Nuri dropped to her knees and clasped her hands together. “Please, Your Majesty. Tell me what to do to get my daughter back. Whatever it is you want, I shall do.”
The queen turned around. “You must know that your daughter’s beauty is magnificent,” she said. “The way her dark hair contrasts with her light lilac eyes, she is a sight to behold.”
“Indeed,” Nuri said. “It is true.”
“Though she is quite small.”
Nuri rose to her feet. “That is the reason I let her play outside. She needed the sunshine and fresh air, as all children do. Surely you can understand.”
“As I said, you disobeyed me. And I assure you, I plan to make you pay for your disobedience.”
“Do what you will to me,” Nuri said, bowing her head. “But I beg you to take mercy on my daughter, for she has done nothing wrong.”
“I hear she is quite good with the flying jewels. Is it true they will fly right up to her?”
“The hummingbirds? It is indeed true, for they adore Violet.”
“Once they return in the spring,” the queen said, “I expect her to teach me everything she knows about them.”
When she heard the queen speak of the future, hope ignited in Nuri. Perhaps Queen Bogdana wasn’t as coldhearted as Nuri had thought. The queen would let them live. It seemed Violet would have to spend time with the wicked queen, teaching her about the birds, but it would be a small price to pay.
“I’m sure she would be happy to instruct you on whatever it is you’d like to know,” Nuri said. “She’s a very agreeable child.”
“Agreeable is good,” the queen said. “For there will be many new things she must grow accustomed to in the coming days.”
Nuri did not like the sound of this. “Whatever do you mean?”
The queen moved toward the door. “Right now, your daughter is taking a rose water bath. Tonight she will sleep on a down mattress in a room with a fire burning the whole night through. In the coming days, she will have the finest clothes, the finest food, and the finest books for her studies.”
Nuri’s jaw dropped open as she took in the queen’s words. She remembered the way Violet had looked when she’d left the tower, wearing a skirt Nuri had made for her along with a blouse and an old rag of a coat, hand-me-downs provided by Maggie. She remembered how cold Violet had been yesterday morning. And how hungry she’d been, with only two boiled eggs to eat. Was it true what the queen said? Was it all coming to an end for her daughter?
“You are letting her live with you?” Nuri asked. “For how long?”
“Listen closely,” the queen said, “for this will be the last time I speak of this matter with you. I intend to make Violet a princess. She will become my daughter, for she has beauty beyond compare and knowledge of the birds I long to possess. We will be a pretty and powerful pair, with flying jewels by our sides wherever we go. Together, we will become the most admired people in all the land.”
Nuri pressed her hand to her chest, for it hurt to hear the queen’s words. It was clear the queen didn’t want to be a mother to Violet. She simply wanted to use her to get closer to the birds, and to show her off, like a silver collection on display.
“I … I don’t understand. She doesn’t need you to be her mother. She has me.”
“You are her mother no more,” the queen roared. “Tomorrow you shall leave here, never to return. Never! If you do, I shall throw both of you in the dungeon, where nothing but death awaits you. If your daughter is to live, it must be without you.”
And so, with those simple words, Nuri understood. There really was no choice. She had to let her daughter go.
“I’ll have Maggie see to it that you are on your way tomorrow,” the queen said. “I would send her now, but she and George are enjoying the company of the rats in the dungeon for the night. They certainly deserve harsher punishment, but I need their services, and so it will have to do. You can thank your lucky stars I’m not throwing you down there with them. Though I imagine spending this night alone will be far worse than any punishment I could think up for you.”
Nuri bowed her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. It was so very true. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
In the blink of an eye, the queen was gone.
And Nuri was left to endure the painful silence for the rest of the long, cold night.
PART TWO
Riches Await
18
Once inside the castle, the queen led Violet down numerous long hallways, up a flight of stairs, through a huge room with tall ceilings where servants were setting large tables, and up another flight of stairs.
Violet couldn’t help but be amazed. The castle was truly magnificent, from the stained-glass windows that graced some of the rooms to the exquisite tapestries hung on many walls. Never had the girl who’d spent all her life in a tower imagined a place as grand as this castle.
They kept walking, down another long corridor and finally into a warm room filled with golden sunlight. The first thing she noticed was the bed. Oh, what a bed! It was enormous. From the top of the posts hung sheer white fabric. She couldn’t help but notice all the wonderful windows. Her eyes landed on one at the far end of the room with a cushioned bench beneath it.
The fabric on the bench wasn’t like anything Violet had ever seen. It was smooth and shiny and deep, deep red, the color of an overly ripe strawberry. She wondered what you could see from the window.
Ever so slowly, she walked into the room. Three wooden steps were at the foot of the bed, and Violet couldn’t resist. She wanted to climb up and touch the beautiful bed with its luxurious bedclothes. It looked so lush, so inviting.
Just as her foot was about to take a step, the queen yelled, “No! Stop!”
