by Joyce Lavene
“There’s something really bad wrong with you, my beautiful lady. I’ll tell Rare Reads that you won’t be back today. You go see Wanda or go to the hospital. You might be having a breakdown or something.”
He left the apartment, and I hurriedly dressed. I didn’t want to be caught with my pants down again, so to speak. But even my clothes were different.
When I’d done apprenticeships around the Village to write my thesis for my doctorate, Proliferation of Medieval Crafts in Modern Times, I’d had to dress to suit each position. Usually long, coarse-knit skirts with pockets and blouses. Sometimes I wore britches and shirts, dressing like a man.
Canyon had said I was working as an apprentice at Rare Reads where they printed and bound books as well as selling new ones. My dress was rough linen covered by an ink-stained white blouse and apron. I looked at my hands. They were covered in ink. My face had ink blotches on it too.
As Director of the Art and Craft Museum, I dressed as I pleased—usually as a high-born lady with better quality skirts and boots. I would never have walked around the Village dressed in these clothes.
It was as though I’d gone back in time, which I sincerely hoped was impossible even with magic in the Village. What was going on?
I reassured myself again that this had to be a prank. I had to find the prankster and let him or her know that this was over. I knew what was going on. They couldn’t fool me. Then life would go back to normal.
The first thing I had to do was find Chase. I knew he wouldn’t be in on it. He wasn’t like that. Despite Canyon’s opinion of him, Chase wasn’t a prankster. He was serious, diligent, and hardworking. He never appreciated my pranks and had passed on many great opportunities to accomplish his own.
Since Canyon had said Chase was working as a jouster again, I headed toward the Field of Honor. Somehow, he and I would make sense of this. Even if we didn’t know exactly what was going on, we’d figure it out. It was the way it worked between us.
I ignored everyone who spoke to me on the way to the field. I needed answers more than casual companionship. Some of them could even be in on it. I kept my eyes open for Wanda —the dead, blue version of the woman. She could pull off something like this since she was a ghost. I’d seen her do some crazy things.
The Queen’s Joust was just finishing up as I trudged up the hill to the outdoor arena. The bleachers were completely full with screaming fans, many of which were holding signs with Chase’s name on them.
Just like the old days when he was everyone’s favorite jouster.
And there he was on the field in his shiny silver armor. His face shield was raised as he held his lance high showing his victory over his opponent, a smaller knight on a brown horse.
I smiled when I saw him, tears starting to my eyes. I lifted my skirts and ran the rest of the way to reach him, despite the heat of the day. Chase would know what to do. He’d have some answers or know where to get them. He always knew what to do.
By the time I reached him, he was leaving the Field of Honor. He’d received his accolades from the crowds who were still chanting his name. Queen Olivia was smiling and waving a rose at him.
Dozens of jousting groupies were standing so close to him that his horse couldn’t move. Finally his squire grabbed the horse’s reins to get him back to the area behind the viewing stands. Chase needed to get cleaned up and out of jousting gear so he could rest before the next contest. So did his horse.
I knew where they were going and skirted the crowd to head that way. Surely the stables and the dressing rooms for the jousters couldn’t have changed that much from when I was a squire a few years before.
Chase’s name was above the door to his dressing room. There was a big gold star with it that had never been there when he was a jouster. I stared at it curiously before going inside to wait for him.
It wasn’t long before he came in from the heat. His squire was a tall, thin boy with badly cut hair. He began immediately helping him remove his armor. Chase unfastened his gloves and dropped them to the floor.
“Will that be all, sir?” the boy asked in an eager voice.
“That’s all, Emerson. Next joust isn’t until four. Get some rest and don’t forget.”
The boy nodded and left the dressing room. Chase sat in a chair, shirtless, as he drained a bottle of water in one gulp. He was covered in sweat, but there were no showers here. He’d have to wait until he got home.
He sounded like Chase. He looked like Chase. That gave me the courage to come out of hiding.
