Mary Anne Gruen - The House of Red

It was almost dawn when Leaf Fall came looking for Matilde. The older woman was seated as she knew she would be in front of the Mirror of Truth with her crystal ball at her side. But the mirror wasn’t dark as Leaf expected. It was centered on the snoring form of Tony Lewis.

“What?” Leaf said, coming to a stop in the doorway. “You’re watching him sleep?”

“No,” Matilde said, waving her hand at the mirror. It went dark immediately. “I was just thinking.”

“How can you think with all that snoring?”

“During the Magic War I got used to thinking and sleeping through everything. I was remembering our run-ins with Ruby.”

“Yes,” Leaf Fall said, gliding to an empty chair and sitting down. “After we witnessed that bit between her and Scarlet in the road, I thought about her quite a lot too. Did you know about Red Riding Hood’s elder daughter?”

Matilde sighed. “Well, when she was born, the Second Kingdom hadn’t been formed yet. So, obviously none of us noticed. Ruby was born after the Kingdom had been founded. So, there was a lot of pomp and circumstance around her.” Matilde smoothed her iridescent white gown and drew her fingers together thoughtfully in front of her. “Just after that, I got involved with your father and I know I didn’t pay any attention then. I had other things on my mind.”

“Yes. And I had just begun my marriage to Woodbine.”

“I heard vague talk of an older girl running away and eloping. But at that time we were all caught up in ‘Happily Ever After.’ I probably thought it was sweet and promptly forgot about it.”

“So, did everyone else, evidently.”

“Not everyone,” Matilde said. She picked up her crystal ball and placed it in her lap. Then she pulled back the special white cloth. It was made of the distilled essence of clouds and kept the ball at just the right temperature for its comfort. “During the night, my crystal and I contacted some of the older fairies who are now standing guard at the border of the Eighth Kingdom. They told me they remembered rumors of Red having an older child. But they never bothered to investigate because it didn’t seem important. There are probably others in the Second Kingdom who remembered too and passed the rumor on to their children. It just never became common knowledge.”

“Because Scarlet and Red never advertised the fact,” Leaf said. “Then, Ruby got married with full royal splendor and was crowned Queen at her mother’s death. Then there was the Magic War. Anyone without direct involvement in Scarlet forgot about her during that mess. Did you go to Ruby’s wedding?”

“No,” Matilde said. She stroked her crystal affectionately and then rewrapped it.

“Mazarin was already beginning to act questionably then. Your father and I were mostly concentrating on him.”

“I should have been too.”

“No, you shouldn’t have. You were just becoming a mother for the first time.”

“And having the first problems in my marriage.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation. I believe Ruby’s was far worse than yours.”

“I know.” Leaf Fall’s wings flittered slightly. “My friend Red Riding Hood the Third told me a lot of things.”

“So, you probably know more than I do. It’s true, your marriage to Woodbine was a marriage of convenience, which gave each of you greater prominence. But you were both determined to commit to it. Ruby’s marriage was based on love on her side. But for King Henry, it was a marriage of convenience to which he had no intention of committing. He committed himself to the Kingdom and the army. But never to his wife and child.” Matilde put her crystal back where it had been and got up from her chair to stretch her legs. “Still, all that said. As sorry as I feel for Ruby’s marriage, I can’t condone a lot of the things she did.”

“She was always in some kind of row with the Council. And you in particular.”

“Well, you were there. We simply couldn’t let her maintain that ridiculous school ruling. Especially when it was her mother that began public education.”

“You know,” Leaf Fall said, “Woodbine sent me a dispatch a while ago. He agrees now that we should be sending in troops.”

Matilde couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s about time. Is he still hiding in that waterfall?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“Just as well. We’re just holding our own at the borders. My fear is that if we don’t win soon and win soundly, that more giants will enter the battle and the ground we’ve lost will become greater still.”

“King Cole is sending more troops to Wendell tomorrow.”

“Which is both good and bad,” Matilde said. “Some of Cole’s troops are still having trouble fighting with wolves.”

“But Cole is doing everything he can to back Wendell and the wolves. He’s called for a military court martial for that private Wendell sent back. And he told the young man personally that he was lucky it wasn’t a royal execution.”

“I know. Still, until they settle down, IF they settle down, the trouble makers are more of a hindrance than a help.”

“Matilde.” Leaf Fall looked down into her lap. “There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you.”

“You look so serious, Child. What is it?”

“When Woodbine and I went into hiding during the Magic War. Did my father, I mean, was he ashamed of me?”

Matilde went at once to Leaf’s side and put her arm around her. “Child, your father was never ashamed of you. He loved you very much. I think he would’ve preferred to have you fight with him at that time. But I think it was also a great comfort to him knowing that you and his granddaughters were safe.” Matilde paused for a moment. “Woodbine I don’t think he cared so much about.”

In spite of the tears in her eyes, Leaf Fall laughed.

Matilde produced a handkerchief from her sash and handed it to her stepdaughter. The truth is he’d be very proud of you. You’ve taken a major hand in the Council and in this war. No one could doubt that you are the daughter of the elf King Centaurea. And for what it’s worth, your mother Elizabeth would have been prouder still.”

“Your Highnesses,” a voice at the door said. It was the perfectly spiffed-up butler again. He’d managed to float in unnoticed. “Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “But the early morning dispatches have arrived from the front for Queen Leaf Fall.”

“All right. I’ll be there at once.”

“Very good,” the butler said. And he glided out backwards.

“That man must be part butterfly,” Matilde commented. “Or at least part fairy. He floats in and out of rooms and never seems to sleep.”

“The castle is short on help because of the war,” Leaf Fall explained.

“I know. And it’s very loyal of him to stay on in this crisis. I’ve heard he’s very good friends with Lord Rupert.”

“Yes, I’ve heard the same,” Leaf Fall said, getting up. “Well, I have my duty.”

“Let me know if anything important has happened through the night.”

“I will.”

After Leaf Fall had gone Matilde walked over to the mirror and placed her hand on it. She rubbed the gold edging where the three slivers had been removed for the talismans the questers were now wearing in the past. The gold in this spot had been combined with certain magic powders to form a soothing balm to the injured mirror. The slivers could never be reconnected. And they could only be destroyed by fire or crushed to dust. Still, their destruction could bring pain to the main mirror. The slivers would probably be kept in some magic box in the castle until or unless they were needed again.

Matilde noticed that the sky outside had just begun to lighten. “Mirror,” she said.

She didn’t have to explain what she wanted. It knew. Its dark surface began to swirl with gray. Then it cleared to center once again on Tony. He was still sleeping barechested on his wood chip mattress. But his snoring had quieted and he had a little smile on his face. The lightening sky hadn’t disturbed him yet.

Matilde looked at him and said, “Oh, Centaurea.” She often talked to her deceased husband when she was alone. “What am I getting myself into now?”