“Sure we… I mean…” Leo swallowed hard. “It’s just …”
Nicholas rescued him. “What he’s trying to say is that it’s just so much to absorb.” Leo nodded uneasily. “It’s not everyday we meet a princess, especially one traveling alone on the road.”
“Or on foot,” Leo added.
“And so far away from home,” Nicholas said.
Megan folded her arms and fumed. “So you don’t believe me? Just say so!”
“Megan, we–”
“What about the medallion? Isn’t that proof enough?”
Leo stood and rested a hand on Megan’s shoulder. “It’s definitely a point in your favor. But you must admit that a story like yours, uh…” He looked at Nicholas for support.
“Needs a bit more proof, is all,” Nicholas said. “If either Leo or I claimed we were a prince, well, I can imagine your reaction.”
“I would believe you,” she whispered with difficulty. Megan looked up at Leo, patting his hand that rested on her shoulder. “All right, who am I kidding? I wouldn’t believe you for an instant. But I am telling the truth. I’ll just have to do a better job at convincing you. My great aunt Castella will vouch for me when you meet her.”
“Okay,” Nicholas said, hoping to change the subject.
“And we promise to get you to her safely,” Leo added. “Unless you’d rather have us take you back home to Morrenwood.”
“No, Boros will be fine. After much arguing and sulking, I relented and gave Grandfather my word that I would go there, so I shall keep my word as a princess of Arrondale should. However, I didn’t promise that I would stay there, but we shall see.”
“Why did your grandfather send you to Boros alone?” Nicholas asked. “That doesn’t make sense if you are who you say you are.”
Megan sighed. “He didn’t send me alone, silly. One of his trusted guides accompanied me.”
“Samuel?”
“Yes. We left Morrenwood unannounced, staying off the main roads. He was to take me to Boros for safekeeping,” she groused. “As if I were some precious piece of artwork to be stored away until a storm passed. How humiliating! But I finally agreed to go just to shut everyone up. Oh, how exasperating the last few weeks have been! Everyone talking into my ear at once. Megan, you shouldn’t stay around here–times are dangerous. Megan, Caldurian is on the loose again. Remember what happened to you when you were an infant? Like I would remember that? How ridiculous! Can’t I just live my life like a normal person for a change? That’s why I ran away from Samuel the first chance that presented itself. I couldn’t stand being under anyone’s control anymore. I know it was probably childish of me to flee, but I decided to walk to Boros alone to keep my promise with no one to tell me what to do on the way. Well, except for you two on occasion. But that’s another story. Grandfather will be furious with me, no doubt, but I don’t care. I’m not a little girl anymore!” She glanced at the fire, her cheeks flushed scarlet as she calmed down. “So, do you think we should throw on more wood?”
Leo grabbed a few pieces of dried maple piled on the side and carefully set them in the fireplace. The flames revived and warmed the room. He noticed the gentle glow on Megan’s face and thought she looked so beautiful, princess or not. She was speaking freely now and he took that as a sign of her trust. He sat down, flashing a quick smile her way for support.
Nicholas rubbed his hands together as if about to indulge in a grand feast. “Now you really have me intrigued, Megan. Tell me how you ran away from this Samuel fellow. And why were you going to Boros? What danger were you fleeing?”
“It’s a long story, Nicholas.”
“We have all night.”
Leo agreed as much but remained silent.
“Very well,” she said, turning her chair more toward the fire to ward off a chill. She stretched out her hands to warm them, glancing at Leo and returning his smile. She stared into the dancing flames while speaking, soothed by their hypnotic rhythm. “I was almost kidnapped from the Citadel when I was an infant,” she said matter-of-factly. “That’s when much of this trouble started.”
“Kidnapped!” Leo angled his chair to better face her. “Are you serious?”
“Oh yes, I had quite an exciting infancy, so I’ve recently learned,” she replied with bitter amusement. “Apparently a woman named Madeline, one of my nursemaids then, was involved in the plot twenty years ago.”
