I Promised You - William and Ophelia Read Free Page B

nice sized branch over there. I’ll be right
back.”
    Ophelia walked a bit into the forest away
from Alma, turned to make sure Alma could not see her, then pointed
at a tree while speaking a few words.

    “Here you go, Alma, I think this limb will
suite you just fine.” Ophelia said, handing the sturdy but light
weight tree branch to the old woman. “Come, I will walk with ye the
rest of the way.”

Chapter 4

    Ophelia and Alma walked slowly and talked of
many things. Exchanging pleasantries to make their time on the path
enjoyable. As they came to the fork in the road where they would
part company, they bid each other good day and continued on
alone.

    “Ophelia! I am so glad to see you back home.
Tell me, how is Gertrude and what did you learn during your visit
to the Palace?” Her mother asked, giving her daughter a big
hug.

    “Gertrude is well, mother. The King’s cousin
Julia has given birth to a male child.” Ophelia said and then
stopped speaking, taking time to make her and her mother some
tea.

    “Go on, child.” Her mother prompted her.

    “Well, it’s just that…”

    “Just that what, Ophelia? Is there danger
near?”

    Ophelia sat on a stool across from her mother
and said “I can’t imagine how to begin to tell you.”

    “Tell me what, Ophelia?” What has your
tongue? Is it Gertrude? Has she gotten herself into trouble yet
again?”
    “No, mother, not Gertrude this time. Right
before I left, before saying my good-byes, I asked if I could hold
the little boy. Such a beautiful child he is, mother, so
intelligent too.”

    “The boy cannot be more than a month old,
Ophelia. Don’t tell me that he has you now yearning for a young one
of your own!” Her mother laughed.

    “What? No, mother, but it was so strange.
When I held the child, his name is Hugo. When I held Hugo and when
I burped him and had him close to my ear, I could swear he thanked
me.” Ophelia said.

    “What were you drinking today, Ophelia?” Her
mother asked. “Did that William boy offer you ale?”

    “No, I am quite serious. I heard little Hugo
say quite plainly Thank you, Ophelia.”

    “What did Gertrude say? Did anyone else hear
the child speak?”

    “Gertie and Julia took the child upstairs, no
one else had been close enough to hear. Mother, I am sure that the
child spoke to me!”

    Ophelia’s mother clapped her hands together
in joy. “He is one of us, Ophelia, little Hugo is one of us! You
must get word to your sister as soon as you can. Although, perhaps
he will make himself known to her as well.”

    “That cannot be, mother. His father is called
Mathew, and he is a man who has been summoned to help with the
purification. He and an even worse huntsmen they call The Great
Evil. I shudder to think of what either one of them would do to the
child if they knew.”

    “You must not speak of this to the child’s
mother, Ophelia. If his blood goes back into times that did not mix
with his mother’s, then she might harm her son, kill him even.”
Ophelia’s mother said, alarm in her voice. “What kind of a person
is his mother?”

    “I do not know, mother. I only just met her
today. She treated me kindly while I was there. I do know that both
William and Gertrude speak well of her and both have expressed
worry of what type of beast her husband is.”

    “You must set out again for the Palace before
too long, daughter. If Hugo has shown himself to you, then maybe he
will also seek out your sister. Let’s pray that he does, she will
be able to protect him.”

    Ophelia had many sleepless nights after that
conversation with her mother. She wanted to make yet another trip
to the Palace. She was concerned that she might be deemed a
nuisance and banned from the Palace if she were to appear too
often. Then too, she knew not when the King and Mathew were to
return. It would do more harm than good if she would visit while
the King and Mathew were there.

    Ophelia was washing out some garments of hers
and her