Helian and the Cunning Countess (2)

I could barely maintain my composure as the show went on. 

Lady Solana dismantled the baron’s reputation and gathered the support of the crowd in the span of a few short minutes. As promised, none present concerned themselves with my arrival in the hall, and there were no questions about my involvement.

The countess squeezed my hand and spoke quietly. “It’s done, Miss Helian. Follow me, let’s get out of here.” As she led me towards the hall’s main entrance, a group of voices erupted suddenly behind me.

“Lady Saintess!” “Oh, Metis have mercy!”

I turned to see a group of priestesses from the eastern territories scrambling toward me. The eldest member of the group stumbled and nearly landed on her face.

The swiftest one got close and kneeled at my feet, shouting “Oh, heavens be praised! The saintess!”

The gathered crowd’s eyes were on me, and the countess’s expression was unreadable.

In my panic, all I could muster was “I don’t understand.”

“Ah, do not fear!” The elder priestess, having picked herself off the ground, rushed to explain. “Young lady, you have been chosen by our patron most high and wise, the Goddess Metis!”

The priestess still kneeling at my feet nodded in agreement. Between sobs, she spoke: “To those in Her service, the light of a saintess is like the sun! It shone brightly the moment you entered the hall! This is truly divine providence!”

The countess wrapped her arm around my shoulders to reassure me and spoke. “Please forgive my ignorance, but what does it mean for the young lady to be a saintess?”

The elder priestess resumed speaking. “Of course, Lady Solana! As we all know, in the era of ancient myth, the Goddess Metis waged war against her brother, the vile trickster Loki, to put an end to the calamities he wrought upon the earth. It was at this time the first saintess was brought into our world.”

The kneeling priestess gripped the hem of my dress. “The saintess is an instrument of the heavens’ will, brought from beyond the veil to purge evil from the realm and spread prosperity through her wisdom and holy power!”

The gentleman in the top hat chose this moment to speak up. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s the young Miss Helian! She placed second in the administrative exam on her first attempt and impressed the entire finance ministry with her wisdom.”

Edie, her eyes still red from sobbing, concurred. “I’ve met the young lady on multiple occasions. Just being in her presence filled me with a sense of calm. Even then I wondered how a girl could be so radiant!”

The crowd was rapt with attention. “The saintess? That young woman?” “I can see what they mean…” “She does possess an ethereal quality…”

The elder priestess cleared her throat, and, satisfied, offered her now-decisive conclusion. “Any doubt in my mind was cleared when you returned to the hall with her, Countess Solana. The young lord Rydberg’s sins were brought to light in part by the saintess, no?”

Solana turned to face me and smiled. “That’s correct. Despite the risks involved, she endured Arsen Rydberg’s mistreatment and provided key information so I could bring him to justice. If you insist that this was the will of the heavens, who am I to deny it? Let all gathered here rest assured. Miss Helian will be under my protection.”

I found myself back in the trap. The story had once again taken an unfamiliar shape.

How a Little Bird Hid in the Boughs (1)

While the priestesses’ intervention was unexpected, things had otherwise proceeded as planned. Helian was safely in the countess’s custody, and I had been able to intervene before Arsen Rydberg danced to the author’s tune for too long. 

For the first time in weeks, it felt like I could breathe again. And though the thing I wanted most was to rush to her side, the time wasn’t right. Not yet.

As for the unexpected events, it seemed that Helian’s new status as the saintess was the story’s way of adapting to the damage we had inflicted upon it. All I could do now was continue on my path and hope that nothing else of importance would change.

As the countess was busy looking after her new ward and I was to remain unseen, the responsibility for my debriefing fell upon the dame. We sat in her personal quarters, waiting for the tea to steep.

After checking the kettle’s temperature with her hand, Selene turned to look me in the eye. “Well done. Judging by your written report, I can understand why Sola was so smitten with you.”

The past tense in this sentence was clearly a slight against me, as was using such a personal nickname for the countess, but it was only natural for her to remain displeased despite my performance, given that Lady Solana was at this moment happily behaving as I intended.

Perhaps due to the story’s grip, Solana had proven more vulnerable to my manipulation than I expected, and the dame was quick to recognize the resulting, otherwise inexplicable shifts in her behavior. Even if she couldn’t identify the root cause of these changes, her confidence in my guilt proved that she was the right person for the countess’s side.

“Dame Selene, may I speak freely?”

“No.” she replied without hesitation. She checked the tea again.

I tried again. “I am prepared to answer every question you have, if you only grant me an opportunity to explain this situation in its entirety.”

