“He will come, this I know. The king said that he could see into the future, and he would have seen that his child lived.” She nodded and asked about the ability to move out of her place. “Let me check for you. I am glad to have you awake now. I have seen so much. I have even worked on my singing for you. I know a great many tunes now to lull you to rest.”
When she was finally free from her sleeping place, she knew that she’d been not just hibernating, but she had been becoming more. She was stronger than ever. Her armor was thicker on her body, and she could hide it with just a thought. Changing her appearance had been easy for her before, but now she only had to think of something and it was changed. There wasn’t even a drain on her magic to hold herself in another form. Looking at Tinsel, she asked him what she needed to know. Anything that would keep them from being claimed right away.
“Everything, my lady. The castle is indeed fallen. There was much fighting and deaths. I have seen so much while you lay in your slumber.” She told him she was sorry. “No need for that. You have become more than before, haven’t you? And I think that good, for not just you, but for all mankind, should they survive this. It is terrible. But you are well?”
“Yes. The magic of the king and queen together has made me able to rest less, I think. Even my sword is stronger. I can feel my blood rushing over me, making me stronger still. But they are dead. I thought...well, I assumed that when they were killed my magic would go with them.” He flew up to her shoulder and sat down. “We should leave this place, Tinsel. I do not want to be caught up in a battle that I know nothing about.”
As they made their way through the woods and beyond, all she could think about was the child that had not lived. Just as she was moving toward a home of some worth, she saw the children in the yard and watched them for a bit. They were big boys, all three of them, and she wondered who they belonged to. Turning away to make her way to the next town over, she was seen by another of the boys, this one smaller than the others.
He didn’t speak to her, just stared. Realizing that he could only see what she wanted him to—a woman, not the warrior that she was—Bryn moved away from him and the house to find a safer place. But his face, the one that looked up at her with such innocence, made her heart twist up in pain. Her brother had such a look when he’d been alive.
Paul had been her friend and her brother. She’d loved her sisters as well, but they were such little girls, all of them worried for their hair or some such thing. But Paul had been someone that she could talk to, come to when she needed a hug. One that didn’t care if she mussed him up with mud or more. Bryn thought that she’d miss him the most. He was the best little boy she’d ever known.
It took them four days to travel to the next village over. There was great strife all over, people wanting to come to the lands and take them over. No one could…there was magic all around the place. But she knew that someday, someone would come and break it down, and she wanted nothing to do with it but handing him the book. If he still lived.
“My lady, how about here?” They were far away from the ruined castle, yet could still see smoke curling from the smaller fires that had been homes of the villagers. Even after all this time, the fires that burnt there had not stopped burning. “I can get us some dinner and we can see about a home for us. Temporary, of course, but it will be nice to rest for a bit. And to have a roof over our heads. It will be better than the stone you laid upon, don’t you think?”
Bryn had forgotten that he’d been awake when she wasn’t, watching over her so that no one would bother her. He could have awoken her, she knew this, but he hadn’t so that she could be ready. Ready for what, she didn’t know, but Bryn knew that something or someone would come soon.
“This is fine.”
He nodded and set to work finding dinner. While he was gone she thought of a little house, just big enough for the two of them, and was surprised when it started to build for them. The ground moved, the trees felled themselves for the walls. Furniture was built for them, as well as a bed and a table. And when Tinsel returned, she told him what she’d done.
“The magic of the king and queen. It was said that they could work the elements when they needed. They must have passed some along to you. This is good. We’ll be safe here for a while.” He took the berries into the home and came out smiling. “You might have thought of your empty belly too. There is much in the way of foodstuffs. You have done well, my lady. And I, for one, will enjoy the fresh flowers that are set upon the table for me.”
Bryn helped him with the house, moving things around to the way they wanted. She put magic around the place too, to keep others from finding them. She thought she could live here forever when they settled in the bed that night, but knew that she’d not be able to. Bryn needed to keep moving or else she would be captured. And as much as she wanted to use her new powers, her new sword too, she wasn’t ready to shed any more blood just yet. There had been enough of it for years to come, she thought.
The next morning, she was in the kitchen having some tea when her little friend came by to see her. He was commenting on the lovely home when she remembered something. Turning to him, she asked.
“Tinsel, you have the book still.” He patted his pocket. “Good. We’ll set up a plan, a pack to grab when we need to move, and we’ll keep atop it too, so that we never lose it. Should we do that, I don’t know what will happen to the world ahead. I think we should load your pocket too. With foodstuff that cannot spoil. A few wraps for bandages as well. Not too heavy for you, but enough to get us started if we have to go quickly.”
“I will hold it all, my lady. And keep it safe. This is a good plan. I shall work on some meat to dry, as well as some herbs for our sup should we run.” He sounded so sure that she wanted to ask him why he was. Tinsel wasn’t ever sure about anything. Even if rain was falling upon his head while he stood there, he would doubt his own mind. “Shall I make us a meal?”
As before, she let it go. Bryn might well talk to him later about it, but for now her belly was growling at its emptiness, and she wanted to look around. With so much going on, there was a quiet that made her nervous. She did wonder, too, when the castle would be rebuilt. She wanted to get this over with for the king.
