The words echoed in Hannah's ears. She knew that if the girl was not kept safe and if anything happened to her and the child, Hannah and Germaine's lives would be in great danger.
It seemed that the king was even more unhappy than ever. He drank all the more, and rumor had it that his health was rapidly deteriorating. The rumors and whispers at court only fueled his anger. For he knew that no king would give his daughter to a man with a secret child, that everyone knew about, terrible health, and was a drunk
For the first time, Hannah was glad Lina was kept away from the court. For it truly was no place for a little girl to be raised.
Initially Hannah looked down on and disapproved of the girl's presence in Lina's household. But even the most stubborn of folk could not dislike Blair for long. Blair had such a kind and gentle nature that everyone at La Chateau de Fleur quickly fell in love with her.
Blair became Lina's most trusted playmate and companion. Unlike Hannah and Germaine, Blair always had time to spend with Lina. Although Lina did not understand why, the fact remained that the village children had to work in the fields with their parents during the day.
Lina did not understand the difference between her and her friends. Even her closest friends, Lindsay, Faye and Gina realized even at the age of six, that Lina was different. They had been told that she was royal and to be respected. To them she seemed like any other girl with a few exceptions.
Lina did not live with her parents. Everyone knew that Lina's Mere had died and her Pere was busy running the country. Too busy to see Lina. When asked about her dad, Lina became quiet and often changed the subject. The other kids, who often boasted about how amazing their parents were, saw this as very, very odd.
Another difference was that Lina lived in a castle. The other children lived with two parents, many brothers and sisters, and possibly grandparents, in small houses made of wood. Lina lived in a huge stone castle, with Hannah, Germaine, servants and now Blair.
Add all that to the fact that the village kids worked for most of the day, and it was hard to make friends. Sure Lina had other girls to talk to, but they never had much in common. Lina was in no way spoiled, but there was still a huge distance between her and the others.
Almost as soon as Blair arrived, Lina latched on to her. Blair did not have to work; she was actually discouraged from doing much of anything at all.
The one thing Blair could do, was tell stories. Fairy stories in particular. She was a story collector of sorts. Things that she heard, or tales that others told, Blair remembered them all. If she was at a loss for new stories, she could make up her own, and those were the ones that Lina liked best.
There were the scary ones, which made Lina quiver in Granny Beth's lap and the adventure ones that kept her in suspense. Blair told tales of magic; delighted to watch Lina's grey eyes fill with wonder. But Blair's favorites were the funny stories. Blair's chief pleasure in life was to watch Lina smile and hear her childish giggle echo through the large castle.
At night, Blair would sing Lina to sleep with soft Gaelic lullabies. Her mother had sung these songs to Blair and her grandmother and all the way back as far as Blair's family. Sometimes she would sing Lina silly songs she had composed herself, songs about her childhood, and the silly adventures of Blair and her seven brothers.
Blair's voice comforted Lina, made her feel safe and secure. Lina had not been this happy since her own mother had sang her to sleep every night.
One night before falling asleep, Lina asked Blair if she would be her new Mommy.
Blair sighed softly and whispered into Lina's ear. If you want me to, I will. I will always love you, just like your Mommy did. Lina slept, comforted by thee knowledge that Blair would never leave her.
For two months, Blair played with Lina sang to her, told her stories, and even began to teach Lina to read.
"A girl such as yourself should know how to read, Cherie" Blair said one day. "I remember when my mother taught me. I was just your age. My mother told me that if one is to learn to read, six is the perfect age to begin."
So with Blair's instruction, Lina began to learn to recognize letters and words. Her child like scrawl formed sentences. Lina's somber face was so cute, as she struggled to sound out worlds and connect meanings to letters.
But nothing in the world could compare to the joy that Lina felt when she put her pen down after finishing her first letter to her father. A letter that she wrote all on her own.
No one had the heart to tell Lina that her father was likely to be in no condition to read her letter.
Lina kept writing and seemed to be content with the explanation that her father was too busy to write back, but he was proud of his smart girl, and how much she had learned.
Lina's life was as close to perfect as it could get, until one night; Lina awoke to hear desperate screams coming from Blair's room…………..
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A/N: HAHA A CLIFFY! IM EVIL I know it!
Guess you will just have to review if you want to know what happens next!
Carryin da bannah,
Annie