One day later...
It was a most wonderful day to give a celebration—especially one in honor of the Princess Aurora. Everyone was speaking and thinking upon the news that had just been proclaimed that very morning while the mist still reigned above the cobblestone streets and recently mowed pastures. The princess had conceived and would give birth to her firstborn in the new year. Thus, citizens of Avalon, King Stephen's realm, and Beulah, the nearby land under King Hubert, filled the roads to Stephen's castle to bring their best presents and well-wishes to the Royal family of Avalon.
The entire courtyard and throne room was filled to overflowing with dukes, lords, knights, young maidens, ladies-in-waiting, foot soldiers, pages, squires, minstrels, jugglers & acrobats, artists, smiths, woodworkers and foresters. Their Royal Highnesses, King Stephen, Queen Leah, King Hubert, Prince Philip and his expecting bride, Princess Aurora greeted every well-wisher and friend, great and lowly, with warmness and affection. At an appropriate time, a dance was announced for peasant and nobles alike. And soon, the merry sound of slippers and gentlemen's shoes mixed with the sounds of flutes, timbres cymbals, bells, whistles, pan pipes and violins as each pair spun and stepped to the music.
While King Stephen led his daughter in a traditional father-daughter dance, Queen Leah just stood before her throne letting her soul and heart take in the abundance of warmth and joy. She too was very happy that her only daughter was to be a mother herself. And yet, the careful word only brought from the depths of her memories a very heart-breaking moment that, even today, drove away all happiness and hope. With a troubled look, Her Majesty sat down once again upon her throne. Prince Philip saw this and came up to her. "What is it, Mother," he asked tenderly, "Why do you look so sad?" Leah just lowered her head of blonde-tresses to take control and take back her captive joy. Finally she looked up as she fought back tears. "Oh," she sniffed, "I'm...quite fine. I just had a...thought that disturbed me terribly." Philip smiled warmly and cover her strong, white hand in his firm yet tender tan ones. "Don't be afraid Mother: I'll always be here to protect you...and Aurora. I love you both very much." Leah looked up at him with motherly affection for this "adopted" son of hers and kissed him on the cheek. He gently squeezed her hand again before moving off to speak with a group of knights.
The Queen resolved to keep her countenance by gazing about the room. The audience of well-attired people was a great comfort to her and she smiled warmly to all who caught her gaze.
But then, she did a double take and looked back towards the left wall. Yes, she was not mistaken. There, standing forth from the line of those observing the dancers, was a very young girl staring straight ahead. Leah could see the maiden was likely an inch shorter than her Aurora with wavy, layered blood-red hair, a lovely, soft shape in face and tender, beautiful brown eyes. But what intrigued Her Majesty was that the girl just stood staring back at her! Leah smiled gently and nodded with parted lips at the very fair maiden but the girl only continued to stare back. Her expression was one of both curiosity and searching expectation; it seemed as if she was seeing something overwhelmingly breathtaking. The girl put her hands in her frock and removed a head-sized mirror. As the queen continued to stare, the girl looked into it, then up at Leah again and then held up the looking-glass to her eye-level. Her eyes continued to dart back and forth from the glass to Her Highness.
Finally, the girl lowered the mirror as her visage betrayed a very-shocked and somewhat fearful expression. Then, with a slow, mechanical step the young lady began to venture forth and walk in a straight line among the dancers towards the throne. Seeing this, Queen Leah arose and took a few steps towards the approaching visitor. Finally, the girl stopped just before the steps that led to the raised floor. Some of the guests took notice as did a few of the King's Guards who stepped forward. But the Queen only had to hear their armor clinking to know their intentions; she raised her right hand without looking and they stopped in their tracks. This attracted more glances and stares from the court visitors who noticed the Queen facing the slender, simple-dressed girl.
Finally, Queen Leah spoke: "Who are you, young one?" The girl's lips trembled slightly as a profound sadness took shape in her soft eyes. She pressed her lips together and removed once more her mirror. She faced Her Majesty, gulped heavily and held up the glass against the right side of her face. "Do...you know me...Your...Majesty?" asked the half-fearful maiden.
