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“Oh!” My eyes flew open and I laughed. “I almost forgot where I was... I had the strangest dream...I heard...” I looked over at the empty space beside me.
“Destiny?” I called. I hopped off the bed and pulled on my boots. I opened the door, peeking around the corner. A draft of icy wind blew harshly in my face, snow flitted into my eyes. “Destiny?” I couldn’t hold the door open any longer but just before I closed it, I thought I heard a cackle. A quiver of fear pierced my gut and I slammed the door shut. Three powerful bangs resounded off the wood and I jumped away from the door. I hit the little table and tripped over one of the spindly chairs.
“Careful now.” She grabbed my wrists before I could flip over the already upturned table. “Stationery furniture is going to be the death of you,” she chuckled as she righted the table. I returned the chairs and frowned as she set a package wrapped in waxed brown paper on the table.
“You scared me half to death banging on the door like that,” I said indignantly. I snatched up my dress and pulled it on over my head.
“I’m sorry,” I turned my back to her as I straightened my small clothes and laced the bodice. I heard the crinkle of paper and a tangy bit of spice filled my nose. “I called out to you and then the door slammed in my face.”
“I didn’t see you,” I replied, “I didn’t hear you. I heard...”
“Yes?”
“Something else, I suppose. Where’d you go?” I asked instead. I didn’t want to talk about the strange laughter.
“To get a horse but I couldn’t get too far out of the forest, the snow’s too deep. We’ll have to go another way. I did manage to find breakfast, I hope you don’t mind rabbit.”
“Not at all.” I sat down to lace my boots. “I thought you were still here when I woke up, I was talking to myself.” She shuffled over to the fireplace and held a stick with a rabbit carcass on one end over the flames.
“I didn’t want to disturb you. What did I miss?”
“I had a strange dream—”
“Care to share?” Destiny smiled over at me.
I frowned at the phrase, the empty blackness rippled sickeningly. “I can’t remember it now,” I replied.
“Try to think about something else, maybe you’ll remember later,” Destiny offered. “After breakfast we’ll head back to Frank’s shop. We still have to get your books.”
“And get back to the castle...” I straightened the bed, carefully folding and pulling at the coverlet until it was as it had been when we arrived. As she roasted the rabbit, I poured the remainder of the wine into the empty glasses.
“We can come back,” she said as she busied herself at the fire. “It can be our little home away from home.” I laughed and bit into the rabbit when she offered it to me.
After we cleaned the remainder of breakfast, we set out for our return to society. The world had been so different for those few hours away from the castle. I looked back at the cottage one last time and thought about her promise.
Our trek through the woods was slow and tiring, we pulled ourselves through the deep snow with the aid of the trees surrounding the trail. It took us the better part of the morning to get back to Lesia and I had never been more grateful for paved roads.
The marketplace was busier than ever. Hordes of people swarmed this way and that, crowding merchant stands and pouring out of shops despite the heavy snow. Destiny held fast to my hand. We were bombarded by people at every turn. At last we arrived back in Frank’s cozy bookshop though it was crowded too. As we pushed into the shop, a heavy man backed into me, knocking the breath from my lungs. I collided with Destiny who steadied me as always. “What is all this?” I coughed.
“I almost forgot,” she replied, “it’s the rush of the season. The Solstice is tomorrow, everyone’s buying gifts for their families.”
“What?” She pulled me through the outer rooms and into a small dark kitchen. An older boy and a younger girl were sitting at the table.
“Your Majesty,” the boy hopped off his seat and pulled the girl with him, clumsily they bowed before Destiny.
“Enough, enough. Please get up,” she said, “I’m looking for your father.”
“You’ll have a time of it in this mess,” the boy said. He flushed, “Your Grace. Every shop on the corner’s been busy since sunrise. The craft smiths are all offering their wares cheaply to attract more buyers.”
“Clever,” Destiny replied. “I suppose we should leave Frank to his work. Do you know where he stored my trunk?”
“I think he asked Doge to take it upstairs. I’ll run up and see if you like,” the boy patted his sister’s head as she clung to his leg. She stole glances at me every so often and peered fearfully at Destiny. She offered the little girl a smile.
