Always Darkest Read online

  “Oh,” he said seeing that it made her uncomfortable.

  “You were in a car accident?”

  “Yeah, the guy came out of nowhere.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like we both had a rough night. So, what do you do for a living back home?” Tori innocently asked.

  “I used to be an accountant, but my company shut down and I’ve been unemployed for a while. This economy sucks. How about you? What do you do?”

  “I’m a high school guidance counselor.”

  “That sounds interesting.”

  “Not really, but it’s nice to help when I can. I mostly just help the seniors apply for scholarships. There is the occasional drama but nothing Earth shattering.” Tori noticed that the pain had completely subsided and took a moment to peak under her bandages. Her wrists were all but completely healed and the gashes had been deep. “Look at this. These were bleeding only this morning.” she said completely removing the bandages and holding up her wrists for Justin to see.

  “Wow,” Justin said. “You look as good as new.”

  “I saw your wounds this morning. Do you feel any pain?”

  “As a matter of fact, I don’t.”

  “Check your wounds,” Tori said a little excitedly.

  Justin gingerly removed the bandages from his waist and then raised his shirt for Tori to see. His wounds were gone. “I am completely healed. How the hell did we heal so fast?”

  “It’s amazing. Willa must be one hell of a healer.”

  Willa called over her shoulder, “you got that right girlie. I’m the best there is.” She laughed as she continued to drive the cart.

  “Well, I guess it’s lucky we ended up near you then. Thank you.”

  “Everything happens for a reason,” the old lady said and continued to drive the cart toward Nathis.

  The rest of the trip was relatively quiet at the cart went along the road. Tori just took in the landscape around her. If it wasn’t for the suns, it would seem almost like Earth. They passed houses set far off from the road. They met several carts going the opposite direction and each time Willa had a greeting and a kind word, sometimes an inquiry about a family member’s heath as of late. It was like she knew everyone. They rounded a curve and Willa called to Tori and Justin that they might want to stand up to catch a view of Nathis.

  The city of Nathis came into view and seemed to sparkle under the noon day suns. The city walls did not hide the tall stone buildings which made a perfect outline against the blue sky. The whole city was set upon a hill, the buildings showing the graduation of the land. At the highest point, looking down upon the city was a castle. A river wound around the city walls making a perfect crescent that the city snuggled into perfectly. Only one massive bridge crossed the river and there was a steady stream of traffic, mostly going into the city.

  “Amazing,” Tori said as she looked on in wonder. She had never seen anything like it. Fairy tales could not compare to the sight of Nathis.

  “Ain’t it though?” Willa called back never taking her eyes off the road. “I never get tired of seeing it.”

  “I understand that,” Tori replied. She was still a little awestruck.

  “Wow,” Justin said in amazement and Tori realized that he was smiling.

  Before they crossed the bridge Willa stopped and threw a blanket back at them. “Cover up, and lay low. I don’t really want to answer any questions about you two.”

  They lay down against the bottom of the cart and covered themselves with the grey blanket Willa had given them. They had to lie close together to fit under the thick woolen blanket Willa provided. Justin’s arms around her were strong and warm. Tori thought he really wasn’t so bad.

  The cart stopped again and Willa talked to the guards at the gate. “State your name and your business in Nathis,” said the voice of a guard.

  “Ernest Murphy, you know dang well who I am and who I am here to see.” Willa replied.

  “Okay Willa, I still need to see your mark.” The guard said.

  “Hasn’t changed since last month,” Willa grumbled. “It hasn’t changed since I pulled you out from between your mama’s legs either.”

  “I just have to follow procedure and you know that. Are you here to see Mason?”

  “I sure am.”

  “What do you have in the back?” The guard inquired sounding more amused by the old woman’s attitude than angry.

  “Just a few clothes, and a couple presents for my grandson. Do you need to take a look?”

  “No ma’am you can go on by. Tell Mason I’ll be seeing him around.”

  “I’ll pass it on Ernie.”

  The cart passed on through the gates. Willa told Justin and Tori to stay down in a harsh whisper. The cart clopped along for about fifteen more minutes. When finally it stopped and Willa said they could come out of hiding.

  Chapter Seven

  The house they were parked in front of was four stories tall and was made out of stone. It looked to her like a mix between a small castle and a brownstone that was so popular in New York City at the turn of the century. Tori was in complete awe until she saw him.

  The front door opened and out came a man. He was six foot tall at least. His dark hair was just past his shoulders and tied behind the nape of his neck. He was wearing black dress paints and a silver vest over a white dress shirt. He looked rather Victorian. The posh outfit did little to hide the fact that he had a well toned body beneath. He broke into a jog as he saw Willa in the cart.

  “Granny! I didn’t think you were coming to the festival this year!” the handsome man said as he took Willa’s hand to assist her out of the cart. He hugged her enthusiastically and Tori saw the happiness dance in his blue eyes. He released her and looked up into the back of the cart at Tori and Justin.

  “Who are your traveling companions?”

  “The lady there is Tori, and the man is Justin.” She said pointing her finger at each of them as she announced their names. “This here is my grandson, Mason.”

