eye on the king’s ward. Librye wanted and needed to
know everything that the magnificent world had to
offer. All the inner workings of the palace seemed to
fascinate her. Her time in the palace had so far been
less than half a turn, but her presence in the palace
was being felt. Already the kitchen staff had become
used to seeing her each morning, waiting at the large
wooden table, ready to take breakfast with them. The
guards stationed at the large patio area which looked
onto the gardens at the rear of the palace, were sure to
keep Librye inside.
Mord already knew that the girl was remarkable,
but she had known that, ever since the day she found
her in Farhope.
The winter was being kind to them that year. The
snow was yet to grace the roofs of the Cronnin city.
Knowing it could take a few days or more for Brenin
to return, Mord knew she would need to keep Librye
entertained. Her constant hounding of the council was
beginning to show, as they began to force their way
past her, often knocking her to the ground. The men
were acting beastly. Taking Brenin’s indiscretions out
on Librye.
It was an unusually warm autumn morning. The
trees in the woods to the back of the palace grounds
stood almost bare, ready for the winter sleep. Walking
towards the main hall, Mord carried a basket of
clothes down the stairs, she noticed Librye sat on the
edge of the fountain. Her bored hand was swirling the
surface of the water, she seemed rested that day, but
something bothered the young Librye. As Mord came
halfway down the stairs, she noticed an odd blue glow,
coming from the water Librye was touching. She
watched, mouth gaping.
Librye was startled as she looked up to see Mord
standing there. Her smile grew upon seeing the
friendly face of Mord.
“How are you today?” she joyfully asked Mord,
her voice echoed around the large hall.
Mord gave a slight laugh. “I’m very well, thank
you, Librye.” She made her way down the stairs,
placing the basket on the edge of the fountain, “what
do you have planned for today?”
Librye looked up. She looked towards the stairs.
She knew that behind the stairs, to the right was the
entrance to the vast gardens of the Cronnin palace. A
need lingered in her pale blue eyes.
She whispered, longingly, “I want to go out there.”
Mord leant down towards Librye. She could see
the want and need in her.
“Then go,” she stood upright, “make sure you stay
close to the palace as the skies darken,” she warned,
“I’ll call you for dinner when it’s ready.”
Instantly, Librye leapt up and headed towards the
gardens. Stepping excitedly onto the vast grey patio,
she looked to the perfectly kept gardens beyond,
which swept along the full expanse of the palace
grounds.
“Gentlemen,” she proudly said as she looked to
the guards, “Mord has given me permission.”
One of the guards peered around the large
wooden doorway into the palace hall, Mord gave a
single, sure nod. The guard looked back to Librye. He
smiled at Librye.
“If you need us, just call,” he softly said to her.
She darted from the patio towards the long gravel
path. The straight path was lined with rows upon rows
of rose bushes, leading towards a low round fountain
and pond at the end of the path, large exotic carp
swam peacefully in the rippling water. To each side of
the palace were stretches of woodlands reaching
towards the long and high walls, where the guards
would wander along on their patrol.
To the very back of the gardens, a woodland took
her towards the wild meadows. The small lane
through the woodlands was a dry soil. As she entered
the wild meadow, she saw the lines of kennels, the
sound of barking wolves could be heard for miles
around. Even further still was a second stretch of
woodland before reaching the palace wall, a small
drainage tunnel into the city.
Librye sat at the stream and watched the small
autumn leaves travel by. A small starling fluttered from
a large oak tree at the side of her, the ground was cold,
but it did not seem to bother her. She sat with a green
silk shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her green
silk shoes slid onto the bank of the stream. As she
watched the bird bathe in the stream, her eyes
widened, her brows folded in.
“I’m just as lucky to live here too,” she softly said
to the bird, who gave no mind to the girl and
continued bathing.
Spending the day exploring, Librye came back
towards the kennels.
“Good afternoon,” she joyfully said to the wolves
as she walked past. The maddened wolves did not
seem to mind the young girl. Their usual pacing
stopped as they came close to the bars. Librye stepped
from the path, she walked through the short grass
towards them. The kennel host had been at the back
of the kennel, slowly, he made his way to the front,
upon hearing the wolves go quiet.
Librye reached her hand through the bars. “Stop!”
he shouted, he tried to run towards her, as he did but
his portly belly would not allow for much speed.
