Lorand’s POV

That night, I give Aveline a kiss and curl up in my blankets on the floor.  It’s not uncomfortable, but Ruth insists that we build another room in the cottage so I can have my own space.  The decision was made at dinner. We’ll start construction soon, maybe even tomorrow. I’m excited, but I’m going to miss sleeping near Aveline.  Exhausted and happy from the day, I close my eyes.

Aveline and I are running through the woods together, laughing.  She trips and tumbles onto the forest floor.

“Aveline!  Are you okay?” I ask nervously.

“I'm fine!”  She stands up, and we keep running.  Finally we see Dane and Harriet up in a tree, their hair whipping around in the wind.

“Hello!” Harriet calls out happily.

“Hello!” we reply.

“Come up!”

We hurry up the tree and sit on the branch.  It’s much higher than it looks, above the clouds, and I can see the castle.  It's shining like it did before Morden became king. It relaxes me. Perhaps this is a better time, some past or future.  Or maybe it's now.

Suddenly Aveline has a bunch of bright flowers that she weaves into four beautiful crowns.  She puts one on. We put on the other three.

Then Dane falls off the branch.  I dive after him, then Harriet and Aveline.  We land smoothly next to a table. The women are all there.  Together we sit down and eat amazing food - bread, fruit, stew, cakes, pies, and cheese, talking and laughing all the while.

And then my mother is with us.  She’s tall, with long light brown hair that glimmers in the sun, crowned by a million jewels.  Her deep blue eyes sparkle. She's dressed in a flowing white gown, like an angel. I hug her.

“Who are these people?” she asks me gently.

“Mother, this is our family.  These is my brother Dane, my sister Harriet, my love Aveline, and my grandmothers Ruth, Nellie, Charlotte, Lilac, Nellie, Martha, Millie, and Gladys.  They took me in when I ran from Morden.”

She looks around at all of them, smiling.  “Thank you for taking care of my son.”

They smile back.  Aveline gets up and hugs my mother too.  I feel so much love. Everyone else joins us, even my father, a distant portrait memory, and my heart is full, so full of love, joy, tranquility.  My family.

“Lorand,” Mother says.  “Lorand.” She's repeating my name over and over again, becoming urgent, making me start to worry.

“Wake up!” Lilac whispers in my ear as she shakes me.  I see Nellie looking out the window and the other women in their beds, pretending to be asleep but extremely nervous about something.

“What is it?” I ask.

“King Morden and his soldiers.  I think they’re trying to find Aveline.”

“No!  He can’t…”

“Go to the loft.”

Aveline’s hand grabs mine, and we hurry to the ladder in the corner.  I let her up first, my heart pounding. They can’t find her! I climb up, and we go to the very corner of the loft, the thatch roof poking and tickling us.  The air is hot. Somewhere there is a cobweb, no, multiple cobwebs, and perhaps a mouse’s nest. No one ever comes up here. I hear Lilac grunt a little as she moves the wardrobe in front of the ladder.  Aveline snuggles up to me, and I hold her close. Two hearts beat quickly over the sound of soldiers entering the cottage.

“Where is Aveline?” Morden calls out.  His rage makes me tremble, Aveline even more.  She’s holding back tears. I wish I could stop all of this.

“Have you seen Lady Aveline?” a soldier demands.

“Who’s Lady Eveleen?” Charlotte replies in confusion.

“Aveline!”

“Whose bed is this?” another soldier asks.

“It was Lorand’s before he passed,” Millie says sadly.  “Poor Lorand…”

“It looks like someone’s been sleeping in it!”

“We could never work up the courage to make it,” says Nellie, faking tears.

“Someone’s here!”

I can’t breathe.

Someone throws the wardrobe aside, nearly smashing it on the floor.  “A ladder!”

In only a few seconds, three soldiers have entered.  One of them grabs Aveline and pulls. We cling to each other, screaming.  I won’t let them take her away!

“We got her!”

“No!” I yell.  “Don’t take her!  Take me! I’m Lorand!”

“Nice try, boy!  Lorand is dead!”

They pry Aveline out of my arms and clamber down the ladder.  Aveline! I hurry to the space and fall down, bruising myself.  Already the soldiers are down the stairs. I run and trip, hurting myself some more, but I get up and chase them out the door.  Before I can reach them, they gag her, tie her wrists and feet together, and put her on a horse.

“Lady Aveline, you are under arrest!” Morden yells.  “Refusing to marry me is high treason!”

Aveline's eyes are wide, terrified, tear-filled as she watches me.

“You can’t do this to her!” I scream.

The women come out after me.  We run after the horses, but we’re too late.  They fade into the forest.

My knees buckle, and I fall and sob.  My Aveline… they took my Aveline… right out of my arms…  I love her so much, and Morden just…

“Come on,” Ruth says, gently touching my shoulders, trying to get me to stand.  “Let's go back inside.”

“I… can't!”  Everything hurts too much, especially my chest.

They're all silent.

“We need to rest,” Charlotte says.

“I… can't… rest!  Not… when… she's… gone!” Gone!  I can taste the poison apple in my mouth again.  So much pain…

“We’re going to rest tonight,” Gladys insists.  “That way, we’ll have enough strength to get ourselves to the castle and free her tomorrow.”

I look up in shock.  We're going to break her out?

Millie gasps.  “Gladys! What sort of idea is that?”

“A good one, I think,” Martha replies.  “We all love Aveline. She won't suffer in some dungeon for following her heart!  Let's go save her!”

“Let's do it!” Charlotte and Lilac agree.

“Of course,” says Nellie.

“It is a brilliant idea,” Millie says.  “I'll help.”

“And I will too,” says Ruth.

My heart still aches horribly from losing my love.  But there's a chance of getting her back. “I love her,” I say, wiping my tears.  “Let's get her out of there.”