So I lied. I thought I had made my last O4S-related post until we finished Book III. I had intended to post a quote from Book III on my Facebook page today, in keeping with the Christmas-themed quotes I've been posting all month. But as I got to looking for a decent quote, I thought, well, one sentence won't be enough, better go with a paragraph. Then I thought, well, THAT won't be enough, better go with a page. Yeah, a page would be good . . . Well, you get the idea.
Today also marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of the Brothers Grimm's first edition of their Children's and Household Tales.
Book III is dedicated to them and to Lewis Carroll.
So, in honor of the season, as well as those great men whose work has brought us such delight over the past two centuries, I give you the opening chapter of Where Flap the Tatters of the King: The Order of the Four Sons, Book III.
Merry Christmas!
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Chapter One
It was daybreak, and the countryside was barren
and still. The dry grass glittered
crystalline and white, the bare black trees silvered with frost. In some places, dead leaves or frozen clumps
of bright red berries still clung to their branches. A light dusting of snow fell, the wind
eddying flurries into low drifts in the hollows and dells. A snowshoe rabbit paused in a clearing and
sat up on its hind legs, ears erect, nose quivering.
Figures faded in from the snow and wind,
bringing their sounds with them, shattering the silence with their voices and
footsteps.
The rabbit leapt into the air, spun, and fled
back into the dense tangle of frozen briars, its white body melting into the
undergrowth.
Christophe looked reproachfully up at the sky,
turned his collar up against the cold, and pulled on a pair of leather gloves
lined with fur. Behind him, Alyssa was
clinging to Clayton, eyes squeezed tightly shut. When she became sure of her footing, she
raised her head, blinking as snowflakes caught in her eyelashes.
Clayton was wearing a blazer over a linen shirt and
an undershirt, and he immediately shivered in the winter air. Alyssa did not fare nearly so well, dressed
in a T-shirt and pants. She opened her
bag and took out a jacket she had picked up at the airport in Edinburgh. It helped some.
“Please, mademoiselle, allow me,” Christophe
removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders in one fluid motion.
“Thanks.”
The cloak was heavy wool and very, very warm. She pulled it tightly around herself and
pulled the hood up. Immediately, the snow
ceased falling upon her. Surprised, she
looked up.
It was still falling. Just not on her.
She looked down at the cloak, then over at
Christophe, one eyebrow raised.
He did not appear to notice and in fact had
already turned away. “Now come,” he said
briskly. “This way to my villa where
await you a hot fire and food, and I shall tell you of the tragedy that has
befallen our fair Corbenic.” He gestured
to the hills, perhaps a mile away, beyond a small forest where they could make
out the soaring gables of a great manor house, its lights a glimmer on the pale
horizon.
He set off through the trees. “Make haste!” he called over his
shoulder. “I cannot be missed!”
There did not appear to be a trail, but it was
evident from the pace he set through the dead undergrowth that he could
maneuver through these woods blindfolded.
He seemed to be leading them on a route that ran parallel to the
hills. Dry branches snapped underfoot. In the trees, tiny dappled wrens fluffed
their feathers against the cold, chirping sadly. They passed a frozen pond fringed with a low
profusion of snow-capped evergreens, its coating of dove-gray ice smooth and
absolutely pristine. Some sort of hawk
glided by overhead, white-throated, russet and black, with a black-tipped beak,
its red eye flashing before it disappeared into a copse of trees on the other
side of the pond.
Alyssa turned her face up to the snow drifting
out of the nearly translucent sky. A
silver circle marked where the sun was almost hidden behind a pearl-colored
veil.
“It’s pretty here,” she said in a hushed tone,
as if she were afraid of breaking some enchantment.
Clayton smiled.
“When I was here last, it was spring.”
“You have been to Corbenic before?” Christophe
asked, surprised.
“I have had the privilege of seeing Four Mothers
in springtime, monsieur,” Clayton replied.
“Ah, splendid, my friend, splendid,” Christophe
said reverently. “With luck, you shall
again.”
