I tried to swallow the sob that came from that.
And I failed.
True turned me back into his arms.
After I got some control, I stammered into his chest, “I-I’m not b-being very p-p-princess-like.”
True did not respond.
Baldrick did.
“As far as I can see, you’re exhibiting traits that suggest you’ll be the finest princess this land has ever known.”
I peeked out from True’s chest and noted Baldrick’s expression shared he meant those words.
And as such, it made me continue weeping.
Prince True
The Doors, South Center of the Great Thicket Forest
WODELL
“She’s comely.”
“That she is,” True murmured to Baldrick with a smile aimed across the clearing to where Farah sat with three female gnomes shifting about her, working at weaving late-season forest blooms in her hair, the four of them amicably chatting.
“She feels deeply,” Baldrick went on.
“This she does,” True agreed.
“For you.”
He looked to Baldrick.
“I thought she’d walk right into a tree, so intent was she in watching you with your people,” Baldrick noted.
True had noted the same.
He had also noted the look on her face, as if he was some fantastical being beyond gnomes or pixies or fairies.
Beyond anything she’d seen.
He had never had anyone gaze at him like that, and he was a prince, for the gods’ sakes.
It gave him the most extraordinary feeling.
A feeling a hard kiss on the mouth with his men and two hundred gnomes in attendance meant he could not take said kiss where it needed to go to do that feeling justice.
“I cannot tell you, True, how happy I was to see you move over our roots with that woman at your side,” Baldrick declared.
“She’s magnificent, isn’t she?” True agreed, his attention drifting back to Farah. “She’ll make an excellent queen.”
“She’ll make an excellent wife.”
True again turned to Baldrick.
“I will tell you something I have desired to tell you for many years, my prince,” Baldrick continued. “With an amendment, for before, I wished to say you should seek this. But now, you have found it. Therefore, allow it to happen. Allow someone, finally, to look after you. You will never stop worrying about every soldier, their wives, their children. Every shepherd and head of sheep in their flock. Every pixie that grazes the surface of the Dellish rivers with their wings. This all too much to bear without someone at the end of the day to take some of the weight.”
“Farah has borne enough weight,” True returned.
Baldrick tipped his head sharply in Farah’s direction. “That one could hold a mountain high, and would, if she felt it would make it easier for you to pass through.”
True stared at the male.
“Do not underestimate her, True,” Baldrick warned. “Brix and Gal told me, they followed you for some time, and witnessed the beauty of her magic. They also reported to me why it came forth. This means she shares many a trait with you, my prince. She is at her happiest when she sees the ones she loves are happy. She is at her most powerful when she’s protecting the ones she loves from something that might cause harm. Stop treating her like the substance that holds the sand of her land and the dirt of ours in her veneration. She is not made of glass. She is far less fragile than you think. And you do her a disservice by giving her too much, and not allowing her to return it. Allow her to return it, True. Let her make you happy.”
Again, True’s gaze drifted to Farah.
She was now, along with having her hair arranged, playing pattycake with a little gnome girlchild.
True felt warmth hit his stomach.
He thought of the flight of the leaves all around them, how they rose up and hovered, as if waiting for a command, and wondered if she actually could hold up a mountain.
And then he thought of why they rose up.
He’d never given much consideration to his life, how he’d lived it, who had been around him when he did and how they’d treated him.
It was his life, it had been lived as it had been lived, and there was no changing that now.
It had always been his future he’d looked forward to. Something, eventually, he hoped to control.
Something he’d hoped to fill with peace and goodness.
Something that wasn’t within his grasp.
He already possessed it.
It was sleeping by his side every night.
And right then, playing pattycake with a child.
“Oh yes, I’m very happy for you, True,” Baldrick muttered.
“Carrington plans to subvert the treaties by attempting to claim the northern border of Firenze and push south when the royal procession moves to Airen,” True announced abruptly
He and Baldrick were now alone, the others going about their business.
However, his men stood at the ready some ways away, telling him without words that it was time to go.
And it was.
The day was getting short and they had ten miles to traverse before they made the village where they intended to stay that night. They had a tent, and it might have grown warm for the final spell before the depths of autumn and the biting chill of winter set in, but the nights were cold, and he did not want Farah far from a fire iron.
Thus, it was time to finish briefing his friend so they could move on.
“This doesn’t surprise me,” Baldrick said on a sigh.
True turned to him. “Matters are in hand.”
“Will this finally be done?” Baldrick asked.
“The proclamations have not been heralded, but they will, shortly after Cassius returns to Sky Bay. He’s assuming rule as regent.”
Baldrick’s eyes grew wide.
“There’s concern there’ll be a revolt. The other realms will move to ally with Cassius should that happen, and Carrington thinks to slip in and find victory when the rest have their attention turned to Airen,” True continued.
“By the gods,” Baldrick whispered.
