"She must believe that she has imbued you with a terrible purpose," Aldebrand said, "and does not want your end to come before that purpose is fulfilled."

Wynn nodded thoughtfully "I believe you are correct, husband" she agreed: she was beginning to admire her Lord as much for his wisdom as his bravery and, it could not be denied, handsome good looks. "I cannot but feel that I am but a pawn in some great game of eschec. Perhaps a pawn that has now reached a point so far behind enemy lines that she is become a Queen, and is consequently of value enough to be preserved by her player..." she said with a feeling of helplessness.

He shook his head, "But she is deceived.  She may think that she works with soft clay, but I have seen your heart.  It is Iron.  And the workings of this sea witch shall not move such a heart against what is Just."

There was little Wynn could do, other than to cleave unto her husband. Words were useless now: he was her world and all her strength would be directed to supporting him: but what machinations were at work in this Aereth, and what part she might inadvertently play in them, she could hardly begin to guess.

+++

In the fens of far off Sask, the hideous marsh hag Anis waved her hand over a slimy pool of muddy water and its surface immediately shewed a bright mirror that reflected an image of the Salian Lord and his Dragon Rider bride, embracing upon the deck of a mighty galley. She chuckled and nodded and cackled: evidently well pleased, before waving her hideous claw-like hand over the pool again. 

The scene changed: she was now looking at a grotesque sea monster, even uglier than her self which, however, as it dried on the rocks of some distant shore, changed imperceptivity to shew the face of beautiful Lady of the Court. Anis spoke into the pool and the creature at the other end of the world spake back to her through this muddy medium. 

"Daughter, you have done well!" said Anis, giving rare praise. Not that driving off a Kraken and lifting a drowning human out of peril was a difficult job for a monster like Astuce. No, what was really impressive was that the ravenous animal had resisted the temptation to eat both Wynn and Aldebrand while they were beneath the waves. Astuce's tummy growled even now, and some poor benighted Mother in the local town would find herself short of a baby or child ere the dawn broke.

"I hunger Mother! I hunger!" spat back the mer-hag, now completely transformed into a picture false beauty "You promised me I should have both of them!!"

"In time, daughter, in time! Patience! Follow my plan. You know what to do?" growled back the great witch.

With hooded eyes, the comely Astuce nodded. 

CubanWriter

The Courtiers of Mandorin Dunaris, Marquis of Salain and his stately wife the Marquise, were unsure how to act: and life at court, even in the provinces, was little more than an act, after all. The ship bearing the son and heir of the March, and his...ugh... Dragon Rider bride had arrived after dusk and it had seemed more seemly that the two present themselves at court the next day in the full splendor of that heraldic ceremonial for which the Kingdom of Brydd was so famed. 

But... well, you didn't just turn up for these events and stand there like a pudding: it was so very important to reflect the mood of the ruler: if the Marquis was pleased to see both Son and new Daughter-in-Law, one must stand thus, and pull this face and wear this colour garment to chime in with the ambience; but if the Marquis was furious with his son and new daughter-in-law, one must wear this colour and point one's toe thusly and fold one's arms like this and have a face like tripe. AND, Ceros Forbid, should the Marquis be pleased with the son but nonplussed with the barbarian girl, or vice versa, then Heaven knows what one should do!

But there had been no lead given, no clue as to the attitude they were supposed to adopt, before the couple entered the large assembly hall and approached the thrones of Mandorin and his Lady wife. A herald's formulaic cry rang out "His Lordship Sir Aldebrand and the Lady Wynn." He didn't attempt the other, unpronounceable, parts of her name. 

The large doors creaked open at the far end of the Great Hall, a hush fell upon the assembled courtiers and each wished that he or she could turn one eye warily on their ruler, to try and divine his attitude to the returning Aldebrand, and one eye in the opposite direction, to assuage their curiosity about the appearance of the girl from beyond the Burning Sea.

At Aldebrand's side, Wynn was wearing an elegant and simple kirtle of plain colour and a mere circlet of silver about her brow: nothing like the elaborate and over-tailored costumes of the ladies of the court. A titter came from one fat, middle aged, but fashion-conscious woman. "Why, she is nothing but a peasant!"  

At this vital juncture, the Lady Astuce, who, as Lady in Waiting to the Marquise, she who dressed the Marquise, and she who carried the Marquise's train, and who had become something of an arbiter of good taste and fashion sense at this provincial court, stepped suddenly from the crowd and curtsied low before Aldebrand and Wynn.

"My Lady, you needs must have someone carry your train at Court" she smiled and hurried to perform that subservient task for the outsider. To an observer from another land, this might have looked like a mere act of kindness: to the fawning courtiers it was a clear signal that an influential favourite had thrown her weight behind Sir Aldebrand and his alien young wife. The woman who had carped at Wynn's simple costume, now grew quiet as the couple approached the Marquis.

CubanWriter