The Battle of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book Two

Chapter Six

Leaves. Leaves all over me.

And not only that, but vines, branches, twigs, all attached to the leaves etching their way all over my body. I looked like I'd taken a drunken trip to a tattoo parlor run by a frustrated Irish lacemaker. 'See here!' I must have said while belching, 'I don't want to see a lick of skin -- cover it all with stupid leaves!'

I went into the bathroom and shed my nightgown. The leaves indeed left not one inch of skin untouched. If I weren't so horrified, I would have thought they were beautiful. The leaves fit right in with my pointed ears, keyhole eyes, and wild, corkscrew hair. I looked more savage than my father's Lunantisidhe.

But I hadn't gone to a tattoo parlor, and someone had a lot of explaining to do. I knew that there would be only one person who would have the answers to this fiasco. While I trembled with rage and panic, I put my nightgown back on. 

"Ciaran!" My hands clenched at my sides as I waited. He was going to die if this was what I thought it was. My heart sped up.

He appeared within a second and grinned lecherously at my nightgown.

"Ah, my Princess! I'm seeing you in your nightgown. The first time I was in this room, Luke had put you to bed fully clothed. It's quite —"

He paused as he noted the leaves all over my face. Then, a dawning wonder caused him to step forward and finally fall to his knees.

"Princess..." He tried to take my hand to kiss it, but I snatched it away.

"Tell me what all this is!" I hissed. I was trying to keep myself from screeching, as I didn't want to alarm anyone until I got the news from Ciaran. "How do I get rid of them?"

He was staring up at me with shock, then he tilted his head back and closed his eyes as if he was praying to God. "You cannot get rid of them because they will disappear on their own, my Princess."

"Answer the first question! What are these?"

"They are a sign of a most miraculous thing, Princess. A most miraculous thing." His attention returned to me, and a look of tenderness passed across his face, followed by a dazzling grin.

"A miraculous thing? What —"

He'd gotten up from his knees, and he was hopping in little circles with a big grin on his face. Then he grabbed me by my waist and spun me around and around, almost disarming me away from my suspicious fury. No one had ever spun me 'round and 'round like that, and I was enjoying it. However, after the sixth spin, I finally had enough.

"Ciaran!" I growled, then swatted his arm.

He stopped spinning me; then, he pressed a happy kiss on my lips, which sent my suspicions into orbit. I whacked him on the back, then pushed him away. I pointed a shaky finger at him accusingly.

"I'm pregnant, aren't I??" I stomped my foot to emphasize how not okay I was with this.

He was too ecstatic to answer me with words. So he simply nodded, then collapsed in my chair while making little happy gasps and soft, wordless exclamations. 

I blinked at him, then gritted my teeth as I remembered Zovria warning that the Trees could lie. "You lied to me!" It was a quiet, whispered yell since I still didn't want anyone barging in on us.

The light dimmed from his beatific expression as he realized, finally, that I was not at all as delighted as him. He crossed his legs and his feature settled into a calm mask.  "I swear, I did not know that this would happen. I thought you had returned everything back."

"Oh, so you're saying this is my fault!" I wanted to kick him. 

"Of course not." Ciaran was on his feet, trying to hug me, but I put out my hand as I shook my head. He kept his distance and stuck his hands in his pockets. Despite his calmness,  I could feel his rising worry.  His voice was exasperated as he defended himself.  "I'd suspected yesterday, but with the fight, I couldn't get you alone to talk about it. Indeed, the idea that the goblin might have killed both my wife and child caused me to lose my head yesterday. I apologize profusely."