A Charm for a Unicorn

by Jennifer Macaire

  "Well, since Sir Wulfe has promised my mother to fetch Renaldo back, I'll just have to go after your sister by myself,” said Sylvain.

  Ann lifted her head. “You'd do that?"

  He stuffed the letter in his vest pocket. “I'm a prince. I'm supposed to save damsels in distress."

  "But, you're a prince! If your brother is missing you're next in line for the throne. You can't just go off like this. Your parents will never allow it."

  He tilted his head, a smile tugging on the corners of his wide mouth. “I may be a prince, but I'm not very important. If anything happens to Renaldo, the next in line is my mother's brother, one of the princes of Bromley. It's been the rule since Windtide lost the last war against Bromley and my father had to marry my mother, a princess of Bromley. But that wasn't the only thing in the peace treaty. My uncles are in line for the throne after Renaldo, not me."

  "I didn't know that.” Ann was indignant. “Will Bromley take over Windtide then?"

  "I hope not. But it means that ever since I've been born, I've been a problem. Windtide is far too small a kingdom for two rulers, and as second prince, I'm just about the most useless thing in the kingdom."

  "Can't you learn a trade?"

  "I have.” His smile reached his eyes now, and Ann realized that before, there had been real sorrow there.

  She put her hand on his. “Offering to save Leonie is a noble gesture. Thank you."

  "We should get ready to leave first light,” he said.

  "Leave? I'm not coming with you,” Ann said. She shook her head. “I'd just be in the way."

  "You must. I'll need the help of someone familiar with magic, and you're a magician's daughter."

  "That doesn't mean I can do magic."

  Sylvain looked flummoxed, then shrugged. “You must know more about it than I do. Sir Wulfe can't stand between the crown prince and his beloved, even though he claims to be engaged to your sister. We shall go set them free.” His voice had a ring of authority to it that Ann didn't like one bit.

  "I'm not going anywhere with you. You'll just have to go by yourself. Someone has to stay here. Now that my father is not able to help, it's up to me.” Ann sighed. “There are sick people in the villages who need tending to. I'm sorry."

  "I understand, and I admire your sense of duty."

  "Well, right now my duty is to do the dishes. If you want, you can dry."

  Ann watched Sylvain out of the corner of her eye as she did the dishes. He seemed in high spirits, and even broke into a little song. Ann glowered at him. “Why are you so cheerful? It's very annoying."

  "That's the first time I've ever been scolded for being in good spirits.” He tipped his head back and started singing a ballad.

  "Lady Ann, take my hand, and hold it to your heart

  When you smile my spirits lift, I pray we never part.

  Gillyflowers, roses, bluebells of spring

  Only your smile makes me want to sing..."

  "Stop it!” Ann dropped her dishcloth and clapped her hands over her ears. His voice was quite pleasing but she hated to be teased.

  "Lady Ann with golden hair and pretty eyes of blue,

  When you laugh my heart delights, all I want is you.

  Gillyflowers, roses, bluebells of spring

  Only your smile makes me want to sing."

  "My eyes are brown, my hair is a horrid orange color, and I want you to stop singing this instant!” Ann cried.

  Prince Sylvain stopped singing and peered at her. “I'm sorry you don't enjoy a little music while you work. Thank goodness I didn't bring all my minstrels. They would have stood right behind us strumming their lutes, playing their flutes, and generally brightening up the atmosphere. You wouldn't like to lighten up the atmosphere a bit, would you?"

  "I don't want to lighten any atmosphere. I just wish Leonie was back here, my father was back to himself, and that you and your brother were somewhere far, far away in Windtide doing whatever it is princes do in their spare time."

  "We hunt, fish, play cards, and try to kiss as many pretty girls as possible. What do you think we do? No, don't answer that. And for your information, spare time is no fun at all. I get bored easily."

  "Is that why you're so cheerful? Because you finally have something useful to do?"

  His smile slipped. He twisted the dishcloth in his hands, his expression grim. Then he gave a little shrug. “I hadn't thought of it like that, but you must be right. I feel as if I'm finally doing something useful. Rescuing your sister has given me a goal in life. I never realized just how futile my life has been until now."