Nicholas shrugged. “Why would someone want to kidnap you, Megan?”
“I’m a princess, remember?” she said sarcastically. “You have to believe that part of my story for this part to make sense.”
“Okay then.”
“Anyway, there was a wizard named Caldurian–”
“I’ve heard of him!” Nicholas said.
“–who had recruited my nursemaid to kidnap me. It was all done in an effort to force my grandfather into an alliance with that tyrant, Vellan, in the Northern Mountains.”
Leo scratched his head. “I’ve heard of Vellan. Most everyone has. But I don’t recall ever hearing about that other wizard.”
“Caldurian is an apprentice to Vellan,” Nicholas said.
“And just how do you know that?” Leo asked.
“Local history. Caldurian caused a bit of a ruckus in Kanesbury just before I was born. I’ve heard stories about him growing up, though some of them seemed more fantastic than real.”
“A bit of a ruckus?” Megan waved a cautionary finger at Nicholas. “Take my word for it. Those stories you heard were most definitely true. Over the last few months I’ve been well versed in the turbulent politics of the past and present by my grandfather and his advisors. Matters are bubbling just under the surface in Laparia right now. Alliances are shifting. Wars are breaking out. And there are reports that Caldurian is again on the loose in Arrondale. But what he’s up to, nobody can say with certainty.”
“That’s why you were sent to Boros?” Leo asked. “In case this Caldurian came after you again?”
“Apparently so. To keep me safe like a vase of precious crystal. Tucked away in boring Boros under Samuel’s protection until the current troubles are resolved–whenever that’ll be.” Megan slumped in her chair, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “Sometimes it’s rotten having to be me.”
The room was silent, save for the crackling flames. Nicholas thought about his earlier desire to join up with the King’s Guard, wondering where in Laparia he might have been marched off to had he sworn an oath to serve. Megan’s words sobered him up and made him reexamine his reasons for wanting to leave home. He revised his picture of the world, now seeing himself as the smallest of fish in a vast sea of sharks. He wondered what difference, if any, he would have made by going to Morrenwood merely in a quest for adventure.
Leo chuckled. “I’ll bet Samuel will be in a fix for losing you. Might he be out of a job when he returns to Morrenwood?”
“I’ll explain the situation to my grandfather the next time I see him. Samuel will be fine, though I imagine he’s still out in the wild looking for me. We left Morrenwood one night dressed in simple clothing, riding in a horse-drawn cart off the main roads in order not to draw attention.” Megan recalled that dreary evening with resentment, having felt like a criminal being transported to a prison far away. “But we hit a terrible rut in the road and a wheel was badly damaged. So we loaded our supplies on the horse and walked. What a treat that was.”
“When did you sneak off on your own?”
“Not until that first evening after we had met Carmella.”
“Who’s she?” Nicholas asked.
“She is someone whose likes I have never met, even in Morrenwood,” Megan explained in amusement. “Here we are, walking along a muddy road, miserable and tired, when we come upon this colorful shack on wheels off to one side. Two horses are grazing in the grass nearby, and hovering over a small fire behind the wagon is Carmella, even more colorfully dressed than her living quarters. She offered us food and endless talk about her
unfinished training in the magic arts.” Megan doubled up in laughter. “I shouldn’t act like this because Carmella was such a dear woman to us. But talk about eccentric! She certainly fit the bill.”
“How does she fit in the story?” Leo asked.
“Carmella told us that her previous driver had abandoned her after only a few days on the road, thus she was stranded for a time. A person of her station, she claimed, should not have to drive herself, though I’m not exactly sure of what station she imagines herself a part.”
“Maybe she talked her driver to the brink of insanity,” Nicholas playfully suggested.
Megan couldn’t disagree. “Anyway, Samuel promised to drive her if she would allow us passage to Boros. Carmella agreed, having always wanted to explore that part of the kingdom. So we loaded our supplies into her cramped living quarters, hitched up her two horses and tethered our steed to the back, and off we went. And what a sight we were.”
