Since your mother and Lady Howard had been friends since childhood, it was arranged that the two should share their confinements at Cynfyn, for one another's company and so that Laurela might avail herself of the midwife serving my household. Unbeknownst to Laurela or her husband, your mother's second-born was then to be presented as a supposed twin to the child Laurela carried — which is exactly what was done, except that her own child was born still. Thus, what began as a regrettable but necessary deception chanced to have an unexpected and doubly felicitous outcome, easing the sorrow of Laurela's loss as well as our own — to surrender our beloved daughter into the keeping of another, for her safety's sake.
I pray that you can forgive what I have done, and that you may now make the better acquaintance of your twin sister, Veralyn Thamar (de Corwyn) Howard. I have provided for her such training as I could, in the hope that she may share this legacy of our mutual birthright with you.
My devotion to both of you, my darling daughters, and to dear Marie as well.
Even as Alyce read the final words, through a blur of tears, the glowing script was fading from the page. The last line alone lingered for a moment longer than the rest, superimposed over the more mundane message penned on the page, before likewise dispersing like wind across water.
Alyce shared what she had read with her sisters — Marie first, since they were accustomed to working mind-to-mind. Marie wept with emotion when it was done, then dried her tears — glad ones, this time, unlike those of the previous weeks — and gathered up the finished half of the garland to take it to the altar rail, humming one of the more sprightly antiphons of Advent as she carried it down the center aisle.
«She's quite amazing, isn't she?» Vera murmured to her twin, watching Marie retreat. «And very young».
«She was always Father's pet», Alyce replied, smiling. «And she is still just fifteen».
«Yes, I tend to forget that», Vera said wistfully. «Ahern is so mature for his age». She shrugged and jutted her chin toward the letter still in Alyce's hand. «Shall we?»
They returned to the bench where Vera first had found them and settled in amidst the stockpile of pine boughs and ivy, laying the ivy matrix and a few pine boughs across their laps — diversion, in case anyone should enter.
Alyce had feared it would not come easily, for other than with Marie, the greatest part of her previous contact with other Deryni had been with Father Paschal, and then always as pupil with teacher. Some little there had been with Jessilde, as part of training exercises, but always under Paschal's supervision. Interaction with Ahern had been mostly during their childhood, when none of them knew much; their mother had died young, and their father had mostly left their training to Paschal.
Provision also had been made so that Jessamy might tutor her and Marie, but the pair had been too short a time at court for that to happen. In truth, Alyce had always harbored a certain reticence concerning any too-close interaction with Jessamy, godmother though she was — and Tante» Jessamy, by her own mother's wishes.
She could not explain that reticence. It was not precisely come of any mistrust she felt toward Jessamy herself, but rather, an uneasiness over the apparent ambiguity of a Deryni being openly tolerated at court, in the queen's own household — though perhaps a woman was not deemed to be so great a threat as a man.
Alyce had also heard tell of a brother of Jessamy, called Morian, long assigned to the governor's staff in Meara, who made discreet use of his powers in the service of the king; she had no idea what the Bishop of Meara thought about this bending of secular and canon law. Perhaps it was a prerogative of kings, that sometimes it was acceptable that some Deryni function openly, despite what bishops said.
Nonetheless, this apparent contradiction regarding Jessamy and her brother had convinced Alyce that it was probably safest not to invite any untoward scrutiny of whatever abilities she herself possessed — and that included scrutiny by Jessamy. The feeling had intensified once she resumed her training with Father Paschal at Arc-en-Ciel. It was nothing he or anyone else had told her; she simply knew.
She also knew, in much the same way, that she need have no such reticence with Vera, who was her sister and her twin, and with whom she had shared their mother's womb. Not that mere willingness or even eagerness to also share their minds was sufficient to enable the easy doing of it — not when most of the focus of Alyce's training thus far had been geared toward keeping others out of her mind, or only allowing access to selected parts of it — or, wielding her power as the weapon it was, insinuating her own mind into another's, to impose her will.
No, in this instance there must be a balanced melding of senses, engaging the powers of mind as tool, not as weapon. Turning more knee-to-knee with her twin, Alyce drew another fortifying breath and laid their father's letter across her open palms between them, blue eyes meeting sea-gray as she invited contact. With the touch of Vera's hands on hers, with their father's words between them, she bade her shields to retract, flinching at the first brush of that other mind.
But Vera knew far more of such matters than she, and had been taught how to ease the process.
