Mask Of The Nobleman

---

---

Mask Of The Nobleman - book excerpt

Prologue

He is gone. I can breathe a bit as this castle loosens its limbs in his absence. We are all glad he has left for an overnight hunt. For an evening, we do not have to tiptoe around his temper. When he is here, we are all haunted by the ghost of rage. The pressure is suffocating. Sometimes, when he has found some small victory, he is still so kind, so loving. But when the turn comes, we can barely pause.

How has he turned me into this? How have I become a simpering, frightened fool? How has he turned me, me, into a coward afraid for my skin? How could he make me question my worth?

I’m making my plans to leave, but I cannot just yet. I love my son too much to go, even though every minute I spend with him puts him closer to danger. My hope is that the danger that creeps, even more violent and terrifying than his own father, will pass by. That the nightmare of my past will stay hidden from my child now.

Like clockwork, my little love comes to me as I sit at the windowsill, looking at the night-blanketed landscape. He tugs at my skirt, and I look down to see those blue eyes, my blue eyes, staring back. It shocks me. I hope that the one I fear does not see those eyes and know to whom they belong.

“Mommy! Look what Master Tochtem made me!” His bright little face is illuminated by his wild blonde hair framing his perfect cherubic cheeks. He’ll need a haircut soon, I think, brushing a stray strand from his forehead. Then I drag my eyes from his smile to his outstretched hands.

“Oh! A little bird!”

“It’s a woodpecker! I saw one today and I told Master Tochtem and he said they were his favorite! He made it with some spare block in no-time!”

I take the little sculpture from him to look closer. It’s a simple thing, with a few lines to delineate feathers, but it is beautiful in its minimalism. It strikes me how much I like this little carving, but then again, I have always had a weakness for pretty things. My son has also inherited that.

“It’s lovely! Where should we put it? It would look lovely in the library, don’t you think?” I pick him up and put him on my lap. He’s perfectly fitted to me, and I am surprised at how much I can love a child again.

His face darkens. “No, I don’t want to put it in the library. I showed Marcus, and he said woodpeckers are stupid. I don’t think he gets to look at it then!”

A wanton chuckle escapes my lips as I stroke back his hair. “Ok, then, we can put it in my room? Or would you like it in your room?” He turns over the little bird in his hands, pensive. I think of how much he has grown in these few short years, and how much he will grow without me in the days to come. Where I am going, he cannot come with me. The thought grips my heart as if his small palm has enclosed about it. I hold him closer.

“My room, I think. We can put it on the shelf near my bed,” he says finally.

“Alright, then. Very good idea, my little bear. We’ll put it there.”I rub his cheek with my thumb, a gesture I’ve picked up from one of the washerwomen here. “Speaking of which, it is quite late, let’s put you to bed.”

He nods and yawns in understanding. I lift him up into my arms, eager to keep my son a babe for a little longer. I love and have loved all my children, but as my youngest, I want him to stay this way forever. “So, my little bear, what story should I tell you tonight?”

He curls his head into my shoulder as I carry him to his room down the hall. The maid smiles and mutters a soft, motherly goodnight. The people here are too kind to live in constant anxiety as they do. One of Jors’ hands takes a strand of my long red hair and wraps it in his perfect little fingers. When we reach the door of his room, he looks up at me, ready to break my heart, and says, “Mommy, can you tell me about the ‘Polodians’ again?”

I tell him everything I remember.

Chapter 1

Peytra ran around her room like a dog on the hunt. She rifled through her clothes, pulling on an only mildly stained day-dress. Then she hurtled between her bed and her closet to locate her left boot. Even at this height, the air was thick with the scent of baking cinnamon, cardamon, melted sugar, and other spices, which hit her from the kitchen below. It was the day of the Spring Festival, the one annual celebration filled with events, contests, and food. However, all that depended on whether or not Peytra could be out of bed and dressed in time to make the caravan. Cursing herself for waking up late, she washed her face, scrubbing off the past night’s dreaming. Peytra hurriedly brushed her hair in front of the small wall mirror, setting the thick black tresses into a braided bun on top of her head. While it was smooth and even enough for her liking, she hoped her mother wouldn’t look too closely and start rattling off on its imperfections.

She jogged downstairs and was met by a throng of people. Her brothers, Thom, Lukas, and Peytire, seemed to be arguing over some such arrangement. Nearby, her oldest brothers’ wives, Evete and Muriall, chatted amongst themselves, used to their husbands’ continued rehashing of their sibling squabbles. Her older sisters, Helene and Marii, were carrying and cataloging items for the festival out onto the wagons. Helene’s husband, Mikael, followed the two, picking up the slack where Peytra’s brothers should have been. Her mother, Gerta, came out of the kitchen, another wrapped pie to go for the festival contest.

