Once upon a Spring morn

14

Falcons

“Monsieur Vidal! Monsieur Vidal!”

The steward of the Springwood looked up from the parchment to see one of the gardeners hasten through the doorway. Vidal set his quill aside. “Oui, Morell?”

“Sieur, there is a Sprite in the arbor, and she says she has dreadful news for you.”

“A Sprite?”

“Oui, and she is weeping.”

Vidal stood. “Lead the way.”

Moments later, it was Vidal who wept, and he called the staff together to announce the dire news carried by Sprites in swift relay: during a battle with Redcaps and Bogles and Trolls, Princess Celeste and Sieur Roel had drowned.

Battle? asked some; Drowned? asked others, while many burst into tears, though others choked back their grief.

But Vidal had little else to tell them, for the Sprite had known nought about those dire events except that Anton was leading the warband back to the manor, and there were wounded to tend.

Within a candlemark, falcons flew to the manors of the Winterwood and the Autumnwood and the Summerwood, bearing the terrible word.

The first to receive the falcon-borne news was Steward Arnot at Winterwood Manor, for it lay closest to the Springwood. He gathered the staff and made the announcement of Celeste’s and Roel’s deaths. Cries broke out and many wept, for the princess was well loved. The gala they had planned for the return of Prince Borel and Lady Michelle would now be set aside. “These will be sad times, and we must bear up,” said Arnot. “A memorial will be held in Springwood Manor, and not only will Prince Borel and Lady Michelle pass through on their way there, but also passing through will be Princess Liaze and her contingent and Prince Alain and his, and so we will host all.” He turned to the housekeepers.

“Hang the door with black crepe and tie the candelabras with black ribbon.” And then he said to the seamstresses,

“We will need black armbands for all staff and visitors.”

“Steward?” asked a skinny lad.

“Redieu,” acknowledged Arnot.

“Are Prince Borel and his lady still at the Summerwood?”

“Oui, I believe they are yet there. Along with Jules and that part of the warband Lord Borel took with him, they are stopping over on their return from Roulan Vale.”

“And the falcons have flown to each of the forests bearing this dreadful news?”

“Oui, Steward Vidal has sent falcons to all, including one to King Valeray and Queen Saissa.”

“And so they will be here as well?”

“It depends on their route, but we will plan for them passing through.”

On a croquet court at Autumnwood Manor, Liaze handed Luc her mallet and smiled as she took the message vial from Jean.

“ ’Twas another Springwood bird, m’lady,” said the falconer.

“Two birds in less than a sevenday? What, I wonder, is my little sister up to now?” Liaze opened the container and unrolled the tissue.

She read the missive and fell to her knees wailing.

Luc knelt beside her and took her in his arms.

In the Summerwood, Alain, grim-faced and gripping a falcon-borne message, walked into the chamber where sat Camille and Borel and Michelle.

Alain’s voice choked as he said, “I have some dreadful news.” Falcons winged back unto Springwood Manor bearing messages, and Steward Vidal announced to the Springwood staff that all kindred and their retinues were on their way.