Eventually, however, after much experimentation, the great prince and Norah’s own father had learned that together they could create a concoction to protect the children who hadn’t yet been touched. If the children drank the mixture before being infected, it would protect them from contractingthe plague. But damage had been done to countless children already. Making matters worse, the island of healing that the Bianne family ruled had nearly been overrun by those who had no other hope and brought their children anyway, despite being warned that little could be done.
Then the pirate lord and his family had come.
Not long after Prince Everard had left, one of the most powerful pirate captains known to the western realm appeared on the island alongside the weary travelers, demanding that his eldest son be attended to immediately. The boy had, apparently, contracted the plague as well.
Many of Norah’s father’s lords and advisers had pleaded with him not to take the child under his care. If he failed, there was no telling what the pirate would do in retaliation. But her father had calmly answered that he wouldn’t punish a child for the sins of his father, and that the pirate’s family could wait their turn to be seen… just like everyone else.
The pirate lord hadn’t liked this answer. But much to everyone’s surprise, he and his two sons had waited several weeks. Unfortunately, it was two weeks too long, and the pirate lord’s eldest son died. That night, Norah’s home had gone up in flames.
Nanny liked to say that Norah couldn’t possibly remember all that had happened before the fire. But Norah remembered far more than she had ever wished to.
Norah rubbed her eyes now with the palms of her hands and sat up, praying to the Maker to make the intrusive memories go away. Usually, she could push them away by turning to happier considerations, imagining all the places she and Nanny would visit on their adventure as soon as they had enough money to leave. But tonight she was tired, and her will was weak. So her thoughts continued to turn from one morbid topic to another, trying to puzzle out the night, and how all of its odd pieces fit together.
It tried to answer questions such as why the prince had losthis words. And… what hadreallybeen going on in this palace over these last ten years?
Now that Norah thought about it, she realized that very few commoners were actually aware of the royal family’s doings. She’d been near the gates enough to know that they regularly received deliveries, and that soldiers and important-looking people in expensive clothes went in and out on a daily basis. But she hadn’t seen a royal parade or even had a sighting of the royals in… years. And no one else she knew had either. Ever since the king and queen had died, which had been soon after her own family’s death, the crown had been all but silent. Royal proclamations were made by town criers, and sometimes, lords or generals spoke in the crown prince’s name.
What had so altered the circumstances here that Lady Freya seemed nearly afraid to talk about them?
Morning felt like it would never come, but at some point, the sky began to lighten through Norah’s windows. As soon as she believed it would be considered decent, she threw on the simplest gown in the wardrobe, rang the bell, and requested that the yawning servant take her down to breakfast with the princess.
Despite the early morning hour, Lady Freya was already sitting at a little table on a balcony that overlooked the grounds behind the palace. They were the same gardens Norah had been led through the night before. Now that the storm had blown away, however, Norah realized they looked much more inviting than they had in the night.
“I would ask how you slept,” Lady Freya said wryly, “except that you look as though you slept as well as I did.”
Norah might have been alarmed by such acomment coming from a royal, except that the dark circles beneath Lady Freya’s lovely brown eyes matched those she had seen in her own looking glass that morning. So Norah only gave her a wry smile back.
“Being attacked by pirates doesn’t lend itself well to sleep,” she said.
The lady chuckled. “I can’t suppose it would. I am truly sorry you didn’t sleep well, though. I can only imagine the state your thoughts must be in today, so I’ll leave out the small talk and tell you what I can.” She paused as a servant placed a plate of fruit, toast, and an egg before each of them, and she didn’t resume until they were alone again.
“The palace guards who were assigned to find your… your Nanny, were unfortunately unable to discover either her attackers or her. But they did find your home, and it was most definitely the scene of some sort of altercation.” She sighed. “Windows and doors were broken, and there were, apparently, signs of struggle everywhere.”
Norah’s throat felt so tight that she could barely breathe.
“That said,” Lady Freya continued, “we will continue to search. Word has been sent to the dock master and our naval officers that they’re to be on the lookout for pirate ships.” She paused. “Do you know who your attackers were?”
Norah shook her head and cleared her throat twice before she could speak. “He… he seemed to believe he knew me, and he looked… Well, I thought he might look a bit familiar. But he didn’t say his name. And I couldn’t actually say who he was.” She shuddered as she remembered the tenderness with which he’d said her name. As though he revered her.
It made his advances that much worse.
“Well, pirates of any kind are unwelcome in this city,” Lady Freya said, her voice sharp. “But since you’re here, I had hoped we could discuss your… betrothal. To my brother, Phillip.”
Norah had been toying with a sliced grape, but at this, she went still.
“As I told you last night, my brother fell ill just before your parents died. In fact, we never confirmed it, but I’m firmly convinced that my own parents were murdered as a result of your betrothal.” Her voice grew tighter. “By pirates.”
Norah could only stare at her, the food on her plate completely forgotten.
“I don’t know if you knew this, but the betrothal had two purposes,” Lady Freya went on after taking a deep breath. “The first was to ally our kingdoms in peace. Our parents had already been discussing such a possibility before the plague hit. The pirates had been growing steadily bolder, and our families both worried that they might try to take control of your island or our city. An alliance would have helped strengthen both peoples.
“But then my brother fell ill, and they decided that if you two could be brought together often enough, you might fall in love. Then, when you were both old enough, you could marry, and he would be healed.” She gave Norah a cautious look. “I’m sure you know why.”
Norah nodded but couldn’t speak as her thoughts whirled with this revelation.
Yes, she had known she was betrothed. It was the reason Nanny had taken her so many times to the palace gates. But she hadn’t realized that the match had been contracted in the hopes of her saving Prince Phillip.
Aside from her family’s unusual healing powers, every child who was born a direct descendant of the crown inherited another unusual gift as well. Whomever the child fell in love with and married would be cured immediately of whatever ailed him or her, and they would live long, healthy lives–given they weren’t cut short by fires or pirates.
