So here's the new chapter. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for the 10 followers
The man standing behind her smiled gently at her. "My, you really do the tails justice."
Wendy smiled, embarrassed that she'd been caught outside on the balcony. "Thank you, Sir. May I ask for your name?"
She realized she still held the coin in her hand, and she didn't know whether to turn her back on him and put it back in her purse or just wait until he left.
The man laughed a little. "There's no need to be scared, little dear. Do you not recognize me?"
Wendy took a closer look at him. It was a bit difficult because he was standing with his back to the light. But his blue eyes almost shined in the darkness. He was not an old man, but he was older than her. He had some wrinkles showing here and there. He did look familiar.
"I do not blame you; it was a rather long time ago." The man said and then pointed at her hand. "But I know you still remember."
Wendy looked down at her hand, where this silver coin still was and then up at him.
It was him. He had aged. But he had been the mysterious, lone guest that had saved her, David, and her father.
"But, your name?" She said lost for words.
The man smiled warmly at her and bowed. "My name is Wallace Christof Knightley, Duke of Fife."
Wendy curtsied. "I am Wendy, the girl who danced with fairies."
He laughed under his breath. "I had a feeling you were, but I must admit I never expected that I had played a part in the fairy tale."
Wendy blushed. "You never came back."
The man just smiled. "I at times wondered about you. About how you were doing. I heard that the young son of Baron Brannigan had fallen in love with a girl who danced with fairies … my thoughts went to you." He took a step closer to her. "Though I did not think I would have the pleasure of meeting you this evening." His eyes took her back in time when he gave her the coin. "You have grown into a beautiful lady."
Wendy held up the hand with the coin. "Do you want it back?"
He shook his head and closed her fingers around the coin. "Keep it for now. I told you that one day it would help you."
Wendy held up the coin. It reminded her of when she had gotten it from him – the lone guest. There was nothing particularly magic about it.
"Dear, why are you out here?" A woman suddenly appeared behind the lone guest.
He turned halfway around to meet her gaze and then gestured towards Wendy.
"Oh dearest, I must apologize. This is Miss Wendy, the girl who dances with fairies." He introduced and then gestured towards the woman by his side, as she stepped out onto the balcony. "And Miss Wendy, please allow me to introduce my wife. Duchess Madeline Knightley."
Wendy curtsied to the woman and the woman did a slightly higher courtesy, which meant she was higher in standing.
"I have heard much about you, Miss Wendy." The woman greeted and then turned back to … Lord Knightley. "But tell me, my love. How do you know her?"
The Duke smiled and wrapped his arms around his wife in an endearing way, so they both faced Wendy. "Do you remember that story I told you about a little girl who braved a dark forest in search of her father?"
Wendy felt herself blush and didn't know where to look.
"Why are you talking about that fairy tale you often tell … our children?" The woman asked then looked at Wendy and blinked a couple of times. "Is that you?" She asked Wendy.
Wendy didn't know what to say and just held up the silver coin he had given as proof.
The Duchess stepped closer and looked at the coin.
"It has the Duke of Fife's emblem on it." She said softly and then smiled as she looked Wendy in the eye. "I must confess, I sometimes doubted the story. But it seems you I have to thank you, Miss Fairy Dancer."
Wendy raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
The Duchess looked over her shoulder to her husband. "If not for you, my husband would probably never have returned home, and I wouldn't have had the pleasure of marrying him."
Wendy felt the blush coming on again. "I doubt I did much, Madam."
The Duchess laughed. "Oh, you did. Ever since I first met Wallace, he has been telling me stories about the brave little girl, who wandered into the forest at night to find her father."
"It was nothing special, really." Wendy said.
"Oh, from what I hear, you have lived a life out of a storybook. But tell me, what are you doing out here alone?"
Wendy smiled guiltily. "I was just going to take a little break." She said and pulled her purse off the balustrade.
The Duchess nodded and linked arms with Wendy. "It is always overwhelming the first time, dear. But come with me, I will show you how fun this is."
Duke Knightley then stepped back inside the ballroom, and Duchess Knightley gently pulled her along as they stepped back inside the ballroom.
One month later
"I still cannot believe what a godsent you have been." Eric almost skipped down the path as they walked through the garden.
Wendy blushed. "I doubt it is really that special."
Eric took hold of her hands and swung her around. "My love, because of you, my father has been able to do business talks with Duke Knightley and Duchess Knightley has invited us to parties with the elite nobility." He kissed her passionately. "How did you even come to befriend such people?"