Peytra bypassed all of this commotion and headed towards the workshop she and her father shared. It was a small, single-room structure set towards the back of their country home, connected to the main house by a barely-there overhang. The space was littered with shelves, workbenches, and a perpetual pile of wood shavings the floor that seemed to accumulate no matter how often she swept. The walls of the workshop were thin such that, in the winter, the air in that shack was just as cold as the outdoors. Only the kiln served as a source of warmth in those harsh months. Now in Spring, it was lovely and cool. The breezes eased their way through the cracks and stirred up the smell of cedar and pine. Even though Peytra was running frustratingly late, she took a moment to savor the familiar and comforting aroma. This was her most sacred space, freezing, sweltering, or just right.

Her father’s creations lay haphazardly across the long sections of the various tables. Mikayel Sike was a toymaker by trade who specialized in little wooden dolls with mobile joints. What the Sike toys were really known for, however, were their quality carvings, which is what Peytra contributed. As a child, her father had taught her to carve as a hobby. She took to it with gusto and, within a few years, surpassed his skill. Peytra loved to work with her hands and moved beyond carving to clay and sculpture. Working as a father-daughter team expanded the family business into more designer toys for richer families, like porcelain dolls and indulgent dollhouse sets. Peytra relished in her talent and the pride her father and mother had of her skill. What did upset her is that no one outside her family knew of her hard work.

Ottoh, Peytra’s father’s business partner and good friend, had made it clear that yes, Peytra’s works were lovely, but their more traditional customers would be averse to knowing that a woman had been the artist behind many of their favorite toys. Or, at very least, they would be averse to paying full price for a work with a woman-carving. Thus, no one outside her family and a few village friends knew about Peytra’s talents.

That is, until today. There on her workbench at the southern corner of the workshop was her entry into the most important of the festival competitions: a free-standing carved sculpture of the goddess Fregh.

The contest specifications were to create a work of art devoted to the goddess, patron of the Spring festival. The winning piece would be displayed in the city temple’s altar for the following year. Whenever Peytra visited the temple, she noted with disdain that the winners were always so toothless. To Peytra’s mind, they made the goddess of love into a symbol of infantile femininity. If the winning work was a painting, it was a cacophony of glossy pastel patterns. In a statue, she was even more demure and stoic, reclining on a cloud or flower bed. This was not the goddess that Peytra wished to represent.

Instead, Peytra chose to showcase Fregh’s intensity. Fregh was the goddess of love and abundance, yes, but she was also the goddess of righteous fury. She was the patron of undiluted passion, for good or ill. Among the other gods, as the stories told, Fregh was respected and feared for her conviction. In many of the tales about Fregh, she carried a basket of plenty and a ruby-tipped spear. She would bless her devotees from the basket with gifts of love and bounty, and she would pierce the hearts of her enemies with her spear. She had the ability to drive mortals to pained resolutions and madness should they displease her. All her life, Peytra had never once seen Fregh represented with her divine weapon. She was sure to rectify that in her work.

The carved sculpture, a product of much work since the early winter, was a dynamic ode to the goddess and her power. It showed Fregh pointing her spear forward while stepping on a raised cliff, her basket on the ground behind her. Peytra wanted the work to have movement, so Fregh’s hair was a wild set of carefully rendered horizontal locks as if they were blowing in the wind. Her dress swooped behind her, with the ends dissolving into intricately carved flowers. Peytra had spent weeks painstakingly painting the sculpture. She had mixed the deep red paint for Fregh’s spear and hair by hand, using only the most deep red pigments and extracts. That very paint had stained Peytra’s hands for a full two weeks after, making it look as if her fingertips had been dipped in blood. Much to her mother’s chagrin, she oddly relished the look of the deep red against her brown skin. For her, it was a small sacrifice she could make in the name of Fregh, and she hoped the goddess would repay her with a blessing for the success of the statue.

In the end, she was not only satisfied with the piece but proud. She felt that she had captured Fregh’s essence, down to the determined look she had carved into the statue’s glittering blue eyes.

Peytra gingerly wrapped her work up in a large sheet and headed out towards the wagons, eager to get to the festival and submit her work. She could hear through the thin walls of the workshop that her siblings and parents were almost finished readying the carts.

“Oh, well look, if it ain’t the sleeping beauty. Finally get up, I see,” said Lukas with a smirk. On a clear day like this, his sandy hair picked up the sunlight and almost glowed.

