“When you go back, tell her that when we’re both freed up we’ll have to get together for a glass of wine or two and commiserate.”
“I certainly will.”
“And as nice as that thought is, it’s not why you’re here. What can we do for you?”
“Honestly, nothing, Lady Shireen. Lady Jocasta simply wanted to return the courtesy you showed her when you sent Orlando to visit us. To reaffirm the long bond of friendship and respect between our Houses.”
“I see. But I sent Orlando for a further purpose, as I’m sure you know. And Heads of Houses, temporary or not, don’t have time to send out an important aide for pleasantries. Not at this time anyway. So forgive me for being rude, Darius, but what is that Jocasta really wants?”
Ah. This Shireen was sharper than Darius gave her credit for. He should have been less flippant. Still, no harm done.
“To the point then. Lady Jocasta desires that House Whispering Pines become more… self-sufficient. She has fears that we depend too much on the good graces of Towering Oaks to be our strong shield-arm. While that has worked in the past, with Florian and Jediah being childhood friends.” He hesitated.
“We don’t know each other at all,” Shireen finished. She sat back with a sigh. “She has a point, and frankly, I should have seen it. But I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I am only temporary for sure. As soon as Solomon comes back, he’ll be Head of House. Surely Lady Jocasta wouldn’t doubt his word on something like this?”
“No, I’m sure she wouldn’t. And at that time, Lady Celia will most assuredly take over House Whispering Pines. But Lady Jocasta desires to leave her with an easy path forward. To ease her transition back into the Greenweald from wherever she’s been.”
“And?”
“She would like for us to arrange a trade. Some Towering Oaks soldiers who can train our troops to be more efficient and effective. In return, she’ll send a few of her own to train some of yours on…shall we say intelligence gathering?”
Shireen made a face at that but didn’t say anything. She looked down and pushed a couple of papers around, her face growing more thoughtful. “I’m not sure about that,” she said finally. “On the surface, it sounds like it could be beneficial. But I think a decision of that magnitude belongs to Solomon.”
“I completely understand,” Darius said, standing. “I’ll relay that to Lady Jocasta who, from my experience, will understand as well.”
“How long have you been with her?” Shireen asked, standing also.
“Oh, years. I’ve been with her since she first left Whispering Pines all those years ago and followed her to the Southern Seas. Frankly, I don’t know what she’d do without me.” He smiled, showing his humbleness at his own joke.
“Those are some stories I’d love to hear,” Shireen said. “Why don’t you stay for a day or two? You can join Orlando and I for a late dinner and tell us some of those tales.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Darius said.
He shook her hand again and turned to go. “Oh, by the way, Lady Shireen. Forgive me if I’m being too bold, but you really should get an aide of your own.”
“I have one. He’s been working himself to death, so I gave him the day off. Forced it on him, actually. I think he’s out somewhere, looking at birds.”
“Birds?”
Shireen shrugged. “You’d have to ask him.”
♦ ♦ ♦
While birds were common in the Greenweald and many nested in the trees of the compounds, if one really wanted to see them, one would go into the spaces between the Houses, those owned by no one and where there were fewer people to startle them.
At least, that’s what Darius assumed. He never actually thought about it before, but it seemed to make sense.
After he left Shireen’s office, he told Orlando he was tired from his trip and would like to lie down for a while. The look the scout gave him was almost one of pity. Pity that a soft aide from Whispering Pines didn’t have the stamina of a Towering Oaks scout.
It was true, of course, he didn’t. He also wasn’t nearly as tired as he pretended to be, though. As soon as Orlando was well out of sight of the guest quarters he escorted Darius to, he was moving again.
He walked with confidence to the compound gate, nodding to the guards as he passed through. They were on guard for unannounced visitors to the compound, not leaving it, after all. And despite telling Shireen he would be delighted to have dinner with them, he had no intention of returning.
Once out of sight of the guards, he stopped and took an item from his shirt. It was a simple needle, hung from a black thread. “Samuel,” he whispered, staring at it intently. He had seen the man’s name on a paper on the neat desk, over the title, “Aide to Head of House Towering Oaks.”
That was all he needed. Once he had the name, he could tell where almost anyone was. It was one of several spells that he had a special knack for.
The needle twisted back and forth and then the string snapped taut, the needle no longer swaying but pointing resolutely to the right. Darius walked slowly that way, concentrating on it until it moved again, changing direction. In this way, he followed it deeper into the forest, until he saw another of the Folk, sitting peacefully on a log and gazing up into the branches.
Darius moved behind him without the other man even being aware that he was there. Another of his gifts. And the final spell, while not something that he was particularly adept at, was enough to put Samuel out, his chin