  Mason looked up at Tori, “Pleased to meet you ma’am.”

  Tori felt like a teenager on her first date and for a moment she wasn’t sure if she could form words. “Pleased to meet you as well,” she finally managed.

  Mason offered his hand to her to assist her out of the cart. She took it and felt the strength and warmness. She blushed and hoped no one noticed as she stepped out of the cart as cautiously as possible.

  He released her hand and turned to Justin who had already stepped out of the cart. “Nice to meet you as well, Justin.” He said nodding to him.

  “Same here,” Justin replied.

  “Mason, I need to talk to you for a moment.” Willa said. She led him off to the side and left Tori and Justin standing there.

  When they returned Mason invited everyone inside. They followed him through the front door and up a winding set of stairs. “You all must be hungry. Justin, if you would come with me. I’ll show you where you can freshen up before lunch. Tori, Granny will take you with her.

  Willa opened a door to a comfortably furnished room. The room was immaculate and cozy. There was a vanity next to a basin and pitcher. The bed looked very comfortable and was all done up in midnight blue and silver. She also noticed the pot of red geraniums on the window sill. Remembering Willa’s affinity for the flowers she was touched at how much thought Mason must have put into this room.

  “Mason keeps this room just for me when I come to visit. He is a good boy.” The love Willa felt for her grandson was evident in her eyes as she went on. “I told him about how y’all showed up and how we need to speak with Thomas. He said there is a ball at the castle tonight and he’ll be able to get us inside the walls as his guests. Thomas should be there and hopefully you’ll be home by morning.”

  “That sounds great.” Tori said.

  “Now I have got to piss like a drunken sailor. Make yourself at home.” Willa left the room for the washroom at the end of the hall.

  Tori
did her best to freshen up. She used the brush that was set out on the vanity and smoothed her hair as best she could. She splashed water from the basin on her face and it brightened her up a bit. She still didn’t feel quite comfortable without make up.

  Tori was staring into the mirror when Willa came back into the room startling her just a little bit. “The washroom is at the end of the hall. Go right when you turn out of the door.” Tori made her way quickly to the washroom.

  When she came back Willa had some powder and lipstick laid out on the vanity and was powdering her face. “Come here girl and let me powder your face. It’s one thing to come off the road looking ragged, but there just ain’t no excuse to go out in public looking like you ain’t even trying.”

  “Oh I didn’t know that you had make up here.” Tori said as she knelt down so that Willa could apply it to her face.

  Willa laughed. “Honey anywhere there are women, there is going to be stuff to make them feel prettier.” She applied the powder to her face with a big fluffy brush and painted her lips with a ruby red lip color.

  “Now stand up.” Tori did as the old woman said.

  Willa went over to a wardrobe in the corner and pulled out a purple silk sash. She tied it around Tori’s waist and then walked her over to the full length mirror. “See there.” The simple sash around her waist made the dress she had borrowed from Willa look so much better. It matched the small purple flowers in the dress and showed off her waist, giving her a nice hourglass figure.

  “You look really pretty Tori.” Willa said. “Come on let’s go downstairs. I’m hungry.” Tori was starving too, but she knew that wasn’t the only reason her tummy was doing flip flops.

  The tavern was a short walk from Mason’s home. The air was crisp and cool as they walked down the sidewalk. The sidewalks were crowded with people going to and fro about their business. She looked through the leaded glass windows of each home they passed, sneaking peaks at the lives of the people of Nathis. Tori couldn’t help it she always had to look into windows to see what secrets lay inside the homes of others. She had done it since she was a child and it still held the same fascination for her as it always had.

  When they approached the tavern on the corner there was indeed a sign above the door that read, “The Merchants” and below in smaller script “everything has a price.” Mason led her through the heavy oak door into the bar that was very crowded. In fact, Tori did not see one empty table.

  She turned to Mason, “I think we are going to have to go somewhere else.”

  “Nonsense,” he said as he motioned for one of the barmaids to come over to them.

  “Hey Mason, it’s been long enough.” She said as she batted her eyelashes at him. “Do you want your usual booth?”

  “Of course,” he said.

  She led them to the far back corner of the bar to a large booth with black leather seats and a dark wood table. Mason motioned for Tori to slide into the bench seat so that she was against the wall and he sat down next to her, Justin and Willa took the opposite seat.

  “I’ll be back in just a minute to get your order,” said the buxom blonde waitress.

  “Thank you Sarah.”

  “You are most welcome Mason,” she said and sauntered off swaying her round hips more than necessary.

  “So you have a reserved seat?” Tori said to Mason.

  “That happens when you are part owner.” Oh, Tori thought so he was rich playboy. That is just what she needed.

  “Nice.”

  “It has its perks.” He said with an impish grin.

  “Tori, do you mind if I order for you?”

  “Be my guest, but I’m a vegetarian.”

  “What does your religion have to do with food?”

  Tori couldn’t help but laugh, “No, it means I don’t eat meat.”

  “Oh, forgive my ignorance. I will order accordingly.”

  Just then the waitress came back with two ales and two glasses white wine, one for Tori and one for Willa Taking a sip of her wine, she noticed it was fruity and dry, just the way she liked it.

