Chapter 2
Mo and Resa had been gone for quite a while. They had gone into Ombra to meet with Queen Violente, The Black Prince, and some visiting dignitaries. The dignitaries were news to Meggie. She hadn't known that any were coming into town, which was odd. She had many friends in high places, and she usually knew what was happening in the Inkworld. They had refused to tell Meggie why they were going without their children. Usually when they went into town they went as a family. Ombra was back to being a cheerful, busy town with many friends. She wanted to see Her boyfriend, Doria, and Brianna, her best friend whom she had not seen for a while. Her Ugliness had made her former maid her new lady-in-waiting.
Amazingly she had completely forgiven her for betraying her with Cosmo. When Meggie had asked Brianna about it she said Violente had told her that the Cosmo Brianna was with was not the real Comso, but a fake. She had her memories of her real husband and that is what mattered. Meggie also had asked Brianna who was going to become Violente's king. Brianna had winked and said that perhaps the new king is already a prince. Meggie had gasped. "The Black Prince?" She had asked, swiftly thinking if it was possible. True, he spent a lot of time in the castle with her since he was the Motley Folks representitive. But him and Violente? Was it possible? She had pressed Brianna for details, but she had refused as to not betray Her Ugliness again. She had been very loyal to Violente ever since she had forgiven her.
She had considered simply following her parents, she hated being left out. But Mo had seen it in her eyes. When Resa was busy packing the bags, Mo pulled her aside. "I know I cannot control you," he had said. " but please trust me enough to stay here with your brother. When we get back I promise I will tell you what's happening. "Why can't you just tell me now?" she had asked, her heart pounding. He had sighed and told her "Because I don't even entirely know what's going on, just that it could change our lives." With that he had hugged her and strode to the horses and his wife. He helped Resa up on her gentle white mare then swung up on his own black stallion. Before he left he looked at Meggie, a pleading look in his eye. They could still read each other's minds as well as they could when she was 12. She nodded slightly. Yes, she would stay and take care of her brother. Yes, she would trust him. No, she wouldn't follow him or do something equally stupid. With that she was him relax a little and she smiled at him. He smiled back, but she noticed that his smile didn't completely reach his eyes. She watched them leave, knowing that when they returned her life could be in for a huge change. Again.
So Meggie had been left watching 5 year old Matty all day. While watching him she had been very busy. The young boy never stopped moving. Each time she had gotten him settled into something and started to relax, he got distracted. A few times she had even wondered weather all 5 year olds were this bad or if he was just worse then normal. She hoped for her own sanity as a mother someday he was just worse. She had spent some time thinking about Doria…and Faird. Each time she watched her younger brother she began to think about her future.
"I'm almost 20 years old" she thought " If I was from this world or perhaps a few years older, Matty could be my son, instead of my brother. These days of watching him could be my entire life." She thought of her boyfriend, Doria. Was it normal that almost any time she thought of him she also thought of Faird? Doria was one of Violente's group of elite soldiers and bodyguards. They were called the Bluejays, after her father, although still few knew that her father and the Bluejay were one in the same. "Tomorrow should be his day to visit me." She thought. Should she be happier about that? Instead she was trying to remember the last time Farid had come to visit. Over the past five years he come to visit her very rarely and for small periods of time. She had chosen to stay with Doria and her family instead of traveling the Inkworld with the boy she thought she loved. "NO!" she thought " I love Doria, not Farid." "If that's true then why aren't you married to him?" A voice inside her taunted. Doria and her had talked about it on several occasions. She was practically 20 after all and he was 25, most people in this world had at least two children by now. But she continued to put it off. She came up with excuse after excuse not to get married. For a while it had been about helping her parents with Matty. However he was getting older and Resa was spending more time with him and didn't rely on Meggie as much. In fact this was the first time she had been asked to babysit in a long time. She realized that she was almost dreading Dorias visit as much as she was looking forward to it. The last time he had come they had gotten into a fight about marriage. She knew she couldn't keep putting it off and that she has to give Doria an answer tomorrow when he came. What would she do? What could she possibly say to him? She loved him, oh she did! But was it possible to love two boys at once? She should be over Farid it had over 5 years since he had left her. Doria had been the only one there who could comfort her. Even Mo who in the past could do everything and anything to help her, couldn't do a thing to console his heart broken daughter. She had known how Doria felt about her, but held off getting close to him in the hopes that Farid would come back. After almost a year of Faird being gone, and Doria always being there, she gave in. In the four years since she grew very close to him, but still couldn't help but think of Farid. "I need to just accept that Farid loves fire and Dustfinger more then me. Doria has been the one to stay with me. He's a good man, and I do love him." Maggie struggled with herself internally "Doria and I will have a good life together. He could quit being a soldier and get a new job, maybe farming, or of he wanted to we could join the Motley Folks and travel." Doria still performed at times and Meggie with her medical knowledge would be welcomed even though she didn't have a talent in that sense. She absently looked up at Matty. He was trying to climb a small tree about 10 feet away from the large one she was sitting under. It was starting to get dark. Why weren't Mo and Resa back yet? " Come on Matty," Standing up she called to her brother . " it is getting dark and you must be starving." "I am!" Matty called climbing down the few limbs he had managed to climb "But where's Mo and Resa? I miss them." "They might be at the house already" she told him. "Lets go back to the house and check." She held her hand out for Matty and they started walking. Their small farm house wasn't too far away so they should get there before dark fel compltetly . She let Matty lead the way and her thoughts started to wonder back to Doria and what she was going to do. "Faird is gone. He is out of my life and I should move on. I deserve to move on." She thought to herself defensively "I will marry Doria. I'm happy with him and it will be a good life. I'll be safe. If I can't have Farid, I will have Doria." She stuck her chin out proudly. She would tell him tomorrow. He would be so happy. "It will work out." Meggie thought. "It has to." She could see the house now, and she could see that there was a fire lit. "Resa and Mo are home, Matty!" she told her brother. They turned the corner around to the front of the house and saw three silhouettes sitting around the fire. By now it was to dark to see who it was. "It must be the Black Prince Meggie decided. But then why were they so quiet? And usually Dustfinger came as well. She got closer and saw Mo and Resa on one side of the fire. They were sitting in silence holding hands. Matty saw them and ran over to them. Mo bent down and picked his small son up in a giant bear hug. The third figure rose and started to walk towards her, any features obscured by the shadows of the trees . "That walk." Meggie thought "It seems so familiar" A male voice called out tentatively:
"Meggie?"
She stopped. Her heard pounded. She knew that voice. She had cried over it for months. She had finally given up on its owner not even an hour ago. She was finally coming to terms with what was going to happen. Not now…It couldn't be…. No it cant be…
"Its me, Farid"