“It’s nothing, Rory,” she said once she gathered her senses.

  “You’re feelin’ ill for what happened on the mountain? I can sense it, Fairest. Guilt drives us all ta despair in war, but this affliction is heavy for a lady.”

  “I left the people of the island without a leader, Rory. I violated them.”

  He bowed his head. Being a humble man, he would not argue with her, nor would it be appropriate to agree with such an assertion. Still, she took his silence as confirmation.

  “What can I do? I have no one to turn to, Rory. My brother is angry with me and Father wants to hide me away. My sisters ridicule me. Where can I go to relieve myself of this burden?”

  Rory glanced at the statues behind her and stood quietly. The moon shone on his freckled face and highlighted the gleam in his eyes. His gaze was unpretentious—a man in thought and careful consideration. She waited.

  “I know someone who’d be good for you to talk to. Someone who’d treat you right and fill that hole in your heart.” His eyes met hers. “It’s a bit of a distance, but I’d kindly take you to her.”

  “Who?” she asked, tears still trickling from the corner of her eyes.

  “You never met your ma, but I’ve got one ye can borrow. She’s got love for the Princess of Potamia. We all do in Fairmistle.”

  “Ride to Fairmistle tonight? To meet your mother?”

  “Aye.”

  Why not? A long horseback ride might be just what she needed. The idea excited her, and her spirits picked up.

  “Wouldn’t be right, just the two of us ridin’ off at night, so if you had another?”

  “Of course! I have a friend who might come!”

  WHEN THEY LEFT PRASA Potama, the moon balanced on the horizon like a pearl tottering on the edge of a mirror. Silence filled the night save for the clipping of their horse’s hooves, the streets of the city asleep. Rory led the way, for he knew their path better than Erika did. He had been kind enough to saddle her favorite white mare, which she rode alongside Kairos, her father’s wizard, and a longtime friend of the family. The wizard wore a frown and gave Erika a bitter glare as he shifted in the saddle. “Whose gist was it to ride these malodorous beasts?”

  “Don’t speak too loudly of your disdain for the king’s mounts, wizard,” Erika retorted, keeping her voice at a whisper. “If my father is proud of anything, it’s his horses.”

  Erika loved being on the back of a horse. She had spent her childhood days in the saddle and had even learned to joust, although her father made her stop taking part in the sport after she’d taken a spill and dented her armor. No harm came to her, but Father nearly fainted and complained that his heart rate had never been the same since.

  Once out of Prasa Potama, they nudged their horses to a lope. The fields were flat and lit in moonlight, the horses fresh and eager to run. Both Erika and Rory balanced in the saddle perfectly, but Kairos bounced awkwardly and hung onto the horn with both hands.

  “This will be good for you, Kairos. A little exercise and fresh air will keep you young.”

  “If I live through it,” he mumbled between bounces.

  When they had traveled to where they no longer saw the towers of the castle, at the end of the forest overlooking the vast plains and the mountain range in the distance, Rory slowed his horse. As the moon traveled overhead, the air chilled. To the south, a dark ribbon of trees skated across the horizon, hinting at the green belt of River Ream.

  “I thought you said this was going to be a quick trip,” Kairos complained, staring at the lonely prairie lit only by moonlight. “I see nothing for miles.”

  “It is a brief ride,” Erika said. “Comparatively.”

  “Compared to what?”

  “To the trip to Tellwater.”

  “You lied to me?” Kairos accused. “I should have known. What will happen when your brother returns and you’re not home?

  “I’ll be home.”

  “And he finds that his father’s wizard has disappeared with you? There’s punishment for a situation such as this!”

  “I’m near imprisoned by my family, Kairos. I’m not allowed to leave the castle, and Father instructed Barin to follow me if I do.” She glanced at Rory, who she hadn’t informed about her restrictions.

  “Fairest, it’s my fault. I did wrong.” His faced beamed red and his eyes widened.

  “No. You wanted to help, and indeed I already feel better. I’m going to meet your mother and there’s no crime in that.” She turned again to Kairos. “What would you have done if I told you we were traveling to Fairmistle? You would have said no.”

  “Yes, most likely. I wouldn’t have ridden a horse with you, that’s for certain.”

