No, she had to make her decision based on her own knowledge. She couldn’t depend on someone else wanting her. She couldn’t depend on what might be in the future in either realm. She needed to choose the place she would be most comfortable, the place she could become her true self.
She had her memories of here, and could use them to write stories, as she had done in school. If she stayed, she wouldn’t graduate from high school with her friends, wouldn’t go to university. She had already accepted one of the universities. What would they think if she never showed up? How would her parents feel when they discovered she was gone? How many years in this realm would that be? She was their only child, and she hadn’t said goodbye.
And then there was Storm. Storm had been her playmate. He had cared for her every time she came. She had worried herself sick over his safety. He had taught her things she would never have known otherwise.
Michael and even Alexandra had been kind to her. Elsie had given her a home. Wouldn’t it be ungrateful to them to leave this world without a backward glance?
She always wondered if Alexandra really felt the way she seemed to. Caitlyn couldn’t believe the queen wasn’t just a bit jealous of her. True, Alexandra had won the hand of the prince, but that was because Caitlyn had gone, and he didn’t know whether or not he would ever see her again. Caitlyn herself wondered if Michael had loved her, or if he had simply been amusing a strange child. He had always acted as if he were keenly interested in her. But was that an act?
The children of Michael and Alexandra – perhaps even Toran – had shown a fondness for Lady Caitlyn. Surely that wasn’t simply politeness? They didn’t really have to be quite so polite, did they?
Caitlyn’s head ached by the time she returned to Elsie’s from trying to figure out all of these questions. Elsie smiled sadly, but said she couldn’t help her make the decision.
And Caitlyn didn’t decide. She continued to visit the royal children. She became very close to Anicia. From time to time Valentin would invite her to spend time with him. One time they had a picnic. Another time they wandered the town to explore places Caitlyn had never seen. Every time he met her, he kissed her hand, as was the custom in their realm.
Even Toran became tolerable to Caitlyn. She accepted that he would always be a bit gruff and have an unflattering attitude toward women. But he didn’t try to make her like him. He treated her as a visitor, and was even pleasant at times.
The day came for Anicia’s wedding. It was far fancier than Michael’s had been. Goroweth was a tall, muscular man with red hair and beard. He looked very much like pictures she’d seen of Vikings. It was easy to see that Anicia adored him, and he returned the feeling. To him she would be the most precious being.
Again, Elsie had provided a dress for Caitlyn to wear to the wedding, and she herself had attended. This time, Caitlyn didn’t worry about not knowing anyone. She not only knew the members of the royal family, she knew many of the townsfolk she saw there. Michael and Toran asked her to dance, but it was when Valentin did that her heard skipped a beat. As he twirled her around the dance floor, she wanted the music to never end.
The evening did end, and when it happened, Caitlyn was glad of it. She was tired in a good way. She had spent the day enjoying her friends’ happiness. She was sad to see Anicia and Goroweth ride off to his kingdom, but she was happy for the princess, that she had found the life she wanted to live.
On the way home, Storm seemed to struggle as he led the carriage.
“Is something wrong?” she asked Storm when they arrived at Elsie’s house.
“It is nothing, Milady.”
“What, Storm? Tell me, please.”
“You are so good to me, I do not wish to worry you.”
“You know I’ll worry if you don’t tell me.”
“It is just that my time is nearly done.”
“Oh, no, Storm! Are you ill?”
“No, Lady. I am simply old. Worn out. Even unicorns do not live forever.”
Caitlyn began to cry.
“I do not wish to make you sad, Milady. It is all a part of life, and I am ready.”
“Will you die tonight?”
“No, but in the next few days. You must decide before that happens what you want. Once I am gone, you will no longer be able to travel between the real world and this magical kingdom. The time has come, Milady. Sleep on it and think well.”
She hugged the unicorn and dashed into the house.
Elsie tried to comfort her, but there was no comforting the girl. She had to decide, and her decision was final. On top of that, no matter which world she chose, she would lose Storm.
She did not sleep well. She tossed and turned, strange dreams keeping her from rest. In one the wolves had returned and attacked the unicorn, ripping him to pieces. In another, he became lost in the woods and died alone and afraid.
She woke up screaming, afraid to go back to sleep. Elsie held her and rocked her like a small child. She tried to reassure Caitlyn that the wolves were gone, and that there were far too many people who loved Storm for him every to die alone.
“Valentin will be with him when the end comes,” she said. “He has made Storm his responsibility. You need not worry about anything.”
Caitlyn chose to wander the woods alone, trying to think things through and come to a decision about what she wanted to do. At times she wanted to run away, but there was nowhere to run, no escaping her decision. She wanted to be with Storm at the end, no matter how painful it might be.
When she returned to Elsie’s house, she went out to the barn. Storm lay in fresh straw looking quite old and tired. Funny, she’d never noticed that before.
