by Tara Brown
“A royal wedding?” Elsie sputtered in shock. “You will marry Hilde to Landon while he is sick?”
Lenny’s heart stopped beating. Ivor would be king? She fought the desire to step out of the room, backing away from this discussion.
“I know how hard this is,” Queen Saleen’s voice wavered as she grabbed Elsie’s hands and squeezed. “And it’s not how I would normally maneuver, but Hilde will marry Ivor. And I will tell the citizens of Waterly City that we have engaged her to the future of the kingdom, and Ivor is that future for now.” Her words were desperate and hushed, “I know Landon and Hilde are fond of one another, already feeling a connection. And I hate that this is the outcome, but I don’t have a prediction for Landon’s health. I can’t put him on the throne. He could die from stress or heartbreak right now, and our entire lineage would be questioned. Our strength and vitality are already under scrutiny—it’s why I had him brought here. To keep him from prying eyes,” she sobbed, distraught at the betrayal she was committing against her child.
Elsie exhaled slowly, her face pale and stricken with shock. It took a lot of strength to react appropriately, but when she did her voice was weak, “Hilde will do what is right for the throne,” Elsie whispered as a single tear trickled down her pale cheek. “She is a dutiful daughter.”
Lenny closed her eyes for a moment, processing the sentence.
Hilde would marry Ivor.
Lenny’s lips parted with the wish to speak but there was nothing.
She was silent as she watched the two women weep, clinging to one another, in complete shock and gut-wrenching heartache.
Hilde would marry Ivor.
Chapter 7
Sitting in her room with the sun flitting in, dancing with the sheer drapes hanging in the wide windows as the breeze moved them about, Lenny remained motionless. As she had since arriving back from Pappelwhick.
She hadn’t slept yet. Her eyes were bleary and her head filled with thoughts. Regrets. Not so much that she would lose Lord Ivor, but that she had allowed herself to believe their love was possible. She knew better, and that burned more than anything.
Much the same as her mother and Hilde, Lenny had reached too high. She had grasped for something beyond her worth, and the crushing disappointment, though painful beyond belief, was her just desserts. She had earned every ounce of pain, inflicted it upon herself, and there was no one else to blame. She’d never had luck in love. None. She was always attracted to the impossible, and too ridiculous to recognize a fool’s errand before it was too late.
She promised herself, no more. Never again. Her heart was spent. She had wasted all her early years adoring James and the way his cheeks flushed with color, not noticing it only happened whenever Hilde entered a room or waltzed by the smithy. His stare from under his inky lashes, smiling softly—Lenny loved that, though had not bothered to pay attention to what he was focused on.
Though she swore this time was worse. She’d allowed Ivor to sweep them both up amid chaos and agony, believing his heart was his own to give away. She’d allowed him to be a beacon of light in a storm. But the light was incorrect, and she was now stuck crashing upon the shores.
The door opened, drawing Lenny’s notice.
Hilde’s eyes were the first thing she saw, glistening and wide—scared. She pressed her lips together, fighting emotion as she lingered in the doorway. She shook her head back and forth in tiny twitches as her horrified gaze held Lenny’s.
Lenny closed her eyes, wishing away her sister but scared she might go, and Lenny would have no sisters left. No siblings. And as much as she didn’t want to acknowledge it, this was not Hilde’s fault.
“Lenny,” Hilde whispered as she rushed forward. “I won’t do it. They can’t make me!” She dropped to her knees, sitting in front of her.
Lenny opened her eyes, locking them on her sister’s.
“I will not marry him. You love him! I know you do.” Hilde sobbed but with almost no sound. Her voice wouldn’t say the words loud enough, as if not truly protesting. Dutiful to death.
Lenny had no words.
What was there to say?
Let’s run away.
Let’s go home.
What did one reply in a moment such as this? Such a tragedy?
Lenny knew the words and forced them from her lips. “You will,” she whispered back, her voice betraying her.
