I was astonished. I had no idea how I should react. It really wasn't my fault, and it never was.
"Should I tell the King?" I asked. Surely the king should know who caused the death of his beloved queen.
Epona shook her head. "No, I doubt he would believe you, and besides, Maeve is a dangerous enemy already." I nodded. Epona continued. "She does not realize how strong you really are. Best keep it that way."
"I have to go back." I exclaimed. Epona smiled and kissed my forehead. Then she faded into the air, leaving me by myself.
I ran back to the house. Judging by the sun's position, it was early afternoon. In the kitchen mother was serving mid-day meal to my father and sisters. A place was set for me.
I sat down at the table, and was served a plate of codfish, with a side of chopped carrots and some onions. Slowly I ate my meal. Eleri and Merlyn sat across from me, and my mother and father sat on either side. We ate silently. After I finished eating, I began clearing my place.
"Wait," my mother called to me, as I went out the back door to get water to rinse my dishes. I turned around. She looked at me solemnly.
"You can return." she said. My father and sisters were watching me. I marveled at my mother's ability to know. But I suppose that is the way mothers are supposed to be, all knowing.
I nodded. "I think I will first stay the night." I said. My mother smiled, and Merlyn's face lit up.
"I don't want you to leave!" she cried. She ran up to me and threw her short arms around my waist, and buried her face in my stomach. I stroked her hair soothingly.
"Relax, I won't leave until tomorrow, and I will visit soon." I replied soothingly.
I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging with Eleri and Merlyn. Eleri had hit womanhood, and was now a full-fledged siren. She described to me the underwater kingdom she had seen when she visited my mother's parents with her.
"There is this huge castle, which is surrounded by these big rocks. Right above the castle is a large reef, which hides the kingdom from view." she explained to me.
Merlyn was more than eager to show me her new talent in calling down pelicans. I laughed with her as she called down two of them, and they came right to her. They were beautiful specimens of the species, with dark brown feathers, and big orange yellow beaks.
Soon evening came. We spent the first part of the night around the fire, enjoying each other's company. My mother challenged my father to a game of chess, which they played on a new chessboard with new chess pieces my father had carved from a felled pine. My parents laughed, and joked as they played. Eventually my mother beat my father, though he claimed her let her win.
So contented, warm and filled with love, I fell asleep in my home, surrounded by my family.
The next day, I ventured into town to call a cab wagon to take me back to the palace. I stayed around the center, browsing the stands that were there. I found the jewelry stand that I had always loved, and spent an hour browsing the beautiful, but expensive jewelry.
I was admiring a silver horse charm when I heard a voice from behind me.
"Lovely, is it not?" I turned around. Facing me was the youth I had run into so many months ago. Only he was no longer a youth, as I was no longer a girl. I wasn't sure what to say.
"Yes, its beautiful. I wish I could afford it." I managed to say. He smiled, his green eyes twinkling.
"Hey, aren't you the healer who was used at the palace?" he asked. I turned away. He seemed to sense he said something wrong. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." he said gently. Just then I heard some shouting, "Wagon coming through! Wagon coming through."
"I'm sorry, I have to go." I told the boy, and ran off through the crowd.
"Wait!" I heard him call. But it was too late to turn back. Soon his shouts were lost among the crowd. I approached the stopped wagon.
"Are you heading towards the palace?" I questioned. The driver nodded.
"It will cost you one half silver lim." sighing at the price, I dug into my coin purse, and handed him 4 copper lims. He counted the money, and then satisfied, told me to hop in the wagon. Gathering my small pack, I climbed in next to an elderly couple.
During the long ride to the palace, I spoke with the elderly couple. They came from a fishing village east of my home, and were headed north, past the castle to the mountains beyond.
It took a week to get to the palace, since the wagon had to stop at every village to drop people off and pick them up. At the castle, I bid the couple good bye, and got out. Then I headed towards the castle and over the drawbridge, which was down.
A pair of guards stopped me at the door.
"Who are you?" they asked, eyeing me roughly. One grabbed my arm.
"I am Redynvre; I was the Queen's healer." I managed to stammer.
The guard holding my arm turned and muttered to the other. "This is the one we want." then he turned back to me.
"Follow me." he held onto my arm, and the other one grabbed my other arm. They lead me through the doors, into the great hall.
Lasarina had been passing through. She saw me and ran towards me.
"You came back!" she exclaimed. Then she addressed the guards. "You can let her go, she's not a criminal." the guard just grunted. Lasarina continued. "I told you, let her go! She is a guest of the King!" The guard s continued to ignore her.
We continued walking straight back. Lasarina followed. One of the guards turned and stopped her.
"This lady happened to have killed her queen." he told her curtly. Lasarina looked stunned.
"That's impossible, she was passed out when the Queen died!" She protested. She tried to run towards me.
"Lady Maeve witnessed her entering the Queen's bedchamber and placing something in the queen's water." he paused and looked Lasarina hard in the eye. "If she wasn't guilty, why did she leave after the queen's funeral, without so much as a notice or explanation?"
