After Tannar and Elek left the homewagon, and hopefully the fair, without being detected, Oscar and Bertram also took their leave. Truthfully, I hoped Beezle and Master Clarisse would follow them out, and no one would have any questions of me, but that was really too much to hope for, and so we sat, no one talking for a very long time.
“Maybe you should explain why Elek called you Arial,” Master Clarisse said softly.
I could not read the emotion behind that request, and it made me nervous. I had suspected that the time would come when my friends would become aware that I was not exactly who I said I was, and I had worried what their reactions would be once they found out. Would they think I had not confided in them because I did not trust them? Would they still be my friends if they knew who my Da was? Would they trust me, or would they question whether I was on their side or someone who had wormed their way into their company to learn their secrets? And then again, why had I not told them before? Was it really because I thought I was keeping them safe, or was it really because I was afraid if they knew the truth, they would not be my friends any more? I guess the time had come to find out.
“I don’t suppose you will buy the idea that that is a story for another time?” I asked, with a wide smile on my face.
“No,” they said simultaneously.
“How about, what you don’t know, you can’t reveal under pressure or by mistake?”
“Good try,” said Beezle.
“Would anyone like some tea?” I suggested, trying to delay.
“Quit stalling,” said Master Clarisse. “We are not leaving this homewagon until we get some answers out of you.”
One could only wish, I thought to myself as I took a huge breath and started to explain, but nothing came out. Where to start? Nana always said when you were about to make something clear, you should start at the beginning and put it in plain words. Easier said than done.
“Well,” said Beezle.
Clearing my throat did not take out the big lump that had formed there, but I began anyway. I could no longer delay the inevitable.
“My birth name is Arial, Arial Pedersen, and my father is the Thorval Pedersen that the Regent has been looking for all these many weeks.” I paused to gauge their reactions, but I could see none, so I had to continue. “I am at as much of a loss as you are as to why he is so sought after. Something to do with his past. From what little information I got from Thomas, who runs the pub in our village, Da was somehow connected with Lady Celik.”
I saw something flash in Master Clarisse’s eyes, but before I could figure out what it meant, it was gone, so I continued.
“All I know is folks came looking for him at our home north of here, and he left me a message that if he were not back in ten days to take to the road, and that he would try to connect with me. Da was worried that whoever was after him might come after me. I would provide tremendous leverage towards getting Da to surrender, should the wrong folks have me. He advised that I needed to change my name, and so in the tradition of the far north, I took my mother’s name as my last name and her first name to honor her. She died a number of years back. Also, upon the advice of my Nana, I took my mother’s colors. And so my journey began. Da said I was to find certain folks, and I guess things would be explained, or they would help. I have never been quite sure. If I couldn’t make contact, or if he didn’t find me, then I was to go to the capitol. I couldn’t make contact with those he suggested.”
“Did he find you?” Beezle asked.
In for a copper, in for a silver coin, as the saying goes. There was no turning back at this point, for both Master Clarisse and Beezle now knew they had a bargaining chip when it came to what the Regent sought. They could turn me over to the Regent’s agents, but I hoped I had chosen wisely, and these two were truly my friends.
“Da has found me several times, for all too brief a period each time and never under circumstances where we have been able to do more than assure each other that we are alright and exchange a few words.” I held up my hand to stop one of the next most obvious questions. “No, I don’t know where he is now, and I’m worried. I’d expected him to be here, but he hasn’t come.”
“I had noticed that you had seemed anxious, but I thought that was mostly to do with the Princess, no offense, Your Highness,” Master Clarisse said apologetically.
I looked up with a start, for I had forgotten the Princess was sitting on the front steps still, so wrapped up was I in my own concerns. With a small laugh, I continued with my recitation. “I have to say, this summer has been an adventure. One during which I have been afraid most of the time. Each time something happened, I worried that the Regent’s agents had finally figured out who I was and had caught up with me. When I was snatched off the street in Tverdal, I thought my time was up, as I did after the misadventure at the Inn of the Three Hares. Or when our wagons were stopped at the road block, not to mention when Kiaya and I were caught in the woods. I have been so torn between wanting to help when asked, like when Lord Hadrack wanted our help, and trying to stay as insignificant on the landscape as possible.”
I stopped talking, and I think I stopped breathing at that moment. I still did not know how my friends were going to react, but I should have known better.
“Oh my,” Master Clarisse declared. “All the things we have asked of you which you have done without question, and all the while you were placing yourself in harm’s way twice.”
“You should have told us,” said Beezle, and I thought I detected a bit of hurt in his voice.
“She was right not to,” countered Master Clarisse. “We would have reacted differently to her.”
This did not sound good, I thought. They would have reacted differently to me. How? Before I could ask that question, Master Clarisse went on.
“If Nissa had told us who she really is, we definitely would have tried to protect her, and in doing so, might have actually created situations where folks would notice her and become suspicious as to why we were hovering around her.”
“I am sorry, you are right,” Beezle apologized. “I can see your point. We probably would have wanted to whisk her off to some safe place, and nowadays, there don’t seem to be any of those left. It’s been best that she’s been just Nissa, the rover woodworker. Now I know you’re a woodworker, but are you really a rover? You mentioned that you came from a village. I’m confused.”
