Banished

by Anita Philmar

  He raised his huge hand to take her arm, but Faye Lynn darted to the left to avoid capture. She raced across the room in a panic, afraid of what he’d do to her.

  “Omar, grab her,” Oxford ordered and stepped forward.

  A tall man with blond hair surged in her direction. All the guards pointed their spears at her, bent on stabbing her like a fish.

  She bolted the opposite way. The creature who’d been holding her lunged at her, but she sprinted through his arms and raced between his legs.

  Mayhem broke out with everyone running in different directions in the small room. She dipped and dodged every hand, arm or leg that tried to stop her.

  “Stop.” The soft female voice, in the presence of all the brutes chasing after her, stopped Faye Lynn in her flight for freedom. She turned to see a woman walking through an open doorway.

  The guards fell to their knees. Oxford jumped into the same pose Ned used when addressing Havyn, with a stiff board up his back. The hairy creatures holding Havyn bowed their heads.

  Everyone’s attention diverted. Faye Lynn slid slowly away from the guards until her back hit the tall dungeon wall. Dark shadows hid her form. She hoped the moldy odor also masked her scent.

  If she had too, she’d change into another creature to escape. The acid taste of fear bit into her tongue. She had to break free. She looked up and saw a small opening near the roof.

  A way out.

  “What is going on in here?” A small slip of a woman glided to the center of the room.

  All eyes stayed glued to her regal form, dressed in a white flowing robe. The shear fabric spread out from her shoulders and touched the floor. Tiny hints could be seen of the woman’s shapely figure through the fabric. But when Faye Lynn stared at the material, it turned into shimmering waves, giving no clues to the queen’s true outline.

  Havyn spoke first. “I’m sorry, my queen. The captain of your guards wouldn’t listen to reason. I only came back to Ardenia to return your daughter.”

  The queen’s head swerved toward Faye Lynn, but the lady didn’t step forward. The elegant jewels from her crown sparkled with life. Her dark gaze pierced the shadows and studied Faye Lynn. “Havyn, why do you think she’s my daughter?”

  The huge creatures released Havyn, and he took one step and kneeled in front of the lady he called a queen. “She’s the only woman outside of Ardenia who can transform into other shapes. She has amazing power.”

  The queen’s eyes narrowed into small slits. “And where did you find her?”

  He shook his head. “I can garner no credit for locating her. She found me.”

  “What form does she like to take?”

  “A falcon.” He turned to Faye Lynn. She couldn’t see his face in the dark shadows.

  “A Kestrel?” the queen whispered.

  “Yes, your majesty.” He looked back at the queen.

  “Kesia, my youngest daughter had a fondness for that particular bird.” The lady’s voice cracked with emotions.

  The name Kesia stirred a picture in Faye Lynn’s head, but the image fluttered away before she could catch it.

  “Come now, your majesty, you can’t believe Havyn is really telling the truth. He helped our enemies.” Oxford put one foot forward and a knee on the ground. “He could be here to gather information to use against us.”

  The Queen turned to Havyn. Her long flowing hair fell down the length of her back. “If it turns out she’s not my daughter, I’ll sentence her to death.”

  Havyn shook his head. “No, my queen, if she’s not your daughter, you should kill me. She doesn’t remember the life here and would’ve never made the trip to Ardenia if it weren’t for me.”

  Havyn waited until the queen nodded her head, then stood and walked around the guards. He held out his hand to Faye Lynn, but she shifted along the wall not sure if she wanted him to come any closer.

  “Easy, little one. No one will hurt you. Once I introduce you to your mother, we’ll leave.” His hand caressed her shoulder.

  “No, Havyn.” She took several steps back. “You lied to me. You told me this was my birth place, a land of amazing wonders, but you never mentioned I might have a mother or family here.” The spears and the huge hairy creatures were also not part of his description. She shook her head, afraid of how the Queen would hurt him if things didn’t work out. “Let’s leave. I don’t want to be here anymore. It’s time to go home.”