Then he turned away from Lasarina surprised face. We continued walking towards a door in the back. I twisted around towards Lasarina and mouthed, "You know I'm innocent!" Lasarina just stared at me.
Then we entered the door, and Lasarina was locked behind the white door. We had entered a room that resembled something of a dining hall. Long tables were set up on either side, where men sat in rows.
Maeve stood at the front of the room, her face hard, void of all expression. The guards stopped in front of her and she nodded. Then they let go, turned and left the room.
"So," Maeve began her voice cold and hard. I returned her glare, now that I knew what she was. "You left as soon as you discovered the Queen was dead. Why?" she looked me hard in the eye.
I was unsure of how to answer. "I had heard my mother was ill, and I returned to . . ." I started to choke out, "help me father with taking care of the house and my sisters." Maeve looked me hard in the eye.
"It sounds probable, but that does not mean it is." she announced.
"Where were you the night the Queen died?" she questioned, looking me sternly.
"I was unconscious, in my bedchamber." Since this was not a lie, I was a little more confident in saying it.
"Liar!" Maeve exploded, slapping her hand down on the table. "You filthy, rotten dirty liar. You lying wench, who took advantage of my king, and killed my Queen!"
The men around the room reacted strangely. They did not cower, but rather sat stone faced, as if completely immune to everything. Maeve looked up at me, her face livid.
Just then the doors flew open and King Fionn walked in, all powerful and majestic. He was wearing a purple suit, which displayed his royalty. Even Maeve drew back, and tried to look respectable.
"What is this?" the King demanded to know. Maeve stood up straight, and tried to look innocent, not an easy task for one such as Maeve.
"I was simply trying this girl for the death of the Queen." Maeve answered simply. The king looked at her hard.
"I know for a fact that this girl was indisposed of when the Queen passed away." A strange look passed over his face, then was gone. "She is innocent, with out question." Maeve opened her mouth to speak. The King held up his hand. "No, I will not hear it. This court is dismissed."
The men began to file out of the room. Maeve glared at the king, and then stalked out. The king motioned for me to come closer.
I stepped forward. I was still in my traveling dress, and felt drab next to the king in his rich purple cloth.
"Go, change into clean clothing. Then I ask you to meet me in my chamber."
Nodding, I went to obey him.
Quickly, I headed up the stair. Lasarina fluttered by my side, chattering.
"Oh, I was so afraid that you would be hung for murder. I knew you didn't do it, but no one would listen. I think I know what the King wants you for. I heard him talking to Jasper, the steward last night."
The last two sentences caught my attention. Before that I simply been half listening. I turned to her.
"What did you say?" I demanded to know.
"That I think I know why the king wants to see you." we stopped in front of the room I had stayed in before. Lasarina ushered me in saying "you will see."
Lasarina began going through the beareu and pulled out a fluffy white dress, with a large amount of white lace, and diamonds that looked heavy enough to cause me to fall over.
I refused to wear it. "There is no way I will leave this room wearing this ridiculous dress." I muttered, as she forced me into it, and began pinning up the hem.
"Oh, you look beautiful." she gushed, and she showed me the mirror. I looked like a giant cotton ball going to a ball.
"No, I'm not wearing it." I said for one final time. I began undressing, and looked for something a little simpler in the closet. I pulled out a pale blue morning gown. It had white lacing around the hem and sleeves, but was not extremely fancy. Lasarina helped me into it.
For a final touch, braided my hair with a blue satin ribbon, and stuck a white rose at the end. She brought out my mirror, which she found in my bag. I admired my image, when it clouded over and a vision of Epona appeared. Startled, I looked over my shoulder at Lasarina, who seemed to be frozen in place.
"She cannot see or hear me." Epona explained. "You must say yes. It is you're only chance." Then she faded away, and Lasarina began moving again.
We left the bedchamber, and she guided me towards the king's wing. In this wing, which was situated in the Navan Tower, which was in the east wing, was a 2 libraries, two dens, and a very large study. The king was in one of the dens.
The den was very richly furnished. Displayed over the large brick fireplace, in which a fire was blazing warmly, a large portrait hung. Studying the portrait, I recognized many features of the king. I assumed it must be his father.
"Redynvre." I turned around, to see the king sitting in a large stuffed leather chair. He looked very young in the fireplace. He was about to continue when a knock came on a door.
"Your Majesty?" the voice was muffled through the thick wooden door. Sighing, the King called for her to come in. The door opened, and a young woman with black curly hair, and dark skin entered. I had never seen her before.
She walked towards the king, and placed a steaming golden goblet in front of the king. Emeralds and sapphires that were inset in to goblet gleamed in the firelight. I felt a little wary.
"Your drink sire, from the Lady Maeve." she said very quietly, then as quickly as she came, she left. The king lifted it to his lips, and took a quick sip, then placed on the table grimacing.
"Anyway, as I was saying…" he turned his attention back towards me. I had been contemplating why the king would drink something prepared by Maeve. It could be poison or anything. He continued, diverting my attention back to him.
