Shadowdance 01 - A Dance of Cloaks

how to react.
    “I hope what memories you have of my father are pleasant ones,” she said at last. “Though it pains me to talk of them. I should go.”
    “Stay,” Madelyn said, an idea growing in her head. “I’ve been locked alone in here for many hours, and it’d be good to have someone to talk with.”
    Delysia opened her mouth as if to protest, then decided otherwise. Madelyn patted the space beside her on the bed, and Delysia reluctantly took a seat there.
    “Do they require you to have such plain hair?” Madelyn said as she brushed a hand through the fiery red.
    “No. I haven’t had time. I’m so new here.”
    Delysia tensed a little when Madelyn began braiding it, then slowly relaxed. Having spent a lifetime at courts, dinners, and extravagant parties, Madelyn had long ago learned how to read and manipulate others. Delysia was adrift, alone, and scared. Most important, she seemed to be craving a mother figure, judging from how quickly she’d relaxed after the braiding started.
    Madelyn frantically racked her brain. Delius Eschaton … he’d been married, but what had happened to his wife?
    “I’m so sorry about your mother,” she said, deciding to keep it vague. No child as young as Delysia would be willing to discuss such a matter in depth. What was more important was the comfort Madelyn eased into her voice, the tender honesty and empathy.
    “Daddy … he helped us through,” Delysia said. Her whole body seemed to be shivering. “I miss him. I miss my brother. I miss my mom and my granny. I don’t want to be here, I want to be home, I want to be…”
    Her words ended in tears. Even with her manipulation, Madelyn was surprised by how quickly Delysia had broken down. The girl must have been on edge the whole day, just waiting for something to set her off. Knowing her timing must be perfect, Madelyn let Delysia cry just long enough before wrapping her shoulders in a hug.
    “There now,” she said. “Cry if you must. I know how you feel. I miss my husband. I worry for him too. For all he knows I’m hanging upside down from chains in one of Thren’s hideouts. If only I could feel him in my arms again.”
    “I heard others talking,” Delysia said. “They said they’d send someone so he’d know.”
    “But are you sure?” she asked, letting her face harden just a little. After a moment Delysia shook her head.
    “No,” she said. “I guess I’m not.”
    Madelyn let the silence return. She’d finished two thin braids, so she began tying them together, high up near the top of Delysia’s head. Lacking material, she tore a bit of her own dress and used it to tie the braids firm.
    “Your brother is all you have left,” she said, injecting a combination of curiosity and worry into her voice. “Do you know where he is now?”
    “He’s apprenticed to some wizard,” Delysia said. “I could never pronounce his name right. Malderad? Maldrad? Something like that.”
    “Yes, wizards often have funny names,” Madelyn said. “They think it gives them an air of mystery, but mostly it just makes them look like fools.”
    Delysia giggled softly.
    Madelyn chose that moment to pull back her hands and set them on her lap. The sudden stop made Delysia turn to see what was the matter.
    “I could take you to him,” Madelyn said. “Surely you heard among the whispers who I am, Delysia. I am Lady Madelyn Keenan, and wealthier than the king. It seems cruel to keep you hidden here when your brother is out there alone and in danger. What if he returns to Veldaren? What if the thief guilds send for him too?”
    Delysia twisted her fingers together, then grabbed her elbows and shivered as if she were cold. Madelyn paused a moment, then drove the final nail home.
    “Delysia, does he even know your father is dead?”
    Her eyes widened. She shook her head.
    “Someone should tell him,” Madelyn insisted. “I think it should be you. Come with me.”
    “I’ll get in trouble,” Delysia said, suddenly fearful. “Granny put me here, where it’s safe. Who will I stay with, and what if Maldrad doesn’t want me? I can’t.”
    This was it. This was the moment to break her. Madelyn stood and crossed her arms, acting every bit the scolding parent. She was not going to stay in the temple the rest of the night. No matter how honest Calan seemed, Madelyn knew the way of the world. People wanted what she had, whether it be coin, power, or her body. Until she was safe with her husband she’d always be