ahead, Emariya indicated a break between the trees in the distance at the base of the hill. “The slope will be easiest if we head that way. We are still several hours from Calkirk, but we should start seeing a few cottages soon.”

They were almost to the trees, moving at a brisk trot, when a herd of deer darted out, startled from their grazing by the sound of the approaching horses.

Three things seemed to happen at once. Emariya felt her filly shy beneath her. An experienced rider, she sat calmly in the saddle. The white horse settled quickly as Emariya reined her head around to bring her to a nervous halt.

Simultaneously, from behind her right shoulder, she heard Khane yell out in surprise as his horse came to an abrupt stop. Khane, moved by his horse’s momentum, continued forward out of the saddle, directly over his horse's head. He rolled to his feet almost as soon as he landed, shaking his head in disgust.

From her left, a high-pitched yelp made her heart stop. Emariya wasn't sure whether Jessa's mare had been spooked by the sudden appearance of the deer or Khane's yell or both. Regardless, Jessa was in trouble. Jessa's mare bolted. Paralyzed with fear, Jessa bounced helplessly on the horse’s back. With her fingers holding on to her mare's mane for dear life, she wobbled in the saddle as the horse ran desperately out of control. To make the situation more precarious, the horse had chosen the path of least resistance: straight downhill.

Jessa, having never spent much time on horseback, wouldn’t realize that her own fear only exacerbated the horse’s. Held hostage to her fear, she was carried along, caught up in the riptide of the beast’s panic. Emariya quickly unhitched the packhorse tethered to the back of her saddle. Throwing the line to Khane, she dug her heels into her filly and rose lightly in the saddle as she darted down the hill in pursuit of Jessa. “Sit back! Turn her!” she called out, but the redheaded girl either didn't hear or couldn't comply. Her fear left her unable to act; all she was managing to do was maintain her tenuous hold. At any moment, Emariya expected to see her friend tumble to the ground. Her biggest worry was that Jessa might not fall clear of the horse’s lethal hooves. She urged her horse faster, and faster still, and her powerful filly quickly began to gain on Jessa's runaway horse.

“
Riya! I can't stop!” Jessa finally seemed to find her voice and began frantically yanking on her reins, but to no avail.

“
It’s all right, just hang on!” She tried to reach for Jessa's reins and nearly fell as she lost her balance. The deft white filly seemed to sense her rider’s distress and sidestepped, helping Emariya right herself. Trying again, she leaned forward out of the saddle. This time she managed to snatch up the reins from in front of Jessa, and slowly—using her own horse as leverage—began to turn them together in a wide circle. The mare's eyes glowed white with fear, her flesh was lathered with effort, but still she showed no desire to slow of her own accord. Fortunately she had no choice as Emariya closed the circle smaller and smaller still. Finally, they came to a shaky stop.

“
Thanks,” Jessa managed to croak out as she sat trembling, but still securely mounted. Both horses’ nostrils flared as they stood there, blowing hard from exhaustion.

“
Think you can make it back to where we spooked? Khane is still there with the other horses. We can walk, if you'd rather.” Emariya regarded Jessa carefully. Her pupils were still wide, and the color had not yet returned to her cheeks. She had never been on a runaway horse before, and it was likely not an experience she was in a hurry to repeat. Emariya didn't want to give her much time to dwell on it. If the other girl was going to fall apart, she wanted to have her back with Khane first.

Jessa gave a tiny nod.

“
All right, then, lets ride.” She offered Jessa's reins back to her. As they started back toward the tree line, Jessa's mare stumbled.

“
Wait. Jessa, pull her up, she's hurt herself.” The mare’s hesitancy to put any weight on her foreleg gave Emariya immediate cause for concern. As light as Jessa was, it would still be best if her horse didn't bear a rider.

