Ghost Fields - Book One of The Fields of Mendhavai Trilogy

Chapter Three

I woke, surprised to find myself refreshed. A wind blew the scent of burnt vegetation through the cracks in my shuttered windows. It had grown too cold through the duration of my fever to leave the windows open to the nighttime breezes any longer. I washed my face in the warm basin of water left for me by Corina.

The young woman tiptoed into the room soberly, carrying a platter of fruits and cheeses and a decanter of sweet wine. She smiled in relief to see me up and about, looking revived.

“G’morn, my lady,” she said, appearing to be back to her normally cheerful self, as she placed the platter on the table near the hearth. She stooped and stirred up the coals in the hearth until a small fire crackled to life. “Looks to be a nice warm day today; won’t need this fire going for long.”

I nodded as I gathered a handful of fruit. “What came of last night’s fires, Corina?” I asked, sitting at my dressing table while she drew the drapes aside and opened the shutters to let in the sunlight.

“Captian Lauda managed everyone with competence and there weren't a spark left in the field not long after you left. There’s a passel of townsfolk in the hall waiting for you,” she replied, moving behind me with a hand brush. She started drawing the stiff boar bristles through my long straight hair, brushing it into a sheen before plaiting it into two long braids to drape down my back. “They’ve all got something to say about the fires last night, and though most of them know it was lightning caused, they’re back to blamin’ the dragon and won’t hear any reason from the captain.”

She wove in a few strips of brightly dyed doeskin lacing before tying the braids off with matching leather cords. My hair out of the way, she expertly redressed the wound on my shoulder.

“Lovely,” I replied, letting a hint of sarcasm slip through my voice. I looked up at her image behind mine in the mirror as I popped a slice of apple into my mouth. “And what of Gavin’s family?”

Her smile brightened her freckled and rosy face in the reflection. “They’re well, Lady. No wounds, only suffered from breathin’ a bit of smoke when one of them knocked down a lamp as they ran into the house to hide. That’s what burned everything to ash, not the breath of a dragon.” She grinned knowingly.

“I’m so glad to hear they’re well. Let Captain Lauda know I’d like some of his men assigned to go help them rebuild as soon as possible. Winter is too near for anyone to be without home and a warm hearth.”

Corina curtsied, a grin on her face.

“Well, we best get on with it then, shouldn’t we?” I said.

Corina nodded, helping me into a rare silk, lavender colored gown with silver lacing and placing a thin band of silver atop my head.  The gown had been my mother’s; a holiday gift to her from the King of Khallad, our neighbor to the west. I slid my feet into my favorite gray slip shoes, dipped my fingers in the washbowl to rinse off the sticky fruit juice and strode out of the suite. I nodded to my guards, winking at Peps whose eyes sparkled at me, as they fell in place beside me to escort me to the audience chamber.

I could hear the arguing long before I slipped through the rear door and took my seat in the smaller of two the wooden chairs on the dais. The sound grew louder as the people realized my presence. I put a hand up and patted the air.

“Please, please, my friends.” My voice carried through the arguing which dropped to mere whispers at the sound of it. Captain Lauda strode through the crowd and took his place standing to my right and slightly behind.

“Now,” I said. “I know you’re all here because of your concerns about the fires last night.”

“It was them dragons, Lady!” someone shouted and angry voices rose in agreement. I raised an eyebrow at Peps and he grinned, knowing my thoughts – there was more than one now?