How a Little Bird Hid in the Boughs (2)

Selene had agreed that I should prioritize staying hidden while Helian was at the estate, which meant significant changes to my daily routine. I had to admit it was making me nervous, but there was no other choice. 

The longer we kept my presence secret, the more opportunities we would have to prepare for the climax of the next part of the story. I had to stay hidden (even as my exact motives were kept secret from the countess), but with the dame’s help it was relatively easy. We worked together to ensure Helian wouldn’t see much of the training field, and that I’d remain undisturbed in my room on the second floor. 

Even if I wanted to be by Helian’s side, it was a relief to know that she would be somewhere safe, if only for a while.

Predictably, the countess rapidly lost interest in me after our new guest arrived. This meant my schedule and responsibilities were entirely up to Selene. I had my evening instruction from a rotating group of specialists, and every morning, one of the vice commander’s aides delivered a tall stack of documents to my desk. When I asked her about it, Selene smiled and responded, “if the saintess walks by, you can hide behind the paperwork.”

A significant portion of our workload was related to the Rydberg barony, which had now fallen under the countess’s purview. The continued investigation had resulted in the demotion or firing of a dozen ministers so far and we had identified a suburban manor used by the baron for his own weekend entertainment, resulting in a steady influx of evidence that the Lady Solana would review (and eventually forward to His Majesty).

The week’s end arrived swiftly, and as our scheduled meeting with the countess ended, Lady Solana stared into her wine glass and spoke to Selene. “What of the tree-huggers?”

“My apologies, Sola, but that investigation has been going poorly. I have nothing new to report. The marchioness seems to have identified our agents and, as such, become selective about recruitment.”

Solana smiled and glanced over at me. “What a dilemma. Perhaps the saintess is a solution for our problems? I’ll wager Lady Marigold would salivate at the thought of recruiting such a prestigious young lady to her little cult. And Helian has certainly demonstrated a talent for wrapping nobles around her finger…”

The countess relished identifying a staffer’s weak points and exploiting them for her amusement. Selene had cautioned me about this at length during one of our planning sessions, and I was starting to understand why. Were I not preoccupied with the vast quantity of work assigned to me, tonight’s harassment would probably weigh upon my mind for days.

Despite my best efforts, my expression soured and the countess laughed in response. “Not to worry, little bird. I’ll ensure your treasure doesn’t come to harm. I’ve taken good care of her thus far, have I not?” She swirled the wine in her glass, then downed the rest in one gulp. I really needed to work on my poker face.

… what was a poker face, again? Another thing to search for in my notes. 

This mention of a cult had me on edge because as far as I knew, it was never in the novel. Either Helian had kept this information to herself, or worse, still, it was a new introduction to the plot. If only I could ask her... 

The revelation of Helian’s status as the saintess had already put much of my plan in jeopardy. It filled me with dread to imagine some sort of religious power struggle entering the picture. If the priestesses managed to sequester her in the temple, we would have no choice but to beg for the king’s assistance.

Helian and the Cunning Countess (4)

The countess frequently invited me for meals in the third-floor dining room or the occasional private drinking party in her bedroom. To my surprise, she refrained from calling me into her office after my first visit, perhaps because she noticed my reaction to the sight of the balcony. I should really work on that… I can’t let simple architecture rattle me.

My anticipation for this part of the story was quickly tempered. Her personality was worse than the impression given by the novel, and based on what the maids whispered when they thought I was out of earshot, it seemed that I was subject to unusual treatment compared to the countess’s previous “friends.” She seemed to delight in making me uncomfortable, often staring at me with a strange expression, as if comparing me against some private, unknowable standard.

Regardless, she quickly capitalized on my apparent vulnerability to her charms. I had to exercise caution because she took every opportunity to keep my glass filled with wine, plying me with sweets and honeyed words at the same time. My spartan diet and villager’s upbringing had left me unfamiliar with these types of indulgent experiences, so it was hard to stay focused and restrain my feelings. While her confidence and way with words had appealed to me when I’d first read the novel, now that we were face-to-face, they felt threatening.

It felt nice to be treasured, at least. There was a sense of familiarity to it, and after my time spent in the young lord’s company, it was a welcome comfort and change of pace. The countess was careful to pull back when necessary, ever guided by her refined sense of decorum and gift for reading people’s emotions – skills honed over the course of dozens of flings with maids and noblewomen.

By this point, my stay at the estate had lasted into a few weeks, long enough for the countess to be comfortable enough around me to lower her guard. During one of our drinking parties, I decided to raise a question that had been weighing on my mind all this time. 

“Lady Solana, I remain grateful for the assistance you provided at the baron’s estate those few weeks ago. I’ve grown curious, though. How was it you knew to come for me?”

The countess narrowed her eyes and smiled. “While I must protect my sources, suffice it to say a little bird fluttered her wings and brought a message to me. This led to us uncovering the young Lord Arsen’s crimes, and it was only natural to seek him out at the party. I consider it a blessing from the heavens that I arrived in time.” 

The countess emphasized the word ‘fluttered’ by wiggling her fingers, and both the gesture and word gave way to discomfort deep in my chest.

Little bird? It can’t be.

“It’s good that you raised the topic of that incident, however. As much as I’m reluctant to ask this of the saintess, there’s a matter with which I require your assistance, as it may be akin to your past experiences. I won’t demand anything of you, but I would be sincerely grateful if you’d give it your consideration.”

At the very least, I sorely needed a distraction from all the questions that had been swirling in my mind. I nodded.

“A marchioness from a neighboring territory hosts frequent parties at estates throughout the kingdom, and the rumors I’ve heard have me quite concerned. If there’s any truth to the reports, heresy of a grand scale may be involved. I dread the possibility that some of the king’s vassals could get swept up in this matter and face excommunication, or worse.”

While royal decree had established formal freedom of religion in the kingdom, the temple of Metis still represented the official faith, and as such, charges of heresy carried severe implications. At minimum, heretics could be sanctioned by the temple. In more severe cases one would be excommunicated, resulting in a prohibition from holding public office or having one’s marriage formally recognized.

And while it hadn’t occurred in decades, the law still allowed for summary execution in the event of great offenses against the Goddess Metis. If a cult rose in profile to the point of meriting the countess’s attention, it was possible the temple could make such a demand.

“If these gatherings are truly the work of a cult, Lady Solana, would they welcome a saintess into their midst? I can’t imagine they adhere to the teachings of Metis.”

“Under normal circumstances, certainly not. But the sudden announcement of your status at the baron’s party gives the impression that you are yet unfamiliar with the temple’s teachings. With some coaxing, I suspect Lady Marigold could be convinced to see you as a frail little doe that could be influenced to share her way of thought. Your lack of religious upbringing should be an asset, as you lack habits common to Metis’s loyal worshippers.”

The countess paused and narrowed her eyes.

“In any case, Miss Helian, give the matter some thought. Discussing this has soured my mood, so I’ll ask for some privacy for the rest of the night. I apologize if you had any other expectations for the evening… I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”