“I can’t! I already gave my heart to Landon. I told him I would love him until I died. I made promises. You have to tell Mother you will marry him and be the queen,” Hilde pleaded, lifting her flushed and sweaty hands, clinging to Lenny’s arm. She rested her head in her sister’s lap, begging, “Don’t do this to me.”
Lenny blinked the flood in her eyes, making everything blurry and sending a wave of tears down her cheeks. Streams of wetness soaked her face. But she didn’t move. She didn’t speak.
She stared at the light filtering in, wondering why they were cursed. What had they done to deserve this? Not one of Elsie’s children would be happy at this rate.
Lenny allowed herself a moment of despair, a selfish twinkling of sorrow.
It was several heartbeats before she forced her hand to her sister’s messy hair, stroking it. The image of the boat ride home from Pappelwhick haunted her. Her mother had sat incredibly still, back straight and hands clasped.
Ollie and Scar whimpered, nudging Lenny who was numb from the queen’s decision.
The boat had been in the middle of the channel when her mother carefully turned her head, revealing to Lenny the silent tears that slipped from her eyes and soaked her face. She reached to her daughter, taking her hand and squeezing it. She blinked more tears, lifting her daughter’s fingers to her lips and kissing the back of her hand, pressing her lips to it. Her tears soaked Lenny’s fingers.
They didn’t speak.
Her mother said nothing but offered Lenny everything.
Lenny took Hilde’s hand, squeezing her fingers. She lifted it, kissing the back of it. She pressed her lips into her sister’s skin, holding herself there as her tears ran onto Hilde.
She said nothing because there were no more words.
Hilde cried harder, shaking her head back and forth in Lenny’s lap.
They sat this way for a long time; half a day passed and felt like a lifetime. Both girls believing if they left this space, they’d have to be what the kingdom said they were. Everything would be different soon.
Lenny, who had been permitted by the queen to train with the guard so she might be able to fight and protect herself while the brothers worked on understanding her magic.
And Hilde, the queen to Lord Ivor’s king.
But they didn’t have to leave, the world came to them. It arrived with angry footsteps Lenny would have recognized anywhere, and a voice Hilde didn’t yet recognize.
“This is madness! You can’t possibly agree to this!” He stormed into Lenny’s room, coming well beyond the point a gentleman should stop. He strode right to Lenny, demanding answers, “How could you allow my aunt to suggest this when I’ve already asked you for your hand?” His eyes were wild and accusatory.
“He did?” Hilde shot up, standing and straightening herself though there was no point. Not one of them appeared as they ought. All were disheveled and puffy, lost in emotions. “You did?”
“No.” Lenny stared at Lord Ivor. “He didn’t. He asked to court me, Hilde. It’s not the same thing and I doubt anyone else knows.” Lenny’s words were lost in her grief and seeing his face added more agony.
Moving quickly, Lord Ivor reached down and grabbed Lenny’s arm, wrenching her from the chair. She flinched in pain as her shoulder screamed. “You cannot agree with this!” His fingers bit in. “Say something! Protest with me! Let’s run away!” His eyes darted to Hilde’s. He cringed seeing her swollen face. “You at least agree with me?”
“Wholeheartedly. I am against this.”
They both turned back to Lenny, waiting with the same mix of emoti
ons.
“Why you assume anyone will ask my opinion is beyond me.” Lenny pulled her arm free, massaging her shoulder, making Ivor wince at the realization. “No one cares what I think.” She laughed bitterly, sounding mad. “We will do as we are told. You two will marry and rule the kingdom before it falls apart in a revolution and I’ll—” she stopped short, not certain what to say beyond go home.
“Lenny, my aunt adores you. She would have listened, had you told her we are in love.” Lord Ivor scoffed.
“She didn’t believe me when—” She paused again but the words had come too far up her throat and stumbled from her lips in a distant whisper, “I told them the truth about the king.”
“The truth about the king?” Lord Ivor asked, still angry and gruff. “What in the gods are you saying, Lenny?”
