Memorybound

Chapter 23

"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."