His embarrassed expression faded as he returned to the roll of instructor. “You should understand though that both abilities are only available to us here in the Forest. Once we pass the gate to the outside, we loose the gifts. It’s my belief that we draw on the life force of the Forest itself for our abilities, although the Caretaker has his own theories. If you’re interested, you should discuss it with him.”
“Is your gift what makes you a Sentinel?” Dionara leaned forward as her curiosity overruled her caution.
“Yes and no. When someone with the gift to sense reaches their teens, that person is asked if they would use the gift to help the Caretaker protect us. As far as I know, no one has ever turned down the request, but it is his or her choice. Once the gifted accepts the role, they get further training to become a Sentinel.” John paused to allow her time think.
II
“Enough fidgeting, please Danielle, the place is perfect.” Edward watched as his wife circled from one room of their cottage to another and adjusted anything that came into sight.
The small farm was one of many that spread for miles surrounding the Forest’s Dweller’s village. As with most things wrought by the hand of man within the Forest, their cottage’s structure and contents reflected the elegance of a simple design expertly and lovingly crafted. Dispersed among the more utilitarian objects, there were also a few pieces whose sole purpose was the expression of an artist’s vision. Whether glass, stone, wood, or woven, each also fulfilled a purpose, the joy one experiences simply by their presence.
“Danielle, please. She’ll get here when she gets here. Besides, you just saw her last week”
“I saw her yes, but she doesn’t even know we exist. Besides, that obnoxious hand maiden of hers kept shooing me of the ledge.” Danielle turned to her husband of so many decades with a well-worn expression that mixed exasperation with disbelief. “Men! If you ever had an emotion it would die of loneliness.” She then turned back to adjust a glass figurine she had moved three times since she entered the room.
“I’ll tell you what,” Edward leaned forward in his chair, “why don’t you take a run through the woods as a bobcat and scare a few unsuspecting rabbits to burn off a little of that nervous energy.” With a silent chuckle, he decided that perhaps he should see to a few chores himself to help burn off some of his own nervousness. Love filled his heart as he walked to the door while she muttered various ways she could dismember him as he slept. “Love you too.” He said with a smile and a quick exit.
Before he had a chance to even to pick up an axe, Edward spotted two riders in the distance. He turned back through the doorway and called to his wife. “Show time! Take a deep breath, they’re here.” As the riders approached, he called to Danielle once more, “Something must have happened, John’s with her.”
The sun had just dipped into the forest line with the promise of a beautiful amber sunset as John and Dionara rode up to the cottage. “It still feels strange.” Dionara reopened the objection she had expressed earlier about to not returning to the castle. “I know you said that my absence was expected, but still.” Her voice trailed off with a tone of uncertainty.
“Please don’t worry,” John understood her apprehension, “Edward and Danielle have been looking forward to your visit for a very long time. Just relax and let the day unfold.” Dionara didn’t know why, but John’s smile was enough to reassure her.
Danielle moved forward to welcome them as the riders dismounted, “John, it’s lovely to see you, but we thought the Caretaker would be coming. Is everything all right?”
“There were complications on the coast, my doing I’m afraid. We’ll know more when the Caretaker arrives.” John handed the reins to Edward, “It’s good to see you both, thank you for the welcome.” The three turned to Dionara. John spoke first. “Please allow me to formally introduce you to our guest. Edward, Danielle, this is Princess Dionara of the Kingdom.”
The couple bowed and expressed their welcome to the Princess. As Danielle rose she gave John a quizzical look. John turned his head and whispered. “Not yet. I’ll leave that to you once we get inside.” Danielle managed a smile and a nod.
Dionara listened as she was shown around the cottage and told a little of what their life in the Forest was like. She felt a bit more relaxed as the tour ended and she was invited to sit on the couch between John and Danielle. John seemed right at home as he leaned back with his legs outstretched.
