The Heart of the Falcon: The Guardian Maidens Book 3

by Marilyn Foxworthy

  Val agreed to see what could be done. Jean offered to go with her, but Val smiled and insisted that her mother stay downstairs with the rest of us for now.

  I wanted to distract Jean from further questions and said quickly, “Jean, I have something important for all of us that involves you very directly.”

  When Val and Brenda and Alice were gone, I said, “Please, everyone sit down. We need to talk again.”

  We all found seats, and I proceeded to say, “Today was a learning experience. I know that it is emotionally difficult, and everyone needs time to process it. I wouldn’t be surprised if a number of us are thinking that now that the village is safe that we should all become farmers and not put anyone in danger from now on. Especially not beautiful women like these we love so much. And in a few days, after the danger has passed, we would see again that we aren’t farmers and that we have to be Adventurers, and that means that we will be in danger. But, Shaheen will recover. And when she has recovered, she won’t regret the danger, but only the fact that we made a mistake by being unprepared.”

  I paused to let everyone express any frustration or anger that they might be feeling, but no one had anything to say, so I continued.

  I said, “Gerald has admonished me about something, and we need to implement his suggestion. Everyone, Gerald is aware that there is Elven blood in each of us. He decided it on his own, without being told, having recognized that Jean and her sister are very special, and so is his daughter Val, and Elven blood was the best explanation. I confirmed it for him and he is comfortable with it. When he asked me about any special abilities, I told him about one, and he insisted that we use it. Jean, the ladies and I have special senses that let us see each other with our eyes closed, and more importantly for this discussion, to talk to each other without making a sound. I think that you know a little about it already. You sense us when we are coming toward you and you have other intuitions about things. How this impacts us is that today, Dawn ran to the farm for help. But I could have called you, told you what we needed, and you could have come to us right away and been with us in half the time. Do you remember that night that Dawn was in crisis and Lucy knew that we needed her? It was because I pulled her toward me. We have learned how to communicate much better since then. She and I have practiced, and the rest have started practicing as well. We want you to learn to do this, so that we can call for help, or to let you know that we are safe, and when there’s no need to worry.”

  Jean said, “Gerald, you know about this? About me? And Val, and um, Stacy?”

  Gerald said, “I do. And it is amazing and a bit unbelievable, but it makes everything less mysterious. You have special abilities. Magical abilities. But we know why, and they don’t frighten us. Jean, if you learn to talk to them this way, we will be more help, and we will worry less. We would have been on our way to them before Dawn ever started toward us. And I assume that we could talk back to them. We would say, ‘Do you want us to bring a wagon? Do you need food?’ Things like that. Jean, can you learn to do this?”

  Jean said, “I don’t know.”

  Stacy said, “Of course you can.”

  I said, “And it’s Stacy that I want to spend the time teaching you. It is easier at first with the person that you have the strongest connection with. Val would be a good one to practice with as well. If Stacy and Jean can do it, then we can at least relay messages, even if we can’t speak directly yet. My thinking is that it will be easiest for Jean to find Stacy in the other place, and when she has learned to talk that way, then Val and I, and the others can talk to her as well. It took all of us just a few minutes, but Stacy will explain some of the strange sensations so that it is very comfortable. But we all need to be able to do it. If it were just me who can talk to Jean, if something happened to me, we would be in trouble.”

  Jean looked at her sister, then at Gerald, and then at me.

  She said, “It will be a good thing to have in our tools. How did this happen to us, Gerald? That we would be involved in these things?”

  Gerald smiled and said, “Do you remember that fine daughter you gave me? The one called Valeera? She’s the reason. She chose an Adventurer Monk for her prince, and we are just the parents and in-laws who do anything she asks of us. And, in small doses, I like it very much. I have grandchildren already! And a new son! And more daughters than you can count on one hand, and I’m afraid that it may be more than two hands day after tomorrow.”

  I laughed and said, “No, I don’t think so! Please no. I love them all, and I love them all more than anything on earth, but no more. Seven is enough.”

