Seeds of Discovery Page 14

  “But he...”

  “I am aware of what he has done, Thomas. It is becoming painfully clear what kind of behavior is acceptable in that castle these days. However, our political alliance with Philotheum is on tenuous ground as it is. It is not within our rights to punish another kingdom’s prince.”

  “So you’re just going to do nothing? Let him get away with it?”

  “Not nothing, Thomas. The girl, Irene, is safe now. Her injuries will be treated. She will not be returned to Tolliver’s castle, and we will do what we can to reunite her with her family. They will be offered asylum here in Eirentheos if necessary. She will be offered a position here in our castle, if she would like one.”

  “And Quinn?”

  The sudden flash of fury that appeared in Stephen’s eye right then placated Thomas just a little; his father was just as upset as he was. “Quinn will be given the highest level of protection, as will your sisters. None of them are to be alone at any time, until after Tolliver has departed back to Philotheum. Guards will be placed near each hallway and staircase that leads to our family quarters. None of the girls are to be anywhere outside of our private corridors without a male escort. I trust that the three of you are up to the job?”

  “Yes Father,” the brothers answered simultaneously.

  “Quinn is not to be left alone in any circumstance, unless she specifically asks for privacy. I can’t imagine how upsetting this must be for her,” Thomas didn’t understand the look that crossed his father’s eyes now. “I will ask Linnea to sleep on a cot in Quinn’s room tonight.”

  “I am sure she won’t mind, Father. I’ll ask her, if she hasn’t already come to that decision on her own.”

  “Thank you, Thomas.”

  Stephen sighed. “I am going to go and talk to your mother now. I am sure you can expect quite the visit upstairs once she has heard about all this.”

  “Yes, Father.”

  15. The Naming Ceremony

  Long vines covered with tiny white blossoms were strung along the lengths of the pews in the large chapel at the edge of the castle grounds. There were thirteen white candles lit at the end of each pew and white-and-purple linen banners draped down from the upper balcony. The long, wide room was awash in a gentle diffused sunlight, streaming in from tall windows along every wall; all halfway open to let in the warm summer breeze that drifted through the surrounding gardens, leaving the entire chapel smelling of the hundreds of sweet flowers. Soft music could be heard from outside as well, from where the musicians had set up for the party.

  Quinn followed Linnea down the long, stone aisle, which had been lined with a thick, purple runner, bordered with silver thread. Thomas and William walked closely behind.

  “Are you sure I should be here?” Quinn asked quietly.

  “For the hundredth time, Quinn, yes. We want you here. Tolliver still hasn’t been seen; his horse is still missing from the stable.” Linnea’s voice was firm.

  “And even if he does show up, he doesn’t get to ruin any more of your time here. We’ll find a safe spot for you to be able to watch the ceremony,” Thomas’ eyes were both kind and determined. “And then, you’ll be with us again for the party.”

  Quinn watched silently from her hidden viewing spot above an alcove in the side wall. The guests who had been gathering at the castle for the past several days were formally announced as they entered and filed in along the center rows of pews. The outer rows had already filled with castle servants and other less-distinguished guests of the royal family. She’d watched as Mia had edged her way as close to the front as was possible. The upper balcony had filled quickly with villagers and their guests.

  To one side of the center platform was a long line of chairs. Once all of the guests had been seated, the royal children were announced as they proceeded one-by-one down the center aisle. They were presented in order of age, beginning with Simon, except for tiny Sarah who was carried down the aisle by Rebecca.

  Then the ceremony officially began. A tall, older man in long white robes walked to the center of the dais, and began addressing the crowd in a droning monotone, pontificating as much on his own importance as on the sacredness of the Naming Ceremony.

  “It’s an even more beautiful view from over here.” The disembodied voice came from behind Quinn and she spun quickly to see what or who was there.