  “The lady will have the cheese sticks and vegetables, us gentlemen will be having the steak and vegetables. Granny will have her usual.”

  “Thank you sir,” said Sarah, “anything else?”

  “How is your son doing?”

  “Malcolm is getting a lot better.” The warmth of her smile suggested that she owed a lot of that to Mason. Maybe she wasn’t a trollop after all. “I’ll have your food right out.”

  Just then Sarah came back with their food. When the food was handed out there was silence for a moment as everyone ate. The mozzarella sticks were absolutely divine, and the vegetables, a mixture of potatoes, carrots and onions were more flavorful than any she had ever tasted.

  Mason broke the silence by saying, “There is a ball at the castle tonight in celebration of the festival and Thomas should be there. It is a costume ball, so it will be a bit easier to get you both inside the castle. After we get back from lunch I’ll have to get costumes for you both.” He took a sip of his ale and looked at Tori. “Do you have any idea what you would like to go as Tori?”

  Tori didn’t even know what was acceptable here in Nathis. She had gone to Halloween parties before but the thought of saying she wanted to go as a sexy cat or a naughty nurse just didn’t seem appropriate. This was a costume ball at a castle and surely it would be completely different. “I have no idea.” Tori finally said.

  “I’ll pick out something for you then. Do you trust me?” Mason asked.

  Well, that was a loaded question if she ever heard one. What choice did she really have? “I do.” She said and for some reason she started to blush. She took another sip of wine and became very interested in the remaining food on her plate.

  “Good. That’s settled” Mason turned his attention to Willa. “Granny, do you mind wearing the costume you wore a couple years ago?”

  Willa chucked. “That will be just fine.”

  “Justin, I think you will fit into my costume from last year. Is that agreeable to you?”

  Justin looked up from his ale which he only taken a couple of sips from. “It sounds good to me.”

  “Alright then, it is settled.” Mason said.

  They finished their meal and when it was done Tori noticed Mason left several gold coins on the table. They walked back to Mason’s house to prepare for the upcoming festivities. Willa seemed almost giddy to be going to the castle and Tori was feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Let the fun begin.

  Chapter Eight

  Tori and Willa got back to their room. And Tori felt nice after the meal they had shared. Mason had taken Justin to his room to prepare for the ball tonight. Willa sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the space beside her indicating that Tori should sit down as well. Tori sat down next to Willa, happy to be off her feet. Everything was happening so fast.

  Willa turned to Tori with a kind expression on her face. “How are you doing sweetie?”

  “It’s a lot to take in I guess.” Tori said.

  “I understand that.”

  “What do you think of my grandson?”

  “He seems very nice.” Tori replied. Actually she thought he was handsome as hell. It didn’t matter though, soon she would be back in Mercy going about her life and he would just be a memory. She wasn’t even sure how she could be thinking any man in that way after her scare last night, but she certainly was thinking about Mason in that way.

  “I saw your cheeks redden when you spoke to him.” Tori didn’t know what to say. What could she say? Willa continued. “He’s a good boy, my grandson. He is hardworking and kind. He would make someone a very nice husband someday.”

  “I’m sure he will.” Tori said.

  “You did it again.” Willa said laughing.

  “What?” Tori said self consciously.

  “You are blushing child.”

  “Shit! I am not.” Tori put her hands up to her cheeks and sure enough
she could tell they were warmer than usual.

  Willa laughed and Tori could swear she saw a twinkle in her eye.

  There was a knock at the door. “I’m coming in,” said a female voice from the other side of the door.

  Before Tori could even stand up a slightly plump lady of about fifty years was in her room. She stood all of five feet tall, but looked very sturdily built. Her graying hair tied up in a neat little bun. “Get up. I’ve got to get your measurements. I don’t have all day.”

  Tori stood up and looked at the woman. The lady immediately began working. She pulled the tape measure across her waist and wrote down the measurement in a little pad of paper. She proceeded to measure around her hips, and then her chest. “I’m making your costume for tonight.”

  “Oh,” Tori said.

  The lady continued to measure as she talked. “I’ve got to make your costume before tonight! True, I’m getting paid triple my regular fees and that does help, but it’s only a few hours! And your costume is a three day job at least.” She continued to measure and ramble. “I do see what Mason was talking about though. The costume is going to be perfect for you. That man has some taste. Huh! I’d like to get a taste of him if you know what I mean. Ok girlie, lift up your arms.”

  Willa laughed in the background when she heard the seamstress talk about her grandson.

  Tori lifted up her arms. The seamstress continued to measure and ramble.

  “That would never happen. He is young enough to be my son. Just ‘cause I’m old doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a handsome man though. You are going to have so much fun tonight. Oh I remember the first time I went to a ball at the castle. Oh what fun! Give me a foot.”

  Tori gave her foot to her and she measured it with same efficiency she had measured everything else on Tori.

  “All done,” the seamstress announced as she wrote down the last measurement. “I have one last question for you. Do you favor silver or gold?”

  “Silver,” Tori replied already so curious as to what her costume was going to look like.