Wendy giggled, embarrassed, and tried to hide her smile behind her hand. "I told you I met the Duke when I was a child, though I had no idea he was a Duke."
Eric put his hands on either side of her face and stared at her lovingly. "How can you be anything but a dream come true?"
Wendy smiled.
They continued walking down towards the forest. "By the by, after our little excursion to the capital, the newspapers have talked quite a bit about our future marriage," Eric said.
"Nothing bad I hope," Wendy said.
Her fiancé shook his head. "Quite the contrary, my love. They see it as quite the fairytale. And they are quite joyous at the fact that a noble is marrying a commoner. They see it as the dawn of a new age."
Wendy shook her head. It sounded so grand. "Is it really that?"
Eric laughed beside her. "Well, they want to make something grand out of it, and when they see how well you are treated by my family and other nobles, perhaps they have hoped they too could succeed with their background."
"And create their own fairytale," Wendy said her thoughts out loud and looked out onto the forest. They weren't that far away.
She turned to Eric. "How about we go horseback riding?"
Eric lifted an eyebrow at her. "As much as I would like Wendy, we both have things we need to do. We cannot simply leave our responsibilities behind."
Wendy frowned and looked out onto the large trees at the edge of the forest. she could have sworn she saw something move for a moment.
She looked back at Eric when he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "How about this, my fairy? I'll ask my mother to get you a horse and a riding teacher?"
Wendy laughed. "But I have ridden a horse since I was 5 years old."
"I know, my love, but nobles have a different way of riding a horse than you do."
Wendy scoffed and shook her head. "I swear you nobles have rules for everything."
Eric smiled and kissed her cheek. "And yet you fit in so well, my love."
One week later
"So how are you finding The Branigan Estate?" One of the young ladies asked - Wendy had forgotten her name.
"Very well. The Baron and Baroness have been very welcoming." Wendy said and sipped her tea. "Though I am beginning to miss my old life a bit."
"You know, I hear from my husband that your marriage is very well secured." an older woman said. "It is apparently a very good political move."
"Yes," Duchess Knightley agreed. "It is a good show of faith to the common man that we take in someone from the lower class. Though, of course, you must understand, Wendy, it is no slight towards you."
"Of course not, Duchess." Wendy nodded.
"I told you already, dear. Call me Madeline." The Duchess smiled sweetly.
"Yes, but I'm still unmarried." Wendy tried to reason.
The Duchess was very nice, and the Duke was too.
After Wendy's debut, they had visited a lot, which had apparently helped the Baron and Baroness, though Wendy did not understand completely.
The Duchess especially had come over for tea a lot and invited both Wendy and Baroness to tea parties and outings.
"I must say though Miss Wendy, you have adjusted quite well to life in high society." The older woman spoke again.
Wendy smiled politely and the Baroness answered. "You know, the first time I spoke to Eric about it, he told me she was a flower that would bloom and high society."
"She certainly does." The younger woman seemed to examine Wendy with her eyes. "I could not guess that you would not born into society if I had known it. Eric must be very proud."
"Oh, he is." The Baroness laughed. "He is already scheduling out their wedding."
Wendy looked at her, surprised.
"Oh my, the Duchess said. "Has there been such a date then?"
The Baroness shook her head and then smiled at Wendy. "Not yet, but I see no hindrance to it."
Wendy smiled at the thought and the women around the small table giggled.
"I can see why, of course." The older woman said. "Miss Wendy has a natural elegance and charm, that is hard to find even among nobles."
Two weeks later
"Could you just tell me what you bought for me?" Wendy giggled as Eric guided her out of the house.
"But it would not be a surprise, my sweet." Eric smiled at her.
She smiled at the servants, they passed on the way. They all smiled and nodded back.
As they got to the side of the stable, she saw one of the stable boys standing outside with a beautiful black horse.
"Do you like it?" Eric asked with a smile as she stared at the beautiful horse that seemed to shine in the sunlight. "It's yours."
"Mine?" Wendy asked and stepped towards the horse.
When she gently placed a hand on the horse's nose, it huffed and seemed to lean it to her touch.
"She is the finest purebred I could find. She's called Starlight." Eric said.
He talked some more about where Starlight came from, but Wendy was just awestruck.
"I am guessing this is why you have been putting off riding with me for two weeks?" She said and turned to Eric with a smile.
His blue eyes glittered in the sunlight. "I wanted your first ride here to be just right."