Lenny hesitated, aware of how it made her sound. She licked her lips, her eyes darting about the room before she whispered, “That I saw Wen’s mother murder the king. She struck him down with lightning, laughing like a madwoman. Then she vanished.”
“Like at the beach?” Hilde asked.
Lenny nodded, not speaking.
“Gods!” Hilde lifted her fingers to her swollen lips. “Why?”
“I don’t know. But Brother Estevan said he believes magic is back.”
“Magic?” Lord Ivor lifted an eyebrow, staring between Hilde and Lenny. “Back from where?”
“I don’t know but he said things have been happening all over the kingdom. This is bigger than two people not wanting to be married. The queen sent riders, investigators, to find the truth of the matter. And Landon isn’t well enough to be crowned—surely, you saw him. Maybe it’s all connected.” Lenny tried to recall what had been said in the room, but the memories were blurry. “Maybe Wen’s mom is making him sick.”
“What sort of things are happening, Lenny?” Hilde questioned.
“Thirteen children went missing in Mamble on the same night,” Lenny whispered. “A man at an inn swears he saw a woman turn into a snake and eat a cat.”
“Is this a joke?” Lord Ivor scoffed. “Our engagement and life together are in ruins because and I quote, ‘A man at an inn swears he saw a woman turn into a snake and eat a cat’?” He lifted his gaze to the ceiling, staring at the beams and designs, taking a deep sigh.
“There were other—enchanted bears,” Lenny added but realized how she sounded.
“So the king was struck by invisible lightning, which none of his guards saw, and the bears were enchanted so I must become king with Hilde as my wife?” His tone soured more so when he said Hilde’s name. “Am I dreaming? Gods, let this be a dream.”
“I know how it sounds but I’m telling you, I saw it! Not the bears, but the lightning and the king!” Lenny shouted back. “And it doesn’t matter. You’re being crowned. The king’s body will be displayed in the great hall for five more days and then the coronation happens. Mother and the queen have set the wedding for a fortnight after the coronation.” Her heart sank again but her words were firm, “You have no choices, none of us do, so stop acting as though you might have a say in this.” She tore her gaze from Lord Ivor’s, wishing they would both leave her to sulk and mourn her losses alone.
“But wait.” Hilde’s eyes lit up. “I think I had a dream about this. If you’re magical, Lenny and the magic is back, then what if you could heal Landon?” Hilde said desperately. “What if your magic could fix him before the seven days? In my dream, you did it instantly.”
Lenny parted her lips, about to argue, but Hilde had a point. If magic was back in the kingdom and Lenny could see dead people and shoot lightning, why couldn’t she heal someone?
“This is insane. The healers and physics have been trying everything on Landon for a decade. If they can’t—”
“Are they able to shoot lightning from their fingers and see dead people, Ivor?” Hilde interrupted him fiercely, putting her hands on her hips. “No! There is no other person in the entire kingdom I would put my faith in like I would my sister. Lenny is the most stubborn and determined—”
“I’ll try,” Lenny blurted, desperate for an alternate ending to this heartbreak. “I’ll go now. I’ll get Brother Estevan to help me. He’s already there on Pappelwhick Island with Prince Landon.”
She turned to leave but Lord Ivor grabbed her good arm, spinning her. He pulled her in, hugging her and taking a deep breath of her hair. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of and if it works, Lenny, we are skipping courting and marrying before they try to force someone else on me.”
Lenny’s cheeks flushed seeing her sister’s smile widen as she watched them embrace.
“We can talk about that later,” Lenny muttered, embarrassed by the show of affection. She grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table and slapped her leg.
Both dogs jumped up and followed her from the room, Scar clinging to Lenny’s leg and Ollie hopping like a rabbit.
She didn’t breathe again until she was midway down the hall. Her heart raced and her hands were sweaty, making gripping and eating the apple nearly impossible. She forced it down though, uncertain of the last time she ate. Fortunately, the glimmer of hope had brought a little hunger back.
