DWP FanFic - Queen's Witch - Chapter 14
For notes and disclaimers, see Chapter 1
Chapter 14 - Another Beginning
“Come on, Miranda,” Andy yelled as she urged her horse to run faster.
Miranda bent closer to her horse’s neck and held on as the beast picked up speed. When she pulled even with Andy’s horse she yelled, “Andrea, we’ll never make it. There is no way we can keep this up. We won’t be in time.”
Andy smiled. “Oh yea of little faith. I know a short cut. Now come on.” The horses thundered down the road.
Before the horses were entirely spent, Andy pulled back on the reins and started slowing. Watching Andy, Miranda did the same. When the horses were at a walk, Miranda glared at Andy. “Shortcut! How in the Goddess’ name can there be a shortcut from one end of a continent to another?”
“I’ll show you in just a minute, Love.” Andy stood up in the stirrups and pointed. “There, up ahead, see that hill. I have a friend waiting.” Andy reached over and took Miranda’s hand. “I promised I would get you home in time and I will.”
“Andrea, I do love you. This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have insisted we visit the Elorians. We lost valuable time dealing with their problems.” Miranda was angry with herself for not noticing the signs of trouble when they first crossed into Eloria.
“Hey,” Andy tugged gently on Miranda’s hand, “I promise it will be okay. Look.” They crested the small hill and standing in the center of the road was Pickwick.
“Good day, Witch.” Pickwick doffed his feathered cap and bowed to Miranda. “Good day, your Majesty.”
“Pick, good to see you. Is it all taken care of?” Andy used her sleeve to wipe some sweat from her forehead.
“Of course, Andy. Lily said to tell you she’ll be visiting in a couple of weeks.”
“Great, we haven’t seen her in forever.” Andy glanced at Miranda and laughed at her surprised expression. “Shortcut,” she said with confidence as she dismounted.
Miranda marveled that Andy had been able to contact her friends without her knowing. She dismounted and hugged Pickwick. “Thank you. Tell Lillian thank you too. I look forward to seeing her.”
Pickwick blushed and returned his hat to its proper place. “You are welcome, Majesty. Witch, did you remember the calming spell?”
“Yes. Geesh. Forget a spell once and you never hear the end of it,” Andy grumbled as she patted her horse’s nose.
“More than once, if I remember correctly. I’ll take care of the portal, you two walk though. On the other side, ride until you see Ambrose. He’ll take care of you.”
“Thanks Pick. How close will this get us?” Andy gathered her and Miranda’s reins.
“South gate close enough?” Pickwick smiled and rocked on his heels.
“Andrea, the south gate? Thank you, Pickwick.” Miranda swallowed and willed her happy tears back. She was going to make it after all. She reached over and clasped Andy’s hand.
Before Andy could say anything, the portal opened and the women walked though leading the horses. Once in Fair Tree, Andy ran her hands over her horse and then Miranda’s. “There, that should give them their second wind.” She helped Miranda mount before returning to her own saddle. They only traveled a short distance before they met Ambrose pacing in the middle of the road. They dismounted again and Miranda stopped to place a gentle kiss on the fairy’s cheek. Andy laughed at Ambrose’s blush. The laugh was all he heard as the two women passed through the portal.
Even though they were expected, Andy and Miranda’s sudden appearance at the south gate of the castle startled the lone guard. Andy shoved the horses’ reins into his hands with instructions to give them special attention. Then she and Miranda were hurrying into the castle.
Andy opened the door and ushered Miranda in. “I promised I would get you here in time.” She stood back as Miranda hurried to the side of the bed and took Cassidy’s hand.
“Darling, how are you doing? I was so worried.” Miranda brushed the damp hair from her daughter’s forehead.
“Mom, you made it. Uggh. I think you’re just in time.” Cassidy groaned and half sat up.
Miranda moved down to the end of the bed and moved the midwife out of the way. “I can take it from here.” She took off her robe and rolled up her sleeves. “Andrea, can you see to the water and cloths.”
