Earn The Trust Of A Prince

Daydreaming was going to ruin everything.

Kambry scribed quick entries in the census log, her quill scratching across the page to finish the job she should have been done with an hour ago. The summer celebration in the meadow had already started, and she had promised her older brother Stahn she would attend. He would worry if she didn’t show up at all or, even worse, come looking for her.

She dusted sand over the wet ink to dry it, and the thoughts of the upcoming picnic that had distracted her all morning returned while she put her other tools away. All she had to do was sit down with her brother’s friends and engage in a brief conversation. How difficult could that be? Maybe easier if she spent more time with people and less with books, but books didn’t require small talk.

Returning to the worktable, she dumped the dry sand back into the container, eased the precious book closed, and returned it to the shelf.

Kambry raised her skirt to her knees and raced to the door. She stopped almost at once, releasing her grip on the soft white fabric. Closing her eyes and praying she wouldn’t regret her decision to dress for the celebration before completing the brief work she’d needed to do, she forced herself to calm down and check her hands for ink stains. Please, please, please, no stains. Gazing at her ink-free fingers, she relaxed, her shoulders lowering. Her dress was safe. She must have washed her hands after putting away her scribing tools and the census book.

She checked the table, confirming she had put everything away. Nothing ever went according to how she imagined it. Thank goodness for good habits. Well, she had almost talked herself out of wearing the summer dress to the celebration, the style so unlike her usual modest work clothes. How would everyone react? Would they even notice?

She smoothed her dress. This celebration was going to be different. She was going to converse with people and be interesting.

Not wasting another moment, she raced out the door of the building and ran through the village. Most everyone was already in the meadow, but a few were still about, loading wagons with the luncheon staples or tossing a few extra sawhorses and boards for makeshift tables into the bed of a wagon.

She dodged around a docile team of horses and collided with the blacksmith’s son, who steadied her and lifted her aside with a grin on his pleasant, round face.

“Sorry, Kambry,” he drawled.

“It’s all right, Marty,” she mumbled, squirming out of his grip.

“Stahn going to be at the celebration?” he asked. “He’s already there.”

“Oh.”

He watched her as if waiting for her to say something more. She stared at him with nothing to add, and then ducked her head, mortified. She quick-stepped around the wagon before surging back into a run. He raised me off the ground and set me aside like a child! But he talked to her, so why was she embarrassed?

She could feel her hair flapping behind her, her comb slipping at the back of her head. Kambry slapped her hand atop the comb and held it in place as she dashed up the dirt road to the meadow.

Before she broke from the trees that lined the clearing, she slowed to a sedate walk, smoothed her hair back, and reset the comb to keep her hair out of her eyes.

Tia, her brother’s betrothed, would tease her if she arrived looking like she’d run the entire way. Better to look like she’d just moseyed along at her own pace and arrived just when she wished.

The villagers had settled into family groups, some with canopies providing shade, but most sat on quilts or tarps and playing with small children and pets while the elders organized the musicians’ quarter and the dining area.

Stahn and Tia had their group of friends gathered near the foot of the woods. The curving offshoot of Kavin Wood made for a secluded, shaded area. The purple proilis vines, blooming like garlands on the trees, gave their spot a festive look even if one ignored the bustling villagers on the green.

Tia had persuaded Kambry to sit with them rather than be off by herself, which was usually how every day went. She always felt like she was a distant observer. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had sought her out for anything.

She set her shoulders and focused her gaze on the group in the shade of the trees. Why would a change in dress make any difference? And what would she say if someone wanted to chat with her? Of the bustling villagers, none had yet to look her way, and standing at the edge of the field, she didn’t want them to.

If she looked like she had a place to be, no one would say anything to her, and she wouldn’t have to say anything to them. Chin up, distant goal in view, calm demeanor. She stepped off the path and onto the newly shorn meadow grasses.

Natalie and Mihk were busy making eyes at each other, so that left only Tia and Blinny to greet. Stahn would settle her in a comfortable spot like always, leaving it to her to decide how much she wanted to take part in the conversation. She wished she’d brought a book to read.