  “Well, we asked you along so that it didn’t appear that Rory stole me away.”

  Kairos sighed, exasperated, and moved uncomfortably in the saddle.

  Erika exchanged a glance with Rory. “How much longer, Rory?”

  “Fairmistle is near to here. Kairos, it’d make me happy as the hair on a goat’s chin if you’d consent.”

  “There’s nothing to consent to, Rory, I’m with you, already.”

  “Do you think your mother’s up this late?”

  “She rises before dawn. By the time we get to Fairmistle, she’ll be doin’ her mornin’ chores.”

  A hefty breath came out of the wizard, and Erika turned to him. “Kairos, I’m sorry I’m dragging you along with us, but there’s something pressing in my soul and I cannot ignore it any longer. Please be patient with me.”

  “You press my tolerance, but I am your family’s servant. What business is it of mine to complain?”

  “If you are only escorting me out of obligation, I guess that’s the way it has to be.”

  “It’s more than that,” the wizard admitted. “I care for you and if you can find a bit of wisdom in this journey, then I’m here to protect you.”

  “Wisdom? Yes. Wisdom will teach me how to atone for my sins? Even my father’s gods require such penitence.”

  She didn’t allow them to respond but prodded her horse to a gallop.

  QUAINT DESCRIBED FAIRMISTLE perfectly. A Ream River village of two hundred residents, enough to warrant a name and win an icon on King Tobias’ maps. The structures, or single structure rather was like no township Erika had ever seen. A row of homes constructed of river rock and whitewashed adobe, which captured the colors of the dawn spread out in a half-circle before her, looping back around, forming an ally. No two homes or shops were the same shape but built like cones and acorns, domes and boxes all interlocking one another. The half circle surrounded a courtyard, a fountain, and vegetable gardens. The pointed roofs were thatched with straw, and windows boxes were painted with flowers. Candles flickered through the bone panes and one by one were snuffed as the sunrise gilded the patio.

  “Oh, my, what an adorable little town! Barin never told me how attractive Fairmistle was!” Erika said.

  A rooster crowed to alert the residents of visitors. Dogs barked. A goat bleated. Once in the flagstone plaza, Erika dismounted and allowed Rory to take her horse.

  “Enchanting,” Kairos agreed, sliding off his mount and standing bowlegged. “I could almost see a wizard and his wife living here. In exile if he needed to,” he added under his breath while giving her a glare.

  Erika laughed. “No one’s going to expel you, Kairos.”

  She followed Rory to the courtyard as the village awoke. Two women carried buckets to a well with a lamb following them, its bell ringing softly. Chickens scurried from the shadows toward a young boy dressed in knickers with suspenders, stockings up to his knees, and a stained shirt that should have been tucked but which hung over his trousers. He tossed grain on the ground and laughed as the hens hurried to their meal, while a red-speckled rooster looked on.

  “Rory!” someone called from a doorway. “Mother, look what the sun begot! You old snake in the river!” A young man, almost identical in looks to Rory less than a couple of years, raced up to him and swung his arms around him. The two laughed as they embraced. Rory took the other’s hat and pulled it over his eyes.

  “Stormy, good to see you, my man! Tuck in your shirttail, brother I’ve someone for you to meet.”

  It was then that Stormy saw Erika and Kairos and pushed the hem of his shirt into his pants, his face turning lobster when his eyes met Erika’s.

  “May I introduce you to Her Fairness, Princess Erika of Tobias!” Rory removed his hat and gestured to the princess, bowing as he did. Stormy fell to his knees.

  “Fairest!” he muttered. “Pardon me for my lack of manners!”

  Erika laughed. “Rise, young man. It’s good to meet you, Stormy,” she said. “Come and show me your home. I’m enthralled with this village. It’s beautiful! And I want to meet your mother.” She glanced at Kairos to see if the wizard was as enchanted as she. His scowl had disappeared. Perhaps he enjoyed the journey after all.

