Page 25 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
His eyes calculated me.
And that was all the space I gave King See. For this moment belonged to all monsters, and to the friends and king of Princess Bring.
Mother pushed up the glass bowl holding Baby Bring to hover above the olden rock. The infant version of my lady’s maid was not visible in the sand.
I walked to the bowl. “In the haze where body was robbed from me, ancients showed me a tiny path, which I followed with King Change trailed in my wake, and a copper-furred creature walked at my side. A scritch-scratch and rustle led me to this pile of sand. I watched the disturbance of these grains, and sensed the tiny upheaval within them.”
“What is it?” King Raise asked in wonder.
His princess had already taken a step forward and clutched at her heart, guessing the truth. There was a difference between them.
I said, “Her place is in the world of monsters, and as she sacrificed herself for monsters, we shall make sacrifices for her always.”
King Bring strained at his shackles. “What are you saying? What is in the bowl?Who is in the bowl?”
I reached in and scooped out the tiny sticky mass. “Ancients have shown us the greatest mercy by returning one of our number to the beast’s yawn.”
Shocked gasps rang out from most onlookers.
I smiled at the sticky mass. “Monsters will always nurture you, Princess Bring. We will nurse you back to your full form, and then always and forever cherish you. You relinquished immortality and peered at the brutal truth when a queen could not.”
No one said a word, and I held the princess before my eyes. “Welcome home, Baby Bring. We have missed you. In our loving care, you need never worry.”
The princesses were first to unfreeze.
Tears dripped off the bottom of Princess Raise’s chin. Princess Take’s hands trembled.
“She must return to sand.” I eased the infant back inside the bowl.
King Bring said hoarsely, “She needs her ashes. I fathom. Take them from me.”
Has Been did so, and placed the leather pouch into my waiting hand.
An unwanted flash of awareness hit me, alerting me to King See’s pondering and awed expression.
I quashed the line of thought again and unfastened the leather pouch. I sprinkled the ashes into the bowl of sand, and a soft purring arose from Baby Bring, which drew soft smiles to the lips of princesses and pawns.
“She likes it,” sobbed Toil, secreting globs of tears.
Hex’s voice shuddered. “O-our p-princess will live.”
“She will find fullness again?” rasped King Bring.
I glanced at him. “Does it matter?”
He shook his head. “Can I go to her?”
“No. You rather exceeded your purpose with near dire consequences, sir. When you have journeyed as you must, then I willconsider gifting you the proximity of her. When shackles are released, you may know that you have won in the battle of yourself.”
King Bring inhaled. “Your reasoning is fair, wise queen.”
Fairness had little to do with it. Their union would only heal with his inner growth, and with her physical growth.
Mother drew Baby Bring into her embrace again, and princesses and pawns sighed and despaired at her departure.
“Leave us,” I ordered.
Princesses inhaled and surely smelled the reckoning in the air, for they turned on their heels and obeyed. Pawns followed their lead.
