The Shadow Chapter 11.

Chapter Eleven.

 

Barford Again.

 

The journey back down the mountain was hard and slow. Aidan told the royal couple all that he could remember of his childhood. It was hard to watch their faces grow older as they travelled further away from the valley.

They arrived at the oak tree late on the sixth day. True to his word, Boydel was waiting for them. When he saw Prince Rogan and Princess Aidel, he fell to his knees.

"Your Majesties," he stammered. "We thought you had been killed."

He led them out of the mountains to where the carter was waiting with his wagon.

Their welcome at Rougham Manor was tumultuous. Emma flung her arms around Aidan’s neck and gave him a kiss. Then she blushed bright red and fled.

Baron Astel tried to go down on one knee, but Prince Rogan would not let him. With tears streaming down his face, the old man felt Prince Rogan’s face.

"It is you," he said. Then he had to feel Aidan’s face again.

"I knew this face was familiar. You look like your father."

Charles was sent off to the King’s Palace with a letter containing the good news.

Baron Astel organised carts of food to be sent to the Wraiths. Boydel collected some of his old outlaw friends and they carried the food to the Wraiths’ valley when the carts could go no further.

He reported that they buried the skeleton and left the food by the cave entrance. When they went back with the second load, the first lot had disappeared.

Prince Rogan and Princess Aidel wanted to stay at Rougham Manor until the King arrived, but Aidan insisted that he had to go to Barford to deliver the cloth and release the town from Calizone’s spell.

Promising to return for Rachel and Charles’ wedding, the party set off. They called in at Birch Hall to tell Matron the good news. Next, they passed by Powell’s Farm.

Aidan walked in.

"We are off to lift the spell in Barford," he told the farmer. "Fill up your cart with food and follow us."

Early the next morning, they arrived at the town gates. Calizone was seated on a magnificent black horse outside.

"I was expecting you," she said. "My cloth?"

Aidan handed over the roll with a bow.

"The spell?" he asked.

Calizone waved her hand and the air around the gates shimmered for a second.

"Gone," she said. "And so am I."

She waved her hand. She and the horse disappeared.

Of course there was great rejoicing in the town. Everyone wanted to meet the Shadow who turned out to be a Royal Prince. Poor Aidan hardly had time to think.

Late that night he finally managed to sneak away to collect his belongings from his old home.

On the way back to the Dalbards’ mansion, where he was now staying, he found Emma standing on the steps.

She curtsied.

"I suppose that is it now, your highness," she said.

Aidan ignored the curtsey.

"What do you mean?"

Emma sighed.

"You have found your parents. You broke the spell. I found out who put the mark on my face. There is nothing else to do, is there?"

Aidan took a deep breath.

"And what are you going to do?"

"I will carry on saving until I have enough money to open my bookshop and library," she replied.

Aidan said nothing for a moment.

"If I had my choice, I would prefer to go back to being the Shadow in Barford, finding lost things and keeping the thieves away. But do you really think either of us can go back to what we were before?"

Emma shook her head.

"I am not even sure that the Dalbards want me back. Last night your mother insisted that I had a guest room. She would not let me sleep in my old room in the servants’ wing. I don't know what I am any more or where I belong."

She sounded very close to tears.

"I have been talking to my Mother," said Aidan slowly. "As you know, my Grandfather founded the orphanages?"

Emma nodded.

"Well, Mother, " he paused, "that really does sound odd to me, anyway, she wants to set up schools, first of all in all the towns, then in the bigger villages. She wants every child in the kingdom to learn to read and write."

"That would be good," said Emma.

"But then we will have a lot of people who can read, but no books for them. So, she wondered if you would like to help build libraries in the towns. People could borrow books for a small sum, or even for free, if you thought that would be better."

Emma looked up and frowned.

"Me? Set up libraries?"

"Yes," smiled Aidan. "We thought they could have a sign over the door saying ‘A Princess Emma Library.’"

"Princess?" shrieked Emma.

"Yes," said Aidan, "if you’d like it."

"But I am only an orphan chambermaid. You can’t. It is wrong," protested Emma. "I can't."

