A Charm for a Unicorn (5 page)

Leonie flinched. “Poor Father, to have to look upon me each day. No wonder he wants to send me far away.” She took a deep breath. “Can you tell me about her? What was her name?"

Mistress Dawn's eyebrows rose. “Has your father never told you about her at all?"

"No, not a word. We haven't a portrait or anything but her old dresses."

Mistress Dawn went back behind the counter and started to take down bolts of cloth, all the while speaking over her shoulder. “A portrait you don't need, just look into a mirror, child. Your mother's name was Faith. She was born in this village and grew up here. Everyone adored her. Her parents wanted only the best for her, and they turned down all the suitors in the village. Word spread of her beauty, and one day the king, then Prince Miles, came riding by. He saw her and fell in love. Everyone thought that would be the end of it. He'd ask for her hand in marriage and she'd marry the prince and become queen."

Leonie frowned. “But she didn't. How did she meet my father?"

"Well, he'd always been around. Magicians are scarce and he had many villages to attend, but he passed through here often enough. Folk didn't realize he'd been smitten by your mother."

"He didn't court her?"

"Oh, no. We called him ‘the quiet magician'. Hardly a word he spoke to anyone, except for healing. Besides, everyone thought she would marry the prince. But there was a slight problem. You see, his parents had officially engaged him to marry someone else."

Leonie felt the blood drain from her face. “What?"

"Aye, it came as a shock to everyone. Seems his ministers had signed a contract for him to marry some princess from the kingdom of Bromley, but when he saw your mother he tried to annul the contract. Thing is, the two kingdoms wouldn't accept that. ‘Twas all politics, you understand, a way for the two kingdoms to avoid war. The marriage was a peace treaty of sorts. The king wasn't the king at the time, he was prince, and his parents arranged the marriage for him."

"Why couldn't he just break off the engagement and marry my mother?” Leonie wanted to know.

"Political reasons. The prince had to marry before the moon-tide, or the other kingdom would declare war."

"He did what he thought was honorable,” Leonie whispered, her throat tight.

Mistress Dawn shrugged. “Poor Faith didn't know what to do. She stood under the chestnut tree over there, and the prince tried to comfort her but she pushed him away. Then your father went over to her.” Mistress Dawn gave a long sigh. “Prince Miles felt shamed, for he truly had been infatuated by your mother.

"I stood here in the shop's door and saw the whole scene. The prince handed a bag of gold to your father, and your father hurled it right back at him. Didn't say a word. The prince went back to his politics and became King Miles, and your father took Faith straight to the wedding chapel and married her that very day."

"Oh.” Leonie said faintly, looking toward the doorway.

"The wizard bought Castle Veil and installed her in it so she wouldn't be far from her family and friends. But she didn't like to leave the castle. In a short time, she had two difficult pregnancies and childbirths ... and when she died, sorrow crushed your father. He locked himself in the castle and didn't come out until finally the king came begging. The kingdom needed a magician, his healing powers most of all. Your father went back to work, but since losing his wife, he was never himself."

Leonie blinked, and two tears slid down her cheek. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. “What about my grandparents?” she asked.

"They were angry with your father. They hadn't liked it when he married your mother without a by-your-leave, and they practically accused him of murdering her when she died. Then, broken with grief, they passed away.” Mistress Dawn sighed and then held up a length of silver cloth. “Let's see how this looks against your skin."

"Mistress Dawn...” Leonie hesitated, then said in a rush, “I wish to leave a message for Prince Renaldo. Do you know him? Would you know anyone who could give it to him?"

"Prince Renaldo?” Mistress Dawn's eyebrows lifted. “Now that's coincidence. He's in the village to study the art of shepherding. Seems he's interested in learning different trades. Last year he studied sailing."

"Can you give him a message? Without anyone knowing about it?"

"Well ... I could try. Oh wait,” she snapped her fingers. “My boy Sean can give it to him. Do you have it?"

Leonie took a folded paper from her pocket. “Here. No one else must see it. Please, it's important."

Mistress Dawn took it and tucked it in her apron. “Your father said you were getting married. Is it to Prince Renaldo? How exciting..."

