Anna saw the spot on the ridge where Bronwyn had changed, but Bronwyn cruised right past it, pushing onwards towards the mountains where the river started its journey. The land below changed to rolling hills then grew steeper as Bronwyn pushed higher and higher. Tall peaks rose directly ahead of them, and the river tumbled from its mountain height and down a rocky face. As Bronwyn drew closer, the cold spray from the waterfall covered Anna in a fine mist. She gasped when Bronwyn directed her body at a sharp angle, and when Anna felt her body slipping backwards she wrapped her arms even tighter around Bronwyn’s neck.
The dragon flew up the length of the waterfall, her wings laboring through the air as she lifted her huge body. A moment later she leveled out once more as she gained the height and swept over the small stream that flowed to the precipitous fall. Bronwyn made a huge circle above the stream then plunged down the cliff, angling her body downward. A thin scream escaped Anna’s mouth.
She closed her eyes, grasping Bronwyn’s neck in a death grip, and didn’t open them until she felt Bronwyn level herself out again. They were downstream from the waterfall and following the river’s course once more.
When Bronwyn finally landed on the ground outside the manor house, Anna’s legs were shaking. She had to keep her hand on Bronwyn’s back to prevent herself from falling.
“That,” she said, “was terrifying.”
“I wouldn’t have let you fall,” Bronwyn assured her.
“You wouldn’t have been able to do much if you had crashed into the ground,” Anna retorted, but she smiled when she saw Bronwyn’s stricken look. “I know you wouldn’t have crashed,” she said, “but I’m just human, after all. You cannot expect me to be fearless like a dragon.”
“I’m sorry,” Bronwyn said, turning away. “I thought you would enjoy it.”
“I did,” Anna said, “just warn me next time you plunge your nose straight to the earth.”
Bronwyn turned back with a slight smile. “Next time?” she said.
Anna groaned. “Well, we’ll see.”
When Anna walked through the door, her legs still a little shaky, she heard Cathryn calling her from the parlor.
“Anna, is that you?” She looked up as Anna walked into the room. “A letter arrived for you today.”
“From Keira?” Anna asked as she smoothed down her hair, disheveled after her ride.
“It came from the city,” Cathryn said. She held out the missive to Anna. “Were you flying with Bronwyn?”
“I was,” Anna said, taking the letter.
“And …?”
“I was terrified,” Anna said with a wry laugh.
“Oh dear,” Cathryn said, but Anna waved the concern away.
“She’s young, and giddy with her new abilities. But she’ll soon learn.”
Cathryn nodded. “She’s been nagging me to go with her, but she’s my daughter. How can I let my daughter fly me around?”
Anna smiled her understanding. “I know, but this is not a temporary thing. Eventually you will have to go with her.”
“I know,” Cathryn said with a groan. She glanced at the letter. “Who is it from?”
Anna slid her finger beneath the seal, lifting it, and opened the sheet of paper. “It’s from Kathleen,” she said, running her eyes to the bottom of the sheet. Returning to the top, she started reading, first to herself, then a second time out loud for Cathryn’s benefit.
“To Mistress Anna Carver of Drake Manor,” she read. “Warmest greetings. I trust you are in the best of health. I’m afraid I have some terrible tidings to impart. Please do not fear – I am quite well, and am trying my best for Father’s sake to put on a very brave face, but my dear Anna, you will understand the dread I feel when I tell you that Father has arranged a position for me at court, where I will serve Her Majesty the queen as one of her ladies. Lady Joan is leaving in a month when she marries Lord Lamont, but I must present myself two days hence! I cannot bear the thought of going without seeing you again, but since Father says that is quite impossible, I am sending you this notice in my stead. I can only hope you will still be able to visit me while I am at court, although, I must confess, I don’t see how that will be possible. I must go, for I hear Father calling, but I remain forever your friend, Lady Kathleen Hobart.
“Poor Kathleen,” Anna said, sitting down on a chair. “How can her father do that to her?”
“We have to trust that Lord Hobart is doing what he believes is the best thing for his daughter,” Cathryn said gently. “Perhaps he thinks this will help her become more confident and advance her in society.”
“Or advance himself in society,” Anna said bitterly.
“Perhaps. But we cannot judge a man we do not know. And I think Kathleen will be fine.”
“I hope you are right,” Anna said.
Chapter 15
“I need to go into Civitas again,” Cathryn said to Anna one morning a few days later as they sat at the dinner table. Anna looked up at her with a smile.
“You don’t need to make a trip for my sake.”
“Well …” Cathryn started. “I don’t want you to be worrying about Kathleen. We will just go for the day and return in the evening. I will use the time to visit my father, and Favian has agreed to escort you to the palace.”
Anna glanced at him. “Thank you, Favian. That is very kind of you.”
“I am happy to be of service, Anna. Like Cathryn, I don’t want you to be worrying about your friend.” He looked at Cathryn. “We will leave at first light tomorrow.”
The next morning Anna left the house to find Cathryn and three dragons on the grass outside.
“I insisted the children come visit their grandfather,” Cathryn said by way of explanation. “So you have your choice of mounts.”
“Hey,” Will protested. “I’m not a ‘mount’, like a stupid horse.”