"Well, if you can't, you had better come and explain it to my mother," said Aidan. "She said that she always wanted a daughter. She is already making plans for when you come and stay with her."

Aidan sat down on the steps.

Emma sat down next to him.

"I am just an orphan trained to be a servant, not a grand lady. Your Mother said that she would take me to Mrs. Diamond later today for a whole new set of clothes. I don't know how to behave like a princess," she said with a sigh.

"True," agreed Aidan. "And I am the Shadow. What do I know about being a prince? I have to learn to live in a castle instead of a shack that I built for myself. I have to wear clothes made for me instead of ones I picked up after people threw them away. I have to learn how to sleep in a proper bed instead of the pile of rags that I found. I have aunts, uncles, and cousins to get to know. My cousins know how to use swords, ride horses, hunt, dance, and all that kind of thing. When I tried to leave the mansion to get my things, I was followed by a footman. I told him not to follow me, but he said that it was his job to stay near to me in case I needed something."

He sighed.

"In the end, I had to send him on a message so that I could sneak out. He is probably looking for me right now."

"The other servant girls did not know how to treat me," said Emma. "It was very awkward for them and for me too."

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

Aidan turned and looked at Emma.

"There is one thing which you can do which I cannot."

Emma looked puzzled.

"What?"

"You can read and write. I can't. My Nan never learned so she could not teach me. It would be much easier to learn all these things if I had someone who was learning with me. Please, I need your help."

"I think we need each other," said Emma.

"That's settled then," said Aidan.

They went into Dalbard House together.

They stayed with the Dalbards for two weeks while Prince Rogan and Princess Aidel’s old apartments in King Roban's castle were cleaned and made ready for them.

Emma was measured and fitted for a whole new set of clothes. She chose a girl from Birch House to be her maid. As she said, the servants at Dalbard House found it hard to know how to treat her.

Aidan tried to get used to being followed everywhere by the footman, but as he said to Emma,

"I am not used to being watched where I go."

Both of them seemed to be kept very busy.

Emma complained that the only time she actually saw Aidan was at meal times.

"That is what it is like to be a princess," said Princess Aidel. "Rogan and I hardly ever met in private before we were married."

It was a merry party though, as they set out for the King’s castle, and an even merrier one when they arrived. Aidan was introduced to all his aunts, uncles, and cousins.

"I don't think I can remember all their names," he said to Emma when they managed to steal a few moments alone together. Alone, that is, except for Aidan's footman and Emma's maid.

Aidan laughed.

"I used to be the Shadow, but now I have one."

He pointed to the footman.

Emma spent a great deal of time with King Roban and Princess Aidel discussing how they would go about setting up the schools.

The King was as keen as the two ladies. He promised that the money needed would be found.

It was Emma who suggested that, as all the orphans in the orphanages were taught to read, they could be given jobs teaching in the new schools.

Things moved very quickly, and the first school was opened six months later. Since it was where Emma and Aidan had first met, that first school was in Barford. Emma and Aidan travelled there to officially open the school.

She was still very conscious of the handprint on her face and kept it well hidden behind a veil.

"This is nice," said Aidan. "It has been a long while since we have been able to spend this much time together. I have been busy trying to learn all the things that princes are supposed to be able to do, and you have been going all over the country looking for places to set up the schools."

"I missed you," said Emma.

"I have missed you too," said Aidan. "And you still have not taught me to read yet."

"There is still a lot to be done," said Emma. "Once the schools are done, I would really like to start on the libraries."

"Well," said Aidan, "you cannot call them 'Princess Emma Libraries' until you are actually a princess. I have been introduced to every female in the kingdom over the last few months, but there is only one I would want to spend the rest of my life with, and that is you."

"Yes," said Emma. "That is if you are asking me to marry you."

"I am asking," said Aidan. "I should be down on one knee, but that is hard to do in a coach."

Her maid and his footman clapped their hands.

With a great big grin, Emma added,

"Only because I really want to be able to put my name on the libraries, you understand."

"Of course," said Aidan, keeping a straight face.

As Calizone had said, on the day of Aidan and Emma's wedding, the mark on Emma's face disappeared forever.