26. Blossom

They were led though into a large room, with a heavy table on the near wall, the far wall hidden in shadows beneath a high arched ceiling. There was never any question of fighting back, nor would their deaths be any advantage to those on the ships as they placed their weapons on the table as ordered, and stood with their backs to the shadow.

"You, I've had enough of your lies" the tall Mann garbed all in black yelled at Antaryon, grabbing his arm and pushing his thumb into the obvious wound on his arm. Antaryon did not bother to conceal his feelings, his pain washing over the room with his screams.

"Stop it!" Angelica said quietly, her anger bubbling up.

"Who are you!" the Mann spun and hissed at Angelica, his nose almost touching hers. He turned back to the table, picking up an arrow out of her quiver. "This" he said tapping the sharp tapered arrowhead "a Bodkin needle made of silver steel, made to punch though chain or plates and never rust." He lifted the arrow, which was as long as his arm, and balanced it on his finger by its midpoint where it dutifully sat waiting. "Ironwood shaft, perfectly straight, perfectly smooth. And these feathers, what are they!" he caressed his other hand over the fletching, and it dipped but sprang back to its shape as if nothing had happened. He raised it before Angelica's face, waving the point close to her eyes as she stared defiantly back into his cold, dark pupils.

"Royal Meowl" Liva stated simply, drawing their interrogator's ire "from the Forests of Stars".

The Mann looked as if he might expire on the spot, veins bulging in his head with rage. "So who are you!" he screamed at Liva, spittle dribbling down his chin. "You are NOT common soldiers as you might have us believe. This single arrow would buy a farm in many lands ... yet here you are, two quivers full of them and bows that defy description!"

"Do remember to breathe" Liva said calmly, sending the Mann into a deeper shade of rage. "We just call them 'bows' Liva said evenly, the Mann beginning to shake across his shoulders.

"Chains! And flails! Bring me hot irons!" the Mann yelled in fury, his minions rushing to comply. He lifted his armoured hand, very obviously preparing to slam it into Liva's face as she stood there as if watching a bee landing on a flower, curious yet detached.

"Stop." Their interrogator froze at the soft spoken male voice that drifted past from behind them, all colour draining from his face at the command.

The sound of expensive boots clicking on the flagstones heralded the speaker, a tall Mann dressed in an exquisite long black coat worked with intricate silver and gold embroidery. A flick with the back of his gloved fingers sent his Menn retreating to stand against the walls, leaving their prisoners standing alone as he moved to stand two paces in front of Liva.

"Please forgive my servants" he began after a shallow bow,. "As they had quite correctly observed" he said after turning and picking up one of the arrows and inspecting it "you are not common soldiers." He lightly tapped the point, muttering quietly to himself "impressive. Masterfully done even."

He looked at their shields, then the wicked halberd on the table, still glistening with the sticky pale green blood of the spiders. He opened Liva's bag, pulling out the carefully wrapped bundle, which he unfolded with great care. Gold flashed with fire, the crystal of the headpiece sparkling as it echoed the warm torchlight, the Mann could not prevent the low whistle escaping his lips as he lifted Angelica's tiara to inspect it better, but touching only the cloth.

He turned, to Liva then Angelica, then smoothly dropped on one knee formally before Liva, the tiara lifted and his eyes down. "Welcome, Ladies. Please accept my deepest apologies for the base manner in which you have been received. If you would be so kind, let me escort you to chambers more fitting to your stations and offer you refreshments?"

Liva took the tiara in its cloth, stepped to the table and after folding it back into its cloth shoved it into her pouch as he waited, then resuming her place with her bag safely at her side.

The Mann offered his hand to Liva, who placed hers lightly on his and briefly inclined her head.

"We shall have proper introductions once you are rested, however should you need anything," he repeated the word for emphasis "anything, please merely ask for it. Should any demur simply mention my name: Kab." He glared at those in the room "And you lot will see to their equipment, and move their things to the guest rooms along from my own."

"Sir!" they all yelled as one, and fell into a flurry of activity the moment Kab walked out beside Liva, with Angelica trailing a pace behind in the appropriate place for a Lady in Waiting, the faintest hint of a smile sneaking onto her lips. This might even work.

@->--/-----

"Oh my" Liva sighed, the water steaming softly in the huge wooden tub. Angelica joined her once she too had finished scrubbing what felt like forever's worth of grime and cares off her then rinsing it off with the wooden ladle on a long stick.

"So good, M'Lady." Angelica said with a smile. The warm water lifted their spirits as it lifted their tired limbs; they had lost all sense of how long it had been since they went below ground at the Cathedral.

"Do you think Antaryon will be ok?" Liva asked softly. "And the others?"

"We have to trust our host on that, M'Lady" Angelica replied "if they wanted to visit harm on us, there was never any chance for us to prevent that."

Liva nodded, tracing circles on the water's surface with her fingers. "This feels wrong. To be so comfortable while the others ..."

"Indeed M'Lady" Angelica replied gently "and yet we cannot take this tub to them, nor insult our host's generosity. Do you need sleep?"