“Yeah, with no help from you, brother. Didn’t anyone think to wake me? I could have missed the whole thing!”

“Oh, I went in there to shake you awake at dawn, and you almost bit my hand clean off!” Marii interjected, a pie held gingerly under one of her slim arms.

“Always the little beastie. Be careful, Mar, those teeth are sharp,” Peytire teased.

Peytra returned her brother’s joke with a few snaps of her teeth and a light punch in his arm, which he laughed off. Marii just shook her head at her younger siblings. She took out a napkin-wrapped biscuit from her pouch and handed it to Peytra.

“Here,” she said, “knowing you, you probably haven’t had a thing to eat yet, and you’ll be picking from the pies before we even get to town.” Peytra was grateful to her sister’s kindness and foresight. She wondered if she could ever survive without them.

Peytire ruffled her half-falling bun as she swatted him away. “Eh, if you had eaten the pies, I wouldn’t have told on yah, so long as you save me slice.”

She returned his smile with a mouth full of biscuit and a shove with her shoulder. They lived across the old temple that served as their little schoolhouse for this out-lying village. It was the schoolhouse where Marii, Peytire, and Peytra had caused all sorts of mischief as children. While walking, she could see the tree nearby that they would climb and swing from.

Being the three youngest meant that they were often left to their own devices. There were no expectations on them that needed to be fulfilled that were not being met by their older siblings. Their parents, taking a more hands-off approach to parenting meant they could play and explore the world bereft of responsibilities. Even now, just a few months after her twenty-fifth birthday, she felt no pressure to do anything she did not wish to do. When women would be claiming spinsterhood or have set up some sort of venture, Peytra was content to stay on with her parents and practice her work. Or, at least, she liked to think so.

The wagons were all packed and loaded, and the large family started their journey to the city. It was just over an hour’s walk away, and as they traveled, they were joined by their neighbors and other travelers, all making their pilgrimage for the festival. Peytra walked alongside the wagon, holding her sculpture. Despite the growing soreness in her shoulder, she felt the need to keep the work close and hidden. It was a clear morning, and she had a good feeling about the day. She was sure she would win the competition, and her artwork would be on display for a year. People would finally know her name, and they would commission her for carvings and statues. She wouldn’t have to hide behind her father’s reputation to get work. Her steps had a bounce to them the entire trek.

They reached Vergith in record time. Bright green standards hung on the walls surrounding the small enclave, each with flowers painted on in celebration for the festival. It was impossibly crowded. This seemed to be the busiest Peytra had ever seen their little city, even compared to festivals past. Wagon after wagon jostled towards the front to be inspected and passed by the guards. This was certainly going to be the largest celebration yet.

Peytra noticed that instead of the typical two-to-four guards posted at the front there were dozens. She asked one of the younger guards, a clearly green youth who took his job much too seriously, about the added presence. The flustered boy replied that Duke Ameros had come to the festival and sent some of his personal force, and the city had put all their guard out as added protection. Indeed, she could see the bear emblem on a few of the soldiers now that she knew to look.

“Oh, so I suppose His Highness the hermit ‘as come out hiding at last,” Marii said in a terse whisper to her siblings so that none of the guards could hear.

“I heard,” whispered Lukas to his two sisters, “that he was mauled as a youth in a strange animal attack. Now he’s an unsightly mangle, so he holds up in his castle. It’s a rare thing for him to be out amongst our ilk.”

“I just supposed that noble people didn’t really care to come out to the normal folks. And look at all this mess.” Peytra indicated the traffic jam and soldiers with a jut of her chin. “It’s probably best they don’t come to things like this.”

Marii had a quizzical look on her face. “I wonder why he’d come out now if he’s all a mess. Didn’t the elder Duke pass, what, six, seven, eight winters ago? Wouldn’t then have been the time to make himself known?”

“Maybe he’s found a cure for his looks?” Lukas said, an impish smile dancing across his lips. Muriall scolded her husband with her eyes.

“Who cares? As long as he doesn’t ruin today, he can come and go as he pleases,” Peytra said, pulling her statue closer and heading towards the contest registration.

She left her name and work with the committee. Peytra swore to herself that they seemed at least a little impressed with her entry. But they wouldn’t be the ones judging. It would be a selected panel of distinguished villagers and past winners. She took a tour of the competition. It was composed of three large paintings, a triptych, and another statue. Peytra felt that the competing pieces were good, at least in technique. Yet, they were all too soft and delicate for her taste. One of the paintings even had Fregh lounging among a flock of swans as flower petals seemed to stream through the air. It was pretty, but almost the same as a painting that had won two Springs prior. In fact, it seemed all of the works were rehashed versions of other winners from years before. They told the same old story about Fregh, where she was a passive, loving goddess. Peytra said a little prayer to herself, hoping that the judges would appreciate her difference.

