In Garnet Falls, we tie our horses up to posts in the sheltered, wooden stables behind the local tavern and go inside. We wait at the bar to be served, and when the bar-mistress is free, we book two rooms for the night.
‘We men can bunk in with each other, and the ladies can have their own room.’ I say.
Vivian nods.
It’s late, a storm is brewing outside, and we’re starving and exhausted. We sit in a quiet corner of the room, near the fireplace, minding our own business, drinking beer, and eavesdropping on the conversations between the villagers.
‘It was so rude of the knight to leave with her like that. We had gifts for her too, but she was a rude, entitled girl,’ a young woman with brown eyes, red hair in a messy bun, in a black shawl, tells her companion.
I scull my pint to try and stop my wolf from letting out a growl at the woman’s disrespectful words towards my Luna.
Vivian stands up and walks past the ladies, and orders some pints. The lady that made the rude comment stands up and walks past Vivian. Vivian discreetly puts her foot out and trips the lady over, and watches as she falls on her face.
Troy and I try to stay composed and try to hold our laughs. The lady stands up red-faced and turns to Vivian, giving her an angry look.
‘Well, I never!’ she says, stomping her foot.
‘Darling, please, be more careful of your surroundings. I’d hate for you to fall on your face like that again.’ Vivian says as she walks back towards us with the pints.
Troy takes a sip of his pint, ‘We need to devise a foolproof plan to save Maia. But, first, we need entry into West Wallow Castle. We need it to be quick, and we need to be able to go in undetected,’ he says, and he isn’t wrong. Vivian and I agree with him completely.
A plump bar-mistress walks around the tables holding a basket, handing out flyers. We take one each, reading them, and I exhale with relief, knowing we have just found our plan. I read the flyer out loud, which announces a masquerade ball will be held in Maia’s honour at West Wallow Castle tomorrow night. The ballroom will be filled with disguised guests in masks and different facial coverings.
‘This is it. This is our plan,’ I say, grinning and swigging my drink.
‘What’s the plan?’ Vivian asks, not following.
‘We go to this ball, dressed in formal attire and masks, we find Maia, and we bring her home,’ I explain.
‘I don’t have enough money for a ball gown and two dresses for the girls,’ Vivian says, flustering at the notion.
‘Vivian – not to worry. ‘I’ll cover the costs,’ I tell her, smiling.
‘Are you sure?’ She asks, relief written all over her face.
‘Yes, coin is not an issue for me,’ I tell her happily.
‘Oh, Damon. How wonderful. You truly are wonderful. Thank you so much,’ Vivian says, truly grateful.
‘What’s happening, mummy?’ Ella asks, wondering.
‘We’re going to a ball, darling,’
‘What about me?’ Zayden asks, wondering.
‘We’ll get you the finest tunic, breeches, and waistcoat fit for a King,’ I tell him, scuffing his hair.
‘Really?’
‘Really?’ I say, winking at him.
‘I’ve never been to a ball,’ Zayden says, honoured and excited.
‘You’re about to go to your very first one then,’ I tell him,
‘Well, that has solved that conundrum very quickly. We’ll go to the ball and find Maia,’ Troy says, smiling.
Before bed, I tell the children their favourite bedtime story, which happens to be the story of Maia the Forest Princess. Afterwards, they ask for another fairy tale while Vivian and Troy chat in the next room. So I tell them the story I was told growing up about the land once having witches, orcs and sprites.
Vivian
I close and lock the door behind us, and Troy sits down in an armchair
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve stayed in a tavern,’ I tell Troy, standing on the bed and removing my boots. Just untying the laces and loosening them from around my feet makes a world of difference. I sit them against the wall and flex my toes.
‘I can’t say the same,’ Troy says, having stayed in many taverns the past few weeks.
‘How long have you been alone?’ He asks.
‘Three years now. You?’ I ask him.
‘Eight years,’ he says, a strand of his messy brown hair dangles in front of his face.
