"Come on, Esmerelda. It will be worth it, I promise," Hailey said.
Esmerelda did not look happy. She looked miserable. "I don't know what you're up to, Hailey but I'd rather be back in the castle. I have work to do, you know?"
Hailey grinned at her friend. She would survive this trip. The trudged along a dirt road, the ruts from too many carriages left in the dirt. Dead grass clumped on either side of the ruts and in the center, where the girls walked. At least there weren't too many burrs in the middle of the road.
As they walked, a light snow began to fall.
"See," Esmerelda complained. "It's snowing." She rubbed at her red nose and tugged her bright green cloak more tightly around her.
This was exactly why Hailey was comfortable with Esmerelda being her lady's maid. She would complain to her and not call her 'my lady' all the time. She also never curtsied to her. Hailey didn't really need someone looking after her. It was nice, but what she really needed was a friend.
"I know," said Hailey. "First snow of the year and we are out experiencing it."
Esmerelda was still not smiling.
"It could be worse, you know. It could be rain.
Esmerelda groaned. "How much further?"
Hailey looked at the small piece of paper she had brought so hopefully they wouldn't get lost. She was relieved to be traveling to a village that was not right next to the shimmer. It seemed that everyone close to the shimmer was sending their injured to Hailey to be healed. Natalia was a godsend, but she couldn't let everyone know that she was a mage. Her prince had asked her to keep that a secret.
"Well, if you are going to drag me all the way out here for no good reason, you are going to have to keep me entertained. How are things with you and that soldier you keep making eyes at?"
When had Esmerelda figured that one out? There was the downside of someone knowing you too well. She looked at her friend uncertainly.
"Oh come on, I've seen you two together more than once and you made such a big fuss over him at the farm. It's obvious that there is something going on between you two."
"I don't know. I was so tired and kind of mean to him and now there's another girl that he keeps joking around with." It made Hailey's heart hurt just to think about Aaron now.
"Did you tell her to stay away from your man?"
"No." It hadn't occurred to Hailey.
The snow continued to fall, starting to cover up the dead grass and sticking here and there to the branches of the trees. Hailey pulled her scarf up farther on her neck. She wished she'd worn an extra pair of socks.
"Oh, come on," Esmerelda said. "That girl will not be able to hold her own against you. You can do magic. She can't. If you tell her to stay away from him, she'll have to listen."
Hailey could see Esmerelda doing that very thing, but Hailey didn't want to force Aaron to be with her. If he decided that he liked Gillian better, as much as it hurt, she would have to let him go.
"Clearly, you're just going to mope if we talk about your man. Did you see the prince?"
Hailey smiled and shook her head. There was someone else she needed to apologize to. "I saw him."
"Well, the maids just think he is the most romantic man they have ever seen. Johanne's lady's maid says that she thinks that Johanne has a real chance with the prince if the princess doesn't wake up. He does seem to favor her, but his heart seems set on the princess."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. All of the ladies of the court want a chance with him. He's not bad looking and he is the prince of a neighboring kingdom."
"I have talked to him and he was really courteous, but I can't imagine that he would end up with any of those women. He must have girls following him around at home."
Esmerleda rolled her eyes. "Obviously that's true, but you have to admit it would be exciting for one of the nobles ladies from our kingdom to end up with him. We instantly be allied with Yapuris."
Hailey found the whole thing annoying. Of course the women of the court were after him, but it would be better for the kingdom if the princess were to wake. She glanced up to see the village. "Look, we're here. See that wasn't too bad of a walk, and getting home will be much faster."
They walked in to the town. The streets were mostly empty, but plumes of smoke rose in the sky. She found the house that she had been looking for and raised a hand to knock. Then she paused and turned to her friend.
"Actually, I think you better do it."
"You still haven't told me why we're here," Esmerelda complained, stepping up to the doorway.
"You're just going to have to knock and find out."
Esmerelda glared at Hailey, clearly unhappy with this game, but she stepped up to the porch and knocked on the wooden door. Esmerelda motioned for Hailey to come stand with her, and Hailey stepped up onto the porch.
Muffled noises came from inside the little house and then the door cracked open just a bit. A face peered out, wrinkled and aged with time. "Who are you?" The woman said, ignoring Hailey.
