One Day Later

Now bundled in fleece and wool, Agnes managed to pick up one large egg from each of the mother hens in the chicken coop as thick scarves draped over each one to keep the birds cozy.

She then rubbed and warmed her hands with her breath before milking the cow.

Later, she drew freshly baked maslin bread from the oven. She stirred the pottage.

Finally, she assembled trays at the entrance of every cell. She had a mind to add a few of the last flowers that still bloomed in the garden. Every door emitted a muffled blessing of thanks.

“Thank you, Sister Agnes.”

”Thank you.”

“Bless You, Little Sister.”

After leaving the last tray in front of one of the cell doors, she heard it.

One ominous cough.

Agnes’ eyes widened in alarm, and she began to run.

Edgar and Lorenzo came in the afternoon. Agnes met them at the postern and they were admitted immediately until they were in front of the cell.

”Her name?” Lorenzo asked.

Agnes swallowed.

”Sister Agatha.”

Agnes paced just outside the cell.

So many tasks required her attention, but she could not move from that spot.

She sat with her head buried between her knees. She prayed to every angel she knew by name. She bit her nails.

Finally, she heard the lock slide, and she scrambled to her feet. She stood and then faced both Edgar and Lorenzo.

”Well? How is she?” she asked.

”She’s feverish... but it is not pestilence.” Lorenzo declared.

“It’s catarrh. Sister Agatha has simply taken a chill. It happens during these colder months-…”

But Agnes did not wait for Plague Doctor Edgar to finish his explanation before running off to enter the sick young woman’s cell. She found Agatha in her bed, covers pulled up to her chin.

“Agatha?” Agnes gasped.

”Hello, Agnes.” Agatha said coldly.

“It is good news. The doctors said it’s not…” Agnes said.

”Yes,” Agatha said, without smiling. “I heard them.”

“Then you must not worry. We will give you chamomile and broth. I think Lorenzo always gives a draught of hyssop. But we’ll sweeten it with honey...”

Agatha nodded, but still refused to smile.

“Thank you.”

”Sister Agatha, I-…”

”No, don’t.” Agatha raised her palm. “Please. Don’t come any closer.”

Agnes felt the tears prick the back of her eyes, so she simply lowered her gaze and left the cell, as she wished.

The doctors were still there when Agnes came out.

“She would be easier if she had some sage for her throat,” Edgar said. “But I have none left in my stores, and I didn’t see any in the garden.”

Still looking dejected, Agnes nodded.

”I’ll go to the woods.”

”It’s twilight,” Lorenzo said. “And word is Duessa has been missing for some days.”

”It’s not Duessa I’m looking for,” Agnes said. “I won’t be long.”

She walked away to fetch her cloak. And a lantern.

Indeed, the wind had chilled considerably.

Bare branches knocked and creaked in the wind. Everything about the scenery seemed malevolent.

If only Agnes cared.

She sulked and walked into the hollow darkness, in her little cloak and wicker basket.

She thought she saw Armando, but the massive stag behind the trees was dark brown and fled immediately upon seeing her.

Agnes continued to walk between the trunks and bare boughs that towered above her, until she reached the grove. Had she not been paying attention, she would have missed Duessa entirely.

Or stepped on her.

The mighty woodland fae, the great warrior of the forest, now lay on the ground on her stomach, her face over a rock… looking absolutely despondent.

Upon seeing this, Agnes walked around her and spoke directly to her face.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

No answer.

”Everyone’s looking for you.”

The wind alone responded. Duessa, on the other hand, had nothing to say.

Agnes sat down on a log tall enough to make her little feet dangle.

And she waited.

“Armando…” Duessa mumbled, “...brought me the head of Hauroth. He is truly dead.”

Nothing.

“There is plague in the convent now. Before I came here, I was told Abbess Elinor was not feeling well,” Agnes said. “Everyone keeps to their cells now.”

Only the wind responded again.

Duessa still stayed low to the ground, on her stomach. Eyelids at half mast, no blinking.

“If you have questions, I have no answers to give you,” she spoke, but only out of the corner of her mouth.

Agnes’s feet continued to dangle.

”No, I just wanted to see you,” the little girl said then. “I miss talking to you.”

They both waited in silence for the other one to say something.

”Agatha doesn’t talk to me anymore,” Agnes lamented. “I don’t know why.”

It took a second, but Duessa mumbled eventually.

”She must be scared,” she said. “She found our magic in the chapel and thinks you have been cursed. By me.”

”Oh,” Agnes said. “So that explains it.”

”She won’t betray us, don’t worry,” Duessa said. “I threatened her.”

”Why did you do that?!” Agnes said.

Duessa sank her face into the dirt.

“I made it worse,” she mumbled. “Again.”

Another draft swept by.

”Lorenzo came by,” Duessa said.

”What for?” asked Agnes.

”He was worried that Cedric…” Duessa said, but then stopped short. “I don’t understand.”

Agnes waited as Duessa sat up, dried leaves falling, cracking and crunching from her hair and dress.

“The spells don’t work. I’m as strong as I’ve ever been,” Duessa said. “And yet… I cannot protect the convent. I cannot protect the village. I cannot protect the doctors. I cannot protect… anyone.”

“Maybe. Maybe you never did,” Agnes said then.

“Perhaps not,” Duessa said and laid right back down, this time on her back.

“Hauroth was defeated,” Agnes said. “The rain is gone… But I think the illness is what the doctors were for.“

”So what good was I? What good was any of it?”

Agnes turned to look at her.

”Your power is the forest,” Agnes said. “So that plants and animals live. And so that it continues to give us flowers.”

The howling wind did not relent.

“I was tasked with bringing in more sage, but I cannot find any.”

Duessa nodded, and with a graceful sleight of hand, a fresh bundle materialized.

Agnes jumped down from the log and picked up the handful that Duessa offered, without taking her eyes from the indigo night’s sky.

“The other villages need sage too. And poppy. And rosemary, “ Agnes said. “This foul mood of yours is causing scarcity.”

”It’s not any foul mood of mine, girl. The seasons are the seasons. I cannot…”

But she stopped when Agnes gave her a look.

”It’s winter soon,” Duessa insisted. “Nature’s rhythm is such that I-…”

But Agnes’s expression did not shift.

”Hm,” Duessa sighed. “I will do what I can.”

”Thank you,” Agnes said. “Just do what you can.”

Duessa propped up on her elbows.

”That’s it?” she asked.

Agnes turned to her with serious eyes.

”That’s it.”

“Wait…” Duessa said once Agnes appeared to be leaving. “Your tooth. Let me see it.”

Agnes walked over and opened a large grin, showing the slight edge of her new incoming tooth.

”Ugh. That is sure to be a monstrosity when it emerges,” Duessa frowned.

Agnes giggled. Then skipped ahead before waving goodbye.

”Don’t hide away again.”

Duessa walked right back to lie down on the ground.

“I won’t.”