“Kambry, you made it!” Tia jumped to her feet and skipped the remaining distance to Kambry’s side. Kambry kept her eyes from rolling. Why had Stahn found Tia and her silliness attractive? Yet he seemed completely taken with her.

Tia’s arm swooped around her own and pulled toward the group as if she were trying to get away. “You know, you didn’t have to run.”

“What makes you think I ran?” Kambry touched a hand to her hair. It didn’t feel knotted or messy.

“You look fine, but your shoes are—” she leaned in, her blonde hair mingling with Kambry’s brown locks, and whispered — “dusty.”

Pulling away from Tia, Kambry gave the toes of her shoes a speculative glance.

“It’s a dirt road, Tia,” said Stahn, coming up to join them. “Anybody would have dusty shoes after walking along it, especially with all the carts and wagons that trundled over it today.”

Tia turned and slid her hand under Stahn’s elbow. She walked between them, guiding them to the blanket they had placed on the ground. “I wish I had a brother so determined to keep me from embarrassment.” She giggled and looked up at Stahn with a soft smile. “If you’d said nothing, it would have remained just between me and Kambry. Now everyone knows she was late and ran all the way here.”

Kambry felt her face warm.

A small crease formed in Stahn’s forehead. Tia kissed his cheek, and he rolled his eyes, instantly in good humor again.

“Come, my ladies, I’ve spots picked out for you on our magic carpet.” He directed Tia to a corner and whispered in her ear. She gave him a sidelong glance with a mischievous smile. Stahn turned to face Kambry. “Little sister, I’ve just the spot for you. The whole tableau will be open to your inspection.”

The family observer. Kambry held her sigh in, but internally she felt her chest rise and fall with resignation. Why didn’t she fight for the limelight once in a while, just a little attention that would make her like everyone else? She always seemed to bumble through things, or if she did for just a moment have the courage to draw attention, she always backed out. Here she was wearing a beautiful, flowing halter dress, and she strode through the meadow keeping her eyes to

herself. Ugh. The thought of demanding notice just made her want to shiver.

She eased herself to the blanket. Stahn squatted beside her and raised an eyebrow. “Give me your shoes. I’ll dust them off.”

“I can do it.”

“And get dirt on your white dress?” He shook his head, brown curls tumbling around his face. “Give ‘em to me.”

She slipped off the plain tan pumps and handed them over. He stepped away and slapped them together, sharp smacks punctuating their impact. After a moment, he returned, the shoes held out to her.

“Good as new.”

“I didn’t cover them in mud.” Kambry set them aside. No point wearing them right now. “It was dust, Stahn.”

“I know.” He patted her cheek. “Tia loves to tease.”

He joined Tia and her friend Blinny, leaving Kambry to gaze out at the village celebrations underway.

With the planting in the village fields completed, the crops already bore bright green tips breaking free of the turned loam. Since they expected the weather to hold for the season, the town council anticipated a promising harvest come fall. Last year, the midsummer celebration consisted of only an evening gathering in the commons.

She watched the married men and women laying out the food on the tables.

The musicians were tuning their instruments, pipes filling the air with quick rills and trills that made her want to tap her feet, but the tunes always ended after just a few testing notes, and an entirely different beat was then picked up by another player.

Her mom was tending the giant pot of early potatoes, stirring and returning the lid to the pot. She searched the meadow for her father, finding him with his usual company of council members. No doubt they were patting each other’s

backs with praise for how well they had organized this year’s planting celebration.

They should be proud, she thought. With the many plans for the year swirling in her mind, she missed Tia’s question.

“Kambry! Hello? Tell us a story.”

She turned to find them all looking at her with expectant faces. Kambry’s thoughts about the fall harvest and the annual tax settlements fell away.

“A story?”

“We know you read the books while you scribe the copies. Tell us an interesting story you read recently,” said Natalie, having turned her attention away from Mihk for a moment.

Mihk agreed. “Tell us an adventure story.”

“No, make it a romance,” Tia said, shaking her head.