“So you escaped that night?” Leo said.
“Yes. After everyone was asleep, I slipped away into the woods and headed east. I had had enough of Samuel’s overbearing protection and Carmella’s endless chatter about her magic spells, her evil cousin, Liney, and her orange hands.”
“Orange hands?”
Megan couldn’t help but laugh at Nicholas’ comment. “Apparently Carmella’s cousin turned her hands a lovely shade of pumpkin during their last encounter many years ago. I don’t think they get along too well. Carmella had been trying to track down Liney to remove the spell when her driver abruptly left. Since she was going in the same direction as we were, Samuel agreed to take over the reins and be her driver,” she said. “But I just had to get away from everybody in the end before I burst! And so I did.”
“Only to meet up with two farmers,” Leo quipped. “Do you think you’re much better off with us for company?”
“I’ll let you know.”
“Perhaps your grandfather was right to keep you protected,” Nicholas said. “Whoever slipped that letter under your door must have known who you were.”
“So you believe my story?”
He nodded. “I had my doubts at first, but…” Leo kept silent, contemplating all that Megan had told them. “It’s possible that Caldurian hired someone to kidnap you again, trying to finish what he couldn’t accomplish twenty years ago.”
“But why kidnap me now? For what purpose?”
“Because you’re the King’s granddaughter,” Leo said. “And I apologize for speaking bluntly, but you’re probably still seen as a valuable bargaining piece to the enemy.”
Megan sighed, wishing for a moment she were home even if it was amid the chaos that seemed a permanent fixture of life in Morrenwood. “You’re right, you know. Maybe I should have stayed with Samuel. None of this would be happening now. Maybe Grandfather knows more than I care to admit.” She stood and looked at Nicholas and Leo with a vacant stare. “Maybe I should go to sleep now. I suddenly feel very tired. I am so not looking forward to the rest of my journey, wherever it takes me.”
Nicholas stood and headed toward the door. “Try not to think of that now, Megan. Just get a good night’s rest and we’ll see what the morning has in store.”
“You sound like my father,” she said with a smirk. “And any words of wisdom from you, Leo, before I retire?”
Leo, who had quietly followed Nicholas to the door, shook his head. “No.” He looked clumsily at his feet. “We could all use some sleep now, so I’ll just say goodnight.”
“All right…” Megan spoke hesitantly, sensing a sudden chill in Leo’s demeanor.
As Nicholas opened the door and stepped out of the room, she tugged at Leo’s shirt sleeve. He reluctantly turned and faced her questioning eyes. Nicholas, sensing that she wanted to talk to him alone, walked across the hallway and entered their room. Megan signaled for Leo to stay as she closed the door.
“Can we talk for a moment?” she asked.
Leo nodded. “Sure. What’s the matter?”
“Apparently you. At least that’s the impression I’ve gotten in the last few moments. Is something bothering you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re awfully distant all of the sudden. Sullen almost.” Megan gently took his hand in hers. “What’s bothering you, Leo?”
“Nothing’s bothering me, exactly. Just tired, I guess.”
“Exactly? What’s that supposed to mean? Tell me what’s on your mind.” She detected uncertainty in his eyes and perhaps a hint of sadness. “Are you still not sure I’m whom I claim to be?”
“No. Now I very much believe you, Megan. After listening to your story, I have no doubts.” He pulled his hand away from hers. “You’re definitely a princess from Morrenwood.”
“I’m pleased that you believe me.”
Leo nodded. “Great…”
Megan looked at him askance. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged dejectedly. “It means that you’re a princess and I’m just…”
“Yes?”
He offered a pleasant smile. “I’m just an apple grower from Minago. Probably not the kind of company you’re used to keeping.”
“I know lots of different people, Leo. What’s your point?”
Leo spoke to the floor. “My point is that I should take you to Boros, say my goodbyes and get on with business.” He looked up, gazing longingly into her eyes. “I’ve been imagining things that just can’t be, now that…”
“Now that what?”