At last they reached an opening in the trees,
where the forest was bisected by a road—a road of smooth black flagstones,
blown over with snow. They followed it
until they reached the bottom of the hill leading up to the villa.
The house was of some light-colored stone, with
a shingled roof of vivid red shale. In
addition to the gables, there were steeply pointed turrets, their outlines
ghostly and stark, backlit against the quickening dawn. Dozens of windows with elaborate wrought-iron
panes held gilded fleur-de-lis, egg-and-darts, ivy, heart shapes, doves. The windows themselves were arched, rimmed with
dazzling stained glass patterns of flowers in red, blue, green and gold. The road curved in front of the house,
leading off to the right where stables and a carriage house stood.
They began the long trek up the hill, heads
down, the wind blowing in from the open fields to either side of them.
All three were shivering violently by the time
they reached the wide, heavy front door mounted on gold and silver clasps. Even the knocker was ornamental—thick, gold,
carved with a flower design. The
doorknob was gold, bearing some sort of stylized symbol that was either a
slender crescent moon or a bull’s horns.
Christophe produced a large, ornate key, also
gold.
The door opened and a rush of warm air greeted
them. They all breathed appreciative
sighs as they stepped over the threshold, into the foyer.
The walls were papered in a soft ivory with
gilded moldings. The floor was marble,
its pale coloring matching the exterior stone almost exactly, veined in gold,
the slabs fitted together with interlocking diamonds of deep red carnelian like
cloisonné, drawing the eye forward to a grand marble staircase with delicate
gold railings, which held the same designs as the window panes. The risers and treads were inlaid with more
carnelian, edged in gold. There were
gold wall sconces which held not candles but crystals, their illumination
reflecting the gold and cream-colored floors, filling the interior with a warm,
almost buttery glow. Every element had
obviously been created in symphony with everything else. Clayton and Alyssa regarded their
surroundings, impressed with the coordinated beauty, the painstaking design of
the place.
There was a wooden door to the right of the
stairway. It opened and an elderly man
appeared, thin, slightly stooped, dressed in simple clothing—a homespun shirt,
with wool slacks tucked into well-worn boots.
“Master Christophe—is that you?”
He began to cross the narrow hallway to the
foyer, and then froze. His eyes grew
wide as he took in his master’s appearance.
“Of course it is me!” Christophe replied
impatiently. “Who else would you be
expecting at this time of day, in this godforsaken weather? With a house key, no less!” Christophe took off his gloves and threw them
at the old man, who caught them against his chest. “Now come!
Take the lady’s cloak! We have
journeyed far, and we must eat.”
The servant started towards Alyssa, then paused
in obvious dismay. “But Master—” he held out his hands, still
clutching the gloves, in a gesture that was almost beseeching. “What’s happened
to you? What’s happened to your--”
“What has happened?” Christophe
interrupted. “Happened? Nothing, save that
your lord has arrived with guests, tired, hungry, cold, and as yet, still
unattended!”
Another servant appeared from the same door to
the right of the stairs, an old woman in a faded gray dress and apron, her
white hair tucked up in a kerchief. Her
lined face had been alight with joy but promptly fell at the sight of her master,
the hearty greeting she had been set to utter vanishing from her lips. She gasped and reeled backwards, her hand at
her heart.
Quickly, Christophe stepped forward. “All is well,” he said kindly, patting her
arm. “Just fetch me my dyes. Run along, now, Idelle.”
Obviously still in shock, she managed a
curtsey. “Yes, Master Christophe!” She turned and scurried back through the
door. Clayton and Alyssa caught a
glimpse of the kitchen beyond.
The old man, having recovered slightly, came over
and took the bag and cloak from Alyssa’s shoulders. Seeing her attire, he paused.
She was wearing what appeared to be a boy’s
trousers and boots – very strange boots of a highly reflective material, too
smooth and shiny to be leather, surely -- and some sort of jacket, pale green,
fitted almost like a sailor’s coat but shorter, with large buttons and four
wide, deep pockets on the front. He
removed that as well, and was even more taken aback when he realized that underneath,
she was wearing what looked to him like some sort of thin undergarment,
short-sleeved, black—nothing else could be so tightly fitted. Indeed, it clung to her like a second
skin. He hastily averted his eyes. What in the world had happened to these poor
people that the young lady had had to resort to whatever ill-fitting garments
were on hand to protect her modesty? Her
hair was not even braided, only pulled back from her face and left loose down
her back.