“Jessie?” He frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m so glad to see you.” I jumped in his lap and wrapped my arms around him, big sobs coming from my chest. “I was so worried something had happened to you.”
He didn’t put his arms around me, patting my back in a careful manner. “Does Canyon know you’re here?”
“Canyon?” I wiped the tears away. “Why are you asking about him? You can’t be in on this prank. You hate pranks. You wouldn’t do this to me.”
His wonderful brown eyes were filled with compassion. “So you and Canyon broke up?”
I stood and stamped my foot. I hadn’t done that in a long time. I’d been trying to learn to control my temper.
“What’s going on? Is this a sick joke, or are you trying to tell me you don’t love me anymore?”
“Jessie, we’ve always been good friends. I don’t recall ever talking about love. Are you okay?”
“This can’t be happening.” I paced the small floor. “I finally have everything I ever wanted, and now it’s gone.”
“Would you like some water? Maybe you should sit down for a few minutes. Were you out in the sun a lot today?”
“No! I don’t want to sit down. I wasn’t in the sun, and I’m not sick. I’m also not sleeping with Canyon. You and I have been married for almost a year. Don’t you remember?”
“I think I should get Wanda for you,” he volunteered. “Or I could look for Canyon if that’s better.”
“Quit trying to be so helpful. You’re just making it worse.”
I paced for another few minutes while he watched me.
Wanda. Wanda had to be the key to all this. She didn’t have magic, but she was a ghost. She’d set all this up to get even with me for dyeing her blue before she was killed. I should have realized that she’d want revenge for that at some time. What she’d done, ruining our wedding, wasn’t enough. It wasn’t like I’d killed her. It was just a series of unfortunate events.
“Chase. You have to believe me. Look at the wedding ring that you made for me.” I held out my hand, but my ring was gone.
He took my hand and smiled at me. “Don’t worry, Jessie. We’ll find someone who can help you. You wait right here, okay? I’ll get help.”
I was too dumbfounded to speak. He kissed my sweaty forehead and left the dressing room.
There was no time to waste. I needed to marshal my forces and figure out what I should do next. I had to find Wanda and get the truth out of her before something happened and things couldn’t go back the way they were before.
Looking both ways before I went out, I left the dressing room and ran along the edge of the fence that led from the Field of Honor back down into the Village. I thought Chase might be headed toward Wanda’s first aid clinic near the castle, but instead, he’d been stopped by Merlin, the Village magician, on the other side of the blacksmith’s shop. He couldn’t see me. That was probably for the best.
I kept running past the Lady Fountain as King Arthur tried to pull his sword from the stone, uttering vivid, colorful oaths that impressed the visitors watching him. Mary waved to me from Wicked Weaves, her basket-weaving shop. Roger was talking to a customer about a large glass statue of a dragon near his shop, the Glass Gryphon.
Music came from the Hawk Stage, where Lady Lindsey was doing her twice-daily show with her pretty song birds. The Lovely Laundry Ladies were calling out to men as they passed, asking them for help with their we
t bundles of clothes. I ran past Baron’s Beer and Brats and Polo’s Pasta.
I was pretty much out of breath by the time I reached the first aid station. I had to stand outside panting. It gave me a minute to think about what I should say and do.
Wanda was cunning, no doubt about it. She’d had to manipulate so many things to get me to this point. She had to have help, I realized. Maybe the new witch who’d moved into the Lady of the Lake Tavern.
Two young men in doublets and hose were running out of the first aid station like the devil was after them. They were followed by an angry mother in a long, daffodil-yellow gown and her crying daughter.
“If that woman is a nurse,” the mother said ferociously, “then I’m Madam Curie. Come on, Bella. Let’s go.”
I knew Wanda was in the clinic. She had that effect on everyone. I knew she’d done this to me, whatever it was. I had to make her take it all back.
I took a deep breath and went inside to face her.
Chapter Three
There she was, Wanda Le Fey, in all her living glory.