  Ann felt awful. “I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I'm sure you are very useful, and I'm sure you'll do many things in your life that will give you satisfaction."

  "You're nice to say that, but it's true. Since I don't have any claim to the throne, my parents let me do as I pleased. And I'm afraid that instead of seeking to help others and making their existence kinder, I spent my time hunting and fishing and singing silly songs with my minstrels."

  "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

  Sylvain took the last plate and dried it. “I will go rescue your sister, I swear it. Nothing will stop me.” He paused and looked pointedly at the leftovers on the table. “Unless I run out of food on the way."

  "That's a strange way to ask for more muffins,” said Ann. But she was glad he was back to his old joking self. “I'll make sure your saddle bags are full before you leave. How is that?"

  "Great. I'm sure that with your muffins and my wit and determination, I'll save your sister in no time."

  Ann was going to tell him about Leonie's wild magic spell, but then she started to laugh and forgot what she was going to say.

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  Chapter Seven

  The Gilded Cage

  Leonie closed her eyes and then opened them. No, it wasn't a bad dream. She was still in the blue bedroom overlooking the lake, and she had reverted back to human form. She had managed to retain her unicorn form long enough for Sir Wulfe to lose his patience completely and shatter most of the glass in his castle. She'd never been so terrified in her life.

  He'd grabbed her and the whirlwind had picked them up before she could move. Besides, he'd put a still-spell upon her that kept her frozen in place. They'd arrived at his castle, landing in a huge courtyard surrounded by tall yew trees and clipped hedges. The castle towered above them, bigger than anything she'd ever seen, and it seemed a whole troop of servants ran out to greet their master.

  One had taken his cloak, others had opened the door for him and stood at attention as he led her inside. Still other servants scurried to get him something to drink or eat. He sent them all away with a wave of his hand and had turned to her.

  "Now, let me lift that spell,” he'd said.

  She'd held onto it, using all the strength she had. The castle had echoed with his bellows of rage, and then he'd tried to break her. She'd felt the spell coming and she managed to deflect it using her unicorn's horn. The windows and mirrors in the hallway had exploded and the crash of breaking glass reverberated throughout the castle. But the burst of energy had been too much for her. She felt the unicorn slip away and she came to her senses lying in the hallway surrounded by shards of glass.

  Sir Wulfe dragged her up the stairs and pushed her into a luxurious room.

  "This is your room, it is fit for a princess,” he's snapped. “Why can't you smile and be grateful?"

  Grateful? He must be kidding. Ann would have said something wonderfully spiteful and sarcastic, but Leonie couldn't think of anything. She wanted to scream at him, but in her frail, human form she couldn't risk his wrath.

  "You have mud in your hair and your dress is a sight. I'll send your chambermaids to help you bathe. There are new clothes in the wardrobe.” Sir Wulfe pointed to a huge, ornately carved wardrobe, but Leonie only had eyes for the fireplace. Her teeth chattered, and as soon as Sir Wulfe left the room, she limped to the fireplace and knelt
in front of it, stretching her hands toward the flames for warmth.

  After being in the unicorn's form, her own body felt absurdly delicate and weak. Her legs trembled and her heart crashed against the walls of her chest. The unicorn had been wild and strong. Quicksilver ran in its veins, and its bones and sinews had vibrated with pure energy. It could leap over streams and fences, its eyes saw in the dark, and its horn was a formidable weapon. But its mind had been the most strange and wonderful thing. Nothing human nor animal touched it—untamed as the wind, and clear as rock crystal, it had a thought pattern unique to itself. It sought neither comfort nor company, but instead craved perfect freedom and independence. As a unicorn, she'd not needed anyone, and the lightest touch, even from her beloved Renaldo, had seemed as constraining as iron chains.

  Now she was human again, weak and needy. She wished she could be both human and unicorn, so that she could find the strength and cunning to escape this place.

  Someone knocked on the door, and Leonie looked up in time to see two footmen come in carrying a copper tub, followed by at least ten servants with jugs of steaming water. Then came two elderly chambermaids with stern faces, gray hair, and starched aprons. They looked alike enough to be twins. The bustle in the room made Leonie feel faint, but she managed to get off her knees and stagger to a chair. She didn't want to be seen crouching next to the fire like a cinder-girl.

