Sorceress

Chapter 11

The trip back to the inn was made in silence.  The Matron’s features were fixed into a neutral expression, betraying no emotion.  I would sneak looks from under my lashes at her every now and then, but her face remained a mask.

I had still not spoke to Wynny since that morning, and I made no attempt during dinner.  I sat at the large wooden table, squished between Delaena and the twins eating a watery fowl stew and fresh baked bread.  The inn was mostly empty, a stark contrast from the evening before.  Only a few tired men sat in the corner nursing large cups of ale.

After dinner, I headed straight up to the room I shared with Wynny, Kara and Karan.  I hoped that I could be fast asleep by the time Wynny crawled into the bed we shared.  I wanted to be alone with my own thoughts.  I had to think hard about what she and the Matron had said.  Maybe they were right, and I was not the person I was meant to be.  I could not change who I was, and the idea of leaving everything behind, all that I had become, caused my breath to catch in my throat.

Sleep did not come, and I was still awake, turned onto my side facing away from the door when Wynny crawled into bed.  I could feel her turn towards me, her breath warm on the back of my neck.  Her slim hand hovered over my shoulder for a moment before she pulled it away and sighed.

Closing my eyes, I put all thoughts of leaving out of my mind and instead focused on remembering everything from that moment.  I wanted to remember the sound of Karan and Karan breathing in complete synch, the smell of all of us sleeping in a bed that was too small, the feel of our legs touching under the sheets.  I wanted to remember this.

I must have drifted off to sleep, however briefly.  I was awoken by Delaena gently shaking my shoulders and whispering my name.  She held her finger to her lips when I opened my eyes, gesturing for me to be quiet.  Moonlight streamed in from the tiny window behind Delaena making it seem as though Delaena was glowing.  Looking at her I realized she was not dressed in our usual white.  Instead she had on a dark blue dress trimmed in silver.  The front was cut stylishly low, revealing the tops of her breasts, and her dark hair was uncovered and pinned up on her head.

“Is something wrong?  What are you wearing,” I asked, confusion written all over my face.

“We’re going out,” she whispered, smiling wickedly.

Shaking my head, I sat up.  “Out? Out where?”

From behind her back Delaena revealed a dark purple dress.  It shimmered slightly in the moonlight as she held it out to me.

“Put this on,” she whispered handing it to me.  “We’re going out.  The inn keep’s daughter let me borrow these, as long as I promised not to ruin them, so be careful.”

Getting out of bed, I held the dress out in front of me.  It was a few years old, and slightly wrinkled. 

“How did you get these?”

Flashing me one of her most winning smiles, Delaena said “Oh well, you know me!”

Nodding my head in agreement, I knew Delaena could talk a rabbit into a stew pot.

Stripping quickly, I slipped into the dress, turning so Delaena could lace up the back.

“It’s a little big,” I said holding up the front.

“I can fix that,” Delaena said turning me back around.

A few lace strings later, Delaena had managed to pull the dress tight enough that it fit snugly against me.  She produced some pins and proceeded to pin and tuck my hair up.  Jabbing the pins fiercely into my head, I sucked in my breath as she pulled and tugged at my hair.