"The queen has not been long dead, but people of the kingdom are beginning to worry. Despite the fact you area peasant, I have been wondering…" he trailed off. "You are remarkably beautiful, and would have no trouble passing as a noble. Sadly, I knew the Queen's time was over. She had been wonderful when we married, but after Eirwen she became bitter that she could not bear me a son. As you stayed at my castle, and traveled with me, I began to fall in love with you."
I was shocked. A king, in love with me? It was preposterous, and never would I have thought that the king would fall in love with me.
He continued. "Since you left, my love has grown, and I long for you. So, will you be my wife and queen?" he finished, and looked up at me hopefully. I was speechless.
"Well, it would be an honor, I suppose." I began. The king rose from his chair and kissed my hand. Then he paused, and kissed me gently on the lips. I found that I responded willingly, as a love bubbled up from a hidden place, love I never knew I had for the king. I kissed him back eagerly, and ran my hand through his hair, which was brown and curly.
When we broke away, he smiled, and said "I suppose that is a yes." I nodded, and he took my hand, and led me downstairs. Gathering the servants in the Great Hall, he announced our engagement. Everyone clapped and cheered, and Lasarina looked as though she was about to burst out crying with joy. Everyone I noticed, except Maeve.
The next few weeks were filled with preparations and organizing. A bulletin was posted, announced our engagement. I had never felt so happy. The King was a kind man, and would make a loving husband. I even found myself eager to give him an heir.
My family was contacted, and came into town. They were ecstatic. I told them they were welcome to live in the palace, but my mother was reluctant to live so far from the sea. So the King arranged for a new home to be built by our old one, one that would not leak after heavy rains, or let the cold winter air seep in. This they agreed to, and they agreed to stay through until the wedding.
One evening, I was being fitted for my wedding dress when Eirwen joined me in my room. She sat down on my bed, and looked down at her lap shyly. I was a little nervous about becoming her step-mother; I was after all, only a year younger than her. Her long blonde hair hung down over her face, hiding her eyes. I dismissed the maids, who gathered the dress and materials and quickly left.
I sat down next to Eirwen. She looked up at me. I could not quite read the expression on her face. She searched my face with her eyes, before looking down again.
"I know you are not ready for a mother." I began quietly. She looked up at me again. Drawing in a deep breath I continued. "Your mother was a wonderful woman, and I am not going to try to replace her. I hope you will gradually accept me into your family, even if only as someone who married your father." She nodded, and looked up at me again.
"You couldn't save her." she spat out suddenly, with contempt and rage. I was taken aback. "You killed my mother, so you could marry the king." she continued, the deadly rage still in her voice, like a lion trying to break free of a cage. "I will never accept you." she spat out, like the words were poison. Then she got off my bed, and walked out the door.
"Wait, please give me a chance!" I called after her. But it was no use, and I knew it. She would never forgive me.
The wedding was grand and beautiful. The high chancellor presided over the ceremony, and when we took our vows, everyone held their breath in perfect silence. As we kissed, the crowd erupted in cheering and shouting.
The reception was just as marvelous. My dress was beautiful, traditional white, and lined with lace, small emerald jewels sewn around the edge of the collar, which set off my hazel eyes. For the reception, the long train had to be pinned up, so I or anyone else would not stumble over it. Almost everyone was at the reception, dancing, and laughing. Eirwen and Maeve I noticed were missing. I was not surprised by this, remembering Maeve's reluctance to the marriage, and Eirwen's outburst.
Everyone commented on how lovely I looked that night. I had never been called beautiful in my life, excluding when the king proposed to me. I had also thought myself to be very plain and uninteresting. I discovered how wrong I was after my wedding.
The duties of being Queen were very few. This including looking imposing, accompanying the King everywhere, and sharing his bed. This required me to look my best at all times. I became obsessed, worrying about what everyone thought of my appearance. Gradually the walls of my personal bedchamber grew covered in a variety of mirrors. soon I began to forget what other people thought about me, and was simply obsessed with being beautiful.
The King went away for a few weeks, leaving me in charge of the palace. This was a completely new experience to me. I loved every minute of it.
A/N: okay a few things. Thanks for all the reviews.
Elizabeth Bladderwrack: thank you. I don't know what door plumbing is, but anyway, this is a story that is supposed to be similar to medieval Wales/England, but it is invisible. I do sort of a have a place mapped out, but I'm too lazy to really map it out and add names :-P I am very aware of the timing, and how unorganized it is. I will fix that problem after I finish the story, because it will be too confusing for me to change it now. Thank you for your input.
Lunar-Lady: As I said above, this is a make believe place similar to Wales/England, but it is imaginary, so there is no religion of Christianity. I might change that later and add a catholic monk or something. And I said above, the timing is strange. I will fix it when the story is complete. See pronunciation at bottom.
snazy-piranha: I will try to take your advice on the character names. I think I maybe will in the beginning add some more details on her sorcery. As far as Maeve is concerned, she is supposed to be a mysterious and hard to understand character, so you won't know much about her till the end of the story, perhaps through references, maybe an explanation by the horse goddess Epona.