Enchanted Twelve 1

"Master Cobbler?"

His face contorted as he gazed at the woman. She had looked right at him and yet she still stood there not addressing him. Andrew took a step toward her, opened his mouth to speak and then stopped when she filled in the silence. "Must have been the wind," she whispered, turned and left the tray of warm milk on the table by the bed.

Andrew gawked as she closed the door behind her. He stared back at his reflection; a grin appeared on his features and he moved to the door with renewed confidence, making his way back to the dining hall.

Two guards stood at either side of the double doors. Andrew thought of approaching them, pulling the doors open and walking in, but did not move from the center of the hall. Instead he stood still, staring long and hard at the two men, trying to will them to see him. They didn't however and more confidence found a home in the cobbler's chest.

The guard on the left moved and Andrew scurried toward the hall's south wall. He watched as the door was pulled open and the Princesses filed out of the room. Some had their heads pressed close together as they whispered amongst each other. A few simply looked fearful of what was to come and several appeared to hunger for their rooms as they quickened their steps toward the wing where he and they would spend their nights. Andrew followed them, his steps silent as he moved in sync with the girls that were lagging behind the others.

Aurelia and Ariel seemed lost in conversation and Andrew dismissed their girlish cackling in pursuit of following the youngest. She too seemed effected by the dreams, perhaps a bit more so than the rest. Her age? He wondered and then stopped short of running into the girl's back. He cursed softly, then chuckled as her fingers came to brush a stray strand of hair away. Andrew reached up and covered his mouth, fearful that his breath had stirred the youngest woman's hair. She turned around, and Andrew panicked, his face became pale, but when she shrugged her shoulders, he felt the tension in his chest ease.

Cecilia moved with the rest of the girls, her small cane taping out the path that would carry her safely to her rooms; soon all the Princesses were closed within the safety of their chambers. Andrew returned to his rooms, satisfied that the cloak worked, and anxious to spend time with Danielle. He wondered when she would arrive. An hour? Two? Perhaps three? He pulled off the cloak, folded it and hid it under the bed that was raised high from the floor.

Time seemed to drag by as Andrew waited within the walls of his room. He had tried to read, pass the hours by challenging himself with designing new riding boots, dancing slippers, walking shoes and even several thigh-length footwear for one woman in particular. He had hundreds of sketches of Danielle wearing shoes that no cobbler would ever fashion for a lady. The heels were high, the calf muscles of his drawn women were housed in leather, doe skin, fur. Though the designs were ones that were not worn nor had they ever been constructed, they were always on Andrew's mind. This was not a crime, but had anyone seen the drawings of Princess Danielle wearing the odd foot coverings, Andrew would be drawn and quartered, for few of her portraits had her clothed.

The sound of several doors opening and closing as one, brought Andrew out of his daydreaming. He looked up at his bedchamber door and frowned. One door would have meant Danielle, but several? He pulled out the cloak and quickly donned it. His steps were light as he reached his own rooms' entrance and pulled the heavy plank of wood open. He was shocked to see the guards slumbering against the walls of the hall and even more surprised to see twelve beautiful Princesses silently walking toward the wing of the keep where few of their rank ventured.

Andrew's eyes held onto Danielle's figure. He slipped from his room, silently moving with the group of girls. His pulse drummed within his veins as he followed the women. They stopped just outside the less the servants quarters, turned to the left and proceeded to leave the castle by way of a servant's entrance. His gaze drank in their blank expressions, and he noted that even young Cecilia, the one who lacked in sight, had no sense that she seemed to be walking free of any handicap.

The cobbler followed; wind whipped at his cloak, and he gripped its edges tighter, fearful that it would be pulled from him and his secret revealed to whatever dark forces controlled his liege's children. The group of thirteen moved into the gardens, then further into the woods. Another heavy wind rolled over the group. Dresses were lifted slightly, hems fluttering in the cool air, hair was tossed over faces, and pushed absent mindlessly from emotionless expressions. Andrew wanted to reach out and jerk one of the sisters to the side. Shake her. Wake her up from this powerful nightmare, but he remembered what Andrea had said. He was not to interfere, just observe and so he did.

When the Princesses stopped, Andrew stopped with them. He looked around, the light of the moon cast a glow over a world that Andrew did not recognize. "She spoke the truth," he whispered as he reached out and touched the leaf of a nearby bush. He pulled it from the thin branch and lifted it to the light of the moon and stars. "Silver?" he asked himself and then rubbed the smooth plant with his fingers. He tucked it in the pocket of his cloak, fearful that it would be seen floating in the air by one of the Princesses.

The girls stood there for a few minutes and then a collective sigh parted their lips. Andrew continued to watch in confusion mixed with amazement as several boats appeared out of nowhere. His brows furrowed in confusion as he watched the girls move toward what looked to be a river. Andrew shook his head, trying to dismiss the magical elements he was seeing. He took a step toward Danielle when he saw her reach down to touch the edge of the water. Water, he had not heard or seen, until the boats had appeared. "Oarthland?" he whispered and then realized the woods behind him was the portal that Andrea spoke of and that Angora had kept open.

Danielle and Quinn moved into one of the boats. Andrew hurried forward, reaching out to jerk the eldest Princess back. He stopped when his eyes caught those of two men that were standing in the center of the boat, hands extended to the Princesses. Danielle's hand slipped easily into one of the men's and her lips rose in a smile. The stranger kissed her hand and fury swept over Andrew as he watched her lean into the man's chest and offer him her lips. The past came back to Andrew; the rumors he had sworn were not true assailed him and he moved to turn away from Danielle's passion shown face. The only thing that stopped him was the look he recalled in his world, the look of fear that was often worrying the Princess's eyes.

Andrew glanced at the other women, each seeming to pair up with either a boat, a man or a sister. He knew who he had to follow; who he had to protect. Andrew turned, wasting no time and took the steps that would place him on the boat.

"What was that?" Danielle whispered.

Andrew held his breath as she turned and looked directly at him.

"Nothing my sweet dollop of thick honey."

Andrew rolled his eyes at the gooey sentiment.

"The boat jarred as if. . ."

"It is just us my rose bonnet of blanketing delight."

Andrew felt his stomach turn. The cobbler wasn't sure what was worse, the horrible attempts of wooing or from the sight of the man slobbering on Danielle's skin. As the stranger's lips clamped over Danielle's, the servant of the Queen knew the answer.

The boat housed a servant as well as the two men Andrew didn't recognize and two of the Princesses of Oarthland. He sat in a corner and watched as they were rowed away from shore and away from the others. When would he see them again? What would he see? And where was the witch that was controlling this dastardly game?

Author's Note: Again, this is the first chapter to the new chain story:Enchanted Twelve.Following this chapter you will learn what happens to each Princess during this first night of Andrew's adventure. Each Princess is written by another writer. Follow their tale or (and I encourage this next part) follow all their tales; most of all simply enjoy the ride we hope to take you on. Thanks to all the writers that are venturing this new path with me. ~ Red