She gave a strange look to him, her eyes slowly
blinked. Her mouth was gaping as she confidently
continued to reach towards one of the wolves, a mink
coloured wolf caught her eye. He softly bared his teeth
towards her, his shining ice blue eyes looked to the
tiny Librye. She reached out her hand to the wolf. The
host struggled towards her, as soon as he reached her
side, the wolf jumped against the heavy steel bars
towards the kennel host, he jumped back, petrified of
the wolf, he had never jumped at his handler before.
The heavy-set guard looked to Librye, her hand
remained through the bar, the snarling wolf jumped
down and gently placed his giant head against her
hand. She shushed the gentle beast.
The kennel host pointed, utterly stunned. “How
are you doing that?”
Librye broke her eye contact with the beast, she
looked to the portly kennel host. “Everyone needs
love, that’s how.” Her soft voice seemed to draw the
attention of the other wolves as they joined the side of
the mink wolf. Each of them was sure to get a touch
from her tiny soft hand.
The kennel host watched, as Librye skipped back
down the lane. She noticed the old temples in the
woods, the stretch which separated the meadows from
the gardens were surrounded with the small stone
pagoda buildings, offering a place of quiet tranquility.
She spent the day exploring all she could of the
gardens.
Her exploring of the front courtyard was closely
watched by the King’s Guard who stood beside the
palace doors. Having been there for several days, the
guards had become used to the sight of the small
child, they enjoyed seeing that some form of
happiness was left in the palace.
The following day brought a silence in the palace.
Librye remained in her room, the staff in the kitchens
assumed that her day of exploring - which had seen a
late return for Librye - was the reason for her silence
that day. Mord had collected the laundry from the
upstairs rooms. Making her way down the stone stairs,
she turned and looked towards the corridor to
Librye’s room, the eerie silence bothered her.
Making her way back up the few steps, placing her
basket on a table in the corridor, she made her way
towards Librye’s room. The audacious girl would
usually have woken at the first bird song.
Stepping into her room, Mord was stricken with
fear. She shot from the door and screamed, “Call an
alchemist!” Running back into the room she took a
sheet from the chest at the end of the bed and ran
towards her.
Covered with bright red blood, Librye laid in her
bed. Her back poured crimson red. As she removed
the sheets, Mord saw that the strange lumps on the
back of the tiny girl had opened at the end. A sore,
bleeding raw bone could be seen, covered with
congealed blood.
Grendel had been staying in the palace, awaiting
Brenin’s return. He burst through the door.
Looking to the child, his eyes held a look of fearful
anger, his heart sank in his chest.
He shouted to Mord, “What have you done?”
Mord quickly shook her head, her panic-stricken
hands tried to stem the bleeding from Librye’s back.
“Nothing, I found her like this, she was fine last
night and now this!” Mord’s face turned wet with tears.
She shook as she looked to Grendel, her wide eyes
begged him for help.
Grendel softened his tone. “Keep her warm.” He
gave a slow nod towards Mord. “I’m sure she will be
fine.” Slowly he lowered himself onto the bed, while
Mord kept the wounds covered, Grendel inspected
the damage. Grendel was baffled. “These have grown
from her.” His mumbling voice seemed to rumble
through Mord. “Has she woken yet?”
Mord shook her head. “She’s solid asleep, I knew
there was something in this girl.” Her eyes narrowed,
asking, “Is she torb?”
Grendel gave a low nod. “It could very well be,
there is nothing I can do here,” he regrettably said. “I
can help get her bandaged, but apart from that, this
girl needs help beyond the means of the fey, she needs
the torbs and pooka. I shall have to consult Harelda.”
A soft winter sun chilled the air in Librye’s room.
Mord had called one of the members of staff from the
kitchens, to help make a small fire in the fireplace of
her room. She stared towards Librye, hoping she
would wake, hoping she would recover.
Finally, Librye woke. Mord was still clutching her
hand as she watched her eyes flicker open.
“I’m still tired,” came the complaining voice of
Librye as she sat up in her bed. Mord bolted forward.
“Why am I tired, Mord?” Librye’s eyes looked
around the room, the sun was already awake long
before her, the birds outside sang a dull whisper in the
woods.
Mord raised her brows slightly, her hand squeezed
Librye’s.
She replied with a soft, motherly whisper. “Don’t
worry about that, if you need to you can get some
more sleep.”
Librye looked to Mord with her brows furrowed.
“My back hurts,” she whined. Her mouth dropped at
the sides; her eyes filled with fright. “Why does my
back hurt?”
Mord shuffled her chair closer to the bed, Librye
turned to face her.