  As they walked through a maze of white-washed walls and iron hinged doors, the village woke. Folks threw open their shutters, stretched, and yawned. Children scurried outside and scattered more grain as chickens clucked at their feet. A woman dressed in an earth-brown skirt that reached just above her ankles rushed by—her clogs clicking hurriedly over the cobblestone path as she herded swine to a watering trough. A blacksmith waved at Rory as he emerged from his house, tied his apron, and rolled up his sleeves. Young men Rory’s age ran up to him, greeted him with a slap on his back and their arms around his shoulders. Children swarmed around them all. Erika enjoyed the welcome until she listened closely to what the men were saying. Her smile faded.

  “Did the king get word? Did someone tell him?” one man took Rory’s arm. Rory hadn’t time to answer before another man interrupted.

  “We’ve seen them, Rory. Like a cloud of locusts coming from the south. Nastiest sight you ever laid eyes on.”

  “My wife saw them first, she herded our little ones in the house and started warnin’ the rest of us just before they attacked,” an older man added.

  Erika listened attentively, and Rory paled as the villagers thrust the news about. “Clancy, tell me! What about Mother? Is she okay?” Rory asked.

  “Mother’s fine. Come see. You’re stayin’ aren’t you?” Stormy asked as he tugged at Rory’s arm.

  “What is this about?” Erika asked the man named Clancy.

  “As I was sayin’,” Clancy bowed quickly and then continued jogging alongside her as she walked. “We had an awful scare. Those skura, they tore the garden up, stole some hens after they ripped up the coop. Terrified everyone.”

  “When did this happen?” Erika asked.

  “Last night, right after the sun set behind the hills. Will the king be sending some men here? Some soldiers to fight them off?”

  “As soon as he gets word, yes,” she promised.

  “Hiding in the grasslands, these. We tried shootin’ at them. Tough beasts with nasty attitudes. Arrows bounced right off. Could be these longbows aren’t as smart as the kind you’ve got.” He nodded to Rory’s crossbow strapped over his back. “We’re thinkin’ we can’t kill them without some kind of magical spell or somethin’.”

  Erika exchanged a glance with Kairos.

  “The magic is coming forthright. I will forewarn the king. A bit more patience, please. If they attack again you, stay inside,” Erika said. A weak attempt at comforting the frightened subjects. She hadn’t known Fairmistle being a target of Skotádi’s. Villagers crowded around her as Rory pointed to the next door, beckoning her to follow him, and hurried forward. Erika could barely keep her eyes on Rory for all the dusty coats and floppy hats which had come between them. She couldn’t see his brother at all.

  As quickly as the crowd had congregated, so it dispersed at the porch of Rory’s mother’s cottage. Though the sun had not risen completely yet, the golden light of dawn illuminated Fairmistle. A quiet country peace fell over Erika as roosters crowed, announcing daybreak. Stormy opened the door and ushered Rory, Erika, and Kairos inside.

  The cozy living space smelled of wood smoke and food, and furnishings comprised an oak table and benches, displaying the handiwork of a skilled artisan. A woven rug covered the dirt floor, which had been tamped to a hard, shiny surface. A welcoming peat fire glimmered in the hearth. What chill followed the weary travelers into the cottage was soon replaced with warmth and the delicious aroma of bacon and toast cooking.

  “Is that you, Stormy?” a voice called from the kitchen.

  “Yes, mum. And Rory, your other son!” Stormy winked at Rory as their mother hurried into the room.

  A short woman, plump, with hair as white as milk, came to see them. Her arms spread wide for Rory and tears of joy trickled down her freckled cheeks.

  “My boy! This is a surprise! I didn’t expect to see you ‘til the snow on the mountain melted, and the river pushed aside its shore.”

  “Nor did I expect to be here, mum.”

  They hugged for the longest time. Erika bit her lip as she watched mother and son give their affection to one another. The pain of a motherless childhood passed through her as she observed them, and she fought the urge to look away. There had been no mother in her life at all, and because her mother died giving birth to her, her siblings had been denied a mother as well. In fact, she couldn’t remember when, if ever, she had seen a parent and their offspring embrace save from a distance in the public square.

  “It’s good to be here, but I’m not stayin’ long. I’m on a mission, just passin’ through, but I’d have you meet someone.”

  Rory stepped back and held his hand out to Erika. “Her Fairest Princess Erika, daughter of King Tobias! Princess, this is my mother. Amy.”