Ideas and worries plagued her but she pushed them back, praying to the gods for aid.
She didn’t catch a carriage ride to the docks this time. She went on foot to clear her head so when she arrived in Pappelwhick she wasn’t a mess of nerves and emotions. The dogs followed, staying at her side as they walked through the throngs of people selling and buying and hurrying to their destinations. Ollie struggled a bit at first but managed despite the heavy smells of the city that came alive the farther they went along the crowded city streets. Once they were away from the castle, the clashes between the angry masses and the guards lessened.
As Lenny walked, she felt a sort of peace in being lost in this group of strangers peddling their wares and scurrying about.
She was no one to them.
It was the perfect place to hide, surrounded by hundreds and possibly thousands of other nobodies.
She was midway to the docks, already smelling the sea in the air, when he caught up to her.
“Lenny!” Lord Ivor called, rushing to her through the crowd. “Wait!’
She paused on the cobbled street, letting him catch up. His celebrity status made the strangers who had ignored her take notice. They scowled, perhaps confused why Lord Ivor would be running after a street urchin.
“I couldn’t find you from the carriage,” he said, winded by the running. “But then I saw Ollie. You’re going the long way.” He rubbed the dog’s ears and then Scar’s as she nudged her way in, rubbing against his stomach with her face. Lenny scowled at the way Scar forced him to love her. She only did that with Wen and Lenny. “This way is faster.” He pointed to the right.
“Are you coming with me to Pappelwhick?” Lenny asked, noticing the people staring or pretending not to watch them. She started to walk again, assuming he would join her on the stroll if he was giving directions.
“I’m not. I’m being forced to make decisions and listen at the council meetings,” he said with a heavy tone. “I just wanted to make certain that you understood something.” As they rounded a corner, he nudged her into an alley she didn’t recognize. He slipped his hand into hers, as they passed a bin filled with laundry. He squeezed once before he let go. It was like feeling a secret. Touching something sacred but equally forbidden. “That you understand how this will all go.”
“How what will go?” Lenny stopped and turned to face him.
“I will take the throne. I will do as I am asked, and the instant I am king, I will choose my wife. And no one will make me marry someone I don’t love.”
His words made Lenny’s stomach drop.
“I will marry you, Lenny. Which is all I’ve wanted from the moment we met.”
“That’s nonsensical. You can’t speak that way when you are king.” She furrowed her brow, uncertain what else to
say to a proposal made in a dirty alley next to someone’s wash. But words found their way from her lips, words she had no time to give thought to, “You would force me to be queen when you know I am not the right person for the job? And I have no desire to be such a person?”
“I would,” he said though there wasn’t a hint of arrogance in the statement. “Now let’s get you to the boats so you can save us from this terrible fate.” He turned and walked away, leading her down the alley.
Her stomach was so tight she couldn’t get a full breath and she regretted the apple.
Chapter 8
The dimly lit halls of the quarters in which the queen was staying remained well guarded when Lenny arrived. Ollie sniffed the men standing at attention as Lenny passed them, heading for the door. She lifted her hand and knocked once, nervous as to what to say or how to say it.
A servant opened the door, scowling at Lenny as she gave her a once-over. “The queen wishes to be left alone,” she snapped, about to close the door.
Lenny slid her foot in the doorway, preventing the woman from closing it. “Ilenia Ailling,” she said softly.
“Lenny?” the queen asked, sounding as if she were across the room.
“Yes, Aunty,” she said the title with a hint of attitude.
The servant’s eyes widened as she opened the door again. “Sorry, Your Grace, I didn’t recognize the child.” She bowed at Queen Saleen.
“I think Lenny prefers it that way.” The queen sighed. “What can I do for you, my dear?”
She wanted to ask her why Lorna would kill the king, but she didn’t trust the servant. “I need to see Brother Estevan, but I don’t know where to find him.”