Chapter Fourteen: What the Ink Remembered

Wrena hadn’t spent much time with Jareth Vannar, the Lord Chamberlain of the castle, but she was desperate. Her mother had placed her in charge of planning the details of a noble party coming from Gastan who had requested a royal tour of the Korvethis castle. It wasn’t uncommon for larger noble families of smaller countries surrounding their bustling country from requesting such welcome when they attended for alliance treaties and such, but Jareth was usually the one to put together the rooms, the servants, the parties, anything and everything that the visitors could want. 

High Queen Lioraen sometimes took over the planning, but Jareth would be right by her side. This time, she gave it to Wrena and it was probably the biggest test she had been given by her mother. Could she handle an entire visit from a noble party? 

She had doubts, which is why she found herself knocking on Jareth’s study door. After her tap tap tap she heard a muffled groan and a “Come in! Come in!” 

Wrena pushed the heavy door open to see the organized chaos that lived and breathed around Jareth ever since she could remember. Her father had appointed him to chamberlain when she was a child. At first he was just another face around the bustling castle, but as she grew older and became her mother’s project, she would notice him more at the parties in the shadows, at the lavish dinners directing servants, even occasionally seeing him behind a large vase of the new flower ornaments brought in fresh every week. She tiptoed into the messy room, afraid to move too close to something with her swooping dress and mess up some important brunch in the making. 

“What could possibly be the matter…” Jareth walked quickly out of one of his back rooms, obviously expecting someone else. “Your Highness, I was not expecting to see you in this…this…” he sighed and adjusted his glasses. “This mess.” Jareth always looked a little disheveled. His untamed dark hair didn’t really have a rhyme or reason to it, but everything else about him was very regulated. She had only seen him in attire that was deep blue or black and immaculate. He had sharp grey green eyes behind the same glasses she met him with the first time ten years ago. He was thin, but not gaunt. She assumed being everywhere all the time would keep him fit even if he wanted to indulge in the scraps in the kitchen. “Is there something I can do for you?” 

Wrena seemed to lose her ability to speak while she looked around at everything Jareth was somehow balancing and felt a pang of guilt for asking him for anything. She did speak up, though, when she saw his eyebrows rise as his patience fell. “My mother put me in charge of the nobles' visit from Gastan and, well, I had some ideas, but I was hoping to perhaps gain some knowledge from you. I am supposed to occupy them for three days and…I don’t think hosting a tea party each day would suffice.” She felt any and all demand shrivel up by the time she was done talking. She wondered if she’d be better off finding wherever Leonah was and asking what she knew of the visitors. 

Jareth lost his stillness and walked over to his messy table. She stood clenching her dress’s fabric wondering if he was just going to ignore her and go back to what he was doing. She wondered if maybe her mother had told him to do so, maybe she was being tested to figure everything out herself. 

She found herself inching towards the door. “Never mind. I can work something out myself, I can see you’re busy.” 

“You said they require three days of diversions.” Jareth stated. 

Wrena looked back at the man behind the large desk full of papers. “Yes, but…” 

“Princess, if you improvise three days of royal hospitality, it will eventually become my emergency. Come here.” Jareth pushed his glasses farther back on his nose and motioned her to the desk. As she approached he carefully stacked groups of papers together in every which way to make room but keep everything organized. He then fished out a blank paper and a quill. He handed it to her expectantly and Wrena took it oblivious. “I had a problem with some supply shortages from Valdren, but this sounds surprisingly more fun than preparing that meeting with your father. Now let's begin.” 

It was only then that Wrena realized he meant for her to write down notes. She felt silly, bending down and scribbling on less than the royal stationary she had been given to write her correspondence, but she did as she was told. 

With every new event Wrena started to realize why Jareth had been appointed to Lord Chamberlain. His first idea was a visit to the royal stables and riding grounds. He explained that Gastan is small, the stables would amaze them. “You could ask Lord Ranyar Ellok to set up that, he’d be more than happy to show off his stables, and one less thing you have to arrange yourself.” He next suggested the High Market, which Wrena was more than happy to put on the list. 

“I’m sure they will want a tour of the old city walls. Instead of showing them the more public tour of them, you could take them to the old north watchtower. It looks over the city and the sea just beyond. It would be a moment to show the beauty of our kingdom, and they will believe they have special treatment instead of seeing the boring crumbling wall every other visitor sees.” 

He next suggested the royal kitchens. “The kitchens?” Wrena asked, almost wondering if he was joking. 

“People enjoy seeing where their dinner comes from.” Jareth explained, searching up something else on some other paper. 

“Do they?” Wrena speculated. 

Jareth looked at her over his sloping glasses. “They do when sixty people are making it.” 

He suggested the artisan’s quarter and encouraged Wrena to arrange for each Gastani noble to actually try to make something rather than merely watch. He included a demonstration of the Black Guard because ‘visiting nobles love military displays’. He also added that her father also loves reminding foreign nobles that Kovethis could murder them. 

