And as predicted, there were many interesting creatures living in these old walls, though the only one they found which posed any real threat, was a large rat, which Legs paralyzed. Silence felt a bit ashamed of his fear after that.
They made it to Blackclaw’s rooms and found a small hole in the stone of the windowsill where the wooden frame had been worn away by rot over many years. Silence managed to squeeze through; the other two made it through the tiny hole easily.
Silence stayed on the sill for a long moment as it gave him a good view of the room. There was a door in the far wall, probably leading into the rest of the keep. Not far from that, on the same wall, was a small nightstand, then a large bed. On the other side of the bed was an open area with a couple of chairs before a large hearth. In the close right-hand corner was a built-out area of wooden walls with a door. Probably a small privy. On the left-hand wall were a large wardrobe and a tall chest of drawers. The room was empty.
Silence waited for a while, just to make sure Blackclaw wasn’t in the privy. Then he scampered down the wall and was halfway across the room when the door to the hall began to open. He rushed under the bed, out of sight and watched as two booted feet stepped into the room. He heard a heavy sigh. It sounded like Blackclaw was frustrated or, perhaps, tired?
She moved around the bed to the fireplace and threw some more wood on the embers of the fire, waiting for it to catch. It was spring, but this high up, in this drafty castle, it was chilly. She moved to one of the chairs before the fire and sat heavily with another sigh.
He ran out on the far side of the bed and returned to himself, crouching low behind the large piece of furniture.
He drew in a long breath to steady himself, then rose.
“Hello Blackclaw, it’s me, Silence, don’t be afraid. I’m—” his words cut off as he caught site of her. She’d shot to her feet upon hearing his voice and… she had changed a lot in the nearly a year since he’d seen her last. Gone was the bulk from her figure, but remaining were all her curves. She was a stunning young woman now, not slender, but fit and strong and much fuller of figure than Legs or Sparrow. Her black hair had been cut short, framing a narrower face, which seemed to enhance and enlarge her brown eyes.
She had claws out on her hands, but quickly put them away. “Silence?” She blinked. “What are you doing here?”
“I… ah…” He blinked his confused-attraction away. He had a group he loved very much, and who loved him. “I’ve come to ask for your help.”
It was only then that she stiffened and her claws returned. “No, wait, you’re… with the traitor.” She looked around quickly. “Is she here?”
Silence held out his empty hands. “Please, Blackclaw, I’m here in peace. Don’t call out, don’t be alarmed. I just want to talk. Please?” He inched a bit closer to her, moving around to the end of the bed.
She settled again with a sigh, and he noticed then the darkness under her eyes, the fatigue upon her. “What am I doing?” she muttered to herself. Her claws vanished again, and she rushed to him, hugging him. “It’s good to see you.” Her words were soft and low, but her hug was tight and strong, perhaps just a little too strong, too desperate.
He was distracted for another moment by that ample body pressed to his, but he quelled that reaction and returned her embrace. “It’s good to see you too. Can we talk?”
She drew back, and nodded. “Of course, come, sit.” She motioned to the chairs, and they sat before the fire. Even before he began, she spoke, and the words came out in a rambling mess. “Spirits, Silence, what’s been happening? I’ve heard so many things. I don’t want them to be true, but, with the war and… she killed the queen for Spirits’ sake! I… I don’t know what to believe anymore. Are you here to flee from Legs? Has she harmed you? We’ll take you in, I’m sure. I… Spirits, what am I saying? I don’t even know. I’m sorry, what did you need to say? Why are you here?”
He smiled softly. “It may be a long story. Is there any chance we’ll be interrupted?”
She shook her head. “No, I… well… ah… oh…”
“What is it?” Silence noted the flush of her cheeks.
She rose and went to the door, sliding a bolt to hold it closed. “I have a… friend who might stop by.”
Silence had the distinct impression this friend was a joins-you-in-bed sort, given how flushed she’d become.
“She sometimes stops by in the afternoons if she’s free. I’ll tell her I’m not feeling well if she does.” Blackclaw returned to her chair. “Go on.”
Silence gathered his thoughts, then began with a measured pace. “What you’ve been hearing are just rumors, they are unfounded and mostly lies.” He sighed. “The trouble is that they are coming from high up, so other Nobles tend to believe them. If you’ll let me, I’d like to tell you a story. It… may be a bit hard to believe from your perspective, but I hope you’ll keep an open mind.”
She nodded, so he went on, telling her everything he and Legs and the once Maverick House had been through. He didn’t quite tell it in order, jumping around a bit to add in the pieces he and his House had learned later, but which were earlier parts of this story. “And, she didn’t kill the queen, though, the queenisdead. She had a mistweaver’s curse upon her, and when she was taken from the capital, it was enacted. That is what killed her, not Legs. We were only trying to find out more of this plot and who was behind it. So no, I’m not here to flee from her or join with you. We’re here to get your help, to try to convince you and your House that we’re not evil. We need help to take out those who are though.”
He could see the skepticism written clearly on Blackclaw’s face. She’d listened without comment to his entire story, but now sighed. “Mistweavers?” It was clear she didn’t believe in such things. “Silence, do you know how crazy that sounds?” She looked away into the now-dwindling flames of the fire. “But then… all of this is hard to believe.” She shook her head. “But the Royal House being behind everything?” A grimace twisted her face. “Your story is just as outrageous as theirs. You’re casting them as evil, while they do the same to you. How… how can I trust you… or them?” She threw up her hands and rose, pacing the room. “Spirits, what a mess.” Then she stopped suddenly. She turned to him slowly. “You swear by the Spirits your story is true?” she asked slowly and there was something about how she asked, which made him shiver.
“Yes,” he said with a confident nod.
“Then… there may be a way to convince, not only me, but this entire house of that truth and get us on your side.” She looked at the door to the hall for a long moment. “Will you come with me?” she ventured, tentative. “My… friend… has a spirit-gift. She can determine the truth of anything. If you tell her your story…?” Yet Blackclaw seemed hesitant. She looked back to Silence. “Are you sure you want this?”
He nodded again, rising.
“Take me to her,” he said with confidence.
“No,” Legs said, appearing on the other side of Blackclaw, leaning against the wall. She must have snuck into the room as her avatar and been listening. “Take me to her.”
Chapter 9
