Pawn by Robin Roseau

Author:Robin Roseau [Roseau, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B01H2NH1K4
Publisher: Robin Roseau
Published: 2016-06-13T04:00:00+00:00

Ten and Eight

Autumn arrived. We didn't know my exact birthday, only that I'd been born late in autumn or early in winter. But early winter in The Hippa is still late autumn in Marport. And so the autumn after I had first come to Framara, Juleena and Ralalta had chosen a date for my birthday, two weeks before the official start of winter. I never really felt the need to know the exact date of my birth, but Juleena had explained it was important.

"Why?"

"So we know what day to celebrate."

"I don't understand."

"Just you wait."

And so my first official birthday was quite a surprise to me. It was actually a intimate affair of just those closest to me. Juleena, Ralalta, and Muranna each gave me small gifts, which I didn't understand. But it was the custom, and so I learned when their birthdays were, and Mellara's, too, and after that, I did my part to celebrate their birthdays, and they celebrated mine.

But ten and eight is not a minor birthday, which I would discover as Muranna's date arrived. And so, when my birthday of ten and eight approached, I had a clue what to expect, although only a clue, as in Framara, there were a number of traditions that specifically excluded anyone who had not yet reached the age of ten and eight and others I just hadn't had the occasion to see.

* * * *

In the weeks leading to my birthday, I was busy beyond belief. There was to be a celebration, of course, and it would be far more expansive than less important birthdays. At first I feared the queen would invite practically everyone, and during the summer months, well in front of the date, we had several dinners where the conversation was dominated by Juleena, Ralalta, and Muranna discussing the guest list. I listened in horror as the list grew and grew.

But in the end, it was Lady Malta, the chatelaine, who presented to me the final guest list. I hadn't even known invitations had gone out, much less responses received. Standing in her office, I counted the names, tried to hide my sigh of relief, and then looked up at her. She was suppressing a smile.

"I carried a similar look in the days leading up to receiving a list such as this," she said. "You feared for hundreds, didn't you?"

"This is the entire list? You don't have a second hiding somewhere?"

"That's the list." She paused. "The queen has asked me to ensure you understand the traditions."

"I know there are three tasks," I said. "Is there more I need to know?"

"Yes, but you will learn of them on the day." She paused. "Lady Yallameenara, will you be able to complete the tasks? You understand you cannot solicit help of any sort."

"Not even advice?"

"That much you can request, but no more than that."

I counted the names again, and while the list was far less daunting than I had feared, there was something quite evident. "I can't make a tapestry such as Muranna made for me, and I certainly can't make fifty and four of them.

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