A/N: No vacation suggestions? Thanks readers :/
Aubrey: Happy reading :)
Gold: As always, love reading your reviews! Hope you're able to catch up soon!
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan. And still not Australian.
Sean and Kineta were approached by two boys and a girl who gave them flowers. While the three boasted and argued over who was the best for adoption Scout wandered over to the girl who sat alone with a book. She sat next to her and leaned over to read over her shoulder but the girl slammed the book shut. She stared at the cover in her lap without speaking or even acknowledging Scout's presence in any way other than shutting her book.
"What's your name?" Scout asked. Nothing. "I'm Scout." Silence. She read the cover of the book. The Adventurous Tales of Flynn Masque by Lyndon Jacobes. "I had a storybook when I was your age," she tried. "I loved the stories so much. Maybe I could show it to you one day."
The girl gripped the edges of her book possessively. Her breathing quickened. A woman older than Scout but younger than Kineta wearing a caregiver's apron walked over and crossed her arms against the wind.
"Sorry, miss, but she doesn't talk," the caregiver explained. "Her name's Elizabet."
Scout looked from the girl to the caregiver. "Elizabet?" The caregiver nodded. Scout stood and dragged the caregiver away from Elizabet. The moment they were gone Elizabet opened her book again but kept a wary eye on them. "Why doesn't she talk?"
"She saw her parents die, my lady. She's been this way ever since according to the uncle who brought her here last year."
"How'd they pass?"
"Murdered by a petty thief. The house was set aflame but somehow Elizabet survived."
"Why doesn't she speak?"
The caregiver shrugged. "She just doesn't. It's not that she hasn't tried. Mistress Wendy did everything short of a beating trying to get her to say something but nothing came. Even when she tried to scream and cry out nothing came. The trauma stole her voice."
"We're getting ready to move on," Kineta said as she joined them. "The children here are charming but none feel like ours."
"Come meet this one," Scout insisted. In a low voice she quickly explained that the girl couldn't speak as they approached Elizabet. Again, the pretty blonde child slammed her book shut only this time she also glared daggers with coal-black eyes. "Elizabet this is my cousin. She's hoping to adopt someone today."
Elizabet's expression softened but her grip on the book was so tight her knuckles were white.
"Flynn Masque," Kineta read aloud. She smiled sweetly to Elizabet. "I used to love those stories. I was orphaned young too and the woman who watched over us at night would read those stories. Don't you love the one when Flynn outsmarts the men guarding the silver crown and accidently tries to sell it to the disguised Princess Valerie?" Elizabet gave the smallest hint of a smile. Kineta continued. "I always liked Princess Valerie but my favorite of Flynn's companions was Shelby the Huntress. I always thought she was so strong."
Elizabet was smiling now. She brought her knees up and opened the book so Kineta and Scout couldn't see the pages. She flipped through several before coming to a stop. She turned the book to face them and pointed to one of the characters illustrated.
"You like Sir Calvin?" Kineta asked. Elizabet nodded eagerly. She pulled the book back behind her knees and turned through several more pages. This time when she revealed what she was looking at it was the first page of a story entitled Flynn Masque and the Spoiled Cake. Scout smiled at the illustration of a man she assumed was Flynn dressed in traveling clothes carrying an absurdly large wedding cake away from two other figures who were clearly bride and groom. Kineta giggled. "I like that story too. How old are you, Elizabet?"
Elizabet slammed her book shut again and possessively placed it in her lap before holding up seven fingers.
"Seven? So young! I would have sworn you were at least ten!"
Elizabet's smile grew to reveal her teeth. Kineta cupped her chin.
"Such a pretty smile. You should do it more often."
Kineta and Scout rose and returned to where Sean waited. "Make a new friend?" he asked.
"We should come back and say goodbye before we leave," Kineta told him. "That girl was so sweet once she warmed up to us."
Sean turned the doorknob but Scout felt a tug on her skirt. She turned and saw Elizabet standing there. Obviously, Scout wasn't the one she wanted. The girl pulled her out of the way and went for Kineta. She clutched her precious book against her chest with one arm while tugging at Kineta with the other. When Kineta gave her full attention to the girl Elizabet held up a ripped page that obviously came from her book. Kineta studied it a few moments before saying, "Princess Valerie…thank you, Elizabet. I'm afraid I don't know what I could give you in return."
Elizabet shook her head furiously and hugged her book tighter to her chest. She turned and started back for her corner. One of the older girls yanked her hair as she passed by them. Elizabet just hugged her book and went on.
