Midnight Wonders

4.1.1. A Rose in a Red Garden

Morning in the Yew was very white. The ceiling was white, the walls were white, the sheets were white, her dress was white. The white curtains were brushed aside with a white gloved hand, and the white light from outside streamed in.

Cora pushed herself up in the bed, shading her eyes with her hand. "Close them again, won't you, Lavinia? It's bright enough with them closed."

Lavinia turned from the window and raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not going to fall asleep again, are you?"

Cora sighed. She requested the windows be closed when she slept, but they did little to hide the light outside. She supposed she should have been used to sleeping when it wasn't night by now, but her will demanded that she insist upon it. "I won't fall asleep again. I'm awake already, aren't I?"

"For how long?" said Lavinia, joining Tulla and Opellia in their rummaging at the large wardrobe across the room.

Cora sighed again, pushing the covers off her. Lavinia was being rather unfair; Cora had slept much more outside Under-The-Green-Hill, and Luc had never once indicated his irritation, had never once disparaged her for it. She missed him. She didn't know how long it had been since she'd seen him last; the day-glass told her seven days, but she had no way of knowing if the day-glass she'd found in the dresser was accurate to twenty-four hours. Either way, it had been too long. And she still had yet to find a way out of the Yew. It would have been easier if not for her.

She missed Emma, too. Emma. Cora's heart sank at their summer plans now surely thrown out the window. Emma had been so excited to share them with Cora, and Cora had been so excited to be a part of them. Emma was the only one Luc had ever brought home who was not a neighbor, and Cora was amazed that he had somehow befriended someone who was not like him at all in her openness and energy, yet was exactly like him in her caring and thought. She hoped Emma wouldn't be upset at her for disappearing so suddenly. She hoped they'd still be friends

"What color are we wearing today?" said Opellia, exiting the wardrobe with a long white dress.

"Red," said Cora.

"Again?" Opellia huffed.

"I'd like red, Opellia." Normally Cora wouldn't have minded wearing different colors; she quite liked it, actually, as outside it was a rare occasion to dress up, and if she could wear any color, she would. But since getting stuck here, she had been wholly dedicated to the color red. It was a bit ridiculous, but she felt a slight comfort in the thought that if she wore a bright red, if Luc ever came around the Yew, he would be able to find her, even in a crowd. But Luc wouldn't be coming to the Yew.

Opellia still looked annoyed, but she shook the dress in her hands, and the white unfolded into a bright crimson red. "You'd better choose a different color next time!" she said, laying the dress across the bed.

Tulla had gone into the bathroom to fetch a large bowl of hot water, which she set on the dresser. Cora swung her legs over the side of the bed and made to stand, but Tulla sat her back down. "The water isn't prepared yet." She reached into the pouches tied around her waist (they were really just exposed pockets, which Cora thought were an innovation that should be picked up outside) and pulled out bunches of herbs, which she dropped into the water, stirring with her finger. The steam wafting from the bowl made it look as if she were cooking up a rather mysterious soup.

"Are we walking much today?" Opellia mused, lost in the wardrobe again.

"I hope so," said Cora. She hoped to go around as much as possible, see as much of the Yew as she could. Maybe then she could find a way out. Even the ladies (Lavinia, Opellia, and Tulla) did not know their way around the labyrinth that was the Yew. But unfortunately, her activities when she was awake were not dictated by her.

"Then I'll get the boots out," said Opellia.

"All right, it's ready now," Tulla said, and Cora stood, going over to the dresser. She looked into the water, her reflection hazy from the steam and interrupted by the floating herbs. They made the water smell like an apothecary. And they made her hungry.

Tulla pulled Cora's hair away from her face, and she washed it in the water. When she was done, the ladies helped dress her, and Cora was sitting on the bed, Lavinia braiding her hair, Tulla lacing up her boots, and Opellia fastening the back of her dress when there was a rap on the door.

Cora's heart sank, already knowing who was there before the voice called out, "Concordia! Are you awake?"

Cora resisted a sigh. "Yes."

The door opened as the three ladies hurried to tie off the ribbons and laces. The queen of the Yew entered the room. "Good morning, my dear!" said Symphora. She smiled brightly at Cora, letting the door swing shut behind her.

Morning. The word, the concept felt strange. The people of Under-The-Green-Hill were always reminding her that there was no time here, that there was no day, no night, there was only now and before and after and no further categorizations. And yet still she was told to sleep at night and wake up in the morning and bathe at noon. They were the times only relative to the day-glass that ran agonizingly slowly on the dresser. And these were the times only applied to her.

"Good morning," Cora said, politely.

"Did you sleep well?" Symphora went over to her bedside and sat on the edge of the mattress. Her careful eyes looked Cora up and down, roaming over the red of her dress, the familiar weight of disapproval pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Very well," said Cora. Though it was not exactly true. She had slept better when she'd still been able to run from Symphora, when she'd still been able to escape Under-The-Green-Hill. Now she spent her days doing almost nothing but wandering, trying to find a way out of the Yew.

"Good," said Symphora. She glanced at Cora's boots. "Are you going anywhere?"

"Anywhere you'd like me to," Cora said. "I just find them comfortable."

"Well," said the Queen of the Yew, "there are new bushes in the Blue Garden that need to be trimmed. The blossoms are growing, and they need to be plucked before Midsummer. You can bring them to the kitchen afterwards."

"Of course," said Cora. That was the cruelty of Symphora. She gave Cora a task that would often lead her to the kitchen, though she had made Cora promise never to eat anything. Cora was not sure how she was still alive; she had not eaten anything in so long. She also didn't know why she bothered to honor the promise. The food didn't particularly look suspicious. But she did not feel close to dying yet, so she decided it wouldn't hurt to hold off until she got home, where she could have her simple, safe cereal, sandwiches, and whatever Luc decided to make for dinner. Her three ladies advised her against eating, too, and she had more faith in them.

"Don't forget to bring a basket when you go—"

The door opened, and another lady stuck her head inside. "My Queen. There is a man at the Gates. He refuses to introduce himself."

A man at the Gates?

Symphora frowned. "Describe him."

"He didn't get off his horse, so we could not tell his height. But he is a young man. His hair is brown, as are his eyes. He says he has not slept in days and would like to see the young Lady. Immediately." The lady looked at Symphora with wide, earnest eyes. Waiting.

Her description was too vague for Cora to even be sure, but she felt her heartbeat quicken. No, it couldn't be. She shouldn't hope that he was here.

Even so...

"All right," Symphora said. Her voice had gone cold as it always did when she spoke to anyone who was not Cora. "Take him to the Red Garden." She turned to Cora. "Concordia, my dear, it appears the Red Garden will be occupied today. Be sure not to disturb it when you pass by."

"Of course," Cora said, hardly able to hear her own voice over the pounding of her heart.

"I'll see you later." Symphora gave Cora a practiced smile and swept out of the room with the other lady.

Lavinia, Tulla, and Opellia gave a collective sigh. "I'll get the basket," Tulla said, leaving as well.

"Lavinia," Cora said, and the dark-haired lady looked down at her. "Take me to the Red Garden."

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