~Stef
~*~*~
Being a princess had its good points and its bad ones. For example, if you wanted to make a prince fall in love with you, all you had to do was 'accidentally' drop a glass slipper. If you had stepchildren you didn't like, you could always dump them in a forest somewhere, or make them work as a servant for you, as long as you didn't mind dying early. But the trouble with Shera was, she didn't want to make a prince fall in love with her. She wasn't married, and she certainly didn't have stepchildren. And she liked to live, thank-you-very-much. Which is why she thought that princessing was mostly more trouble than it was worth.
For example, unless you were lucky enough to be invented by a good author, you were pretty much stuck singing, dancing, making friends with rabbits, deer, and birds, and marrying young to an attractive, and usually pretty dim and overly brave, prince. Not very dim and exceedingly brave, of course, because those one usually died before their wedding. It was the one relief Shera had. So what would happen to a princess who is tone-deaf, a princess who is allergic to animal fur, and a princess who is stunningly beautiful, and can't avoid marriage proposals at the age of sixteen? If this were a normal story, she would have one choice: run away and be rescued from a dragon by a handsome, brave, and unavoidably dim-witted prince.
So, Shera was stuck. She was not running away- that was standard princess behaviour, even if they were usually running away from evil stepmothers. Shera's stepmother wasn't evil in the traditional way. No, she was far worse. She made Shera embroider. She didn't allow Shera to read the books she loved. And, she forced Shera to dance. But that wasn't the worst. Shera had to dance with every single charming prince that ever visited her. And, unfortunately, Shera was pretty. Or, as all of the love-struck princes told her, she had hair as fair as gold, eyes as blue as the sky, and a complexion as fair as…something-or-other. Shera's attention usually drifted after the prince started praising her eyes. It all got too repetitive.
One day, Shera's parents accompanied her only sister, Aliana, to the neighbouring kingdom, so the prince would fall in love with her and marry her. And Shera knew that she would be next. Before her stepmother left, she had given Shera instructions to complete three pieces of embroidery for framing by the time she got back. She would be back in a week, and Shera knew it would take her all of that time, working solidly to get it finished. Personally, the princess was just happy she didn't have to prick her finger this time. It took a lot of prodding to get a drop of blood to even come out, let alone fall on the snow just a fairy godmother was near. And last time, her fairy godmother had been rather drunk, and had misheard her wish. Instead of getting an embroidered gown (as her stepmother had instructed her to wish for), she had received an embroidered town. It had been very hard to explain to the villagers why their houses were suddenly covered in needlework.
Now Shera had effectively wasted an hour in which she was supposed to be working on her embroidery reflecting on the pointlessness of her life. But thinking of her fairy godmother had given her an idea. Checking to make sure no one was looking, Shera opened a nearby window, and leant out over the snow. Thankfully, it hadn't disappeared yet, despite the approach of spring. She jabbed her needle into her finger, ignoring the pain. Nothing. No blood came out. Rolling her eyes, and biting her lip, Shera jabbed the needle into her thumb again. Still no blood came out, but it hurt. Swearing (quietly, she didn't need any of the servants to overhear and tell her stepmother), she jabbed her needle into the palm of her hand. Success! She finally had blood. Carefully, Shera let a drop of blood fall onto the snow. Then, she sucked her palm to stop the bleeding, and waited for her fairy godmother.
There was a tinkling sound, and then, "Did you want something, dear?"
Shera looked up suspiciously. "Are you drunk again?"
"Of course not, dear!"
"Really?"
"Certainly not! I haven't touched alcohol since, well, last night." The fairy smiled too sweetly. Then, she added, "Dear."
Shera grinned. It seemed that an unusual princess got an unusual fairy godmother.
"Ok, then. I wish for all of this embroidery to be finished and completed now, and perfectly."
Her godmother smiled. "No gowns or towns this time, dear?" she teased.
"No, just the pile over there. And don't tell my stepmother, please."
"Of course not, dear. There you go!" And then the fairy disappeared in a flash of theatrical smoke, complete with the tinkling sound; it seemed that she had been practising. Shera smiled wryly, and then ran up to her rooms, carrying the pile of completed embroidery. She hid it all, except for one piece, under one of the loose floorboards. That was one of the advantages of being a traditional princess; there were plenty of loose floorboards. Her stepmother thought she used them to keep tokens from her admirers in. Shera actually used them to hide things that she didn't want the servants to find. Or her stepmother, for that matter. But now, she was free for a week. It was time to put her plan into action. It was a plan to rid herself of stupid princes, embroidery, dancing, and general princessing, forever. She knew what she would do.
