by Rachel Angel
I was eager to see how everyone was getting on, how my father was doing and how all the guests of the castle were being taken care of.
“When last I saw it,” Henry said, “all was running smoothly.”
“Has anyone considered how long we were actually gone?” Reggie said.
“It’s only been a few days,” Ollie said.
“Only one day for us,” Avery said, gesturing to Axel and Henry.
“Yeah,” Reggie went on. “That’s what you think. But what if that spell has us thinking it was just a short time, but we’ve actually been gone for months.”
“I seriously doubt it,” I said with a chuckle, but the question did weigh on my mind. If it turned out that we’d been gone for that long, there’s no telling the state in which we’d find the castle.
In the distance, the castle finally came into view.
“Well,” Axel said. “At least it’s still standing.”
We walked on, the castle becoming increasingly clear and distinct with every step we took. Soon we passed in front of the training fields, alive with fighting exercises.
“Good to see that our new recruits are still hanging around,” Avery said.
“And they seem to be doing pretty well,” Henry added. “Truth be told, I feared they’d take advantage of the few new tricks we had to teach them and be on their way.”
I was immensely pleased by what I saw. All the men who had been recruited from the Rogue Princes were doing splendidly. There was no fighting, outside of training, that is, and there even seemed to be a very pleasant comradery that had settled in.
“I feared the new men wouldn’t be able to adjust to the way we do things here,” I said, more to myself than to my men. “But look at them.”
“If anything,” Avery said, “I think they may have been hungry for the way of life that we have to offer. Not only in the literal sense with regards to plentiful and nourishing food, but in feeding their souls and giving them a purpose they probably didn’t have before.”
“I think you may be right,” I said. I spotted Timothy training with one of our very specialized snipers. Goros could shoot an arrow straighter than anyone in all the land, and here he was showing Timothy all his tricks.
Judging by the expression on Timothy’s face, he fully enjoyed the training and even seemed honored to have been chosen as a sniper.
“Look at that,” Henry pointed out. “It seems that our fallen princes have recuperated from their injuries.”
I looked at the line of picnic tables that often served for casual meetings or to go over strategic maps. Indeed, all the princes who’d been hurt in the skirmish were up and on their feet.
“Looks like things may finally be back to some sense of normalcy around here,” Axel said.
“Good,” I said as we neared the entrance to the castle. “I feared that after what the Rogue Princes did to Kingsbury, things would never get back to normal.”
Sir Richard Honeywell, looking handsome and dapper in his black tunic over a deep red chemise, rode our way on his beautiful white stallion.
“Father,” Henry said, happy to see his father again.
“I’m happy to see you, son,” Sir Honeywell said with a pleased, paternal nod. He looked to me. “And I’m happy to see that you are safe and sound, Miss Violet.”
“I’m sorry if my absence caused you any concern, Sir Honeywell,” I said. “Ollie, Reggie and I had hoped to find the source of the poison that killed Barnaby and Flamish.”
He nodded and looked at the men around me. “You’re all back and safe, and that’s all that matters now.”
“How are things going with the new recruits?” Axel said. “We saw a bunch of them training out in the field and things looked to be going pretty smoothly.”
“They are,” Sir Honeywell said. “I must confess that I was a little more than annoyed when I learned of this new task you had all put upon me and my men. But these new recruits have all proven to be enviable assets.”
“I’m happy to hear it,” I said.
“I would like to officially offer you all my gratitude for the work you’ve done. It was a big relief when I learned that the danger brought to Arcadia by the Rogue Princes had been terminated. One day I’m dealing with the deaths of far too many men, and the next day I’m flooded with new soldiers.”
Beaming proudly, he looked at us all, namely his son, Henry. “So, tell me, whose idea was it to take these men in and make them citizens of Arcadia? Who was it that suggested putting these men to work and have them earn their keep?”
Flushed and feeling suddenly a little too humble, I said nothing, but then noticed that Ollie, Reggie, Axel and Avery were all pointing at me.
“Violet suggested it, Sir,” Avery said.
“What adroit diplomacy, my dear,” Sir Honeywell said. “Pure diplomacy.”
“Thank you, Sir,” I said. “They seemed to really need it.”
He nodded. “It takes a lot of bravery to show such leadership,” he said, looking directly at me and speaking softly. “It takes courage to suggest something that you know may go against the grain. Surely you knew that your suggestion would not be readily accepted.”
“I suspected as much, Sir,” I admitted.
“Sometimes we have to push through with our convictions. Others may not always see the genius of our strategy. Some may not be able to understand the creativity of the solutions you put forth. But it is this kind of thinking, this kind of strategy building that wins battles. And when these battles can be won without a single loss of life, well… that makes the victory all the sweeter.”
I was about to remind him of the deaths of Gerr, Barnaby and Flamish, but realized that they had occurred before I’d made the suggestion to take everyone on as citizens of Arcadia. Their unfortunate deaths were not a result of any battles that Arcadia had engaged in.
“I’ll let you all get to your quarters,” Sir Honeywell said, straightening up on his horse and looking at us all. “Get cleaned up. Get rested. Then, come join us all for a feast.”
