Chapter 21 #2
The king stood and raised his chalet. “Welcome home, Briana. I am King Pradwick, ruler of the kingdom of Pradwick, and these are my daughters,” he opened his palm toward the tell, pretty woman on his right.
“Princess Leeta.” He indicated Morla on his left.
“You know Princess Morla, and the small one at the end of the table is Princess Tilly.”
Bree smiled widely at the newly introduced princesses and nodded at Morla.
“How do you know me?” Bree asked the king.
He chuckled and pulled a hand full of folded papers out of his pocket. As he opened and straightened the papers, Bree realized they were photographs. The king turned the first photo toward Bree.
It was a picture of her at Garrett’s wedding. Bree frowned at the king. He chuckled again and showed her another picture, that one of her at Abby’s wedding. And another of her at Izzy’s wedding and another at Max’s party.
“How did you get all these?”
“Mark and Dianne left them with me to give to you. I do apologize for their wear, but I have carried them around for months in expectation of just this moment. I wanted to make you feel comfortable from the moment we met. Your aunt told me how sad you had been as you grew up, and I wanted to make you feel like we are old friends.” He grasped her in his gaze.
“We are friends, you and I, just as Patricia was and Dianne and Mark are still my friends.”
“When was the last time you saw Mark and Dianne?”
He rubbed his graying beard. “Hmm, that would be the day Garlain left the castle and went to the ruins.”
Princess Leeta put her hand on her father’s arm. “No, Father, that was when Dianne gave you the photographs, but they visited you only before the last full moon.”
The king looked chagrined. “You saw them?”
“Yes, and by the time I entered the planning room they were gone, and you were confused and unable to talk coherently. I left it alone all these weeks, but now I think you are keeping things from me.”
“But what does that mean?” Bree wanted to know. “Why did they visit?”
“They brought a new wheeled chair for Tilly. Now eat and drink and tell us everything that has happened up until this moment.”
“But...”
Horland squeezed Bree’s forearm to stop her from speaking.
The king smiled at Bree, but his eyes hardened as if to let her know he was finished talking about Mark and Dianne.
Bree sat back and kept her tongue, but she wasn’t going to leave it there.
She wondered when her aunt and uncle had taken the photographs of her.
She knew they were alive and flitting about throughout the ages, but just how many times had they gone back to what was their present time?
More times than I knew about, that’s for sure.
The princesses Leeta and Tilly wanted to know everything that had happened. Bree pushed all her unanswered questions out of her mind and joined Horland, Garlain and Morla taking turns telling the princesses their stories.
Everyone was sympathetic to Bree, and they didn’t hide their glee that Garlain was once again back to his old self.
During the conversation, Horland exclaimed his intention to marry Bree. Everyone clapped and the king stood, chalet in hand. “Congratulations, Horland and Briana. The wedding will be on the morrow.”
“What?” Bree said. “Wait, that’s too soon.”
“Why?” Horland asked. “Have you changed your mind?”
“No, of course not, but I have to plan the wedding.”
“No need,” Princess Leeta said. “The wedding is already being planned as we speak.” She tipped her head to indicate Bree should look behind her.
Bree turned and the king was speaking to Carson and four of the serving staff.
Horland chuckled. “It is set.” He took Bree’s hand. “Mayhap it is time to retire, we have a big day tomorrow.”
“You can sleep in my room tonight,” Morla said to Bree.
MORLA SHOWED brEE TO her room, where a massive rug covered the floor, with an equally massive fireplace. The high bed with its four posts and drapes tied to each one looked like it would be comfortable.
She threw her backpack on a low double-seated chair and jumped on the bed. It felt like she was sitting on fluffy pillows. The bed was much cozier than Bree would have guessed.
“It’s beautiful,” Bree said.
“Don’t become to enamored with it,” Morla said. “You are here for only one night.”
“What happens after that?”
“Leeta is assigning your apartments tonight, and they will be ready for you and Sir Horland on the morrow. The entire west wing is full of apartments for our knights and their families. You can stay there as long as you wish.”
“Does everyone live in the castle?”
“No, some find they prefer to make homes elsewhere in the kingdom. However, it is my hope you and Horland will stay.”
“Is it me and Horland you want living here, or do you want my father to stay?”
Morla stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. “Garlain is the king’s knight. He will stay anyway, with or without you.”
“Are you sure about that?” Bree knew she was being mean, but she couldn’t help harassing the princess.