  “Don’t worry, milady, I don’t bite -- at least not without being asked.” Quinn was startled; peeking down from a ledge about halfway up the side of the alcove was the face of a man. His long, flowing white hair signaled age, but his face was free of the lines and wrinkles that usually accompanied the years. His green eyes sparkled with friendliness under his bushy, white eyebrows. He extended his hand toward Quinn, clearly intending that she join him up there. She looked down at the dress she was wearing and then back at the man.

  “No one will see you, and don’t fuss about me; I’m a complete gentleman.” The last words were accompanied by a teasing grin that threatened to split the man’s face in two. Quinn hesitated for a moment, but then decided to accept the offer. She let out a soft gasp. From the ledge, she could see over the top of the whole crowd. It was a perfect view of the entire chapel.

  “Much better,” the old man smiled approvingly.

  The two turned their attention back to the ceremony, though the action on the dais now was somewhat less exciting than watching grass grow.

  “Curse me! That pompous windbag needs to get over himself,” the man said, causing Quinn to chuckle quietly. She and the old man stood there quietly watching together for a few more minutes while the speech ended and the “pompous windbag” stepped to a seat along the side of the dais, waiting until he was needed again.

  The music took on a more celebratory tone and a herald stepped forward and called the court to witness. The king was announced and he entered, taking his place by the small altar in the center of the platform. The queen and “the blessed gift of the Maker” were then announced, and the queen came in, carrying her thirteenth child. The girl was placed lovingly into the small cradle on the platform and each of her siblings was called up in turn to bestow on her their gift.

  Emma enchanted the crowd when it was her turn, marching confidently up to the cradle with her small silver box in hand, and planting a kiss on the baby’s cheek. Little Sarah could not be persuaded to part with her own shiny package, and was quickly returned to Rebecca’s lap still holding it, before her impending storm could disrupt the ceremony.

  Once all of the siblings had taken their seats again, the room fell completely silent and the “pompous windbag” began collecting himself to rise.

  “That’s my cue,” the man on the ledge said with a grin, and he hopped down to stride into the room, and right up onto the dais, into the middle of the ceremony. Pompous windbag looked beet-faced and horrified, but quickly took his seat in defeat, as the room echoed with whispers of ‘Alvin’.

  Quinn had no idea what was going on.

  “My king,” Alvin bowed. “My Queen,” he bowed again, but for a bit longer. “My princess.” He bent and placed a gentle kiss on the baby’s forehead, before taking her into his arms. A hush fell over the crowd as Alvin turned to them, holding the infant.

  “We are here today to give this baby a name and a blessing that she may be known by her family and her people and that she may serve the Maker and her kingdom in heath, strength and wisdom.”

  “The name she will be known by is Hannah Eden Rose. Hannah, you are a special child, and the Maker knows you and loves you. You were lovingly created by your Maker, with a special purpose to serve for him, for your family, and for your people.

  You occupy a special position in your family, and I have come here today to bestow upon you a special gift. Your siblings each have their own gifts, those that are required as the keys of the kingdom, From wise leadership to compassionate healing and even understanding how to work with plants and animals, all of these gifts are essential to maintaining a kingdom in s
ervice to the Maker, blessed and beloved by the Maker. His greatest blessing, however, to this kingdom, to your family’s kingdom, Hannah, is you.”

  At these words, Alvin reached into the pocket of his long purple robes, and withdrew a tiny silver circle, hanging from a small chain. “Hannah Eden Rose, blessed child of the Maker, I bestow upon you His gift, which you will carry all of your days. Though the name of your gift has no translation in the languages of people, the blessings it carries are both universal and eternal.

  May your gift bring true blessings upon this house, upon this kingdom, and upon all of our Maker’s people whose lives intersect with yours.”

  Alvin placed the baby lovingly into her mother’s arms before fastening the chain around her neck. He again kissed the baby’s forehead, and then kissed Queen Charlotte’s forehead as well. The king moved in close beside the queen, placing his hand on his daughter’s head.

