Whisper (Book II)

Chapter Five

"Of the Forbidden Forest?" Red whispered to Appa, "When did that become my name?"

Appa chuckled and shook his head, clearly amused at the new title she'd been given.

"King Gavin, this is quite extravagant." Appa stated, turning to the King.

Gavin beamed and bowed his head in response, "I am glad you enjoy it. Tell me Red, is it to your liking?" He asked as salads were placed before each guest.

Red's face burned and she hastily thanked the attendant before nodding, stealing a glance around the hall. "It's beautiful. I never dreamed I would be dining with royalty." She laughed nervously, taking up her fork delicately to avoid meeting his eyes.

"I can't imagine why. After a feat like yours this is exactly what you deserve." King Gavin crowed and Red hastily filled her mouth with salad to avoid answering.

"I'm afraid that my daughter's time in the Forest has quite affected her social skills, Your Grace, I do pray you'll forgive her." Appa cut in, smiling sadly.

King Gavin blinked a moment, them beamed at Appa, as if finally realizing a simple answer to a riddle, "Daughter! You are the hero's father."

"Adoptive, sir. Nobody knows anything about her real parents." Appa corrected politely, picking thoughtfully at his own food as the King turned back to Red.

"Do you not remember them?"

"I remember nothing of life before I was seven." She answered, doing her best to quell the bitterness in her voice. So many things were missing, so many days lost among the trees. She scowled down at her plate to avoid scowling at the King.

"What happened when you were seven?" Prince Owen asked and Red once more filled her mouth with the bitter greens on her plate.

"She was found in the Forest and brought back to the village. She wasn't in the best of shape, but we fixed her up just fine and she's turned out to be quite the young woman if you ask me." Appa explained, patting her hand affectionately.

Red smiled at him, relieved he had agreed to come. She couldn't imaging undergoing this sort of scrutiny without him.

"In the Forest?" The Prince gasped and when Red turned she was met with matching looks of disbelief from the Prince and his father.

"Yes." She answered and her gaze flicked to the strange Ambassador in an attempt to gauge his reaction. He did not look surprised in the least. In fact, he regarded Red with a faint look of boredom.

"Are you sure you're human?" Owen pressed and both Red and the Ambassador turned to look at him abruptly.

"Quite." Appa answered curtly for her and King Gavin sent his son a disapproving look.