Vera nodded: a curt, constrained dip of her chin, trying to match her sister’s bravery. «You speak truly. Has…has the king yet told you what must be done?»
«Aye, some. He commands that first of all Alaric must be Named, according to the ancient traditions of our people — though how he has learned of this custom, I know not».
«Is it wise to Name so young a child as Alaric?» Vera asked. «He is only just four. By tradition, he should have near twice the years».
«The essential element is that he understands the difference between right and wrong — not his years», Alyce replied. «What concerns me most is that he not be frightened at his first encounter with serious magic. The ritual is not dangerous, as you know, but it could be very alien to a four-year-old, even one as precocious as my Alaric».
After a few seconds, Vera said, «Suppose I were to Name Duncan at the same time. Would that help?»
Alyce snorted softly. «Did I not just hear you say that even Alaric is young for this, and that a child should have twice the years before he is Named?»
«Well, I cannot let you do this alone», Vera said reasonably. «Or Alaric. At least if the boys are together, they will have one another to make it seem less strange».
Hardly daring to believe it, Alyce gently laid a hand on her sister’s shoulder.
«I prayed that you would say that», she whispered. «Would you really agree to do this for us?»
«How could I not?» Vera replied.
Alyce smiled and shook her head slowly. «How I do love you, dear sister».
«And I, you».
«Enough to do this thing tonight?»
«Tonight? So soon?»
Alyce nodded and took a deep breath. «I know it isn’t much time, but who knows what the future may bring? I could die in childbirth — and the king is not young. But now, tonight, you and I are both here, and the boys are here, and — please say you’ll do it, Vera».
Vera sighed wearily, suddenly looking far older than her twenty-five years, then nodded.
«Tonight. So be it».
For their working place, Alyce chose the tiny Lady chapel that Earl Jared had caused to be built the previous summer, in the heart of the castle gardens. It was there that he and Vera had finally laid their stillborn daughter to rest, at the feet of the chapel’s statue of the Blessed Virgin; and it was there that Alyce had already spent many hours pondering her situation and what they must do.
Later that afternoon, while the maids tackled the task of scrubbing the mud off two exuberant boys — Kevin declared himself grown enough to take his own bath — the two mothers brought baskets of «sewing» into the shade of the garden, there to disappear for a time into the chapel’s cool recesses and make their preparations. Kenneth and Jared had gone out with a hunting party around noon, and returned early in the evening.
After they all had supped, Alyce drew her husband aside and told him privily what he must know of the evening’s plans. Alaric had been long ago tucked up in bed and was sleeping peacefully. Sir Llion did not question that the puppy had been relegated to his room for the night, and would ask no questions in the morning.
«I never guessed that Vera is your sister», Kenneth said to her in a low voice, as they gazed down at their sleeping son. «Does Jared know?»
Alyce shook her head. «Nay, and he must not know», she replied. «Not because he might think the lesser of Vera, or of Duncan — he is a good man — but because all of them will be safer that way. Right now, you are one of only three people who know the truth — and Vera and I are the other two». She closed her eyes briefly. «Actually, I lied; there may be four. I’m sure you remember Father Paschal, who was my family’s household chaplain. He knows, or knew. But I am not certain he is even still alive…though I hope I would have heard, if he had passed on».
Kenneth glanced away briefly, pondering what she had said, then took both her hands and grazed her knuckles with his lips before raising his gaze to hers again.
«I remember Paschal, of course. Is he…one of you?»
She nodded.
«But…»
«I know», she whispered. «And I know that we are supposedly barred from the priesthood. But Paschal is Bremagni-born, and R’Kassan-trained. Matters in the East are not the same as here». She shrugged. «But I have not heard from him in some time. He is quite elderly by now, if he still lives».
«And he knows about Vera», Kenneth said.
«Yes». She leaned her cheek against his hand and closed her eyes, shivering, and he briefly stroked her hair. Then:
«Dearest Alyce», he murmured. «I think I understand some of what you are doing, and a little of the why. Both would be dangerous, if found out. But if one does not know, one cannot betray that knowledge, even under coercion. Can you…block me so that I may not speak of this? Please. Do this for all of us», he added, when her expression mirrored her reluctance.
«Very well», she whispered. «Afterward. But for tonight, I need your active support — your protection. And I need your senses unclouded. Will you help me?»
«You know that I will, dearest heart», he replied, turning her hands to kiss both palms.