"Oh, please. Say nothing more. My father has betrothed me to another magician, and I ... I have to give the prince this message, that's all.” Leonie felt a pang of disquiet as the message disappeared into the seamstress's apron.

As soon as she had been sure her father would take her to the village, she'd gathered her courage and written a message to Prince Renaldo. The message said,
"My father has given me in marriage to Sir Wulfe, a magician. I don't want to marry Sir Wulfe, I love you, Renaldo. Yours forever, Leonie."

Mistress Dawn patted her arm. “Well, let's choose some cloth for you. Shall I make your dresses or do you have another seamstress?"

By the time Leonie's father returned, she'd ordered three dresses, and Mistress Dawn had taken her measurements, writing everything down on scraps of paper. Her father paid, and then he nodded, and they left.

Leonie would have liked to see more of the village, and her throat was parched. “May I get something to drink before we head back?” she asked.

For an answer, her father pointed to the public fountain, at the street corner. Leonie cupped her hands and drank. The water tasted fresh and sweet.

Afterward, she and her father took the dusty road back to Castle Veil. She wanted to speak to her father about all that she'd heard, and tell him she understood his pain for she too loved someone with all her heart. But her father marched on in silence, his face stern, and Leonie lost her courage.

She wished, oh how she wished, that she dared take her father's hand. But she never had, and sadly, she realized that she never could. He'd shut himself off from her and from the rest of the world. Only a small part of what he used to be survived in the shell that had once been “the quiet magician".

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"Leo, I saw your prince.” Ann had waited until after dinner and they were all alone before telling her.

"Where?” Leonie stood in front of the chimney, her arms resting on the mantle, basking in the fire's glow.

"He came searching for the lost lamb near the nettle fields."

Leonie's head snapped up. “Did you speak to him?"

Ann colored a bit. “Yes. He's very nice, Leonie. I liked him."

A knot untied itself in Leonie's chest. “You did?” She couldn't stop smiling. Ann was so hard to please. If she liked Renaldo, it must mean he could charm the bees from their honey.

"He wanted to see you, and I told him you had something to tell him, and he'll meet you tonight at the nettle field.” Ann looked so serious as she spoke—a serious little red-haired owl, with her small, folded mouth and big, solemn eyes the color of brown pebbles.

"Oh, Ann!” Laughter burst from Leonie's throat, and she took her sister's hands and danced in a round. “You are a marvel, thank you! Now it won't matter if he gets his note or not. I can tell him tonight."

"Tell him what? What note?” Ann pulled away from Leonie and frowned. “You didn't write a note, did you? Who did you give it to? Who can you trust?"

Leonie felt her cheeks flush. Ann looked so grim all of a sudden. “I told you about the seamstress, and what she said about our mother."

"Yes, and a very sad tale it was indeed."

Leonie beamed. “I gave the note to her, but it matters not, for tonight I will see Renaldo and I'll tell him that...” Leonie broke off and stared. “What's the matter Ann?"

"I just thought of something. What if Prince Renaldo is engaged to be married? He is a prince, after all, and there are rules for everything he does."

"No, he would never have kissed me and asked me to marry him. He said he would tell his father first thing.” She rubbed her arms, where gooseflesh prickled. “Don't you see? He loves me and I love him. When I see him tonight, I'm going to tell him that my father has arranged my wedding, but that I want to run away with him."

Ann's eyes grew even wider. “Did you put that in your note?"

"Of course not. I just said I loved him, and I didn't want to marry Sir Wolfe. Don't worry. Mistress Dawn is a very nice woman, and she promised to get the message to Renaldo.” Even as the words left her lips, Leonie knew she'd been foolish again. Her sister's withering glare confirmed it.

"Leo, you are the most...” An earsplitting crash interrupted Ann's words.

"That came from Father's study!” Leonie wrenched the door open and, lifting her skirts, ran down the long hallway. Ann came just behind her, her bare feet thumping on the floor. The two girls burst into their father's study at the same time.

Leonie uttered a cry. The crystal ball had shattered into a million, scintillating chips of glass. Her father sat in his chair, several slight cuts on his face. As she watched, he reached up and rubbed the blood away with his hand. “What happened?” She grabbed Ann before she could go in. “No, you'll cut your feet."

