you know that, Aesri?”
Aesri appeared startled by the question. “The trees told me. Do you not hear them?”
“I don’t think so. How do you hear trees?”
“The same way you hear anything—you listen.”
Carly closed her eyes and tried to really hear the trees around her, but all she could discern was the occasional creaking of branches in the late autumn wind. Mostly, what she felt was cold. She was still soaked from the rain she had brought, and this was no time of year to be outdoors and wet.
“Sorry, Aesri, I don’t hear anything.”
“Hmm, well, do not worry about that right now. You are cold and tired. Let us go back.”
Carly took Aesri’s hand, and the women walked back to the castle. Kahn followed closely behind, nudging Carly every few steps as if reassuring himself that she was still there.
Chapter 9
The people of Maj were once again assembled in the Great Hall. They were nervous and upset. Hugh’s death, a new lord of the island, Bryan had returned with news from the king, and three shiploads of fairies had just arrived—fairies, of all things! Their peaceful existence had been completely turned on its head. The constant ebb and flow of their lives had been shaken to its core.
To Bryan’s credit, he managed not to trip over his own feet when he entered the Great Hall and saw six tiny women seated at the lord’s table. Fairies! Here, on Maj! Who would have believed they even existed?
“Lady Dearra, I have word from the king,” Bryan said. He stood as tall as he could and puffed out his chest.
It’s about time, Dearra thought to herself.
Patience, Fuzzy. Keep that temper under control. You’re not a little girl anymore. You are Lord of Maj; the people will expect you to act like it.
Daniel stood behind her on one side and Darius on the other. They, along with Brin, had become her de facto advisors. Daniel was a little more vocal than Darius, but Dearra could often get as much from Darius with just a look or the way he stood. If he was concerned or worried about what was being said, for instance, he tended to step slightly closer to Dearra, as if ready to protect or shield her.
When Trevor had voiced his opinion at the last meeting, Darius actually stood slightly in front of her. She had to give Trevor this much—he had courage. Darius could be very imposing when he chose to be. She wasn’t sure she would have been as vocal had she been in Trevor’s shoes. It wasn’t until Daniel stepped in that Trevor had backed down.
“What does the king say, Bryan?” Dearra asked, doing her best to stay patient.
Bryan hesitated and fidgeted a little, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “He says that he appreciates your diligence in keeping him informed. He also says that he has no doubt Maj will do her duty, as she always has, and that Mirin Tor will be well protected, should the Breken choose to come raiding.”
“Come raiding? Come raiding!” Dearra shot to her feet, knocking her father’s chair backward as she did so. She felt Daniel’s hand on her shoulder, and Darius was tight to her side.
“Did he read my letter? This is no raid; this is war!”
“I—he—the king I mean—he read it, Dearra. I mean, Lady Dearra. He said that, forgive me, but he laughed.”
Dearra’s eyes blazed gold. “He laughed? Didn’t you explain what Darius told us? Forty thousand Breken warriors. Forty thousand at least . How could the king scoff at that? I know he is stubborn, but if there is even a chance, how can he be so casual about it?”
“The king seems to think that your youth and inexperience have you jumping at shadows. He thinks that maybe…another should take charge of the island. Just until you’re ready, of course! Anyway, that’s what he thinks.” Bryan had gone from proud messenger to utter mortification. When he had rehearsed it in his head, it had sounded so much better. Reasonable even. But now…?
Dearra straightened her chair and lowered herself
Aesri appeared startled by the question. “The trees told me. Do you not hear them?”
“I don’t think so. How do you hear trees?”
“The same way you hear anything—you listen.”
Carly closed her eyes and tried to really hear the trees around her, but all she could discern was the occasional creaking of branches in the late autumn wind. Mostly, what she felt was cold. She was still soaked from the rain she had brought, and this was no time of year to be outdoors and wet.
“Sorry, Aesri, I don’t hear anything.”
“Hmm, well, do not worry about that right now. You are cold and tired. Let us go back.”
Carly took Aesri’s hand, and the women walked back to the castle. Kahn followed closely behind, nudging Carly every few steps as if reassuring himself that she was still there.
Chapter 9
The people of Maj were once again assembled in the Great Hall. They were nervous and upset. Hugh’s death, a new lord of the island, Bryan had returned with news from the king, and three shiploads of fairies had just arrived—fairies, of all things! Their peaceful existence had been completely turned on its head. The constant ebb and flow of their lives had been shaken to its core.
To Bryan’s credit, he managed not to trip over his own feet when he entered the Great Hall and saw six tiny women seated at the lord’s table. Fairies! Here, on Maj! Who would have believed they even existed?
“Lady Dearra, I have word from the king,” Bryan said. He stood as tall as he could and puffed out his chest.
It’s about time, Dearra thought to herself.
Patience, Fuzzy. Keep that temper under control. You’re not a little girl anymore. You are Lord of Maj; the people will expect you to act like it.
Daniel stood behind her on one side and Darius on the other. They, along with Brin, had become her de facto advisors. Daniel was a little more vocal than Darius, but Dearra could often get as much from Darius with just a look or the way he stood. If he was concerned or worried about what was being said, for instance, he tended to step slightly closer to Dearra, as if ready to protect or shield her.
When Trevor had voiced his opinion at the last meeting, Darius actually stood slightly in front of her. She had to give Trevor this much—he had courage. Darius could be very imposing when he chose to be. She wasn’t sure she would have been as vocal had she been in Trevor’s shoes. It wasn’t until Daniel stepped in that Trevor had backed down.
“What does the king say, Bryan?” Dearra asked, doing her best to stay patient.
Bryan hesitated and fidgeted a little, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “He says that he appreciates your diligence in keeping him informed. He also says that he has no doubt Maj will do her duty, as she always has, and that Mirin Tor will be well protected, should the Breken choose to come raiding.”
“Come raiding? Come raiding!” Dearra shot to her feet, knocking her father’s chair backward as she did so. She felt Daniel’s hand on her shoulder, and Darius was tight to her side.
“Did he read my letter? This is no raid; this is war!”
“I—he—the king I mean—he read it, Dearra. I mean, Lady Dearra. He said that, forgive me, but he laughed.”
Dearra’s eyes blazed gold. “He laughed? Didn’t you explain what Darius told us? Forty thousand Breken warriors. Forty thousand at least . How could the king scoff at that? I know he is stubborn, but if there is even a chance, how can he be so casual about it?”
“The king seems to think that your youth and inexperience have you jumping at shadows. He thinks that maybe…another should take charge of the island. Just until you’re ready, of course! Anyway, that’s what he thinks.” Bryan had gone from proud messenger to utter mortification. When he had rehearsed it in his head, it had sounded so much better. Reasonable even. But now…?
Dearra straightened her chair and lowered herself
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