She hefted the kettle and filled both our cups to their brims, then returned it to the table. She closed her eyes and took a sip. After a long moment, she opened her eyes and stared at me. 

“Very well then. Sing your best song for me, little bird.” Another clear insult. She had learned from the best.

“Saintess Helian and I grew up together.”

She nodded. “I expected as much.”

“Most of the information I’ve given to Lady Solana was in turn provided by the saintess.”

“I see. She has the gift of prophecy, then? Why only gift you this knowledge and otherwise keep it to herself?”

“Her actions are constrained, perhaps by the will of the heavens. I’ve witnessed the outcome when those constraints are violated. Every action she takes is under the duress of a prophecy she calls the ‘Novel’.”

I sipped my tea and continued.

“For whatever reason, I’m free from those constraints if my own set of rules are followed. Those rules are the result of first-hand experience. I’ve already explained them to the countess, but I wanted to inform you as well. Do you enjoy reading, Dame? If you’re familiar with fiction or fairy tales, this will be much easier to explain.”

Selene tilted her head. “I’ve read a book or two, yes. Do you mean to say that this ‘Novel’ is a literal story book, not just a prophecy?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes. Its contents were revealed to Helian a few pages at a time, over the course of multiple years. It was at that point she traveled to our world.”

The dame cleared her throat. “The priestesses’ fable is true, then? She is not from this earth?”

“There is no other explanation that fits. If you’ll allow me a question - when did you first learn to read and write?”

“My lord father hired tutors for us around the age of 3.”

“A quick study. In my case, I learned around the age of 6 according to my father. But Helian knew how to read and write since the day she spoke her first words… perhaps even before that.”

Selene nodded. “Knowledge from a past life, then? Or a divine gift of language?”

“Every page of that prophecy has come true without fail until recently. She calls the prophecy a ‘Novel’ because it takes the shape of one, and therefore its predictions are limited. The future comes from the perspective of a story’s reader, not the position of an omnipotent god or all-seeing eye.”

Selene refilled her teacup, then topped off mine. “The prophecy has… what is the term for it? A point of view?”

“Exactly. The future is set in stone, but only the parts of it that would be known to the story’s reader. Which means that if you or I remain in the shadows – places outside of sight, between the lines, unworthy of mention – we may act unbound by the prophecy. Though even then, the future can be quite difficult to change.”

“And what have we changed so far?” Selene regarded me with skepticism.

“Less than you’d expect. Helian was always fated to end up under the countess’s protection, and as you’ve seen, Lady Solana’s attention was easy for her to gain. No action of mine could prevent Helian from becoming her latest pet.”

The dame laughed. “Would jealousy drive you to do such a thing? I thought better of you.”

“Dame Selene.”

“Yes?”

“We both know what kind of person the countess is. You most of all.”

“Watch your tongue.” She was no longer amused.

“From my perspective, the prophecy is not a gift. The author that crafted it is a vile being, determined to make Helian suffer. Her encounter with Arsen Rydberg was merely the beginning. I gives this warning with all sincerity: The woman you love will become a monster.”

Selene stood and faced the window. “Then why drive your childhood friend into her arms in this way? Did you offer her up as a sacrifice in the hopes of gaining wealth and privilege?”

Because Solana was Helian’s favorite character, I think she would have sought after the countess even if I tried to keep them apart. I felt some guilt for not trying, though.

“What changed was the manner of their meeting. The prophecy foretold difficult weeks ahead of Helian before her rescue, and more lives claimed by the wretched Rydberg family. With the help of the countess – with your aid, Dame Selene – we saved multiple lives and I was able to spare Helian from some suffering. All in exchange for one life claimed ahead of schedule.”

She turned back to me. “But that’s all, then. The prophecy continues, and now you seek my help to manipulate it once again for your own benefit.”

“If we do nothing, this estate will be reduced to ashes by the prophecy. Helian will be delivered from the arms of one monster into the clutches of another, and she will be all alone. I don’t expect you to trust me, but I believe you understand why I’ve chosen to confide in you. This future is one beyond my ability to change.”

“And I possess the power to change it?”

“If we follow the rules, I believe that together, we can defy fate. We can free the countess from the story’s grip, and Helian can escape the worst of the author’s schemes once more.”

“And you, XXXXX?”

“I don’t have the luxury to think of myself with what’s at stake. If I manage to survive all this, I’ll consider that reward enough.”

Selene walked over to me and extended her hand. “Partners, I suppose.”

“I will not betray your trust, Dame Selene.” I shook her hand firmly.

“We’d best make plans, then. I’ll fetch a pen and paper from my office. Boil more water while you wait.”