The Baroness

Astra's heart skipped a beat, as she saw the jeweled pin, in the shape of a red dragonfly. She realized that she was staring down at the Baroness.

Now only five people living in the world addressed the Baroness as Lady Lydia, a name which Astra did not know that she had. A few more knew her full title, the Baroness of Anisopter. To everyone else, she was just "My Lady" or "the Baroness."

Anisopter lay in the marshy plain east of the Aqualarian capital. The Anisopter coat of arms was quartered, black on the upper right and lower left, and white on the other quadrants, defaced by a red dragonfly. The petty aristocracy of this region were known as the marsh nobles - hard-working, provincial, and blunt-spoken. As the oldest daughter, the Baroness, as one of the marsh nobility, would be consumed by the demands of the hereditary farm, living and dying on it and rarely venturing beyond its bounds.

But some sort of understanding had been struck with the next-eldest of the family, and the Baroness would be seen in the capital, on business that nobody quite knew. It was widely believed that the Baroness had some sort of special relationship with the Queen. But unlike most court favorites, the Baroness did not accumulate additional wealth, or take part in the enjoyment of the court festivities, or make a show of whatever power she had. Even her enemies credited her with a cunning and intelligence that was not usual for someone who was a marsh noble. Some said that the Baroness was a witch, who had beguiled the Queen and met with her secretly. Others claimed that the two were like sisters, and the Queen would not make a decision without her. Others said that the two were not personally close, and the Queen used her to take care of certain dirty jobs. Some said that the Baroness was a loner, a virgin, and a lady whose morals were austere. Others claimed that the Baroness had a web of dependents, in both high and low places, through which she could make or break anyone in the Matriarchy. They also claimed that she would use and discard men to achieve her aims. Astra was not certain where the truth lay. The one thing that she certainly knew was that her mother did not want Astra to have anything to do with the Baroness due to her shadowy reputation. But her mother also seemed to be an unspoken fear that Astra could not place.

And now Astra saw her, less than ten feet away. She was dressed in a traveler's outfit, and from the neck down looked like a man, although the gear required to ride tended to do that to a woman. Astra's eye detected an old-fashioned corset that flattened whatever curves that the Baroness may have had. This was something that might have been worn in Astra's grandmother's time, even though the Baroness could be no older than Astra's mother. The Baroness had large brown eyes, and long ringlets of light brown hair flowing past her shoulders, which stood in contrast to her practical riding gear. The Baroness seemed to be familiar with this barn, although Astra could not fathom why she would be. She was indeed a woman with many mysteries.

Astra had to admit to herself that if the Queen was beguiled by her, then she understood why. The Baroness had escaped the path that was cut out for her by her station in life, and if one-tenth of the stories were true, she led an exciting and adventurous life. It was the sort of life appealed to Astra much more than the routine that lay ahead for her when she finished this adventure. Before leaving, her father gently told her that the educational purposes that justified her travels were nearly fulfilled, and her mother was making ominous suggestions that there were some nice eligible young men that she thought Astra would like to meet.

And then the penny dropped. Astra's mother's insistence on Astra avoiding the shadowy Baroness, and the unspoken fear, were two sides of the same coin. The Baroness could divert Astra from the comfortable, respectable life that had been laid out for her. Now Astra really wanted to talk to the Baroness. But was now the right time? And what could Astra say? And Astra really wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to approach the Baroness. Princess Astra had a good reputation, and it might not be wise to risk it. But if she was able to talk to the Baroness here, in private, then who would know? She was confused as to what to do.

1. Suddenly, on impulse, she was hailing the Baroness.
2. Astra maintained her self-control. The Baroness was on her own business, and would be tired from traveling. It would be better to wait and approach her at a better time.
3. While Astra was mulling over what to do, the Baroness called up, and said "Princess Astra, wouldn't it be more convenient for you to come down and talk to me, rather than skulking about in the shadows and trying to figure out what I am doing?"

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