“All right, little one?” The girl nodded and giggled as Destiny ruffled her short crop of blonde curls.
“Princess! Amia!” The door pushed open and Frank and a small woman walked in behind him. “It’s madness out there! Damn Frederick, he does this every year.”
“Aye and makes a killing every time,” said the woman. She pulled a black kettle from an overhead cabinet as Frank ambled his way into the chair his son had been sitting in.
“It’s foolish to try and take that trunk up to the castle in this madness,” he said tiredly. “Sam, could you help James in the shop while I rest my ancient bones for a spell?”
“Aye, sir.” The boy left his sister to cling to her mother.
“Would you like a cup of tea, Your Grace?” the woman asked Destiny.
“Nay,” Destiny thought a moment. “You’re right, Frank. I should run into the goldsmith’s for a gift for mother while I’m here. We’ll come back once it’s quiet.”
“If you like, I’ll send for a runner from the castle. That should lessen your burden.”
“Many thanks, Frank. I’ll be sure to come by more often.”
“I’ll hold you to that!” he called as she led me out of the kitchen. We forced our way through the crowded shop and into the snow. The streets seemed more jammed than they had before. Destiny pulled me out of the way as a coaler chased after his cart–a cart that had almost flattened me moments before.
“Thank you,” I murmured graciously.
“No need for thanks,” she said, “what is a knight without a damsel in distress?” I blushed as she laughed. We stopped short behind two women who were trying to peer over the heads of the crowd. No one was moving.
“Oh we’ll never get through,” the woman said to her friend. “It’s all blocked at the end. Come on, Prissy, let’s go around past the draper’s, I must get Harold’s mother pearls for Solstice or he’ll never be happy.”
“I don’t know why you bother,” her friend said, “I’m freezing, can’t we just go back to your place for a hot one?”
“Not with all the children there, they’ve been driving me up the wall all morning.”
“Oh all right. I’m really starting to hate this time of the year.”
“What’s going on up ahead?” I asked Destiny. She shrugged.
“They’ve got the right mind, though,” she nodded in the direction of the two women who’d broken away from the crowd. “Let’s follow them.”
The streets were less crowded the further away from the heart of the market we drifted but not a single shop was left empty. All the town houses we passed were completely deserted or filled with boisterous children.
“You don’t remember the last Solstice,” she was thoughtful for a moment. “Here, take this.” She gave me a small leather drawstring bag that jingled as it fell into my hand.
“Money?”
“For gifts for your friends and to make it even more of a surprise, I won’t come with you. Every Winter Solstice night, families gather and exchange gifts at their nightly feast,” she explained. I stared down at the purse and then gaped up at her.
“But—”
“Guard it closely,” she squeezed my hand. “No one would dare rob me, but seeing as how you’re going off on your own... We’ll meet back at Frank’s. Do you remember how to get there?”
“Yes,” I answered, “but you don’t have to do this for me.”
“I want to,” Destiny replied. “Since this is your first Solstice, it should be a good one. Spend it wisely.” And with that she was gone.
I already knew who I wanted to buy a present for but what could I possibly buy Destiny that she didn’t have already? I supposed I would start my search for Minda first.
I looked around and saw Destiny going into a tailor’s shop. Good, I thought, I’d go to the jeweler’s. The bell above the door chimed as I pushed it open. A portly man with thin dark hair combed over his shiny patched head looked up and smiled at me.
“Mistress Amia,” he said in surprise. “Happy Solstice. Are you on an errand for Her Majesty?”
“The Princess, no,” I answered.
“Ah, I see. Shopping for gift giving?”
“Yes.” I stood in the middle of the cozy shop and looked around at all the displays, carefully avoiding the most expensive items behind the counter rather than be tempted when I already knew I couldn’t afford them.
“Looking for something for your mother?” he asked. “Your future husband’s mother?”
“I—I’m not,” I stammered as I blushed.
