Under Two Moons - Chapter 30
Chapter 30.
Our table was filling up with some more of our friends and the talk turned to other subjects, but I could see Rani looking questioningly at Katya and then at me. I didn't know what or how much to tell her, so I just kept my mouth full of food, which wasn't difficult.
“Did Carys make this?” Morna asked after her first taste of the stew.
“It's delicious,” Gudrin said.
So we explained again that it was a standard summer dish at the Manor. That led to talk about dishes everyone missed from their homelands. Even Katya and Talia, who'd come to the Stronghold as young children, had favorites they remembered and wished would show up on the food tables one day.
“You should tell Carys about them,” Donal said. “If you describe the dish and the main ingredients, she might be able to duplicate it.”
Once again I thought about how our party had fit into the daily lives of those at the Stronghold. I knew that Blane, Carys, Donal and Morna were as upset as I was about the idea that we might never leave this place, but I was beginning to wonder whether, with time, they'd change their minds and not be so anxious to find a way to go home.
Blane was so excited about the mission ahead of him, even as he dreaded having to swim underwater when he'd never done that before. Carys was already having an influence in the kitchen and was adding even more dishes to her growing repertoire. Donal's enthusiasm grew with each new machine he examined. And my sister was in heaven working with Gita and her animals.
None of them had come out and said, “Why would we want to leave?”, not yet, but I knew it was coming. Without the urgency, how would I get them to help us plan our escape?
I was happy to see Madoc join us. He, at least, still saw the need to find a way to leave. Or did he?
He saw my sudden frown and asked quietly, “What's wrong, Nissa?”
I shook my head. “I'll tell you later. Is there some place we can meet during the afternoon break?”
He nodded once. “Perhaps we should plan to meet each afternoon someplace. Have you been to the Solarium yet?”
“There's a Solarium?” I asked. Would the surprises in this place never end?
“Yes. It's one of those chambers with a chimney hole, a large one. It's a place people can go to get fresh air and sunlight.”
“Where is it?” I asked.
“If you turn right at the corridor that leads to the library instead of left, it's not too far down.”
“Alright, I'll meet you there during the break,” I agreed. “There are a few things I need to tell you, and to ask about.”
“Of course.” He looked at my plate. “Is that the vegetable stew you like so much?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I think Carys had the cooks make it so I'd have another reason to stay, or at least so I wouldn't be so anxious to go.” I didn't say any more on the subject, but I could tell that Madoc realized that was one of the things I wanted to discuss with him. Changing the subject, I told him that the first of the yellow coveralls I was altering were for Blane, Holt and Eva.
“I'm not surprised,” he said. But he was still eying my plate. “I think I'm going to get some of that stew before it's all gone.” He rose and went to the food table, returning quickly with a plate containing the stew as well as a few other items.
Morna was telling everyone about the baby lambs, so we joined in that innocuous conversation. My sister's eyes were shining as she talked about the animals, and that did nothing to calm my fears about what my traveling companions wanted to do.
After luncheon, I returned to what I had begun to think of as the 'yellow' sewing room. As I worked on Eva's garment, Sura came over to watch what I was doing.
“You make it look easy,” she said.
“It isn't really difficult. It's just a matter of anticipating what movements people will make, and allowing enough room in the garment for them to make them,” I told her.
“But we don't know what they'll be doing with these coveralls,” she argued.
“Well, Wert said they'd be used underwater, which is logical since they're made with fabric that is as waterproof as possible.”
She nodded.
“So I expect they'll be swimming,” I said. Considering that I never swam myself, though, I couldn't know for sure how it was done, especially underwater. “So how do you think they'll move their arms?” I asked her. Maybe Sura was a swimmer.
“Hmmm,” she said as she thought about it. “Just as on the surface of the water, they'd need to move their arms out in front of them and then push them back through the water.”
“Show me,” I asked. “If I watch you, it will help me picture it.”
She demonstrated what she imagined they'd do and I watched how her coverall moved. It was mostly as I expected, but I saw additional modifications I'd have to make.
“And the legs?” I asked.
“They'd be kicking up and down in short motions,” she said, showing me with her hands.
“So the hips and knees don't move that much?”
“No. The body needs to be streamlined. You've never seen anyone swim?”
I shook my head. Her demonstration helped me too. And it was information I'd want to give my brother before he tried to swim with the others.
