Weaver's Curse

Kaedwyn and her friends had made plans to part with the caravan at a town called Dover about a day’s journey from the Peaks.

She felt confident in her new disguise.

Allie had washed the rest of the black dye out of Kaedwyn’s hair and then used the henna mixture she’d purchased to tint it color closer to flame then her natural auburn. She’d given Kaedwyn’s eyebrows the same treatment. With the rest of the henna, she’d tattooed freckles all over Kaedwyn’s face and shoulders.

Then she’d hidden Kaedwyn’s beads, the main mark of her Telare heritage, within a thick braid. Allie had finished it off with wrapping a kerchief over it, like she did with her own hair.

From a distance, Kaedwyn didn’t think anyone would be able to recognize her. Allie had clearly known what she was doing.

A group of riders approached their caravan, wearing greenish colored uniforms. Kaedwyn tensed for a moment, wondering if it might be her pursuers. Beside her, Allie also tensed.

It’s kind of sweet that she’s worried for me, Kaedwyn thought.

“We’re going to have to ask you to halt for a moment and let us search your caravan.” a dark-haired young man leading the riders ordered. Kaedwyn noticed that he wasn’t wearing a uniform like the others.

“What’s all this? On whose authority?” Mr. Hexing demanded.

“By order of the king and the duke of Malachite.” The man said, flashing Hexing two seals. She recognized the emblem on one from the Zirconian flag. “I am Salazar Malachite.”

“Fine then.” Hexing said. He didn’t look happy about it. “If I find any damaged goods after your search I shall be billing their expenses to the dukedom.”

“Fair enough.” Salazar Malachite said.

They stopped all the wagons, and the Malachite group ordered everyone out.

Salazar Malachite and another young man with light brown hair wandered through the crowd, examining everyone’s faces as Salazar’s men searched through the wagons.

They’re looking for a person, Kaedwyn realized. The missing Malachite girl, maybe?

She exchanged a glance with Allie, who seemed to have had the same thought. Allie shrugged.

Malachite stopped in front of Allie and gave her a long stare. Kaedwyn resisted the urge to pull the other girl behind her. On Allie’s other side, stood Toby, who looked equally uncomfortable.

Finally, Malachite shook his head and moved on.

“Looks like Dill was wrong about which of us was the missing Malachite,” Kaedwyn whispered jokingly.

Allie gave her a weak smile.

Presently, all of the Malachite lackeys exited the wagons, and re-mounted their horses.

“We apologize for the inconvenience.” The brown haired boy said. “Have a safe journey, good sir.”

Mr. Hexing watched them depart, glaring at their backs.

Finally, they all climbed back in their wagons and kept going.

“He was creepy.” Toby said, rubbing his arms.

“I didn’t like the way he stared at me.” Allie said.

“Neither did I.” Kaedwyn said. “I’m starting to see why the young lady doesn’t want to be found.”

“Do you think that’s who they were looking for?” Allie asked. “I noticed that they paid more attention to the women than the men.”

“Maybe.” Toby said. “Good luck to Miss Sedine in her endeavor to keep avoiding them.”

“They didn’t pay much attention to you,” Isaan said to her.

“I’m guessing Sedine, or whoever they were looking for, has a build closer to Allie’s.” Kaedwyn said.

The others nodded in agreement.

They stopped at a town called Drin to buy more horseshoes, and the group stopped to buy suitable hiking boots. Isaan was the only one that possessed a suitable pair.

They’d be in Drin for several days, as it would take a while for the blacksmith to prepare the horseshoes they needed, which would give the cobblers time to prepare their footwear.

Isaan paused outside of the shop, and grabbed her arm.

“Vef!” he said.

“What?” Kaedwyn asked.

“I think that’s my surname. Vef!”

Kaedwyn tested the name. “Isaan Vef.”

“It’s a good name.” Allie said.

“I wonder why I couldn’t remember my surname?”

“Me too.” Kaedwyn said.

“It was forbidden knowledge, I guess.” Toby suggested.

A that moment, Isaan ran straight into someone.

“Sorry, sorry!” Isaan said, hauling the boy to his feet. “Why do I keep doing that?”

The boy grinned smugly. “Not your fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Well, bye then...” Kaedwyn said, taking Isaan’s arm and preparing to drag him off.

“Wait!” the boy said.

“Yes?” Allie asked, glancing back at him.

“I think there’s something I can help you with.” He said, nodding to Isaan. “It has to do with those marks on your neck.”

The group exchanged a glance.

“Let’s talk somewhere else.” Allie suggested.

“I know a spot.” The boy said. “I’m Nigel Diddlesworth, by the way.”

“Isaan Vef.”

“Kaedwyn.”

“Allie.”

“Toby.”

Nigel stopped at a small cluster of trees in a grassy are.

“I met a girl with the same markings on her neck as you back in Reganne.” Nigel said. “her height matched yours, roughly, too.”

Could she be one of his sisters?

“I actually happened to have sent her this way.” Nigel said.

“Why?” Isaan asked

“She was looking for something. Someone.” Nigel said.

He’s not being very clear.

“Don’t give me that look, it wasn’t you she was looking for.” Nigel said.

“Rude.” Toby muttered. Kaedwyn didn’t think Isaan had heard him.

“I can help you find her, for a price.” Nigel said.

“What’s the price?” Kaedwyn asked.

“I need you to set a few people on her travelling companion’s trail.”

“Who are they?” Toby asked suspiciously.

Nigel pulled out three sketches for them to examine.

Two depicted Salazar Malachite, and the other nobleman he’d had with him.

Toby gasped lightly at the third.

It was a drawing of a scowling man with a strong jaw. She couldn’t tell why he’d gasped.

“Ah. So you recognized Prince Ryle.” Nigel said, smiling.

But why did he recognize that sketch?

“Will setting these men on her tail endanger her companion?” Allie asked, eyes narrowed.

“Oh, almost certainly.” Nigel said. “But, it is for her own benefit.”

How can intentionally endangering someone be for their own benefit?

“You must leave Telare, Kaedwyn. It’s for your own good.” Her mother’s voice whispered in her head.

“I don’t think we can do that.” Isaan said, his voice heavy.

Right. Endangering her travelling companion will also endanger her, Kaedwyn said.

“Fair enough.” Nigel said, standing. He paused before he walked away. “Her name is Indeara.”

“Who’s name is?” Toby wondered as Nigel walked off. “Her, or the companion?”

“I think he was talking about Isaan’s probably-sister.” Allie said.

“Indeara.” Isaan said softly.