"Sean," Kineta asked in a pleading voice as their eyes met. Scout looked from their private exchange of silent conversation to Elizabet. She smiled as she realized what would happen.
"Elizabet!" Sean called. The girl looked up with a startled expression. "Why don't you come back over her for a few moments?"
Elizabet's eyes went from Sean to Kineta. The queen motioned for her to obey. Slowly the orphan girl rose and crossed back over to them. The other children seemed just as confused as Elizabet as she rejoined the royal family clutching her book tighter than ever. Sean knelt down so he was at her eye level.
"How would you like to come be our daughter?" he asked gently. Elizabet took a step back and rested her chin on the edge of her book. Kineta knelt down as well.
"You'll have your own room and we can get you more books just like that one, perhaps some more of Flynn Masque's adventures. We'd very much like to have you as our daughter, Elizabet. Would you be able to bear us as parents?"
Elizabet took an unsure step forward but still hung away. She looked over her shoulder at the other children for a few brief seconds and then turned back to them.
"It's your choice," Sean told her. "We'd really like to adopt you though. I think you'd be happy in our family."
Scout stepped forward, closing the gap between them. Elizabet looked like she'd flee but Scout knelt and caught the girl's shoulders. She whispered so her cousin's wouldn't hear her as she spoke. "They can't have their own children but they're very nice people who want a daughter so badly they came all the way here to find one. They'll make sure you're never hungry and will love you so much they'd do anything for you. I think you've already got your hopeful mother's love."
Elizabet opened her mouth but closed it after remembering she didn't have a voice. Scout wondered how exactly that worked. Elizabet stepped around Scout and walked over to Kineta. They all watched as she studied the queen. Finally she took Kineta's hand and began leading her down the hall. Sean and Scout followed until they came to a stop in front of the door with the name 'Wendy Redburry, Headmistress of Claymound Orphanage' carved into the nameplate. She pointed to the door and then wrapped an arm around Kineta's leg. She clutched the book like another child may clutch a doll or blanket.
"Does this mean you'll have us?" Kineta asked. Elizabet nodded. Kineta smiled and hugged Elizabet tightly. "Thank you, Elizabet. Thank you so much."
She lifted the girl to her hip as Sean opened the door. "Mistress Wendy, I believe we've found what we came for."
The headmistress looked up from her desk and frowned. "Elizabet? I'm afraid Millie would be better suited."
"That may be but Elizabet is the one we've chosen," Sean replied firmly.
"My lord I really must insist…"
"Mistress Wendy in all honesty we don't need your permission. We could walk out right now with our daughter and be done with it but to keep things civil we'll just pretend you are enthused that we're taking Elizabet."
The headmistresses seemed to remember with whom she was dealing and took a stack of papers. After a few forms were signed Elizabet was told to go collect her things. Elizabet shook her head and just clutched at her book.
"That's right," Wendy said. "All the girl's got is that book."
"Well then we'll make sure she never loses it," Kineta promised. She kissed Elizabet's cheek. The child hadn't left Kinta's lap since she and Sean sat to sign papers. Scout smiled as the family finished up business.
"About the boy from earlier," Sean said once Elizabet officially became theirs, "I will instruct one of my guards to stay as we leave. He'll make himself scarce throughout the day and then take the boy tonight. He'll return once the boy is safe with the money needed to lie to the father."
The headmistress nodded. "Of course."
The family went outside, Elizabet still on Kineta's hip. They went to where their guards waited. Sean went to one of the men. "Cameron…you've got four children, right?"
"Yes, my king," the guard replied seeming more than a little confused by the question.
"All grown, right?"
"Yes…three married and one engaged."
"I trust you know how to care for a baby then?"
"I've four children and seven grandchildren, my king. I know everything about babies."
"Then you'll be able to ferry one in particular to the other side of the kingdom. I don't care where you take him so long as he's safe, understood? Take him somewhere far from here that he'll have a chance at a good life and once he's there return to Roscrea. See me and I'll give you some money to ferry back here."
"I will, Your Grace."
"The headmistress will show you where he is. Go inside now and don't go out again until night."
With instruction given everyone mounted up. Kineta lifted Elizabet onto her horse and patted the girl's knee. "Want to put your book in my pack while we ride so it doesn't get dropped?"
Elizabet hugged her book tightly and shook her head.
"I just don't want it to be ruined by dust. It'll be safe, I promise."