She sat beside him and petted him. He put his head in her lap.
“You are a comfort,” he told her.
“I love you, Storm,” she replied.
“And I shall always love you,” he said.
After a while, Valentin entered the barn.
“I hope you don’t mind my being here,” he said.
“No, not at all,” Caitlyn said, wiping tears from her face.
Valentin checked the unicorn. He brought water and some chopped fruit for the valiant steed to eat. The good thing was he did eat. If he refused food and water they would know his time had come.
“I am sorry to say this, Milady, but you must make your decision now. What will you do, stay here or return to your world?” Valentin asked.
She looked at him, then shut her eyes.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t stay here. I will always be reminded of Storm if I’m here. And there are so many things I still want to do in my own world. Much as I love it here and appreciate everything the people here have done for me, I don’t really belong here. This last trip was an accident.”
“There are no accidents where this world is concerned, Milady,” Valentin said. “You had to make the decision, not have it made for you. It was your duty.”
Valentin looked miserable. She felt bad that she was hurting him, but she believed she’d be sad the rest of her life if she stayed here.
“What do I do now?”
“I think it would be wise to tell Elsie and the king. It would give those who love you the chance to say goodbye. I will stay with Storm until you return”
“But what if –”
“I will be here when you return,” Storm told her. “Do what you must.”
She kissed the unicorn’s head, then gently moved away. Valentin took her place.
Michael and Alexandra had Caitlyn shown in to a private room as soon as she was announced. They entered and looked concerned. When she told them she had decided to return to her own world, they both looked like they might cry. Each hugged her and wished her well.
“Think of us sometime,” Alexandra said.
“I will. Often,” Caitlyn promised.
When she finished her goodbyes to the king and queen, she went to Elsie’s house and told her. Elsie openly cried, but said she understood. Caitlyn had a good li
fe in the real world, and Elsie was glad of that.
“This world is for the likes of me, people who have nothing in your world but misery and pain. Don’t feel bad that you’re leaving us here. Feel happy that you have a good life you can’t bear to leave.”
They hugged for a long time, both of them crying. Then Caitlyn realized that the time had come. She returned to the barn. Storm looked like he was sleeping comfortably on the straw.
“Is he –?”
“No. He is simply asleep. But he doesn’t have long.”
“What happens now?”
“You have made your decision. There is no changing it now. As Storm leaves this life, you will leave the realm and return to your own. Only –”
“What?”
“I know this is very forward of me, but since you are leaving, I will never have the chance to ask again. Before you go, might I kiss you?”
She didn’t know what she expected him to ask, but she never expected that. She gasped in surprise.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. Yes, you can kiss me. I would like that.”
They embraced, and he leaned down and kissed her. It was a gentle kiss, yet it showed just how much the prince loved her. She must be crazy to leave him, yet she had made her decision, and there was no going back.
She felt a jolt, and thought for a moment that he had pushed her. Why would he do that? Didn’t he just show that he loved her?
She opened her eyes, and she was back in the snow where she had tripped. A young man – Valentin? – knelt beside her trying to wake her.
“Are you all right?” he asked. He sounded like a foreigner.
“Yes, I – who are you?”
“My name is Valentin Korsakov. I saw you lying in the snow. You must have hit your head.”
“I’m ok,” she said, sitting up.
“No, be careful. You may have had a concussion.”
“No, really, I’m ok.”
“Let me help you home.”
“All right. I live just over there,” she said pointing to her house.
He helped her to stand, and when he saw that she was all right, he led her to her house.
“Will you tell me your name?”
“Caitlyn Monroe.”
“Really? What a coincidence. I was just coming to your home to see you.”
“You were? Why?”
“I read your story about the unicorn.”
The mention of Storm made her ache. He must have died just as she returned. And this young man who looked so much like her Valentin – who even had the same name – had read the story.
“It’s only a story,” she said.
“Yes, of course. I tried to contact you several times before, but I never managed to find you at home. I work for a marketing company, and I would like to help you get your stories published. I have been told that you have written other similar stories.”
“Are you for real?” she asked.
“Yes, I assure you. I have contracts and you can speak with my employer if you don’t believe me. Let’s get you home, make sure you’re truly all right and then perhaps we can discuss your stories over dinner.”
She didn’t need a prince. She had her memories and her stories. She had talent and value on her own. And here was someone who appreciated that fact. She didn’t know whether or not he really worked for a marketing company, but she was interested in what he had to say. She’d let her parents meet him and see if they thought he was telling the truth. He was the first young man who had ever invited her to dinner. It was worth at least getting to know him.
She’d be going to college in a few months. It would be nice to know she was already on her way to a career.
“I’ll have to get to know you before I’ll go out to dinner with you. But for now, if my parents think you’re okay, I’d like to hear what you have to say.”
“Fair enough,” he said with a smile.
They walked through the snow to the house.
The End
The Snow Unicorn Page 6