“Although King Mars has sent troops to his northeastern borders, and their presence will be made known the instant Cassius makes his proclamations, freeing their women from oppression, Mars has also sent troops to his northwestern borders. Carrington doesn’t know this last. Though, this is only a precaution. He won’t need them.”
“I feel great gladness for the women of Airen. It is about time and was around three hundred years ago. I also feel great anger at the avarice of our royal advisor,” Baldrick declared.
He was not the only one.
“I will expect you to keep that to yourself,” True told him.
“It goes without saying,” Baldrick replied.
“I will do the same if need be, Baldrick. Cassius is done with half of his subjects living under tyranny. I am done with all of mine living under whim.”
With that, Baldrick’s face grew firm with resolution.
“Is there aught you need of us?” Baldrick asked.
“Not aught that isn’t likely dangerous,” True answered.
“Do not offend me,” Baldrick warned.
“I came to show my intended The Doors, introduce her to your band. This is not why I’m here, friend.”
“I believe you, True, but we are Dellish and we are loyal to the crown, the one you wear. So I will repeat, is there aught you need of us?”
“Are Welbrix and Galbdor still skilled with seeing things even as they remain unseen?”
“The best of any gnome band.”
“My men noted them following us.”
“If that is true, it is only because they didn’t mind you did.”
True nodded. “I have eyes and ears in Notting Thicket, but Brix and Gal could see things, hear things, and follow up in ways others cannot. This would be useful, and at this juncture in relations,
could even be crucial.”
This time, Baldrick nodded. “It is done. They’ll leave in the morning.”
“You have my gratitude.”
“If that is so, invite me to your wedding to that lovely girl.”
True felt his brows draw together. “You haven’t received your summons yet?”
Baldrick looked away. “You know how your mother feels about gnomes.”
True felt a muscle pulse in his cheek. “That will be rectified.”
Baldrick again caught his eyes. “True—”
True interrupted him. “The others?”
Baldrick didn’t answer.
“Baldrick,” he prompted.
“There is talk, and no. None have received the royal summons. She might have invited the Keepers of the Lights, but I don’t know. No one talks to them. They’re ridiculous in their pretention.”
This feud with the fairies of the Keepers of the Lights was centuries old and True wished the charmed folk would settle it.
Though he had to admit, the Keepers made it difficult for they were pretentious.
He’d have a word with them when he and Farah made the Lights.
For now, he had to concentrate on not getting angry that his mother had apparently not invited representatives of gnome bands, sprite clans, pixie families or any fairies Baldrick was speaking to (for all the fairies leaned toward arrogance, and because of that, feuds often broke out, particularly with the gnomes).
“You’ve now been invited, and I’ll send a bird to the Thicket on the morrow to demand moves are made to make that official,” True declared. “Wodell will be represented at my wedding, Baldrick, all of it.”
Baldrick held his gaze and dipped his chin.
True sensed approach and turned his attention that way, seeing Farah, her shining black hair twisted and braided around blooms of ginger, gold and rust, moving to them.
“Sadly, it’s time for us to go,” True murmured, pushing up from the bench.
“Stay longer next time, True, and be sure to bring her,” Baldrick invited.
He looked down to the gnome. “If we can, we will.”
Baldrick lifted his chin.
Farah made it to them with a smile Baldrick’s way.
She transferred it to True and turned her head side to side.
“Is it as beautiful as it felt when they did it?” she asked.
Everything about her was stunning.
“Yes,” he answered.
Her smile brightened.
“We must be away, my sweet,” he told her.
Her face fell.
He hated to take her away, for she did not hide she felt peace and comfort here, something he’d hoped she’d find.
But there was more Wodell to show her and not much time to do it.
Not to mention, the gnomes of The Doors had no beds that were long enough for them.
“Night comes. You need a warm meal and a soft bed,” he went on.
“All right, True,” she agreed quietly and looked down to Baldrick before bending to him and offering her hand. “It’s been a pleasure. Thank you for having me.”
He took her hand in both of his, turned it palm down and patted the back. “It was our pleasure, indeed.”
Farah straightened from the Grand Fell and True bent to him. “Until we meet again.”
“Yes, True, would that time is short,” Baldrick replied.
They shook, and after True righted himself, he tucked Farah’s hand in the bend of his arm, guiding her toward where his men were waiting.
She went, waving, smiling and calling farewells.
True did the same.
It was unknown to them that all around watched with happiness and hope, for the only thing better than benevolent rulers was budding love.
Not to mention, Prince True and his lady Farah were an exceptionally striking couple.
They were away from The Doors, and Farah had lifted her skirts, but even held close to his side, she watched where her feet fell as they made their way through the forest back to their horses.
“Can we go there again someday, True?” she requested.
“Absolutely,” he granted.
She shot him a luminous smile.
That one could hold a mountain high, and would, if she felt it would make it easier for you to pass through.