Edward went to the fireplace and started to arrange the logs, “It still gets a bit nippy once the sun goes down.” Then added an afterthought, “Although it may take days for the kitchen to cool down, Danielle’s been cooking since daybreak.” He gave his wife a smile.
Dionara turned to a visibly nervous Danielle who seemed as stiff as stone and tried to think of a way to break the ice, “What a lovely home you have. Everything is so beautiful.” Her gaze rested on a woven wall hanging across from them, “That tapestry is amazing. Who is the artist?”
All the color drained from Danielle’s face as she turned to look at John who sent her a quick thought. “It’s as good a time as any.”
Danielle instinctively reached for Dionara’s hand and then quickly withdrew it fearful that it may have been inappropriate. Dionara understood and took her hand. “That was woven by our daughter,” Danielle’s voice held a quiet reverence, “she was a Sentinel like John. Her name was Diana.” Danielle paused.
“Diana, that was my mother’s name. Is she here, I’d like to meet her.” Dionara politely responded.
“I’m afraid not, you see we all,” Danielle gestured with her free hand to everyone in the room, “lost her seven years ago.” Both hands now grasped Dionara’s. “She was your mother Dionara, we’re your grandparents.”
Dionara was suddenly lost to the sensation of falling without moving. She felt John sit up beside her as Edward came over, knelt beside his wife and put his arm around her. Dionara looked into their faces and began to recognized her mother’s features, as well as her own. The sense of falling engulfed her as she surrendered herself to it and the room disappeared.
III
“Ribbit, ribbit.” Dionara awoke to the familiar sound and felt a painful reminder that too much of any wine has its consequences. “I’m glad to see that my Lady has finally decided to wake. Did you rest well?” Froggy asked politely, then ignored the rude non-verbal response and continued. “So then, I take it that you’re not quite ready to get up, hmmm?”
Dionara’s fog began to clear, “Would someone please execute whoever’s ringing that damn bell in my head.” In the dim light she could just make out Froggy’s silhouette beside her pillow. “Wait. Where am I? Oh, the Forest!” Her pain momentarily forgotten as the day’s memories flooded back to her consciousness.
“Yes, the Forest. Now, if my Lady would be so kind as to close and cover her eyes, I believe another form would be much more helpful in relieving your current distress.” Froggy then waited patiently for his young charge to comply.
Through closed eyes Dionara’s sight was filled with color of emerald green. “Just one more moment my Lady.” She heard the deeper resonant tone of Froggy’s human voice and turned toward him just as he leaned forward to light a candle, his shirt still unbuttoned. “As you wish, although my Lady should be aware that here in the Forest it is polite to allow someone a moment to dress after a change.”
Froggy sat beside her on the bed being careful not to increase her discomfort. “This will never do. Please, allow me my Lady.” Froggy placed his hand across her eyes as his thumb and mid-finger massaged her temples. His mind entered hers. She felt an instant release of all the day’s tension, every muscle responded as she gave herself completely to the physical and emotional relaxation that cascaded through her. The pain drifted away on a tide of peaceful contentment. “That’s better.” Froggy commented while he gently stroked the side of her face with the back of his fingers. Dionara was filled with a profound sense of calm.
She looked a
round the small bedroom while Froggy finished getting dressed. “Speaking of etiquette,” she said in a playful tone, “you do know that sneaking into a young woman’s bedroom as she sleeps is considered to be a bit shady, do you not? If one was to consider my vulnerability and complete state of undress, I’m sure that the good people of the Forest would be shocked.” Her mischievous smile evident.
He responded with a slow, deep laughter. “Yes I am fully aware of my Lady’s condition, both the state of your undress as well as the depth of my Lady’s double standards. May I remind you that I myself was quite unclothed as I sat next to your pillow, all be it in a reduced stature, and that you would not allow me time to dress when I returned to human form.” The two looked at each other, their dual expressions of mock determination danced by the flicker of candlelight.
