by E. D. Baker
When Maylin was a girl, she’d fixed a deer’s broken leg and discovered her healing skills. After that, she’d spent years trying to figure out how to handle her ability. Aislin had been eight when the queen discovered that her daughter had the same talent for healing and began to teach her at every opportunity. Although Aislin was still young, she had attended dozens of births, helping her mother and learning what needed to be done. If Queen Tatya’s labor was in difficulty, Aislin had to try to help. She may not like the queen, but denying her help went against everything she’d been taught.
For just the briefest moment, Aislin thought about asking for directions, but she knew right away that no one was going to tell her where the queen’s rooms were located. Instead, she walked away from the crowd and pressed her hand against the stone wall. The castle itself could tell her where she needed to go.
With her mind linked to the stone, Aislin hurried down the corridor and up the stairs. Another corridor and three turns brought her to the door leading to Queen Tatya’s rooms. Women were scurrying in and out, fetching water and bringing news. The men waiting outside the room barely spared Aislin a glance as she hurried in after one of the women. The first room she entered was an antechamber where women clustered around, talking in low voices. The next room was the bedchamber where Queen Tatya lay, barely moving. Most of the women in this room looked lost and frightened, as if they had no idea what to do. They were clustered around the only woman who seemed to have any idea what was going on, hanging on her every word.
“The baby’s stuck,” she said. “It’s not coming out the way it should. The poor queen has been in hard labor for far too long and is exhausted. I don’t know if either of them will make it.”
Aislin pushed past the women to the queen’s bedside. Tatya’s eyes were closed as she turned her head to the side, moaning. She was drenched in perspiration and her face was waxy pale.
“You there! What are you doing?” asked the woman who seemed to be in charge.
“What you appear to be unable to do. I’ve come to help the queen,” Aislin told her.
“How dare you!” the woman exclaimed. “I’m the Royal Midwife, and if I can’t help her, no one can.”
Aislin sighed, knowing she didn’t have time to deal with the women. Recalling how she’d stood up to Lady Speely and later to Princess Selene’s friends, she drew strength from the stone floor and put it into her voice. “You will stay out of my way while I help the queen,” she said. “When I am gone, you will forget that I was here.”
She wasn’t sure if her commands would work or not, but the women did turn away and leave her alone. Placing her hand on the queen’s forehead, Aislin said, “I’m here. I’ll help you now. Everything is going to be all right.”
The queen’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, then closed as another contraction gripped her body. Aislin placed her other hand on the queen’s belly and closed her own eyes. Reaching with her mind into the stone floor, she drew up the strength she needed, using it to ease the queen’s pain and shift the baby in her womb the smallest amount. When Aislin opened her eyes again, color was coming back into the queen’s cheeks and the midwife was crying, “The baby is coming!”
Satisfied that she’d done what was needed, Aislin stepped back and slipped from the room unnoticed. If all went well, no one would remember that she’d been there. Talk about how she’d helped the queen would only draw more attention to her, which was the last thing she wanted.
Suddenly hungry, Aislin hurried to the Great Hall and was pleased to see that Tomas was already there. He was the only one at the table.
“Aren’t Rory and Selene coming?” Aislin asked as she took her seat.
“I don’t know,” said Tomas. “I haven’t talked to either of them all day. They both seem to be agitated about one thing or another. Did you bring the book?”
“I did,” Aislin said, taking it out of her pocket. “I’m afraid it has a torn page.”
Tomas examined the book and nodded. “Rory did that when he took it from me. At least he didn’t rip it out.”
They started talking about the book, not really noticing as the food was brought out with little order or ceremony. The people at the lower tables talked louder than usual, but Aislin and Tomas enjoyed their supper as if they were far removed from everyone. When Aislin realized that no one could possibly hear them, she leaned closer to Tomas and said, “You mentioned a mission for your father that would prevent the war from happening. What were you supposed to do?”
