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[Govan]

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Aneirin got off his llama and tied the reins to the hitching post outside the building. It was about a week before that he got the invitation. It was a gathering of some magi, bards, and healers, all old friends usually. They got together occassionally to gather news, compare notes on newer discoveries, and greet newcomers to the realm. Aneirin walked in and looked around. Som of the people there greated him heartedly, others gave him a polite nod. He went and sat down at one of the tables with some of the others that he knew well. A few people came afterwards, mingering through the crowd. A greeting to the whole group, from one of the elder magi soon followed, then everybody mingled, greeting each other again and getting down to business. Aneirin and his friends traded news and compared notes on a few things. The evening continued, groups intermingled, and later that evening Aneirin found himself chatting with an old, wizzened gentleman who he had not met before that night. They ended up talking for hours on end.

The next thing either Aneirin or the newcomer knew, others of the group were saying their farewells and heading home. It was getting late. Aneirin asked the newcomer if he had a place to stay for the night. The newcomer hadn't been able to get a room at any of the local inns. So Aneirin offered the newcomer to come and stay at his and Eowyn's place. The newcomer accepted, so he and Aneirin went outside and got their mounts, then Aneirin opened a gate to the place. The newcomer went through the gate, followed closely by Aneirin and his llama. Upon arrival, they left the animals in the stable, then headed upstairs and found Eowyn and Cynan in the sitting area, playing. Aneirin made the introductions.

"Eowyn, this is Dafyd. Dafyd, this is my wife, Eowyn, and my son, Cynan."

Dafyd bowed to the two. Eowyn gave a polite, respectful nod.

"Pleased to meet you," Eowyn said.

"I am please to meet you as well, my lady," Dafyd replied, a glimpse of familiarity in his eyes.

Eowyn was curious about the look, but said nothing.

Aneirin and Dafyd continued talking for a while. Eowyn and Cynan turned back to playing. Occassionally, Dafyd would glance at Eowyn in that same familiar manner. After another hour or so, Cynan was ready for bed. Eowyn had Cynan get his pajamas out of the chest, then Cynan said "good night" to everybody and he and Eowyn went into the bedroom to put him down for the night. When the door was shut, Dafyd asked Aneirin a strange question.

"Your wife is not from these lands, is she?"

Aneirin was rather surprised by the question, but answered honestly.

"Nay. She is from a land very far away. Though I always thought she looked as if she was born here."

"She reminds me of a young girl I saw in my homeland.. The first time I saw the girl was about twenty-two years ago.. when she was only about three.. Then, nine years later, I lost track of her. She had a younger sister, a few years younger than her. An unusual pair those two were. They were closer than any siblings I've seen." Dafyd sighed. "I never learned the little girl's name, but I know her sister's name very well."

Aneirin looked a cross between curious and concerned.

"Eowyn would have been about three at that time, and she does have a younger sister, Govan's her name, who's a few years younger than she is."

A look of pleasant shock flashed across Dafyd's face.

"Tell me," Dafyd said, excited, "This sister, Govan, does she have dark auburn hair? Can she understand things of nature? Wind, plants, animals, and such? Rather more than most other humans?"

"That pretty much describes Govan to a 'T'," Aneirin said, still confused.

"I must see her. If she is the younger sister....." Dafyd became too excited to talk.

Eowyn came out the bedroom door, closing it quietly behind her.

"Say who? what? I can hear you all the way in the other room," she said.

Eowyn looked at Aneirin, rather confused as well.

"Dafyd here seems to know you and Govan. He wants to meet Govan," Aneirin attempted to explain, still looking confused.

"I can send for her, but she may take a while to come," Eowyn offered.

"Yes, yes. Please do," Dafyd said, more quietly, but practically bouncing in his chair.

Eowyn sent her pigeon off, asking Govan to come over. The pigeon returned fairly soon letting them know that Govan would be there as soon as she could, but she was busy at the moment. While they waited Dafyd told Aneirin and Eowyn the whole story. Eowyn was able to give a few more details near the end of the story, convincing her more that this stranger was saying was true. Eowyn told Dafyd what she could about her own past, and the bit of Govan's that she knew, that all happened near the end of the story and afterwards. By the time all the story was out, Eowyn was sitting down with her head in her hands, rather in shock.

"Wow," she managed to say, "I can hardly believe it. Yet it seems to fit her so well."

A moment later, they heard the sound of somebody recalling in, outside, followed soon by the stable door opening, then closing, and footsteps up the stairs. Govan had arrived. She came around the corner from the hallway and was met by looks of surprise.

"What?" she asked, looking as confused as Eowyn and Aneirin did before they heard the story.

"My Lady," Dafyd said, getting up and bowing deeply to Govan, a pleasant look of recognition in his eyes.

Govan looked even more confused.

"Come, Govan. You'll want to have a seat for this," Eowyn said, offering the seat next to her.

Govan went and sat down.

"This is Dafyd," Eowyn gently introduced. "He has some news for you. Dafyd, this is my sister, Govan."

