Page 13 of Lord of the Castle
“Yes...no...I...” I stammered and trailed off, unsure what I was suggesting.
“You think it would be kind for the kingdom to send me a wife instead of a guard? But who would stay here, in the wild lands where the spirits of the forest come alive every year? What woman would make her home in my castle? When you meet one, tell me, for I would like to meet her.”
Retorts rose and died on my lips, and I turned my attention to the countryside. “I know nothing of wives. Will you tell me about Whispering Vine?”
The countryside turned to farmland as we rose and the scent of hay mixed with the sweet fragrance of nectar filled the air. Lord Cedric’s rumbling voice was comforting as he answered my question.
“Whispering Vine was discovered by explorers from the kingdom. Not many adventurers traveled here, because of the wildwood. It is vast and unending and borders many villages. Those who did venture into the wood never returned. Stories and superstitions arose, but the people who lived near the wildwood knew the truth. A price must be paid for entering the forest, and those who live close to it know how to appease the Queen of the Wildwood.”
I clasped my hand over my mouth to keep a sarcastic laugh from bursting out. “A queen. Of the wildwood?” My skepticism came through clearly. “Earlier you said the forest is evil, how can it be if a queen rules it? Can she not tame the wildwood?”
“The answer to your question is complicated, Mariel.” He sighed. “When the King named this land as his own and called those who lived here to become his subjects, he forgot one thing. The wildwood does not acknowledge the deities of humans. Magic is its only master and each month, during a potent festival, the magic of the forest seeks to free itself. It is a threat with the potential to take over the entire world, which is why each of the bordering villages has a responsibility to help the Queen of the Wildwood keep the creatures of the forest from escaping.”
A dark dread crept around me. The voices I’d discounted as nothing more than whispers in the wind could be explained if they were part of the forest.
“Go on,” I begged, knots forming in my stomach.
“The Queen of the Wildwood has one task: to keep the evil of the forest from escaping and taking over the lands. The surrounding villages assist by providing the magic the queen needs to make her stronger.”
“Were you speaking with her? The Queen of the Wildwood,” I gasped. “The Festival of Samhain is coming. Soon.”
“Yes. My village will celebrate the bountiful harvest and the coming, long dark days of winter. While the celebration proceeds, I will go to the forest and ensure no evil escapes into my land.”
“Alone?” I shivered as though it were a winter day with ice and snow covering the ground. “No one helps you?”
“You are here,” he replied, a warning in his tone.
My fingers shook and suddenly I wanted to dismount and run, leaving Lord Cedric to his mysterious, dark land. But I banished my fears and sat up straighter. “You and I, and the Queen of the Wildwood? Three to stand against the forest?”
“It would not be wise to have more. Ah look, here is the village.”
I noted how quickly Cedric changed the subject. He wasn’t telling me something. But soon we’d go to the forest, and I’d discover his secret. In the meantime, I turned my attention to the village, and the cloud of dread receded. I’d enjoy what little time I had with him for my future was bleak and unknown.
Chapter Nine
Indeed,this was the village I’d expected to see when I first arrived. Rows of building lined a wide cobblestone road. In the center was a water fountain, so large that even twenty people standing in a circle, holding hands, would not reach all the way around it. Pink, yellow and white flower petals twirled in the breeze, rich orange pumpkins rested on each doorstep, and wreaths made of golden wheat, green leaves and red berries hung on every door.
Men, women and children filled the streets, dressed in their best. When they caught sight of Lord Cedric’s horse, they shouted and threw flower petals, welcoming us to the celebration. Children chased each other down the streets, and some were bold enough to splash the waters of the fountain at each other.
My breath caught, and suddenly I felt young and carefree, almost girlish as I watched.
In the village square, couples danced to stringed music. A bard sang of a maiden who fell in love with a cursed lord.
I twisted on the horse to catch a glimpse of Cedric’s face. Shadows covered his eyes until he noticed me peering up at him, and he smiled. “What do you think?”
I glanced back at the lively square, the villagers cheering and dancing and caught the scent of something delectable. My stomach rumbled, reminding me we’d missed the mid-day meal. “I thought the celebration of Samhain was in a couple of weeks. Not today.”
“True, it is. A celebration I never have the fortune to attend. So the villagers decided to begin the festival today, but the real celebration takes place on Samhain.”
“They do this for you?” I stared at him, surprised.
I assumed he was unloved, as most of the lords and ladies of the land were. The kingdom bowed down to nobility because of who they were. Nobles. But no one had real love for them. At least, not enough to change the date of a celebration and hold them in high esteem as the guest of honor.
I touched his hand, allowing myself to enjoy the tingling sensation that went up my spine.
“Go,” he encouraged. “Have fun. When it is time to return, I will come for you.”
He was lame, I remembered with a sigh. There would be no dancing for him, and he’d left his staff at the castle, planted in the meadow as though it were a tree.
