In the center of the room stood the big planning table, its surface a matte black touchscreen map scattered with physical models: a detailed cardboard replica of a castle, tiny soldiers and vehicles positioned around it.
I was given a chair at a dining table and a mug of coffee. Above me harsh lights hung from rafters, the whole place so bright it was difficult for my eyes to get used to it. They stung, I swabbed at them with the last tissue stuffed in my sleeve.
No sooner had Torin sat down beside me, wincing from the lights, than we heard loud talking outside. And through the wide open doors, walked Uncles Ryan and Aenghus with a woman I hadn’t met yet. She was wearing jodhpurs and a fitted uniform jacket. Her light brown hair was pinned up in a bun. She looked a little like a female soldier from the mid-twentieth century.
She rushed me squealing. “Alexandria! Oh, Alexandria!” And threw her arms around my shoulders, squeezing, then collapsed onto my lap, clutching my fingers, looking up in my face, tears spilling from her eyes. “I am yer Aunt Claray, oh, I promised myself I wouldna cry?—”
Ryan chuckled. “You told us you were definitely going to cry when you saw her!”
“I thought I would cry, but I hoped that I would not embarrass myself, but there’s no stopping it, Alexandria! Ye were a baby, I held ye in my arms, I kissed ye and held ye, and och, my heart was broken when ye had tae be sent away. I wanted tae keep ye. I offered tae go with ye, but everyone knewthey would find ye because of me. Och nae, my heart has broken over it. Are ye well, dost ye forgive me?”
“Why would I need to forgive you, I don’t hold it against you!”
“Because we waited so long — we couldna get tae ye, we dinna hae our vessel! I thought ye were both lost for good, we hae been desperate!”
I stroked the back of her hand. “I had a good life, Aunt Claray, until I lost the um… people who raised me?—”
She clutched my hand, tears streaming. “When did you lose them?”
“When I was eighteen.”
“Och nae, so much heartbreak! Should we go back, dost ye want us tae get ye back — tae save ye the pain?”
I glanced at Max, he said, “Nae, Aunt Claray, we arna goin’ back, nae one is going back. I command all, ye canna do it.”
She said, “Oh, good, tis a relief, I think.”
I nodded. “I agree with Max, I don’t need anyone to rescue me earlier, my life is my own, and I don’t hold it against you, Aunt Claray. I’m married now, to Torin. I’m at peace with my past.”
“Ye’re married! Tae Torin?” She raised her head and looked across the table.
Torin smiled and waved.
She said, “Och he is verra fine, he is good tae ye? He is kind?”
“Yes, but we’ve only been married for a day.”
Aunt Claray clapped her hands. “Newlyweds!!!” She stood. “And so ye forgive me?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” next she stood in front of Torin. “My apologies for havin’ been so emotional, I am nae usually so?—”
Aenghus, a big man with a full long beard, rough looking, but with smile lines around his eyes, said, “Sister, ye are oftenoverwrought. Ye canna lie tae our niece and nephews!” Then he turned to me. “Nor would hae been proud of ye, Alexandria, ye’re a beauty.”
I cocked my head. “Have we met?”
He said, “Aye, but ye were verra wee, a squawking bairn. But I did hold ye and smile at ye, dost ye remember yer Uncle Aenghus?”
“Maybe… you look familiar… but I was… I’m probably wrong…” Then I asked, “I found a prayer book from Lady Gail, who is she?”
Claray said, “Tis yer grandmother on yer father’s side. My mother. I’m verra glad ye hae it.”
“I wish I had found it earlier, but I don’t know what I would have done with the information, I didn’t know I was a princess.”
Everyone’s frowns deepened.
I took a sip of my coffee. “But it’s okay, really, just… no one needs to feel bad for me. I just, it was a good life, I’m…” My chin trembled. I pulled out the now damp tissue and dabbed at my eyes, for like the billionth time.
