M’lady? . . . M’lady, if you please,” a voice persisted. “May I enter?”
Sleepy, Antoinette thought the voice sounded familiar. Perhaps a bit formal, but nice.
There was a knock on the door. And again the voice said, “M’lady? . . . M’lady, if you please. May I enter?”
Her eyes sprang open, and she sat bolt upright, looking around at unfamiliar surroundings. “Yes,” she said.
A Glimpse knight opened the chamber door. He was backlit in gold from the hall’s light.
“M’lord’s Sentinel has summoned thee.”
“Aidan?” Antoinette asked.
The Glimpse’s eyes flickered blue, and he shifted uncomfortably. “Nay, m’lady. I am called Aelic. You speak of my twin in the Mirror Realm.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I just got confused because—”
“You have traveled the narrow path between our realms,” Aelic said. “It is quite disorienting—I know. I made such a journey once upon a time.”
“Am I . . . is this?” Antoinette looked hopefully around the chamber.
Aelic leaned a little farther into the chamber, but did not step in. “You are in King Eliam’s castle in the city of Alleble. On behalf of my Lord, as well as the citizens of the Land of Seven Fountains, I bid thee welcome.”
He bowed low with a flourish of his dark cape—all the while keeping the chamber door propped open with one foot.
“Thank you,” Antoinette said. Wow, she thought, Aidan really does look handsome in armor.
“On the chest at the foot of your bed, you will find warm clothes and suitable armor,” he said, gesturing and letting the door begin to close. “Elspeth will be along shortly to help you dress, and I suspect she will bring you a goodly assortment of victuals. I will return in due time to escort you to the Guard’s Keep.”
“Victuals?” Antoinette echoed.
“That is food, m’lady.”
“Oh,” Antoinette replied.
Aelic bowed again and turned to leave. “Wait!” Antoinette called, feeling a warm blush in her cheeks. “My name is Antoinette. Would you call me that instead of m’lady?”
Aelic smiled. “Yes, m’lady—um, Antoinette . . . as you wish.” And with that, he was gone.
Antoinette chewed at her lower lip as she scanned the chamber. Large candles on tall silver stands lit the four corners of the room in soft blues and purples. Magnificent tapestries adorned the walls and gave the room a sense of history and grandeur.
I’m here! I’m really in Alleble! Antoinette thought. She threw off the covers, leaped out of bed, and ran to the chest to see the clothing and armor that had been laid out for her. A silver breastplate gleamed up at her, and she had to catch her breath. Engraved upon it were two mountains with the sun rising between them, the symbol, she knew, of King Eliam’s great victory over Paragor’s rebellion. She ran her fingers across it and smiled.
Next to the breastplate was a stack of plate armor and a light silver helmet. Aside from the helmet, Antoinette had no idea how to put the stuff on, but she could hardly wait to try! Then, she saw the clothing and laughed out loud for joy. She snatched up the dark breeches and the tunic and ran to the long mirror that stood in one of the corners next to a candlestand.
She held them up to herself and turned this way and that. She especially loved the black tunic she’d been given. It had intricate purple embroidery on the collar and sleeves and a braided black belt. This is just my style. How did they know? she wondered. She hurriedly slipped them on and modeled them in the mirror. They’re just the right size too!
There came several rapid knocks at the door, and then a voice. “Hullo, dearie, Elspeth at your service! Are you decent?”
Antoinette ran and opened the chamber door. She found a round-faced Glimpse woman busily twirling a small white towel in one hand and balancing a tray on her rather large hip with the other hand. She smiled a broad cheeky smile and bustled into the chamber.
“Hullo, dearie!” she said again and placed the tray on a small table near the door. “Do have a seat, dearie, and have a bit to eat. There is good cheese there, some of my famous crusty bread, and a bit of beef. Fuel for the furnace, as I often says. Now, fill up when you can, for you never know when the next meal might come.” She cackled a laugh and patted her ample belly. “Now, sit here and eat.” Antoinette did as she was told.
“My name is Elspeth, but you can call me Mum. All me other girls do. Now, what should I call you?”
“Antoinette.”
“Antoinette. A beautiful name, that is.”
Elspeth surveyed the room, then she busied herself gathering up Antoinette’s clothes.
“I see you found my Lady Gwenne’s clothing that I put out for you. It fits you well, it does. Makes sense, I suppose, seeing as how you are her twin and all. But your red hair, that is different. Now, my Lady Gwenne’s hair is of golden blond like the King’s wheat at the harvest.”
“My real color is blond too,” Antoinette said.
“I thought as much. Do not misunderstand me. Your hair is long and lush—pretty enough in its own way,” Elspeth said. Then raising one eyebrow, she glanced at Antoinette and added, “Aelic certainly thought so. But there I go again, flapping my lips like dragon wings. You probably have so many questions.”
Aelic thinks I’m pretty? Antoinette thought, and her mind wandered.
“Antoinette, dear, are you there?”
Antoinette snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. “Uh, . . . well, I guess my big question is, do you know what my mission will be?”