The Enchanted Forest was usually a way out for
normal princes annoyed with their stepmothers. Volunteering for dragons had
already been done. But had any princess ever taken to being a travelling
saleswoman? No, was the answer. No way. So that's what she would do. But first,
she had to prick her hand a few more times. She needed a wagon full of goods,
clothes that would suit a travelling saleswoman, and she needed to have a place
to start. With higher spirits, Shera took out her needlework again. She would
leave the work as a good-bye present to her stepmother. And she needed the
needle.
The fairy god-mother would only grant one wish a day, and only when she was in
a good mood and not drunk. Shera didn't quite dare to ask for anything when her
godmother had been drinking… not if anything would happen similar to the last
time. So, Shera called on her grandmother twice a day, waiting impatiently for
a time when her godmother would grant her a wish. Being a princess was such a
pain!
Meanwhile, she made plans for her life to come. Her life as a travelling
saleswoman! A girl travelling alone would attract a lot of unwanted attention,
and Shera was, unfortunately, quite beautiful. She just couldn't avoid it. It
was another of the disadvantages of being a princess. Common girls from all
over the kingdom prayed for the kind of beauty Shera had, but they didn't know
what they were asking for. Suitors who were dim-witted, or worse, suitors who
had… bad intentions. Being a properly brought up (if rebellious) princess,
Shera didn't know what those intentions might be, but neither did she want to
find out.
So Shera made plans. She decided to cover up her hair ("..as fair as golden
wheat swaying gently in the breeze…" It was enough to make her nauseous!) under
a scarf, to get rid of some of the attention. She could find a dress somewhere
that would be suitable for walking in, and she would need a cart. Shera had
already decided to sell her rings (she was always getting gold rings with
precious stones from the many princes who came calling) in the village for
wares to sell, and all she needed from the fairy godmother was a cart (carts
were very hard to come by… most of the commoners made them by hand, and didn't
sell them), and, of course, magical transportation. When she started, Shera
wanted to be as far away from her kingdom as possible.
At last, on a rainy Wednesday afternoon her fairy godmother came. She didn't
seem drunk, and she was smiling. "How may I help you today, dear? You didn't
summon me just to chat, did you?"
"No, actually, not today! I was wondering if you could do me a favour?"
"Of course, anything for my favourite goddaughter!"
"Great! And you won't tell my father and stepmother?"
"Of course not, dear! A young girl like you needs to have some secrets!" The
fairy-godmother winked. Shera suppressed a shudder. Still, a godmother being
condescending was better than having one drunk, and she did need that cart.
"Thankyou so much! I was hoping… you know those darling little carts that the
peasants all have… that they can tow around with them? I've really, really
wanted one for such a long time! You could get one for me, couldn't you?" Shera
made her voice honey-sweet. It was a handy talent that all princesses seemed to
be born with. It was just a pity that most weren't born with brains.
"Why, of course, dear!" Her fairy godmother dramatically waved her wand, and,
with a cloud of smoke and a tinkle (she really had been practising!) a cart
appeared. It was everything that Shera had hoped for. It wasn't too large; it
had trays and things for display, a closed top in case of rain, and a few
secret compartments underneath to keep her own money and personal items. The
fairy godmother showed her all this with pride. Shera thanked her fairy
godmother, kissed her on both cheeks, and the fairy godmother disappeared with
a tinkle, a poof, and a flash of light. As soon as Shera was certain that the
fairy had gone, she burst out laughing. Then, she put on a cloak, and climbed
out the window into the rain and to the village. If she was to be a travelling
saleswoman, she had better get used to bad weather.
She went to the cottage of one of her friends- Jane. It seemed that princesses
had really fancy names, but common folk just had plain names. Jane was busy
working, she had to patch her three brothers only sets of spare work-clothes.
Her brothers were out working in the fields… they couldn't afford to let rain
deter them.
"I need to talk to you. Can I sit, please?"
"Of course, your majesty. How may I be of service?" Shera didn't wonder at the
formality; Jane always spoke formally in front of her mother, and her mother
was in the room.
"I wanted to talk to somebody of my own age. There aren't any guests at the
palace now, and the maids are too busy. I was hoping you would be free."
"But of course, your highness!" After Jane had finished speaking, her mother
curtsied to Shera, and left the room. She had finished mending her husband's
only pair of trousers, and went to the only other room- the
kitchen/living-area/dining room all in one.