“Now that you’re you and I’m me.” He shook his head. “I’m very fond of you, Megan, but we hardly know each other. Soon you’ll be living with your great aunt and I’ll be miles away. But who we are, well, that’s an even greater distance between us.”
Megan scowled. “Are you saying I’m not good enough for you, Leo?”
“No! I was thinking just the opposite. I may sound confident–or almost boastful–when talking about my passion for the apple business and my future dreams. But after learning who you are, those aspirations have somewhat diminished in my mind.”
“Oh, so I suppose you’re implying that I’m some royal-snob-of-a-princess with her fussy nose stuck in the clouds who wouldn’t dare be caught dead in public next to this apple grower. Is that it?”
Leo squirmed, leaning uncomfortably against the dresser. “Well, yeah, something like that. I mean–NO! Not the royal fussy nose part. I never thought that! Just the last part about you not wanting to be spotted–even dead–next to me. That’s sort of what I was thinking.”
Megan glared at Leo, nearly making him flinch. Then her features softened like a spread of grass after a warm spring rain. “Well, Leo Marsh, I’ll have you know that I was definitely not thinking any such things.” She kissed him on the cheek. “And don’t you either. In the short time I’ve known you, you have far surpassed many of the people I’ve encountered in the political corridors in Morrenwood in both intelligence and demeanor. Believe me when I say that it’s who you are that matters, not what you are.”
“I appreciate that,” he softly said, taking a step back and fishing for the door knob.
“I think you have fine dreams, Leo,” she said with admiration. “And a part of me envies you for that as at times I feel like I’m drifting through life with no dreams of my own to anchor me to a purpose.”
Leo nodded, feeling that the Megan he had first met was again standing beside him. “That’s very kind to say. But I’m sure you’ll find your own dream to pursue someday.”
“I truly hope so.”
Leo stared at her, suddenly at a loss for words. “Uh, should I go now? I’d rather end on a positive note and not make any more brilliant remarks tonight.”
Megan smiled. “I think you should.”
“Okay. Just make sure you lock your door.”
“I will. And thanks for caring, Leo. We’ll talk in the morning.”
“Sure then. We’ll talk.” He opened the door and took a few clumsy steps backwar
d into the hallway. “In the morning.”
He slowly closed the door, wearing a slight grin, and watched Megan until she disappeared. He heard the click of her door lock as she turned the key. The hallway was now painted in gray shadows. Leo exhaled deeply as his heart raced, wondering who this young woman really was. A half dozen thoughts ricocheted in his head, about her, about them, and he felt confused and elated at the same time. And terribly worried.
“Did that conversation just really happen?” he asked Nicholas a few moments later as they sat in front of the fire in their room. “Megan did say she was a princess, right? I didn’t imagine that.”
“Neither of us did. She said it. And after listening to her story, I believe her. Though seeing that medallion sure helped.”
“I believe her, too. And she’s not stuffy like I imagined a real princess might be,” he remarked. “Not out of touch with the commoners, I’m happy to say.”
“Particularly your average apple farmer?” Nicholas said.
Leo nodded. “I had my doubts for a moment, but she put my mind at ease. It’s too bad the common room is closed. I’d like a mug of ale right now. What a night this has been.”
They talked for over an hour about the latest turn in their fortunes and where tomorrow might find them. Both sensed that exciting and perhaps difficult times were in store, each agreeing that keeping watch over Megan was their top priority. Leo yawned, feeling the rigors of the day finally catching up with him. He peeked out the door into the hallway, now quiet and deserted. No light issued from beneath Megan’s door. She was probably sound asleep.
“I’ll take the floor,” Leo said, grabbing a rolled-up feather mattress and two extra blankets that Elaine had left in the room. “I know Ron and the others will do a fine job watching over the inn, but I prefer to keep my own watch. Wake me at dawn, Nicholas.”
Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web - Volume 1 Page 22