“Me? No,” Elspeth replied. “I am sure I would not be able to tell you anything of those matters. Some venture to put a crick in the dark one’s plans, like as not. War is coming, and maybe even within our own borders this time—or so many claim. But swords, shields, and battles are not where my wisdom falls. Mops, brooms, cleaning, and cooking—now those I can tell a thing or two about. Soon enough, you will be brought before Kaliam, our Sentinel. It is from him you will learn all that you could want about missions and such. Was there anything else that you wanted to know?” Elspeth asked, as if she’d actually answered Antoinette’s question.
Antoinette shook her head. Elspeth had carried on so long, Antoinette was afraid to ask her anything else. “No thank you,” Antoinette said. “The food was very good.”
“Did you like it, then?” Elspeth asked. “Just some old family recipes, really. But good enough for a fair number of knights, I can tell you. Take Sir Aelic, now. That one cannot seem to get enough of my stew. He is always pestering Lady Gwenne to get me to make that stew for him. Here now, enough about that. We must get you into your armor. It should fit just right, seeing as how it is also Lady Gwenne’s. Her spare set, really. Kindle, our armory keeper, had it made up for her when she returned from Mithegard.”
Elspeth was right. The armor fit almost perfectly. Antoinette looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. “I’m a knight!” she said.
“Well, a right, regular swordmaiden,” Elspeth agreed.
“Swordmaiden?” Antoinette echoed, a broad grin forming. “I like the sound of that, but . . . uh, I don’t have a sword.”
“True enough, dearie. I expect you will need to see Kaliam about that.”
Just then, there came a sharp rap at the door. Elspeth hurried to answer it.
“Sir Aelic has returned, m’lady,” Elspeth said.
As Antoinette turned to greet him, Aelic stumbled backward, startled by the beautiful young woman before him.
“Even with your hair aflame and being younger, how much like Gwenne you look,” he said. “It is strange to see a friend’s likeness in one who is not Glimpse-kind. I imagine you must be thinking the same thing about me and my twin of your kind.”
“Yes, it’s kind of strange. I mean, I just saw Aidan earlier today.” Antoinette laughed, remembering the duel she’d had with Aidan.
“Do you jest?”
“Jest? No, I’m sorry. I was just thinking of Aidan. We were sparring this afternoon, and I, uh, accidentally gave him a bloody nose.”
Aelic smiled. “Then you are very much like Gwenne in more than appearance.”
The two stood quietly staring at each other as if in a trance.
“Hullo, m’dears? Do you not have someplace to go?” Elspeth interrupted.
“Oh, yes. Kaliam awaits!” Aelic said.
Aelic led Antoinette through a half-dozen passages, and eventually past a pair of tall arched doors. “These are the doors to King Eliam’s Throne Room,” Aelic said.
“Will I . . . may I meet him?” Antoinette asked.
Aelic looked at her strangely. His eyes glinted bright blue, and he said, “You have already met him. You believed in the story of Alleble. You trusted him on the narrow path. You heard, and chose to follow his voice. You know him better than you think, and he knows you better than you know yourself.”
“But I mean, may I see him?”
“King Eliam may reveal himself to you in time,” Aelic replied. “But I am told that his countenance is painful to endure for those not of Glimpse-kind. Come, the Sentinel awaits upon the balcony.”
At last they came to the end of a long hall. There was a stair there, and a door subtly set into the wall. Aelic opened the door. Sunlight blazed in.
“I shall take my leave of you for now, Antoinette,” Aelic said. “But we shall meet again.”
Antoinette stepped through the door out onto a vast balcony. She was drawn to the parapet and beheld the Kingdom of Alleble. Towers, keeps, and cottages; courtyards, fields, and bustling markets—sprawled from left to right as far as her eyes could see. But in the center of it all were the fountains.
At last! she thought. And for a moment she was overwhelmed with emotion.
“The most wondrous city in all The Realm,” a deep voice said behind her. She turned to see a tall, dark-haired knight. As he bowed low he said, “I am Kaliam, the fourth Sentinel of Alleble.”
“I’m Antoinette,” she managed to say. She felt slightly intimidated by this knight’s size—he stood more than a foot taller than she. But at the same time, his smile and bearing radiated warmth, and Antoinette saw welcome in his eyes.
“Well-met,” Kaliam said, and he laughed. “Though it seems strange to say we have just met. Gwenne’s armor fits you well.”
Antoinette blushed, surprising herself. He looked like a hero who had stepped out of a grand painting.
“You are a friend of Sir Aidan’s?” he asked.
Antoinette nodded. “Yes, we met recently. And he helped me to understand that King Eliam was calling me here.”
“Sir Aidan is a hero of this realm, a Knight of the Dawn. His Glimpse-kind, Sir Aelic, has carried Aidan’s mantle well—just as, I am sure, you will carry Gwenne’s.”
“I’ll do my best,” Antoinette replied. It was quiet for a few moments, and then Antoinette said, “Aidan told me all about you and the others—Mallik, Nock, Tal, Farix. It’s amazing to finally meet you. Will I meet the others?”
“In time,” Kaliam answered.
“Oh, and Aidan told me to tell you not to say anything about the lantern spider incident. What’s that all about?”