‘It’s a long time for both of us,’ I say, biting my lip.
‘It is. And I honestly am so grateful to the Moon Goddess to be blessed with a second mate.
‘Can you explain the mate-bond to me? I don’t feel it. I mean, I’m definitely attracted to you, but this bond sounds magical,’ I prompt him, leaning back on my hands to listen.
‘It is magical. It’s the most magical feeling in the world. It’s exactly like love, except it’s so much more intense. I’m drawn to you. I feel protective of you, and I feel protective of your daughters. I barely know you, yet I can see a whole life with you, Vivian. I really can,’ he says, his eyes twinkling in the firelight. The flames are reflected in them.
‘It’s so good of you to take on Zayden the way you have. What happened to him?’ I ask, not sure if I want to know.
‘Well, long story short, I bought him from an auctioneer who was going to sell him as a slave. King Fenris’ soldiers killed his parents, kidnapped him, and sold him to this auctioneer. It was divine intervention. I was in the right place at the right time, and I bought him. It was just meant to be,’ he says.
‘He is very lucky he has you,’ I tell him.
He smiles.
Before I know it, all conversation is over because Troy has smashed his mouth down onto mine.
My fingers grasp his hair while we kiss, and he holds the sides of my face. We ravish each other for a few minutes. I blush immensely when our lips part. Troy smiles and pats down his messy hair while I pat the crinkles from my dress before returning calmly to the other room with Damon and the children.
Maia
Waking up, I’m alone in my room. I think of Damon. Does he know where I am? Will he come for me? Has he been lying to me? Or does he truly love me? I miss him. I stare at the maroon-coloured walls of my bedroom and their gold wainscotting and revel in how luxurious my room is. The sun is shining through my windows. The maids didn’t draw them last night because they didn’t want to wake me.
There is a knock on my door, and Jewel and Leah let themselves in, and stand near a chest of drawers, holding a basket with a washcloth and some salve. Leah has an olive-green, floor-length, long-sleeved gown and places it on the bed.
‘We’re here to help you bathe and salve your skin,’ Jewel says. I smile.
‘Please, come in,’ I tell them, and I fling the covers back off my legs to get up. Jewel pulls the nightie over my head and throws it on the bed before leaning over a wooden tub and pumping the water.
Jewel is struggling with the pump. She stops for a moment while she catches her breath.
‘Here, let me,’ I say, staring at the chunky metal water pump, focusing on summoning the water out of it. Jewel is looking at me funnily and wondering what I’m trying to do before warm water gushes out of the pump and fills the wooden tub effortlessly.
‘Maia! How did you do that?’ Jewel says, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.
‘Is it warm?’ Leah asks, surprised too, as she dips her hand into the water to find it at perfect bathing temperature.
‘How did you do that?’ Leah asks, amazed.
‘I’m an elemental sprite,’ I tell them, stepping into the wooden tub and sitting down.
I tell the women the same story about the sprites, orcs, fae and the witches Damon had told me while they washed my back and covered my hair in soap.
‘Ah yes, we’ve heard this story before, haven’t we?’ Jewel says to Leah.
‘We have, yes. When we were little, mamma would tell us this story often. What she would do if she knew sprites were real after all!’ Leah says, in awe of my origins.
‘Are you sisters?’ I ask the women, and they nod.
‘Can’t you tell?’ Jewel asks, winking at me.
‘No, I can’t,’ I say, laughing.
‘I’m older than her,’ Jewel says, and Leah retorts, ‘Yeah, but only by a year and a half. They snicker before Jewel fills a silver jug with the bathwater, and pours it down my long hair a few times, in quick succession, to rinse the soap out.
‘Are you looking forward to the ball tonight, Miss Maia?’ Leah asks, clutching the salve and unscrewing the lid from its tin. I stand up and step out of the wooden tub
‘I am, yes. Very much. I can’t wait. It will be so much fun,’ I say. As Jewel dries my body vigorously, she retrieves a fresh pair of undershorts from a drawer.
