Chapter 37

"But have you ever seen the ferns and flowers blossoming in graveyards, bringing hope that even in the chambers of Death, there is Birth and there is Life?"

~

Crowning and Imperial Castle,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phrinight of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

Lady Minerva hurried her way down the spiralling stone stairway that led to the fore-chamber of the Imperial Castle, bearing the grilled arched doors from whence the great outdoors was.

She could not afford to compose a letter to her friend, Lord Cecil Urbane, be-cause it required much more time than she could spend at that very moment.

The Physician had left Altair to feed on the supper she had lent him in his lavish birdcage whilst she could make her trip to the village of Lyrishveil.

The young lad that had been employed to the task of assisting her had informed that the carriage was drawn and that there was urgent need to complete the to and fro of her tour before the rains could commence yet again.

Although there seemed not much chance for such showers, the Lady knew that it was a finer choice of courses to be careful.

Further, she wished not to launch the fair and large bird on its travel with immediate effect, for the Regent may notice its fare.

She preferred to commit the winged messenger on its journey farther into the heart of the night, for there was more rate of the Regent's slumber bewitching his senses then.

As she mounted the carriage, the little boy bearing the name Aldric sat beside her most respectfully and properly. Lady Minerva paid attention to the fresh set of humble clothes he wore. Though frugal, it was neatly pressed and worn, like this was his finest set of garments allotted to his wages.

She was aware that this child had only joined the castle recently. Young and a hungred, he was found by the training army soldiers, in the borders at the feet of the Hyll-Decantan Promontory.

He seemed not to have any family found in the Kingdom of Hyll-Decanta and he seemed to bear the demeanour and accent in speech of one from far abroad, beyond the neighbouring Kingdoms.

There was no possible reason to justify such far trot by so fragile and young a soul, but this was what was accepted as news: that he was without origin, and he offered not memories in words regarding his past; much like a child traumatised.

He was a foreign lad and thus, greatly frowned upon, with meagre reward for more work and not assorted into any departments. The man child was, however, ardent to please and ever cheerfully available.

The woman knew that this was the truthful portion of his story, for she had heard it whilst tending to such soldiers immediately after they had scouted the presence of the boy and had brought him.

Various other renditions and accounts of this tale began circulating to cause even the very child a certain amount of confusion regarding the past of his own life.

But there was confirmation that he was from afar, for even his accents were heavy and unique. Although his history was curious, it was not new. There were various such children lost as nomads in this world with no home.

Aldric looked up hesitantly when he felt her continued gaze upon him and gave her a naive smile.

With a gracious one to recompense, "Lovely grooming of your attire, son", said she.

"Thank you, M'lady", he gushed, looking down at his hands that rested tight on his lap. Innocent pride appeared upon the expression of his face in the form of a blush.

The Lady withdrew her sight and turned her attention to the passing scapes of nightly Tristendyre through the window. Her mind did not bother to drink the recognition of what made her fast paced view, since there was much more affairs that were pressing.

In her reflections, the Physician pondered over the means by which the Regent could possibly summon the gigantic, fire-breathing Dragons as Crescence had earlier reported.

It was all too curious and indiscernible for these salamanders bent to no subjection but ruled the skies and all life form beneath like there was no fetter or restraint.

The Lady willed to construe and understand the secrets of how the men deceived the people and bring their ways to broad and fair daylight. This was the version of Justice she strove, for Imogen's sake.

She further considered how the Regents had deliberately sowed candles of Rivenhove in the whole town. Thus, Jehu's escape was unaccounted.

There was no means of any other persons from lower authority to have forged the chemicaled candles and thus, it was the Regents who had orchestrated the fiasco.

The Lady wondered if their hand had allowed it in order to corner Imogen, although that seemed farfetched.

However, Lady Minerva knew that it was odd enough that they would pave way for Jehu's escape by casting the town to deep dimensions of slumber, and since the candles had been incinerated by dawn, none could hold evidence against them.

When the news had been brought to her ears the previous night that her apprentice was charged with assisting the abscondence of a criminal, she had chilled.

