The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 13

Louisa and Marissa were Damon's sisters and Claire and Matthew's aunts. Both happily married, happily parented and grand parented. And, of course, enthusiastically intervening.

When Henry and Claire had decided to hide their daughter away, they had meant her to be in Matthew's charge. Matthew, Claire's darling and beloved baby brother.

If Claire could not be with her child directly, then there was no one better to lovingly spoil her Hanalea then Matthew and his wife the reserved but kind hearted Princess Aileen.

But then the aunts grew tired of picking and pecking at their own progeny, and all but jumped on the opportunity to shape Claire's baby girl - Claire that horrible, stubborn, unruly girl that had somehow evaded them, mind you - and in consequence would sometimes invite themselves for undeterminedly long visits. 

The aunts spent days mapping out Hanalea's daily routine. Hours would be dedicated to correcting her speech - the child was much too outspoken! So unladylike, so like Claire - and teaching her how to walk without looking - for a princess must always be facing away from the ground on which she stepped.

Hanalea did not mind. She would happily accept the little book that Louisa would place on her head when told to walk without jostling it. And she would do exactly as she was told while Louisa was watching...

But when Louisa dropped off?

Alistair would crack open the little window in the sitting room and help their group sneak in before jumping in as well.

Then they would applaud and cheer as Hanalea found new ways of improving Aunt Louisa's boring game. Their favorite was when both Alistair and Hanalea each took a book and tried to balance it on their nose while having a race - on one leg!

Hanalea would always win, of course. But the real victory was to put the room to rights, clear out the children and seal the little window shut before Louisa had even woken up, none the wiser.

As was always the case, Hanalea had begun to think.

And when Marissa became too tiresome while she told Hanalea how to chew, how to swallow, how much to swallow - for a lady must never eat more than a mouthful; a bird's measure of a mouthful, no, no, no! Can't have your Lord husband thinking you're just too expensive to feed - Matthew always made up some fantastical excuse to spirit Hanalea out of there and far away.

It was Matthew's kindness and Alistair's support that had given wind to Hanalea's strong, confident nature. Much to the aunts' dismay who had tried their level best to create the Perfect Princess: A picturesque dummy.

Hanalea did not mind what the aunts said and she certainly did not care. Their presence was such a small part of her entire existence. She could not waste her time letting them get her down, she just had too much to do.

She had hills to climb, woods to discover, lakes to swim. She had fights to win, arguments to lose. She had her Alistair to torment...which took up a considerable amount of her time.

She had to become stronger and faster than Sir Richard! Because one of these days she would beat him and join her parents at Tafah. It was like a game, a race, a competition and the prize was to stay with her parents: forever.

She had played and lost this game to Sir Richard for nearly eleven years. But she was yet to be deterred, because in her mind's eye she would fight and she would struggle and one glorious day she would win.

And, finally, she would train under her mother and father. And she would join them in battle and they would win against the witches. How could they not? The three of them together.