felt like a quarry hammer pounded in Robert’s head, the beats monotonous and vicious. He moaned softly, then felt something cool against his forehead. Instantly, the pain eased.
“How are you feeling?”
He blinked his eyes open at the whispered words. His vision blurred, focused, revealed Molly hovering over him. This close, he could see pale freckles dusting the bridge of her nose. He’d never cared for freckles, but on her they looked rather charming. Her forest green eyes studied him worriedly.
There was a soft cotton sheet underneath him. It smelled like Molly, and he found comfort in the clean feminine scent. “Where am I?” he croaked.
“Beg pardon?”
Robert made a supreme effort to render the sounds of human speech appropriately. “Where…am…I?”
“Home. Mine, that is. Do you remember what happened?”
He thought back. “Yes.” He swallowed. “Serenia took the final ball and…kicked me?”
Molly’s worried look abated slightly. “So it seems your mind isn’t empty.”
“What?”
“Sometimes men become confused after a head injury,” came Ethel’s voice.
“I hurt my head?” he asked.
Molly nodded.
No wonder he felt like his skull would split in half. Serenia had a lot to answer for. He could forgive capriciousness, but never an outright lie or a bargain broken.
“You’re lucky,” Ethel said. “It could’ve been worse.” She rose from her chair and walked to a door leading to another room, moving confidently despite her blindness. “Now that I know you’re well, I’m going to rest if you don’t mind. I’ve been up since the dawn, and I feel tired. It’s rather late.” Her brow wrinkled. “A bit after midnight, if I mark it right.”
“I’ve been unconscious for…what, twelve hours?”
“No. Four days,” Ethel said.
Four days! By all the gods.
“Thank you for your help. Good night, Mother,” Molly said.
“Thank you, Ethel,” Robert said.
“You’re welcome.” She disappeared into the other room.
Molly brought a small wooden bowl full of some kind of dark liquid. “You should drink some of this.”
“What’s that?”
“Herbal tonic. It’ll help you recover.”
He sniffed the bowl. It smelled like wet grass. “Are you a chemist as well as a seer?”
“Mother is a healer. She made it while you were out.”
“I owe her much.”
“Never mind that. Concentrate on getting better.” Molly spooned the liquid into his mouth.
He gagged at the bitter flavor. After suffering such a grave injury, a man deserved something sweeter.
“I know it tastes awful, but it’s good for you,” she cajoled. “Come now. Mother spent hours on this. You don’t want to appear ungrateful, do you?”
This too must be part of his curse. Or at least if he considered it so, he’d feel less resistant.
Better yet, consider it a punishment for ignoring Fairy Godmother.
You
insisted on a princess, and look what it has come to. Lying injured, dependent on a maid and her blind and aged mother.
With a sigh, he rose and moved slowly over to the bowl, unable even to hop. The movement made the room spin, but once it stopped he gulped down the disgusting brew. Done, he sighed again. “I have been an idiot.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“I’m not. I’m being honest with myself. I should have listened when Fairy Godmother said there weren’t any suitable princesses for me.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. But I kept demanding one, and eventually Fairy Godmother relented and said I could try Serenia if I truly
must
have a princess.” He groaned, closing his eyes, too ashamed to look at Molly. “Things have not turned out well.”
“Surely there are other princesses.”
“No. It’s too late. My father will reach his sixtieth year in…three days and retire to the country as our customs dictate.” Robert hung his head. “Though I’m his only legitimate heir, I cannot take the throne and rule in this form. The high lords would never accept me.”
“Have
“How are you feeling?”
He blinked his eyes open at the whispered words. His vision blurred, focused, revealed Molly hovering over him. This close, he could see pale freckles dusting the bridge of her nose. He’d never cared for freckles, but on her they looked rather charming. Her forest green eyes studied him worriedly.
There was a soft cotton sheet underneath him. It smelled like Molly, and he found comfort in the clean feminine scent. “Where am I?” he croaked.
“Beg pardon?”
Robert made a supreme effort to render the sounds of human speech appropriately. “Where…am…I?”
“Home. Mine, that is. Do you remember what happened?”
He thought back. “Yes.” He swallowed. “Serenia took the final ball and…kicked me?”
Molly’s worried look abated slightly. “So it seems your mind isn’t empty.”
“What?”
“Sometimes men become confused after a head injury,” came Ethel’s voice.
“I hurt my head?” he asked.
Molly nodded.
No wonder he felt like his skull would split in half. Serenia had a lot to answer for. He could forgive capriciousness, but never an outright lie or a bargain broken.
“You’re lucky,” Ethel said. “It could’ve been worse.” She rose from her chair and walked to a door leading to another room, moving confidently despite her blindness. “Now that I know you’re well, I’m going to rest if you don’t mind. I’ve been up since the dawn, and I feel tired. It’s rather late.” Her brow wrinkled. “A bit after midnight, if I mark it right.”
“I’ve been unconscious for…what, twelve hours?”
“No. Four days,” Ethel said.
Four days! By all the gods.
“Thank you for your help. Good night, Mother,” Molly said.
“Thank you, Ethel,” Robert said.
“You’re welcome.” She disappeared into the other room.
Molly brought a small wooden bowl full of some kind of dark liquid. “You should drink some of this.”
“What’s that?”
“Herbal tonic. It’ll help you recover.”
He sniffed the bowl. It smelled like wet grass. “Are you a chemist as well as a seer?”
“Mother is a healer. She made it while you were out.”
“I owe her much.”
“Never mind that. Concentrate on getting better.” Molly spooned the liquid into his mouth.
He gagged at the bitter flavor. After suffering such a grave injury, a man deserved something sweeter.
“I know it tastes awful, but it’s good for you,” she cajoled. “Come now. Mother spent hours on this. You don’t want to appear ungrateful, do you?”
This too must be part of his curse. Or at least if he considered it so, he’d feel less resistant.
Better yet, consider it a punishment for ignoring Fairy Godmother.
You
insisted on a princess, and look what it has come to. Lying injured, dependent on a maid and her blind and aged mother.
With a sigh, he rose and moved slowly over to the bowl, unable even to hop. The movement made the room spin, but once it stopped he gulped down the disgusting brew. Done, he sighed again. “I have been an idiot.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“I’m not. I’m being honest with myself. I should have listened when Fairy Godmother said there weren’t any suitable princesses for me.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. But I kept demanding one, and eventually Fairy Godmother relented and said I could try Serenia if I truly
must
have a princess.” He groaned, closing his eyes, too ashamed to look at Molly. “Things have not turned out well.”
“Surely there are other princesses.”
“No. It’s too late. My father will reach his sixtieth year in…three days and retire to the country as our customs dictate.” Robert hung his head. “Though I’m his only legitimate heir, I cannot take the throne and rule in this form. The high lords would never accept me.”
“Have
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