Chapter Twelve A Royal Visit

Alannah bustled about in the kitchen, murmuring under her breath as she gathered up herbs and other ingredients. "Let's see… I need some thyme, tarragon, mock turtle tears-have those already-, gryphon feathers!" She slapped her hand to her forehead and moaned in exasperation. "Where am I going to find those?!"

Stayne stood in the doorway, smiling as he watched her run about. "Is something troubling you, love?" He ducked as Alannah threw a piece of bread at him.

"No, Ilosivic. Everything is fine. I'm just wondering how in Underland I'm going to be able to make this healing potion without a Gryphon's feather, since as far as I know, the only Gryphon around died years ago!" She replied sarcastically. Stayne sighed, and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Calm down. I'm sure that you will be able to figure out something. You're rather clever, you know."

Alannah huffed in exasperation. "Thank you, darling', but since a Gryphon's feather is the vital ingredient, I'm afraid I'm a bit sunk. You don't happen to know where I could get one, do you?"

Stayne shook his head, slightly amused. "I'm afraid not." She glared at him.

"I thought not. Oh, what am I going to do! I should have thrown out that recipe years ago, but it works so well! Stupid toves, injuring themselves with their corkscrews!"

Stayne sighed, looking out the window onto the garden. Huddled in the wabe was a small tove. The tove was curled up, breathing slowly. Even from where Stayne stood it was clear that the creature was injured. Alannah had gone out that morning to weed and spotted the animal. She had tended to his wound as best she could, then come bursting back into the house, and now she stood in the middle of the kitchen quietly cursing under her breath in Outlandish.

Stayne continued to stare out the window, and his eye widened as he noticed a dust plume rising along the road. He watched in interest, and his eye widened as the dust plume resolved itself into a riding party, that then turned so that they were riding towards the house. Stayne gulped, and then spoke firmly.

"Alannah." She ignored him, continuing to curse. "Alannah!"

She glared at him in exasperation. "What?"

Stayne pointed out the window. "It looks like we may be getting some company."

"What?" she looked out the window, and her face paled. "Oh…What if it's him? What if it's Lord Maxwell?" She trembled and backed away from the window. Stayne gazed sadly at her, and then turned his attention back to the window. His eye widened and his jaw dropped as the party came to a halt in the yard. "It's not Lord Maxwell."

Alannah looked up. "Who then?"

Stayne looked at her, surprise on his face. "It's the White Queen."

Alannah's jaw dropped, and she hurried to the window. Sure enough, the White Queen was alighting from her horse. She looked around, and then glided to the front door, gently knocking.

Alannah gulped, and then walked to the door, opening it and bowing deeply to the Queen.

"Majesty, I am flattered by your presence. To what do I owe this august visit?"

Mirana gazed at her, and then spoke. "Lady Alannah, rumors have reached me that you are harboring Ilosivic Stayne. I have come here to see if there is any truth at all to said rumors."

Alannah smiled sadly. "There is no need for you to investigate any further. The rumors are true. I am harboring him. You may deal with that how you wish, Majesty."

Mirana looked at her, amazed. She had expected Alannah to deny the rumor, to insist that she had never even met Stayne. But she had not expected this.

"Why are you harboring him, Lady Alannah? He is a dangerous criminal."

Alannah smiled softly. "Because I love him, and he loves me. I know that you will be shocked by this, but it is the truth."

Mirana goggled at her, taken by surprise for the first time in her life. "You love him?"

Alannah nodded, and then stood aside. "Majesty, perhaps you had better come inside. Then both Ilosivic and I can tell our stories."

Mirana gaped at her once more, and then glided into the house, glaring balefully at Stayne, who was sitting on the couch. He immediately jumped to his feet and bowed deeply to her. "Majesty, I am honored to see you."

Mirana smiled ruefully at him. "I wish I could say the same, Stayne. However, since Lady Alannah is a dear friend, I shall set aside any differences. And I must admit, I am very curious to hear your stories."

Alannah crossed over to the couch, sinking down into it. Stayne sat down, and immediately pulled her into his arms. Mirana smiled softly at the pair. 'They do seem quite comfortable with each other'.

Mirana glided over to a nearby chair and sat down, gazing seriously at them. Suddenly, she smiled. "Now, Lady Alannah, you promised me a story."

Alannah grinned. "That I did. But I think perhaps you need to hear Ilosivic's tale first."

Mirana looked at Stayne, a slightly amused expression on her face. "Very well."

Stayne sighed, and then looked at her, speaking in a serious tone. "I was forced to work for your sister. She threatened me with death unless I agreed to serve her. I never once felt any loyalty towards her. I know that does not atone for all the terrible crimes I committed while she was Ruler, but I am sincere when I say that I regret every single one of them. You said when you banished me that you did not owe me a kindness, and you were right. But perhaps you can show me mercy?"

Mirana looked at him, amazed and torn. She had banished him because he had been her sister's lackey, her right hand man-and so far as Mirana knew, had been completely loyal to Iracebeth. She had feared that if she did not exile him, he would try to steal the crown back for Iracebeth. Then her gaze fell on Alannah, who was curled up like a cat in his arms. He was gently stroking her arms as he talked, and Mirana smiled softly.

"I see that your Loyalty lays elsewhere, Stayne."

Stayne smiled softly at Alannah. "Yes. I'm hers. Completely, totally, hers."

"And I'm his, Majesty", Alannah said quietly.

Mirana leaned back in the chair. "I must say, this was the last thing I expected when I came here. But then again, one never knows what to expect in Underland. Lady Alannah, you deserve to be punished for harboring a known exile." She held up a hand as Alannah's eyes widened in shock. "Let me finish. Stayne, I must be frank when I say I never saw you as anything more than an opportunist, willing to trade your Loyalty to the person with power. However, after seeing the way you two are behaving, I shall not mete out any punishment to you. Instead, I will make a Request. Come to Marmoreal in one week's time, and I will lift your banishment. Now, I should make it clear that it is not a Pardon. I still do not trust you completely. Are those terms agreeable?"

Stayne nodded. "Completely, Your Majesty. We shall come to Marmoreal in one week."

Mirana smiled at them, and then stood. "Then I shall take my leave of you."

She turned and glided out the door. As soon as she left, Stayne sighed in relief. "That went better than I expected."

She nodded, and then kissed him, and they soon become lost in each other. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Alannah slid off the couch and walked to the door. "Majesty! I did not expect you back so quickly!"

Mirana smiled. "I noticed that you had an injured tove in your garden. Could you use this?" She extended her hand, and Alannah gaped in shock at the Gryphon feather that dangled from her fingers. She nodded dumbly, and Mirana pressed the feather into her hand. "Then you may have it. Use it wisely."

Alannah grinned. "Yes, Majesty." Mirana smiled at her, then mounted her horse and rode off.

Alannah turned around, ran back to the kitchen and began to concoct the healing potion.