Aideen's Answer

~Chapter Thirty-Nine~

Aideen smiled distractedly as Regan put the finishing touches on her hair. The maid, seeing that her mistress was miles away, wisely kept the silence as she helped her prepare for the day.
Nearly three weeks had passed since Garrett had invited his parents to come to the castle. Were everything to go well on this visit between the two kingdoms, the bans would be posted and the wedding would commence in one month's time.
Just the thought caused Aideen's stomach to tie up in knots. Her parents however, could not have been happier, and even her brothers had all given their roaring approval. Mitchell had come to her room only a few days ago, sweetly delivering some flowers he had picked for her, as his congratulations. Her heart melted a bit as she thought of it, for there seemed to be a part of her heart that no one could touch but her little brother. She could not imagine what would have happened had that vile man succeeded in stealing him.
"Our family would have broken apart," She murmured.
"What was that, Miss?"
"Oh, nothing, my apologies, Regan. I was woolgathering."
Aideen realized with a start that, what with all of her personal problems, she had all but forgotten the trouble in the castle! Now, things had been quiet for so many weeks, she strained to remember. What had her father said?
Something about the intruder coming from within..
But, no. Surely he was mistaken! The kingdom was fiercely loyal to their royal family, and, not only that, but things had been positively peaceful for many months. Surely, there had been a few isolated, evil incidents, and they had all mistakenly pieced them together.
"There. You are ready. And might I say that you look mighty fetching this day, your highness," Regan announced as she stepped back from the dressing table.
"Oh, Regan, it is simply wonderful," Aideen breathed. "Thank you."
Regan had braided half her hair into many intricate braids, inlaid with pearls. She had then looped them up to the top her head, leaving the rest of her chestnut curls to cascade around her shoulders and down her back. The look was completed by a striking silver gown, with blue ribbons trailing from the sleeves and bodice.
"Is it too much, Regan? Am I too dressed up?"
"Why, I would think that the day you meet your fiance's family would be an occasion worth dressing up a bit! So, no, you are not overdressed at all. You look quite ravishing."
"Thank you, Regan," Aideen said with a broad grin, coming forward to give her a hug.
"Careful, now!" Regan laughed, "You will wrinkle that beautiful dress if you keep that up, and then we shall both be in trouble!"
"Oh, Mother adores you far too much for you to ever get in trouble!"
"Be that as it may, we better not risk it now, had we?" Regan responded with a wink, as she cleaned up the table.
"Yes, ma'am!" Aideen laughed, moving to the window. "Ooh, Regan, look! It is a positively glorious morning! Seems a shame to spend it inside."
"Well now, why should you?" Came the answer that Aideen realized she had hoped to hear. "I am quite sure that you have time for a turn around the garden before anyone comes looking for you."
"Yes!" Aideen agreed, as she moved to the door. "Perhaps I can sneak a few minutes alone."
"Well," She threw over her shoulder as she opened the door, "As alone as I can get with Enrique around!"
----
Aideen breathed in the fresh air and had to restrain herself from laughing with delight. Who knew that such a simple thing like spending a few moments outside could grant such peace to one's soul?
"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness," Aideen recited softly. "From the book of Lamentations, if I am not mistaken. Are days like this not supreme evidence of God's greatness, Enrique?"
He did not immediately answer, which was not all together unusual for him.  But a strange squelching sound caused Aideen to turn sharply toward him.
Enrique was standing right where she knew he would be, roughly fifteen feet behind her. But he was looking down, and his left hand was clutching at his chest. Aideen gasped as she realized his chest was covered with blood, and some was dripping from the corner of his mouth. He looked up at her, and they locked eyes. That moment stretched on forever, Aideen could feel every heartbeat hammer in her chest, every breath as her lungs gasped for air.
But it was just long enough for Enrique to whisper one word before toppling to the ground.
"Run."
And standing behind him, was a living nightmare. Bloody knife in hand and malicious triumph in his eyes, was Kevin.
She ran.