Froggy was the first to give in to a smile, “You win my Lady. I will retreat. There are clothes in the dresser. I believe you will find that they are your own from the castle. Please join us in the kitchen when you are dressed. I would also ask my Lady to please be considerate of Edward and Danielle, and to remember that while the pain of losing your mother is great, so too is the pain of losing a daughter.”
Froggy waited a moment to be sure that his admonishment was taken seriously, then added, “and if possible, please hurry my Lady. If we don’t calm Danielle down soon she’ll feed us till we burst!”
Dionara hesitated briefly as she entered the kitchen. The warm lamplight mixed with the hearth’s glow to give the room a close, intimate feel. The Caretaker, Danielle, and Edward rose from their seats as she entered, they were joined by John who had been casually leaning against the wall off in the shadows. The four bowed in welcome to the Princess.
“Oh, cut it out. This is hard enough without everyone bowing every time they see me.” Dionara’s soft voice and smile set the tone. She moved forward to meet Danielle’s open arms. The strong comforting hug was enough to release their tears as Edward’s arms surrounded them both. After what seemed like just a moment, the three joined the Caretaker at the table.
Dionara sat with Danielle and Edward close by, each taking a hand. “Soup’s on!” John said and placed a steaming bowl of stew in front of Dionara, “If you thought the wine was good, wait until you taste Danielle’s coveted spring stew.” Dionara breathed deeply of the wonderful aroma and was overtaken by feelings of home and love.
“Okay, one of us has to let go or she’ll starve.” Edward said, then released Dionara’s hand and acknowledged the silent look of gratitude from his wife. “There is a great deal we wish to share with you, but first you need to eat.” Edward slid the cutting board with fresh bread and butter into Dionara’s reach and raised a pitcher to fill her cup. “No more wine for you tonight young lady, but some fresh juice will go well with the stew.”
“Thank you,” she hesitated, then looked at Edward and bowed her head, “Grandfather,” she added. She swirled her stew with a spoon then raised her head once more, “Please, tell me of my mother.” Dionara dutifully sampled the stew as her grandmother began to speak, the delicious mixture of flavors were wonderful and seemed to embody the essence of comfort.
Danielle relaxed a bit as she remembered the joy of so many years ago. “We knew that your mother would be special even before she was born, by the time I was eight months pregnant she had already begun to send me her thoughts. They were more feelings than words. One night I was lying on my side and all of sudden I felt very constricted, I immediately turned over and was rewarded with a profound sense of relief.”
Danielle paused as the pain of Diana’s loss overtook her once more. Edward knew well why she had stopped and spoke up to continue the story. “The next day the Caretaker stopped by to confirm what we had guessed, our child would have the gift.”
“Not just the gift,” The Caretaker added, “but the strongest I had ever sensed. My apologies for the interruption.” He turned to Dionara, “It is important for you to understand that your mother’s flame was the strongest I have ever known, with the purity and light of Palinar grown stronger with generations. This is your heritage Dionara, one that I hope will blossom within you.” The Caretaker sat back and nodded to Danielle and Edward.
John leaned against the doorway to the side as he watched the three take turns telling their stories of Diana’s escapades growing up. Laughter came easily and often, as well as tears. He felt a bit like an intruder but also privileged to be a witness. He noted, and not for the first time, how the Caretaker’s eyes lit up whenever he spoke of Diana. She had chosen to marry the Prince and had left the Forest before he was born, but the remnants of her absence could be read easily enough in the Caretaker’s face by anyone who chose to look.
“I’m glad Catherine isn’t here.” He thought, and while it was not his place to wonder about the Caretaker and Catherine’s relationship, he always suspected that Catherine had to compete with a ghost for the Caretaker’s love.
Courses followed stories as stories followed courses.
“I wonder if this is what it feels like to be nine months pregnant!” Dionara thought as she pushed herself away from the table in awe of just how much she had eaten. “Burp!” Dionara was aghast at the sound that emanated from her while the laughter from the rest of the room didn’t make her feel any better.