“Sounds good to me,” Axel said, licking his lips.
“Dress in your finest,” Sir Honeywell went on. “Tonight will be a special night.”
Once again, he looked down at me. “For having found the most practical solution to a very troublesome issue, I am awarding you the highest number of points for the Diplomatic Challenge.”
Gasping, I looked up at him and had to put my hands over my mouth in amazement. “The highest number of points?” I repeated, just to make sure I had heard him properly.
“Indeed,” Sir Honeywell said. “And very well deserved. I will make the official announcement tonight so that all will know that the Choosing is to go on as planned.”
Stunned, we all looked at one another.
“Are you certain, Father?” Henry said.
“I am most certain,” Sir Honeywell said. “We’ve had a few rough days, but it is time to get back to serious matters. We will continue with the choosing.”
“As if the Rogue Princes had never attacked us?” Avery said.
“With everything under control, thanks to Miss Violet’s quick thinking, there is no reason to put it off any longer.” He looked at all of us, his beaming smile a show of the pride he had in all of us. “Never, in all my years as head of the Arcadian army, have I seen anyone use such diplomacy in such a delicate situation. And for that, the choosing will go on.”
I was touched and honored by the confidence he had in me. I was amazed that he appreciated my suggestion to such a degree. Never could I have imagined that the suggestion to take these men on as citizens of Arcadia would garner me such approval from such an important man.
“Now go on up and get rested and come join us for the feast. After that, you can rest a little more before the choosing that will be in a few days.”
Chapter 17
Violet
It was nice just being in my room again, and while I had planned to take a long bath, get changed
and head down to the ballroom, after my soothing bath, I laid down for a while, dozing off as I thought of all that had happened in so short a time.
When I awoke, feeling refreshed and ready to face the feast to come, I quickly pinned my curls up atop my head, pulled on a buttery yellow gown trimmed with white lace and headed down for the festivities.
“Come sit here, Violet,” Avery called. Already seated at the table of honor, he gestured to the empty chair between himself and Sir Honeywell.
The feast that Sir Richard Honeywell had prepared was indeed something to behold. After days out in the forest and deep inside the volcano’s crater, it was nice to be home, to be with all the townspeople I’d known all my life and to enjoy such a festive meal.
The long, long table was set with roasted hens, roasted pig and a huge leg of lamb. A large bowl contained mashed potatoes with sweet potatoes thrown in to make them even creamier. Several platters contained aromatic cheeses, piping hot fresh bread and mounds of fresh fruit.
As we sat at the table of honor, Sir Honeywell rose and tapped his wine goblet with his spoon. “Please,” he called to the crowd. “Please, if I may have your attention.”
The crowd quieted down and looked expectantly at him.
“I know that you all share in my joy and relief in seeing our honored guests home safe and sound,” he said, gesturing to us all. “Their work, their bravery and their quick thinking has saved us all from hardship.”
The crowd raised their goblets and cheered us.
“But I also have something else to announce to you all today,” Sir Honeywell went on. “It gives me great pleasure to bestow the highest number of points to the person who took a chance. In the Diplomatic Challenge we expect to see great control, great understanding and great foresight. One must be able to think on their feet, to find solutions that are agreeable to all.”
The crowd looked on, their eyes going from one man to the other, most of them passing right over me without a second’s consideration.
“And the recipient of all these points is…” Sir Honeywell paused for dramatic effect.
The crowd waited with bated breath, their eyes wide with anticipation.
“Miss Violet of Kingsbury,” Sir Honeywell finally announced.
The announcement was met with mixed reactions. Most of the women cheered enthusiastically while many of the men applauded, also pleased to hear that a woman had won. But a few stodgy old men dismissed the notion altogether.
“Good thing they’re not the ones handing out the points,” Avery whispered into my ear as he looked at two of the older men who sneered and refused to applaud.
I smiled at him. “Old notions die hard.”
“Please,” Sir Honeywell said. “Enjoy your meal. Enjoy the festivities. Today is a day of celebration, for, in the coming days, we will indeed have a Choosing.
He sat back down, and everyone helped themselves to the feast. I filled my plate with plenty of roast hen and mashed potatoes.
Famished, I tore the leg off the hen and ate straight off the bone, devouring the meat in seconds. I shoveled in mashed potatoes and, when they were gone, I reached for the onion pie and boiled broccoli.
Suddenly aware of my ferocious appetite, I looked at the men at the table. They, too, were devouring their food like men depraved.
“The townspeople will think we’ve not eaten for days,” I said to Avery. “Look at Reggie and Ollie. It’s like they haven’t seen food in ages.” But as I spoke, I noticed that Avery, as well as Axel and Henry, while eating heartily, were nonetheless controlled in their ways.
I realized then that, while we had seemed to eat plenty while guests to Chief Waikana, Ollie, Reggie and I probably hadn’t really eaten anything at all. Our ravenous hunger now was proof of that. Esmeralda had tricked us into thinking we had been feasting in the village, when in fact we were starving away.
By the time we stopped eating, all that remained on the platters of food were a few grapes, a crust of bread and three small roasted potatoes.