“Yet,” he corrected with a smile as he leaned forward on his elbows. “Have a look around and call me if you have need.” I nodded and crossed the room to a table that looked like it might have something for Minda. It was covered with lace doilies, littered with pretty barrettes, brooches, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, and jeweled combs. I found a pair of barrettes I thought would look nicely in Minda’s black hair. They were dotted with tiny pearls too. I snatched them up and spotted a pair of leather gloves lined in rabbit’s fur. The edges were embroidered in cobalt lace and closed with a pearl clasp. I grinned knowing she’d love them.
“I would like these,” I carried my wares to the counter. He eyed me the whole time, and I didn’t mind–I assumed all shopkeepers watched their customers.
“Lovely aren’t they?” he said as he examined them. He told me the price of them both and I pulled Destiny’s purse of coins to count out the sum on the counter. “I could have them put into boxes and wrapped for you if like?”
“That would be perfect, thank you,” I answered. He retrieved two plain thin wooden boxes and, after he had placed the jewelry in each box, wrapped them in shiny red paper. He tied one box with a white ribbon and the other with a gold ribbon.
“Well, Happy Solstice,” he said to me. I gave him my thanks and left the shop with my gifts. At his doorstep, I looked into the purse and sighed. What on earth was I going to buy the princess?
It hit me as suddenly as if I had remembered it. “Of course,” I breathed. I ran back to Frank’s shop, surely if he sold books, he would have what I needed. The shop almost didn’t look the same without all the people. I saw Frank behind the counter, weighing books as his youngest daughter and a girl a little older than she stacked them on a cart.
“Ah, good timing. Sam just got back from the castle but James will have to help you,” he said as she closed the door. “Where’s Destiny?”
“We split up and I haven’t much time before she gets here,” I said quickly. “Do you have books that are blank, with no words?”
“Journals? Yes.” He led me over to a table stacked with leather bound books. I shuffled quickly through the stack and settled on one that looked big enough for her to both write and draw in.
“This one,” I carried it over to the counter and smiled anxiously at the two girls. I peered over my shoulder to see if I could spot Destiny coming down the lane. “How much?”
“If it’s for the princess, don’t worry about it. Quick, put it in the trunk, she comes.”
“You beat me back,” said Destiny as she pulled open the door. “Have you gotten everything you wanted?”
“I think so,” I shared a private smile with Frank before stepping away from the counter.
“Sam said he couldn’t find a runner so James will help you back–it seems there’s a flurry of activity up there,” Frank said.
“Yes,” Destiny said grudgingly, “I expect that’s all for me. Mother gets worked up if she can’t find me.” Frank nodded and set his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “I’ll try to come back soon.” I followed her out of the shop, Frank’s older son James bringing up the rear with the heavy trunk in his arms.
“Happy Solstice!” we called as the bells chimed overhead.
“Happy Solstice!” came the reply. As we made our through the winding streets back to the castle proper, I felt a little pang of regret. That trunk must have weighed more than two grown men.
“Could I help you with that?” I asked Frank’s burly son. He snorted and shook his head.
“Nay, my Lady,” he said. “I’ve hauled trunks heavier than this for Father.”
“You’re certain?” I pressed. He smiled and bowed his head.
“For Her Grace and a woman as pretty as you, I would carry anything.” I blushed and offered him a kind smile. Destiny reached back and grabbed my hand. James walked us right up to the gate. Upon seeing Destiny, several guards took off running and another took the trunk from James.
“Tell your father my thanks,” Destiny said to him as she slipped two gold coins in his hands. “Don’t spend it all in one place.” He smiled with a bow to both of us and left.
When we finally made it back to her apartments, the trunk filled with my books sat in front of the fireplace. “What do you think?” Destiny asked as she closed the door behind me. “We had a very productive day, I’d say.”
“Too productive,” I agreed, “that poor old shelf is going to collapse from the weight. Maybe the ones that don’t fit can stay in the trunk. I’ll drag it to the foot of my bed.”
“Sounds like an idea. Let’s lighten the load first, though.” She watched me kneel beside the trunk and open it. I grabbed a stack and Destiny followed behind with another. She stood beside the hidden panel and managed to slide it open for me. Smiling my thanks, I passed her. It was my arms, rather than my legs that gave out as I stepped inside. I didn’t hear the books hit the floor.