More Than a Princess

by E. D. Baker

  Aislin nodded. She could sense the magic in creatures around her; who was she to argue when others could sense such things as well?

  “All right,” she said. “You may stay with us as long as we’re in the forest. But remember—you aren’t to eat humans anymore.”

  “We already promised that we wouldn’t!” the manticore blared, looking affronted.

  “You’re right, you did,” said the princess, and she turned to rejoin the group.

  When Aislin caught up with Poppy and Twinket, she asked, “What were you two doing here? I thought you were still in the castle.”

  “We were looking for you, of course,” said Poppy. “As soon as I heard about the troops in the city, I grabbed Twinket and ran. We listened to talk in the street and heard which way your carriage went and followed it. I had a feeling we were getting close, but then those troll oafs grabbed Twinket and I didn’t know what to do. I’m so glad you showed up when you did!”

  “So am I!” Aislin said, and gave her friends each a hug.

  They walked for more than an hour without seeing anyone or anything unusual. Marden finally told them that they had to turn west, and they left the road to head back through the forest. The griffin and the manticore had been trailing behind them, but they took the lead now, finding the way around thick underbrush and across a deep ravine.

  They were passing through a forest glade when something darted past Tomas, only inches from his face. “What was that?” he cried, taking a step back.

  Something tweaked Marden’s nose while something else knocked Cadby’s cap from his head and pulled his hair. Whatever was doing it was moving too fast for them to see.

  “Stay here,” Aislin told the human men as Poppy started to chase a tiny, moving target. When one flew close enough, Poppy’s hand shot out and caught it. Aislin hurried to join her.

  “Let me go!” cried a small, shrill voice.

  Poppy opened her hand, revealing a tiny fairy dressed in fern tips. “They’re angry flower fairies,” Poppy told Aislin. “We must be in their meadow.”

  The fairy darted out of Poppy’s hand and flew backward to get a better look at her. “You’re a fairy, too!” she cried. “Where did you come from?”

  “That’s not possible!” cried a second fairy as they all came for a closer look. They were moving so quickly that it was hard to count how many were there.

  “Who are you?” asked another.

  “My name is Poppy,” she said. “And this is Princess Aislin, granddaughter of Queen Surinen.”

  The fairies gasped. Some of them stopped beating their wings and almost dropped to the ground before they remembered to fly again. Others bumped into each other, looking confused, while some clapped their hands and looked at Aislin with joy in their eyes.

  “Is the queen back?” one asked. “We’ve been waiting for this day for so long!”

  “No,” said Aislin. “She’s not. Poppy and I are the only ones.”

  “Wait!” cried a fairy dressed in pink petals. “How do we know she really is who she says she is?”

  “I’ll show you,” Aislin said, and held out her hand.

  “I’m not touching her!” cried the fairy dressed in pink. “I don’t trust her. You do it, Bluebell.”

  “Chicken!” cried the fairy wearing a bluebell cap. She darted over to land on Aislin’s finger.

  Aislin didn’t move, but the contact was enough to make the fairy jump in surprise. “It’s her!” she cried, and started dancing in midair. “It’s her! It’s her! It’s really her!”

  “A fairy princess?” said the one in pink. “But you aren’t just fairy, are you? You aren’t shaped like a fairy and your eyes are different.”

  Aislin shook her head. “I’m also a pedrasi princess. My father is King Carrigan, son of King Darinar and Queen Surinen. My mother is Queen Maylin, daughter of King Talus and Queen Amethyst.”

  “Wow! A lot has happened since we were left behind,” Bluebell declared.

  “I can’t believe we couldn’t tell that she was part fairy!” cried another fairy.

  “Why is that hard to believe?” the fairy in pink asked. “We can’t switch any more either.”

  “What do you mean?” Poppy asked her.

