Fractured Fairy Tales by Catherine Stovall Page B

not mean to, I was coming to talk to Melisan and noticed you there.” Her father, his robes of office still on, smiled at her. His bushy beard and eyebrows often gave him an appearance of stern countenance, but for his “Trio of L” as he called his children, Lord Hondon’s grin would escape its hirsute bonds. With a heavy step he came further into the room. Melisan noticed him, and proceeded to bow, dropping to her knees.
    Lord Hondon walked over to Melisan, rested his hand upon the head of the maid who knelt before him.
    “Rise, Melisan D’ar Utha. Your subservience is not warranted.” Melisan rose to her feet, hands clasped together, one inside the other, awaiting her Lord’s pleasure. Luvia’s father turned towards her, and though most of his smile was gone, there was a look to his eye that seemed to be a mixture of pride and concern.
    “Tutor Hamman tells me you have been doing well in Eldar, my daughter; possibly, better than any of us expected.” Lord Hondon’s deep voice rolled around the room, echoing slightly in the chamber of the foyer.
    “Yes, Papa, I am learning. Papa, are the crows coming?”
    “That is part of what I was coming to talk to Melisan about when I overheard your conversation with her. To find out what approaches us.” The last trace of his jovial smile was gone, his heavy brow furrowed with concern.
    He turned back to Melisan. He ran his thumb gently across her brow, his voice so soft Luvia could barely hear him as he said, “ Kuile, tinu’an Balun. Kuile, il Korkoi ier sinome.”
    Luvia translated in her mind, “Awake, daughter of Balun, awake. The Crows are coming.”
    Melisan’s face seemed to shift, her features, while still the same, seemed to change before Luvia’s eyes, almost as though they had been slightly unfocused before, but now were in diamond sharp clarity. She looked up at Lord Hondon with an expression Luvia had never seen before on the maid’s face, one of malice.
    Luvia took a step back, shrinking against the wall.
    With a deep and heavy tone, a voice issued from the little servant, one very different from that which normally uttered from her small throat. “Lord Hondon, why have you summoned me? I wish to return to my rest…”
    “Crows have been seen, Mistress, they have been witnessed by blood of mine.” Lord Hondon’s voice was low, almost submissive.
    Luvia had never seen her father thus; to her he had always been the Lord, the dominant force in every relationship he had. More than anything before, this disturbed Luvia; helping her comprehension of the depth of what was before her.
    Melisan’s face twisted in a sneer of arrogance. “Impossible.”
    Luvia could not help herself, it was nearly a compulsion as she barked in response, “I am the Daughter of the Hondon; do you think I would lie?” Her tiny foot stamped in counterpoint. Luvia was shocked at herself; she never spoke to an adult like that. What was wrong with her? Her father looked at her with a similar expression of surprise.
    Melisan’s face turned towards her. The expression was searching, intelligent, and angry all at the same time. “Little Lordling, I do not care what you think you saw, it is impossible.”
    “Why? I saw the crow. I said the words to make it go away. They came from the Gods I think, they were words I did not know, and yet they came to me. Scared me.” Luvia crossed her arms defensively.
    “What words did you speak, Little Lordling? What could you have said to make the spies of chaos, the traitors of Eloh’im’aia go away?” Melisan’s hands waved dismissively in Luvia’s face.
    “ Autari wanwa Korko, Autari wanwa mor dulin, Autari wanwa Rakinna.”
    The spirit that was within Melisan screeched, “You spoke those words, you dared to command with the words of the King?”
    Luvia backed away a step from the creature before her. Lord Hondon protectively stepped between them.
    “Yes, Mistress Balun, she did speak those words. The Blood runs true in my line,