  “Oh, my sheepskin’s sake!” The woman curtsied, blushing as red as Rory’s hair. “A princess in my home and look at this place! Pardon the muddle, Fairest! Rory, you should have warned me you were bringing a royal visitor so that I might have tidied up before you came.” She pulled a rag from her apron pocket and scrubbed the table.

  “Your house is lovely,” Erika commented. “Goodness knows I have had enough portentousness in my life. A humble home well lived in and well-loved is a beautiful thing.” She smiled at the woman. “It’s pleasant to meet you, Amy.”

  “Well!” The woman set the rag aside and brushed her apron, fidgeting with the tie. “It’s not every day we have royalty in our home. And Rory, who is the gentleman you brought with you?”

  Kairos stood in the shadows, but at the mention of his name he stepped into the light. “A prince perhaps?” she asked.

  “This is Kairos, our Wizard,” Erika answered. Kairos nodded politely.

  “A wizard! Oh, what blessings you’ve brought on us, Rory. Imagine a wizard in my house! We are honored, Fairest, and for you as well, Master Kairos, you said?”

  Kairos nodded.

  “And I thank you for bringing Rory home, if only for a trifling. A full day, I would hope. You must supper with us at the least. I’ve plucked a goose this morning and ‘twill be baking in the coals sooner than later. Please be my guest.”

  Erika hesitated to answer and glanced at the wizard. She hadn’t meant to stay that long. The day had already begun; the sun had risen, and were they to leave tonight, it would mean they wouldn’t return until evening the next day. She had hoped to be in her bed by morning in case Barin returned early. Kairos stared at her, and she could read his disapproval in his eyes. She’d be making someone at home furious.

  “Why yes, Amy, I think we will stay for your supper.”

  “Oh, I’m delighted!” Amy clapped her hands. “Rory, Stormy, you two fetch a good size squash from the field and I’ll whip us up a pie!”

  Rory and Stormy hurried to the door. “Kairos, would you care to come with us?”

  Kairos breathed deeply and pulled his gaze off Erika. “I would,” he answered. Before he stepped out the door and returned his cap to his head, he turned to Erika, smiled, and winked. Erika sighed a relief.

  Erika spent the morning with Amy, stoking the fire in the outside adobe oven, gathering wood, and patting dough into rounds for roasting. Amy balked at the princess getting her hands dirty, but Erika insisted.

  “This is probably the most fun I’ve had since sparring with my brother. A little grime on my hands, in this case, flour has never prevented me from doing what is necessary!”

  “You are an amazing young lady,” Amy said. “That you fight in the army wi’ your brother has Fairmistle’s admiration and the children!” she shook her head with a broad smile across her rosy face. “Young lassies want to be just like yourself. They pick up their sticks, agin the lads now and call themselves the Princess Fair Erika.” She chuckled. “One or two o’ them lassies have given a good whack here an’ there and set the boys to cryin’.”

  “Oh, I hope it was nothing serious! I should talk to them.”

  “They’d enjoy a talkin’ to by the princess, but I wouldn’t fret your pretty curls over it. Here in Fairmistle we’re all family, and the lad’s tears were dried up in no time with a kiss on the cheek.”

  Erika smiled. “By their mothers?”

  “Oh, threads of linen, no! Their mums never found out. Tis the girls would throw aside their wooden swords and kiss the boys friendly on the cheeks. One thing about Fairmistle, there’s no softy here that can’t figure out their own problems, even with the young’uns. Mothers rarely need to give that kind of pity, not saying they wouldn’t, but we’re a sturdy folk here. We’ve seen our share of misery and know how to heal.”

  “I suppose having to forage for yourself without the help of a city like Prasa Potama nearby, is difficult,” Erika said.

  Amy’s face sobered as she pushed the dough onto a flat rock with her palm. “I don’t know about Prasa Potama, Fairest. Fairmistle folk solve their own problems and rarely have we asked the king for aid. We’ve had drought, and we’ve seen famine and sometimes when the weather fought agin us, the river pours over its banks and washes away our houses. The Old Ream has taken a soul or two as well come spring. Only lately with the skura attack do we feel we’ve no defense. Just don’t have the weapons we need,” she added under her breath.

 

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