«Don't resist», she whispered. «Relax your shields. You're trying too hard». Don't make it happen…let it happen, she went on, shifting easily into mind-speech. Good.. just relax. We can do this…
Once past that point, as Alyce yielded to her twin's greater skill, their deepening rapport segued into a sharing that was profound. It left both of them blinking back tears of wonder, grinning and even laughing aloud as they embraced, and brought Marie back to the rear of the chapel to see what was so amusing.
«That's all very well for the two of you», she said, flouncing onto a seat beside Alyce in mock resentment and showing them her hands. «I'm all sticky with pine sap — though it does smell rather nice», she added, sniffing at her fingers, «and the two of you have just been gossiping away».
«Not gossiping — communing», Vera murmured. «Oh, it is going to be wonderful, having sisters — though we'll have to be very careful».
At first, they did, indeed, go very carefully, though the friendship suddenly blossoming among the three of them soon became obvious to all.
«I knew the three of you would get on wonderfully», Ahern told Alyce, after Mass on Christmas Eve, as he hobbled painfully beside her on his crutches. «I think she's always been my favorite of Rosmerta's fosterlings. Father always liked her, too».
Carefully shielding the reason for Keryell's fondness, Alyce merely said, «She is great fun».
«She is», Ahern replied. «I shall hate to see her leave. Unfortunately, Rosmerta will be taking all her household with her, when she goes back to her father. You did know that our esteemed step-mama is leaving…?»
«Well, there's nothing for her here, now that Father is gone», Alyce replied.
«Yes, well, good riddance», he said, his voice brisk. «But Sir Deinol’s wife has agreed to act as my chatelaine for the time-being, since I know that you and Mares can't stay indefinitely».
«You know that we would stay, if we could», she assured him.
«No, I know that you must go», he said. «Just promise me that you'll write often, and that you'll come to visit, when you can».
Later, when she told her sisters of the conversation, they reluctantly agreed that Ahern should not be told of the blood-tie that bound them, at least for the present.
«If he did know, though», Alyce said, «it would make it easier in some respects. I think he thinks he fancies you, Vera — but we can't have him courting his sister».
Vera rolled her eyes. «Did he tell you that?»
«No, but it's clear that he's fond of you».
«The dear boy. He is sweet — but in a few days, that won't be a factor», Vera said. «He's right that I'll be going with Rosmerta. Until my parents say otherwise, I have no choice». She shrugged at their knowing glances. «Well, they think they're my parents. Right now, the three of us are the only ones who know the truth of the matter — and Father Paschal, of course».
«Why can't we tell Ahern?» Marie asked.
«Because he's terrible at keeping secrets», Alyce replied. «At least he always was, as a child. Anyway, he doesn't need to know right now. It would be unfair to burden him with such knowledge while he's still recovering his health — and figuring out how to be an earl. Once we've gone back to Rhemuth, he's going to be very alone».
«I'm afraid she's right», Vera said to Marie. «This isn't the time to tell him. Our parents paid too high a price to make sure no one knows what I am. We mustn't do anything to jeopardize that».
«Exactly», Alyce said. «But we can do something to get Father's plans for you back on track. I thought to ask the queen about bringing you to court, when we go back to Rhemuth».
«To court?» Vera breathed.
«Why not? You've already been part of an earl's household. Don't think for a moment that this wasn't part of Father's plan for you. I'm sure he intended to arrange an extremely advantageous marriage, so that your eventual children — his grandchildren — would be in positions to improve the lot of our people. And no one would know that any of you are Deryni».
Vera was nodding by the time she finished, and Marie was grinning.
«The queen is very kind», Marie said. «And so many handsome young knights at court! Think what a fine marriage you might make!»
«There is that», Vera agreed.
«Then, it's settled», Alyce said. «We'll make inquiries as soon as we return.
The household of the late Keryell Earl of Lendour kept the feasts of Christmas at Castle Cynfyn, though the observances were muted because of his recent death. Two days after Saint Stephen's Day, to no one's particular regret, his widow announced, from the back of a horse, that she was departing at once for her father's lands near Dhassa.
«Madam, I am certain that my father did not intend that you should be turned out of your home», Ahern said dutifully, standing in the snowy yard with a hand on her horse's bridle, and balancing on one leg and a crutch.
«No, I am resolved», Rosmerta replied. «I have had several weeks to consider, while I waited for my husband's body to come home. But God did not consent to give me children by Lord Keryell, so there is nothing for me here. I wish you well, Ahern, but you do not need my presence. You must make a life of your own».
There was nothing he could say to that, for while his relationship with his stepmother had been civil, at least in his father's presence, there had never been true warmth between them.
«At least permit me to send an escort with you», he said, beginning to weave on his feet.