“Thanks, Sura!” I told her. “That really helped.”
I'd made considerable progress on Eva's coverall when Wert entered the sewing room with two other men, who I'd seen around but didn't know. “You've been able to complete some of the garments, haven't you?” he asked me.
“I need to make some minor additional adjustments to Blane and Holt's coveralls, and I'm almost finished with one for Eva. I should complete them all soon after the afternoon break.”
“Good,” he said. “Here are two more who need to be fitted. Tomorrow we will begin the next phase of the uniforms.”
The next phase? What else would he want me to do? I expected I'd have to wait until the next morning to find out.
Once he left, I got measurements for the two men, Neelo and Baca. Neelo was of medium height with darker hair than most Solwinish but the same blue eyes and even features, while Baca was darker still, both his skin and hair, although not as dark as Col. He had high cheekbones in a square face and his dark eyes crinkled when he smiled.
Once I'd finished measuring them, I sent them on their way. I wondered if that was it, that the five people would be the expedition party. I was sure there'd be others going to the lake with them, but not diving. There had to be some people at the top to help them haul up the pieces of the satellite.
The bell rang for the afternoon break before I had a chance to finish Eva's coverall, but I was too anxious to see Madoc in private, so I set it aside. I'd finish it later.
I followed Madoc's instructions and found the solarium. It wasn't as large a chamber as I expected from his description, but it was filled with sunlight. Plants grew in the ground and in large pots all around the room. There were groupings of chairs and couches, mostly unoccupied. In fact, besides us, the only other people there were an older couple who were going around the room looking at the plants. I wondered if Gudrin knew about this place, but decided she must.
Madoc took my hands and led me to a couch where we sat down together. “So, what's worrying you, Nissa?” he asked.
“I'm afraid everyone's becoming too comfortable here,” I said. “My brothers, Morna, and Carys have so many reasons to want to stay that they may not be so eager to find a way to leave. All they talk about is what they're doing and how exciting it is.”
He nodded. “It's a wondrous place and they've each found something that they enjoy doing.”
“What...what about you? I know you want to help the people here. I guess I do as well, but have you become so involved in planning the work they're doing that you might want to stay?”
I'm sure he saw how much I feared that. “We'll find a way to go home,” he said. “And I think the others want that too.”
“Why would they? Carys is doing what she's always wanted. Holm Manor isn't even her home, or rather, her home is wherever Blane is. Donal won't rest until he's seen every machine that's been constructed. I think he's also taken a fancy to Ana. Morna's bonded with the animals as well as Gita, Wim and Raj. And Blane is looking forward to learning to swim so he can fulfill his assignment as a member of the Dulno Lake group.”
“And you?” he asked.
“Me? All I do all day is sew, and you know how much I hate to do that!”
“You're not just sewing, are you? You're redesigning the clothing here at the Stronghold.”
“Well, yes,” I admitted.
“And you're serving as an example to these people so that they're beginning to experiment with their lives.”
“You've said that before,” I told him.
“Because it's true. Nissa, you've instilled a new enthusiasm, a new outlook among the others here. That's a very positive thing. It will have an influence on the direction of their future efforts.”
“But...”
“No 'buts',” he said, placing his hands on either side of my face. “This place was beginning to stagnate before we came. Everyone continued to do what they'd always done.”
“But the leaders had plans for the future. I didn't influence their decision to go back to the lake and try to raise the satellite.”
He shrugged. “It appears they do that every few years. It's nothing new. But the efforts to create new crystals by Kwan's method, that's new. And you were quite instrumental in making that happen.”
It was another way of looking at things, and I suppose it helped to know that I was having as much of an effect on the Stronghold as anyone else.
“But if they try to retrieve the satellite every few years, why are they keeping the expedition a secret?”
“There are factions that would try to stop them,” he replied.
“Klaus Brun and his group?” I asked.
“Yes. What do you know about them?”
“Only that they want to make weapons rather than other kinds of machines,” I replied. “And that the two men I heard in the corridor are part of that group. Mena, too.”
“They would only allow a mission to the lake if they were guaranteed that the crystals and other parts of the satellite that are recovered would be used for weaponry,” Madoc explained.
“Then it makes sense that Oskar wouldn't want them to know what he's planning.”
“So, what else is on your mind?” he asked.