  The fairy sighed. “After we were left behind—”

  “It was our fault!” said Bluebell. “We slept in after a big party the night before and didn’t wake up until everyone else was gone. We looked and looked, but couldn’t find anyone, so we came back here. When word got out that the king and queen were gone, humans started hunting for fairies, so we stayed small and hid here so long that we’ve forgotten how to get big again. Without the king and queen here, there isn’t as much magic around as there used to be. But you’re back now and everything is going to be all right again!”

  When Bluebell started dancing around Aislin, the others joined in, forming a flying garland of brightly clothed fairies that wove in and out around the princess. Suddenly Bluebell stopped and darted toward Aislin’s face. “I know you said that you’re the only one here now, but the others are coming back, aren’t they? We need the king and queen. Nothing is the same as it used to be.”

  “I really don’t know,” Aislin told her.

  “Please, please, please ask them to come back!” cried the fairy in pink.

  “I’ll tell them how much you need them,” Aislin replied. “I promise.”

  Aislin and Poppy joined Tomas again. “What did you talk about?” he asked.

  “All sorts of things,” Aislin replied. “I just made some new friends and a promise that I’ll keep as soon as I can.”

  “And?” he prompted.

  “And it’s time to get going, don’t you think?” she said with a smile.

  Tomas grumbled, but she had no intention of sharing her conversation with the fairies.

  The fairies seemed delighted with her promise. They escorted Aislin and her companions all the way to the edge of the forest, hanging back with Poppy while they asked about life in the fairy court and inquired after friends they hadn’t seen in hundreds of years. Poppy told them that she’d come back to teach them how to get big again, which made them so happy that they started another dance. Aislin felt bad about leaving them behind, but even worse when she thought about how disappointed they’d be if her grandparents didn’t bring all the other fairies back.

  As she walked, she realized she was contemplating her family’s return, something she never would have considered when she lived in Eliasind. That was their home, and had been for her entire life, but they’d had a home here before, and friends and family who missed them dearly. She had so much to discuss with her grandparents! Before she went back, however, she had to find out what the fairies were doing in the wider world beyond the forest.

  The edge of the forest wasn’t far from the border between Morain and Scarmander. The griffin and the manticore were reluctant to remain behind, but Aislin was firm and wouldn’t let them leave the concealment of the forest. Avoiding the road and possible guards, Tomas led the group through fields and orchards, crossing the border on the way. They spent the night just beyond the border in a farmer’s barn.

  Even though Aislin was exhausted, her mind was roiling with too many things for her to fall asleep. King Tyburr knew about fairies. Clearly, the ceremony for the baby princess wasn’t the first time he had summoned Morning Glory for a christening gift. That meant that he had known about fairies before he ever visited Eliasind. Was it possible that he knew that fairies lived in the land between the mountains before the visit? Did he know that fairies lived in her parents’ castle when he was there? How did he find out about the pass, anyway? And even with the pass open, it wasn’t easy to get through and would have been hard to find—unless someone had told him where to look. He wanted to go back, too. Was he just looking for a way into Scarmander like Poppy seemed to think, or was he looking for something else?

  Before Aislin fell asleep, she decided that she would very much like to have a c
onversation with Morning Glory, the fairy who had visited King Tyburr’s court and the only fairy that she knew had traveled between the human kingdoms. Maybe she would have some answers.

  Chapter 17

  It was a lot easier to sneak out of Morain undetected than it was to slip into Scarmander. When they woke the next morning, they found the duke’s troops surrounding the barn. The officers were suspicious until Tomas came out of the barn with his hands up, yawning and bleary-eyed. They greeted him warmly, escorting Tomas, Aislin, and Poppy to a carriage that whisked them to the capital.

  The carriage was carrying them up a busy, winding road to the castle on top of a hill when Aislin turned to Tomas and said, “Can you arrange for me to meet Morning Glory? It’s very important that I talk to her without alerting her ahead of time.”

  “The only time she comes to the city is when a wealthy noble summons her for a christening gift,” said Tomas. “I suppose I can see if anyone is planning a christening.”