It would be a few hours until judging commenced, so to pass the time and distract herself, Peytra decided to visit her father’s shop across the city. Ottoh was there and greeted her with a warm, fatherly hug. He was a large barrel of a man with a long greying beard. It always struck Peytra as rather funny that in face and coloring, Ottoh so closely resembled her father, albeit a portly one. They could have very easily been brothers, with their laughing green eyes, bushy brows, and deep chestnut hair. But that would have been impossible, as Ottoh and his wife had emigrated from a nation in the North just before she’d been taken in by her parents.

Still, she had grown up with Ottoh acting as a self-appointed second guardian. Peytra loved him like a father, to be sure, but she also found him as annoying as any parent when he began to prescribe what she needed to be happy. “Peytra, you should smile more,”“Peytra, why don’t you do your hair as nice as your sisters,”“Peytra, suck in your stomach,” or her personal favorite, “Peytra, my little partridge, boys don’t like a girl to be so challenging.”

Ottoh didn’t even wait until Peytra had finished saying hello before he began chastising her. “Peytra, my little partridge, look at them! Ah, you’re growing so quick, when are you going to get married?” He’d probably just seen the obvious newlyweds walk by the window of the shop, their faces dumbstruck with overt affection for one another.

“But, Uncle Ottoh, if I get married, then who would take care of you, Aunt Ita, Papa, and Mama? Hmmm?” she replied with feigned sweetness.

He chortled. “No, no, my dear, no worries on that. We’ll all have plenty of grandchildren to be with us in old age. But you, don’t you want children? Or a man of your own to take care of?”

At this point, Peytra was inspecting their line of walking duck toys on the wall. “I’ll have nieces and nephews to play with. As for a man, I’d rather take care of myself than add another to that. No, as the youngest, I’m free to be what I want.”

“Ah, I always told your father you read too much. Spoiled your mind…”

Peytra was eager to change the subject. “The store’s empty today,” she said. Indeed, only two browsing patrons had come in and out while Peytra was there.

“Yes! But this is fine! This year I went and set up a booth in the square where all the action is with some of the small bobbles to sell. Ita, Leahla, and Bernardo are there taking care of it. And I am here in case someone wants to come in from out of the crowd. Or saw our toys and wanted more than the booth had. See,” he said, tapping a finger to his forehead, “smart!”

“Did Ita start selling her maple candies like I said she should?”

“Oh yes, we started with a small batch last week, and they sold out in two days! Today she took all of the candies she made to the booth. Wanted to see the little ones gobble them up there. That, I’ll say, was a good idea, little partridge.”

Peytra smiled in spite of herself. She did enjoy praise.

At that moment, while she was just noticing a small flaw in a farm set, a stranger in bright livery ran into the store and looked around. The stranger looked from Peytra to Ottoh, then ran up to the latter. Peytra noticed the bear insignia on his clothing as the page whispered hurriedly to Ottoh. Ottoh looked over at Peytra then back at the man and said loudly, “Her? She is my business partner’s daughter! This is as much her store as my own. No, she is no one to worry about. His Grace is most graciously invited, and we would be honored should he deem to find us worth his presence.”

The stranger ran out into the street. Peytra looked over at Ottoh, who hustled around the store already, picking up any little mess. “Peytra! Excellent news! The Duke asked for a private place, and here we are to offer it!” She answered him with a look that combined confusion with distinct annoyance.

“Don’t you know what this means, girl!” Ottoh shook her shoulders. “The Duke will come in here to rest, notice our lovely toys, be impressed with yours and your father’s craftsmanship, and BAM!—” he clapped for emphasis, “we’ll be supplying all the toys for the royalty this side of the Gozali Mountains! Come, help me move the back table and chairs out here.”

The pair rearranged the shop. Ottoh was nothing but excitement and fretfulness. Peytra just hoped this little visit wouldn’t go too long and make her miss her contest. She could have tried to excuse herself but was worried that Ottoh would faint from excitement. Instead, she stood in the doorway to the back, ready to be called on should he need her help in accommodating their royal guest. In the meantime, she fretted with a seam on the side of her dress to stop thinking about the mistake on the toy she had noticed, the little sheep toy sticking out of her pocket.

Outside, there was a sudden flurry of activity as a half-dozen armored men crowded in front of the store. Five men in uniform piled into the shop, taking their places around the shelves. The Duke was personally escorted by two attendants, both in the same livery and insignia as the page from before.