“I'm still worried about Toren, but I guess that's minor,” I said.
He nodded. “I'm beginning to think, though, that the walls of the Stronghold are not the reason his magic is diminished here. He is capable of doing more than he tells Oskar, but not as much as he once was. And yet, there's plenty of energy in this cavern. I'm not really sure what his problem is, but I don't think he'll bother you any more.”
I nodded. I guessed his talk with Toren had successfully convinced the mage to leave me alone. “I'm making progress on the waterproof coveralls for the expedition, but I'm worried because Blane never swam before,” I said. “What do you know about what they're planning? Will there be others accompanying the people who've been chosen to dive to the bottom of the lake?”
“I believe there will be a small group going with them. I've only seen some of the equipment they'll be using, some kind of breathing device they've been experimenting on in Niko's lab.”
I nodded. “And then there's the party this weekend.”
He chuckled.
“Don't laugh!” I said. “I understand it's an important event here, and Morna, Carys and I don't have the right clothes. We've had offers from some of our new friends but...”
“You don't want to be beholden to anyone here,” he finished for me.
“Well, yes.”
“I wouldn't worry about that, you know,” he said. “They like the three of you and they want to help. Let them. In return, they'll probably just ask you to alter their coveralls or something.”
I bit my lip. It was true, some of them already had asked. And of course, borrowing dresses from them was the easy thing to do. “Alright.”
“I think we should plan on meeting here every day at this time,” he said as we walked to the door. The afternoon break was ending and we both needed to return to work.
I turned to face him, reaching out a hand to his cheek. “Thank you. It always
makes me feel better when I've talked things over with you.”
He kissed my forehead and then my lips. “I'm happy to be of service,” he said rather formally, bowing his head.
As I went back to work I was smiling.
I finished Eva's coverall that afternoon, and started work on the ones for the other two men, Neelo and Baca. Neither was as tall as Blane but Neelo was quite broad across the shoulders. He appeared to be Solwinish, but I hadn't talked to him for long.
At dinner that night, there was a big commotion. It seemed the group from one of the factories had just arrived and another group was due later that evening.
We all ate waiting with anticipation for them to join us. Finally Steward Peterson brought in the first group, and there was Kerr!
Our table was filling up with some more of our friends and the talk turned to other subjects, but I could see Rani looking questioningly at Katya and then at me. I didn't know what or how much to tell her, so I just kept my mouth full of food, which wasn't difficult.
“Did Carys make this?” Morna asked after her first taste of the stew.
“It's delicious,” Gudrin said.
So we explained again that it was a standard summer dish at the Manor. That led to talk about dishes everyone missed from their homelands. Even Katya and Talia, who'd come to the Stronghold as young children, had favorites they remembered and wished would show up on the food tables one day.
“You should tell Carys about them,” Donal said. “If you describe the dish and the main ingredients, she might be able to duplicate it.”
Once again I thought about how our party had fit into the daily lives of those at the Stronghold. I knew that Blane, Carys, Donal and Morna were as upset as I was about the idea that we might never leave this place, but I was beginning to wonder whether, with time, they'd change their minds and not be so anxious to find a way to go home.
Blane was so excited about the mission ahead of him, even as he dreaded having to swim underwater when he'd never done that before. Carys was already having an influence in the kitchen and was adding even more dishes to her growing repertoire. Donal's enthusiasm grew with each new machine he examined. And my sister was in heaven working with Gita and her animals.
None of them had come out and said, “Why would we want to leave?”, not yet, but I knew it was coming. Without the urgency, how would I get them to help us plan our escape?
I was happy to see Madoc join us. He, at least, still saw the need to find a way to leave. Or did he?
He saw my sudden frown and asked quietly, “What's wrong, Nissa?”
I shook my head. “I'll tell you later. Is there some place we can meet during the afternoon break?”
He nodded once. “Perhaps we should plan to meet each afternoon someplace. Have you been to the Solarium yet?”
“There's a Solarium?” I asked. Would the surprises in this place never end?
“Yes. It's one of those chambers with a chimney hole, a large one. It's a place people can go to get fresh air and sunlight.”
“Where is it?” I asked.
“If you turn right at the corridor that leads to the library instead of left, it's not too far down.”
“Alright, I'll meet you there during the break,” I agreed. “There are a few things I need to tell you, and to ask about.”
