Aura (11 page)

The merchant showed her several bolts of material, which she thought interesting, but rough.  She decided to cut through a lot of wasted time with a simple question.
"Is this the best that you have?"
That seemed to be what the man wanted to know, how far her knowledge of cloth extended.  She recognized what he had shown her was second rate.  Of course he had better, brought into the country from far, far away.  But the materials were expensive and he sought to make this clear.
"What you seek is expensive my lady."
Aura took a couple of bags out of her backpack and dumped the contents onto a desk.  He immediately disappeared inside a special room.
"You have much more of that?"  Vernon asked.  He had missed the money in her sack and could not figure how.  He thought he had gone through that bag thoroughly.
Aura smiled, as she retorted with a toss of her head.  "Only if you are going to pay me for the work I did on the field after the battle."
"I intended to.  The materials you choose, their construction into dresses, as well as slippers and a place to stay.  These were to be your reward, so you can put away your fortune.  I have even planned to set up a dowry for you, should you ever chose to marry."
"I do not think marriage would be a good idea for me.  I have yet to figure out where I am."  She sighed then added.  "Or what I am doing here.  I am totally lost."
The merchant entered the room with four bolts of material.  One was a bolt of silk in a shimmery shade of peacock blue.  Another bolt of cloth was fine wool in a deep rich burgundy.  Another was a cream colored linen, and the fourth an emerald green fabric of a material she had never seen before.  She asked the prices then chose the cream, the burgundy and the blue.  She did not favor green, no matter how splendid the weave, so she sent it back.
After the purchases were paid for the merchant directed them to a reputable seamstress and they carried on.  It was three days before the gowns were satisfactorily finished.  She made a few changes to the cut and design of the gowns and was quite satisfied with the end results.  As she was happy, so was Vernon, as they could get on with their trip home.

Vernon had Aura dress in one of her new gowns the moment she received them, and insisted that she ride on a strange chair like saddle, which she found uncomfortable.
  She was more than happy to reach the end of their journey, where she was led directly to Vernon's wife.
"Welcome home my Lord," his wife greeted him with a beautiful and loving smile as she met him at the entrance to their home.
"Chatelaine, you grow more beautiful every time I see you."  Vernon swept her into a great bear hug and swung her around.  Aura held back while trying to hide her feeling of awkwardness.  She made a show of looking about her while waiting to be presented.  Vernon finally motioned her forward and began the introductions.
"Chatelaine, I would like to present the Lady Aura.  She claims she has come to us from afar and says she is very lost."
Aura bobbed a slight curtsy.  She was surprised at her hostess’ youth.  Chatelaine was more than just beautiful, she was classic in every manner.  Her long chestnut hair was dressed to perfection, her gown molded to her near perfect figure in the most flattering manner, her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief, her skin was the most perfect pearl, and Aura just knew immediately that she was going to like her. 
Chatelaine smiled and Aura felt as if the doors of heaven had been opened to her, for she seemed to be offering herself as a friend, something Aura had not had many of in her lifetime.
"I have heard many reports about you from those who have preceded you. I had hoped that Vernon might find a way to bring you home with him.  The things I were told made me very curious about you."  Chatelaine then turned to her husband, and with a wider smile teased.  "In some ways I am surprised Vernon has not found you a protector yet.  I am assuming, of course, that she is single and alone?"
"She is, but she is also quite unusual.  She is capable of mathematical equations, she is able to read and write better than my own scribe, she has the knowledge of a physician, and she has saved many lives on the battlefield."
"News of the latter has already reached my ears."  Chatelaine confessed.
"Did they think to tell you that she has tamed a wolf and trained him to do her bidding?"
"Yes, although I thought it a bit strange."  Chatelaine confessed.
"I thought so too at first.  I have invited the Lady Aura to stay with us as a friend and guest.  I trust you will make her feel welcome and comfortable?"
"Of course," Chatelaine turned to a servant and ordered him to take Aura's belongings to a room.  She then ordered a maid to see to her guest’s needs, while she remained behind with her husband.
Aura did not feel as welcome as Vernon had told her that she would be.  She decided, once the servants left her, to go for a walk to see if she could find a secluded place to bathe and have a bit of a swim.  Keeping clean was not going to be easy with so many people about, and she wished she could sneak away, to return home to her cave.  She had, however, given her word that she would behave.