“Give something to someone,” said Tomas. “That’s all I can say. Please don’t ask any more questions about it, because I really shouldn’t even have told you that much.”
“I won’t,” promised Aislin. “At least not until you’re ready to tell me.”
They had almost finished eating when a page rushed into the room to announce, “The queen has had a girl! There’s a new royal princess! Both Queen Tatya and the infant are doing well.”
People shouted for more wine to celebrate. As the crowd grew rowdier, Aislin decided that it was time for her to leave.
“I’ll walk you upstairs,” said Tomas, then added in a quieter voice, “There’s something that I think I should tell you.”
Aislin nodded and got to her feet. He had sounded serious enough to make her start to worry; she had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say. They didn’t talk again until they reached Aislin’s room. Poppy looked surprised to see Tomas. Although the fairy disappeared into the dressing room, Twinket stayed sprawled on the floor by the window.
“I hear things now and then,” Tomas began. “I’m big and people often think I’m not too bright because I tell the truth even when a lie would be more helpful. A lot of them aren’t careful about what they say when they’re around me. Last night Rory was saying that his father was taking a trip soon and you were going with him. He didn’t say where or why, but I thought you should know.”
“The king has barely spoken to me since I got here. He certainly hasn’t said anything to me about a trip, but I think I already know where and why,” said Aislin.
“He’s probably planning to spring it on you at the last minute,” Tomas told her. “He does that a lot.”
“Thank you for the warning,” Aislin said. “I don’t like that kind of surprise.”
Tomas shrugged. “Neither of us wants to be here, and I have a feeling that we’re both being used. I think we should help each other whenever we can.”
The moment the door closed behind Tomas, Twinket sat up and Poppy came back in the room. “Did you hear that?” Aislin asked her friends.
“I sure did,” said Twinket. “I think that boy likes you.”
“I heard it, too,” Poppy declared. “It sounds as if King Tyburr is getting ready to go back to Eliasind soon.”
There was a knock on the door. Aislin glanced from Poppy to Twinket. Could the king be ready to go now?
While Twinket went limp, Poppy answered the door. It was a footman, who bowed when he saw the princess. “Her Highness, Princess Selene, requests the honor of your presence as soon as possible,” he said.
“Thank you,” Aislin replied, and nodded for Poppy to close the door.
“At least it wasn’t a summons from the king,” said Twinket as she got to her feet.
“No, but this is almost as bad,” Aislin told her friends. “I’d really rather not see Selene again.”
“Why? What happened?” asked Poppy. “You didn’t tell us about your visit to her rooms.”
“I know,” said Aislin. “I didn’t want to talk about it because it made me so angry. Her friends said some horrible things to me and thought they were being funny. I got mad and tore down a curtain and left in a huff. I knew it was wrong as soon as I stormed out of the room. No normal human could have pulled down that curtain like that, and I know I shouldn’t act any way but human. I’m not sorry I lost my temper, though. I stood up for myself when those girls were being terribly rude.
>
“I did something else, too. I put power in my voice, like I did when Lady Speely came to rant at me after we fixed the dresses. It’s funny, though … it’s been a long time since I learned how to pull power from stone, to tell it what to do, but I’ve never used the power on anything but the stone itself before. Certainly not on a person. When I spoke to Lady Speely, I was trying not to make the stone shake—I guess I ended up using the power on her instead. I was as surprised as you were when I made her cry. After Selene’s friends were so horrible, I told them that they should be ashamed of themselves. When I left, some of them looked as if they might be. Just now in the queen’s room, I used power in my voice on her ladies to make sure they wouldn’t interfere when I tried to help. I also told them not to remember me. I hope it worked.”
“You helped the queen, after the way she treated you?” said Poppy. “That was awfully good of you.”
Aislin shrugged. “I heard that she was in distress, so I went to her.”
“Well, I think you did the right thing when you told those girls off!” said Twinket. “I would have given them all a good kick in the seat, too! Maybe you shouldn’t go see Selene. Who knows what she has planned?”