Slowly Kineta coaxed her new daughter into putting the book in one of the saddlebags. Kineta mounted up behind her. Scout watched as Sean urged his horse next to theirs and leaned over. He stroked Elizabet's messy hair. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?" She shook her head. "Good. We'll ride extra fast then so that you can see how that Flynn Masque feels when he's on the run."
Elizabet smiled. Soon they were truly riding at full speed. Scout kept looking over at the child. She seemed like she was laughing only her voice was cut off. She smiled sadly and wondered what trauma had such drastic side effects. Suddenly she missed her own parents. They sent one of the guards ahead to alert Kineta's maid of the child's age. If they stalled the woman would have around four hours to fix up the nursery so that it was a little girl's bedroom instead. The guard was to instruct Kelly to help with the process. Personal maids were accustomed to keeping secrets and there was no way one woman could accomplish the task on her own.
They came to a brief halt at the top of a hill overlooking the beautiful seaside castle. Scout laughed at Elizabet's amazed expression as she marveled at the sight.
"We forgot to mention," Kineta told her, "Sean and I are the king and queen of Hibernia. Scout is Sean's cousin. She's Hibernia's heir to the throne but you, Elizabet, are our daughter. You won't become queen but you'll get to be a princess for the rest of your life, like Princess Valerie."
Elizabet smiled widely and they urged the horses forward. Sean, as usual, had to tend business upon arrival so Kineta and Scout took the girl to the royal dress maker. The woman measured out Elizabet for a new wardrobe before waving her away. Kineta and Scout stayed with Elizabet as she was bathed by maids. Kineta combed the girl's hair herself. She wove it into a four-strand braid and tied a dark ribbon that matched her eyes around her head. The dress maker came back with a sample size garment and quickly tailored it to fit Elizabet. The gown was simple but far finer than the patched tunic and leggings she'd been wearing. The dress maker assured them she'd have new clothes for Elizabet the next week.
Sean returned in time for dinner. He handed Elizabet her book and the child clutched it tightly to her chest for several moments before placing it in her lap to finish her meal. As desert was served, Kelly and a much older maid appeared. Both women seemed so tired even their skin was red from the recent fluster of work. They curtsied politely.
"Your Graces would be pleased to know everything is now in order," the older woman announced.
"Thank you," Sean told them. He nudged Elizabet with his elbow. "Would you like to go see your room?"
Elizabet nodded shyly. Again, she attached herself to Kineta as the family followed the maids to Sean and Kineta's quarters. Their apartment varied greatly from Scout's suite. They had a full set of living quarters whereas Scout lacked a kitchen. Kelly opened the door off Sean and Kineta's bedroom and curtsied as they filed in. Elizabet hugged her book tightly as she looked around. Scout stayed next to Kelly. "Good job," she whispered to her friend as she watched her new cousin explore. They'd left all the soft carpets but instead of a crib there was a full sized canopy bed and the changing table had been replaced with a tiny desk and chair. The trunk of toys had been sorted so the too-babyish ones were taken away and dolls took their space. She was sure the wardrobe and clothes trunk were empty but a quick check revealed there were two simple dresses and a sleeping shift for the night.
Elizabet turned around and hugged both Sean and Kineta tightly. Scout realized the girl was crying and felt tears swell in her own eyes.
"We're so glad you like it," Sean told her. "We hope you're happy here."
Elizabet took his hand and led him to the nook where the rocking chair still sat. The small stove had been lit so that the room was warm. She pointed from him to the chair and Sean, with some confusion, sat in it. She then went to Kineta and took her hand. She led Kineta over to the nook and pointed at the bench filled with cushions that had been placed next to the window. Kineta sat. Elizabet went back to Sean and crawled into his lap. She opened her book and flipped through it until she came to a specific page and pointed at it. She took Sean's hands and put them on the book so he was the one that held it. Elizabet settled against his body, making herself comfortable.
Both Sean and Kineta looked over at the maids and Scout. Kineta's maid shooed the younger girls and mouthed 'read to her' at the royal couple. Sean and Kineta laughed nervously. Elizabet became impatient. She shook Sean's arm and pointed at the book. "Flynn Marque Meets the Elusive Princess," he read, "Flynn was riding his most trusted friend late one night through the Treacherous Woods. He was hoping to find the Master Baker traveling that day to steal from his cart but instead he found a mysterious beautiful woman wearing a diamond necklace," the king read. Scout caught Kineta's eye as the door closed. Her older cousin, for the first time since Scout met her, seemed overwhelmingly happy. Scout grinned and hurried away with Kelly.