Before going on her walk Aura decided to see what she could from the terrace outside of her room.  She already knew that there were several miles of houses, leading up to the palace as they had ridden through them to get here.  Her room, as luck would have it, faced the opposite direction, and from her balcony she could see that the dwellings did not extend as far as she feared.  It would take only a few hours to walk past them, to find any form of clearing.  The big question was whether that clearing would be private.
She took her mare and went for a ride to see how long the trip to the river would take as well as to meet up with Wolf, who she had left to roam in the wild.  She felt it would be safer for him than being amongst the armed men.  She knew how they viewed Wolf, they feared him and because of that, she didn’t trust them not to kill him.  When she returned to Vernon’s home her hair was still damp from her bath, but she felt clean.  She dismounted and went to change into her cream dress.
"If you please Lady Aura," a pretty maid bobbed a slight curtsy before her as she located her.  "The Duke and Duchess would have a word with you."
Duke?  Duchess? Why was she not surprised to hear those titles in relation to her host and hostess?  "Of course," she replied with a slight smile.  "But would you please lead the way?  I am afraid I have become lost here."
The maid was startled by the Lady Aura's manners.  None of the other ladies would have even thought to talk to her, never mind ask her for directions in such a pleasant and courteous fashion.  She covered her shock by bobbing another curtsy before leading her to the room Vernon and Chatelaine were in.  Aura entered alone and stood watching the couple, as Chatelaine rested her head against his shoulder.  He kissed her on the forehead then noted their guest by the door looking uncertain and embarrassed.
"Ah, Aura, you finally decided to grace us with your presence.  Come in, and do not look so awkward."  Vernon motioned her in, and she searched for an excuse to leave instead.
"A maid told me you wished to speak with me, but I can come back at a more convenient time if you wish."  She sounded as if she was apologizing and she blushed, lowering her head as she did.
Chatelaine smiled in understanding.  The child, for that is how she viewed Aura, was shy and in strange surroundings.  She had no idea what was expected of her or what was acceptable behavior, and none had thought to take her under their wing.  She decided to befriend the young girl.
"We dine soon and would have you join us and a few of our other guests for the meal."
"I am honored, but if you do not mind I would rather retire.  I find myself tired by the day’s events.  This is all very new to me."  Aura admitted.
Chatelaine was not about to let Aura retreat and thus make herself a recluse within her home.  That was definitely not her style.  "But of course we mind."  She protested as she drew Aura further into the room.  "I would consider myself a poor hostess indeed if even one of my guests were to go hungry as you must be.  Why, you have not eaten a bite all day."
"Wolf and I shared part of a fish down by the river earlier this afternoon."
"That was hours ago Aura.  Now you must join our other guests as they await us in the parlor."
They walked as they spoke, and before Aura was aware of their destination she found herself in the midst of nine other people, almost all were strangers to her.  With the presence of Vernon and Chatelaine the guests were led into the dinning room and seated.  Aura was seated to the left of Vernon and she became the immediate focus of curious speculation.
With veiled eyes Aura returned some of the inspection, for she was just as curious about them as they were about her.  The castle, Aura had noted earlier, was partly Roman in design and it must have belonged to a very high-ranking officer, or even a Roman nobleman.  The main part of the building was not only quite large, but was very elaborate.  She also noted how fresh and preserved the ancient designs were, although they could not have been new at all, for the addition to the main structure was definitely not Roman in design.  Nor was it new, for it did not have that “just built” look to it.  It made Aura wonder, even more, where she was in history.
There was no doubt that her table manners were beyond the quality set at the party, so nothing was said about them, though several looked for a reason to speak.  A few of the women at the table, sensing a new and perhaps potentially dangerous rival, decided that if they were unable to attack her in a derogatory manner, they would remark on her subdued looks, for she continued to wear her hair in her usual braid.
"They tell us you come from a land far away."  A pretty girl began, as she searched out a starting point for her attack.
"I am."  Aura answered, refusing to speak of the life she had known.  She had not spoken of her home to Vernon and refused to tell the people here anything either.  They would not understand.  She didn’t understand, so how could they?
"Tell us Lady Aura," another woman piped in, almost as if on cue.  "Are all women where you live as plain as you, or are you the exception?"
"I really have no idea, I never did a survey, but, if I were back at home, no one would be ill bred enough to bring up such a question.  It would not be considered polite."  Aura responded.
The woman reddened as she gave a gasp of outrage and turned to a friend who sat beside her.  Vernon leaned over and warned her.  "You have just made an enemy Aura, and unless you can find a way to disarm her she could prove to be a very powerful enemy indeed."
