Lady in Waiting is a flash folk-horror told through prayers. Each episode is just minutes long. This is an immersive audio drama. So, turn your volume up. A supplement to the audio drama The Thief.

Previously, the lady-in-waiting fled the cyngdón with stolen papers, underdressed and without provisions, praying to her áda for protection on the long road east to Lingwiloce. She kept her distance from Áendhrod’s torchlit walls, sleepless and afraid, before rain forced her into the low country. She lost a slipper in the mud, drank from the runoff, and climbed to the standing stones for refuge. Hungry, soaked, and still pursued by the glow of the tower, she left her prayer in the ring of stones, begging her áda for help.

Day three

My hair is dry, small blessing. My clothes are still wet. I no longer feel the chafing in favor of a new discourtesy: I stepped on something sharp.

I should have stayed in the mud.

I'm not far enough from town that I should expect to be alone for long.

Glad for the turn in the weather, just to be afraid of the road again.

But there's no one in either direction. Gray road. Gray grass. Gray sky.

I ate the ginger. I don’t know that you can hear me, áda, without it. I have all this paper, though. I took what was on the table.

I - didn't expect so much of it would be blank.

Blank, mostly. All my things I left behind. My bear. Blankets. All that's left I lay in front of me on the cobble. So much blank paper. I count 48 silver. My lady Gwéndhrwil gave me a comb worth more than 48 silver.

Why didn't I take my combs?

Her seal is broken on this letter that's here, which means Aelfsi read it.

What good is it that I have this? What does it change? What good is it if I die, or I get it wet, or .... No evidence, then. And so what?

Father worked so hard to secure me a place in Gwén's shadow. Will Aelfsi think it was so I could do this? So that I could smuggle some useless missive and condemn everyone I know to be an acquaintance of a turncoat?

And Elinor - oh god, I'm so, so sorry. Your family. I am so sorry. I'm so stupid. I hope you're okay. There's no reason you wouldn't be.

Our - no, your lady is not heated. I just acted spur of the moment and you know nothing. She'll believe you. You're so good. You'll look so golden now next to me she's bound to shower you with favors.

Look at me, wasting paper.

I have to make it.

Furbelow
Written and produced by Michael Schofield
Performed by Rae Witte
Introduced by Jeremy Roman
Inspired by S. Kaiya J.’s game Her Odyssey

Lady in Waiting is produced by the fyrd: our hoods (patreon) and thegns (susbtack) Mary Abercrombie, Kari Sutcliffe, Nandi K, Amzylee, Trei Brundrett, Andy McLellan, Eudico, Rebekah Monson, Andy Priestner, Mike Atchley, and Patrick Myers.

You can join the fyrd and help me make this stuff through Substack or Patreon.