I realized there was no way she could pull off being alive again. She wasn’t blue from head to toe either. Even if this was the greatest prank ever, it couldn’t happen.
“Jessie.” Her red lips turned up in a snarky smile. “How lovely to see you.”
Wanda was the only actual Brit in the Village. No matter how hard the rest of us might try to imitate her accent, we were never quite as good. Or as subtly evil.
I was never sure how she’d managed to become a nurse, but everyone she’d ever treated had suffered for it. She always wound bandages too tightly on sprained ankles and never gave out the right medicine. I knew we should all just be thankful she wasn’t a surgeon. She’d certainly have managed to cut off a limb if that were the case.
She hummed to herself as she adjusted her pink bustier and sorted through some items on a tray.
Seeing her there in the flesh was nearly more than I could handle. Her bright red hair curled around her face, and her shrewd eyes searched for any weakness on my sure-to-be pink face. I still believed that she was at the heart of whatever was happening to me. But this was more than I’d expected. I had to sit down for a moment.
“What can we do for you today, Jessie?” she asked in a sweet voice that probably fooled some people into believing she was actually a good person.
“You can tell me what deal you made with the devil to ruin my life.” I tried not to cry—she’d just take advantage of me.
“A fascinating idea, but I’ve had my mind on other things. Getting revenge on you can’t be all I do, despite how interesting that sounds.”
“How did you manage it? Did you hook up with the sorcerer again or something? He brought you back to life and then you decided to get even once and for all.”
“You really are ill, poor dear. Let me take your temperature. I have a nice rectal thermometer right over here. Lie down and lift your skirt for me. There’s a sweet angel.”
“Forget it.” I stood and fiercely faced her. “I know you’ve done something magical to me. Just admit it.”
“I truly would love to tell you that I’ve done something naughty to you, Jessie.” She smiled as she toyed with the thermometer. “But honestly, ducks, I’ve been too busy. Come back later. Maybe I’ll think of something fun by then.”
“I’m not leaving until you tell me how to get Chase back.”
She laughed. “So that’s it. You and Canyon are finally over, and you’re on the hunt for someone new. Well, don’t look at me when it comes to Chase Manhattan. That’s a one ‘knight’ stand I never had in the Village. Not for lack of trying, mind you. I’d certainly be happy to let him dip his toe in my pool anytime.”
Had the entire Village gone insane? Why did everyone think I was sleeping with Canyon? Why couldn’t anyone remember that Chase and I were married?
I picked up the only thing I could imagine using as a weapon—a magazine—rolled it and held it toward her in a threatening manner. I was bigger and taller than her. Even without a sword I could beat the snot out of her.
“Easy, easy.” Chase came up behind me and grabbed the magazine. “Wanda, something is really wrong with Jessie. Can you help her?”
“Of course, my love.” She smiled in a possessive manner. “Just heave her up here on the old exam table, and we’ll see what the problem is.”
He lifted me easily in his arms. His long brown braid came around on his shoulder, and I held it to my face as I started crying.
“Please don’t let her hurt me,” I pleaded with him. “I’ve really had a bad day.”
“Shh.” He sat on the exam table with me on his lap.
He was six-foot-eight, two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle covered in dark leather, and wearing a gold earring. He was the most understanding and wonderful man I’d ever known. I loved him with all my heart. This had to be something we could fix. Chase and I were meant to be together.
“Wanda will make it better. Right, Wanda?” He smiled at her.
He’d always trusted her. I could never figure out why.
“That’s right.” Wanda put her soft hand on my forehead. “She is rather heated, isn’t she? Probably sunstroke or heat apathy. I’ll just call an ambulance, shall I? I’m sure she needs a hospital.”
“No!” I surprised Chase when I jumped up. “No hospital. No Wanda-care. I’ll see you later after I’ve figured this out. I love you, Chase. Please don’t forget that.”
“Jessie . . . wait.”