“I would be foolish to go see her and fall for the same thing twice,” Aislin admitted.
Poppy shook her head. “I can’t believe she would do that again. What if she wants to see you about something else entirely?”
Aislin sighed. “I know. If I don’t go, I’ll wonder if I really should have. All right—I’m going. But there’s something I need you to do, Poppy. I want you to play spy again and find out what’s going on. Go back to the king’s hidden room and see what he’s planning. Don’t let anyone see you and don’t use any magic. I need to know what King Tyburr is thinking so I can be prepared for whatever he has in mind.”
“And I can check on Rory,” Twinket declared. “He’s always interesting.”
Aislin was still wondering if she’d made the wrong decision, even as she knocked on the door to Selene’s rooms. Instead of a maid, the princess opened it herself; she seemed to be alone. “Thank you for coming,” Selene said as she ushered Aislin into the room. “I wasn’t sure you would after what happened when you were here before.”
“I almost didn’t,” Aislin admitted. She noticed that the curtain was gone, the ceiling was patched, and the furniture was in position again.
“I’m glad you came,” Selene told her as she gestured to a chair. The girls sat across from each other on either side of the fireplace. When Aislin was settled, Selene glanced up at the portrait. “That young woman was my mother. I felt so ashamed after what my so-called friends said to you. I didn’t stand up for you or for my mother, and I feel horrible about it.”
“They aren’t your friends?” asked Aislin.
Selene shook her head. “Not really. They’re the daughters of some of Queen Tatya’s ladies. I never knew any of them until Tatya married my father. She made me take them on as my ladies-in-waiting. I’ve tried to treat them like my friends because I wanted to make Tatya happy, but they aren’t very nice and I’m tired of overlooking their pettiness and the unkind things they say. It’s time I stood up to them and demand that they treat people with more respect—including my mother, even though she’s no longer here.”
Aislin glanced up at the portrait again. Seeing the young woman’s smiling face made her miss her own mother. Although Aislin loved everyone in her family very much, had she been guilty of not giving the pedrasi side the same respect that she gave the fairies? After all, Aislin had convinced herself that fairies, with their showy magic, were better than the pedrasi, whose abilities with stone rarely drew attention. But even now, living among humans, she was learning how much she didn’t know about what her mother’s people could do.
“Why were they saying such awful things about your mother?” asked Aislin. “Even they should have known that was too much.”
“Probably because they’ve overheard Tatya saying those things. My parents were madly in love with each other; everyone knew it. After my mother died, my father didn’t remarry for a while. Then his advisors started telling him he should, right around the time he met Tatya on a state visit. He liked her well enough at first, but he didn’t love her, not the way he did my mother. Even before she came here, Tatya resented my mother. I think she says mean things about her so people won’t remember my mother as such a good person … but it’s really just making them not like Tatya. I have to tell you something else, too—it’s been obvious that Lady Speely hasn’t liked you since you first arrived. That horrible woman came here with Tatya and always sides with her. She’s Tatya’s spy and confidant, and I know she hates my mother just as much as the queen does. I think you remind them both of my mother somehow, which is maybe why they have been so awful to you. I just wanted you to know that it really doesn’t have anything to do with you personally.”
“Thank you for telling me,” said Aislin. It didn’t make up for the women’s pettiness, but she was grateful to learn why they behaved the way they did.
“And thank you for saying that my mother was pretty. I always thought she was, too.”
“But she was pretty,” Aislin said, gazing up at the portrait. And Selene is beautiful, she thought, looking at the girl across from her. I wonder why she doesn’t look anything like either of her parents.
“Tatya never met her,” said Selene. “I don’t think she would say such things about her if she had. After you left, I sent the girls away and I looked for this letter.” Reaching to a small table beside her chair, she picked up a folded piece of parchment. “My mother wrote this to me when she was dying. She was a good, kind person. She wanted me to believe in myself and be kind, too. I forgot all that while I was trying to please Tatya, but it’s time I remembered what my mother tried to teach me. I don’t think those girls will change, so I think it’s time I made new friends. I was hoping that you would be one of them.”