  "All great houses have proper procedure,” said one of the chambermaids, after the tub had been filled and everyone had left. “My name is Jan and this is Merle.” Merle, the other chambermaid, curtseyed. “We are here to serve you."

  "I'd rather take my bath alone,” said Leonie.

  The two women glanced at each other. “We will wait in the hallway. Call us when you are through and we will help you with your dress and hair."

  "I don't need anyone to help me dress.” Leonie wondered how she could escape if there were so many servants around at all times.

  "Of course you need help dressing. You must learn how to be a real lady.” Merle had a piping voice and black, beady eyes like a black-bird's.

  Both women bowed and left the room, and Leonie took her bath, still feeling stunned. At least the water was steaming hot and soothing.

  While in the tub she took the time to look around her room. Pale blue silk covered the walls, and the bed had a canopy swathed in the same colored silk. The room had a highly polished dark wood floor, but a fine rug of rose and blue tufted wool covered most of it. A large chair sat next to a writing desk, and four lamps of delicately blown glass had been placed on the mantle and on the bedside tables. Candle-sconces on the walls and a gilt-edged mirror completed the decoration. As Sir Wulfe had said, it was fit for a princess.

  Wrapping a linen towel around her, she went to look out the window. She could make out a wide lake and formal gardens. In the moonlight, a family of regal white swans swam on the black water. Her fingers tightened on the sill and she had to bite her lip to stop from crying. She would not cry. She would find a way to escape and get back home, to her family, and to Renaldo.

  * * * *

  With the little snake crawling over the books and showing her the spells, Ann managed to charm Cook back to human form. It exhausted her, and she had a blinding headache afterward, but it was a relief to see Cook. She brought Ann hot milk and biscuits in bed and fussed over her like when she was little.

  She couldn't revert her father back to his proper form, but that was because Sir Wulfe had cast the spell upon him, and his magic was terribly strong. And, for some reason, she couldn't revert Bob. So the lop-eared dog stayed in the kitchen, and when Ann went anywhere, he trotted at her heels.

  Prince Sylvain went to the village to find a sturdy pony for his journey. Sir Wulfe lived a good two week's ride away, and the weather grew chill as autumn arrived. Ann didn't mind frost and snow but Leonie was always cold, so Ann asked Sylvain to bring an extra cloak for her, and for a minute she buried her face in the soft flannel lining, hoping her sister was all right and not locked in a cold, dark dungeon.

  "I'm sorry,” she whispered, her face still pressed to the cloak. “It's all my fault. If I hadn't asked Renaldo to meet Leonie that night, this would never have happened.” She raised her head and watched as Sylvain cantered into the courtyard on a pretty brown horse, and she wondered where his brother Renaldo could be, and if Sir Wulfe would really bring him back.

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  Chapter Eight

  Renaldo's War

  Renaldo heard the wind rushing around him. In an instant it picked him up and carried him away. He could do nothing to escape the grip of the whirlwind. It surrounded him, held him in a grasp both insubstantial and unbreakable. Flinging his arms out did no good, it only turned him upside-down.

  After a while he managed to straighten himself out, and then suffered a moment of paralyzing fear when he looked down. The invisible whirlwind let him see that he flew across plains and rivers, as high as the wild goose flies, and as fast as the wind could blow. In the moonlit night, he watched cities and forests pass beneath him. The land grew barren and a desert spread below him, then mountains grew, springing upwards in jagged cliffs and peaks.

  The noise of the whirlwind deafened and battered him. He cried out as loudly as he could but his voice was lost in the roaring wind. Then finally, as the sun rose, the whirlwind quieted and deposited him on what looked like the edge of the world, on a spit of rocky land surrounded by wild ocean.

  Stunned, dizzy, and exhausted, Renaldo stood upon the narrows. For as far as he could see in front and on either side of him, the ocean stretched to infinity. Behind him, the narrow shingle led to a distant, misty shore and he decided to hurry toward it lest the high tide leave him stranded.

