“I tell you now, there is something uneasy in the air, and I pray this illness on Therese’s house is coincidence and nothing more.” He moved aside from the cabinet. “Come, Virago, see the work you’ve done and some I have done in your stead.”
I rushed to his side and found Sylvain had not only traced the vest patterns, but also cut and matched the velvet perfectly against them. “I don’t understand.”
“I found you early this morning. I’d been uneasy in my bed. Nightmares forced me to seek comfort in a drink, but instead discovered the brilliant glow of the lanterns and candles you’d lit before you slept.”
“I cannot believe I’d not extinguished the candles. I must have been possessed by some wild notion, or the muse had her way with me.”
“Well, it is of no matter. I extinguished the candles and gathered your work and the velvet from under your arms, and set about doing what I could to help. The work soothed me and eased the visions from my mind.”
I held the pieces of velvet before me. It shone even in the dim, overcast morning light, and it comforted me. “You have done fine work, and even so with this new pattern. How did you know it?”
“I can feel the edges of the pattern and have traced patterns for as long as I can remember. Father insisted I learn. How many hours did I spend learning how to use a tailor’s tools? Don’t you remember Father putting my hands on top of his while he cut patterns? I think I knew how to use scissors before a fork!”
“Sylvain, you are a marvel. You have saved me countless hours, I am indebted and awed.” On an impulse, I grabbed my brother and hugged him tightly. “I am always apologizing to you, Brother, but I am nothing without you by my side.”
Sylvain, always uncomfortable with blatant emotion, struggled in my embrace, then relented and hugged me. “If you are always apologizing, I will always forgive you. We are brothers and although I am blind, I can see the splendor of your talents and maybe in some way, I hope my aid will make you that much greater. Now let me go or I will bloody your nose. There is breakfast and you must go and finish the vest at court.”
His words sent a worrying thought through me. Had Duir remained unaware of my absence?
I released Sylvain and he made his way from me, but stopped in the passageway from store to kitchen.
“There is unease in the streets. It is good fortune the coronation is tomorrow.”
I laughed. “Your speaking better about Duir’s crowning is something I thought I’d never hear, but you should know, Sylvain, he asked after you yesterday. Perhaps old wounds may be forgotten.”
“Perhaps,” Sylvain answered carefully before he left the room.
Chapter 10
When I arrived at court, Horace immediately ushered me to Duir’s chambers. He was in a state of anxiety over Duir’s procession. When I first saw the fear and worry on his face, I knew my disappearance the day before had been discovered.
“The clock is a cruel master,” he muttered as we came to Duir’s chamber door. “Do say whatever you must to speed him along, Tailor. I don’t like to think what will come of His Grace being late to the cathedral!”
I barely had time to sigh in relief before Horace thrust me towards the heavy door. Surely if Duir knew of my absence, Horace would have known of it. Had I merely been lucky?
Before I could further gather my wits, Horace disappeared and I stood within the bedchamber of my friend and king. The sun made its way from behind the melancholy of early morning, and lit the room with its brightness. The weather had changed. It was a good omen, I told myself as I followed the sound of familiar voices to Duir’s inner dressing chamber. If luck favored me, I would soon know.
“Your Grace,” I said humbly at the entrance. “It is Virago, here to assist you if I can.”
The voices ceased and Duir’s voice was made clear. “Come and join this debacle, Virago. Perhaps you can make sense of it!”
I pushed open the door to find Auberon, Briar, Cale, and Duir all in various stages of dress. Attendants scrambled about gathering discarded pieces of clothing while the men laughed and carried on over mugs of ale and picked figs, dates and nuts from two large bowls.
“What goes on in here?” I marveled as I walked among them.
Cale shouted after an already frenzied attendant. “Bring the tailor ale.”
I took the mug and nodded reassuringly at the attendant. I knew all of them well and could only imagine the debauchery Auberon and the rest had them up to on such a serious day. Duir and his men’s kind receiving of me revealed they were ignorant of my leaving the castle and I was appreciative for whatever vice or distraction brought this about.
“We are celebrating before I must be so severe, dear Virago,” Duir shouted, then came up and threw his arms around me, nearly making me spill the mug of ale on him.
I’d wisely packed the velvet for Duir’s vest and my tools in the pack I’d secured across my back, so it was safely out of the way. Duir wore only his braises and he smelled of the almond oil he often wore on special occasions.
“So I gather,” I answered, returning his embrace. “But surely you must be getting ready to leave. Have you not any idea of the time?”
“Bother the clock,” Auberon shouted.
Over Duir’s shoulder, I could see Auberon sitting on the edge of a couch wearing only a long peasant shirt and barely covering his modesty. He thrust a fig in his mouth and talked while chewing. “Duir is King. They wait on his arrival!”
“You find me in a quandary. I am unsure of what to wear. I know what is expected, but these fools…” Duir’s smile widened as
