The Golden Scepter - Chapter One

" My mother and father, who were sorcerers, gave me to Brodens Keep twenty years ago while I was a baby. They died three years ago from old age."

" I'm sorry to hear that."

" Don't be, they are in a better place."

" Does that mean you have magic?" Maryin asked. Leona looked up from Maryin's platter.

" No. The gene of magic was possessed by my father, and my mother was only a carrier, and so am I a carrier. If I ever have children, it will be they who will have magic."

" Where is Edvard, I thought I would see him by now." Maryin placed a piece of venison on her bread and ate it with a draught of wine.

" He is a very busy man Mistress, I mean Maryin. It is seldom that even we see him."

" What busies him so?"

" I have no idea, but I figure it would be foreign affairs with sorcerers in various portions of the world," and then, almost hesitantly, " May I get you some more meat, Maryin." Maryin only nodded her head in agreement, knowing that it would be useless to keep the maid from doing her job. Leona disappeared into he kitchen once more, her black dress spinning around her as the door closed. Maryin devoured her fruit, and helped herself to filling more of her wine.

She dipped her bread in the juices of the salted venison, but hadn't reached it to her mouth when a scream arose from the kitchen. She stood up instantly and passed into he kitchen. She was confronted by the smells of food simmering above a heavy black cauldron set above flaming coals. Leona bowed before the pot, holding a hand she had wrapped in the hem of her dress.

" What is it?" Maryin asked with a scream of her own caught in her throat. She was afraid to know what it even was. Leona turned her head to look at her. Her eyes were watery, and her face was red.

" Nothing...mistress. I just...," she looked back to the coals for a moment, then looked back, " I burned myself a little, that's all. I'm always burning myself." She stood in a fluid motion, fetched a towl from a countertop, then turned her back to Maryin as wrapped her hand.

" It sounded worse," Maryin said as she watched Leona take a ladle from a rack to test the soup she had been simmering. The maid pretended she didn't hear, but ladled the soup into a bowl and presented it to her on a silver platter. Maryin took the platter, speechless to say anything else.

" Let me see your hand. I am good at fixing things."

Leona flashed a sudden smiled, but shook her head. " I'm fine, honest. It is you who needs the attention, not me." Leona turned and removed a tin of spice from a shelve, and sprinkled it into Maryin's soup.

" Why is there food always cooking this late in the night anyway?" Maryin asked. Leona laughed slightly to herself.

" Because of guest like you. There are always people wanting something to eat, no matter what time of day it is."

" They must have larger appetites than I do," Maryin said as she walked back to the kitchen door.

" And oh, Maryin?" Leona called.

" Yes," Maryin turned back to the maid.

" I'm going to the other kitchens to fetch more spices, ring the bell by your table if you need me. The bell will be beside your platter." Maryin hadn't said a word before Leona walked down a stair case that was opposite the pot. Maryin walked back into dining room, wandering what bell Leona could possibly be talking about. To her astonishment she saw a golden bell beside her platter, right beside her wine. She sat at the table, trying hard not to marvel at the magic of Brodens Keep.