  Alvin turned to face the crowd. “Beloved,” he began, “Your kingdom is truly blessed to have the leadership of a family so dedicated to ruling in the Maker’s ways. Always support your king and each other, remembering that each of you is truly beloved in the eyes of the Maker.”

  “Now,” he continued, “I hear there’s a fantastic party waiting outside.” Alvin turned, and walked off the dais, effectively ending the ceremony.

  The family remained in their places while the guests filed out.

  Quinn couldn’t see where Alvin went after he left the platform. She supposed he was leading the crowd outside. So she was surprised when he appeared suddenly back in the entrance of the alcove, standing directly below her, hidden from the view of everyone else.

  “Need a hand down, Lady Quinn?” Alvin asked, reaching up toward her.

  Quinn frowned; she hadn’t told him her name. She did take his hand, and he surprised her again when he picked her up under her arms and placed her easily on the floor.

  “Quinn!” Thomas was walking toward her, weaving quickly through the departing crowd. He stopped short when he saw her standing with Alvin. “I … see you’ve met Alvin.”

  “Oh yes,” Alvin’s smile was wide, “Quinn and I are fast becoming dear friends. May I have the honor of escorting you outside, dear lady?”

  Quinn glanced uncertainly at Thomas, who smiled and nodded.

  * * *

  Outside, the gardens were overflowing with decorations. Small, white tables and chairs had been set up all around a large stone-paved circle that had been cleared for dancing.

  Alvin walked with her all the way to the circle, stopping just before they intersected with the small number of couples already twirling in time to the music, and then he turned to her. “May I have the honor of your first dance?”

  “I don’t know how...”

  “You’ll be fine; just follow the music.” his words were filled with confident reassurance and Quinn fell into step as best she could trying to mimic the other dancers.

  “How are you enjoying your visit in Eirentheos?”

  Quinn wasn’t sure how to answer; she assumed he’d heard the story about her visiting from a neighboring kingdom.

  “It’s lovely.”

  “And what is your favorite part?”

  Her eyes glanced quickly to where much of the royal family had gathered. A smile spread across her face as she thought of a coy answer.

  “I think that the flowers are beautiful.”

  Alvin’s wide smile brightened and his step took on a livelier energy.

  “I love flowers,” he replied. “They are so different and varied. There are so many different colors, shapes, designs. Each serves its own unique purpose, every variety complementing the others. I think the Maker had an especially fun time creating the flowers.”

  His eyes twinkled as continued. “Take the rose for example; allowed to grow wild it will quickly become a bramble of thorns. If cultivated properly, however, it becomes strong and enduring. It will survive the harshest weather and you can cut it down as far as you like; it will grow back and blossom.”

  “Contrast that with say, a dandelion. When cultivated, it grows quite strong; yet it always retains its wild qualities, and when left to grow wild, it unleashes its hearty spirit, vibrant colors and indomitable nature. Its seeds are plentiful and spread far and wide, taking root wherever they land. Left unchecked, though, the dandelion is a weed that chokes out the life of all the plants around it, and then continues to spread its seeds, far past the gardener’s original intent.”

  The music ended and Quinn realized she hadn’t even noticed the last part of the song; it had been so easy to follow along as she listened to Alvin.

  “Now my dear I do believe that young master Thomas is waiting to share the floor with you next.” He kissed her on the cheek, and handed her over to Thomas who had appeared next to her.

  “Is Alvin filling your head with his wild stories Quinn?” Thomas asked, as the musicians struck up a new, slower tune.

  “His views on the qualities of flowers actually,” she replied, her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully, “but I don’t understand any of it. Which I suppose fits in just fine since I haven’t understood much of anything going on around me since I arrived.”

  Thomas laughed. “I can’t imagine how strange this must all be for you. You’re handling it better than I would, I think.”

  “So, is Alvin another uncle?”

  “No. Alvin...” he said, almost laughing. “Alvin is just... Alvin. He’s always been around. Some say he’s a prophet of some kind. He’s just...there whenever he decides he needs to be. I’ve seen him at a few royal naming ceremonies and he does exactly what he did today. He just appears, steps in, and names the baby... but not every time. He showed up at the naming of the candle maker’s little boy. Sometimes, he jumps in and starts officiating in the middle of a wedding.