“My dear, something happened, in the night, your
back began to bleed, I didn’t know until this morning,”
she softly explained.
An unexpected smile grew on Librye’s face, her
eyes widened as she looked to the ruffled sheets on
her bed. “It’s happening,” she softly whispered.
Mord furrowed her brow, her mouth was gaping as
she looked to Librye. “What is happening?”
“My secrets,” she looked back to Mord, her eyes
widened. “My secrets have told me I will do great
things, and I will do it from the skies.”
Mord was still shocked by Librye’s acceptance. “I
don’t know what to say,” she replied with a high tone,
“you’re glad this has happened?” Her eyes narrowed
towards Librye.
Librye softened her smile, her eyes looked around
the room. “It hurts, a lot, but they said that with the
greatest victory, pain is its partner.”
Mord shook her head in disbelief, her eyes
flickered. “What are these secrets you speak of?”
“The voices,” replied Librye. She looked into
Mord’s eyes, her hair fell to her side, giving a
maddened look to her innocent face. “My secrets tell
me everything I need to know and more.”
“But whose voices are they?” asked Mord pressing
Librye.
Librye looked to Mord, she gave a clear answer,
“They’re the gods, they talk to me through the stars,
the stars speak to me.”
Mord felt her stomach twist, a strange emptiness
seemed to fall inside of her. She did not know what to
say, or what to do. She knew there was something
strange with Librye, but secretly she wanted to be there
to discover what her future would bring. To Mord, she
was still just a child.
“Well, I don’t care about what duties I have
today,” said Mord, trying to reassure Librye she
promised, “I will stay here, for as long as you need
me, I’ll be here.”
Librye was exhausted, the ordeal had clearly taken
more from her than expected. Mord knew she would
be bored, but she also knew that whatever was
happening to the tiny child, it was not yet over. “Let’s
find you something to do,” she suggested as she stood
from her chair with her hands on her hips, “that is if
you aren’t too tired?”
Librye looked to Mord, a mist of sweat sat on her
forehead, her eyes had narrowed, showing how tired
she felt.
“I’m not tired, my body is, but I’m not.”
It was the first time Mord had seen her unhappy,
usually with a constant smile, it was soul destroying for
Mord, but she knew the perfect place she needed to
take her. Mord lifted Librye, wrapping her arms
around Mord’s neck, Librye asked, “Where are we
going?”
Mord had a whispering tone of wonder as she
replied, “To a place where your body can rest, and
your mind
can escape.”
She took Librye towards the mezzanine, she
carried her towards Brenin’s chambers, his guards at
the side opened the doors. Librye looked to the
council hall below, bellowing was all she could hear as
the councilors did their usual arguing. The palace was
busy with staff coming and going. Guards lined the
palace; it was business as usual for the busy palace.
Librye looked to the mighty room in front, her
eyes spun around the room, in all her living dreams
she had never imagined such a vast library of books,
her eyes enlarged in awe. Mord gently placed her
down, still light on her feet, Librye made her way to
the bottom of the stairs towards the right mezzanine.
“I’m sure you’ll find a book here,” said Mord with
a wide smile.
Librye slowly climbed the stairs and walked as far
as she could, she came towards the furthest book
away. Librye had found her favourite place in the
mighty palace of Cronnin.
“These are Brenin’s chambers, I’m sure you’re
welcome here.” Mord looked around the vast library
of books, a smell of pipe smoke still hung in the air.
“Although, I don’t think there are many for children.”
Her sorrowful voice and pout made Librye smile.
“If you haven’t noticed,” said Librye with a
somewhat noble tone. “I’m not your ordinary child.”
Her wide innocent smile melted Mord every time.
Her darkening hair hung by her side as she climbed to
the top of the steps to retrieve the first book.
Mord made her way closer to Librye, to see her
odd choice of book. A book on alchemy, all the inner
workings of alchemists and their magic. The entire
first shelf was a shelf dedicated to alchemy.
“I take it you’ve found one?” Mord held her hands
to the front of her.
Librye took the book down and looked to Mord.
“I’ve found the first one,” she held a wide smile, “I’ll
start with the first, thank you, Mord.” Her smile grew
as she sat on the floor and began to read, the very first
book.
Sat in his small guest chambers, Grendel looked
from the window of his balcony. His hands caught
behind his back; his eyes were a gleaming whisper of
wonder. Stepping onto the solid stone balcony he
watched the world outside; the noises of the city