Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
“I have a good rapport with Ophelia. The same with Elena. And in truth, I am one of the few who has such with Serena,” True told him.
“You are not yet ruler of our land, my prince,” Baldrick retorted. “Which brings us to Carrington.”
I stiffened at mention of King Wilmer’s advisor who did not have Wodell’s best interests at heart, nor his king’s. Indeed, it was unknown what his interests were, except they were not good.
True squeezed my hand reassuringly.
“You speak of treaties, but there are whisperings across Wodell of more campaigns,” Baldrick finished.
“This will not happen,” True told him inflexibly.
Baldrick’s expression grew kind. “I want to believe you, True, but your peoples have lived under a capricious king for some time.”
“It will not happen, Baldrick,” True repeated, and this time it was steely.
Baldrick grew silent.
I sat silent as well, half concerned about the topic, half marveling at how openly True discussed such matters with his subjects.
Of course, this was the Grand Fell of the Gnomes of The Doors. But Baldrick’s constituency probably numbered around one hundred and fifty, maybe two hundred gnomes.
And many of those had gathered around and were listening too.
But True treated Baldrick, and in turn the others, as if they were equals, deserving of all the information that was safe to share direct from the lips of the crown prince.
Not only sharing it.
But discussing it with them.
“Silence has bewitched the Firenz king,” True said quietly. “He cares for her deeply already and shows it openly. Your future queen will be Firenz. Our ties with Firenze now are unbreakable. Thus, I can assure you, Baldrick, there will be no future campaigns. I would be called on to lead them, and I will not. And as I will not, any other who would be called on to do so in my stead will refuse.”
“Sedition?” Baldrick asked with surprise.
“Wisdom,” True answered.
It took a moment, but Baldrick smiled.
It faltered when he noted, “Carrington is still a problem.”
And this was a marvel too, for Baldrick knew much, beyond what he might learn from gossip, proclamations or heralds.
This meant he either made it his business to know, regardless he resided in a wood at the southern regions of the Great Thicket Forest, or someone, probably True, or agents of True, kept certain personages in the know about matters he thought it important they be apprised of.
I had the sense it was the latter.
“This is not unknown to the people who need to know it,” True assured. “That is a fact you can trust, dear friend.”
Baldrick nodded, seemingly appeased by this cryptic answer.
I let out the breath I had not realized I was holding and took a sip of my ale.
The ale was as was everything about this land, earthy and hearty and wonderful.
There was a low whistle, which made Baldrick turn his head.
He turned it back to us, his attention lighting on True but a moment before it came to me.
“It is not our intention to bring to the fore what must be weighing heavy on your heart and mind, but we have taken advantage of this surprise visit, and it would be our deepest privilege if you allowed us to bestow a gift on you, our princess.”
“I…” I did not know what to say, so I peeked up at True.
He did not look happy.
“What would be coming to the fore, Baldrick?” he asked brusquely.
“It’s a veneration, True,” Baldrick answered.
True relaxed and looked down on me.
“You should allow it, sweetling,” he murmured.
“Allow what?” I asked.
His arm about me pulled me closer. “Just allow it, Farah.”
I gazed into his eyes, but I knew I needn’t search.
True would not let anything harm me.
I turned to Baldrick. “It would be my privilege to receive your gift, sir.”
He smiled kindly before nodding to someone else.
A lady gnome walked up to me, her face also lined, her hair snow white as well, and I remembered we’d been introduced, but her name escaped me.
I panicked briefly about this rudeness, but this feeling blew away when she raised her hand, and in it, I saw a locket made of filigreed pewter that rounded two small ovals of glass.
And in the glass seemed a hodgepodge of ash, sand and…
Dirt.
“My princess,” she began, “this is a tradition amongst gnome bands when one is lost. We had not much from your land, nor the time to create a proper veneration, but some of our people had visited one of your beaches and brought back some sand. And we know of the Firenz use of incense, and thus we added some dust from a burnt cone bought from a traveling Firenz merchant. Last, we put in some ground leaves from here, with some dirt, for the daughter of the great mother who birthed our future queen has walked over our earth. So this, we give to you to hold close so—”