Cradle: Part I

I had done well with my lessons during the day. Hieronymous Bosch, our tutor, had been happy with my progress and released me from the afternoon's lessons. He was even smiling on Abel and Armand as they stoically struggled with the intricacies of logic and alchemic reasoning. Poor things - they were much more at home on the practice field or at the hunt, but Father insisted that all his sons have a formal education to some degree. There were no such expectations of me, though my presence in the school-room was as accepted now as Abel's eventual ascension to the throne of Amber. As a little one I had tagged after my big brothers everywhere they'd let me (and several they wouldn't); that I sat in on their classes was an amusement at first, tolerated good-humouredly. Even Father appeared to gain some measure of pride that his baby daughter sat in class like the bigger boys, and showed promise of aptitude. So I was permitted to stay, and by the time I started to outstrip Abel and Armand I was so much a fixture I stayed on. While other noble girls my age played with dolls, or surrounded themselves with talk of gowns and dancing, I pored over the trade history of the Golden Circle and debated ethics and philosophy. Sure, dancing and gowns were enjoyable, but as a pastime - not a consuming occupation!

I slid down off my chair, jumping the final drop to the floor. I reached up and carefully slid the volume of Jarg Carolan's Preliminary Treatise on the Nature and Function of Radix Theory back into its place on the shelves, and turned to gather my things together. Abel glanced up as I passed, and smiled ruefully at me. I grinned back. I paused by Armand - his brow was furrowed with worry and he chewed the end of his pencil abstractedly. Poor thing - he just couldn't come to grips with abstract theory at all. A treatise on tactics and warfare - now, that was different. Glancing to see if our tutor was looking, I bent swiftly and whispered in Armand's ear. His expression cleared, and he shot me a quick look of thanks. I put a finger to my smiling lips (shhh!), and kissed him lightly and swiftly on the cheek as I walked on. I sighed inwardly as I left; Hieronymous was a clever man, but he didn't know the way Armand thought like I did. ... if he did, then he'd explain things in a different way he could understand easier. It was so simple, why couldn't he see it ? Abel had his perpetual belief that things would work out, bolstered by his position as first-born son and heir. Armand .... well, we were all different I guess.
My stomach rumbled. Hmmmm ... maybe I'd swing by the kitchens and see if I couldn't scrounge a treat or two. I felt the need for a walk outdoors, and a snack would go nicely. Bounty in hand, I walked down through Amber proper and out towards Forest Arden. As I went I decided to head for a shady spot I had found on my last sojourn. The day was fine, with only a little cloud cover high up, and perfect for a short hike. Up the grassy slope, past the brambleberries and the appletree grove, and into the shady green coolness of the Forest proper. I paused, opening my senses to the forest around me, and let its gentle calm enfold me. My feet found their own path, and in time a came to a small pool of water sheltered by the spreading branches of a gnarled zûl tree. I sat down upon a wide rock at the pool's edge, and rested my back against the venerable zûl. I had not come across this place before, though I had wandered through Arden since I was old enough to escape Nonna's clutches. I closed my eyes, and let my breathing fall into a calm rhythm. I reached inwards, and found the steady centre of my being. Another breath, and I sent my awareness expanding outward, feeling the fabric of the space around me. I scanned the surrounds quickly, and satisfied that all was safe for the moment I sent my awareness spinning out over the trees and beyond the forest's edge towards Amber proper. Each day I practiced, focussing and extending my senses ever tighter and further. I could 'see' the glowing network that was the community of Amber Castle and the town below it. Sometimes I would practice trying to find a specific person, Mother or Nonna or one of my brothers, or one of the castle staff. Today though, I simply wished to rest in the forest's serenity. I spun back towards the forest, to the delicate yet vibrantly complex webwork of life that was the forest in which my body sat. I felt the myriad sparks that were the life on the forest floor, and the creatures winging through the trees overhead. The eternal breathing of the trees, and the whispered vibrance of the grasses at my feet. The deep strength of the earth grounded me, and itself thrummed with hidden life. Away off to the north a large beast moved carefully, hunting prey, but I knew it was not interested in my scent. Indeed, the forest was at peace, and here I felt calm and safe as I did few places else. Here I was home, on familiar territory, and would come to no harm. I felt no fear from the forest or its creatures - I always somehow knew if a place was unsafe, or if I should take a different path, and my instincts had always proven true.