Just past midnight, they and Vera and two small, sleepy boys made their way quietly down to the garden and its mortuary chapel, the two boys bundled in fur-lined capes against the late-night chill. The mothers led their sons; Kenneth brought up the rear, a sword at his hip. Jared had taken himself off to bed soon after supper, declaring himself bone-weary from the day’s hunting, though the opinion had been reinforced by his wife’s deft suggestions. The rest of the castle slept.
The two women had oiled the hinges of the chapel door that afternoon, so their entry was silent save for their whispered admonitions to the children to be quiet in God’s house. As they led the boys inside, the women’s long, hooded cloaks swept in a flurry of leaves that scattered and then settled as Kenneth followed inside and closed the chapel door behind them. The silence, after the latch clicked into place, was profound.
Wordlessly Kenneth took up a guardian position with his back against the door, his dark green cloak almost invisible in the moon-dappled shadows. He had unsheathed his sword at Alyce’s gesture, resting its point on the stone between his feet, his bare hands curved over the quillons, eyes downcast. Though he seemed distant, almost unaware of the presence of Vera and the sleepy Duncan, Alyce knew that his seeming detachment masked an acute awareness, if not an understanding, of what he was being called upon to perform. Young Alaric clung to his mother’s hand and watched all with wide-eyed curiosity, not understanding why his father stood so still and solemn and did not smile at him.
They had entered from the south. The Lady chapel was small and square, little larger than an ordinary room, its ceiling spanned by plastered ribs that framed painted frescoes of the night sky. To their right, a Presence lamp washed ruby over the carved ivory intricacies of the altar and its delicate reredos. In the far northwest corner, angled to oversee the entire chamber, a painted statue of the Virgin stood vigil over a second candle flame shielded in glass of the color of a summer sky. Beneath the flagstones at the Virgin’s feet lay the mortal remains of Vera and Jared’s stillborn daughter, reinterred there only weeks before.
Moonlight filtered dimly through the stained glass of the east window as the two women led their sons into the center of the chamber. A small, square table lay in readiness there, its surface covered by pristine white linen that touched the polished marble floor all around, low enough that the children could see its surface. Upon this table four unlit candles in silver holders were set in a line.
A sheathed sword lay on the floor in front of the table, half hidden by the folds of the tablecloth, its cairngorm pommel glowing in the lamplight like a watchful eye. Other necessities had been placed beneath the table, where the children could not see them.
«Alaric, we must give reverence to God», Alyce prompted in a low voice, suiting her own actions to her words as she made a deep curtsy toward the altar and the Presence symbolized by the vigil lamp.
The child Alaric carefully pushed back the hood of his cape and bowed his golden head, stubby legs bending in solemn imitation of adult genuflection. Beside him, his aunt and his cousin also made their obeisances, young Duncan sleepy-eyed but attentive as he held his mother’s hand and watched her for further instruction.
With a smile, Vera led both boys behind the table, the three of them kneeling in a line with Vera in the center. As she folded her hands, the boys did the same, watching with fascination as Alyce knelt beside them and extended her palms over the center two candles.
«Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of all creation, Who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments and hast commanded us to kindle this light».
At a slight movement of her hands, fire flared beneath them so that she had to draw them a little apart, to keep from being burned. She heard Alaric’s sharp intake of breath at the creation of fire, and Vera’s hushed «Shh!» as she closed her eyes and continued the invocation.
«Blessed art Thou Who hast kept us alive and sustained us and brought us to this place», she murmured. «May we be consecrated, O God, by the light of Thy countenance, shining upon us in blessing and bringing us peace. Amen».
«Amen», Vera repeated, the boys adding their own tremulous echo to hers.
Next Alyce took up the two remaining unlit candles and handed one to each of the children, gently guiding her son’s hand to light his from one on the table. Alaric scrambled to his feet and watched the flame in awe as his mother released his hand, for he had never been allowed to hold a lighted candle by himself before. Beside them, Duncan was grinning widely as he, too, held his first lighted candle. Alyce smiled as she took each boy’s free hand and led them back a few paces behind the table.
«Now, come and sit here, on either side of me», she whispered, crouching down as they settled cross-legged on the floor and listened eagerly. «Put your candles on the floor in front of you and pay close attention. We are about to do some very grown-up things, which most children do not get to see until they are much older than you are. This is a very special privilege».
«We be good, Auntie Alyce», young Duncan piped.
«I know you will, darling. Now, watch what your mama does. She’s taken one of the first candles that I lit. Alaric, watch your auntie Vera. Someday, when you are grown, you may have to do what she is doing, all by yourself.