High King of Brightland by JoEllen Conger

Author:JoEllen Conger [Conger, JoEllen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781613091937
Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
Published: 2017-10-05T22:00:00+00:00

Fourteen

A Touch of Magic

Gwyndalin heard a squeal of delight. Smiling, she went to the window to gaze down on the giant of a man playing touch tag in the snow-drifted Queen’s Garden with Princess Lena Maria. Even with the makeover, there was no mistaking the man. His appearance was a one-of-a-kind…broad shoulders, slender hips and lanky long legs, and, very large feet to balance the upper-structure. The sword at his side did not fit his large hands…nevertheless, he wore it with dignity.

It amused her how he made it appear that the princess outfoxed him. The child ducked under his outstretched arms and sprinted across the lawn area between the snow-covered rose beds with a tirade of giggles. He looked amazed, puzzled that she had escaped him; turning he lumbered after her. It was a wonderful game of deceit, well played.

“Monster! Monster!” Lena screamed joyously.

It was a pleasure to see that Lena was losing her sense of terror. Today she wore a delicate pink flower-print gown, one of the remodeled dresses available to the ladies-in-waiting. The tailor had even shortened the hem to suit the princess. Her full length coat swooped about her ankles as she gleefully dodged her companion. Highly polished slippers flashed from beneath the hem of her skirt as she skipped around a tree, giggling that her guardsman seemed so inept at catching her. Then he dashed toward her, caught her up and tossed her high into the air, catching her in his widespread arms nearly at ground level. Again Lena squealed with glee, heels kicking.

Electricity struck Gwyndalin. The maiden’s highly-polished shoes looked nothing like the familiar Ladies’ footwear of the realm. Where could she have gotten them? The princess had brought nothing with her save the wedding gown and white satin slippers. A chill surged over Gwyndalin. She suddenly determined to discover where she had come by them.

Throwing on a heavy cape, she let herself out onto the veranda with Danu at her side. Bodicca was training Danu’s batch of puppies today, trained to be personal royal-family guard dogs. And Danu interfered, without realizing she was being a nuisance.

Gwyndalin flew down several flights of steps. As the queen came into the garden, Lena dashed toward her, a small furry hare clutched in her arms, its long silky ears pressed tightly along its back. “Oh! May I keep it?” she begged.

“It be a wild creature, me love. Where would ye keep such a pet?” Then she recalled Gallagher having kept a rabbit as a pet for many years. She stepped closer to have a look at the small leveret. She gently touched it with her fingertips. Its tiny nose poked out from beneath the princess’ arms. “It be so small, ye might be able to train it to hand,” admitted Gwyndalin. “I know of a lad who has done that. Perhaps I shall introduce the two of ye.”

The girl’s eyes widened and shone brightly. “Really?” She glanced down at the bunny. “Can I have it?”

Suspiciously, Gwyndalin squinted hard at Lena.

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