He also took Clayton’s jacket. Here, at least, was something recognizable;
it was a suit, a very strange suit -- there was no accounting for foreign
fashion -- but it was nonetheless clean and well-cut, as befitted a
gentleman.
After the servant had stowed everything away in
a nearby wardrobe, he opened a door immediately to their right, which led into
the dining room, lit with candles as well as sconces. There was a table large enough to seat two
dozen people easily, with a white tablecloth, set with gold cutlery and
crystal. There were gold platters and
chafing dishes heaped with food.
Christophe pulled out a chair for Alyssa. She, missing the cue completely, walked
around to the other side of the table, pulled out her own chair and sat
down. Christophe peered at her for a
moment, shrugged, then pushed the chair back in.
Seeing Clayton’s look, she asked, “What?”
Christophe did not sit. He turned as Idelle appeared with a tray
bearing a little silver pillbox and a glass of water. She also had a lap robe over her arm.
Christophe took the box and the glass. “Thank you.”
He removed a white tablet and downed it quickly, his head back. Still holding the glass, he gestured to
Clayton and Alyssa. “Serve them,” he
ordered. “Wrap something up for me. I shan’t stay.”
“But you only just got here!” Idelle exclaimed, and
for the first time, Clayton and Alyssa noticed her accent differed slightly
from Christophe’s, her manner of speaking less refined. Idelle set the tray on a sideboard. “You got to rest! And you got to get something on your stomach
or else--”
“Idelle,” Christophe said quietly. His voice was firm, but surprisingly
gentle. “Stop fretting and see to our
guests. My meal will set just as well if
I eat here or on the road.”
She clearly disagreed, but went dutifully around
the table to begin serving the food.
First, however, she unfolded the lap robe and wrapped it gently around
Alyssa’s shoulders, letting it fall to cover her front. “There you are, mon petite,” she said maternally, patting Alyssa’s arm. On the back of her hand, she bore some sort
of tattoo—Alyssa caught only the briefest glimpse of it before the old woman
had moved away again.
Alyssa looked down at the robe, then at the two
men, utterly mystified. Christophe shot
her an amused glance before leaning across the table and helping himself to a
slice of buttered toast from a plate.
Idelle uncovered the gold dishes, revealing a
whole slab of ham, a variety of sausages, pies, kippers, and steaks; egg
dishes, porridge, tomatoes, biscuits, jellied pastries, currants, syrups, tea,
milk. There was enough food here for a
major league sports team, including coaches, referees and commentators.
Christophe, chewing his piece of toast, raised
an eyebrow. “Idelle? Not that I am at all angry, but . . . did you
not get my message? I thought I had
requested a simple meal, did I not?”
“Well, only it has been so long since you been
here last, Master Christophe. When Cook
found out you was coming, we couldn’t stop her,” Idelle said apologetically.
Christophe shook his head. “Very well.
I surrender myself to the inevitable.”
Dispatching the last of his toast, he sat down before the plate she had
prepared for him. “Now leave us,
please. We have much to discuss.” He unfolded his napkin with a snap.
Idelle finished filling their plates and cups
and then left in a rustle of skirts.
The door closed and there was a pause as
Christophe listened to the sound of her footsteps growing fainter and
fainter.
When at last they disappeared altogether, he shifted
forward in his seat. “As you might have
surmised,” he began, his voice low, “our original plan revolved around raising
an army. By which I mean more than two. Since that is obviously not going to happen,
an agonizing re-appraisal is in order.
Thus, you must wait here, for the arrival of your fellows. I must go at once to make sure all is
arranged for their arrival-- undetected by our enemies and yours. You may stay the night here, but no more than
a night, or we risk discovery. In the
meantime, my staff has been instructed to outfit you with whatever you may
require. Then you must make your way to
Four Mothers. You will want to stay off
the main roads to avoid Starry Wisdom patrols—at least, until you approach the
Capital.” He hesitated as a new thought
occurred to him. “Pardon my asking,
monsieur, but you both can ride, can you not?”
