"I'll have to speak quickly," Dierdre said. "I'm not sure how long Council meeting will be today. I'll summarize the important parts for you.
"Long ago, I met and married Lysander. He was my world, and I called him my Heart. The nickname stuck, such that even his military comrades called him that. He went away on patrol for several months soon after we married, over twenty years ago, when his commander all but vanished. The officer put Lysander in charge and told him to patrol the forest and guard the local town, and he never saw the man again. It was very strange.
"When he got back, he told me a strange young man appeared out of nowhere approached him in the woods. The man was dressed in sandy colored clothes, and said he was searching for someone. My husband said he had seen no one at all in the woods except the soldiers under his command. The strange man asked a few questions, then told him that if my husband wanted great power, it was within his ability to grant it.
"Lysander laughed, thinking the man was joking, but he remained serious. He told my husband that power would soon be his, but he should remember the name of the man who made it possible. He said that one day he would come and want a return of the favor, and that Lysander would not be able to refuse.
"Lysander assumed the man was crazy, so he humored him and shook hands with him over it. He told me the story when he got home as a funny and strange thing that happened to him in the forest. We laughed about it.
"My husband was promoted shortly thereafter, due to the extended absence of his commanding officer. We traveled together sometimes, and it was wonderful. A few years later, when I had our daughter, Lysander retired from his military post, and by a strange twist of fate was elected as Provider. It was unusual for someone so young with no family background to be elected so easily. We felt blessed. We became wealthy and were very happy for a time. We had friends and each other. Ashley grew and we loved her so dearly and completely.
"Then, a letter came. I'm not even precisely sure how it arrived, it merely appeared at our doorstep. When he read it, he turned red, and then pale. The crazy man was taking credit for everything good in our lives, and said one day war was coming, and he would need a bride. He intended for our daughter to be his.
"It was outrageous. Completely insane, but Lysander said we needed to go along with it. He said more power was within his grasp, and life would be even better. I tried to let it blow over, but it got worse as time went on. The letters were few and far between at first, but the past year they have become frequent. I've even seen my husband with carrier pigeons, which is an offense since he's not in the military. Though erratic and distant before, suddenly he's far worse.
"He tried to convince me to go along, but I became more adamant that what he was doing was wrong. Whoever this man was, he seemed like an enemy of Klain. Who else would talk of war? I was unwilling to be complicit in this awful plot that could endanger our land and give my daughter to a stranger. Lysander became insufferable, slowly beating down my will and threatening me, confining me, driving away my friends. He wouldn't listen to reason, and shut me out. I was crushed.
"Whenever I tried to explain anything about it to someone else, he laughed and rephrased my words, twisting until I was viewed by everyone as insane. It broke me. I lost the will to do anything, I was so powerless. I gave up completely for a time.
"My hope reignited when Ashley ran away. I'm so grateful she did. I feel the sun might shine again, and my sweet child can be free! I cannot tell you the relief this brought to my soul. It infuriates my husband to see me improving, so I keep up the illusion of frailty for his sake. When the time comes, I will do whatever I can to help free Ashley from his grasp forever."
Finn and Mayra's mouths were both hanging open. What a bleak picture Dierdre painted with her words!
"Thank you for hearing me. Even if you don't believe me, one last chance to have my story told is really all I wanted. Somehow I doubt I'll have the opportunity again." She smiled sadly.
Finn was more determined than ever to help the woman.
"Is it possible to get you out? Do you need to escape like Ashley?" She whispered. Dierdre was too old and delicate to volunteer for military service, but perhaps there was another way.
The older woman shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Although the servants let you in, they have strict orders not to let me out. Even if I were to sneak out, there's nowhere for me to go. More than that, I pledged my life to that man, for better or for worse. Even though it's as if I don't know him anymore, I have to hold out hope that somehow, he will turn back from the evil he's done before the end. I must do my best to prevent his schemes from succeeding lest he bring down more shame on himself and our souls. He was a good man once. "
Her voice held no hope at all, but Finn smiled at her anyway. She glanced back at the painting, and the woman standing and watching the storm. She wondered if the painting gave Dierdre any comfort. Studying it closely, she realized the woman in the painting's windblown golden hair matched that of the grand lady before her.
"I'm so sorry for everything you've been through," Mayra told her.
Dierdre waved her hand gently, "Nonsense, child. I chose the man. This may be a lesson to you to choose your own more carefully than I chose mine, if you are not pledged already. People change in unpredictable ways sometimes."
Mayra recalled Finn's talk of love being a choice and furrowed her brow. Suddenly meddling in the love stories of others didn't seem fun anymore, if they could end in this kind of betrayal, hurt, and sorrow.
A sound of arrival made commotion in the front entryway. The Provider's voice drifted into the room as he spoke with the servant who had let the girls in. All three women stood.
"Did you bring anything?" Dierdre asked quickly, pointing to the parcel Mayra had.
"Um, some pastries, but nothing so fine as you already have," The girl whispered back, embarrassed.
Dierdre raised her voice, "I'm shocked that you were so bold as to knock on my front door and pretend to visit to sell me your wares, but I must admit the flavors are very fine. You may deliver some once a week to the kitchen. I will personally inspect them upon delivery to make sure the quality does not drop, or you shall not be paid! I do not trust you at all, despite your delicious food."
The Provider wandered into the room, a confused look on his face. Finn bowed her head slightly in respect. It was unlikely that he would remember seeing her with Dr. Sherman at the Council meeting she attended, but it was possible.
"My dear wife, what is this commotion?" He asked pleasantly.
"I was chastising these two girls for their gall in gaining an audience with me to sell their wares. However, they do indeed suit my taste. I was sending them out now with a reprimand to use the kitchen entrance for future deliveries." Dierdre suddenly seemed tired, and sunk down onto a cushion holding her head.
"I'm afraid my wife has a delicate constitution which you have upset. You must leave immediately," The Provider glared at them, then turned a loving gaze on his wife. "Darling, may I get you some water?"
She smiled at him weakly and nodded. Without even looking back in the girls' direction, a flick of her wrist motioned for them to leave. The girls quickly obeyed and found themselves outside once more.
"Where do we even start??" Mayra whispered as they walked down the road.
"I think we have to go back to Ashley first. She would be the best judge of whether her mother is indeed insane. Goodness! If she hadn't told us how manipulative her father was, I would have believed every bit of the act he put on when he arrived. The man is... terrifying. Maybe we can get to Ashley after her duty tomorrow."
"That seems doable. I need to get back now and bake some more for my little shop. I have orders to fill," Mayra said.
Neither one of them looked back to see a shadowed figure in the window of the great house glaring at their departure.