How could I go back to bed after this? I sat in front of the fire and watched the dancing flames. They reminded me of the last time Clainia was in this room, it feels like ages ago, sitting in front of the fire making the flames dance to the tune I was singing. The flames changed direction before my eyes, rising in the high tones and falling in the low ones. It was wonderful to watch, Clainia could do everything for a few laughs. I began singing the song in a low voice;
"Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
remember me to the one who lives there,
he once was a true love of mine....."
I was startled to feel the tears trickling down my cheeks just as I was startled to see my best friend turn into my worst enemy.
"How did it come to this?"
I weapt for all the games we played in the forest, for the stories we told one another in front of the fire, for the secrets she revealed to me, for our songs in the lake, for the promise we gave one another to always be friends no matter what....
(painting by Sir John Everette Millais)
Then one morning Richard came to the castle, the distant cousin we hadn't seen for such a long time. He was a man now, but still his eyes sparkled like when he was five.
He was such a challenge and we were so bored, with nothing new to play. I wanted him for myself and so did Clainia but who would he choose?
"Of course, Clainia if you start your potion- making and you spell-casting then of course he will choose you..."
"I would not do such thing if you don't want me to......but you will lose either way."
"No, he'll pick me..."
"Because of your title and estate and your father's power, isn't that a kind of magic?"
"What would you have me do? Deny my father and my privileges to have Richard.....be real!"
"We could switch places...." she whispered
"What are you talking about....switch places...how?"
"Well you become me and I become you. We will see how he treats us and then we will decide who gets him..." she said with a smile "I can do it, with the right herb that is....well? Don't tell me you are afraid..."
"Do I have to wear your rags?"
"Rags, shoes and all! For a moon." she said.
"A MONTH!!! A month is a long time don't you think? I..."
"It takes a moon for the effects of the potion to wear off..."
I thought about it for a moment but I could tell by the way she looked at me that she knew I wouldn't refuse, and she was right, this was a new game, a game I had never played before..
"All right but I you need to wash all your clothes and your hair properly and brush it, and cut your nails and...."
"You can do all that when you are inside me..."
"And what will YOU do?" I asked with a crooked smile.
"We'll see....We'll have to go herb hunting now, I need a fortnight to prepare the brew..."
(painting by John William Waterhouse)
And so she had and our bodies were switched. A wicked game it was, one we were not ready to play...
( Two women, two parallel stories, read Clainia's side of the story at matiasmeni.blogspot.com in her own tongue (or in google translation) or just click on the title of this post to go directly there. Lady Eleanor's side of the story will continue here.)
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