“Of course not, dear.”
“I’ll carry you,” Bronwyn said. “I promise to try and fly more steadily.” Suppressing a slight shudder, Anna nodded, and allowed Bronwyn to curl her tail around her waist while Favian lifted Cathryn onto his back.
“You’ve been practicing,” Anna said with a smile as she was gently lowered onto the dragon’s back.
“I used a log,” Bronwyn said, looking down at the ground as she spoke. She glanced back at Anna with an appealing look, and Anna patted her neck.
“That was excellent,” she said. “I hardly felt you lifting me at all.” Bronwyn’s smile broadened, and she spread out her rosy bronze wings.
“Thank you.”
They landed in an open field near the city gates, and were soon walking across the bridge and into the capital. As always, Anna paused to take in the tantalizing sights and smells that were peculiar to Civitas. She smiled to herself, and quickened her pace to catch up to the others who had not slowed down.
At the river, Favian waved over a ferry to take him and Anna to the palace, while the others continued on their way to the home of Master Forrester, Cathryn’s father, a few blocks away. It didn’t take long for a ferry to reach them, and taking a seat on one of the benches, Anna lifted her face to the sun shining in the clear sky.
“I love days like this,” she said to Favian. “Clear blue skies where you can see for miles. Difficult for a falcon or hawk to come unawares on his prey when the sky is this clear,” she added with a mischievous grin.
“Hmm,” Favian said, glancing at her. “But sometimes a predator can find unwary prey sitting right in front him.”
Anna laughed. “When the wolf is dressed in sheep’s clothing, you mean.”
“Exactly!” Favian grinned, and turned to look at the palace. “There’s no guarantee we will be able to see Kathleen. She may be running errands for the queen or otherwise occupied.”
“I know,” Anna said. “But I’m hopeful I can snatch a few minutes.”
Favian nodded. “We will see what we can do.”
They arrived at the palace steps a short while later, and made thei
r way across the courtyard. They were nearing the doors when a voice called out her name. Anna turned to see Prince Rupert coming towards her. She dropped a shallow curtsey as he approached. “Your Highness. I did not expect to see you here.”
“Nor I you,” he said.
Next to her, Favian turned towards the prince. “Your Highness,” he said.
Rupert glanced at him. “Favian Drake. What brings you here?”
“I’m serving as escort to Mistress Anna.”
“Indeed?”
“Yes,” Anna said. “I came in the hopes of seeing my friend, the Lady Kathleen.”
“Lady Kathleen?” The prince looked perplexed for a moment. “You mean that mousy little thing Matilda has taken on?”
A spark of annoyance made Anna lift her chin slightly. “Lady Kathleen is a very dear friend of mind,” she said. She could feel Favian’s look of amusement as he glanced down at her, while the prince’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Well, there is no accounting for some friendships,” he said. Anna glanced down at the ground to hide her mounting irritation.
“If you’ll excuse us,” Favian said, taking Anna by the arm and turning her away.
“Stop.” Favian paused, then slowly turned to face the prince once more. “The queen and her ladies are in the garden.” The prince’s eyes narrowed as his gaze met Favian’s. “You wait here. I will escort Mistress Anna.”
“Your Highness is very kind,” Favian said, “but I cannot do that.” He was taller than the prince by half a foot, and although the prince was broad and stocky, compared to Favian he appeared quite slight. “Anna is under my protection, as both my guest and a member of my family, and it is my duty to ensure her safety.”
“Do you question my honor?” Rupert’s voice was low and hard.
Favian shrugged. “Take it how you will. I will not leave her alone with you.”
“Very well. You can find your own way.” He nodded towards Anna, then turning towards the palace, marched away. Anna turned a questioning look on Favian, but a slight shrug was his only reply.
Anna could hear the sounds of voices as they approached the gardens, and as they rounded a corner, she saw the queen walking along a path, a parasol in her hand providing some shade against the sun, while around her walked her ladies-in-waiting. Kathleen was next to the queen, speaking earnestly as she played with a flower in her hand, while behind them trailed two other ladies, laughing and whispering. It was impossible for anyone to overlook Favian, with his huge build and flaming red hair, and within a moment, the queen and Kathleen had paused in their tracks.
“Anna!” Kathleen exclaimed. A look of consternation crossed her features and she dropped her head. “My apologies, my lady,” she said.
“You know this woman, Kathleen?” Matilda demanded.
“Oh, yes, Your Majesty. She is a very dear friend.” The queen gave Anna a scrutinizing look.
“Mistress Anna.” Anna gave a low curtsey while the queen’s eyes moved back to Favian. “And Favian Drake. How come you to be here?” she said.
“I came with Mistress Anna. She is a guest in my household.”
“I see.” The queen looked back at Anna. “Kathleen, leave us alone. I would like to walk with this friend of yours for a while.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” With a quick smile at Anna, Kathleen turned and walked a short distance away.
“Come,” Queen Matilda said to Anna. “Walk with me. You,” she said, pointing at Favian, “may remain here.” Favian nodded, and crossing his arms against his chest, leaned against a low wall.