Violet turned to face her, feeling very foolish. “I beg your pardon,” she said. “I thought this room was for me. But now I see I am mistaken. A small girl such as myself does not need a room this extravagant. Is this where you sleep, Your Majesty?”
The queen scowled at Violet. “No, this is not where I sleep. This is, indeed, your room. But you mustn’t crawl on the bed until you’ve been scrubbed from head to toe.”
“But I bathed just yesterday,” Violet replied.
“That may be true,” the queen said as she eyed the girl disapprovingly, “but you shall bathe again. With lots of soap and rose petals in the water. When you are finished, we will dress you in some proper clothes. Clothes fit for a girl about to become a princess.”
At the word princess, Violet felt tears sting her eyes again, for it reminded her of her mother. She wondered, would her mother have used the pet name if she’d known this would be Violet’s fate someday?
“Wait here,” the queen said. “I must let the servants know of your arrival. Not to mention the king.”
“Will he approve?” Violet asked before the queen turned to leave.
“Of course he will.”
“What shall you tell him about me?”
She paused by the doorway. “That I found you wandering alongside the road, with no one to care for you and nowhere to go. I will say you are alone because of a tragic family accident, and it is only right that we take you in. There’s no need to fret, for he will do as I say and agree to make you princess.”
“So you will lie,” Violet said. “Will you feel guilty, bending the truth like that?”
The queen waved her hand in the air, as if to dismiss the silly question. “I do whatever it takes to get what I want.”
Those words sent a chill down Violet’s spine. Something about the way she said it sounded so sinister.
“May I sit by the window while I wait for my bath?” Violet asked.
“I suppose. I must tell them to work quickly. The sooner you are cleaned up, the better. And do understand, I expect you to behave in my absence. I have important matters to attend to, so I will not see you again this day.”
“Yes, Your Highness. You do not have to worry. I shall do as I’m told.”
&nb
sp; “Good.” She smiled. “Aren’t we off to a pleasant start?”
Violet did her best to smile back, but she knew it was a sad little smile. Yes, the castle was grand, but in her mind, there wasn’t anything pleasant about all that had happened in the past couple of hours. It was the longest she’d been away from her mother in her entire life. How she wished her mother were here.
“Until tomorrow, then,” the queen said before she left the room.
As soon as she was alone, Violet took the figurine out of her pocket and tucked it into the blankets of her bed. She wondered if George would find the others she had left behind in the secret garden. Perhaps he would bring them to her later, though she decided she’d rather he not, for she didn’t want him to risk getting into any further trouble.
Hopefully, if he found them, he would give them to her mother before she was set free. That way, she, too, would have something concrete to remind her of the special times the two of them had enjoyed together in the tower.
Violet took a seat on the plush red cushion and finally let the tears fall. After all, she told herself, no one, not even pirates, can be brave and strong all the time.
19
Nuri opened one eye at the sound of the key turning in the lock. But she didn’t move. Although she had lain in bed since the day before, after the queen had given her the awful news, she felt exhausted.
“Shall we wake her?” George whispered.
“I don’t know,” Maggie said. “I can’t imagine she slept much last night.”
With a heavy sigh, Nuri opened both eyes. It wasn’t right to let her friends bumble around, unsure how to proceed. As much as she might wish she could stay in bed and wish the world away, she knew it was time to face the new day.
Once she sat up, Maggie came rushing over to pull her into her arms. “I’m so very sorry, love.”
Nuri held back the tears, for it would do no good to make her two friends feel worse than they already did. As Maggie helped Nuri to her feet, Nuri asked, “How are you two holding up, after all you’ve been through?”
“Don’t worry about us,” George said, setting some baskets and a jug on the table. “’Twas a long night, but we’re fine. ’Tis you we’re concerned with now.” He looked at the floor, shame covering his face. “I must apologize, Nuri, for I believe this nightmare is all my fault. I shouldn’t have left her alone, even for a second.”
“Please don’t blame yourself,” Nuri told him. “We’re all responsible in one way or another. After all, we knew we were taking a chance by letting her leave this tower, and we all believed sunshine and fresh air for Violet was worth the risk.”
“I want to assure you I’ll look out for her,” Maggie said.
“Thank you,” Nuri said, walking to the table to pour herself something to drink. “That comforts me.”
“You mustn’t give up hope,” George said sternly. “Perhaps a time will come when you can be reunited with your daughter.”
“Where will you go?” Maggie asked. “Do you think you can find your husband?”
Nuri shook her head. “I’m not sure. Part of me wants to search for him, while the other part wants to stay right here. I’m afraid if I leave, I’ll have lost my daughter forever.”
George frowned. “Well, you certainly can’t stay. And you wouldn’t really want to, would you?”
“What if the queen didn’t know I’d stayed on? You could tell her I’d left, and she’d most likely never check to see if it were true. Do they have someone else to put up here in this horrid place?”
Maggie and George looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Nuri, freedom is yours now. You must make the most of it. Go find your husband and get reacquainted with him. You’ve missed him, haven’t you?”