“Born and raised a rover, and on the road with my family until a few years ago. When my mother died, Da decided to get off the road, and we settled in a cottage just outside a small northern village. Da kept the homewagon though.”
We talked long into the night, until Master Clarisse and Beezle left to get some sleep before dawn broke. It was a long time before I drifted off, thinking of all we had talked about and hugging the warmth of their friendship and support close to me like a soft woven blanket. All of my initial worry had been soothed by their reactions. Those two were still my friends, even after they knew who I truly am, knew who my Da is, and knew I had been keeping a number of secrets from them. I had still not revealed to them that the man they knew as Jonzee was my Da, but I rationalized that it was for everyone’s safety.
I got up early, and after washing up, stepped outside my homewagon. The dawn did not look any different than any other morning at a fair, but somehow it felt different. A weight I had not even known I had been carrying had been lifted off my shoulders, and I felt lighter. There is something to be said for having good friends to share the burdens. No one else was up, so I started the cook fire and put the water on for tea and the cast iron griddle on to heat up. I am not an outstanding cook, certainly not one in Mistress Jalcones’ league, but I can make a pretty good griddlecake. I found it soothing to listen to the normal noises of the camping area waking up. Others were starting their fires and preparing breakfast. Normal routines as everyone got ready for another day at the fair.
The rest of the week went along smoothly. No more inspections by royal guards, no being rousted out during the night, no major crises, good crowds, some nice sales, and enough breaks in the flow of the crowds to work on more items to sell, for when we got to the capitol who knew what was going to happen there. Each night we gathered and tried to plan where everyone was going to be, and how we would reconnect at the end of the next week. Beezle was going to head back home to make connections with his uncle and to make sure his mother and their estate were alright. He wanted to confer with his uncle, and with him, gather others who were loyal to the Crown and head to the capitol. He was sending his booth on with the Jalcones and would meet us at the capitol fair. The Jalcones were leaving to keep some commitments at the next fair down the line and to make some other deliveries, plus get the message out to those who they could trust that if they had ever thought of attending the major fair at the capitol, this would be the year to do it.
In our nightly discussions, we had come to the conclusion that the Regent was probably not going to quietly step down from a position of power and meekly let the Princess ascend to the throne. Already rumors were swirling around the fair that the Princess was gravely ill and secluded in the palace. This illness was so grave that preparations for her birth date and coming of age festivities had been postponed indefinitely. Yes, the capitol fair was still scheduled, but it would be a very subdued one. Everywhere you went, either on the fairgrounds or in town, the main topic of discussion was about the Princess’ health and what would happen if she succumbed to whatever grave illness she had. You could see factions beginning to form up, and every now and then, you could hear heated arguments.
Because of how folks seriously believed the prevailing rumors, Beezle decided to pull out of the fair early. Since he knew the Princess was neither ill nor at the capitol, he felt an urgency to let his uncle know. It was hard to see him leave and not know if he would be safe traveling home or what was to come. Meanwhile, Master Clarisse had looked more and more anxious, and more withdrawn, with each passing hour. Finally when there was a lull, I asked Shyla to take over and invited Master Clarisse to lunch, promising Evan I would bring him back two meat pies if he would hold down their booth. With a sly grin, Evan tried to bargain for a fruit tart in addition, but he quickly backed down when he saw the concern on my face.
“Why don’t we get our meal and head out of the fair for awhile?” I suggested. “There’s a nice grassy knoll not too far distant from the fair gates where we can just sit and enjoy a peaceful lunch while watching the folk come and go from the fair.” Master Clarisse nodded her agreement, and we picked up our food and headed out of the fair gate. Once settled, I asked, “Is everything alright? I mean are we alright?”
Master Clarisse started at my question, and then said, “Oh, Nissa, I am so sorry. Of course everything is alright between us, but I can see how you might have thought otherwise. In truth, I am worried about Master Rollag. I had expected to see him, or at the very least hear from him, but I have heard nothing and neither has anyone else in the guild that I have discreetly talked to. He has been known to go off for periods of time in the past, but with everything growing more critical, I had expected him to be here. Maybe I am worrying for nothing, and he is already at the guildhall at the capitol getting ready for the fair and his duties as a judge. It is just that he left so abruptly from Springwell-over-Hill and has not been heard from since. Now that we know what happened to Shueller, Master Rollag’s absence is all the more worrisome. For that matter, we have not seen his driver, that fellow Jonzee either. I hope nothing has happened to either of them.”
“I hope so too,” I said, with a great deal of sincerity.
This was the perfect time to talk to Master Clarisse about who Jonzee really is, but then I saw others had the same idea to get out of the dust and noise of the fair and settle on the grassy knoll for a quick respite and lunch, and so the moment passed. After reassuring Master Clarisse that I was worried about the two men also, we headed back into the fair. I told Master Clarisse I would meet her back at our booths, for I wanted to pick up the meat pies for Kiaya, Evan, and Shyla. I thought I would throw in a few fruit tarts, and did Master Clarisse want one?
As I made my way back to the food booths, I tried to settle my uneasiness, caused by my conversation with Master Clarisse. While she had looked a bit less anxious and distracted because of our conversation, I found myself more anxious. I wished I knew where either Master Rollag or Da were at this moment, and if they were safe and out of danger. All of us were worried about Tannar and hoped we had chosen correctly to place our trust in Elek.