Then he leaned in closer. "And you have been working hard for our marriage to succeed." He whispered
She laughed and patted Starlight. "Can I take her for a ride?"
"Oh dearest, you will need riding clothes for that." The Baroness said from the staircase.
Wendy turned around and saw both the Baroness and the Baron standing there.
"Luckily I have already made some arrangements." The older woman smiled and nodded up to her where her bedroom would be. "It will be lying on your bed by now."
Wendy broke out into a big smile.
"You know I love you, my handsome Baron." She said and kissed Eric on the lips.
She heard the people in the courtyard react to it but hurried back inside to get ready.
"Is there something wrong, Miss?" Lilian asked.
"No," Wendy said hesitantly. "The clothes just looked far too nice for riding."
Sarah smiled at her. "Miss, this is the finest riding clothes in the country."
"I'm just worried it will get dirty," Wendy said and turned in the mirror. She felt like she hadn't worn pants in a long time, but they were still too fine for riding. The pants were white, and so was the shirt, the vest was vibrant and decorated.
Sarah giggled. "Miss Wendy, if they get dirty, we will just wash them. or the Lord might buy you new ones."
Wendy shook her head. "It still seems far too nice to ride in."
As she came back to the courtyard, she asked the stable boy to show her the stable.
He looked at her, confused, but offered to saddle the horse for her.
"Do you need any help, my lady?" The stable boy asked as he came out holding the reins of the saddled horse.
Wendy smiled at him. "You've already saddled it. I think I can ride it."
The young boy blushed but seemed a little surprised when she put a foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up onto the horse.
"Wendy?" Eric called out to her from the staircase. "Wait just a moment, I'll be right there."
Wendy smiled playfully at him. "Maybe you'll just have to catch me."
She kicked at the horse's sides, so it stood up on its hind legs and then sat into a gallop out of the courtyard.
She felt like she could breathe again. She had no idea how much she missed this.
Wendy steered the horse toward the fields and it expertly jumped a fence.
Starlight was nothing like Temper, but it still steered towards the forest like it knew that was where she wanted to go.
Then the tree line she could see the Elven Queen.
The otherworldly creature turned into a white deer in the blink of an eye, and Wendy chased her through the forest.
Wendy had completely forgotten how free she felt like this.
Greetings … my little hunter … have you been faring well…? The Elven Queen turned back into a person when they reached a small lake.
Wendy didn't know how much she had missed her friend.
Smilingly she glided down from the horse and went to her.
"I have been well, Your Majesty." She said.
The Elven Queen smiled at her and reached out a gentle hand to touch her hair that was now sat in 'modern' style.
Much about you seem to … have changed … yet you still hunt… Her voice echoed around them.
Wendy shook her head. "I'm not here to hunt, I just wanted to ride through the forest for a while, I cannot remember the last time I have been in a forest."
The endless eyes glittered. I know … my child … but there are different things … we hunt…
Wendy laughed and looked around. "Is Eva here with you?"
She is playing with your brothers … at this moment…
Wendy's smile suddenly fell. She hadn't really thought of her parents in a long time. There had been so much with lessons and everything, she had not even written them a letter.
Do not be too sad … my little hunter… The Elven Queen spoke like she knew what Wendy was thinking.
Wendy sighed. "I had not even thought of them. This is my first birthday away from my family and I didn't even think of them."
Time can be cruel sometimes … but it is not too late to change…
Wendy smiled bitterly as the Elven Queen wiped the tear away from her cheek. "You are right. I should invite my family for a visit or go back to the inn for one."
"Wendy?" She suddenly heard Eric call out and saw him coming through the forests on his horse.
She smiled as he came into view. It reminded her of how they used to meet in the forest back home.
"How could you ride all the way out here." He breathed exhaustedly. "And you didn't come back right away. You missed lunch and your French tutor is waiting."
Wendy smiled. "Can it not wait? Why not take a walk through the forest like we used to?"
Eric gave her a strange look. "No, or at least it is not a good idea now. Maybe next week?"
"Of course." Wendy took a deep breath and looked at the magical creature standing behind her, as she got up on her horse. "I was just thinking about my family, Eric. I have not visited them for a while. Perhaps I could go tonight?"
Eric smiled at her as the horses began to move through the trees. "I'm afraid that is not possible, my dear. The Duke and Duchess of Fife are coming for dinner. Perhaps you can visit your parents next week?"
Wendy frowned. "I think I will write a letter first."
Thank you for reading. I am still using my speech-to-text program, so sorry if there are any big mistakes.
Have a good week until the next one.