"Sorry 'bout that, Shera. Mum'll go spare if she hears me talkin' normally to
you, she don't think it's right. She's ever so proud that you come visitin' and
she insists that I speak poshly whenever you're here."
"I understand that all right!" Shera said, remembering all the times she
had to pretend to be impressed with the princes who came calling. "Actually, I
came to apologise, and to ask for a favour. Oh, here, let me help you while I
talk, it might be a while, and I've certainly had enough practice sewing!"
Shera indicated the pile of clothes waiting to be patched, and Jane accepted
her help readily.
"Thanks ever so much! So what is it?"
"Well, you know how much I hate being a princess, and I've had an idea.
Normally, princesses run away, and then get rescued by some boring, stupid
prince, and have to marry him because of traditional. I have to get out of the
castle, but I can't possibly run away and risk getting saved by a prince who
spouts bad poetry. So I had an idea, but I'll need your help."
"Ask away, princess! I'll do what I can."
"I'm going to become a travelling saleswoman." Shera stopped there for impact.
Jane just shrugged.
"Good idea. So how can I help?" Shera smiled. Trust Jane to be so… Janish about
it!
"I've got a cart, and I'm going to get stuff to sell, but I'm going to need
some suitable clothes. I can hardly walk around selling stuff in this!" Jane
giggled. Shera was wearing an embroidered golden gown with a tight bodice, and
a long, flowing skirt. It was very attractive, but that was it's only redeeming
quality.
"I know you make all your own clothes, and the shop-owner doesn't sell dresses,
only material to make them. So I thought, if you could swap two of my dresses
with two of yours- no, don't laugh!" Jane laughing almost hysterically. Shera
knew why… how could Jane weed the garden in what Shera was wearing now? The
very idea was laughable.
"No, not to work in! My father and step-mother are marrying off my sister to
the prince in the next kingdom. We will, of course, have a ball here to
celebrate, and every maiden in the kingdom is invited, thanks to tradition. If
you wear a dress like this, you could go to the ball. It's not a girl's
personality the men look for at places like these, it's their looks. You're
pretty as it is, and with this dress, you'll be stunning. I know you could
catch any man's attention on the night, and I'm pretty sure there'll be at
least one or two rich merchants who are not only intelligent, but nice. The
ball should be held in about a week. What do you think?"
Jane looked at Shera thoughtfully. "You're always complaining the men at these
balls are boring and stupid. Why would I want to marry one?"
"It's not all the men that are boring and stupid… just the knights and
princesses. As a princess, my parents won't let me talk to the rich merchants
or their sons, but I have a feeling that they'll be clever. They'd have to, to
be able to get so much money out of just selling things. And some of them'll
have to be nice."
"I guess. But I'll do it for you. I can always sell the dress if there's no-one
there I like."
"Thankyou so much!"
"There is a condition, though." Jane said with a grave face.
"Yes?" Shera asked. She could, of course, order Jane to do what she wanted, but
that was what she was trying to escape. Besides, you didn't order your friends
around.
"You have to write letters to me." Jane was one of the few common folk who
could read and write.
"Of course! You didn't think I'd just forget about you, did you?"
"Nope!" she grinned cheekily. "But, your highness, I have to make sure."
"Don't worry. Oh, and if your mother asks, I was just asking for your advice on
how to refuse a marriage proposal from a prince without upsetting him. Is that
okay?"
"She'll be delighted with it."
"Right then. Shall I come over tomorrow with the dresses?"
"Sure."
"Okay! These trousers are done." As she said it, she snipped off the thread.
"See you tomorrow!"
"Bye."
Shera went into the kitchen, thanked Jane's mother (who curtsied deeply), and
then went back to the palace. She climbed back up to her room, taking care not
to rip her dress. It wouldn't be good if the maids told her stepmother that her
best dress was ripped- it would be universally known that Shera snuck out of
the castle occasionally.
She went to her wardrobe and looked over the many gowns in there. Jane was
about her size, so all she had to do was find a dress to suit her. She had
chestnut curls and bright green eyes, and with the right dress her prettiness
would flourish into beauty. So… maybe a green dress to bring out her eyes… with
gold threads. Shera searched, and sure enough there was a dress that would do
nicely. And then jewellery… gold, definitely. Did Jane have pierced ears? Shera
doubted it, because common folk didn't usually bother about that sort of thing.