“So,” the queen said, “you are here to see your friend, I suppose.” Her blue eyes watched Anna carefully, their sharp intensity contrasting with the soft, plump lines of her face and figure.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You are worried that she is unhappy?”
“Well … yes, Your Majesty.”
“As you should be. Court can be unkind to a girl of Kathleen’s timidity. But I believe she just needs some encouragement.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The queen pulled a flower from a bush, and brushed the bloom against her cheek. “Rupert told me about a woman he met at Hobart’s house. One who offered comment on the color of his wardrobe. Tell me, Mistress, would that woman be you?”
Anna looked at the queen in surprise. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Enough ‘Yes, Your Majesty!’ You offer your opinion quite freely with Rupert, and I desire you to do the same with me.” She paused in her walking to look at Anna.
“That’s only because the prince says so many disagreeable things,” Anna said.
Queen Matilda laughed. “Yes, you are quite correct.” She continued her walking. “Do you enjoy the city, Anna?”
“I do, indeed. I love the vibrancy and smells. On every street corner people are hawking their wares, while plays and music fill every street.”
“That is not a side of the city I get to see. Tell me, what kind of plays do you see on the streets?”
“Well …” Anna tried to think of one. “During the week leading up to the coronation there were many plays. There was one very funny one …”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I should not have mentioned it.”
“You have piqued my curiosity. Tell me.”
Anna looked at the ground uncomfortably. “It was a play about the coronation.”
“Yes?”
Anna took a deep breath and looked up at the queen. May as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. “It pantomimed Your Majesty hitting His Royal Majesty the king with the scepter, while a nobleman picked up the orb, which was rolling down the aisle, and declared himself king.”
The queen laughed. “There are times when I would very much like to hit the king with a scepter, but I must confess I would be hard pressed to do it in the cathedral. Perhaps one day I shall dress like a commoner and see some of these plays myself.” She glanced at Anna. “If I asked you to, would you come with me?”
Anna looked up, startled. “If Your Majesty asked me to, then of course I would obey my queen.”
“Of course. But would you do it willingly?”
Anna smiled. “Yes. I would love to show you the city from a commoner’s view.”
“Good.” She turned. “Let’s return to the others.” They walked back to where Favian still stood, completely ignoring the looks thrown his way by the other women.
“You may have a few minutes with your friend before we retire indoors,” the queen said to Anna.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she said.
She passed the next half hour with Kathleen, getting hopelessly lost in the maze as they wandered between the high hedges and around tight corners.
“The queen is very kind to me, and so is Lady Elizabeth,” Kathleen said. “And Lady Blanche … well, she leaves me alone. It is not what I would have chosen, but I am not unhappy.”
“I’m glad,” Anna said. “I have been so worried for you. But knowing you are happy sets my mind at rest.”
They reached the center of the maze, where they paused to admire the statue of Athena, before turning slowly to look at the four exits, one on each side of the four lengths of hedge that surrounded them.
“Which one did we enter through?” Kathleen asked.
“That one,” Anna said, pointing to the archway in the hedge behind the statue, but they had no sooner gone down the path than they saw it was a dead end. They retraced their steps back to the center of the maze, and tried another exit, but it was soon clear that this too would lead them nowhere. A few more failed attempts had them back in the center, and Anna indicated a bench.
“We’ll just wait until Favian comes to find us,” she said.
“Master Drake? But how will he know we are lost? And what if he gets lost too?”
“He’ll know,” Anna said. “And he never gets lost.” And sure enough, before a few minutes had passed, he rounded a corner and entered the cent
er square.
“Ready to go, ladies?” he said.
Anna rose to her feet. “I knew you would come,” she said.
“Of course,” he replied. “Follow me.”
It only took a few minutes to get through the maze as Favian unerringly led the way, deftly avoiding the dead ends and detours. The queen and the other ladies were waiting near the entrance to the maze as they came out, trailing Favian.
“There you are,” she said. “I was wondering whether we would have to send in the guards.”
“My apologies, Your Majesty,” Kathleen said, dropping to a curtsey before the queen. “I didn’t mean to cause you alarm.”
“No harm done,” the queen said indulgently. She looked over at Anna. “I expect I will see you at court again. You are welcome to come any time,” she said.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Anna replied. The queen nodded and Anna turned to Favian, taking his outstretched arm and allowing him to lead her away from the queen, the gardens and the palace.
Chapter 16
The days at Drake Manor were passing quickly as the leaves started to change color and the nights became cooler. Anna had been there for close on three months, traveling with Cathryn into the city whenever she had cause to go, or spending time around the manor, helping the children with their lessons or Margaret with her healing potions. Evenings were often spent in the parlor where she joined the others in singing, playing games, or listening to Favian or Owain read a tale from one of the many books in Owain’s library. Once, Anna had found a play tucked between two books, and she and the children had acted it out for the enjoyment of the others.
It was just past noon when Cathryn found Anna sitting in the parlor before a blazing fire, reading a letter from Keira. She had been out earlier that day with Bronwyn, and even earlier had struggled with Will over Latin conjugations.
“Aaron and Keira are coming to visit,” Anna said, looking up from her letter as Cathryn walked through the door and took a seat across from her.
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