  “You are home, my dear.” The Queen stepped around Havyn. Because of Havyn’s large size, Faye Lynn hadn’t seen her approach.

  “I am sorry my, uh...Queen, but I won’t sacrifice Havyn’s life for mine. He’s been nothing but kind to me, and he shouldn’t be killed because of my sins. And the, uh...wizard that cursed me, he...”

  “What wizard?” The woman stepped closer and took Faye Lynn’s arm. “When did he curse you?”

  Spooked by the Queen’s touch, Faye Lynn stiffened. The familiar contact drew a strange emotion to the surface of her mind. For a moment, she stared at the woman unable to move.

  “I...” Faye Lynn shook her head, trying to clear the fog swirling through it. None of this made any sense. How could Havyn even imagine she was related to this woman?

  Yet...

  “I think we should leave. Havyn thought I belonged here but he could be mistaken. He didn’t mean any harm.” She tried to pull away from the Queen’s touch, but the lady didn’t let go.

  “After you eat and rest, my dear, you’ll see we won’t hurt you. We simply wish to find out the truth.” The Queen started for the door, tugging gently on Faye Lynn’s arm to accompany her out of the dungeon.

  Faye Lynn glanced back to make sure Havyn was behind them.

  “Hold it, Havyn.” The large man name Oxford blocked his progress. “The girl can go with the Queen, but you’re staying here. You can’t run around unguarded.”

  “No.” Faye Lynn turned, but the Queen didn’t release her. She dug in her feet. “I’m not going anywhere without Havyn. If he is staying in the dungeon, than I’m staying, too.”

  “Now, dear, we need to verify your identity. It shouldn’t take more than a few moments. After you talk to Melvin, we’ll get you a bite to eat, and then you can see Havyn again.”

  The Queen’s words didn’t reassure Faye Lynn. She wanted Havyn to go with them.

  He cupped her hands in his larger ones. She stared at his face. Her strength, her protector, she felt lost without him. Faye Lynn didn’t know the woman who wished to discover her identity.

  Havyn, her world, she couldn’t leave him behind.

  His words broke through the fear simmering inside her. “Please, Faye Lynn. Once you learn the truth about your past, then we can leave.”

  She couldn’t understand why he wanted this so much for her, when she didn’t want the information herself. Why was her understanding her past so important to him?

  His gaze begged her to go. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.” He released her hand and stepped back. “After you talk to Melvin,” he glanced at the Queen for confirmation, “then we can go.”

  “And no one will get hurt?” She checked with the queen first then with Oxford. Each nodded their silent promise. Havyn wouldn’t be hurt.

  “Oxford Westmore and my guards will treat Havyn like a special guest. He’ll receive whatever he needs to make his stay more enjoyable.” The Queen directed her comment to the captain of her guards and then spoke to Faye Lynn. “Now, why don’t I show you to my chambers? I’m sure Melvin is anxious to meet you.”

  Faye Lynn stared at Havyn a moment more. All her emotions for him exploded inside her. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him with all the strength she possessed. His hands stroked her back, and his lips brushed over her hair. Soft words caressed her ear with a warm promise.

  She smiled and slowly released her grip. “I won’t be long. I’ll come right back as soon as we’re done.”

  Tears moistened her eyes and tightened her throat, but Faye Lynn forced he
rself to turn and follow the Queen out of the dungeon.

  The sound of the door closing behind her, echoed through hallway. The loud painful moan broke her heart, but Havyn’s whispered words of love kept her feet moving.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Oh, but you are a pretty thing,” said the old man beside the fireplace. Gray hair stood straight up from his head, and his wrinkled face held a smile. He stirred the large kettle in front of the hearth.

  “Faye Lynn, this is Melvin. He’s a dear friend of mine.” The Queen ushered Faye Lynn into the large room. Expensive tapestry decorated the walls while rich glowing metal chairs sat in a circle near the fire. Curtains covered a doorway into another room. A tall stick house drew her focus. A love bird cooing from inside touched off a brief memory before it floated back into the recesses of her mind.