Stahn rolled his eyes. “Don’t I give you enough romance?”

Tia ran her hand down his arm. “There can never be enough romance. Have I taught you nothing, Stahn so Brode?”

He laughed and leaned in close, but Kambry heard his loud whisper, “Teach me more.”

Tia’s deep laugh got them all laughing, and Kambry forced herself to make a realistic giggle.

“See,” said Tia. “You know what I mean, Kambry. Share a love story.”

“There are no love stories in the scribe office.” Tia whispered to Blinny, who nodded.

“But you have books. Tell us a story from one of those,” said Blinny.

Tia smiled, her tongue playing across her bright front teeth.

Kambry scratched her head, dislodging her comb. She set it in place again while she thought. “I read about the Kavin Wood legend.”

Tia shook her head, annoyance twisting her lips, but the others all nodded for Kambry to begin.

Kambry plunged in. “Well, there’s a chant, and it’s said that the singer will enter the woods and find a beautiful castle,” she said. “It’s a very simple chant.”

“Sing it,” said Blinny. Tia elbowed her, and she looked uncertain. “Just say it then.”

Kambry looked to Tia, who nodded at her to go ahead. “It should be fun. Say it,” Natalie said.

Kambry took a deep breath. “There are three stanzas. The first goes like this.

I stand before the woods of Kavin I wait to see the Cut

If I am true, if I am strong Kavin, take me in

A drumbeat from the musicians’ quarter captured the rhythm of the words. Kambry felt encouraged to continue.

“Second stanza.”

She stands before the woods of Kavin She waits to see the Cut

You need the true; you need the strong Kavin, take her in.

Blinny looked confused. “Does she want to enter the woods? Why ask? You can just walk in.”

“According to the story, there’s a path that only appears when Kavin Wood deems the singer especially in need to enter.” Kambry looked at each of them. They all seemed satisfied with her answer.

“So what’s the last stanza?” asked Natalie, who giggled nervously. “Of course, I don’t want to sing it. I’ll stay right here with Mihk.”

Blinny scooted forward on her knees. “What’s the third stanza? It’s just a legend.”

Kambry shrugged and said the last words.

Standing before the woods of Kavin Waiting to see the Cut

See her true, see her strong Kavin, take her in.

“Sounds simple. Then what happens?” asked Stahn.

“The woods open, a path appears, and the singer enters to find the castle where they find safety.”

“What?” Blinny, Natalie and Mihk said together.

Stahn put his arms around Tia and whispered into her ear. She giggled nervously. He turned to Kambry. “Isn’t the story more specific than that?”

They all seemed so interested, and she’d never held their attention before. A giddy, fluttery feeling filled her chest. Maybe they would listen. She bit her lip, and Stahn gave her an encouraging nod.

“It starts out as an escape,” she said. Their eyes widened. “Someone needed to get away, like from enemy soldiers or some trouble or other.”

Mihk nodded for her to continue.

“The person would say the chant, the path would appear, and she or he would head into the woods. But whoever followed could not enter. I mean, they couldn’t see the path. It was like it swallowed up the person and kept them safe.”

“What happened when they came back?” asked Blinny.

“They never do,” said Tia softly. She looked up. “I mean that’s how I heard it in my village. The person either stays in Kavin or exits somewhere else back out of the woods. Right, Kambry? It’s really not romantic at all.”

“Is that true, Kambry?” asked Blinny. “They don’t return?”

“There is nothing in the legend that says they do. I think that if someone is running from trouble, they probably don’t want to go back to where they came from.”

Blinny seemed unconvinced. “But what if they do want to come back? They can’t?”

“Kavin won’t let them go back,” Tia said, bitterness lacing her words.

Stahn rubbed Tia’s shoulder. “You okay?”

Tia shook her head as if throwing away a thought. “It’s an old legend. It’s known where I come from, too.” She shrugged. “More an old wives’ tale.”

“It’s documented,” said Kambry, feeling like she should defend anything recorded by a scribe. “Though no one from Paddlyrun has ever needed to get away. There was someone who entered in Konright a few years back. That person never returned to Konright, but there was a rumor that a stranger arrived in Latherton who claimed to come from Konright.”