Jessa tugged on her reins and looked at Emariya with tears in her eyes. “Riya, I'm sorry, if I hadn't let her bolt…”

“
Don't fret, it will be all right. It could have happened to anyone.” She tried to comfort the girl. Still, she could see that Jessa was troubled, and she suspected it was more than just the runaway horse that was bothering her. Jessa's quietness from the day before hadn't seemed to lessen, and Emariya's concern was growing. She had assumed it was just nerves about leaving home, but could it possibly be something more? Emariya hated seeing her friend distraught. The tiny girl had been her best friend her entire life. They had shared everything, so it was worrisome that she was keeping whatever was on her mind to herself. Emariya offered her friend a hand, and Jessa climbed up behind her. Leading Jessa's mare, they made it up the hill at a gentle walk. “We’ll go slow until we get to Calkirk, and we should be able to switch out horses there.” As they rode, Emariya inquired, “Jessa, is everything all right? You've been awfully quiet.”

“
Hmm? Oh, yes. I'm all right.” Her response was less than convincing, but Emariya decided not to press the matter. At least, not yet.

Khane was waiting for them at the top of the hill with nothing injured but his pride. “Fine,” had been his curt answer when Emariya had asked if he was all right. Without further delay, they headed in the direction of Calkirk, each of them lost in thought.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

In Our Mother's Shadow

Lady Dariah met them in the courtyard as they rode through the gates. “Little Emmie Warren! Now just look at you, all grown!” she gushed, giving Emariya a warm hug.

Emariya blushed. ‘Little’ was a relative term, considering Lady Dariah's plentiful size, but no one had called her 'Emmie' in years.

“
Come, come, Roland will deal with the horses. Let’s get you in and fed.” She commanded to the young girl waiting for them inside the entrance to the estate, “Sosha! Draw a bath for Lady Warren.” Then she turned back to Emariya. “Oh dear, it is so terribly good to see you. I was just beside myself when we learned of what has befallen your father. Downright distasteful.” She tsked. “Harlow was ready to ride out to bring him home himself, he was.” Lady Dariah was also fond of gossip, and as such usually managed to catch snippets of news sooner than most.

“
So was I,” Emariya added wryly.

Dariah gasped and looked at her sharply, likely trying to judge whether Emariya was serious. “You've your mother's wit, I see.”

“
And my father's lack of patience.” Emariya smiled.

“
A truer word was never spoken. Why, when why your mother and father had you and your brother so soon after they were wed, we all said there wasn't no reason other than Oren didn't want to wait past breakfast for his dinner. He always was one to rush right off, never wanting to wait until others from the Council could reach him. Although we all know that changed after your mother…well, it’s no matter. Sosha will show you to your quarters, and I will see how Jocelyn is coming along with our supper.”

Jessa and Khane took their supper with the servants of Calkirk, following proper custom, leaving Emariya to dine alone with Harlow and Dariah.

“
Lord Calkirk, Lady Dariah.” Emariya gave a slight bow of her head with her greeting as she entered their dining hall. While slightly smaller than the dinning halls at Warren's Rest, the Calkirk dining hall boasted of more extravagance. From the gilded candlesticks to the servants waiting quietly in attendance along the walls, the room spoke heavily of Lady Dariah's lavish tastes.

“
Ah, my dear, as beautiful a sight as one could ever hope to see.” Harlow Calkirk smiled as he came over and offered his arm to escort her to a seat. “Can one ever wonder why your father was taken with the Lady Valencia when she came and stood before our Council? You are every bit her image.”

Taking his proffered arm, Emariya blushed. Jessa had helped her dress before supper in another of her mother’s gowns, and the delicate silver circlet graced the top of her head. The travels of the last day had been washed away and her skin was smooth and glowing. “Thank you, My Lord.”

They shared a pleasant meal, and afterward, when she was about to retire to her quarters, Lord Calkirk brought up Jessa's injured mare. “My stable master, Roland, tells me one of your mounts was injured this morning, and that you will be needing a horse.”

“
If it would not cause you too much of a hardship, I would greatly appreciate it, yes.”

“
It's no trouble at all; we don't use our horses much during the winter. Roland says she is a fine mare, I'm sure he can get her healed nicely. If you don't mind my asking, what happened to her?”