Morla threw her hands high in the air. “All right, if you stay, Garlain will too.”
“There—doesn’t it feel good to be honest? Of course, we’ll stay. But one thing, though—can I have a bath?” She grimaced. “I really need one.”
She thought Morla was going to ignore her because she opened the door and looked like she was going to leave, but she turned back to Bree. “The tub is full in the next room and night clothes are on the end of the bed. I will return early in the morning to help you dress for your wedding.”
Bree sighed. “My wedding,” she breathed. Her eyes widened at Morla. “I’m getting married tomorrow.”
Morla laughed. “You are indeed.”
The air shimmered as the door shut behind Morla.
Uncle Mark and Aunt Di stood in its wake.
“You’re here. Have you seen Dad?”
They laughed. “Yes. And we are so happy he is finally well. That is because of you, Bree,” Uncle Mark said.
Aunt Di took Bree’s hand. “And we thank you for that. We know it must have been hard for you, to know you’d never get those lost years with Garlain back, but—” She grinned. “Are you glad that you came back to this time? I mean, is it everything you hoped it would be?”
Bree scratched the side of her forehead, unsure what Aunt Di meant. Her eyes widened. “Oh, you mean Horland.”
“Garlain said you’re getting married,” Uncle Mark said.
“Yeah, well, it’s all a bit quick, but as I’m not ever changing my mind about him, I suppose it’s okay.”
Aunt Di pulled Bree into a hug. “And now that we’re out of the time vortex, we can spend time with all our family.”
Mark yanked Bree away and gave her a quick hug of his own. He smiled. “We’re so happy for you, darling, but now we have to get back to Garrett.”
“Will you be here tomorrow?”
“Of course, we will,” Aunt Di said.
“The whole family will be here,” Uncle Mark said.
He lifted a white orb to his chest.
“Oh, no,” Bree said. “I left my orb at the ruins.”
Aunt Di pulled an orb from her hip pocket. “We have it.”
“Thank goodness. What are you going to do with it?”
“Garrett will keep it safe,” Uncle Mark said, and twisted their white orb. As the top rose, he took Aunt Di’s hand and they disappeared.
Bree sat on the bed shaking her head. “I’m getting married tomorrow.”
She gazed at the nightclothes but decided her bath could wait a while longer. She opened the door and peeked out into the wide corridor lined with paintings of knights, kings, and queens. She hoped Horland had the same idea and grinned when she spied him coming to rest on the hall’s verandah.
Their eyes met and Bree’s breath hitched at his intense gaze. Both started toward one another.
Morla whooshed down the hall, coming to a stop in front of Horland. She placed her hands on his chest. “No, you don’t. Go back to your room, Briana is out of bounds this night.”
Horland tried to get around her but she moved to the side with him.
“I just wanted to say goodnight.”
“Well say it.”
“Not from such a distance.”
Horland’s face set hard and Bree thought he was going to thrust Morla out of his way, so she pleaded, “Please Morla.”
Morla glanced back, and Bree hoped her miserable expression moved the stubborn princess.
Morla let out a loud breath. “Fine, but I’m staying here.” She moved out of the way to let him pass.
Horland wasted no time and hurried forward, taking Bree into his arms. “I will miss you.”
“I’ll miss you more.”
They laughed and their mouths met in a deep and heartfelt kiss.
Morla was upon them immediately, pulling Bree out of Horland’s arms. “Stop it. Stop it.”
“Princess,” Horland said, his eyes narrowing on Morla. “Please leave us.”
Morla slapped her hands on her hips. “You will leave now, or I will call the guards.”
“I am here to spend time with my future wife.”
“Guards!” Morla shouted. “Guards!”
Bree put her hand over Morla’s mouth. “All right, all right, don’t shout.” She grimaced at Horland. “I guess we should say goodnight then.”
He held her shoulders and kissed her. Bree’s knees weakened and she held on to him as tightly as she could. Horland let her go and she wavered.
“Good night,” he said, gazing down with dark, longing eyes.
Bree swallowed. “Good night.”
Horland spun on his heels and strode past Morla.
“Good night,” Morla sang after him.
“That wasn’t very nice,” Bree said, wringing her hands, still getting a handle on her own emotions.
“It is bad luck for the betrothed to see one another before the wedding. That is why once announced, we tend not to wait too long to marry.”
Bree laughed. “Now that at least makes sense.”