So just a necklace, then. Something delicate, with a green stone? Yes, an
emerald would do nicely. And for Jane's hair… if it was washed well and brushed
straight down, if would look perfect just left loose. As for shoes… definitely
golden slippers.
So that was settled. She would bring the dress and accessories over tomorrow.
Today, she would find a scarf suitable to cover her hair with, shoes suitable
to wear for walking, and what she would sell on her cart. Combs and ribbons
were the usual, but she wouldn't get much money selling just those, since every
travelling salesman sold them. So… kitchen utensils would be good… and how
about embroidery? Yes, she could sell embroidery threads and material, assuring
the common folk that it had all come from a princess. That would do well!
Cloth, naturally, to make into clothes, and then needles, kitchen accessories,
and other household objects that broke easily. So that was settled!
What would Shera herself need? She had four rings that she was willing to sell,
and two of them would need to be sold tomorrow, when she bought things to sell
on her cart. Two she could bring with her, in case of emergencies. Then, she
would need a nice dress to wear, with the accessories, just in case. Shera
really doubted that she would need it, but everyone, especially princesses, had
to be prepared. So that was that. Shera searched through her wardrobe, and
found a dress and accessories that would show off her beauty admirably. Then,
feeling pleased with herself, she put it in one of the larger secret
compartments of her cart.
A maid called Shera down for dinner, and she answered the call and went down to
the dining hall. The dining table was long, and it was lonely eating at it all
alone. She would have much preferred to eat with the servants in the kitchen,
but Shera knew that at least three, maybe even more of the servants told the
Queen of everything she did, and Shera knew instinctively that her step-mother
would disapprove. Not that it mattered, because she was escaping anyway, but
she had to keep up appearances.
Shera ate her lonely dinner, and then made her way up to the library where she
read away the rest of the evening. Tomorrow she would take the dress to Jane,
sell two of her rings, and buy things that she could later sell. Then she would
call on her fairy godmother again, and be on her way. She would start in the
morning. With luck, she could be away from this castle by tomorrow afternoon.
Away for good. It could, hopefully, be years before the Queen realised that
Shera wasn't running away to be a maid in a neighbouring kingdom to marry a
prince, but doing something very different. And very un-princess-like. All in
all, her future was looking up. As long as the King and Queen didn't come back
early.
The next day dawned drizzly and grey. Shera was up at six. That was the problem with nightingales that sang. Yes, they sang beautifully, but couldn't they wait until a respectable hour to go warbling in some poor princess's ear? But she needed to get up early, anyway. She grabbed the dress she had set out for Jane, and another that ought to hold up to at least a week of work.
Then, it was down the window and to Jane's cottage. It was time to get creative. Contrary to popular belief, lying came naturally to princesses. So, when Jane's mother appeared at the door, Shera had a story ready.
"Lady, I have a favour to ask and bestow," Shera began, "It is with a world of regret that I ask this, but fate bids me no other choice." Her princess lessons were paying off.
"Please come in, princess." Jane's mother was curtsying so deeply that Shera was afraid that she'd fall over. She did as she was invited, and was soon sat on one of the wooden chairs.
"I have need to escape from the palace, and the dreadful fate that awaits me there," Shera said, eyeing Jane who looked close on laughter, "and needs must I run away to seek my fortune." Jane's mother was drinking it all in, a mixture of pride and awe on her face. "My stepmother wishes to marry me off, and I fear I must flee until I find my one true love." Shera said dramatically. She was quite enjoying this, and Jane was having a hard time in not laughing. "I have a great favour to ask of you, lady."
"Oh, I'm no lady, your highness, but I'll do as I can," Jane's mother said with respect and curiosity.
"I must escape the palace, and hide from any pursuit. My clothes are too hard to run in, I will need others if I am to escape for long. I was hoping that you would permit me a fair exchange, two of my gowns for two of your daughter's." Before Jane's mother could agree too hastily, Shera continued quickly, "I know of the dreadful inconvenience it must be, so I have tried to make amends. I have brought a gown and accessories which should bring out your daughter's looks, and I know her presence in the upcoming ball will light up the room. Please help me, mistress!"
There, she had completely won over the woman. Shera knew that she would be delighted to have Jane go to a ball, and possibly find suitors, in addition to the pride of having the princess come to her door to ask for assistance.
"Of course, your highness. Jane's dresses aren't fancy, but they ought to fit you!"