  “Fine, as long as I can see her soon,” said Aislin. “I want to speak with her before I meet Aghamonda, and I have a feeling that could happen at any time.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Tomas replied. “Look over there! That’s my favorite tailor shop. And that’s where they sell the freshest peaches from a farm just outside the city.”

  Aislin enjoyed seeing the sights with Tomas, but she enjoyed his enthusiasm even more. The Tomas she’d known back in King Tyburr’s castle had been quiet and subdued. She had a feeling that she was seeing the real Tomas now.

  When they reached the castle, the steward escorted Aislin and Poppy up a flight of stairs to one of the most beautiful suites of rooms they had ever seen. Decorated in blues and greens, it was the same shades as Aislin’s favorite lake near Fairengar, where nymphs played in the water and the fish were so tame that they’d take crusts from her hand. The two girls walked from room to room, and Aislin had to squeeze Twinket more than once when the doll wiggled, wanting to get down and run around.

  “Not yet,” Aislin whispered, so the steward wouldn’t hear her.

  When they had seen all three rooms, the steward led them to a large window that looked out over the city and the bay. He pointed to the ocean beyond, which made Poppy gasp and lean so far out that Aislin was afraid she would fall.

  “I’ll have water brought up so you may bathe,” the steward said, not even glancing at Aislin’s clothes made filthy from her travels.

  “Thank you,” Aislin told him, grateful for his thoughtfulness.

  The moment they were alone, Aislin set Twinket on the floor and joined Poppy at the window. They were still watching the big ships sail in and out of the bay when there was a knock on the door.

  “Twinket!” Poppy said, and the doll collapsed on the floor.

  The fairy went to the door and peeked out, then stepped back, opening it wider as a group of servants brought in a tub, towels, scented soap, and bucket after bucket of hot water. As they left, another maid brought in gowns and laid them out on the bed.

  “So you may select a gown to wear to meet King Ozwalt, Your Highness,” the maid told Aislin. “Would you like me to stay to help you bathe?”

  Aislin hadn’t had anyone help her bathe since she was a toddler, and she wasn’t about to ask for help now. “My servant will assist me,” Aislin told the young woman. “Thank you for offering.”

  The maid smiled and curtsied, closing the door behind her.

  “You want me to help?” Poppy asked, surprised.

  “No, I want you to leave the room so I can take off this gown and get in that tub,” Aislin told her, already fumbling with the buttons.

  “I mean, I could stay and scrub your back if you want me to,” Poppy said, her smile getting broader.

  “Get … out … now!” Aislin ordered her friend, her grin just as big.

  Poppy was laughing as she left the room, but by then Aislin had her gown half over her head. She was about to start on her undergarments when she felt the chain still around her neck. Although she had guarded it easily enough on her way to Scarmander, she had a feeling that it would no longer be safe with her—not when she was sure she was going to meet Aghamonda and had no idea when the meeting would take place.

  Pulling the chain over her head, she looked around, trying to decide where she could hide it. When Aislin glanced toward the window and saw the doll perched on the ledge, she knew just what to do.

  “Twinket, would you come here please?” she asked the doll.

  Twinket turned and gave her a saucy look. “What, you want me to scrub your back?” she asked.

  Aislin shook her head, no longer in a joking mood. “No, I want you to do something very important. Here, take this.” She waited until the doll had scrambled off the ledge and run over to the tub. “I want you to put it somewhere very safe. Don’t let anyone know where it is, and that goes for Poppy and me. Keep it safe until I ask for it back.”

  Twinket took the locket from her and examined it closely. “Ooh,” she said. “No one has ever asked me to do something this important before. I’ll guard it with my life, I promise! Just tell me one thing—what is it?”

  “An important piece of jewelry that I’m holding onto for someone,” Aislin replied. “A bad person wants it, and we can’t let her have it.”

  “Then I’ll keep it extra safe,” the doll declared, and began to look around the room.

  “Don’t hide it in here,” Aislin told her. “I don’t want to see where you put it.”

  “All right,” Twinket said, and ran to the not-quite-closed door.

  “I hope I’m doing the right thing,” Aislin murmured as she watched the door shut.

