Shadow of the Unicorn

Chapter 3

Once Jace had retired for the night and his companions had dispersed, Briane hastened down to the kitchens in search of her mother. A few of the servants looked askance at the girl in the Student's uniform hurrying through that part of castle at so unseemly an hour, seeing only the uniform and not the face, but those that recognized her thought nothing of it, for though Students were rarely found in the kitchens at that hour, as the former thought her up to some mischief, while the latter knew her true errand. "Mother!" said the girl eagerly, "might I have a word with you?"

Juliene, the head cook, frowned at her daughter in consternation for her unseemly behavior, but quickly wiped her hands on her apron and motioned towards the pantry, which was for the moment unoccupied. The girl smiled exuberantly, quite unconcerned with her mother's disapproval and dashed into the small room, impatient to impart her strange news, the flummoxed dame following in her wake. As soon as the door was securely shut behind them, the girl burst out, before her mother could reprimand her for her impudence, "did you not once tell me a tale concerning yourself and that awful fortress up the river?"

The lady frowned the more, wondering what had gotten into the child, but said slowly, "yes, but what brought it to your attention tonight and why the secrecy?"

The girl grinned unabashedly in her excitement, "there is a new student, a boy about my age, who claims to have fled the place, just last night."

The good lady sat down suddenly on a barrel, her hand over her heart and a small gasp marring her usually unflappable demeanor. Briane took a step towards her mother in concern, never having seen her so shaken, said she, "have I said something wrong?"

Juliene smiled wanly, regaining her composure, said she, "no, you have just said the impossible child, did this boy say what role or position he held in said ruin?"

The girl grinned, "he claimed to be the proprietor's son."

The woman shook her head adamantly and locked eyes with her daughter, "you are certain of this?" The girl nodded, curiosity burning in her eyes. The cook could not help but smile, knowing the girl took after her mother in that particular trait, perhaps too much so, said she, "I once mentioned I was an inmate of that place, but have said little more, for it is yet a painful subject to me and some might take the story amiss, but it is time you knew something of my own past and your own history."

She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, as the girl's eager eyes tried to burn a hole into her mother's mind, continued she, "you have often asked of your father but I have said little of him. If this lad's tale is true, that would make him your twin brother." She paused and allowed the girl to absorb the shock before resuming, "I was once mistress of that wretched keep, at least in title, but was in truth little more than a servant. I was a daughter of noble stock, but with no wealth left to the title, and so it was also with your father, though neither of us admitted as much until long after the wedding, both assuming the other to be in possession of a fortune and embarrassed about our true straits.

It was shortly after your birth that the truth came out and I fled that place in fear of my life, such was your father's reaction, though the fault was as much his as mine, but it was far more grievous a blow to himself, in his own thinking, because his only true love was that wretched fortress and now there was no dowry to continue in the building thereof. We fought, his temper as unruly as my own," the girl smiled openly at this, "and you can imagine the outcome. At last fear overcame pride and I snatched up my infant daughter and fled, bitterly leaving my son to his father's ill-mercies, but unable to carry both of my children away. I came here and was given a place among the servants, eventually working my way up to my current position. I thought your brother long dead or forever a prisoner within the grim walls of that horrid place, but your news gives me exceeding hope that it is not as I feared."