Satisfied that I was, to all intents and purposes alone, I drew my awareness back in. I focussed it on the pool in front of me, and waited to see what would come. Almost immediately a coolness tickled my mind, and I slowly opened my eyes to gaze at the pool's calm surface. My own reflection was there, dark hair fringing wide grey eyes and solemn face. The reflection rippled, and changed. A wizened visage, hook nose and a mass of stringy grey hair, and eyes that were deepest black wells that fixed themselves on mine. Those eyes .... as always they filled me with awe and respect and, yes, love. For though I knew Grandfather was held in no small measure of fear and suspicion and caution by others, to me he was a beloved grandfather and teacher. He had dandled me on his knee when I was little, playing simple games and telling amazing stories. As I grew, the games became more interesting and complex, the stories more convoluted and subtle. As I exercised my body in play, Grandfather exercised my mind, stretching it to its utmost. Grandfather's rooms became a haven to me, where I knew there would be a welcome and a new challenge or discussion, and I did not begrudge the times when he was too busy to talk to me and would send me off with a brusque word - and a new enigma to puzzle over. He had been busy of late, but still had time to turn my instruction to more arcane matters.
"Moira, my dear,". The words took shape in my mind, even as the mouth in the pool moved in parody of speech. "I see you practice as I have shown you. That is good, my child. Already I feel your power reach out in new and stronger patterns of desire. What have you learned today ?".
"That Armand and Abel will never make philosophers, regardless of how many tutors Father finds for them! That Cook should not have had half so much Fianna wine with her evening meal last night, for her head is poorly, her temper is foul and her belly aches. That it is easier to sense the lines of power when a Storm is not about. That someone is working with energies in the Castle, but they feel ..... warped, and hard to sense somehow. What does that mean, Grandfather? And who was doing it ? Was it you ?".
There was a pause, and a sense that he was ... startled? Wrathful ? Curious .... the sense vanished, replaced by a projection of calm control.
"It seems that your practice at focussing individuals goes well, child, though you must remember to also practice discretion. As to the other ...... that was I, but you need not concern yourself. I will increase the shielding ... it should not bother you further.". His words still echoed shades of pleased surprise and wariness. "You show some promise in the arcane arts. Perhaps when you are older and show you are ready I shall instruct you in the more .... esoteric ... of the Arts. You have much to learn before then, though, my dear.".
The figure in the pool lifted a cautionary finger, though the hint of a smile twitched a corner of its mouth. The momentary disquiet I had felt vanished as his words sank in. He thought I had promise!
"Perhaps you could teach me more of shielding techniques, Grandfather," I asked, then paused. Dare I ask him now ? He'd said I had promise, so perhaps ...... "Grandfather - I ..", I stopped. "Yes, child?".
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. More boldly than I felt, "Do you think I might be able to help you some time, with your work ? Just simple things, nothing very big. Even just, I don't know .... fetching things for you, cleaning up afterwards, whatever .... There's so much I could learn, just being around what you do. And you'd know where I was, so I couldn't get into any trouble! And I'd still have time for my other lessons and things". I held my breath, trying in vain to sense the tone of his thoughts. Bushy brows knitted together in a frown, then cleared. "Very well, my child. You're still a little young perhaps, but I think some - closer - instruction sooner rather than later is required. Yeessss .... definitely sooner than we think, I believe. A long road you have ahead of you, all alone, and you'll need all your strengths to survive - yes, and Armand too. You have to be strong for one another..... Travelling the Dark road is a hard a lonely space ...". His mental voice trailed off as I gazed at his image in confusion. Dark road ? Armand and I undergoing some trial ? What did he mean ? Of a sudden his face faded, replaced by a clear vision: Armand and I , older, and somehow different, twisted - hand in hand in some dark Cimmerian place, close by a font of power ....
"Moira !". I startled back to the present at his abrupt tone and the scene vanished. "Return to Castle Amber, and attend me there at once. I think the time to begin is now !".
"Aye, Grandfather," I whispered, and rose to go. The pool's surface rippled innocently, reflecting only tree and sky.
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