“Yes, Miranda. This shouldn’t take too long, kiddo. No one keeps Miranda waiting.” Andy patted Cassidy’s hand and moved to help Miranda.
After a few more pushes, Cassidy heard a baby’s cry. “Oh, Andrea,” Miranda whispered, “can you see?” She started wiping off the baby and wrapping her in a blanket.
“Oh Goddess, yes.” Andy looked up at a worried Cassidy who was sweating and breathing heavily. “You have a daughter, Cass.” Andy took the baby and walked to the head of the bed. As she handed the child to her mother, she whispered, “I see magic in her.”
Cassidy took her baby and started crying. “Really, you mean it? Wait. I see it too. The color is so bright.” She looked at Andy and Miranda. “Does that mean …?”
Andy smiled and ran her hand over the infant’s little head. “Yep, you have a witch. She has strong magic.”
“You know what that means, right?” Cassidy said as she cradled her daughter. “You two are going to have to stick around and teach her everything she’s going to need to know.”
Miranda walked up and put her arm around Andy’s waist and took her granddaughter’s tiny hand. “There is no place I would rather be.” Miranda leaned down and kissed Cassidy’s forehead and then the baby.
“So, any ideas for names?” Andy asked as she gazed at the child.
“Yes, actually. Caroline suggested one that I really like.” Cassidy counted her daughter’s tiny fingers and toes.
“Where is Caroline by the way?” Miranda looked around the room in case she had missed noticing her other daughter.
“Oh, the big wimp took off as soon as my water broke. I started feeling weird earlier and she helped me to bed and called the midwife. But as soon as things got interesting, she turned green and ran out.”
“Well, she always was sensitive,” Miranda murmured.
“So, a name?” Andy raised her eyebrow and looked at Cassidy.
“Amira.” Cassidy laughed at Andy and Miranda’s expression. “Yeah, I wanted to name her after both of you. Caroline figured this was the best way to do so.”
Andy leaned down and gently kissed the baby. “Welcome, Amira.”
Chapter 15 - An Ending
Chapter 14 - Another Beginning
“Come on, Miranda,” Andy yelled as she urged her horse to run faster.
Miranda bent closer to her horse’s neck and held on as the beast picked up speed. When she pulled even with Andy’s horse she yelled, “Andrea, we’ll never make it. There is no way we can keep this up. We won’t be in time.”
Andy smiled. “Oh yea of little faith. I know a short cut. Now come on.” The horses thundered down the road.
Before the horses were entirely spent, Andy pulled back on the reins and started slowing. Watching Andy, Miranda did the same. When the horses were at a walk, Miranda glared at Andy. “Shortcut! How in the Goddess’ name can there be a shortcut from one end of a continent to another?”
“I’ll show you in just a minute, Love.” Andy stood up in the stirrups and pointed. “There, up ahead, see that hill. I have a friend waiting.” Andy reached over and took Miranda’s hand. “I promised I would get you home in time and I will.”
“Andrea, I do love you. This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have insisted we visit the Elorians. We lost valuable time dealing with their problems.” Miranda was angry with herself for not noticing the signs of trouble when they first crossed into Eloria.
“Hey,” Andy tugged gently on Miranda’s hand, “I promise it will be okay. Look.” They crested the small hill and standing in the center of the road was Pickwick.
“Good day, Witch.” Pickwick doffed his feathered cap and bowed to Miranda. “Good day, your Majesty.”
“Pick, good to see you. Is it all taken care of?” Andy used her sleeve to wipe some sweat from her forehead.
“Of course, Andy. Lily said to tell you she’ll be visiting in a couple of weeks.”
“Great, we haven’t seen her in forever.” Andy glanced at Miranda and laughed at her surprised expression. “Shortcut,” she said with confidence as she dismounted.
Miranda marveled that Andy had been able to contact her friends without her knowing. She dismounted and hugged Pickwick. “Thank you. Tell Lillian thank you too. I look forward to seeing her.”