They talked for a long while, him telling her what he’d seen, how he’d kept her safe. She was sure that some of it was less than what he said, but she didn’t mind. Bryn doubted greatly that he’d slayed an army of men in her absence, as well as caught large fish with his bare hands. But she loved this little man, and he had kept her safe. She just hoped that she could keep him equally as safe in the coming years.
Chapter 1
“No, no, no. That just won’t work for me. You should just call my sister and tell her that she needs to come here and take care of this. I have friends that would do it, but they’re all very busy right now.” Cora looked around the courtroom. No one was there that she knew. Even her family, William and her sons, weren’t there to be with her. “Judge, you really are doing this all wrong. I’m surprised that you’ve made it this far with your bumbling around about things. Listen to me tell you once again how it should be going.”
“Am I? My having a college education, passing my bar, and even doing this every day for the last thirty some odd years makes me believe I’m more qualified to decide how this should go than you are. And even if you think I’m not, then you’ll have to deal with your consequences. Your sentencing is before you, Ms. Daniels. You’ll be taken to jail as early as tomorrow morning.” She didn’t want to go to jail. It was beneath her and her status. But no one would listen to her. “As for your sister taking care of this for you? Even should she have offered, which she did not, I wouldn’t allow her to pay for your trouble. You make it yourself, and the fact that you think that someone else should be responsible for your crimes is beyond me.”
“Why not? I mean, she has it. It’s not like she has any idea how to be rich. Besides, I’ve got things to do. It’s almost Christmas, and I have a lot of
friends and family to purchase for. My goodness, this is going to be a nightmare if I don’t have my annual party. People come from other states just to have a bit of my ham and glazes. And the gifts that I give out are legendary. You have to see that you’re holding me here against my will. How am I expected to get anything done about the holidays if you won’t just let me go?” He just laughed a little. “You think this is a joke? I have been here for nearly a month now, and you’ve yet to let me have my cell phone or my own clothing. Not to mention, that nasty food has to be improved for the next person.”
“Has anyone ever pointed out to you that you’re a very demanding person? That you twist things up so that they benefit only you? You’ve been a pain in the bottom for that entire month too. The station where you’re being held is going to go on strike should I return you there. I’m sure that even your ex-husband might have said that once or twice to you.” She told him that William was her husband and that he’d never do that. “Then he’s better off without you, I’m thinking. You will be remanded to the state penitentiary at nine in the morning. You will serve a sentence of no less than four years. And in that time, you will work off your debt to the credit cards, as well as pay for court costs. There is also—”
“When will I get them back?” He asked her what. “The credit cards. If I must pay them off, then I should have them returned to me. I told you, several times, I have things to purchase from my cell, since you can’t get your head out of your bottom and let me out for anything like shopping. And since you’re making me go to the jail, which is not the way things should have gone, then I’ll need a computer as well as Internet service. Also, my cell phone. I don’t like using the one in the hallway back there. Everyone can hear me. And I want my clothing. I hate those suit things. I have a list of things that need to change too. How do you expect someone of my standing to eat that slop that they’re serving me? And when I asked for a salad, I was given unwashed lettuce with nothing but a boiled egg on it. It was disgusting. I had to toss the entire meal away, I was so put off.”
He just stared at her. Cora knew that he was in awe of her. Few would stand up for their rights, and he was impressed by her. Or at least she hoped so. There was so much riding on him giving her what she wanted. William wouldn’t have the first idea what to get the boys for Christmas, and she’d end up with some stupid sweater or something that she’d have to return. It was better for everyone if she just bought her own gift and put his name on it. And he’d not save the receipts for anything either. The way things were going, the local charity place was going to get a lot of unused things after she got home. William had to know that she had standards, and he’d never get them right.
“Ms. Daniels, you are in jail for credit card debt, credit card fraud, credit card theft, as well as a plethora of other things. Why on earth would you think that anyone, even me, would hand over credit cards to you again? You are in debt, as you have willingly admitted you did, for well over six hundred thousand dollars’ worth of charges, back payments, interest, and penalties.” She waited for him to tell her how she was going to use them if he wasn’t cooperating when he shook his head at her. “You are by far the most stubborn woman I’ve ever had the unpleasantness of having in my courtroom. There is no way you’re going to get any of those things. And it’s doubtful that anyone in their right mind would even give you a card after this. If they do, then heaven help them because I doubt you’d have any intention of paying a single one of them back. I’m done. Court is adjourned.”
When she was jerked up from her seat, she tried to pull away. The police officer that held her arm was much stronger than she looked, and Cora had to follow along with her or be dragged across the floor. This was an outrage. She, of all people, shouldn’t be treated this way. But as they took her back to the van she had arrived here in, she glared at the officer. Cora hated everyone at this moment.
“I want to call my sister, Gracie. She has to take care of this for me.” The officer said nothing as she sat there, smiling at her. “Are you stupid as well as ugly? I want a phone to call Gracie. I don’t like her, but she sure as hell can get me out of this mess that she put me in. All she had to do was what I told her and this would be over. But no, she had to be stubborn. But I won’t put up with it any longer. She owes me.”