  Dawn snapped her head in my direction and whispered, “Ronin! Be careful. There are eight. You will kill her!”

  I looked chagrined and Gerald frowned and said, “Perhaps we should count them again. I’m not sure of the number myself. Ronin, eight? Remind me.”

  I took a breath and said, “Dawn was first. Then Val. Then Harmony. That was three. Brenda and Alice made five. Shaheen and Stacy make seven. And, there is one more. It’s unusual. I hope that you aren’t shocked. Let me explain. April is 27 years old, and she is not Alice’s daughter.”

  Jean exclaimed, “How?”

  I whispered, “A foundling. I know that here, a foundling is considered bad luck, but you know that isn’t the case. We won’t go into it here, but the short version is that April is 27, not 15 as we had believed. Even she didn’t know until today. And yes, she has Elven blood.”

  Dawn said, “So, when she has adjusted to being an adult, and we think that her body is making adjustments even now, she will need an Elven mate. She is the same age as I am and needs the same mate that I have. There’s no other way, and there’s no reason to prohibit it.”

  Gerald whistled softly and said, “The village hag is a beautiful elf queen, and the tiny princess is not so tiny after all. That is eight. No doubt about it, that is eight, and no less.”

  I said, “We expect that April will look a bit more mature when she has gone through her changes. That’s why she isn’t here with us now. She’s in transition. Gaining twelve years in one a day must be an ordeal.”

  Jean said, “The poor dear. But my goodness. The wonders never cease. If Stacy weren’t here with you, I would have to move in myself, just to nurse all of you.”

  Stacy said, “Jean, thank you for recognizing me as Stacy, and not as Lucy. I don’t know exactly how I’m different yet, but I know that I am.”

  Jean said, “Sister, I have known you our entire life. I see that you are different. Gerald won’t be ashamed when I say this. You are in love in a way that you never were before. When I fell for Gerald, do you remember how it changed me? And now, with Ronin, your changes are even bigger, because there was more of you to change because you had lived so much more. Ronin talked to us about changing and getting new names, and I was happy for you. You are Stacy.”

  Stacy smiled and said, “And for that reason, I’m not as much help as a nurse as I was a day ago. I will be again soon, I hope, but right now, I don’t even know myself. But there’s no need to worry. Brenda and Alice are wonderful mothers for all of our children, and I trust them with everyone. Jean, help Val where she needs it, but with you in your role, we are well taken care of. You saw how Brenda’s only concern was for how she could help Shaheen.”

  Jean said, “And what special drink did she have? Does she know medicines?”

  Before I could stop her, Harmony said, “Elven Breast Milk.”

  Jean laughed and said, "Oh, that does sound like good medicine. But really, what did she have?"

  Again, I tried to redirect the conversation, but I was too slow.

  Harmony said, “Aunt Jean, Brenda’s special Elven ability is Elven Breast Milk. Shaheen says that it is magical for healing and nourishment. And Brenda has it. Shaheen said it’s legendary and it is called Honey’s Milk, after some Elf-queen named Honey. Brenda must have filled a cup, like when you nursed Val and my mother nursed me, and she will feed it to Shaheen and spre
ad it on her wounds.”

  Jean looked at Harmony and said, “That’s a story. You make me want to believe it though.”

  Gerald put his hand on Jean’s arm and said, “Is there a reason not to believe it? Ask Ronin, he won’t lie to you.”

  Jean and Gerald looked at me and I nodded.

  Jean said, “Wonders truly never do cease! What else is there?”

  I said quickly, “Gerald says he’s raising unicorns!”

  Gerald laughed and said, “Hush boy! Don’t let our secrets out!” Then to Jean he said, “No, I’m not.”

  Jean said, “Not that you know about. But what if we go back to the farm and one of your burros has given birth and we find a horn in the middle of the foal’s head? I won’t hardly be surprised now.”

  Harmony grinned and said to Gerald, “You should taste it.”

