Why then did I feel so unsettled, so restless?
If I was honest, the feelings had been pressing ever harder and closer for months.
Aunt Elspeth tiptoed back to the table. “Here you are, sweeting.” She delivered the mead, her eyes wide upon Chester, as if she expected him to pound the table again at any moment.
I cradled the mug between both hands, letting the rising eddy of steam bathe my face.
Aunt Elspeth watched me tenderly, her big eyes teeming with expectation.
I breathed in the spiciness of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, then took a sip and gave her the smile she was waiting for. “Thank you. You always know just what I need.”
“Of course I do, dear heart. I know you better than anyone.” She patted my arm, then began to clear away the remainder of our meal.
“Well?” Chester plucked a tart from a platter even as Aunt Elspeth whisked it away. He popped the entire delicacy into his mouth and chewed, never once taking his gaze from my face. “Why couldn’t you wait?”
“I love all of you. I really do.” I let my gaze touch each of the faces of the dear people who were like family to me. “But I am weary of being confined, and I long to see the world beyond the cottage.” Once the words emerged, I knew them to be true. Maybe as a child and young girl I’d been content with this home and life. But of late—and especially after meeting Kresten—I found myself wanting to explore farther and travel to places I’d yet to discover.
“Ah, Rory lass.” Chester reached across the table and held out his hand, palm up.
I set my mug down and placed my hand in his as I had many times in the past.
The anger in his features softened. “I know this isn’t easy for you. But you’ll soon be away from the cottage and be able to go wherever you want. Can you find it within yourself to make do until then?”
“I shall try.”
“Good.” He smiled and squeezed my hand before he released me and pushed back from the table, apparently satisfied I would remain safe.
“Wait.” Aunt Idony hadn’t moved, and she continued to study my face as though seeing deeper into my confession than even I had. “If Her Majesty would like to have an excursion now and then beyond the usual boundaries, then Chester, you must take her.”
He shook his head, his face clouding again. “With the influx of new arrivals over recent months, we can never be certain when we might encounter someone. We cannot take any chances of her being seen.”
Although I hadn’t seen any newcomers to Inglewood Forest, Chester brought back tales every time he went beyond our boundaries. Earlier in the summer, he’d returned with news of discord in Warwick, that the slaves who worked in Queen Margery’s gemstone mine had revolted. Most shocking of all was the news that one of the Scanian princes had been at the mines as part of some kind of kingly testing and had led the uprising. Afterward, the prince and the slaves had traveled to Inglewood Forest to hide and stave off the wrath of Queen Margery.
Upon Chester’s return from this most recent trip, he’d delivered more shocking news. Queen Margery had accused her daughter Princess Pearl of treason with another one of the Scanian princes who was also on the Great Isle for kingly testing. The queen had captured the couple and sentenced the princess to death by beheading. Somehow Princess Pearl and the prince had escaped. Now they also sought refuge in Inglewood Forest.
“Her Majesty will benefit from getting out of the cottage now and again during these last long weeks of waiting.” Aunt Idony’s tone was kind but left no room for arguing. “You will accompany her.”
Chester stiffened at the order, but he didn’t offer any protest. Instead, he bowed his head toward Aunt Idony in deference.
I’d never liked when my aunts made concessions or doted on me because of my royalty. I always felt self-conscious and spoiled when they did so. Like now. “Please. ’Tis not necessary. I shall learn to be content for the remainder of our confinement.”
Aunt Idony rose, her head brushing against the newest bundles of herbs she’d hung to dry. “No harm came from your wandering this past week, and I do not anticipate anyone will find us here in our isolated part of the forest. But if you do wish to explore again, you will take Chester, will you not?”
“I shall. I—”
At a sudden pounding against the door, Aunt Elspeth jumped with a yelp. Aunt Idony turned pale and clutched the table. And Chester was off his bench, weapons out of his belt and in each hand before anyone could take a breath. I, too, rose and stared at the door, praying it was only a rare woodcutter passing by.
A fist banged against the door again, louder and more urgently.
“Who is it?” Chester inched closer to the door.
“I am a lowly woodcutter in need of a healer for my injured friend.”
Aunt Idony moved forward, but Chester held out a hand to halt her. “There is no healer here.”
“Please. He was attacked by a boar and suffers greatly.”
Aunt Idony moved toward the door again, but Chester shook his head fiercely and then faced the door. “Go away. We cannot help.”
Silence filled the space. Chester was using discretion the way Sir William had taught him. However, if someone was truly in need, I couldn’t abide the thought of sending him away.
“I shall see to him,” Aunt Idony whispered, clearly feeling the same way I did.
Chester held up a finger, bidding us to give him another moment.
“Rory?” came my name from the lips of the man outside.
The blood drained from my body in the same instant that everyone looked at me, alarm on their faces. The voice wasn’t familiar. I had no idea how this man knew my name. Was this some kind of trap set by Queen Margery to lure me out of the cabin?
“Rory!” he called again. “Please! Kresten needs help.”
“Kresten?” The name slipped from my lips before I realized it.
“Yes, he’s been attacked by a boar and badly wounded. Please. Help.” The desperation in the man’s tone told me this was no trap. Kresten was hurt.
How badly? My pulse spurted with a new fear. I’d never witnessed the damage of a boar attack, but I’d heard Chester’s tales and knew of the maiming and damage a boar’s tusks could wreak. If Kresten wasn’t speaking and had lost consciousness, then the injuries must be substantial.
I started across the chamber only to have Chester block my way. “We need to help him,” I hissed.
“How exactly do you know Kresten?” Chester’s face had hardened to iron, and his eyes flashed with accusation along with disappointment. Both Aunt Idony and Aunt Elspeth watched me, awaiting my answer.
Part of me wanted to hang my head in shame for deceiving my friends, but at another urgent knock against the door, I straightened. Maybe I’d made a poor choice in wandering away from the cottage and meeting Kresten. But now that it was done, I couldn’t stand back and allow him to needlessly suffer and die.
“Open the door.” I met Chester’s severe gaze with one of my own.
“No.”
I’d never exerted my authority over Chester’s before, hadn’t wanted to lord myself over him. But at this moment, I could only think of Kresten outside, bleeding and possibly dying. I lifted my chin and spoke words I’d never thought I would to Chester. “I command you to do it.”