“How do you figure she owes you anything?” Cora didn’t know, but it wasn’t really any of her business. “‘Sides, she’s not been in to see you much after you had that tell all with her. She’s having a good life, married to a good man who takes good care of her. You did this all on your own.”
“Gracie hasn’t found anyone to love her. She’s just saying that to make me mad.” Why she’d do that wasn’t anything that Cora had thought through, but it would be like her to tell lies just to get back at her. Gracie was always jealous of her, and the fact that she thought she had to lie to these people too showed how desperate she was about her life looking as good as Cora’s. “I’m the one that made a good choice in marriage. She married that artist that got himself killed with her baby. Stupid twit had nothing, and she has less now.”
“Yet you sit there and tell me that she has to take care of this for you. You gotta make up your mind, girly. Either she is well off, which she is, or she’s a twit that has nothing. I’ve been to her house. You should see it. Beautiful, and decorated with the finest things.” Cora told her she lied. “Nope. And her new family? They got more money than all the richest people in the world combined. But they don’t flaunt it, nor lord it over others that don’t have as much. You should take a few lessons from her. Oh, and your momma? Well, not a nicer person in the world than her. She is teaching first grade at the local school.”
“My mother is not teaching anyone. She’s too lazy. Not to mention, I don’t think she’s smart enough to teach herself, much less a room full of kids.” Her mom had been a teacher before. Before Father had died and her and Gracie had come along. “Why must you make these things up when you know I can ask them when they come to see me? It’s like you’ve taken lessons in being cruel. Is that it? You’re using your new skills on me? I don’t like it. Nor you.”
“You’ll see that I don’t care if you like me or not. So, there you go. And if they come to see you, you go right on ahead and ask them. Not that I think you’re going to get much of an opportunity. What with you going to the big house in the morning.” She laughed again. “Yes, ma’am. I’m not going to miss you one little bit. And you’ll be having so much more fun up there too.” There was that.
Cora didn’t want to go anywhere. Not that she wanted to stay here, but going further away meant that no one would come to see her. And so far, all she’d had as visitors had been the police and the four walls. As much as she hated to admit it, Cora was slightly afraid they’d all forgotten how much they needed her.
“Looks like you got some company.” She looked where the officer was and saw someone there. It took her a few moments to figure out who it was. The officer leaned in and whispered it was her mom.
Her mother was standing in front of the jail looking as lovely as she’d ever seen her. Of course, Cora would have looked better, but her mom was pretty today. Not that she’d tell her that. Cora knew that she’d be able to find flaws as soon as she was up close to her. Getting out of the van and being taken into the building, she was pissed off that she couldn’t speak to her mother before she had to change back into her clothing that she hated, as well as being checked again. Cora thought they got a perverse thrill out of body checking her every time she had to go to court. Where did they think she was going to get something? They never left her. Or where she was supposed to stash something anyway was beyond her. But they did it, every single time.
“It’s not like someone wasn’t with me every step of the way there and back. Where do you think I would have gotten anything you might be looking for?” No answer, but then she’d come to expect that. “Damn it, my mother is here. Can’t you just hurry this along?”
Once she
was dressed in the orange jumpsuit that she hated more than she did the way her hair was now, Cora sat in the chair with a chain on her wrists. She was so mad it made her head hurt. When her mother was shown in and seated, Cora felt her temper go off the charts. There wasn’t a single flaw about her mother.
“You look like a hooker, Mother. The color is all wrong for you, and the blouse makes you look like you’ve put on about fifty pounds.” Mother only smiled. “Who picked those things out for you, Mother? Gracie, I bet. She never had any taste in clothing either. Once I get out of here, we’ll go shopping. And since I’ve been denied my credit cards, you’ll have to pay for it. But I know all the best places. Places that won’t make you look like a streetwalker.”
“Really? Because you think what you’re wearing is so much better? And for your information, I love what I’m wearing. I have lots of things I love now. As for going shopping, we both know that’s not going to happen anytime soon, Cora. You’ll be in prison for a long time.” That hurt, but she only smiled at her. “I heard that you’re going away tomorrow. I wanted to come tell you goodbye, and to tell you that I won’t be visiting you. Neither will the boys.”
“You’re keeping them from me?” She said that they didn’t want to see her. “Who’s been telling them things about me? You? Gracie? I won’t have it, Mother. They’re my boys, and I won’t have it. You make them come here. I want to hear what you’ve been telling them to try and turn them against me. You won’t do it, no matter what plans you have up your sleeve. I want them here.”
“Well, that’s just too bad for you. I’m glad you’ve given up the notion that you’re having another child. All the trouble that you caused with that…well, it turned out well for us. To think that you were lying to everyone about something so precious as having another man’s child.” Cora said nothing. If she did, there would be consequences. The courts had told her that she was sane, and that if she mentioned the nonexistent baby again, she would be in bigger trouble. “Anyway, I was in town and figured I’d come to see you before you left. You have a good life. I’m sure that if you were sunning on a beach somewhere, you’d find fault with it, so I’m going to say my goodbyes.”
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