The rest of the meeting went on in the same strain. Jane snorted down giggles, her mother beamed with pride, and Shera enchanted her with her words. Even Jane was speechless, however, when she had the dress and accessories tried on. But soon, Shera was leaving with Jane's two patched but serviceable dresses in her arms. She got back to the palace, ate her breakfast, and then slipped out again to buy goods for her wagon.
It took most of the day, but at last Jane had everything that she needed ready. Shera had one last thing to do. She found a stable-boy, and told him that if he produced a distraction for her, she would give him a necklace for his girlfriend. The necklace she showed him was gold, with a sapphire pendant, and he immediately agreed to help. So Shera could sneak into the kitchen and steal food, while Bernard (yes, that was his name) distracted the cooks and maids.
Finally, it was time. It was time to go! She felt slightly nervous, and butterflies were dancing in her stomach, but she was ready. She took out her embroidery, and laid it on the bed. Quickly, Shera wrote a note on a piece of parchment.
"Dearest Father, Stepmother, and Sister,
I find it necessary to pursue my fate as a princess. I will run away, and hope that my prince will rescue me and marry me. I love you all! Yours affectionately,
Shera
With luck, her step-mother should lap it up. And even if she didn't, who would look at a travelling saleswoman? So Shera took her cart to the window, and once again jabbed her palm with the needle. There was a tinkling sound, and then a flash of light and a puff of smoke.
"Again, dear? How pleasant! How may I help you?"
"I want an adventure! Please could you do me a favour?"
"Of course! What do you want, dear?"
"If you won't tell my parents…"
"I wouldn't dream of it, dear! What are you thinking of?"
"I want transportation. Could you take me, and my cart, to someone who really wants to buy one of my items? Is that too hard for you?"
"Of course not!" The fairy's tone brooked no argument. "I can do anything for you, dear. Let's see… hmm… yes, this spell should work. Hold onto your cart, dear." Shera did as bid, and her fairy godmother uttered a spell, "thick dark forests and deserts bare, take this girl to some place that where, in one's life an item is needed, to ensure their wishes are heeded!"
Shera thought it was a bit amateur, but it worked for an on-the-spot improvisation. But she didn't have long, because suddenly, she found herself in a garden. It was a garden of a neat grey house with a wide porch and a red roof. In the garden, there was a woman of thirty or so with ginger hair kneeling in a flower-bed. She was wearing black robes and glasses (with square lenses), and was glaring at a broken trowel with poison in her look.
"That's the third one this week!" She suddenly looked up, and fixed her gaze on Shera.
"Can I do something for you?" she asked, quite blandly for someone who had just seen a girl and cart land in the middle of her path. Shera had the sense to be thankful she hadn't landed in a flowerbed.
"Uh… yes. I was wondering if you would like to… purchase a trowel?"
The woman looked at her. "Not a princess, are you?"
"Yes, but don't be put off!" Shera's sentence spilled out before she had quite thought it out. "I mean, I'm different to the normal princesses, although I don't look it."
"Yes, I can see that from your speech." The woman eyed her shrewdly. "Very well. Come on inside. You can leave your cart there, nothing will happen to it." Shera thought it best to follow the woman's instructions, so did as she was told. A cat came and settled on top of her cart, and Shera smiled. She wasn't allergic to cats… it was deer, rabbits, and birds that made her sneeze.
Shera went up some steps, and through a door with gold writing on top… she didn't catch what it said. Once she was inside, the woman closed the door behind her and gestured for Shera to sit on a couch.
"My name's Morwen."
"I've heard of you! But I never thought I'd meet you!"
"Well, you just have." Morwen herself took a seat. "It might be prudent if I gave you advice. Most princesses I don't bother with, and at first glance you look like most princesses. But… do you mind if I try something?"
"That would depend on the nature of the 'something.'" Shera said promptly.
Morwen smiled. "Very good! So you have more common sense than many of the princesses I've met. But I did want to try something. It's a spell, that will help me to determine more about you, your nature, and how I can help you."
Shera nodded her head thoughtfully. She had heard of Morwen, all good reports. But it depended on the nature of the spell. "What will this spell involve on my part?"
"Nothing but your hand."
"In no way removed from my body?"
Morwen smiled appreciatively. "Attached to your wrist, and so to your arm and then to the rest of you."
"Are there any side-affects that I ought to be aware of?"
"None that are foreseeable," Morwen told her.
