The Forgotten

12

The next morning Mira woke feeling incredibly refreshed. Her body didn't ache anymore, neither did her head. Her vision was clear and so was her mind. She sat and quickly began to dress in anticipation of seeing Tine and and making choices for their home. She was just getting into her dress when Mary entered.

"Here Miss, I can help you with that. We should get you downstairs. Cook has laid out a wonderful breakfast and your young man is waiting on you. Now, let's get you dressed for your young man." Mary smiled at Mira in the mirror as she laced up her dress for her.

Downstairs, Tine and her parents were waiting at the table as she entered. Tine and her father stood as she entered the room. Reaching out, Tine gently guided her to her seat and cook passed the dishes to her mother, letting her serve herself and pass the dish to her father, then to Mira and then to Tine. 

Mira looked down at her plate and gasped. Where had all of that food come from? Just  then her stomach growled, loudly. She was so embarrassed. It seemed that every time Tine was around her, her stomach growled. Usually loud enough for everyone to her. Mira turned several shades of red, mortified.

She was about to apologize when she heard another stomach growl just as loud. Quickly lifting her head, she looked at Tine, who's face was equally as red. She laughed, turned in her seat and began to eat. 

After breakfast was finished, everyone went into the sitting room to await the young designer. Soon after being seated, there was a brisk knock at the door. Her father excused himself. He came back with a rather nervous looking young man and Raptor, who had his hand on the young man's shoulder as he leaned down to whisper something in the lad's ear.  Mira watched in horrified fascination as the young man's face drained of blood.

Raptor was the first to speak. Nodding to Tine, He offered her father his hand and then turned and bowed to her mother with a gentle smile. "Your Lordship, My Ladies, my I  present to you the young man who will be helping you set up your home."Gesturing to the young man in question, who also bowed. "This young man is Neville. He is a most talented young fella. He has an for making things look their best by blending colors and textures. I think you will be very pleased with him and his ideas." Bowing again, Raptor gestured to Lord Issac out in to the hall so that they may speak in private. 

Tine focused on the young man as he spoke and gave Raptor and Issac their privacy. He could have easily listened to their conversation, but felt like a private moment was needed. Tine did see an astonished look cross Issac's face and then he nodded. Shortly after Raptor excused himself.

Somewhere else in the village.

"I come to see the mistress of the house. She is expecting me." Raptor bowed to enter the home because of his height. The footman led him to a parlor where an older, yet still beautiful woman was waiting on him. Looking up at him, she smiled wistfully with tears in her eyes. "I wondered when you would find out and show up."

Raptor sat next to her and gathered her gently in his arms and held her while she cried. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I missed so much. So much that I cannot make up for." The lady laid her head on Raptor's shoulder and cried even harder.

"I knew I was different. I was stronger than other girls, taller and could walk quieter than any boy on the hunt. I could see farther and better in the night. I ran faster. I know that the man who raised me was not my father. I looked nothing like him. But, he loved me and my mother, though, and for that I am thankful. After all, it isn't every man that will take a "spoiled" woman and another man's child that she is pregnant with and quietly raise her as his own with all the love that he could give."

"You can still be here. She will need you. My daughter and granddaughter both will need you. Especially if history decides to repeat itself, and it will. She will need someone to watch their backs. That young man of Mira's, he's a dragon like you, isn't he?" Raptor could only nod. His and Amelia's daughter evidently had inherited his mother's gift of sight.

"Do they know yet? Have you told them?" She asked.

"They know something is up. Lady Amethyst looks just like your mother. She was a wild beauty, for sure. However, that fire-red hair and those up-tilted eyes are all dragon. Did she inherit a gift?" Raptor was curious about what gifts his granddaughter had inherited from him.

"She doesn't like to speak of it. Mira is the same way. Mira has an altogether different gift. But Amethyst, she knows things. Things that are not yet. I would say she is a prophetess. Mira, her gift terrified her as a child. Unfortunately, she learned to be very careful about who and what she touched." Raptor looked at his daughter and frowned, "Why?"

"She can see visions of the past and feel the emotions associated with an object when she touches it. Occasionally, not just an object. Sometimes a person. Poor thing. It frightened her terribly until she was old enough to discern what was happening. She, like myself knew at a small age that she was a lot more different than the other village children. But, she was such a wise child, Father. she never told anyone, unless she knew that she could trust them without fail. I knew of course, her parents knew, the village elders knew and the Lorekeepers. I think she has even kept it a secret from her dearest friend John." She smiled gently, looking up at her father. "There was a time we had hoped that she would choose him. The two oldest and wealthiest families in the village. A good match. But, it wasn't meant to be."

"Adalinda, I must go. May I visit again?" He asked in a hesitant voice.

"My father, you are always welcome in my home. Always. Please come and visit often. One day you can take me to visit my granddaughter's new home. I have yet to meet her young man. I understand that he is the Dragon King's son and that she will one day be queen." Adalinda laughed. "Father, you do not understand the irony of it. The one who sought to not have attention, is going to have an extraordinary amount of attention thrown at her. I daresay, she will have a difficult time adjusting. I do hope that her chosen will guide her gently." She smiled again as she accompanied Raptor to the front door to see him out. 

"Please father, visit again soon. I have many memories of mother to share with you. Memories that I am certain you will wish to hear about." Leaning down, Raptor kissed his daughter on her forehead and turned and went out the door, shutting it behind him.

At the home of Lord Issac and Lady Amethyst.

"Mira, I would love our bedroom to be in a deep blue with dark wood furniture. The bathing room can be white with marble and granite if you like." Mira and Tine were on the verge of having their first argument of any kind. Sensing the discord, the young designer spoke up.

"If I may, What about a deep blue on the bottom half of the wall and the top half of the wall in a light, almost pale blue. Then separate them with a piece of molding painted white to provide and accent." Neville could see the doubt forming in the prince's mind, so he did a quick sketch to show them both.

"Oh Tine! It's lovely. It will perfectly match anything we choose to put in there. The dark wooden furniture and the dark blue velvet drapes will be beautiful in there with these colors." Mira was very please with Neville's idea, and she could see that Tine was also quite taken with it.

"It's the latest trend in home decor. This is what they are doing in the capital now. The are also mixing patterns and textures together to get a bold, unique look. Some, I daresay, are a little too unique. However, I will do nothing that you both do not approve of together in my presence. That way your home that is meant to be your sanctuary, does not become something to cause dissent in your marriage." Neville stated.

Tine looked the young man over thoroughly once more. He was very astute and had a deceptively simple understanding of how a home should function. A sanctuary he had called it. Neville knew who he was, so he understood the need for harmony in his private quarters. This would be the place where he and his queen would get away from the world.