“Is that really entertainment then?” Wrena hesitated writing it. 

“Your father believes so.” Jareth reminded her. Wrena reluctantly wrote it down. He then had her write down a countryside picnic by the orchards. “This would probably be the Gastani enjoy the most. Something not grandeur and perfectly simple works because you’re  good at making people comfortable.” 

Wrena smiled at that. 

“Finally, they’ll want to see the dairy.” Jareth said looking in an old book. 

Wrena waited to write. “The…dairy?”

“Yes.” Jareth gave her little. 

“Lord Vannar, they’re nobles.” Wrena tried to remind him. 

“Gastani nobles.” Jareth, again, explained very little. She continued to stare at him. He finally looked over the top of his spectacles. “Do not underestimate their feelings about cheese.” 

Wrena shrugged her shoulders and began to write it down when there was a loud knock on the large entrance door. 

“Now what? Come come!” Jareth shouted and the door opened quickly. 

A man, a servant, though a higher ranked one strode in with a large frown on his face. “Lord Vannar, I’ve been asked to bid you come. We have a situation with a young servant. She’s been caught stealing palace supplies and using a…disused room without permission.” 

Wrena tried to mind her own business as she waved her hand over the paper to dry the ink before she rolled it up, it was Jareth’s responsibility and not hers, but she’d be lying if she said what the servant was saying was intriguing. 

Jareth pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before he put them back on. “Let me guess, this servant’s name is Tarin?” 

A shiver went down Wrena’s spine. 

“Yes, my lord.” the servant’s frown grew deeper. 

“All right, wait outside, I will come once I’m finished here.” Jareth waved the servant away. 

Wrena could’ve taken her leave then, she got what she came for and then some, but she knew that name, she knew that servant. “Lord Varren, would it be possible to come with you to see this servant?” 

Jareth physically made a circle with his head. “And why would Princess Wrena want anything to do with a servant accused of theft?” 

Wrena felt her shoulders rising, and forced them down. “My mother has been encouraging me to understand any and all on goings in the castle. This seems like a wonderful learning experience.” 

Jareth laughed, which didn’t sound good. He looked at his desk and the mess. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Well then, let's continue this surprise lesson.”

Wrena followed the servant and Jareth and found it hard to keep up. She was sure if Jareth could run and still look eloquent he would choose to get to places faster. 

Once they left the public rooms and halls of the castle and ventured into the servant’s halls and quarters, Wrena realized her dress was all wrong for the narrow passageways. With every push forward she knew her seamstress would be disappointed with the damage. 

Finally they came to a larger room, one that was lit with candles, no windows, and roughly made benches lining battered tables. At one of them, a blonde child sat with her head down. She tried to picture the child she had seen a few months ago, or had it been a year? Tarin looked at her and recognized her immediately, Wrena took a second to realize this was the same child she helped before. 

“My lord….and….your highness.” an older woman servant said looking shocked that she was in the room. “This servant girl was caught taking a bottle of ink out of the royal storage room. After some reprimand we found her little stash of stolen goods. She's been hiding them in a room off of this one. What's worse is instead of her being on time with her duties, she's been hiding in here and letting other little girls and boys hide in there with her!” 

“You have proof of that accusation?” Jareth asked, pushing his glasses up again. 

“Aye, we caught one of them when we caught her with the ink bottle.” The servant who had come to get Jareth spoke up. 

“My lord, if I may ask a question.” Wrena asked, Jareth, looking more stressed nodded. Wrena walked in front of the servant girl. “May I ask what you were planning to use the ink for?” 

Tarin was not comfortable in the spotlight, Wrena remembered, so she was prepared to wait for the answer. It took her a few tries with her small voice, but she finally explained. “I found the little room during one night that me and the others had off. We started playing there, and started playing lessons and tutors and I realized that none of them knew how to read. So I wanted to teach them.” 

“Your highness, this servant not only stole ink and parchment resources, but she also stole the time spent for her duties to be employed at the castle, as well as the other servants.” the older servant accused. 

Wrena nodded, but then turned back to Tarin. “May I see this room you found?” 

“Your highness, I don’t see a need to add more to this unfortunate happenstance. She had admitted theft. That itself is expulsion, perhaps even time in the dungeons.” Jareth explained. 

“Yes, but before all this, I am curious as to what intrigued all these little servants enough to risk their employment.” Wrena insisted. No one verbally objected so Wrena motioned for Tarin to show her. 

The young servant stood on wobbly knees and walked to the end of the common room. She pushed aside a bench and pushed open a door hidden behind a hung blanket. It was dark, Wrena asked for one of the candles in the room before she walked in. 

Nothing could’ve prepared her for what she found. On every open space of wall and ceiling there were letters drawn and words written. Parchment was placed in small piles all around the room. Wrena picked up one of the parchments and read a four line poem.