“That was one hell of a meal,” Ollie said, rubbing his belly.
“It sure did hit the spot,” Reggie added wiping the corner of his mouth with his cloth napkin.
Avery and Axel looked at them with amusement.
“Well,” I said as I stood and looked around.
Many of the people in the crowd had already left, having eaten a normal quantity of food. Aside from a few larger, hard working men, the ballroom was empty.
“I think I’ve had enough,” I went on.
“You think?” Avery said with a grin. “Or is it simply that there is no more food to be had?”
I reached for the crust of bread. “There,” I said defiantly. “Now I’ve had enough.”
Laughing he, too, stood as did the other men.
“Thank you ever so much for the lovely feast, Sir Honeywell,” I said with a regal bow. “But now, I really must be off to bed. I question if my legs will even be able to carry me all the way to my room.”
All my men rushed in to offer their assistance.
“Thank you all very much,” I said with a pleased grin. “But despite my fatigue, I think I can push myself to manage this time. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Feeling full, both from the points I’d been allotted and the food that now filled my belly, I made my way up to my room and, without even getting out of my pretty yellow gown, I flopped back on the bed and immediately dozed off.
I slept soundly, as if I hadn’t really slept at all for the past week. There were no dreams or moments of fitful sleep. Just the depths of much needed, restful sleep.
And when I awoke, Lucinda was in my room, setting a breakfast tray on the small wrought iron table out on my balcony.
“I thought you might be hungry this morning, Miss Violet,” she said with a grin.
Despite the massive meal I’d eaten the night before, I was indeed hungry. Still wearing my yellow gown, I made my way to the balcony just as Lucinda poured hot tea into a delicate little teacup.
“I hear you’ve had quite an adventure these past days,” she said as she dropped a sugar cube into the hot liquid then added a spot of cream. “But, look at you. All dressed up…”
I chuckle as I took my seat. “Remnants of last night,” I said. “I can’t believe I was too tired to get out of this thing.”
“I’ll help you out of it after your breakfast, Miss,” she said. “Now, what about that adventure of yours.”
I assumed that everyone had learned of my time in the forest. “It was quite an exploit.”
“I’m surprised you found your way to the fae realms,” she added.
Taken aback, I stared up at her. I hadn’t told anyone, not even my men about my time at the fae realms. “What makes you say that?” I said, trying not to sound on the defensive.
“Dear,” she said softly as she looked lovingly at me. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy by your father, the Kingmaker himself. But I think it’s high time we had a little chat about this.”
Gesturing to the chair across from me, I invited her to sit down. “What is this secret that you hold?” I said as I nonchalantly broke a piece of bread off and slathered it with butter.
“That you are part fae, dear,” she said. “I was to teach you how to protect yourself. It’s been my duty to take care of you and to prepare you to become the next kingmaker. It has long been your father’s wish.”
“But you’ve never spoken of this before,” I said.
“To be truthful, I thought I still had time.” She looked pointedly at me. “You are still so young, and you still have so much living to do, your princes, your loves, your adventures. Being Kingmaker can be quite dull at times. I didn’t want to burden you with it all until it was absolutely necessary.”
“I see,” I said with a grin. “And if I’m to be truthful, I think you were right. I don’t feel that I’m ready. At least I didn’t up until quite recently.”
“I’m happy to hear that,” Lucinda said. �
�There’s a lot that goes into becoming Kingmaker. A large part of that is understanding everything about your fae origins. And you certainly need to have a full understanding of your magical powers.”
“Does that mean that you’re a fae as well?” I said.
She shook her head. “Alas, no. I may be able to enlighten you with a few particulars, things that I remember from your mother, but your true training will have to be from the fae herself.”
“What fae?” I said. “Where?”
Lucinda shrugged. “That, I do not know. What I do know is that you will discover exactly where you need to go when you fully accept your destiny as Kingmaker.
“But I do fully accept my destiny,” I argued.
“Then, think hard. Concentrate. Think of the fae and her whereabouts will come to you.”
I set my crust of bread down on the plate, closed my eyes and concentrated. Then it hit me. “I was mysteriously healed by a fae woman in a cave deep in the forest.”
“That does sound like the sort of thing this fae would do for you,” she said. “That also sounds like a reasonable location for her to be in.”
“She healed me when I was injured,” I went on, almost to myself. “I should have died from my injuries, but she saved me. And there were others as well… other faes… all kind and helpful.”
Lucinda smiled and happily clasped her hands together. “And now I know for certain that this is where you must go. These trusted faes are undoubtedly friends of your mother’s. She had a good circle of friends, women she trusted. I’m certain that they would all want to see you pick up where she left off. They would want you to learn of the powers that she had.”
Beaming, I picked up my piece of bread and popped it into my mouth. “Then, that settles it. I’ll have to go back to the cave the moment I get the chance.”
“Finish your breakfast and I’ll go lay out some more appropriate clothing for you,” Lucinda said as she got to her feet.
“Now?” I said, my mouth full of the piece of bread on which I’d spooned on grape jelly. “Today?”
