Quiet Courage

3

Cerenae sighed as she looked out the window at the approaching carriage and its advance of four mounted guards. Everyone had stepped up security since the "breach". The servants had told her that people in the city were terrified, that the fact that someone so close to the crown could be magical had them frightened and worried about retaliation. Cerenae was sick with all the talk, and now not even a day after the service for Tenur they were all to be subject to magic testing.

Cerenae swept her hair back over her shoulder and turned to head down the stairs to greet the team of testers at the front door. She sighed again as she passed the shady reconstruction of the damaged walls from Cienn's outbreak. The footmen had done all they could, but they couldn't hire a contractor to fix the damages because no one would work for a family that might be magical. She kept her anger in check as she walked down the broad flight of steps into the main entryway and put on a smile as the footmen answered the door.

"Gentlemen, lady, please come in! Welcome to our home." She said as she swept forward to greet the two men and one woman who would test their minds for magic. The woman smiled but the two men only nodded. The older one, apparently the leader, came up to take her hand and bow.

"Baron Alderic van'Dessan my lady. And these are my assistants, Jeorgh Faller and Neea bo'Italle." Alderic introduced them all with a flourish. Cerenae gave polite nods to the other two people and then gestured they follow her into the formal parlor.

"Please excuse the mess, it's impossible to find someone who will work with a suspected magician." She turned back to the magic testers and smiled. "But you're all here to fix that of course." She led them into the parlor where the rest of her family waited. Tassa was curled up in one of the large armchairs, reading. Cerenae crumpled her nose at the thought of the wrinkles she was making in her dress but said nothing. Canasena sat quietly on one of the couches, young Tenatur on her lap, yawning into his tiny boy hand. A slew of discarded toys lay at his mother's feet.

"I wouldn't wear that much longer." The woman, Neea, said as she sat without any further announcement and grabbed a scone from a nearby side table. "The rumors say the court is about to banish mourning dress, something about the King thinking it belittles the One to be sad when she takes someone to her palace." She continued in her nasally voice, leaning in as if she were about to share a very special secret with the 'Orater family. "That and the new queen looks absolutely awful in black." She sat back with a smug smile and Cerenae wondered whom she heard that from to make her feel so accomplished.

"I doubt that this country will ever be so brash as to refuse me the mourning of my husband." Canasena said haughtily as she put Tenatur down next to her and rose, brushing the creases from her rich black gown. "I wouldn't like to put this off any longer than I must. Shall we?" she asked, looking to Alderic. The head tester coughed and rose, followed quickly by his assistants.

"I shall take Her Grace into the main office for testing, Mr. Faller will take the lady Tassena and Mrs. Neea will take the young duke." He bowed to Tenatur, which gave the boy a sad giggle being bowed at by someone so much older and more important looking then himself. Alderic smiled back then looked to Cerenae, his face once more serious. "Lady Cerenae will wait and go last." Cerenae cocked an eyebrow at his comments but merely nodded in assent. Without further wait Alderic led Canasena into the main office and Tassena lifted herself from her chair and followed Jeorgh into the room next to it.

"Come along Your Grace." Neea said, offering her short, pudgy hand to the young duke. Once they had all gone Cerenae stood and walked over to the front wall of the parlor. It was made mostly of glass and looked out over the northern gardens. There was a small man made stream and pond, both full and gushing with all the rain from the last few days. Winter was coming Cerenae could feel it. She put her hand out to the window and bit her lower lip as she looked out at the cold grey sky. What was Cienn doing in weather like this? Was he cold? Had he found shelter? It wasn't like they had gotten significant training in surviving on their own through out their lives, though admittedly Cienn had a better chance than she herself did. At least he was trained in sword play and other somewhat useful survival methods. All she knew how to do was flirt and wave a fan, at least officially anyways.