  “Yes, my dear, come over here and tell me about yourself.” Melvin held out a spoon. “You can stir the pot while I add a few additional ingredients.”

  Faye Lynn waited for the Queen’s permission to tread through her chamber. Rich rugs covered the floor, and Faye Lynn’s feet were dirty.

  “You can walk on the carpet. They are protected by a charm spell that keeps them clean.” The Queen took a seat in a gold, high back chair by the fireplace.

  Melvin didn’t even look her way but kept his gaze trained on Faye Lynn. “Come, child, I don’t have all day, and the water is already getting cold.”

  Following his lead, she took the spoon and stirred the water in the kettle. The fragrant smell of flowers rose in the air. Melvin added a few herbs. Black and green spots swirled into a soothing silver pool. The fragrant vapors sent a warm cloud of mist into Faye Lynn’s face. Her mind relaxed, drifting for a moment like the spices in the pot.

  “So tell us Faye Lynn where did you get your name?” Melvin’s voice tickled her memory. She’d been asked the question before, but this time her mind produced a different answer than the one she’d given to strangers.

  Confused, she gripped her head with her free hand. “A strange man, funny but I don’t remember his name, told my father I could turn into a falcon. My father, with a few too many ales in his belly called me Faye Lynn, instead of Falcon. The name stuck.”

  A low laugh whispered against her senses.

  “I really never liked the name, but my father would never let me change it.”

  “Only a smart girl would not argue with her father.” Melvin added another herb.

  A warm feeling grew inside her chest at his compliment.

  “And your mother, what did she call you?” He again coaxed a picture from her head.

  An image of a haggard gray-haired woman took form in silver liquid in the pot. The woman grew sick, and Faye Lynn watched as the lady died.

  But then a new vision formed. A younger woman with long brown hair appeared. She stood with three little girls who were dancing and playing under a huge multi-colored tree. A tall blond-haired man near them smiled at the children’s antics. The sweet sound of birds filled the air with music.

  “I, uh, had a young beautiful mother and two other siblings, but then...something happened. The other children must have died, because the woman grew old and mean and...” She could feel the sting of her mother’s hand against her cheek, but she didn’t voice her hurt at the woman’s actions.

  A small cry whispered near Faye Lynn, but she couldn’t determine where the noise came from. She could only see the people in her memory. The water reflected her thoughts in the swirling waves as she stirred.

  “She died on a cold, rainy day. My father burned her body with the wood from our barn. We left the next day for a life on the road.”

  Melvin put in a few more herbs in the soup. “Oh, but you loved your sisters, didn’t you? Tell me about them.”

  The silver liquid glowed. Faye Lynn could again see three young girls, heard their laughter in her head. Sunlight glowed off a tall crystal arch near where they played. The grass tickled Faye Lynn’s feet, and a playful longing to roll on the soft turf filled her with joy. She slipped farther into the scene, becoming one of the girls in the picture.

  “Oh, Kesia, don’t be such a baby?” A tall blonde beauty tugged at Faye Lynn’s hand and tried to pull her forward. “We won’t be gone more than a minute.”

  “Let’s leave her behind, Danella. She’ll only get in the way.” The other smaller, brown-haired girl argued and raced to the crystal archway in the distance.

  “No, Noelani, we can’t. She might tell mother where we’ve gone. Then we’ll get in trouble for going into the human world. She has to come with us.” Danella turned back to Faye Lynn. “Please, Kesia, let me see Omar for just a moment.”

  “Do you know your sister’s names?” Melvin’s words interrupted the voices in her head and drew her back to the presence.

  “Yes, Noelani and Danella, they are both older than me.” Memories flooded her mind, but she blocked her thoughts. The soup in front of her churned with different pictures. She shuddered and forced herself to let go of what happened next in the scene. Her sisters forced her to promise to never tell what they did that day.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Kesia.” The soup glowed brighter.

  “That’s right. You are a brave confident princess who can handle any challenge.” Melvin’s comment seeped through her, giving her strength, a power bred from her royal heritage.