“We can,” Clayton assured him.
He nodded.
“Good. Once you near the Capital,
you and all your retinue will need appropriate papers. I will make the necessary arrangements. But you will need a Corbenese identity,
monsieur. I suggest you become a lord.”
“I am familiar with Corbenic as Clayton Hornbeam,”
Clayton replied. “So I can be Lord
Clayton Hornbeam of . . . shall we say Gachelen?”
Christophe nodded. “I think that will suffice. . . Yes, that
will suit our needs perfectly, in fact.
Are the rest of your compatriots so well acquainted with Corbenic as
you?”
Clayton shook his head. “Unfortunately not.”
“Pity.
Then might I further suggest you pass them off as your servants?”
Clayton nodded again. “I think that would be for the best.”
“In the meantime, try to draw as little
attention to yourselves as possible. On
the way, your people should have time to become at least somewhat acquainted
with our customs here, as well as recent events. By the time you arrive, we should, with any
luck, have composed a new, equally brilliant plan with the meager resources at
our disposal. Present yourself to the
Prince as any visiting lord should, and I will seek you later, wherever you end
up staying.” Christophe sat back. “So.
That I may send a message with any hope of reaching my friends in time,
tell me: when do you expect your people to
reach us, and where?”
“Dusk.”
The response came from Alyssa, who did not even look up from the portion
of ham she was cutting.
“Dusk?” Christophe echoed. “Can you be more specific, mademoiselle?”
“Got a watch?”
He took a small, silver watch from the watch
pocket of his vest, unhooked it from its button hole and, with a slightly bemused
air, passed it across the table to her.
She examined it curiously for a moment. It was square instead of round, set with
rubies. When she pressed the catch, it
sprung open to reveal a face with not twelve numbers but sixteen—four to a
side. At least, she assumed they were
numbers.
“Which one is one?” she asked.
“Ah, forgive me.” He pointed to the numeral in the upper right
corner. “This is one.” He ran his finger clockwise around the rim. “It runs this way. An hour is sixty-four minutes.”
She studied it for a moment. “They’ll be here at 8:28 in the
evening.” Closing the watch, she passed
it back to him. As he re-pocketed it, he
eyed her with new interest.
Clayton set his glass down. “So we know what time. Where?”
“Not far from here.” Alyssa looked back at Christophe
distractedly. “Your hair’s darker.”
“Then the dyes are taking their effect.” Christophe glanced at Clayton. “I’m sorry, do you prefer older men?”
Clayton turned red. “We’re getting off the subject.”
There was a pause as Alyssa held Christophe’s
gaze. At last, she said, “About four
miles west of here.”
“There is a clearing there,” Christophe
said. “And good conditions for a
temporary gate.”
She nodded and absently dug out her pack of
cigarettes, shook one out. No sooner had
she touched the filter to her lips then a flame appeared to light it.
She looked at the ornate lighter in Christophe’s
hand, then to his face, and back again.
Guardedly, she leaned forward to let him light it then settled back
again, exhaling a plume of smoke. She
gave him a small nod of thanks.
He smiled and stood. “As much as it pains me, I must depart. Eric and Idelle will see to your needs. You will certainly need some proper clothes. And,” he drew a large purse from his pocket
and set it in front of Clayton. “Permit
me, monsieur, but I am sure you do not have local currency.”
Clayton accepted the bag. “Thank you.”
Christophe turned and started towards the door,
then turned back to them. “Oh, and one
more thing,” he added, pointing his finger at them for emphasis. “Do not know me. When we meet at court, it will be as for the
first time. Please understand, I am
regarded as somewhat . . . infamous. A
libertine, in fact. It is a reputation I
have worked very hard to cultivate, and I trust you will do nothing to dispel
it.” They nodded and Christophe smiled
again. “Until then,” he bowed, “Adieu.”
---
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