Shera worded her acceptance carefully, "Then I give permission for you to execute the spell you have in mind, on the conditions that it fulfils the specifications you have just told me,"
"You'll do well in the Enchanted Forest, even if you're not the one… but never mind. May I have your hand, please?"
Shera gave Morwen her hand, and Morwen looked at it for a minute.
"Hmm," she said after a few minutes of looking at it. Then, "Miss Eliza, Scorn, Murgatroyd, and Jasmine! Here, if you please!" Shera looked surprised, but said nothing. Then four cats came in, and surrounded Morwen. "Thankyou. That helps a great deal. You may go now." The cats streamed off, and Morwen released Shera's hands.
"I was right… you play a part in the… trouble that's coming up. That's pretty much all I can say, until my husband gets home. Would you care to stay the night here?"
Shera was surprised and confused, but knew that questioning Morwen would prove fruitless. So she accepted Morwen's invitation gratefully. Morwen asked her if she was still selling trowels.
She ended up buying a trowel off of Shera, and then they spent a while talking about gardening, where they found a mutual passion. Afterwards, Morwen offered to teach Shera some spells, how to melt wizards, and how to fire-proof herself. Morwen assured Shera that they would come in very useful, and Shera once again accepted Morwen's offer.
Soon, Shera was fire-proof, able to melt wizards, and capable of blending into her back-ground for two minutes at a time, a spell Morwen told her could become very useful if she was confronted by an unreasonable forest beast. Shera took her word for it, Morwen had, after all, been confronted by an over-sized flying floating donkey/rabbit before.
Shera helped Morwen to prepare dinner (it was one of the few things her step-mother had allowed her to learn… cooking was always good in case you had to masquerade as a kitchen maid later on in life). Telemain, with surprisingly good timing, came in just as dinner had finished cooking, and looked very surprised to see that his wife had taken in what looked like a very typical princess. Morwen, however, assured Telemain it was otherwise, and then told him to wash his hands quickly before dinner got cold. Telemain grinned and used the wizard-melting charm, which made Shera grin, and Morwen try, unsuccessfully, to frown. They were soon eating, and Morwen explained Shera's situation.
"And, I read her hand to see if… you know. And Telemain? She's along with all the signs. I think she's… her." Telemain raised his eyebrows.
"The implications are hardly obtuse, yet the fact remains; no princess would be capable… the implications…"
Shera sat there completely baffled. Morwen sighed, and turned to her. "Shera, this might take a while. Why don't I show you to your room, and I'll discuss it with Telemain," seeing Shera's look, she added, "Don't worry, I'll explain everything I can in the morning."
Shera agreed reluctantly, and was led off to bed. She fell asleep immediately; running away was tiresome work. So she didn't hear the conversation going on in the next room.
"Telemain, I'm telling you, she's the one! I know, she isn't supposed to come about for another fifty years, but she fits all the prophecies! And her hands!"
Telemain wouldn't buy it. "Morwen, the probability of it… it's in the one to a million zone. You said yourself, only yesterday morning! We can't just go on the assumption that she's 'the one,' it is far too ambiguous! Think of everything that could go wrong!" Telemain was really passionate about this; he was using vocabulary that could be understood with little translation.
"Yes, but you don't know this girl! She arrived today, in the time and place she was wanted. Okay, true, her fairy godmother did send her. But the unlikeliness of it! It is almost impossible for anyone without extreme power to bypass the power of the Enchanted Forest, and she did it! No fairy godmother is that strong! On top of that, she looks exactly like a typical empty-headed princess, the perfect disguise! True, it isn't like the one we were thinking of, but it's a perfectly feasible idea, and very useful in modern society! Look how worked up I'm getting, I'm beginning to talk like you!" Morwen, for once, seemed flustered.
"Maybe you're right," Telemain told her, "and if you are, it should become obvious very soon. Maybe you can keep her here for a few days, to keep an eye on her. I'll do some testing… don't worry, they will be marginal, and virtually undetectable amongst the aura of magic proceeding around us. Any results, proving or disproving your theory, will be imminent, and if what we accumulate amounts to solid, undeniable proof, we will inform her without delay."
"Fine, fine. Yes, that will have to do. I'll tell her as little as possible… that there's a prophecy involved, one that is likely to evolve around her, but needs to be tested for certain before she can be told of it fully. She will accept that; she has a good head on her shoulders."
"She'll have to," Telemain replied cryptically.
"If she is the one…"
"If she is the one, we have nothing yet everything to fear. Be patient, wait. Fate will find us."
"Hopefully, it won't find us unprepared."