  The link to the past broke. The pictures vanished. She blinked and lifted the spoon from the kettle.

  Melvin stared at her face, as if seeing the visions in her head.

  “I love you, Melvin, but I’m not helping you wash your socks.” She handed him back his spoon and bent forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “You caught me with a trick like this once before.”

  He grinned. “You’re remembering more than I intended. You always enjoyed helping me with my little chores.”

  Faye Lynn shook her head amazed for a moment that she kissed the old man and remembers such a minute detail.

  “How could I have forgotten?” She glanced around confused. Tears clouded her vision, and she searched through the fog for her mother. She’d lost so much time with her family.

  On unsteady legs, she rushed forward and sank to the floor by her mother’s feet. “Noelani, Danella, Daddy, I remember everyone.”

  Her hands, lying on her mother’s thigh, knotted into fists. Saddened by all the time she’d missed with her mother, anger and regret tightened her chest. “I’m not sure what to say. Right now, my mind is full of wonderful memories of you and my family...” Faye Lynn lowered her head. “And yet, I can’t adjust to the differences in myself from then to now.”

  Her mother’s hands cupped Faye Lynn’s cheeks. “I love you, my child. Take your time, I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.”

  The mist in her mother’s eyes tugged at Faye Lynn’s heart, filling the chasm that had formed in her soul at the loss of her connection to her home world. “I...” Tears choked off her words. She laid her head on her mother’s lap and wrapped her arms around her waist. Love filled Faye Lynn, drawing the girl she’d once been to the surface.

  As a princess, you have a duty to yourself and your country to act in the proper manner.

  The statement rang through Kesia’s head. She studied her mother with new eyes. “I am tired at the moment, but in the morning, I will try to give you the answers you seek.”

  A smile lit her mother’s face.

  Kesia stood and turned to leave her mother’s royal chamber. Oxford stood next to the door. Memories of her mother’s trusted guard flooded her head. How could she have been afraid of him before?

  She smiled and stopped a few steps in front of him. “Oxie, I’m tired, and my feet are sore. Can I ask you to carry me to my suite?”

  He grinned at the pet name she’d used in her youth. “I will gladly offer my assistance.” Bending low, he lifted her into his arms.

  “Oxie, Oxie, carry me.” She whispered in a sing-song voice, but th
e next part of the rhyme escaped her memory. He wandered down the hallway to her room. “But if you drop me, don’t crush me under your toes.”

  He stopped in front of her door and set her down. “Is there anything else I can do for you, my young princess?”

  She studied his smooth face and dark hair. The resemblance to Havyn struck her. She stepped back to examine him better. “You’re related to Havyn, aren’t you?”

  “He’s my younger brother.”

  The connection hit Kesia like a blow to the chest. She’d been in love with Oxie in her youth, now she loved his brother. “Can you please bring him to my room? I need to see him.”

  Oxie frowned but nodded in compliance before heading off to follow her order. She turned and opened the door to her past.

  Nothing had change. Purple and pink ruffles graced the top of gray stone walls in a border of lace. Long shelves held animal figurines of every type and shape. The square pit in the corner was covered with a flowery silk blanket. Thousands of pillow balls occupied the space underneath the rubber mattress lining.

  She viewed the size of the pit. As a child, she’d thought of her bed as being huge, but now she wondered if there would be enough room for both Havyn and herself.

  Her mind full of memories and impressions, she clung to the image of Havyn. The only solid force in her life, he cared for her, brought her home, loved her in the other world and knew her as a child in Ardenia. He fit into all the phases of her life.

  She stepped to the fireplace, staring at the strange glow of the wood. Crystal light danced on the surface instead of flames. She spread out her hands. Heat kissed the tips of her cold fingers.

  Another change from the world where she’d grown up, she wrapped her arms around her chest, lost for a moment between two worlds.

  “Havyn, please hurry. You don’t know how much I need you.” Her whispered cry filled the suddenly foreign room.

  ****

  “Come, Havyn,” Oxford demanded in a loud voice. “Princess Kesia demands to see you.”