“I have never heard a more heartfelt compliment to my wife’s cooking,” Edward managed to say between the bouts of laughter, “You are most welcome Princess Granddaughter.” He noted how red Dionara’s face had turned just as he ducked Danielle’s glancing swipe.
“Men!” Danielle shouted has she tried to get a better shot at her husband. “Rude, crude and not very bright.” She stood patiently and waited for Edward to stop dodging, which added Dionara’s laughter to the chorus.
“I’m so sorry.” Dionara tried to catch her breath, “That was so rude of me. Please Grandmother sit down.” Danielle reluctantly took her seat and sent her husband a stern expression of future retribution. “Please, how did my parents really meet and why does the entire Kingdom think she was born there?”
A bright smile came to Danielle as she thought back, “You know how they first met, don’t you?”
“Not exactly.” John interjected, “I told her that Prince Stefan was met by a Sentinel, but I didn’t elaborate.”
Danielle nodded. “Well then, I’ll tell it to you just as they described it to us. When Stefan entered the Forest for the first time, a sense of wonder overwhelmed him, he could feel the power of this magical land coarse through him as he looked out to discover what lain before him.”
Dionara thought back to her entry into the Forest earlier that day and relived the exhilaration. She felt her understanding of the world, and of her life, expand as she imagined her father as a young man sharing the same emotions that she had experienced. The momentary thought filled her with a sense of discovery.
Danielle continued, “He turned slowly, trying to comprehend everything within his view. That’s when his eyes met Diana’s and his spirit soared. Her task was to welcome and guide him. Diana sensed his intense emotion and understood his reaction. The Forest has a powerful effect on the uninitiated. What she could not understand was her own giddy happiness and lightness of being. The longer he looked into her eyes, the more her spirit seemed to float like a feather on a warm summer breeze.”
“Over the next two years your father returned to the Forest quite often, and to be honest it wasn’t just him, they both found any excuse they could to spend time together. Then late one night, I remember finding Diana sitting at this very table with a look of concern I had never seen from her before.” Danielle’s hand stroked the table. “I asked her what was wrong and she told me that she faced a dilemma. She was torn between duty and love. Her heart wanted to marry Stefan, but that would mean leaving the Forest.”
Edward picked up the tale, “It would be most difficult on Catherine who would become the lone Sentinel, and at eighteen her full abilities were only recently devel
oped. Of course, John had not even been born at that point.”
Danielle nodded in agreement and continued, “Then there was the problem that knowledge of the Forest and Caretaker had been lost to the Kingdom’s subjects. I didn’t know how to council her, I suggested that she see the Caretaker.”
The Caretaker smiled as he remembered. “She came to me, head bowed and thoughts completely blocked, she almost seemed frightened. That my Lady, was a revelation in and of itself since I sincerely doubted that your mother was even capable of fear. Then she told me of her dilemma.”
The Caretaker leaned back. “My Lady, are you aware of the look of total confusion you get when I tell you something you think you should understand but simply do not have a clue about?” Dionara nodded. “That was exactly the same look your mother had when I gave her my answer.
“My love, happiness and friendship for her flooded her very being. I then chided her for waiting so long and informed her that everyone in the Forest not only knew of her love for Stefan, but have waited patiently for their invitations to the wedding.” Her friend Froggy’s warmth and love then flooded into Dionara. “Your mother was universally loved and her happiness was dear to everyone in the Forest, especially me. I assured her that Catherine and I would have no problems, and if a crisis developed, I would call on her.
“A date was set for the following spring. I believe that Danielle, Edward, and Catherine will attest that a year was barely enough preparation time. The first union of Forest and Kingdom was a celebration of epic proportion. The trickiest part was introducing Diana to the Kingdom.
“Instead of making excuses, it was decided to adjust the ‘common knowledge’ of the Kingdom’s subjects. Over the course of one night, your mother, Catherine and I sent out thoughts to the entire kingdom as they slept. In the morning they awoke to find that they had always known of the young woman who was to marry their prince. She was an orphan, the last scion of a noble family.”
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