Chase was fast, but I was faster. I ran through all the paths and byways I knew from the first aid station to the Main Gate. I suddenly knew exactly what I had to do.
I had to visit one of our newest residents, Madame Lucinda. She knew everything about magic and strange things that had happened in the Village. She’d know what Wanda had done. She’d know how to set it right.
I got past the minstrels at the gate as they played their lutes and harps for visitors. Flower girls tossed their petals at the ladies and gentlemen. Dancers and joke-telling jugglers were there too, wishing everyone a good evening as they departed.
And finally I ran through a group of Robin Hood’s Merry Men to reach the purple and gold tent where Madame Lucinda lived and told fortunes for her visitors.
But the tent was gone, as it had been before the coming of magic to the Village. All that was there was an old wood sign that said, “Village fun this way” and an arrow pointing toward the cobblestones.
I looked across the street at the three brick manor houses that had never been used until I’d opened the Art and Craft Museum last year. The wonderful houses were empty again, their silent faces elegantly turned to welcome visitors coming through the Main Gate.
“Jessie!” It was Robin Hood in his forest green doublet and tights. “Where are you headed? You look upset. I heard you lost your apprenticeship at the bookstore today.”
“I lost everything else.” I was on the verge of hysteria. “But I didn’t lose an apprenticeship.”
Toby Gates had played Robin Hood at the Village for as long as I could remember. He was a nice guy who loved his role and loved living in the five acres of woods that were known as Sherwood Forest. Every year, he picked up a few more Merry Men and Women. They lived in the large tree houses together and spent their time stealing toaster ovens from residents while amusing visitors.
We sat on the steps of one of the manor houses. I was confused and ready to give up. Maybe I’d gone crazy. Maybe this was my life and I just couldn’t remember. I tried to hold on to what I thought my life should be, but it kept slipping through my hands.
“It’s getting late.” He nodded at the Main Gate where large groups of people were noisily filing out to the parking lot. “You’re welcome to spend the night in the forest if you don’t have anywhere to go.”
His face told me that he’d heard about my ‘breakup’ with Canyon. Naturally he assumed that breakup also put me out on the cobblestones.
; But I wasn’t that woman anymore.
I squared my shoulders, held my chin high, and smiled at him.
“I’m fine. Thank you. I’m not sure what’s wrong right now. But I’ll figure it out.”
He took my hand. “Just remember you’re always welcome in the forest. Let me know if you need anything.”
His words were so sweet that I hugged him until I saw his present Lady Marion coming our way, kicking her little booted feet on the cobblestones as she walked. She wouldn’t have been so upset if she’d known how many Lady Marions there had been in the forest, including me for a time.
“Thank you. I think you need to go now unless you want to find a lady-sized dagger in your back tonight.”
Robin laughed his signature laugh with his hands on his hips and head thrown back. “You know I love the ladies, and they love me.”
“I know.”
“But a friend like you is a friend forever, Jessie, my dear.” He bowed and kissed my hand. “Now I must away to stave off yon lady’s harsh words.”
I curtsied to him, holding the sides of my ink-stained gown. “A good night to you, sir.”
The visitors leaving the village paused to take a few pictures and exclaim over our fascinating conversation. Robin and I posed together for them, and then he made his escape into the forest with his men and Lady Marion.
I watched the visitors leaving with a mournful eye, wishing I could walk through the gate too. But there was no one out there for me. My life was here with Chase, and even my brother, Tony. Our only living relative had died many years before.
What was I supposed to do?
Everything was familiar, and yet completely changed. Chase wasn’t the Village Bailiff any longer. I wasn’t the museum director. And yet, Rare Reads was in the Village. It had only been here since last year. How could some things have stayed the same and others changed?
As I struggled to understand, I saw Chase coming toward me. I loved everything about him, from his kindness to his intelligence, and the wonderful way he dealt with people. I could see by the look on his handsome face that he was about to find an answer for me too.