  Gerald said, “Taste what? Oh, you mean the milk? I should not! No, I certainly should not. You behave, you rascal. You’re going to give me a heart failure. And Jean, don’t you and Stacy start teasing me either. If you or Anne want to see if I can get some milk from you, then fine, and I’ll be happy to try, but I absolutely should not taste anything from our dear Brenda. In fact, I’ve changed my mind. You have been teasing the whole time, and I fell for it and it was a good story, but it isn’t true as far as I know, and there is nothing to taste. You horrible rascal. Show some respect for your poor aged uncle, girl. I should taste it, indeed.”

  We laughed for a minute and then he turned to me and said, “But, if I did believe it, um, what would it taste like? Theoretically.”

  I said, “Theoretically, it would taste like cream, sweetened with honey, and it would smell a bit like flowers.”

  Gerald said, “Well, theoretically, maybe that sounds interesting. I tell you what. If Jean develops that ‘ability’, I will give it a try, but otherwise, serve me only water when I come to supper. Harmony, no tricks!”

  Chapter 13 - The End of the Day

  I thanked Gerald and Jean for rescuing us, and asked them to stay for dinner, but they declined and said that they would head home. Stacy asked if Jean would like to start learning about the Elven sight and communication and said that she would not stay the night at the farm but would ride back with them in the wagon and that they could start right away. Of course, Harmony went with them so that she could escort Stacy home later that night and neither of them would be forced to sleep away from the house. We agreed that they would let us know when they were on their way back after dinner at the farm. Having the ability to let each other know our plans and status made being separated much easier.

  Brenda, Alice, and Val came back, and the widows went to prepare dinner. April was apparently fine but staying in her room for now and Alice would take her a tray of food when it was ready. I was very concerned, but Alice assured me that everything was well and that I should stay away for a few more hours at least.

  I sat with Val and Dawn for a while, waiting for dinner, and then we ran upstairs for a quick shower together. It was mostly just washing up, and some relaxation, but it was nice. After we were dried and dressed in fresh lounging clothes, we went back down and sat together in the front room.

  During our wait, Val told us about Shaheen’s condition and her impressions of the milk. She told us that the taste was sweet, and that the sip that she had taken had made her feel more energized, and by being sensitive to her feelings, she detected some increased blood flow and a sensation of healing taking place. She had been concerned about how the energetic effects would combine with the tranquilizing effects of the other things that she was giving to Shaheen, but she had eventually decided to take a chance, and everything seemed to be working together just fine. Val had used it on her own hands and said that she had felt immediate relief, and had therefore applied it to Shaheen’s hand, feet, and legs. There wasn’t any apparent interaction between the milk and the ointments that she was using and so she used both of them. After just ten minutes or so, Shaheen’s legs looked to be better than they had been.

  We wondered together if the effect was unique to Elven genetics, or if the same effects would be seen if a non-elf, like Gerald, were treated with the milk. It might be based on some properties of the Elven blood, but we didn’t know, and had no reason to try to find out yet. My theory was that it would work on anyone, but possibly to different degrees. Dawn reminded us that Shaheen had said that only one in a thousand Elven women even had the ability, and we thought that she might have told us that only the most pure-blooded even had a chance. Of course, Brenda wasn’t pure-blooded, but her ability had been activated by her desire and my ability to find and release what was dormant in her.

  Dinner was me, Val, Dawn, Alice, Brenda, Jack, and Tanya. Jack wanted to hear about our adventure, but Tanya was more interested in what was happening to April. Jack was especially glad that I had convinced his mothers and sisters of being Elven. He seemed relieved that we were all on the same page and able to talk freely about ‘our secret’.

  We did explain to them some about April’s background and Jack told us that it was to be expected. Elves belong with elves, he said, so April, even as a toddler, was brought to exactly the right family. It didn’t bother him at all, especially since it made it so much easier.