  “Once, I heard about him showing up at a villager’s dinner table – he even brought his own plate. You can’t expect him to come, or even find him to invite him. The only thing you can predict with Alvin is that everything he says has some sort of meaning.”

  Quinn’s eyes were wide. “Wow...there really is no end to the surprises, is there?”

  “How else would we keep lovely ladies guessing?” Thomas’ eyes sparkled as he twirled Quinn around and they both laughed.

  Quinn felt Thomas stiffen a second before she heard the voice.

  “Now Thomas, didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s not polite to be selfish with your toys? I think it’s high time you shared such a lovely little plaything.”

  Her breathing accelerated as she realized that Tolliver was standing directly behind her. A wave of nausea rolled over her when she felt his hand stroking her hair.

  Suddenly, Thomas’ fist flew past her head, connecting squarely with Tolliver’s nose. In the next instant, Quinn felt herself being pulled to the side as Tolliver came up raging.

  “Who do you think you are, Thomas?” Tolliver demanded, before returning the punch, slamming Thomas in the mouth. “I am the heir to the throne of Philotheum. I will not be treated this way by a royal brat from this weak excuse for a country! Is one little courtesan really worth this much to you? A war?”

  This time, William threw the punch, and Maxwell jumped into the fray right behind him. Even Linnea managed to get in a well-placed kick to Tolliver’s groin before they were pulled apart by several castle guards.

  “Enough!” Stephen stepped between them. He gave a stern look to Thomas before turning to Tolliver. “I will not allow accusations such as those to be directed at my family.”

  “What, Stephen, you can’t accept that you have raised your son to be a spoiled brat who can’t share his toys?”

  “I have tolerated you for your mother’s sake Tolliver; do not press my courtesy further. To engage in fisticuffs with my sons is poor enough conduct, but to malign the character of a young lady under my safekeeping is unacceptable. I will invite you to return to your rooms, Tolliver. Perhaps you will have time to reflect on the kin
d of conduct that is befitting of the leader of a kingdom.”

  Stephen let his steel gaze linger on Tolliver for a long moment before turning away and returning to his guests.

  Everything happened quickly after that. Four guards led Tolliver back to the castle, and Simon escorted Quinn and the four siblings who had been involved in the brawl around the castle and over to an outbuilding that Quinn had never seen.

  Blood was dripping down Thomas’ face as they trooped into the building, which Quinn recognized as some kind of medical clinic. They passed through a reception area and back into a larger room. Five cots and small, metal carts filled with various medical supplies lined one wall.

  William led Thomas over to the first bed and made him sit down. Thomas was still shaking visibly, his fists curled into tight balls.

  Nobody spoke for several minutes. The only movement in the room came from William, who was working on Thomas’ cut.

  It was Maxwell who finally broke the silence. “Well, that wasn’t good.”

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  16. A Trip

  Quinn and Linnea were awakened early the next morning by Mia entering the room.

  “Sorry, Miss Quinn and Lady Linnea. I didn’t want to wake you, but I was told I had to come in here and start getting Miss Quinn packed and ready.”

  Quinn sat bolt upright.

  “It’s alright, Mia,” Linnea said, rubbing her eyes and struggling to sit up. “We meant to be up early anyway. What time is it?”

  “It’s going on half-past six.”

  Linnea groaned, but Quinn was already halfway to the bathroom, anxiety twisting her insides.

  After the incident at the Naming Ceremony the day before, Stephen and Charlotte had decided that it was not safe for Quinn to remain at Rosewood Castle while Tolliver was in Eirentheos. It had become clear that he had made a special target out of Quinn, and Stephen wanted her as far out of Tolliver’s reach as he could get her. The public spectacle had also created another issue -- people asking pointed questions about exactly who Quinn was.