Leah didn't answer; she understood the girl's gesture and looked back and forth from her own reflection to the girl's face. Her eyes began to widen as she realized the resemblance: the jaw and chin were just like her own; the hair, though dark red and layered, was very wavy as was hers too; the brows were thin yet shapely like hers and Aurora's; the cheeks were well-formed—just like her own. And the eyes....where had she seen such eyes before? Then it hit her like a thunderclap: Leah's own mother had sweet, merciful earth brown eyes....and the only other person who'd ever possessed them was....! Her Royal Highness was shock-struck; NO...it couldn't be...after more than...15 years! She looked intently into the face of the hesitant young woman before her...and gradually...an image of long ago began to return to her mind. Leah saw instead a small, wailing bundle of pink skin, tiny fragile body, reddish wisps of hair and....chocolate brown eyes! By Heaven's Mercy...it was, or...was it...was she? Leah took a deep, gasping breath, swallowed and then spoke up.
"...Be-Be-Beth-a-ny...is that...your name...dear child?" she stammered as her eyes were opened wide and her face pale. The young girl before her just lowered her eyes slightly as they began to overflow once more. Then, with a small, barely perceptible but then firmer nod, she answered. "Y-y-y—y-yes...yes...I...am...Beth...any!" she gasped sobbingly.
The Queen couldn't take it any more. She let out a joyful, exuberant cry that echoed throughout the entire castle keep as she sprang down and forward to gather her long-lost second offspring into her arms. She literally buried Bethany in her arms and let forth a barrage of crying that made the entire court look on in wonder and surprise. For Her Majesty, there where no words—no thoughts—not even an action that could express her immense joy and overpowering gladness. Her daughter who was once lost and long-believed dead was now ALIVE AND WELL!!!! And OH, how both Mother and Daughter cried and cried and cried. For the entire space of a half of an hour, they held on to each other with Queen Leah kissing her daughters head, ears, eyes and cheeks and murmuring her eternal love for her reunited Bethany.
Finally, Beth looked up with a full wet face into her mother's and said: "You truly are my mother?" "Oh Yes, Bethany," choked her smiling parent, "I'm your mother and Oh, how I've missed you so much!!" With that she clutched Bethany to her shoulder once more as the entire room stood still with awe and few-dry eyes (especially those of two men looking down from a balcony). Finally, Leah Glanced up with excitement and joy shining, no, blazing in her warm blue eyes. "Stephen, Come quickly and see!" Her husband came most eagerly and looked with a tearful face into the welcoming face of his second little girl. "She's Back, Stephen," cried Queen Leah, "Our Daughter Bethany—She's Returned!!!" "Oh, Praise be to the Lord Most High!!!!" shouted the King most unceremoniously as he scooped up Beth and twirled around with her in his arms. Now it was His Majesty's turn to both weep and laugh for joy as his heart to recanted the weight of old sadness. Then, accompanied by His Highness King Hubert, the Princess Aurora came running and enveloped her never-seen-but-learned-of sister. Even Prince Philip ran over to greet the new Princess as well.
Meanwhile, as the joyous reunion continued down below, the two unseen and unknown figures stood watch until the elder whispered something to the younger who nodded slightly but reluctantly. With that, they moved of into the shadows and began to make their way out.
That evening, the sun began to set upon another celebration that was even more uplifted and jubilant than the one first begun. Food and drink were given with liberality yet consumed only with diminished appetites. For in every town square, every castle and every courtyard in the lands of Avalon and Beulah, fires burned like the sun, dancers cheered, observers clapped and whistled and even old men and women played group games with young children. The talk of the evening was the never-published/proclaimed news of the second princess who disappeared mysteriously from her cradle the night after her birth.
And in Stephen's castle, a well-fed and rested Princess Bethany regaled her parents, sister, brother and father-in-law with all that had happened to her to this moment. She was somber and short when she spoke of her harder, younger days as a servant to flesh-eating, blood-splurging cutthroat buccaneers. However, her face and spirit lightened considerably when she spoke of her rescue and adventure with the young soldier-boy "with eyes like Spring sky and a spirit of unquenchable fire". Her mother and sister and ladies of the court were completely seemed very captivated as Bethany described his manners and actions. "I wish I could have met him myself," remarked one young maiden dreamily. Others replied likewise while some asked where he was. At those words, Bethany realized something: she hadn't seen Jim since he and his father led her into the castle. She stood up and looked around somewhat unnerved. "Jim?" she called aloud, "Jim, where are you?"
Author's Note: Gasp She's right; Where is Jim and Leland???? You'll see!