“Of course.” He looked at my plate. “Is that the vegetable stew you like so much?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I think Carys had the cooks make it so I'd have another reason to stay, or at least so I wouldn't be so anxious to go.” I didn't say any more on the subject, but I could tell that Madoc realized that was one of the things I wanted to discuss with him. Changing the subject, I told him that the first of the yellow coveralls I was altering were for Blane, Holt and Eva.
“I'm not surprised,” he said. But he was still eying my plate. “I think I'm going to get some of that stew before it's all gone.” He rose and went to the food table, returning quickly with a plate containing the stew as well as a few other items.
Morna was telling everyone about the baby lambs, so we joined in that innocuous conversation. My sister's eyes were shining as she talked about the animals, and that did nothing to calm my fears about what my traveling companions wanted to do.
After luncheon, I returned to what I had begun to think of as the 'yellow' sewing room. As I worked on Eva's garment, Sura came over to watch what I was doing.
“You make it look easy,” she said.
“It isn't really difficult. It's just a matter of anticipating what movements people will make, and allowing enough room in the garment for them to make them,” I told her.
“But we don't know what they'll be doing with these coveralls,” she argued.
“Well, Wert said they'd be used underwater, which is logical since they're made with fabric that is as waterproof as possible.”
She nodded.
“So I expect they'll be swimming,” I said. Considering that I never swam myself, though, I couldn't know for sure how it was done, especially underwater. “So how do you think they'll move their arms?” I asked her. Maybe Sura was a swimmer.
“Hmmm,” she said as she thought about it. “Just as on the surface of the water, they'd need to move their arms out in front of them and then push them back through the water.”
“Show me,” I asked. “If I watch you, it will help me picture it.”
She demonstrated what she imagined they'd do and I watched how her coverall moved. It was mostly as I expected, but I saw additional modifications I'd have to make.
“And the legs?” I asked.
“They'd be kicking up and down in short motions,” she said, showing me with her hands.
“So the hips and knees don't move that much?”
“No. The body needs to be streamlined. You've never seen anyone swim?”
I shook my head. Her demonstration helped me too. And it was information I'd want to give my brother before he tried to swim with the others.
“Thanks, Sura!” I told her. “That really helped.”
I'd made considerable progress on Eva's coverall when Wert entered the sewing room with two other men, who I'd seen around but didn't know. “You've been able to complete some of the garments, haven't you?” he asked me.
“I need to make some minor additional adjustments to Blane and Holt's coveralls, and I'm almost finished with one for Eva. I should complete them all soon after the afternoon break.”
“Good,” he said. “Here are two more who need to be fitted. Tomorrow we will begin the next phase of the uniforms.”
The next phase? What else would he want me to do? I expected I'd have to wait until the next morning to find out.
Once he left, I got measurements for the two men, Neelo and Baca. Neelo was of medium height with darker hair than most Solwinish but the same blue eyes and even features, while Baca was darker still, both his skin and hair, although not as dark as Col. He had high cheekbones in a square face and his dark eyes crinkled when he smiled.
Once I'd finished measuring them, I sent them on their way. I wondered if that was it, that the five people would be the expedition party. I was sure there'd be others going to the lake with them, but not diving. There had to be some people at the top to help them haul up the pieces of the satellite.
The bell rang for the afternoon break before I had a chance to finish Eva's coverall, but I was too anxious to see Madoc in private, so I set it aside. I'd finish it later.
I followed Madoc's instructions and found the solarium. It wasn't as large a chamber as I expected from his description, but it was filled with sunlight. Plants grew in the ground and in large pots all around the room. There were groupings of chairs and couches, mostly unoccupied. In fact, besides us, the only other people there were an older couple who were going around the room looking at the plants. I wondered if Gudrin knew about this place, but decided she must.
Madoc took my hands and led me to a couch where we sat down together. “So, what's worrying you, Nissa?” he asked.
“I'm afraid everyone's becoming too comfortable here,” I said. “My brothers, Morna, and Carys have so many reasons to want to stay that they may not be so eager to find a way to leave. All they talk about is what they're doing and how exciting it is.”
He nodded. “It's a wondrous place and they've each found something that they enjoy doing.”
“What...what about you? I know you want to help the people here. I guess I do as well, but have you become so involved in planning the work they're doing that you might want to stay?”
