Page 87 of The Starling and the Hatter

He shook the leaves from her hair

He loved her back to life

Though she’d been told that no one would care

When lying friends abandoned

And deception had made her small

He filled her with love and light

So her heart and her mind grew tall

Tall as the trees and birds in flight

She found herself when he offered her light

I wanted nothing more in that moment than to offer Elise my full heart. I wanted to ask her if she would marry me, but as she finished her song with a smile and walked over to me, I held my tongue. I couldn’t propose now. I couldn’t ask her to make that decision only one day after facing the traumatic prospect of rotting in a dungeon for a crime she hadn’t committed. And I couldn’t propose when we’d be spending the next week sleeping on the cold ground with my father between us.

I’d never seriously courted a woman before, but there was no time like the present.

When she stepped close enough, I wrapped her in my arms. “You wrote a song for me.”

“Yes, I did.”

I sighed into her hair. “I hope I can always offer you light.”

“And I hope I can do the same for you.”

I chuckled. “You already have. You bring light to me every time you run into the tent, wanting a change in wardrobe. You give me light when you sing. You give me light just by sitting by my side.” I pulled back just enough that I could look down into her face. “I know you have a lot of darkness you carry.”

Her brow pinched and I could see a little of that darkness dim her eyes.

“But I’m going to do my best to help you through it.” And for now, that was all I would say. I wouldn’t press her for more details or more of her feelings on what had happened last night. But when she was ready, I hoped she knew that I would listen to all of it.

Elise

When we departed Winhaven on Monday, it was with relief and a promise to myself that I would never return there.

There had been many gawkers during those four days. People who watched me perform because they’d either been there to witness my humiliation or they’d heard it from others. Some were only curious. Others took a moment to give me a word of sympathy.

We left at first light, having all woken up anxious to be gone. During the next three days, I told Hatcher all about my journey from Lorta to Winhaven. I described the ocean and the trails I’d taken. I told him about the rhythm of the sea and the song I’d made up about the wolf mother. He asked me to sing it for him and I did, surprised by the tears that rolled down my cheeks as I did so.

I told him about seeing the wolf with her pups and the strength it had given me. I told him about Garnet’s advice to dig down and find who I was. He listened to all of it, his hand constantly finding its way into mine or reaching out to stroke my hair. I reveled in all of it. There was no discomfort in Hatcher’s affections, no nervousness either. It was just new and lovely and filled my chest with such warm delight that I wondered if it would always be that way.

When we pulled into Dressle, the familiar sight of the river and trees was a boon to my soul. I belonged here for so many reasons. It was my home and my community. It was the place that had given me refuge. It was the place where I’d found Hatcher.

Kat screamed and ran to me when she saw I had returned with Hatcher and Marshall. She hugged me while she lectured me, demanding answers and dragging me into the house. Didi and Twyla asked me to tell them stories before bed. Even Mouse and Billy seemed happy to see me. But late into the evening, it was Hatcher who sat beside me and played with my hair while I told him more about my brothers, more about my conflicting emotions. I hurt over their callous behavior and yet felt guilty that they were now imprisoned. I was glad to be rid of them and yet still wished they had approved of me. Hatcher just listened to it all and told me how much he loved me.

The next day, I went with Kat to open the shop while Marshall and Hatcher repaired a portion of the thatched roof that had started leaking in their absence.

Around midmorning, Kat ran out to deliver something, so I was alone when the shop door opened and Garnet walked in. The moment she saw me, she stilled and just stared.

“Garnet,” I said, shocked. She looked different. Her crown of leaves was gone, and her clothes looked like they were meant for travel. “What are you doing here?”

The way she studied me, her eyes flitting from my eyes to my shoulders to my cheeks to my whole frame, seemed like she was looking for something and seeing something, but I could not imagine what. Finally she took a step closer and spoke. “You told me your name, but then you ran off so quickly…and I didn’t know how to ask…”

I waited for her to finish, but she remained silent. “Yes?” I prompted.