After paying the scene of crime a brief visit, Lady Minerva had been the sole one to recognise the Rivenhove and the like scent had been upon her dear girl's clothes as well. It had further been evidence be-cause Imogen had been lost in a deep pit of slumber.

The very day's morning had been insufferable when the innocent girl had been led away. Even the Lady's blessings to the damsel's crown had not seen effect...

The Physician visibly winced at the memories of how terrible the night had felt and worse as it proceeded to this day that followed.

It was going to be a terrible deal of months to come where she will be forced to consume the unendurable weight of reality that loving Imogen was gone from her bosom.

Just as these grim and dreadful feelings overcame her heart, she felt a little palm on her lap. The woman looked down to see Aldric staring at her intently.

"Are you good, M'lady?" asked the little one. The Elder mutely nodded with a smile, brushing the tears that glazed her eyes, be-fore she placed a large old palm over his.

"I am well", she whispered, emotion reigning over her voice.

"Are you missing Inogen?", asked the little one and Lady Minerva nodded, with a smile, brushing his blue and soft tufts of hair.

She did not feel the need to correct the child's mispronunciation, but she did recall seeing this one feverishly crying for the damsel during the execution. Her mind had not completely assigned the recognition of his face to his person at that moment, for the ordeal was pressing her heart more.

At such present hour, it felt calming to know that this young lad cared. It felt much like Imogen had been, when her friend, the Chief Reeve, Lady Syntyche had passed on and the little girl had been by her side consolingly.

Imogen's soul had been quite old a one, for she had been at an age where children imagined they were not visible to their governesses when they hid behind furniture only till their own eyes could not see the ladies.

The young boy withdrew his hand and clasped them neatly like that was how he had been instructed to conduct himself in requited and strict decorum.

The Lady considered how sweetly this child's heart did seem to care, as she watched his fingers fidgeting nervously.

"Are you seeking Apprentice?", asked he and the woman gave the question thought.

"Per-haps so", lied Lady Minerva, waiting for what the child wished to imply.

"I don't have a department; if I work very hard would I be able to become your help?", asked he, eyes earnest like he desperately hoped to please her.

The Lady smiled down at the lad and nodded, "of course, dear."

In perfect honesty, the Physician was looking for no replacement of Imogen, but with such faint desires granted, she knew that with this boy's passion, he would at least play as a successor, if not a worthy substitute of her erstwhile apprentice.

"I promise to make you proud, I work every day for you, M'lady", the boy began speaking without pause and Minerva calmly nodded as she listened with a smile. His future would be rich.

The Elder considered if she should send him to the Regal Physician Training Academy and sponsor his education there until he was ready to take her mantle.

She had not done such for Imogen, for the Chief Physician had personally professed to the damsel herself, but could not afford to practice the tutorship another deal yet again.

Beside all of those years of apprenticeship, Lady Minerva had not wished for Imogen to endure a public school of medicines be-cause the child had been able to see the vision of Death.

She had not desired for news of such gift to escape the walls of her safe premises, be-cause she had read records and accounts of persons in long gone eras, where they that had seen Death were exiled or outlawed in gruesome ways, not by reason of their talent, but by the kiss of Fate.

Frightfully so, Imogen herself had faced like destiny and end, which was a terrifying course of events.

She had read of only a few such records, but there was news about how eight persons with the vision of Death would emerge in the Human Race, either in the ages bygone or in those to come. Those biographies had mentioned that such persons were called "Pawns".

Miserable, how one of such rare importance was claimed at such young age this day.

She looked down to see the young boy's face lit up with gladness and accomplishment like he had finally secured the planting of seeds to a bright future.

All of the other children saw Sectors and Disciplines to fall into, save this one. It was wonderful that she had been able to bless him with like advantage. She wondered if it was Imogen's spirit smiling down at the lad's life to enrich it in her very place.

Lady Minerva set her face toward Lyrishveil, her approaching destination. She made a quick inspection to ensure if all her gifts were in proper array and planted the hat with a black netted veil over her head and wore her gloves.

The woman spared the quiet child beside her a brief glance, double taking to see him watching outside the window looking petrified like he had seen the undead.

~