Zezilia
“You are doing very well,” Errol sent as he looked over his notes from our recent exercises. We were in the study four weeks after Candra’s accident and it was during lesson hours; so, all of our communication was through sending.
“But I still cannot manage to do more than one thing at a time,” I pointed out. That fact continued to nag me. I couldn’t seem to be able to hold my concentration.
Errol nodded, his frizzy hair bobbing slightly behind the movement. “I wrote to a friend of mine about you having difficulty with it and he has suggested some exercises for you. We will try them out tomorrow.”
“Why not today?” I asked eagerly. I was willing to try almost anything to get over this challenge.
“Because,” Errol said as he closed his logbook, “A tester from the Sept Son is coming for lunch and bringing his own student for me to test. I think you will like both of them. Korneli is a good friend of Ilias’ from his childhood days. You can pester him all you like with questions. I am sure he can tell you some interesting things.”
“You mean I can ask him anything?” This surprised me since I was now convinced there was a conspiracy to keep me unaware of some aspects of Ilias’ past. It was strange how Errol avoided answering some of my questions about him, but would willingly answer others.
“Korneli knows what not to tell you,” my trainer replied.
So he was another in on the secret. I was convinced that Selwyn and Errol were the only two who knew why there was a limit on what information I was to have about Ilias. All the rest of the family acted as though they were obeying orders without quite understanding why.
Before I could ask Errol anymore questions about the tester, the jingle of harness bells drew my attention to the window. Coming down the trail from the road was a closed box wagon drawn by a beautiful brown mare. A tall dark man sat on the driver’s bench with a fair boy at his side. The boy looked to be about my age, but it was hard to tell at this distance.
“That is him.” Errol pushed back his chair with a sigh. “I will go let Adreet know that he has arrived and tell Delmar to get the horses. Why don’t you go out to greet them? I am certain that Korneli and his charge are eager to meet you.”
As he opened the door into the hallway, the sound of feet coming down the stairs echoed through the house.
“Someone is here,” Eloine announced as she rounded the corner into the hall, her long auburn hair in full sail behind her.
“We know,” Errol told her as he held out a steadying hand. “It is Korneli.”
“He has a boy with him.”
“That is his trainee. Now calm down.”
“Braid your hair, child,” Adreet ordered as she appeared from the kitchen.
“Korneli is here,” Errol informed her as though it was something that happened everyday.
“I couldn’t help hearing with all the noise.” Leading the small group out into the great room, she wiped her hands on her apron and began untying it. “Zez will you please fetch Galatea and Candra. I believe they are in Candra’s room.”
Obediently, I hurried toward the stairs, but before I got there, Galatea appeared at the top. She descended the narrow steps as though they were marble. Every hair perfectly in place, her dress spotless and neat, she looked as though she had just walked away from the mirror. I noticed a slight blush to her cheeks that could have only come from pinching them fiercely. After two months of little or no sun, all of us looked slightly pale.
“Someone is here?” she asked me, innocence plastered across her face.
“Your mother said to fetch you,” I told her from my place on the bottom step. Errol opened the front door on the other side of the room. Cold winter air swept two figures into the room as Galatea descended so she could see too.
“Welcome,” Errol greeted them as he closed the door behind them.
Korneli turned and saluted Errol with a smile. “Ah, Errol, it is so good to see you again. I have been regretting missing you at the Caelestis Novem celebrations last summer.”
“I had to leave early. Ilias sold this farm to us and I needed to begin moving immediately. Come in.” Errol gestured toward Adreet and Eloine. “Come and meet my family, or at least part of my family. This is my wife Adreet and our middle daughter, Eloine.”
Korneli was tall, about Selwyn’s height and a foot over Errol’s head. As he bowed over Adreet’s offered hand, I caught a glimpse of dark intelligent eyes. His appearance was striking, even from this distance. Straight, dark brown, almost black hair was cropped closely to his head and the even, well-defined features of his face made him immediately attractive in a way I had never seen before. I heard Galatea’s gasp of appreciation as he turned toward us.
“And you must be the other two ladies of the house.” He saluted us formally and then turned to draw his companion forward.