I'm sure he saw how much I feared that. “We'll find a way to go home,” he said. “And I think the others want that too.”
“Why would they? Carys is doing what she's always wanted. Holm Manor isn't even her home, or rather, her home is wherever Blane is. Donal won't rest until he's seen every machine that's been constructed. I think he's also taken a fancy to Ana. Morna's bonded with the animals as well as Gita, Wim and Raj. And Blane is looking forward to learning to swim so he can fulfill his assignment as a member of the Dulno Lake group.”
“And you?” he asked.
“Me? All I do all day is sew, and you know how much I hate to do that!”
“You're not just sewing, are you? You're redesigning the clothing here at the Stronghold.”
“Well, yes,” I admitted.
“And you're serving as an example to these people so that they're beginning to experiment with their lives.”
“You've said that before,” I told him.
“Because it's true. Nissa, you've instilled a new enthusiasm, a new outlook among the others here. That's a very positive thing. It will have an influence on the direction of their future efforts.”
“But...”
“No 'buts',” he said, placing his hands on either side of my face. “This place was beginning to stagnate before we came. Everyone continued to do what they'd always done.”
“But the leaders had plans for the future. I didn't influence their decision to go back to the lake and try to raise the satellite.”
He shrugged. “It appears they do that every few years. It's nothing new. But the efforts to create new crystals by Kwan's method, that's new. And you were quite instrumental in making that happen.”
It was another way of looking at things, and I suppose it helped to know that I was having as much of an effect on the Stronghold as anyone else.
“But if they try to retrieve the satellite every few years, why are they keeping the expedition a secret?”
“There are factions that would try to stop them,” he replied.
“Klaus Brun and his group?” I asked.
“Yes. What do you know about them?”
“Only that they want to make weapons rather than other kinds of machines,” I replied. “And that the two men I heard in the corridor are part of that group. Mena, too.”
“They would only allow a mission to the lake if they were guaranteed that the crystals and other parts of the satellite that are recovered would be used for weaponry,” Madoc explained.
“Then it makes sense that Oskar wouldn't want them to know what he's planning.”
“So, what else is on your mind?” he asked.
“I'm still worried about Toren, but I guess that's minor,” I said.
He nodded. “I'm beginning to think, though, that the walls of the Stronghold are not the reason his magic is diminished here. He is capable of doing more than he tells Oskar, but not as much as he once was. And yet, there's plenty of energy in this cavern. I'm not really sure what his problem is, but I don't think he'll bother you any more.”
I nodded. I guessed his talk with Toren had successfully convinced the mage to leave me alone. “I'm making progress on the waterproof coveralls for the expedition, but I'm worried because Blane never swam before,” I said. “What do you know about what they're planning? Will there be others accompanying the people who've been chosen to dive to the bottom of the lake?”
“I believe there will be a small group going with them. I've only seen some of the equipment they'll be using, some kind of breathing device they've been experimenting on in Niko's lab.”
I nodded. “And then there's the party this weekend.”
He chuckled.
“Don't laugh!” I said. “I understand it's an important event here, and Morna, Carys and I don't have the right clothes. We've had offers from some of our new friends but...”
“You don't want to be beholden to anyone here,” he finished for me.
“Well, yes.”
“I wouldn't worry about that, you know,” he said. “They like the three of you and they want to help. Let them. In return, they'll probably just ask you to alter their coveralls or something.”
I bit my lip. It was true, some of them already had asked. And of course, borrowing dresses from them was the easy thing to do. “Alright.”
“I think we should plan on meeting here every day at this time,” he said as we walked to the door. The afternoon break was ending and we both needed to return to work.
I turned to face him, reaching out a hand to his cheek. “Thank you. It always
makes me feel better when I've talked things over with you.”
He kissed my forehead and then my lips. “I'm happy to be of service,” he said rather formally, bowing his head.
As I went back to work I was smiling.
I finished Eva's coverall that afternoon, and started work on the ones for the other two men, Neelo and Baca. Neither was as tall as Blane but Neelo was quite broad across the shoulders. He appeared to be Solwinish, but I hadn't talked to him for long.
At dinner that night, there was a big commotion. It seemed the group from one of the factories had just arrived and another group was due later that evening.
We all ate waiting with anticipation for them to join us. Finally Steward Peterson brought in the first group, and there was Kerr!