“I’d like that,” Aislin told her.
The two princesses talked for a while about the castle and the people in it. When Aislin finally left, she was feeling better about what had happened the last time she’d visited the princess’s rooms. If a little shame had opened Selene’s eyes, maybe it had all been worth it.
When Aislin returned to her chamber, neither Poppy nor Twinket was there. She sat up, waiting for her friends to return, and was relieved when Twinket slipped into the room.
“The more I know about that boy Rory, the more I can’t stand him,” Twinket said as she settled on the floor at Aislin’s feet. “He’s happy because the new baby isn’t a boy. He thinks that the king might like another boy better than him and make the new one his heir. Apparently, a girl can’t inherit the crown in Morain.”
“Really?” said Aislin. “How odd. Did Rory say anything else?”
Twinket giggled. “He mostly talked about finding the thief who took his shoes. I think I should take something else now. Or maybe I’ll draw a picture of him on his mirror and give him a big nose and ginormous ears!”
“You will do no such thing!” Aislin scolded her. “No more tricks or taking things. I don’t want people looking around for the culprit and finding you.”
“It was just an idea,” the doll grumbled.
“Ideas are fine. Just don’t actually do any of them,” said Aislin.
“Okay!” Twinket replied. “Want to hear some of my other ideas?”
They came up with one idea after another for things they could do to Rory, if only they weren’t trying to keep their real identities secret. They were still laughing at each other’s suggestions when Poppy returned to the room.
Seeing the serious look on her fairy friend’s face, Aislin no longer felt like laughing. “What did you find out?” she asked.
“I’m sorry it took so long, but the king was alone in the room for a while; he didn’t say anything until that man Craiger showed up,” said Poppy. “King Tyburr is disappointed that the baby is a girl. He rea
lly wanted another son.”
“What is wrong with these people?” said Aislin. “All the fey know that girls are just as good as boys.”
“Even better sometimes,” Twinket chimed in.
“Humans are crazy, that’s all there is to it,” said Poppy. “Oh, and King Tyburr is mad that he has to stay here until after the christening and postpone his plans to go back to Eliasind. The christening is going to be held the day after tomorrow, which is the soonest they can have it arranged.”
“Good. That will give the falcon more time to reach the land between the mountains and get the message to my parents. Thank you for your help.” Aislin turned from one friend to the other. “I don’t know what I’d have done if I’d come here by myself.”
“Missed me, that’s for sure!” said Twinket.
Chapter 12
Aislin stayed in her room the next day, sending Poppy out to get their meals and news of what was happening in the castle. Aside from the frenzied preparations for the christening, there wasn’t much else for her to report. Selene was having a new gown made, Rory was still hunting for the shoe thief, and King Tyburr was talking to Craiger and his commanders about warlike things that Poppy didn’t understand.
The christening was held midmorning two days after the baby was born. Everyone entered the Great Hall dressed in their finest clothes to honor the baby princess. Even the servants had been invited. Poppy stood in the far back with some of the ladies’ maids she had met. Tomas sought out Aislin, and found a spot near the side of the hall so he didn’t block the view of too many people.
Aislin didn’t really get a chance to look around until she was standing beside Tomas waiting for the ceremony to start. She noticed then that the garlands and bouquets of flowers decorating the hall were all shades of pink. Pale pink, dark pink, dusky pink, and bright pink blossoms covered nearly every surface. It was almost as if the pink-loving fairy, Dianthus, had splashed her favorite-colored dust everywhere, turning it all pink. Unfortunately, Aislin had chosen to wear her new pink gown. It was a lovely dress and looked beautiful on her, which was why she had worn it, but it made her blend into the wall behind her. When she looked around, she realized that not a single other person was wearing pink. She also noticed the amused glances people were casting her way.