The blood drained from her face. Her legs shook under her gown.
“It’s most peculiar,Mamie. Lord Liam said that the Princess Issylte,” Deirdre crooned, malice burning in her bleak stare,“had long, blond hair—and was quite beautiful. That she was just fourteen when theaccidentoccurred four years ago.”
Maiwenn was assembling her baskets, preparing to leave.
Deirdre’s steely voice was a razor-sharp blade. “Four years ago… the same time thatyoucame to Mamie’s cottage. FromBretagne.”Deirdre shot daggers at Issylte, who dared not meet the malevolent stare.
“Isn’t that just an incrediblecoincidence? And, to think that here you are—eighteen years old now, the exact same age that the princess would have been if she’d survived.” A devilish grin contorted Deirdre’s taunting face.
Maiwenn seemed to be trying her best to remain unruffled. “Yes, Dee, it is indeed a tragedy. I’ve heard it said throughout the kingdom that she was a lovely child. Such a terrible loss for His Majesty, the king.”
Turning to Branoc and adjusting the basket on her arm, sheannounced, “We’ll be headin’ home now, dear. It was good to see you both. Come now, Églantine. Let’s go make that seafood stew with the clams and mussels we found this morning.”
Maiwenn took Issylte’s arm and firmly steered her towards the door. Issylte could barely stand as she leaned on hertatiefor support. “Bye now, Dee. We’ll see you soon.” Maiwenn flashed a bright smile as she led Issylte out the door.
Maiwenn’s voice was quiet but stern. “Hold your head high and keep your composure. I am sure that Dee is watching from the window. Do not react at all until we are out of view. Come with me, dear. Calmly.”
Once they were no longer in sight of the blacksmith shop and well into the forest, Issylte collapsed onto her knees. “Oh,Tatie… Luna was there! And Liam! And my poor father… He’s bedridden, just like I saw in that vision on the lake!” She shuddered, her breath heaving.
“The queen sold Luna. She belongs to someone else now.” Issylte was inconsolable, her body wracked with grief. “I’ll never see her, or Liam—or my father—ever again. Oh,Tatie, I just can’t bear it!”
Maiwenn stroked Issylte’s back, her touch soothing. “There now, dear. I know it hurts. It’s all right, sweetheart.” Maiwenn wrapped her arms around Issylte in a grandmotherly hug, as if to absorb her pain.
After a few minutes, Issylte raised a crumpled, miserable face to hertatie.
Maiwenn helped Issylte to her feet. “Come, let’s go home to the cottage. I have something important to tell you.”
Seated at the cozy table behind the hearth, Issylte sipped the chamomile tea as hertatiestored the provisions they had procured in the village earlier that day. Returning with her owntisane,the fairy witch who had so lovingly cared for her for the past four years sat down at the table. Large, luminous brown eyes twinkled in the firelight.
“My dearest Églantine,” she said, her eyes glistening. “I love you as if you were my very own granddaughter.” Maiwenn reached across the table and squeezed Issylte’s hand. Issylte’s heart was in her throat. Where was this leading? A wave of panic washed over her.
“You have given me so muchjoy, sweetheart. I thank the Goddess every day for bringing you to my doorstep.” Wiping her tears and straightening her back, hertatieseemed to be gathering her resolve. She met Issylte’s gaze, her wise eyes resolute and firm.
“You cannot remain here any longer, my princess. It has become much too dangerous. Dozens of knights are arriving each week, headed to the castle. The Black Knight has every sea wright along the coast building warships for his army, preparing for an invasion of Britain.” Issylte’s lip quivered and her legsshook under the table. “Soon, there will be lumberjacks felling the trees here in the Hazelwood Forest. More royal guards coming into the village. And now, I fear Dee suspects the truth, after what she said in the shop today.”
Issylte, her heart fluttering, watched Maiwenn sip her tea.
“Do you remember several weeks ago, you saw me talking to someone in front of the cottage, near the woods?”
Issylte nodded, taking a sip oftisane. Her hands trembled, and her stomach clenched. She was downright ill with tension and dread. What wasTatiesaying?
Maiwenn continued, her voice at once soothing yet discomforting. “I told you that a villager was asking for a remedy for a stomach ailment,” she said, seeming embarrassed at the lie. “But those were mymessengers—theLittle Folk—the woodland creatures of the forest.”
Issylte gazed at Maiwenn in confusion. Where was this leading? What wasTatietrying to say? Her stomach was twitching. She wiped damp palms on her dress.
“I sent an urgent message to my trusted friend Viviane, asking if she could take you in. I explained who you were, the queen’s attempt on your life, and that I could no longer keep you here with me.” Maiwenn’s eyes blazed with conviction.
“I received a response not long after, saying yes, you could stay with her, and that she would be sending her guards to escort you there.”
Issylte panicked. “Escort me where,Tatie? I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here with you. I love you,Tatie. Please don’t send me away!” She clutched Maiwenn’s hands.
The fairy witch rose to her feet and threw her arms around Issylte’s shoulders. Maiwenn rested her cheek against Issylte’s head.
Issylte’s heart was a tight fist. She loved hertatieso very much. She couldn’t leave!
“I know, sweetheart. It breaks my heart to send you away, but that is exactly what I must do. It is too dangerous for you to remain here. You know that is true. If the queen learns that you are still alive, she will hunt you down andkillyou.”
And you, Tatie, for sheltering me,Issylte realized with horror.By the Goddess, I must leave before it’s too late. For Tatie’s sake!
