To Stay or Go (Iana's Story #36)

I keep reminding myself, this is a story, you can't just summarize what's happening. Something dramatic must happen, action, and emotion, and above all keep it short. That always was been my goal, to keep it short and still have something happen. Iana is still preparing for the upcoming fight, but at what cost? 

#36 To Stay or Go

I found Aunt Rosemary standing near the far end of the long table. Several village men sat on one side eating a stew made old potatoes and dried leeks from last years harvest.  I didn't run, but I wanted to. Aunt Clo sat near the fire knitting away, balls of yarn in her lap and all around her feet. Aunt Luna held one of the yarn balls and helped unravel it, all the while telling one of her outrageous stories to Aunt Clo. Aunt Rosemary was counting out seed packets, then placing them carefully in a large bag at the end of the table. I looked down inside it.  She'd packed up her smaller tools, and had a sketch book and several thin journals. I don't know where she put her larger journals. 

I noticed she wore a simple wool dress, sturdy boots and her long brown cloak rested on the bench. Traveling clothes.

"You're leaving?" I asked, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.


"Hmmm," she said, tying several packets together and placing them inside her bag. 

"Tonight?"

"In the morning, early. I always wake early, before dawn these days. And there is a man traveling toward Southwell, I can ride with him."

"To the river?"

"I haven't decided yet, whether I will stay in Winding, or not." 
I nodded.

She finished up with the last of her seed packets, and then cinched up her traveling bag. "That's the last of them." She turned to me, and spoke in a low voice. "I know you are fighting hard, Iana," she said, in a low voice. "But I can't stay now, there is no place for me. I'm not a fighter."

"Don't go, please, if there are injuries, we might need you."

She shook her head. "I have given all my herbals and potions to Hona. She will take care of you."

"She doesn't have your gentle touch," I said, my hands still aching.

"She'll learn."

"It won't be the same."

"No, it never will." She agreed.

I noticed my mother had arrived sometime, during our conversation. She held up a small  cloth bag to Aunt Rosemary. 

"Ah, a sewing kit, thank you Briar. That size is perfect. I appreciate you finding one for me."

My mother nodded. Aunt Rosemary was the only person who ever called my mother by her name, and not formerly. 

"Well?" Mother said to me, when Aunt Rosemary headed to the kitchen to collect food for her journey tomorrow. 

"Yes?" I waited for her to accuse me of driving Aunt Rosemary away. 

"I can see, our defenses have been fortified nicely. You have blocked off most of the south end. Both the Chime Tower and the Tower of Silent Prayers are inaccessible. You've built plenty of barricades inside the castle, and your father will return home any day with the summerguards. Yet do you have a plan for fighting these men? Or do you just plan to keep them out. To lock down the castle and hide inside it?"

"No, Olwen and I have discussed several plans. Defenses comes first. " I told her. "We're trying to keep too many people from knowing about our plans. I'll let you know something when I can."

"I leave it to you," she said. 

"I know." It was not her future hanging in the balance, it was mine and Joli's. 

Then before she left, she said. "Iana, do you know what has upset Joli? She is not herself. Her decision, when I tried to speak to her, she . . . well, nothing came of it."

I shrugged, a gesture she dislikes. "Sorry Mother, I do not know either. I have been busy preparing, I haven't had time to speak to Joli."

"I'll keep trying." She decided and we left it at that. 

Perhaps I should have told her what I knew, but what good would have come of it? Joli had kept her secret from me, from all of us, even though once we were the kind of sisters who used to tell each other all our secrets. No, I didn't want to speak to her. We would argue again. I couldn't stand the shouting. What would we talk about? Joli had clearly chosen him over her family, before her kingdom and her duty to both. She made it obvious to me she didn't want to talk about it. She kept silent for how many weeks now, or months maybe? If Joli wanted to keep quiet, then I would also. I would keep her secret.

to be continued . . .