I learned a word and wrote it down,

So it could not be lost.

Then taught the word to someone else,

And now it lives in both.

 Before she left the room, on the door leading back out was a name, Hilda. She took one more look at the room and realized there were names all over. 

“Tarin, how many students have you taught?” Wrena asked. 

Tarin shifted on her feet. “Seventeen…” Tarin didn’t look at her, the floor was safer. Then she shrugged. “But I’ve only taught twelve of them to read.” 

Wrena took a moment to hide her own feelings. She wanted very much to praise this child, but she had learned to read the room. “Tarin, if Lord Vannar allows you to remain, will you promise not to teach the children again?” 

She expected a quick answer, but Tarin didn’t speak, not for a long time. Her little body finally took a deep breath and looked up at Wrena. “No, I can’t promise that, your highness.” 

Wrena fell into her frown as her eyebrows met in concentration. 

“I believe we have everything we need to hear of this situation, your highness.” Jareth told her. 

“Yes, I believe we have. Tell me, what will happen to Tarin?” Wrena asked. 

Jareth thought for a moment before he spoke. “Theft is theft, not matter the item, including time. The King would not object to a few years in the dungeon. That being said, she is a child, and children do…very stupid things sometimes.” He looked at the older servant. “Tarin has been dismissed from the employment of the castle. Make sure she gathers her things and leaves by sunset tonight.” 

“Yes, my lord.” the servant bowed. 

Jareth began walking back to the hall from which they came, but Wrena couldn’t help but freeze. She had watched Tarin as the verdict had been given. Tears came, and out of her pocket came a worn handkerchief. “You kept it? All this time?” Wrena asked before she realized she did.

Tarin looked at her with red eyes. “Of course.” 

“Your highness, as much as I would love to be an escort for you, I do have important matters to attend to. May we venture back toward the public areas of the castle before I take my leave?” Jareth asked, rubbing his eyes again as his hand held his glasses. 

Wrena left with Jareth, she left Tarin with her consequences, but she still had many questions running through her head. “Lord Varren, do you appoint the tutors in the castle?” 

“Yes, though not by myself. They do have to go through rigorous tests and background checks before they can tutor the nobility and royalty. Even then there is a probation period where if grievances are given they will be assessed and may be asked to leave.” Jareth said, again proving how much he knew about the workings of the castle. 

“Are they only for the nobility and royalty? Are there any tutors for noble wards?” Wrena asked again. 

“None that are employed by the castle. Now if a noble or a royal wished to bring in a tutor for their own wards, that wouldn’t be that strange.” 

Wrena was quiet for a moment. “Are any tutors overwhelmed?” 

Jareth opened up the door to a much grander looking hallway and held it open for her. As she crossed in front of him she could see he had become aware that there was more to her questions than she was saying. “The tutors have never come to me to tell me they feel stressed about their job, but perhaps that is because I am me. Now, your highness, now that you have made my day considerably more complicated, is there anything else I can do for you?” 

Wrena smiled and gave a small bow. “No, Lord Vannar, you have given me much to think about.” 

Jareth bowed and turned to leave. Wrena stood in the hallway and looked at the door they just came out of. 

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Tarin didn’t want to tell the other kids she was leaving. It somehow felt wrong to tell them all that she taught them was the reason she was going to sleep out on the streets that night. She didn’t have a lot to pack. A few pairs of clothes, a cloak, a wooden horse her father had made for her before he died, and a white handkerchief, a lot more stained than when it was given. 

“Oye, Tarin!” the old matron servant called her from the common room. 

She sighed, she had no way of knowing when the sun was setting from her room, which was the only place she was allowed to stay in before she was kicked out. She grabbed her bag of all her possessions, stuffing the handkerchief back in her pockets. She was sure she was going to need it a lot that night. 

She walked out to the common room to see the matron servant, but there was also another person there, a young man a little better dressed than anyone who lived in their quarters. “Are you Tarin Dale?” the boy asked. 

“Yes.” Tarin said meekly. She thought the matron would’ve been the one to walk her out. Though she was far from what she could remember of her mother, she was still the closest she had, but if the man was supposed to see her out, she wouldn’t object. 

The young man handed her an envelope, one that had something heavy inside. She didn’t open it, but it felt strangely like a key. “Master Alaric of Ely has accepted your application for the tutor’s assistant position. I am here to take you to your new quarters and give you a formal introduction to the Korvethis Castle Academy wing.” 

Tarin stood, somehow, because everything buzzed. She never applied for any position besides the one she had just been dismissed by. She tried to find a word to say, anything, but there was nothing. 

“Best be going girl before your favor with the princess runs out.” Her matron smiled with a wink. 

She took the envelope and placed it in her pocket, right up next to the handkerchief she had kept from so long ago. And then she followed the young man to the first bit of work that actually suited her.