I step into them.
‘Well, Miss Maia, I hear King Fenris will teach you how to ride a horse on your way to the training fields today and then afterwards, you will return, and we will get you ready for the ball,’ Jewel says.
‘Sit in front of the dressing table, please,’ Leah says, and I go over to the stool in front of the dressing table and sit down, facing the mirror. Leah massages some ointment into the skin where the cuffs were. My skin seems to be healing nicely. She wraps a thin bandage over each wrist.
‘There. This bandage should last the day,’ Leah says.
Jewel brushes my hair into a bun. She secures the bun with several pins that dig into my head painfully as she pushes them in.
‘Do all girls have to do this?’ I ask, grimacing and cringing with every pin.
‘Yes. Pain is beauty, and all princesses must be beautiful,’ Jewel tells me.
Leah retrieves the olive-green satin dress from the bed
‘This is your dress for tonight,’ she says, holding its skirts out and admiring the fabric. It is olive-green satin, and it is embroidered with millions of olive-green flowers in olive-green cotton. Green beadwork covers the dress from top to bottom. I’ve never seen anything so exquisite in my life.
Sadness washes over me, thinking of Damon and how much I miss him. I burst into tears and plant my face in my hands.
‘Miss Maia! Whatever is the matter?’ Jewel asks, worried. Leah stops fussing over the dress and holds my hand to comfort me.
‘If I tell you, do you both promise to tell no one?’
‘I promise,’ they chorus together.
‘I’m fond of someone, and I miss him terribly,’ I tell them.
They look at me, unsure how to respond.
‘Does this someone have a name?’ Jewel asks, pulling the chair from against the wall and sitting in it.
‘Do you swear not to tell a soul?’ I ask.
‘I swear,’ they chorus again and look at each other, wondering who the object of my affections could be.
‘It won’t make your king very happy. I am Alpha King Damon’s mate, and I am very fond of him,’ I tell them.
‘Oh, darling. King Fenris won’t be too happy about this, no. I think our king had planned to get to know you intimately. This is why he wants to teach you horse riding and have this evening’s ball. But, none of us can help who we love, so dry your eyes, pet, and cheer up. King Fenris will understand, I’m sure,’ Jewel says, patting my back maternally. I don’t bother telling them about my previous conversation with King Fenris.
‘Let’s finish getting you dressed, hey?’ Jewel says.
The dress is comfortable and quite pretty. I breathe easier in this dress than in the last one I wore.
‘How do you feel? You look like a real human princess! Honestly and truly,’ Jewel says, beaming at me, with her hands clasped over her heart.
They lead the way downstairs, and I hold onto the banister as I go, as I’m not used to walking down these stairs.
King Fenris sits in his chair at the table in the breakfast hall, patiently waiting for me to join him. His mouth gapes open as I enter, and he stands up from his chair.
‘Maia, you look… breathtaking, my love.’ He says.
I force a smile. ‘My love is everything alright if it’s about what I said last night about Alpha King Damon… I.’
‘No, I’m fine, King Fenris, really,’
‘Well then, my love, sit with me and have some breakfast then,’ he smiles.
After breakfast, King Fenris stands up and holds his hand out for mine.
‘Come, Princess, you will accompany me to the training fields.’
I nod in agreeance. King Fenris calls his footmen to get his horse ready. We make our way through the castle, out the large front doors, and down the grand staircase.
His horse is pure white, and he is very sweet and gentle.
‘Hi there, boy,’ I say, patting his face.
The horse gently nudges his face against mine.
‘I see Nimble likes you.’ King Fenris says and smiles.
King Fenris hops onto the horse and reaches his hands out to lift me up onto the saddle sitting me in front of him.
He puts the reins in my hands and holds his over mine.
‘I’m going to teach you how to ride a horse on your own on our way to the training field.’ He says.
I nod. King Fenris nudges the horse with his foot making Nimble gallop.