“
A herd of deer spooked all our horses. She got out of hand and bolted on my handmaiden.”

Harlow Calkirk raised his eyes.

“
I suppose she's a bit more handy with a hairbrush than a horse, but I'm happy to have her along.” Emariya felt the need to explain.

He laughed then and said, “Fair enough, My Lady, I believe I have just the horse for your maid—steady as a rock.”

“
We would be greatly in your debt, My Lord.”

Lord Calkirk moved his balding head close to hers so as to not be overheard. “Emariya, your father is a dear friend of mine. We would do anything we could to see him home, and so we understand your urgency. Do forgive me for speaking so candidly, but I must say I am a bit concerned. When he learns that the Council allowed you to go to Thalmas to wed, and that it was for his benefit, I do not expect that he shall be pleased.”

Emariya opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off, “No, no, you've enough of both your parents in you that I know it's of no use to argue, but nevertheless, I would be remiss were I not to mention it. We want to see Oren safe, but I just hope it doesn't come at the expense of your own safety. Now, on to another matter: you are traveling with just your handmaiden and your escort, it seems?” He straightened up, seeming to no longer feel the need for private conversation.

“
And two packhorses.”

“
Your road ahead won’t be easy, Emariya. Even just to handle the tending of the stock, the three of you will be hard-pressed to do it all yourselves, especially given your handmaiden's inexperience when it comes to horses. Perhaps I can be of some assistance. Roland has a son who has a way with horses like his father. He is also eager for adventure, like most boys of his age. Would you allow me to send him with you? I really don't need another boy in my service. You would be doing his father and I a great kindness if you could give him a place with you. He could tend to your horses, and to whatever else you need once you reach Castle Ahlen.”

He looked so hopeful that Emariya would have had trouble refusing him, even had she been tempted to decline. As it was, she eagerly accepted. It had already occurred to her that they would be much better off with an extra pair of hands.

“
Good, then, I will have Roland prepare his son’s things, as well as an additional mount. In case we don't have cause to speak again before you depart in the morning, know our thoughts will go with you.”

***

“
It must be very exciting,” Sosha said in an exaggerated whisper.

“
It may be, but right now it's just overwhelming,” Jessa said. They were eating supper at the table in the galley kitchen where the servants regularly took their meals. Sosha couldn't have been a day over eleven, and obviously had a very romanticized view of the journey that Emariya and her companions were taking.

“
But you'll meet a prince, and your Lady will be a queen someday. That makes you, like, almost royalty, or—well, something,” she said in a knowing voice, as if speaking to an insolent child.

Jocelyn came into the kitchen after clearing the table in the great hall. “Run along with you—don't talk her ears to bits. She and her Lady have a long ride ahead, and she'll need her strength. Go on now, get!” Her hard scowl sent the younger girl scurrying. “Don't mind her, she's got big ideas in her head and small ears for listening, but she'll come ‘round with time.”

“
Oh, I don't mind her, I suppose a few years ago I was her.” Jessa said. She had grown up as a servant herself.

“
Her father is our stable master. Talk is, her brother Rink will be joining you on your journey to Thalmas. None of us knows where their mother is. Roland showed up here one day not too long ago, looking for someone to take them into their service. We really don't know much about any of them, I suppose, but the missus said it musta been meant to be, seeing how our old stable master was getting on in years and had gone to live with his daughter near Felton's Landing. Rink's a good boy, though, he won't cause no trouble.” With a mistress as prone to gossip as theirs, it was no wonder that the servants tended to pass on news, as well.

Jessa smiled. It would be nice to have someone else along. Khane wasn't very good company. And perhaps with someone else along, she wouldn't need to look after the horses so much. Her spirits lifted considerably, even though she couldn't help feeling a bit sad. She had never felt unlucky to be born to a mother who was a servant. All the same, it had never really occurred to her that as the daughter of a servant, she could have been sent away to serve under someone else, had the Warrens not wanted her. Of course, as it had turned out, she was now being sent away because they
did
want her.