"No, no, I could not sleep even if I wished it." Liva replied, knowing her part better than to ask Angelica in turn. If she did not sleep, nor would her maid.

A tall woman in a servant's dress with very pale skin, raven hair, and deep hued eyes came in, bowing and waiting for permission to continue.

"Yes?" Liva said curiously.

"My Ladies, M'Lord asked me to present dresses which may be to your liking. If I may?"

"Please do so." Angelica replied after Liva's nod.

The dresses were simply stunning, creations of silk, cottons, furs and finely embodied metals. Liva watched as gown after gown came in, some she sent to the room she had been given with a nod, most she studied then dismissed. After a time Liva waved, and the servants bowed and withdrew, another hurriedly brining in warmed towels for the Ladies to use.

"This would be so much fun" Liva said softly "if ..."

If it were not such a deadly game, Angelica added silently with a nod.

Once she was dry and comfortable on a comfortable chair, Liva clapped and the dresses continued until they became a river of muted colours.

@->--/-----

"My Lady ...?" Angelica stepped back from her handiwork, Liva smiling and pulling free some long curls to better frame her face. The servants had bought in two full length mirrors of polished silver, and bright candelabra to see by. Liva twirled, checking how all her layers were sitting, and smiled.

"Stunning, M'Lady" Angelica said genuinely. The underdress was a rich deep red cotton with golden flowers sewn on in a bold pattern, with a low neckline yellow bodice of the same gold worked with delicate pale yellow flowers. A sweeping overdress of soft pink, with matching trim and cuffs, flared out from Liva's hips, aided by the softest, lightest petticoats they had ever seen; a gold sash draped over the underdress to hold the whole in place when dancing. On Liva's now braided hair rested the tiara, and about her neck a beautiful gold, diamond and onyx necklace that had been sent in with a freshly groomed guard in an ornate wooden box.

"Now you" Liva said, taking a seat and waving for a servant to help Angelica dress in the black and silver gown Liva had picked for her.

"How would you like your hair M'Lady?" one of the maids asked Angelica.

"Braided up, with red and gold ribbons to match M'Lady's dress" Angelica replied without skipping a beat.

The matter was obviously not up for debate, and the servants continued with their brushing and plaiting, Liva looking on with a decidedly gleeful expression.

When they were dressed, Antrayon joined them, with his sword at his hip albeit on a belt that matched his black and silver tunic rather than his usual one. They had procured a hat for him, the feathers had been changed out for red and gold to match their Lady's dress. Like their own, his boots had been polished to a shine; clearly he did not wish to use the strange wooden shoes either.

After a time, Kab rejoined them, looking stunning in an inky black set of plunging long robes worked with intricate silver thread, so the whole thing was simple yet stunningly complicated at the same time. He waved, and servants carried in three cloaks of soft black fur edged with foxcelot. "Dear ones, it is cold out. I would encourage you to rest but understood you preferred to decline, and in fairness we have a way to go and I would not wish you to miss the sunset."

We were a whole night and day? No wonder I feel jaded!

Kab led them out, the servants behind carrying their cloaks for later. The question of how far they would need to walk in formal wear was shortly ended, when Kab led them though a heavy archway into a wide tunnel, where a covered carriage was waiting. "My Lady, if you please?" he offered his hand to Liva to help balance her step up into the comfortable interior. He offered his hand to Angelica without comment, then nodded as Antaryon joined them.

"I shall follow behind. It will be a long and tedious journey with little to see, we shall speak anon."

Angelica could vaguely make out cavalry waiting to escort them, but when Antaryon offered to take watch so they could nap, she took the soldier's option and promptly fell asleep to the gentle motion of the carriage as it rumbled through the darkness.

@->--/-----

"Wake up Anne" Liva said gently, "we're here."

Disorientated, Angelica looked out the windows at the late afternoon daylight; bright, clear skies above with clouds looming over the horizon. She yawned, and stretched, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"Other side" Antaryon said with a smile, his eyes inviting her to the other window as Kab helped Liva alight.

As Angelica stepped down, her breath paused as she marveled at the sight. A long causeway had been built across a small lake, a castle unlike any she had seen before proudly at the far end. It sat on a wide stone base, then rose in layers with sweeping tiled roofs. It was like something out of a dream, and yet the archers at windows she could see were entirely detached from whimsy.

But what stole her breath away were the twin lines of trees, in full blossom; clouds of pink reflecting on the still waters framed above and below with the bright sky.

Kab begged their leave for a moment, another carriage pulling up behind as he strode off to invite his friend to join them.

A tear slid down Liva's cheek, escaping her self control.

"What is it, M'Lady?" Angelica stepped close to whisper.

"These trees ... how could they?" Liva replied.

"M'Lady?" Angelica wondered.

"There is not a single petal out of place. And in the weather we have had, that is impossible. Unless these trees are dead."

"Petals poised, no leaf will grow, through pretty death, we go." Kab said gently, stepping to Liva's left and offering her his arm. "Shall we?"