Their father looked at them, his eyes glittering furiously. “I wanted to see the robe you'd chosen. Instead, I saw the seamstress take a letter from her apron and spread it on the counter to read.” His voice dripped bitter frost.

Leonie's knees buckled and she fell to the floor. “No,” she whispered.

"I contacted Sir Wulfe. His was the rage that broke my crystal."

"No.” She could hardly breathe. Pain, sharp and jagged-edged, twisted her belly. She looked at the white-haired man whom she had just started to know, and she begged. “Father, no. I love Renaldo, I love him. You can't keep us apart. Please, I'll die without him. Mistress Dawn told me about you and Mother ... you know what it's like to be in love. Don't make me marry Sir Wulfe."

"Nonsense. No one ever dies of a broken heart.” Her father picked up the ivory wand.

Eyes wide, incapable of movement, Leonie watched as he pointed the wand at her. At the last minute, she held her hands up as if to ward off the spell. She felt something then as the magic washing over her in a prickling, stinging wave changed subtly.

She cried out, but she knew she couldn't stop the transformation. However, she also felt as if she could change it, so she bent her mind to the task. She would not be changed into the form her father had wished—a docile sheep. He meant to teach her a lesson, but she meant to be free.

Ann gasped as Leonie fell to her hands and knees in the midst of the sharp glass. But her sister hardly seemed to feel the cuts. Then Ann heard what her father said. She clapped her hands to her mouth to stop her cry, for her father picked up his wand, pointed it toward Leonie, and spoke the transformation formula.

Leonie threw her hand up in supplication. A pale blue light enveloped her, and then she seemed to shimmer. The brightness grew blinding and Ann closed her eyes. When she opened them, she let out a gasp of amazement.

A pure white unicorn stood in the middle of the room. It looked at Ann, and then at her father, and it reared, its silvery horn glittering in the candlelight. With a deafening whinny, it leapt out of the room and galloped down the stairs, its hooves clattering on the stone.

Heedless of the broken glass, Ann dashed to the window and looked out. In the light of the moon, she saw the unicorn streak across the pasture and disappear into the woods.

"What have you done?” Ann cried, her voice breaking. She whirled, expecting to see her father's sardonic frown. Instead, he sat as if stunned, staring at the magic wand.

"How did she do that?” he cried. “I meant to change her into a sheep—a fitting creature! Instead, she twisted my own magic!” He got to his feet. “I must contact Sir Wulfe."

"You have to rescue Leonie!” Ann felt a sharp pain in her foot and looked down. A splinter of glass had lodged in her instep. Wincing, she pulled it out and looked for something to use to bandage her foot.

"You're cut.” Her father leaned over and touched her foot. “Poor Ann. Hold on, I'll fix that.” He took salve and a bandage and bound the cut tightly.

Ann sighed as the pain eased, then took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Father, you can't force Leonie to marry Sir Wulfe. Let's go find Leonie. I know where she went, and you can talk to Prince Renaldo."

"What? She's gone to join him?” Her father blanched. “Quickly, child, there's no time to lose. We must go at once. Where is she?"

"I won't tell you unless you promise not to force her into a marriage she doesn't want!"

Her father looked at her, his expression troubled. “I spoke and acted in anger, and I regret losing my temper. However, I cannot renege my promise to Sir Wulfe. It's for the best, I promise."

"How can you say that? Leonie loves Renaldo, and he loves her!"

Her father took her by the shoulders. “I have no doubt Leonie fell in love with a handsome, young prince. But I know he doesn't truly love her."

"But..."

"Just listen.” His voice grew sharper. “Leonie has a charm on her, a charm that makes everyone fall in love with her. It's a sort of wild magic. She can't control it—nobody can. That's why I could never let her go to the village, or see other people. I thought, I truly thought, that Sir Wolfe's proposal was the best thing that could happen to Leonie. For some reason, Sir Wulfe is immune to her charm."

"How could you let him marry her if he doesn't love her?"

"Of course he loves her. And he can protect her. He's far more powerful than I am. I couldn't keep her locked up here forever, she needs a husband."

Ann's head whirled. The prince hadn't fallen under Leonie's spell, he'd simply fallen under a spell. Ann knew about wild magic. It was the bane of magicians because it cropped up out of nowhere and was completely uncontrollable. Poor Leonie!