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One of the
girls in question let out a loud giggle, hanging all over her
companion. Llew peered at her from beneath a fall of hair and felt
himself go red. They were older than the boys, older than Meredith
too. He hoped they weren
’
t
laughing at him. Lantana leaned forward, blocking his view.
“
Girls
aren
’
t that bad, and we
won
’
t have to put up with
much of that, the scarecrow will no doubt keep us busy. I just hope
he doesn
’
t leave out all the
good stuff, the battles and such. Have you seen what
he
’
s reading? Looks like a
faerie tale book to me.
”

The pages all scooted round trying to get a
better look. Indeed it did seem to be a book of faerie tales, a
very old one. It looked different from the ones he had been read
from as a child. The scarecrow rose, placing his book on the chair
and turned to look out at the waiting faces. A hush fell as they
watched and waited. The scarecrow slowly walked up and down staring
into to each face as he passed, until he finished where he had
started. A smile lit his face and his hands met behind his back.
When he spoke his voice was soft, yet had a carrying quality so all
could hear.

“
Welcome,
children. It seems that my role has once more been expanded, whilst
my time is being steadily diminished. I have had several nobles
approach me about teaching their children. It seems as if all would
like to follow the example set by the Prince and Princess. So I
found myself in a tight spot, and soon reached a
conclusion.
”
He
chuckled.
“
This conclusion.
From this point on all classes shall be held here. Those who are
obliged must continue their lessons as previous, and those who wish
to attend, well, or those whose parents wish them to attend, may do
so. All shall be welcome, rich, poor, servile and sneaky alike as
long as they do not disrupt my class and readily apply apt minds.
Any questions?
”

The scarecrow tugged his ear, head cocked
like an expectant dog. Llew noticed no one wanted to say anything,
some looked interested, some sullen, and some a bit confused by his
manner as they pondered whether he was actually asking them, or
simply indulging in rhetoric.. Llew smiled to himself. They would
soon learn.

“
Well then,
that
’
s good, a bright bunch,
eh? So as my previous students know, I have been trying to
ascertain what to teach you, where to start? Of what curriculum
shall we partake? And then logic caught up with me, old fool that I
am, and I realized that the only place to start is the beginning.
But here, you can imagine, I encountered a difficulty. What
happened in the beginning? Anyone?
”

Everyone sat
still, nobody seemed inclined to try to answer. The scarecrow
lifted up the book of faerie tales, pages worn softly amber in the
firelight. Llew couldn
’
t
help it, he started sniggering. This man was insane, and a bore
with it. Some students joined him in their muffled mirth, others
spearing glares in their direction.

The scarecrow
merely looked on, expression twisted at once amused and
sorrowful.
“
I look before me
at your innocence, at your diverse needs and seeming destinies and
find my normal lessons sifting through my mind like dust. Does a
prince need to know how to make soup with good consistency and
nourishment? A scribe how to calculate the fall of a flurry of
arrows in a sharp nor-easterly? A noble lady how to thatch a roof
with suitably arranged and absorbent materials? A churl how to
compose an elegy? And what of the ways of strange art? When I stand
in a palace grown from the very bones of the earth herself. History
is rich with tradition, and with those who have defied the mould of
such. So I will teach you all these things, over the coming moons,
and more. History, skills, philosophy. Math, music, words and
war.
”
The scarecrow paused, firelight describing his features boldly, and
took up a brimming cup of red wine and drank deep. The glass
clinked into the hush as he set it down, stubble scratching on the
back of his hand as he wiped his down curled mouth. His hand passed
over the cover of the book of faerie and his fingers nudged aside
ink marked papers and took up a battered pamphlet that had lain
hidden beneath them.

“
I find
myself also considering the fact that I do not know what you will
come to need as the spans of your lives intersect with this world.
That much history is certain of, despite the inevitability that
guides our lives, these lessons, the current state of affairs you
have no doubt heard your elders muttering over, protecting you from
and expecting you to be prepared for. In times of change, when it
is unclear who your enemies are, it is important to remember the
cost, to remember those who struggle and strive and suffer. And so
I think, I will begin with the words of Olkis. Because, I wanted to
explore beginning, to fulfil my needs to you and yet I find myself
drawn back to this contraband, these words of an Imperialist born
woman which grow ever more poignant.
”

Tomas finished his wine and cleared his
throat.

“
We need to
stop squabbling. Stop mocking, and cawing and

mobbing like dark gulls caught fraught by the
grey docks.

I have been thinking of our fight for
equality, of what it means to rebel. We are searching for freedom,
but what does that mean? Freedom to and freedom from. For far too
long we have offered feints, caught in the defence of defining and
defending freedom from; a bitter trap of defiance. Thus so, we are
easy to set aside, to dismiss as over wrought, or over sexed, or
simply mad. We are painted desperate.

But we are the disparate, those that see a
fuller picture from the margins. We need to consider more on
freedom to, to free our minds from the subconsciously suggested
subjugation, to set free our flesh from more literal ligatures. We
need to embrace a fairer future and fight for it.