That was his duty.
But he could not deny he felt warmth deep in his chest at thinking she might feel the same.
“Thank you for taking me there, it was even better than you described,” she told him.
He lifted her hand from his elbow, bending to it and kissing her knuckles before he tucked it back to where it was, all the while he kept their gait slow, but steady, toward their mounts.
When he again looked forward, Farah dropped her head to his shoulder.
“And thank you for the loveliest day I’ve had in a very long time,” she went on softly.
With that, True turned his head to kiss her hair.
He heard her gentle sigh.
It was not holding a mountain high for her to pass under.
But she was happy.
Which meant, so was he.
Baldrick, Grand Fell of the Gnomes of The Doors
The Doors, South Center of the Great Thicket Forest
WODELL
“Expect a summons. From True.”
Glenda, Empress of the Pixies, nodded while looking unsurprised.
As she wouldn’t.
They all suspected, upon True’s return, if he heard they had not been included in the royal nuptials, this would happen.
“Is she as marvelous as tales are telling?” she asked.
“Better.”
Her little pixie eyebrows rose into the pink markings at her forehead. “Better?”
“Their love will move mountains.”
“And defeat Beasts?” Glenda inquired.
Baldrick held her eyes. “I felt fear, Your Grace. Now I have only hope.”
“Then she is better than marvelous.”
“We will still need to be ready,” he warned.
“As ever, Baldrick, of course,” she drawled.
With that, and without another word, as was her wont, she buzzed away, only to turn back to look at him from the distance.
“Does she make him happy?” she called.
“He does not know it quite yet, but she is his world.”
“It’s about time he got one,” she replied.
She then swooped a loop in the air on a trail of taffy-pink pixie dust and darted out of sight, glittering dust drifting to the earth in her wake.
Baldrick moved to his tree and into it, ready to put up his feet and drink more ale.
And later, when he lay down in his bed, he slept easy for the first time since he felt a quake.
57
The Finnie
Queen Ha-Lah
Beach Beside the Triton Sea
OFF THE WEST COAST OF FIRENZE
Pecking at them with my fingers, I pulled at my curls, giving them more volume around my face as I stared into the looking glass that hung from a post in Aramus and my tent.
After nightly swims and daily showers in fresh water, I was going through my supply of oils and essences to keep them healthy, bouncy, separated and tamed, as I liked them.
This meant we’d have to find an apothecary along our journey to Wodell so I could blend some more.
Although Aramus had received a bird saying that we had much longer to make our way to Notting Thicket than we’d previously thought, we still had to leave. And soon. We’d dallied more than a few days and we’d been told the journey would take at least three weeks at a quick pace. From the beginning, we had little time to linger.
Therefore, we were leaving in the morning.
I would need far less oil and essence for my hair once we were inland.
I still needed to blend.
I sighed, turned away, and my skirts that had a number of loose, filmy panels that drifte
d like kelp around my thighs twirled about my legs as I did so.
I grabbed a short piece of toweling that was resting on our pallet as I made my way to the flaps of the tent that were tied back, giving me a wide view of the magnificent sea. I walked through the opening and stepped out onto the sand.
And felt my foot hit home.
I could not stop my smile.
Xi was wandering in front of our tent. He looked to me and I turned my smile to him.
“Good day, Xi,” I called.
“My queen,” he replied on a return smile and stopped.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“Attempting to murder a squad of soldiers he’s drilling in sand maneuvers,” he answered, jerking his head back down the beach.
I turned that way to see perhaps twenty men doing things with Aramus standing before them, shouting.
“Mind,” Xi went on, and I looked back at him. “They’ve already drilled in these maneuvers about five hundred times. But I suppose you can never be too ready.”
I really should not laugh but I was having difficulty not doing just that.
“Has that rider I asked you to send returned?” I inquired.
He shook his head, but his brown eyes were dancing. “Though I expect him this afternoon. I’ll find you the minute he arrives.”
“I’d appreciate that, Xi.”
“I’d appreciate if my rider finds there’s some remote inn or luxury Firenz tent, I don’t give a damn what it is, except that whatever it is, is within but a few miles of this beach. Just as long as Cap can take you there and take care of business before there’s a mutiny. Who would have thought we’d be less happy when you two started to get happy? Though, the point is, you need to really get happy so the rest of us don’t consider regicide.”
“I’ll do my best to see if I can make things …” I searched for words. “Calm down sooner than that.”
He dipped his chin. “I would be forever grateful, my queen. As would Nis. Tint. Bond. Ore. Nav. And about five hundred other men.”
I started quietly laughing.
He gave me a wink and began to continue in the direction he’d been heading (which, I would note, was away from his king) when I stopped him.
Xi again looked to me.
“I hate for you to have to go back, so perhaps you can send a sailor in your stead. But could you get word to my husband I’d like to speak to him when he has a moment?” I requested.
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