Eowyn put her arm around Govan, comfortingly, as Dafyd told the story again from the beginning...

"The story really beings before you were born, M'Lady. Deep in the forest, the forest near the town where you and your sister grew up together, there lived a lady and gentleman. Not very many people knew the couple. Even rumors were started in the town about them having strange powers, which was nonsense. They merely understood nature better than most people, and had skills of communication and oneness with nature that seemed like strange powers to the naive mind."

Govan shivered a little, having a clue as to where this story was going.

Dafyd continued, "Many of the people in that town despised them, or would just ignore them if they came into town. There was one couple though, who did not despise them, but accepted them as equals, and did the work they needed cheerfully, and without question. Even the crafting couple's little daughter was friendly to them. The lady and gentleman of the forest had their own crafters, yet there were some things that they just needed another's hand to do. It was about a year later that it happened that both the lady of the forest and the crafting lady of the town, became pregnant at the same time. The lady of the forest usually stayed in the forest during her time, but her husband continued to go into town for the occassional repairs and necessities, and thus learned about the crafting lady also being pregnant. Also, whether it was fate or coincidence, none will know, but the crafting lady also had the same dark auburn hair as the lady of the forest. The gentleman kept all that information in the back of his mind.

"Time passed. On the other side of the forest, there was a range of mountians. It was still a couple of months until the babies were due when word came to the lady and gentleman of the forest that there was an evil force brewing in the mountians. The couple called to others of their people to prepare to defend the forest. They worried about their child not yet born. They knew the dark forces had it in mind to kill the child at their first chance. For the child to survive would fulfill a prophecy that would put an end to the dark force. Lines of defense were drawn and the people of the forest stood ready. The gentleman of the forest sent off a trusted scout to watch over the crafting couple. Something told him that the couple's help would be needed once more.

"It was a couple weeks later that the first battles were fought. By the time the babies were due, battles were raging day and night. The scout in town kept the gentleman posted on the crafting couple. It happened that the two ladies gave birth on the same night. Both children were girls with shadows of auburn hair, but the healers of the town had nowhere near the skill of the forest healers, and could not diagnose the problems with the child's heart. Meanwhile, in the forest, the people of the forest were having trouble holding their lines, and the dark forces would soon be on the home of the lady and gentleman. So, as soon as a safe time was found, the lady and child were sent away to the town. At the town, they met up with the scout, who led them to the crafting couple's home. They quietly watched through one of the back windows, as the crafting couple laid their new daughter down to sleep, with their older daughter, only three at the time, looking on. The baby was so frail, even for one so young. Even the scout could see that she had health problems, though not much could be done for her. The people of the town were so different than the people of the forest, that the treatment for a baby of the forest for the same problem, wouldn't work for a baby of the town. The lady and scout watched as the mother lay down on the bed nearby. The father made sure both the mother and baby were comfortable before quietly shooing the older daughter from the room, then leaving the room himself, quietly closing the door behind them. About a half an hour later, the lady and scout noticed that the baby stopped breathing. It pained them that they could do nothing for the child, but there was one thing they could do. They quietly opened the window and climbed in. The scout picked up the crafters' child and examined her. It was too late to do anything, even if something could be done. He looked at the lady and shook her head sadly. The lady grieved silently, but time was limited. She laid her own baby in the crib. This way the forest baby would be safe, and the crafting couple would still be happy. The crafting lady stirred. The lady and scout quietly left, back out the window, taking the crafters' baby with them, and making sure the window was closed quietly behind them. They watched for a moment while both the crafting lady and the child of the forest slept on. The lady of the forest quietly instructed the scout to keep an eye on the child, then took the crafters' child from him and headed out into the woods again, her heart breaking because she had to part with her child, and because the child she held had never had much of a chance at life. She was getting close to home when something attacked her from behind, knocking her unconcious. It was a group from the dark forces. They took the child and proceeded to kill it, not knowing the baby was already dead. A force from the forest people arrived before the dark force could harm the lady. Later that day the dark forces were defeated and the people watched as the dark forces retreated back into the mountians, not to be heard from again for a long while. Guard patrols, however, were still maintained from that day on in the forest.

"The child from the forest grew up with the crafters and their daughter, and was cared for as well as the crafters could. The food of the town, however, was nowhere near as nutritious for the forest people as it was for the town people, so the child of the forest grew well in mind, but frail in body. She and the crafter's older daughter grew close, however, and the older daughter was always there to help when she became sick. Neither the crafters or the child of the forest ever found out about the trade. The two babies had looked so much alike, that the parents did not notice, and cared for the forest baby as if she were their own. The girl grew up, knowing the crafters as her parents. The scout kept an eye on her as well, secretly. All in all, things were good.

