11: Interrogation
Chapter 11 of "A River Trembles", Book Two of The Môrdreigiau Chronicles
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The story began in A Grail for Eidothea. You really need to catch up to make sense of A River Trembles. Go on, save this post and go have a binge read. You deserve it.
Eidothea resumed her studies with Rhiannon, her tutor. Eidothea talked again about running away. Rhiannon gave some lessons on dreigiau môr courtship. Eidothea and Llyr actually have a grown up conversation. The engagement with the probably deceased Jasper is called off. Eidothea wants jewellery to cover her shiny blue Chosen Mark.
:I had no idea you were fully dreigiau môr,: Ladon said, not moving from his slouch against the wall of his family home. :None of us did, thinking old Pendyr was your father. When you fell off the boat, I dove in after you. I looked for a woman’s body but then I registered the bleeding came from a draig môr and by that time Llyr ap Peredur had you and had fled.:
I hoped I hid my relief. Jasper had kept some secrets. :You should know I have no intention of marrying or hand fasting with you.:
Ladon gave a delicate shudder. :Nor I with you. I have told you before, you are not to my taste.:
:Then why did your mother—:
:Ever an opportunist, as are all we Tregallases. Once the Greal is found again, my parents will need to find new ways to gain power.: He nodded at my bandages, which bound my waist and across my chest to hide my shining Chosen mark. :You still haven’t recovered?:
I laid a hand over the bandages at my waist. :It has been slow. The healer thinks it is because I am still somewhat human.:
:Still a weakling.: His lip curled.
I fixed him with a glare. Ladon’s prejudices sickened me. :Different strengths. We cannot all be the same.:
Ladon snorted. :Philosophy? From you? You are nothing but a backwater miss!:
:And you are an entitled, self-important piece of rubbish.:
Ladon backhanded me. :Minx.:
I staggered from the blow. Conversation ceased at the stone couches.
Elin Grealseeker rose. :It appears we are finished here. Eidothea?:
I followed in her wake. No protests, no threats, sounded after us. I rather hoped Ladon Tregallas found himself in no end of trouble, my moment of sympathy long gone.
:Are you hurt?: My grandmother paused outside the Tregallas house. :Your cheek is quite red. Your mother taught you a dissembling spell, yes? Quickly now.:
I held a hand over my sore cheek, whispering the spell’s words to myself. I lowered my hand and my grandmother nodded, satisfied.
:Let us return home and we’ll get a cooling poultice on that.:
I forestalled her with a hand. :Ladon spoke of an armourer who made their gaudy jewellery. I am tired of these bandages, and my dissembling spell won’t hide the mark. I want to find this artisan and place an order for a piece.:
Finding the armourer was easy. Negotiating a rate and which jewels to put in place was harder. Grandmother agreed to loan a few pearls to me. I explained to her I could wear padding underneath to conceal my blazing birthmark so it didn’t need to be a lot of gemstones.
The armourer sketched out a piece that would cover the left side of my upper chest, above my breast, the pearls strung amongst the chains to form a brooch.
I commissioned a piece for Llyr as well, asking for the chain mail to be tightly and decoratively woven. Llyr’s would be ready first as the simplest of the pieces. At least one of us would be able to go about unbandaged soon. I needed to wait a little longer.
Another day passed under Rhiannon’s tutelage, when a request came from the palace. My grandmother saw me off with a dismissive wave and a mild warning to be careful of what I said.
Two guards, identifiable by their purple sashes, escorted me through the caer to the Royal Quarter. We skirted the Great Hall and entered a large building that extended far in both directions, reminding me of the etchings I had seen of grand houses belonging to earls and dukes. We passed through a succession of halls, atriums and meeting rooms.
The guards left me in one such room. I surveyed the space. Ornately carved walls surrounded me. At the far end stood a low dais with two large chairs upon it. The chairs, made of the same calcified sand as the dais and walls became one with the raised platform.
Not too long after, the Esteemed entered. He skirted the dais, standing in front of it and me. His erect stance, with hands clasped behind his back, along with his stern expression, made him seem unapproachable
I bowed. :You wished to see me, Esteemed?:
He nodded. :It should not take too long. You’re still bandaged? We can move to a different space if you need to sit.:
I demurred, waving off his request. :You said it would not be long.:
:Yes, well …: The Esteemed stiffened his already erect posture. :Tell me what happened. How did you find the Greal?:
I began to tell him, but his abrupt wave silenced me.
:No,: he intoned. :Show me your memory of it.:
I showed him a snippet of the discussion between Father, Jasper and myself.