  Aislin was ready by the time Tomas came to take her to meet the king. Bathed, dressed in a gown of pale lavender silk, and with her hair held back with pearl-headed pins, she was the image of a beautiful princess.

  “You look lovely!” Tomas said when she came to the door.

  “Thank you,” she said, her cheeks turning pink.

  “You don’t need to worry,” Tomas told her as she set her hand on his arm. “My father and King Ozwalt are going to be crazy about you.”

  “I’m not worried,” she said. Not about that, at least, she thought. Making a good impression on humans didn’t concern her. Finding out why Aghamonda wanted her sister caught in amber did. Ever since she’d given the locket to Twinket, she couldn’t stop thinking about the fairy sisters. Why would any fairy want to trap a member of her own family? Could she be trying to keep her safe? But then, why the subterfuge? No matter how she turned the idea of a fairy caught in amber around in her head, she couldn’t think of a good reason that made any sense. Unfortunately, some very bad ones did.

  As they approached the throne room, a page bowed and opened the door for them. Tomas patted her hand where it rested on his other arm, as if to reassure her. Aislin thought it was sweet, but he needn’t have worried. She was used to the throne room at Fairengar that was far grander and more impressive than anything in the human lands. Even her fairy grandparents, who could make the fiercest warrior tremble, had never intimidated her. She had played at their feet while they held court too many times when she was little, and knew better than to let courtiers’ haughty manners and snobbish looks bother her. If anyone could look impressive, it was a member of the royal fairy family.

  Aislin looked around as they walked down the center of the long, narrow throne room, noting the crowd that had gathered to see the new arrival. They were all dressed in their finest and smiled when she glanced in their direction. Some of the smiles were genuine, while others were obviously phony.

  Windows high on the walls let in enough sunlight to make torches and candles unnecessary during the day. Below the windows, tapestries depicting the sea and its creatures lined the walls. She was delighted to see that the stone floor was laid in bands of light and dark to resemble row after row of waves. In a fairy castle, the waves would have appeared to move. Here they were stationary, but almos
t as delightful.

  As Tomas escorted Aislin down the length of the room, her gaze traveled to the gilded throne. An elderly man wearing a crown occupied the throne, while a big man with dark hair like Tomas’s stood by his side. The big man’s back was straight and his head was held high as if he was the king, rather than the seated man whose back was bent with age. Aislin assumed that the dark-haired man was the Duke of Isely, Tomas’s father. The closer Aislin and Tomas drew, the more she could see how frail the old man looked. His eyes were rheumy, the blue of his irises faded. His hands shook when he gestured to her.

  Tomas led Aislin to the foot of the dais before saying, “Your Majesty, may I present Her Royal Highness Princess Aislin.”

  Stepping away from Tomas, Aislin curtsied almost as deeply as she would have to her grandparents. She waited while the king murmured something too faint to hear.

  “Please rise, Your Highness,” said the duke. “On behalf of His Majesty King Ozwalt and myself, welcome to Scarmander. May your stay here be a pleasant one.”

  King Ozwalt nodded and smiled, but his expression was vague and his gaze soon wandered. The duke smiled as well; there was nothing vague about his expression when he gave his son an approving nod. Aislin had a feeling that she had just passed some sort of test. Tomas took her hand again and led her from the throne room.

  “Now that is how a princess is supposed to be welcomed, unlike the way they handled your arrival in Morain!” he said as they entered the corridor. “I have good news for you. I made some inquiries and learned that the wife of a not-so-rich noble has recently given him an heir. The christening is scheduled in five days’ time.”

  “That isn’t soon enough!” Aislin began.

  Tomas held up his hand. “I already met with the noble. He can’t afford a fairy christening gift, but when I said that I would give him sufficient gold coins as my gift to his son, he was happy to change the date and invite us both. I didn’t tell him who I was bringing, just that there would be two of us. The ceremony is going to be held tomorrow. Why is it so important that you speak with Morning Glory?”