  When I asked him how it made it easier, he said, “Because of the Elf-boy thing. Just like how we have to find me three Elf-girls, we would have to find her an Elf-boy. I’m an Elf-boy and I would be happy to have her as one of my mates when I’m older, but she can’t wait that long and she doesn’t respect me as a leader, anyway. But since she’s old, like Dawn, like my mom, she can be with you, and she loves you already and makes lovey-dovey eyes at you and wants your babies, so you take her as a mate and we’ll find me some more when I’m older. But not Tanya. She has to find a different elf boy because I’m her brother.”

  Tanya said, “No. I’m not ready for an Elf-boy. Momma, I don’t have to be a woman yet, do I? Tell Jack I’m too young. No way.”

  Jack said, “I don’t mean right now. I mean when we get old, like Ronin and Shaheen. Don’t be weird. When we get old, you’ll want to be a woman and do wifely things and all that weird stuff. It just happens. I don’t know why, but it does. I’m glad we’ll never get as old as Ichabod. He was ancient. Shaheen says she is 300, so he must have been 90,000. Tanya, you want to know what really happened?”

  Tanya said, “What?”

  Jack said, “I think Ichabod knew that Ronin was our real dad, and that’s why he didn’t like us. I don’t know why we lived with him, but Ronin was on adventures and Momma did wifely things with him and even though he was our real dad, we had to live with Ichabod. It was fine, because he didn’t beat us, and both our moms were lonely, but Ronin came sometimes when even I couldn’t see him, or any of my spies either, but he came and that’s how we were born.”

  Brenda said, “Jack, that’s, well, not exactly, but Jack, um, Ronin, no one…”

  I said, “Brenda, come talk to me for just a minute.”

  We stepped away and she said quickly, “Ronin, I have told you the truth! I swear it. There is nothing else, not about the children, that you don’t know! I swear it.”

  I said, “So, the fact is that I have loved you forever, and you have loved me, and that I am Jack and Tanya’s father now, and I love them, and some of the past is a mystery, like why you had to live with Ichabod. There are things that we can only guess at but can never know.”

  I turned back to the others and said, “Jack, who was Ichabod?”

  Jack looked puzzled and said, “I think he must have been a goblin. In disguise. I think that he knew that you were coming and so he ran away.” He looked at Tanya and said, “Or died in the orchards.”

  Tanya said, “If he was a goblin, why did he die in the orchards? We never found his body. Maybe he did run away. Mommas, I’m sorry, but I think Jack must be right. But everything is wonderful now anyway, and it wasn’t so bad waiting for our new moms and dad to come right? And you
are happy now, aren’t you? Even if Ichabod did run away?”

  Brenda said, “Tanya, I’m very happy. If that’s what happened, then I’m glad he ran away.”

  Jack said, “Me too. So, he was a goblin in disguise and even if he did make me as a baby, which I’m not convinced of, our Elf blood made sure that I don’t have any goblin blood, right? That’s how it works and how come. And my spies never saw Ronin come to our house, but that doesn’t matter. Our Elf-moms needed an Elf-man, and we had to have an Elf-dad, not a Goblin-dad, so that’s what happened. And Stacy has a new name because she is different, and Dawn has a new name because she is different, and April will be all grown up and you can call me Captain Jonas, Defender of Elf World. When I learn how to fight more and I’m not just eight.”

  Brenda said, “Ronin, there was never anyone but you. Please believe me.”

  I said, “I do. Jack, I mean, Captain Jonas, let people think what they want, but only tell them that I am your father now, and don’t say that I came and visited your mother before.”

  He said, “Of course not. That would cast aspersions. I think aspersions is the word. And my spies didn’t see anything, so it’s just rumors, so we won’t say anything. I just told you because you asked me who Ichabod was. I’m good at keeping secrets, as you know.”

  I said, “I do indeed. Is your name Jonas?”

  He said, “Yep. But call me Jack.”

  I said, “No new name?”

  He said, “No. I like Jack. Or Wolf Warrior. Or Wolf Warrior Jack.”

  I said, “I think April will still be April too. I like that name. If she says, change my name, I’ll probably say, OK, I change it to April.”

  Tanya giggled and said, “Unless she sits on your lap and says please and looks at you with lovey-dovey eyes.”