Queen of Wands
Ulrich sat in the Seeing Lady's wagon as she lit an oil lamp. The wagon was more like a small house, in truth.
It was just big enough for two curtained rooms. The main room was her public space, it seemed, with silken hangings, a folding table, lamps, and too many pillows. When he glimpsed through a gap in the linen curtain, he could see her sleeping cot and two fluffy cats: one asleep and one staring at him without blinking.
"Please to be comfortable," the Seeing Lady said, pointing to a three-legged stool topped by a white pillow with a swan embroidered in red. It was also covered in cat hair.
The Seeing Lady wore an elaborate, silk and linen dress and head scarf favored by ladies in eastern Salvania. Her fingernails were painted bright red to match her lips. Her eyelids were painted green. She fell into that indeterminate age somewhere between too young and too old.
It seemed like eastern ladies went to a lot of trouble painting themselves each day. They should just get tattoos like Ulrich and get more sleep in the morning.
"I will to draw your cards and explain what I see." Again, she pointed to the stool.
Ulrich lowered his bulk onto the pile of cat hair and nodded. She sat across from him on her own stool and maneuvered the small folding table between them.
"Clear your mind and think of a single question for the cards to be answering."
"Done," he said. He already had the question months ago.
She shuffled the cards, and the sound attracted both cats. One jumped on his lap and began methodically licking his arm. The other slid against his bare leg.
"The liebchens like you. That is a good start."
Ulrich patted his lap cat absently. She continued to shuffle.
"You be use your left hand to cut the cards." She held out the deck, and he complied.
She fanned the cards out on the folding table. "Now you be to pick three cards that seems best to you."
He slid three cards away from the rest, but he did not pick them up. She scooped up the remaining cards and placed them in an orderly stack.
"I will be now to read your fortune."
She tapped a card but did not flip it over. "This will tell what you must do to release your old ways and make the change in your life."
She tapped a second card. "This will tell how to be changing yourself so the fortune may come to success."
She tapped the last card, saying, "This will guide you how to be at peace as the change comes upon you."
Ulrich nodded. He really had no idea how this was supposed to work, but the tavern keeper said she was the best. He had paid her an entire silver before entering, so she better be "the best."
The Seeing Lady flipped over all three cards and sat back to stare at them.
Ulrich saw the first card with swords and a lass with a blindfold. He liked the swords - fitting for a Northman - but the blindfolded lass seemed wrong.
The Seeing Lady placed a finger on the card and said, "Eight of swords. This be to mean you to have bad thoughts to let go. You are like a prisoner in your own life. You must find these thoughts and let them go."
Ulrich was not one to engage in deep self-examination, but he did realize he was becoming more jaded about his prospects of future success. His question for the cards, and their reply, seemed to align nicely.
The second card had a picture of a castle tower with flames coming out. That didn't seem good.
"The tower. This one tells of a sudden change or waking up. This will be how you change your self for your question. It will not be slow. It will be fast."
Ulrich nodded. That seemed right. He often made quick decisions on the battlefield, allowing his intuition to take over from his waking mind. But also, his mother had often chided him for not thinking things through before leaping in. Maybe these cards knew him after all.
She tapped the last card and smiled. "And last is the queen of wands." The card had a lovely lady with a tree branch (the wand?) and a raven. Ulrich also smiled. The raven was part of his family crest painted on his battered shield. And the queen...
"This is to be the card to guide you as the sudden change," she tapped the tower again, "comes upon you. The queen of wands tells you to be having courage and confidence. But even more, it tells you to be determined. Do not quit."
Ulrich liked this outcome. And the portrait of the queen somehow arrested his attention. She was so lovely. She would be perfect for him.
"I will accept your judgement." He handed the Seeing Lady an extra silver in gratitude.
"Now that we are be finished, would you tell me your question?"
Ulrich handed her his lap cat as he stood. "I asked the cards when I would find a wife."
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