Pickwick blushed and returned his hat to its proper place. “You are welcome, Majesty. Witch, did you remember the calming spell?”
“Yes. Geesh. Forget a spell once and you never hear the end of it,” Andy grumbled as she patted her horse’s nose.
“More than once, if I remember correctly. I’ll take care of the portal, you two walk though. On the other side, ride until you see Ambrose. He’ll take care of you.”
“Thanks Pick. How close will this get us?” Andy gathered her and Miranda’s reins.
“South gate close enough?” Pickwick smiled and rocked on his heels.
“Andrea, the south gate? Thank you, Pickwick.” Miranda swallowed and willed her happy tears back. She was going to make it after all. She reached over and clasped Andy’s hand.
Before Andy could say anything, the portal opened and the women walked though leading the horses. Once in Fair Tree, Andy ran her hands over her horse and then Miranda’s. “There, that should give them their second wind.” She helped Miranda mount before returning to her own saddle. They only traveled a short distance before they met Ambrose pacing in the middle of the road. They dismounted again and Miranda stopped to place a gentle kiss on the fairy’s cheek. Andy laughed at Ambrose’s blush. The laugh was all he heard as the two women passed through the portal.
Even though they were expected, Andy and Miranda’s sudden appearance at the south gate of the castle startled the lone guard. Andy shoved the horses’ reins into his hands with instructions to give them special attention. Then she and Miranda were hurrying into the castle.
Andy opened the door and ushered Miranda in. “I promised I would get you here in time.” She stood back as Miranda hurried to the side of the bed and took Cassidy’s hand.
“Darling, how are you doing? I was so worried.” Miranda brushed the damp hair from her daughter’s forehead.
“Mom, you made it. Uggh. I think you’re just in time.” Cassidy groaned and half sat up.
Miranda moved down to the end of the bed and moved the midwife out of the way. “I can take it from here.” She took off her robe and rolled up her sleeves. “Andrea, can you see to the water and cloths.”
“Yes, Miranda. This shouldn’t take too long, kiddo. No one keeps Miranda waiting.” Andy patted Cassidy’s hand and moved to help Miranda.
After a few more pushes, Cassidy heard a baby’s cry. “Oh, Andrea,” Miranda whispered, “can you see?” She started wiping off the baby and wrapping her in a blanket.
“Oh Goddess, yes.” Andy looked up at a worried Cassidy who was sweating and breathing heavily. “You have a daughter, Cass.” Andy took the baby and walked to the head of the bed. As she handed the child to her mother, she whispered, “I see magic in her.”
Cassidy took her baby and started crying. “Really, you mean it? Wait. I see it too. The color is so bright.” She looked at Andy and Miranda. “Does that mean …?”
Andy smiled and ran her hand over the infant’s little head. “Yep, you have a witch. She has strong magic.”
“You know what that means, right?” Cassidy said as she cradled her daughter. “You two are going to have to stick around and teach her everything she’s going to need to know.”
Miranda walked up and put her arm around Andy’s waist and took her granddaughter’s tiny hand. “There is no place I would rather be.” Miranda leaned down and kissed Cassidy’s forehead and then the baby.
“So, any ideas for names?” Andy asked as she gazed at the child.
“Yes, actually. Caroline suggested one that I really like.” Cassidy counted her daughter’s tiny fingers and toes.
“Where is Caroline by the way?” Miranda looked around the room in case she had missed noticing her other daughter.
“Oh, the big wimp took off as soon as my water broke. I started feeling weird earlier and she helped me to bed and called the midwife. But as soon as things got interesting, she turned green and ran out.”
“Well, she always was sensitive,” Miranda murmured.
“So, a name?” Andy raised her eyebrow and looked at Cassidy.
“Amira.” Cassidy laughed at Andy and Miranda’s expression. “Yeah, I wanted to name her after both of you. Caroline figured this was the best way to do so.”
Andy leaned down and gently kissed the baby. “Welcome, Amira.”
Chapter 15 - An Ending