  Waves rose and fell crashing in a white froth upon shiny, round pebbles, and he struggled to keep his feet as the stones rolled and slipped beneath him. Soon Renaldo's clothes were drenched and his eyes stung with sea-spray. He'd bruised and cut his hands and knees, but he hurried, for as he'd surmised, when the tide changed the waves covered the spit and he had to swim the last fifty meters to shore.

  There, he dragged himself past the waterline and fell in a heap on a bed of sun-warmed sand. Pressing his cheek to the earth, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  He woke up when a foot kicked him on the shoulder. The foot was attached to a leg, attached in turn to a large, surly looking man with a patch over one eye.

  Sitting up in the sand, Renaldo looked at the man. “Why did you kick me?"

  "Because I wanted to see if you were alive.” The man shrugged. “Lots of bodies washing up on this beach lately. Must have to do with the war."

  "War?” Renaldo got to his feet and brushed the sand off his clothes.

  "Aye. Doesn't concern me, though. I'm a recruiter, not a fighter. You on the other hand look able enough. And since my mission is to recruit and you have all your arms and legs, I think we'll get along just fine."

  "Now look here, I can't waste my time...” Renaldo stopped when he saw the man's saber in his hand.

  "You were saying?” the man asked, hefting the saber.

  "I have reconsidered. Where do I sign up?"

  "Right this way.” The man grinned, his gold tooth glinting. He pointed with his saber and Renaldo led the way down the beach. They crested a rise, and there, on the other side of a narrow isthmus, spread a wide, calm bay with a ship anchored in the middle. “You'll be thankful I didn't just leave you to rot on the beach. This is an island, you see. You wouldn't have gotten far, just walked around in circles for a few weeks before dying of hunger."

  Renaldo saw the man was right, and a shiver of relief ran through him. Then he looked closer at the boat. Its sails hung in tatters and its timbers looked half rotted. He hesitated, and felt a saber prick his back. “That looks like a loser's ship,” he said, pointing. “Are you sure you want to recruit me? Maybe I don't want to choose sides."

  "Aye, well, that's s
ettled then, I'll choose for you. I'm recruiting for the Kingdom of Alonzo, and we're fighting against the kingdom of Hidalgo. Used to be all one kingdom, ye know, the kingdom of Querel, but the brothers got into an argument one day and the war has been going on for three years now. We're running out of volunteers."

  Now Renaldo's feet faltered and the prick on his back grew stronger. “I'd rather try to remain neutral in this fight. Getting caught between feuding brothers is bad policy."

  "Can't do that, lad. I make my living recruiting. The army pays more each year for the new recruits. So tell me, boy, have ye any talents that might come in handy on a ship?"

  Now Renaldo stopped and turned. “Why?"

  "Because they pay extra for talent.” The recruiter shrugged.

  "Well, I did do a bit of sailing last year, and navigation was always easy for me.” Renaldo thought for a minute as he scratched his chin. “Let's talk business before we go down there. Just how much do you get for recruiting me?"

  Surprise lit the man's one eye and he stuck the saber in the sand and leaned on it. “Well now, a pragmatic prisoner. That's a nice change. I get two gold coins per recruit, and each talent he possesses gets me another gold coin."

  "Not bad.” Renaldo lifted his eyebrows. “I'll tell you what. I'll tell the Captain I can sail and navigate, if you give me one gold coin. After all, you're making a handsome profit on me and my modest talents."

  "You're not serious!"

  "If you agree, you'll get three gold coins. If not, you'll only get two."

  "Two?” the man sputtered. “But you told me you could sail and navigate, that's two talents more!"

  "Only if I agree. Otherwise I'll deny knowing anything and you'll only get two coins."

  The man pulled his saber from the sand and shook it in front of Renaldo's face. “That's not fair! I'll kill you, how does that sound?"

  Renaldo shook his head. “I don't think the army will pay you for a dead sailor, do you? I'm helping you earn another gold coin.” He gave him his most charming grin and said in a wheedling voice. “I've no wish to end up skewered on your saber, and you wouldn't mind earning three gold coins now, would you?"