"I'm Esmerelda Rolfe. My friend brought me here to meet you..."
The woman clutched at her chest. "Not Esmerelda." She staggered forward and hugged Esmerelda tightly. "I never thought I would see you again. But why do you look so young?" Tears were streaming down the old woman's face. They were of a height and Hailey could see the similarities in their faces.
Esmerelda let go, holding her mother back at arms length. "Mom? Is that really you?" Now Esmerelda was crying and Hailey couldn't keep the tears from her own eyes.
"No sense standing out here in the cold. Come in."
Esmerelda grabbed Hailey's hand before she even had time to wonder whether or not to leave and give them privacy.
"I'm sorry it's so dark in here," It was dark inside, but the woman set about lighting candles. "What I'd like to know is how you found me. I certainly couldn't find you."
Hailey smiled. "Esmerelda and I grew up together in the castle. I asked the queen if she might be able to find you."
The woman's eyes went wide. "You asked the queen of all Taivalon to do you a favor?"
Esmerelda smiled. "Hailey is the royal mage."
"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't think you were a noble woman, and the royal mage no less." The woman looked absolutely horrified.
Esmerelda cut in. "Don't worry. Hailey isn't one of those kind of people who get offended if you don't curtsey every time they hiccup."
Her mother smiled at her daughter and shook her head. "I can't believe it's really you. I didn't even give you my name. I am Elena Fisher. They must have changed your last name, but I named you Esmerelda."
"I still can't believe that my little girl knows the royal mage. And how is it that you're so young?"
Hailey was relieved that she was looking at her daughter, not wondering why an older, more experienced mage was not in charge.
"I was trapped in the spell for fifteen years with a bunch of other people."
"I heard about that. Nasty business. People said it was the dragon that broke the spell and that some of the people died who were sleeping all that time."
Hailey wanted to correct her, but Esmerelda started in with her questions. "Can you tell me what happened to me when I was little?" Esmerelda asked. She must have been a toddler when she was dropped off at the orphanage, barely able to walk.
"Oh darling, I am so sorry about all of that. Your grandparents were sick at the time. I didn't think I could take care of them and you and I knew that someone might want a beautiful little girl." She blinked back tears and paused, looking down for a long moment before she said, "I knew there were people who might want a healthy little girl. I half way expected that I would die, too. They called it the wasting sickness. Maybe it was better that you weren't here for that. We made so little money then and without pa to catch the fish, I didn't know what we would eat. I mend nets for the sailors. Been doing that ever since I was a small child, but I've never had enough to get a boat, so that's what I do. It was a terrible thing to do to a child."
Esmerelda was looking at her hands, clearly uncomfortable with the story, but Hailey knew it was something that she had wondered about for her whole life. What happened to her mom?
"I went back, you know, looking for you but they wouldn't tell me where you had gone. I had missed you so bad, I just couldn't take it anymore. I figured I'd bring my little girl home and if I didn't have enough to feed my ailing parents, well they were probably dying anyway. They did die, about a month after I.." Her voice hitched and she took a moment to clear it. "I lost my whole family in just a few months. I thought I would die then, too. Most of the people I knew that were taking care of the sick did, but I survived. Not much has changed since then. I got older." She chuckled at that, tears spilling over.
Esmerelda wrapped her arms around her mother's shoulders. "It's ok. I've had a good life and now I have you back."
Hailey felt like an intruder. She watched Esmerelda and her mother from across the room and finally rose to excuse herself. "I should go. I'm sure you have plenty of catching up to do."
Elena rose and hugged Hailey, too. "Than you so much for bringing my little girl to me, even if she can't stay."
Esmerelda led Hailey out.
"Maybe I should have warned you. I hope it wasn't too much of a shock. I'll make a glyph outside. Do you want me to come back for you tonight, Esmerelda?"
Esmerelda shook her head. "No, I'll stay for a while as long as you can manage."
"I think I can get myself dressed in the morning and I do know where the kitchen is."
Esmerelda smirked at that. "I can make my way back. Try to get enough rest while I'm gone."
"I will," said Hailey and she walked away, feeling better about things than she had in a while.