Blinny jumped up, pulling Tia’s arm. “No one’s in trouble here; it won’t hurt to sing it.”

Tia tugged her arm back.

Stahn gripped Blinny’s arm when she made another grab for Tia and turned to Kambry. “Does the wood swallow you up if you just say the chant?”

“According to the legend, the person has to be in danger and seeking aid, so I wouldn’t think it would.”

Natalie and Mihk rose quickly, and the four stood waiting on the blanket.

Kambry sat watching them. How could anything she said have gotten them this excited? Blinny stomped across the blanket to her. “Come on, Kambry. Help us sing the song.”

Kambry shook her head. She was not doing this.

Before she knew it, Blinny had her in the center of the group. She’d even gotten Stahn standing, though he was

outside their little circle and smiling at Kambry and looking half-amused by Blinny’s antics.

Tia shrugged her shoulders and stepped to Kambry’s side. “Kambry, you don’t have to.”

“Come on, Tia,” said Blinny. “You know you want her

to.”

Kambry moved back a half step, not liking the attention. Tia took a breath and pushed Kambry back to the center.

Her eyes grew concerned, but Tia held her in place. “It’ll be fun,” she said, her voice less than confident, and Kambry wondered what got her thinking it would be fun after being the one that was so disinterested before. They were up against the edge of the woods. Tia leaned down and picked a proilis bloom from the vines that climbed the trees. She slid it into the comb in Kambry’s hair and stepped away. “A regular wood nymph.”

“How’s it go again, Kambry?” Blinny tapped her chin. “I stand…”

Tia squared her shoulders and repeated the words, “I stand before the woods of Kavin. I wait to see the cut.”

Blinny, Natalie and Mihk joined in. “If I am strong. If I am fair, Kavin, take me in.”

Blinny shifted Mihk aside so that the trees were open to Kambry’s view. A breeze wound through them, lifting strands of hair and pressing sleeves to their skin.

Kambry shivered, though the woods looked just as lovely and inviting as it always had this time of year.

Tia started the next stanza, and the others followed. “She stands before the woods of Kavin. She waits to see the cut. You need the strong. You need the fair. Kavin, take her in.”

Kambry turned to face Stahn, and he reached a hand out for her, a kind smile on his face, but Tia knocked his hand down and shook her finger at him. He crossed his arms and quirked his lips.

The four sang together, circling around her like children playing. “Standing before the woods of Kavin, waiting to see the cut. See her strong. See her fair. Kavin, take her in.”

They held hands and pranced round her and sang the chant again, stepping aside to leave the trees open to view at the end of each stanza.

Kambry’s felt her shoulders tighten as a tingling swept up her slender frame. “Stop,” she whispered, but they repeated the chant again.

A loud crack came from the woods just as Mihk and Blinny stepped aside to open their circle to the trees. The echo of it seemed to tear toward her, and the trees twisted away from each other, as if an earthquake had split them apart, but it was a path not a chasm that appeared.

Tugged forward, Kambry found herself on the edge of the path, the proilis flowers winding up the trunks and along the pathway as if someone had decorated it. She stepped forward to get out of the circle of her brother’s friends and turned around. For a moment, she could see Stahn’s frightened face and heard him call her name, and then there were only trees, the fragrant proilis blossoms on their pale-green vines a sharp contrast to the rough, silvered trunks and shaded leaves.

She stepped forward, grasping bushes, scratching her ankles and snagging the hem of her dress. Bending, she loosed the skirt carefully from the stems. A glance over her shoulder showed the path running through the woods before taking a turn and disappearing out of sight.

“Stahn? Are you there?!” Had she faced the wrong direction? She took a half step to the right and looked among the trees. Try as she might, turning and searching for the meadow, she could not see past the trees and undergrowth that made it impossible to force her way through. Just the dirt path, marching along, bedecked with the proilis vines, remained.

She’d taken one step, just one step on the path. “How can this be?”