“Very much. But who knows where he is or how long it’d take to find him? And I don’t have any money. How could I survive on my own without a coin to my name?”
Maggie walked over to one of the baskets they’d brought. She reached in and pulled out a tambourine.
“We were going to surprise Violet for her eleventh birthday in the spring. But it seems like you can put it to good use.”
Nuri took the instrument from her friend. She slapped it against the palm of her hand a few times, and the sound delighted her. It’d been a long time since she’d heard it.
“Oh, heavens. This must’ve cost you a month’s worth of wages.”
“You go on out into the world and make glorious music,” George said. “And here are a few coins to hold you over until you can earn some yourself.” He slipped a pouch into her hand. “Surely people will pay to listen to you sing and play. And then you’ll find your husband, and you’ll have your life back again.”
Nuri bowed her head. “It’s not a life without Violet.”
Maggie rubbed Nuri’s back. “It shall be difficult, I know. But you have to try.” Maggie looked at George. “I was thinking, perhaps we could find a way to keep Nuri apprised of the situation here at the castle.”
George was quiet for a moment, then his eyes lit up. “Yes. Of course we can. Nuri, there’s a man at the market, an older man with a white beard and a mustache, who sells vegetables. His name is Richard, and he’s a friend of ours. We can pass along messages for you through him. And if a time comes when we feel it is safe for you to return, we shall let you know.” He reached out and squeezed Nuri’s hand. “Cling tightly to hope, just as you have in the past, my dear. Evil can’t rule forever. I truly believe that.”
Nuri nodded, relieved that she would stay in touch with George and Maggie.
“One thing at a time,” Maggie said. “Find your husband. Two heads are always better than one.”
“Aye,” Nuri said. “I suppose you’re right.”
“Before we go, I have something else for you,” George said as he handed Nuri the satchel he’d been holding. “This was Violet’s treasure. The one I buried in the garden? She left it behind. Well, most of it, that is.”
Nuri took it from George and opened it up. “Oh my,” she whispered. “George, these are wonderful.”
She looked at each one carefully. Tears filled her eyes as she realized that two of the figurines were modeled after Violet. When she came to the princess one, she tried to laugh. “Who knew one day she’d actually become a real princess?”
“I carved one of her as a pirate as well,” George explained. “That’s the one I believe she somehow managed to take with her to the castle.”
Nuri wiped a tear from her cheek. “Good. It will remind her to be strong and brave.”
George put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “We best be getting back. Let’s say our good-byes now, eh?”
They each took a turn giving Nuri a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Nuri would miss them desperately, as they had been such good friends. It comforted her deeply to know they’d be around to keep an eye on her daughter.
“Give Violet my love,” Nuri said. “She is the song in my heart.”
Maggie nodded. “Good-bye, dear.”
And then they were gone, leaving the tower door wide open.
Nuri looked around the room she’d lived in for so long. How could she leave it and face the future with so much uncertainty? She’d never been alone before. She’d always had her family by her side, and then, after being ripped apart from them, she’d had her daughter. Do I even know how to be alone? she wondered.
Her hand still gripped the tambourine. She hit it against her thigh a couple of times and hummed a song that came from a distant memory. She thought of her family, a long line of musicians, always performing, in good times and bad. Could she learn to play while carrying around grief for all she had lost? She’d have to try. One thing was certain: She needed the earnings it would bring. And wouldn’t Violet want her mother to play, so she could find her papa? And hopefully someday, they could find a way to get Violet back.
Nuri remembered Maggie’s words. One thing at a time.
She took a deep breath and peeked into
the basket of food they’d brought for her. Thankfully, it contained enough bread and jerky to last her a couple of days. In the other basket they’d left, she packed the tambourine, the satchel of wooden carvings, Violet’s last drawings, and the smallest of the wool blankets. It was tight, but everything fit.
As Nuri turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of the half-finished dress she’d been working on the day before. She had an urge to take it with her, but she told herself it’d be foolish to do so. There wasn’t room in the basket, and besides, now that Violet was living in the castle, she’d have no need for a patchwork dress made of rags.
The thought made Nuri both happy and sad at the same time. The mixed feelings continued as she stepped out the doorway of the tower. At last, freedom was hers. And yet, until she was reunited with her daughter and husband, she had nothing to celebrate.
She couldn’t help but smile as she remembered pirate Violet’s words.
If I can survive all these years in this tower, I believe I can do anything!
Nuri told herself to hold tightly to that thought.
20
After a great deal of persuasion, the man wearing the bracelet joined the minstrels, and Peace and Pax watched as he became reacquainted with them. Night after night, the group would gather on the gritty tan floor next to the sea, build a large fire, and tell stories.
The birds couldn’t get close enough to hear the stories, but they knew that the stories and the people telling them helped the man, for every day his eyes got clearer and his face looked happier.
One morning, while the rest of the minstrels slept, the man walked up to the road and past the firebush with many red blooms, where the birds were feeding.