"It wasn't until about nine years later that the dark forces returned, only this time stronger by a factor of about one hundred, as they had allied with the strongest, most evil being known in the world. The people of the forest were not able to hold back the forces this time. Most of them were killed in the battles. The dark being darkened the sky over both the forest and the town. In the town, everybody was drawn out of their houses by the dark being, then sent in to a panic, causing them to stampede. All the scout could do at the time, hidden in a back alley, was to duck and cover, curled up and covering his ears until the stampede was over, somehow not being affected by the panic. When it was passed, he ran out and looked about. Seeing none alive, and a good number dead, he ran to the edge of town and into the forest. He heard a loud crying a ways into the forest. Overhead, the sky darkened again, and pulsed with a deep thunder. It was not the evil force this time, but hundreds upon hundreds of drakes, dragons, and white wyrms in flight and called to arms. After a moment, a loud commotion was heard with the pulsing thunder of the flapping wings. The scout rushed to see what it was all about, but when he arrived, everything was over. The flights of drakes, dragons, and white wyrms had some how not only defeated, but totally obliviated the dark forces, and had started flying on a reverse path, back to wherever they came from. The scout returned to the area where he thought the source of the crying came from, but after a long, exhaustive search, found nothing. He suspected that the crying had come from the child of the forest, but was never able to find her to confirm the suspicion."

Govan looked on in shock, remembering details of the story, as Dafyd continued.

"I know now that the daughter of the forest lady and gentleman lives." Dafyd smiled. "You have your mother's eyes."

It was all too hard for Govan to accept in a moment.

"How are you sure I am who you say I am?" she asked.

"Do you remember the name of the town you grew up in?" Dafyd asked.

"Aviona, I think."

"Aye, Aviona it was. The people of the forest understand and learn much about nature, even if nobody teachs them. They can sometimes even teach themselves quicker. Do you not have this skill?"

Govan looked a bit shocked, but blushed and nodded.

"Also, you still look much the same as you did when you were nine years old."

"How do you know? How do you know all this?" Govan demanded.

"I was the scout."

Govan's face turned bright red.

"You even sound like your mother did, when she was upset."

"What does it all mean?" she asked to nobody in particular, humbly and a bit sadly.

"It is no shame. On the contrary, it is quite an honor. For the lady and lord of the forest, your mother and father, were not just any lady and gentleman, but THE Lord and Lady of the forest realm, the King and Queen of the forest people. You are the Princess. One of the remaining who survived."

" 'Remaining few'? How many more survived?" Govan asked.

"I never found out for sure. Most of the survivors were scattered. I hear of some more on occassion still. But to find you. All hope is not gone for our people any more."

Govan looked at Eowyn with tears in her eyes. Eowyn knew what she was thinking.

"We grew up together, Govan. You're still my sister, no matter if we didn't have the same parents. I still love you," she said as she put her arms around Govan to comfort her.

The tears disappeared from Govan's eyes, but she still looked concerned.

"What will Tom think when I tell him?"

"I bet he'll love you, no matter what," Eowyn answered, giving Govan a reassuring look."

"Who is this Tom?" Dafyd asked.

"Tom is Govan's love," Eowyn answered.

"Ah. Is he a nobleman?"

Govan shook her head. "No. He is but a crafter, but he is a noble, honorable man," she replied.

"It may be better for our people if you married a nobleman, but," Dafyd sighed with a gentle, understanding smile, "Love is love. It cannot be forced. May you be happy with the love you chose."

Govan smiled a bit, more in relief that her love for Tom did not have to end. She nodded her thanks to Dafyd for his understanding, then a yawn came over her as she realised just how late it had gotten. The time became apparent to the rest of the group as well. Eowyn offered Govan the option of spending the night, which Govan gladly accepted. Then everybody started preparing for bed. Govan ended up sleeping on the roof, on the bear rug, curled up in her cloak. Dafyd ended up sleeping on a bedroll in the sitting area where everybody had talked. All the news was exhausting to all those who had heard it the first time. There soon was nobody awake in the house.

In the morning, Dafyd was gone, but he had left two notes and a medium-sized package. One note was to Aneirin and Eowyn, thanking them for their hospitality and for allowing him to stay for the night. The other note and the package were for Govan. In the note, Dafyd again told her how glad he was to have found her. He also explained how she could get a hold of him, if she ever wanted to return to the forest realm, and he explained everything in the package, in which she found a small peregrine falcon in its own cage; a circlet looking as if three thin branches of tiny ivy had been intertwined and set in gold, with a beautiful drop-shaped piece of moonstone hanging from the front center; and a matching necklace, all emblems of her status. Quietly, she thanked him for everything, even though it was still overwhelming. The truth of her past was finally revealed. That counted for something, and explained much about her, and about some of her special abilities. She now knew why she was able to understand and speak to the wind, why she learned the languages of animals quickly, why she could even understand some plants. It also explained why she was so different from her sister and why there were so many times, when she was sick, that nothing seemed to work for curing her. Govan smiled and adorned the necklace and circlet. Something about being a true Princess tickled her fancy... She just might be able to get used to it... maybe. She took off the circlet and necklace and put them back in the package. She then took the falcon in its cage and the package, and headed home... Maybe there would be a more appropriate time for her to show her true status, but not now.... not now.