No longer to squander the force of our
collective will in clawing small territory, safety from harm made
of illusions, eyes cast low. No longer limited to the individual
and what quiet neighbouring voices dare. No longer bound and
restricted by the strength of our own and singular flesh.

We must listen. We must speak. We must
envision and we must enact.

Let the
shackles fall.
”

The clanking armour of a group of four
liveried guards interrupted them. With them stood a bulky healer
and a pretty maid, flushed with embarrassment and repressed
excitement. She dropped into a neat curtsy and addressed the
scarecrow, and Mera half stood her attention flitting between the
two.

“
Please
forgive my interruption, when you are so astutely pushing forward
on principle, but Princess Meredith and Prince Llewellyn must come
with me immediately, by request of King
Gaillardia.
”

Llew was
surprised to hear his name, and such a formal request.
“
Of course, go ahead Prince,
Princess, leave your things. I will have others see to
them.
”

They rose and
rushed forward. An uneasy feeling had started to coil in his
stomach. The guards closed about them and they left the hall,
heading south, towards the nobles living quarters. As soon as they
left the hall and entered the relative quiet of a hallway Mera
rounded on the maid, worry plain in her
voice.
“
Tansy, what is it?
What
’
s
wrong?
”

Tansy, took
up Mera
’
s hand, speaking in
a low but reassuring tone.
“
Hush, nothing is wrong. Tis your mother, her highness has
begun her birthing.
”

Llew felt a
relieved dismay. Had it been that long already? It was really real,
he was going to have a baby brother. Why was he needed? They
didn
’
t expect him to watch
did they
…
he had seen a foal
born once and it was disgusting. He really
didn
’
t want to see
that.

Soon they had
walked down enough corridors and climbed enough stairs and stood
outside the door to their parents suite. Behind them the great
balcony that circled high up the oculus, over looking the great
hall. Nobody spared a glance. The guards knocked on the open the
doors, two stationing themselves within, and two without. The maid
stood to one side as she entered, sinking into a deep curtsy. The
healer followed her, with an elegant bow of the head. Within a
panelled parlour, an odd mix of heavy furniture and airy drapes and
flowers. The wide room held a large hearth with chairs and sofas,
and a table grand enough to seat a dozen by the windows where his
father stood with hunched shoulders. At their entrance he looked
up, automatically waving his hand as a sign for the servants to
rise. Llew had never seen him look so dishevelled. His hair was
standing up as if he had been running his hands through it and he
had removed his outer jacket, his vest open, with his sleeves
rolled up.
“
Llew, Mera, I am
glad to see you. It
’
s
happening, the babe is coming. Come, let me take you to see
her.
”

Llew and Mera exchanged a look. Was this what
is was like, all nervous waiting? They followed his father through
another door, that led to another parlour. This one less formal,
cosy, signs of everyday use laying around. In one corner sat a
large loom, half dismantled and unused now for awhile it seemed. By
this sat many reels and skeins of thread and other accoutrements
for such a hobby, nearby sat a large desk covered in carving
implements and stacks of thin wooden rectangles with holes punched
through them and parchments with endless streams of numbers. There
was also a stand with mail and armour hanging against the backdrop
of an exquisite tapestry depicting the lineage rose overlay on a
map of Danua.

His father
flew to the couches where Jessamine sat, kneeling on the floor by
her side to hold one hand, the other resting tender on her vast
swell of pregnancy. Mera tripped on his heels, and dropped to sit
by her mother
’
s side, giving
her a quick kiss of greeting and a smile.

Llew hung
back from the scene, watching as
Jessamine
’
s stomach roiled,
one part protruding for a moment before sinking away again. There
were surprised gasps and she smiled wearily at him.
“
Come Llew, would you like to feel?
It seems your brother is eager to come and meet you
all.
”

The healer
that had followed them was talking quietly with the midwife, or
whom he assumed the large brawny woman to be. He walked hesitantly
toward his family, leaning over Jessamine but looking at his
father.
“
Come son, it truly
is wonderful. He is so strong, you an feel him turning and
eager!
”

Llew glanced
down and slowly placed his hand on
Jessamine
’
s belly, for a
moment it was still then there was a powerful kick. Llew swore he
could feel the heel and toes of a foot. He yanked his hand back
with a surprised yell.
“
It
’
s really a proper
baby in there!
”

They gave a
startled laugh and Llew started to withdraw once more. He hated
being laughed at. Meredith half smiled at him, tears clinging to
her auburn lashes.
“
I
remember the first time I felt a kick like that too, it really does
come as a surprise, you know there
’
s a baby in there, but actually feeling his little foot or
elbow. Bizarre.
”

Llew realized
that they weren
’
t laughing
at him, but that the laughter had helped ease some of the tension.
He smiled back at them, maybe his family
wouldn
’
t be so bad. His
father
’
s arm settled about
his shoulders and when he looked up at him, he knew
pride.