Kaliam’s eyes flickered blue and he let out a howl of laughter. “M’lady,” he said, clutching his sides, “with your pardon, I will, . . . honor Sir Aidan’s request!”
Kaliam finally mastered his fit of laughter. “There are two reasons I required you to meet me here,” he said. “But let us take one moment to admire the view. Aside from the Library Tower, this is the best view of the kingdom. I wanted you to see the kingdom—as it always should be—at peace. I fear Alleble will not remain at peace for much longer.”
Antoinette knew why, and she looked to the west and stared.
“Yes, our enemy lies there,” said Kaliam, and a shadow seemed to pass over his face. “Paragor has not been idle since Aidan left The Realm. Something has changed in his designs, and we do not yet know what it is. But it seems his influence in The Realm is waxing, for city after city has allied itself with Paragory. If our estimates be correct, Paragor now commands an immense army nearly equal to our forces here.”
“What about Mithegard and the other allies?” Antoinette asked.
Kaliam looked at her gravely. “That is our greatest concern, Antoinette. Mithegard remains loyal, and with the help of Mallik’s folk from the Blue Mountains, the Seven Towers are nearly rebuilt. But there have been troubling reports from many of Alleble’s allies. Acacia, Clarion, and most recently Yewland have sent word that they may renounce our alliance.”
“Why?” Antoinette asked.
“They claim that our new taxes are too severe,” answered Kaliam. “They say that the Alleb Creed we impose is too strict. They threaten even to depose the governors we have sent.” Kaliam gripped the balcony wall so tightly that his knuckles cracked. “But, Antoinette, we have sent no governors to our allies, we have levied no taxes, and there is no such thing as an Alleb Creed!”
“Is Paragor behind it?” Antoinette asked.
“He must be,” said Kaliam. “We do not know how he could cause these things, but we intend to find out. We leave for Yewland in three days. I have determined to meet with one of these so-called governors!”
“You said we. Does that mean I’m coming on this mission?”
“Yes, Antoinette,” Kaliam answered. He cocked an eyebrow and grinned. “You will become the Twelfth Knight on this journey—if you pass our tests.”
“Tests?” Antoinette swallowed.
Kaliam nodded. “This mission is pressing, and there is no time to train you properly. Among reasons known only to him, King Eliam chose you because you already have some skills. You have held a sword before?”
“I can do more than hold it,” Antoinette said bluntly. She grinned.
“And you can ride?”
“I ride horses very well,” she said. “But Aidan told me you ride unicorns.”
Kaliam laughed. “They are nearly the same, only unicorns are smarter and faster. I suppose then, you should pass your first two tests quite easily. But, ah, the third—well, now, that might be another matter. We shall see.”
Antoinette waited for Kaliam to explain. But he did not. He turned and walked to the center of the balcony. There, something lay hidden under a beautiful silk tapestry.
“I told you there were two reasons I wanted you to meet me here. The first was to discuss the objective of your mission. The other is to show you . . . this!” With an effortless tug, he removed the tapestry, revealing a rectangular block of white marble. It was chest high, but its length and width were like that of a tomb.
Antoinette approached. She ran a hand along the length, and Kaliam watched her carefully. “I know this,” she said. “It is the altar where Paragor killed the King.”
“You have read the account of the Great Betrayal?” Kaliam asked.
“Yes.”
“Is there anything more you recall when you look upon it?” Kaliam’s eyes narrowed. He seemed hesitant, searching for but hoping not to find something to confirm what he suspected.
“Wait,” Antoinette said slowly. “I remember something.”
Kaliam closed his eyes and turned away. “What do you remember?”
“I saw this,” she replied, gesturing to the altar, “in a vision when I walked between my world and The Realm. But at first it was somewhere else. It was in a cell or a crypt. I think it was underground.”
“You saw visions between our worlds?” he asked, his deep voice reduced to a hoarse whisper.
“Yes,” she replied. “Aidan told me I would. He saw visions too. Some of them came true when he was here.”
“They are foretellings,” Kaliam said. “Sights of what may come to pass. Captain Valithor was very aware of Aidan’s visions. They troubled him greatly near the end, for not all who travel between realms see such visions. I too am troubled, but I will not speak now of what I fear. I must first visit the Library of Light. And then I will go to the King himself, for his wisdom has no end.”
Antoinette swallowed. “Sir Kaliam, there’s something else. In the vision, this altar faded from the tomb and reappeared on this balcony, I think. It was at night, so it was hard to tell. But suddenly, a dark stone that fell from the sky smashed the altar. Then many stones began to fall. I saw one of them close up, and there was something written on it, written in red.”
Kaliam glanced to the west. “There is meaning in that also,” he said, almost to himself. “Please, promise that you will not speak of these visions to anyone besides Aelic and me. There are many in Alleble who would make more of it than they ought.”
Antoinette nodded. “I . . . I won’t,” she replied, suddenly feeling very nervous.
“Come, then, your first test awaits—that is, if you are ready.”
“Lead on, Sir Kaliam. I am ready.”
Kaliam’s demeanor brightened, and he laughed. “Such like a younger Gwenne you are!”