"From what I have seen of your society a woman need not be feared as a serious enemy."
"That depends on who they are related to. Felicity is the sister of the Lord Charles. He is the fair man, three people over from you.  She is only one of many who hope to catch the eye of, and to marry, the Lord Thorn.  It would be a good match and one I would welcome, but it is highly unlikely.  Thorn is not interested in her."
"To be honest Vernon, I am not really interested in her personal aspirations myself."
"You have made one conquest for sure though.  Perhaps you would like to know who?"
"I suppose you are going to tell me whether I am interested or not.  You are an outrageous gossip Vernon, it is a terrible habit."
He laughed loudly, attracting the attention of the other people at the table, and a special smile from Chatelaine from where she sat.  Chatelaine leaned over to say a few words to a very beautiful woman beside her and the lady smiled back at her before answering.  Their conversation remained private.
"You are right, I am going to tell you."  Vernon reclaimed her attention as he noted her watching his wife and her friend.  "I shall, in fact, introduce you to the lady.  After we have fished eating."
She sighed and conceded.  "Well, I must admit the sight of a friendly face would be a welcome change.”
"I have been friendly," Vernon defended himself.
"Yes," Aura admitted.  "But that is because you want something."
Vernon gave another loud laugh.  She was right he did want something.  He sometimes wondered at her degree of perception.  She remained silent for the rest of the meal after that, despite insolent remarks once more directed at her by her newfound enemy.  She had decided to ignore the woman, which was making the lady very agitated, a mood that made her look waspish.  A man on Aura’s right finally turned and spoke to her.
"Do you not find this tirade against you irritating?"
"Of course not.  I was taught many years ago to consider, always, the source of such irritations, before determining whether they were of consequence or not."  Aura responded.
"So you do not defend yourself?"  He asked.
"Sir, it is sometimes wiser to remain silent and be thought dumb, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.  That is another lesson I was well taught."  Aura replied.
Vernon, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, roared out laughing and rose from the table.  He spoke as he went to leave the room.
"Come, let us retire to the hall where we can find some entertainment, not that we are not being highly amused here.  I fear that Aura has the advantage over all of us.  I will introduce her to everyone present and explain why she is here.  Those who are not interested may go about their own plans this evening.”
The assembly rose and followed him out, although Aura was reluctant to join them.  She would much rather have gone up to her room.  A light touch on her arm caught her attention and she turned to raise an inquiring eyebrow at Chatelaine.
 
"It will be alright Aura, Vernon and I will make sure of that."   Chatelaine sought to reassure her of her safety and welcome.
"I am not afraid of Felicity, Chatelaine.  After all she reacts out of ignorance and fear.  I somehow can find the capacity in me to even feel pity for her, although I cannot understand why she should be so insecure."
Chatelaine blinked in surprise at her words, then smiled.  It was uncanny.  The girl had her adversary figured out already.  She wondered what other surprises she held in store for them.
The group formed a loose circle about Vernon and he pulled Aura in to stand beside himself.  "I found Aura in a village sewing up a wound on a man that would have died if he had been left alone.  The man lived, and in such a shape that he will be capable of serving his Lord once more.  She further astounded me with her pet, a full-grown wolf.  He is, as she put it, both a friend and protector.”
“I took her along with me to the battle to learn more about her.  She told me she was lost, and had been for some time.  Her speech is that of a very well educated person.  I have also found that she can speak other languages, although she was unaware of the fact that I noted her doing so.  She has saved more lives of men in the battle than most of us caused, and she did so for both friend and foe alike.  We found she has a habit of disappearing from camp, much to the Lord Edwin and Lord Alex's dismay.  I entrusted them with keeping her within the boundaries of the camp."
"I also found she has the capability of both a scribe and a mathematician.  Being so well educated I summarized she could not be of common stock.  I would wish to keep her at court as much as possible, and would therefore dower her for the right man, and do so generously."
"What!"  Aura exclaimed, before blurting.  "I refuse to allow such a calamity.  You will not sell me off like a piece of merchandise at a bazaar."
"You have no say in the matter, you are nothing but a mere girl."  Vernon brushed her statement off as a matter of no consequence.
She remained silent but the outrage she felt showed on her face.  He noted her flush of anger, and moved to bring a quick end to the subject.  "Also, in case you decide to try to run off, you may forget about it.  I will put a guard on you if need be.  Now I am going to introduce you to others.  Come, Lady Aura."  Vernon started with the woman who had taunted her.