:Before that. Why did you assume your mother’s mantle of Grealseeker? Before you had even adjusted to the dreigiau môr way of life?:
:My mother left me a ring.: I showed him the memory of finding it in my mother’s dressing table, of wearing it and Lord Tregallas seeing it. :I had no idea at the time that it had a purpose. My mother warned me to keep it hidden, that there was a purpose. My father has an extensive research library, and he and another had some possible locations to try.:
The Esteemed nodded. :Your father was a … bard?:
:He writes down his findings and reads the words of others. Rarely in poetic form. You do not need to memorise quite so much when it is written down, just know where to find it.:
:Where was the Greal?:
:We found it in Bath, buried beneath the Pump Room.:
The Esteemed started and then stilled again. :That is far inland, too far for a dreigiau môr.:
I managed a smile. :I used to be human. There have been some lingering benefits because of that.:
:Show me where you found it.:
I shared my memory, explaining in the midst of it that my father had found a man who had worked on the underground system of the Roman baths. I showed our descent, Mr. Smith’s lecture, the ring drawing me past him to the dead end. The light blazed, from both ring and buried cup.
I heard rather than saw, the Esteemed move closer. The water pulsed with the rapid movement of his gills. :That is … quite something.:
:Yes, it was.: I know I sounded less than enthusiastic but I remembered being with Jasper in that tunnel and had no desire to relive the memory.
:And the humans didn’t notice?:
:The ring’s light is only visible to the one connected to it.: My gratitude for the Esteemed’s clinical questions started to fade. :The closer we got, Jasper—: His name still stuck in my throat, metaphorically speaking. :Jasper saw the light also. Others with us did not, or at least did not say anything or react.:
:His dreigiau môr lineage?: The Esteemed’s gaze examined my reddening face.
:Probably.:
He steepled his fingers. :What happened next?:
I hesitated.
:Do not hide anything from me.: The Esteemed laid a hand on my shoulder. The weight of it reminded me of the gravity of this interrogation. I dared not lie and break a trust that had not even formed.
I shared the memory of excavating the Greal from the wall, tucking it into the small cloth bag I had brought with me, our exultation … I paused.
:All of it, Eidothea.:
:We kissed. I do not see—:
:Forgive me, but I must know. It is pertinent to the Tregallas involvement in this.:
:Is it?: I muttered. I meant for him to hear. If he wanted to invade my privacy, so be it. I let him experience the kiss as I had: a dissolving into the heart-pounding dark and heat of Jasper.
I opened my eyes to find the Esteemed’s back to me, a few steps further away than before.
:How did you lose it?: He did not turn, his hands clasped together at the small of his back, his long black hair trapped by the pose.
:Esteemed…:
:I will see it.:
Sighing, I shared that night on the boat, of slipping the note under my father’s door, stepping out onto the deck. I shared hearing Jasper call out my name, my turning to see him. My stomach heaved.
:Go on.:
The words exchanged, the fevered kiss tasting of tears. I let the Esteemed feel the sharp, breathtaking pain of Jasper’s knife slicing deep into my side.
I sank to my knees, covering my face. I could not bear it. Remembering the betrayal again was too much. My body shuddered with sobs. I did not care if this was a display of weakness, I despised the Esteemed for forcing me to relive every momenta.
I felt the Esteemed’s hand on my shoulder, nudging me forward. My forehead connected with his shoulder. He had knelt before me. For the longest time, he stayed motionless while I cried. Then one hand stroked my back. He let me cry it out. I wondered when I would ever stop shedding tears over Jasper’s betrayal.
The Esteemed patted my back even after my grief subsided. I focused on steadying my breath.
At length, I looked up, shuffling back on my knees. :I do not wish to experience that again. Ever. Why did you make me show you? Was this not all resolved at the trial?:
:Interrogation,: the Esteemed corrected. He rose. :I have the gift of discerning true memory from false. It was the Greal you found and lost, the hope of all dreigiau môr. The court demands public speech only. I did not wish to embarrass or humiliate you.:
:Why would you care about that? I am unknown to you.: I did not have the strength to stand.
:But you are one of my subjects and there seemed little to gain from public humiliation. Should not I, who has the care of all my people, know the details of what happened to the Greal?:
:I have heard of the Chosen Court,: I dared, my gaze connecting with his. :Are they not meant to make a return with the Greal?:
:You’ve heard the rumours too, I see. It has been centuries,: the Esteemed remarked with a forlorn air. :I no longer believe that custom will return.:
What could I say to that? Perhaps now would be the chance to tell him about the Chosen Court, while we spoke in private. His ability to discern truth meant he would know I did not lie or scheme, and that the Goddess had ordained it.
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