Page 5 of Chivalry in the Meadow (Hope Runs Deep #2)

Mia froze, even her breath caught for a moment, before she took in a shallow whisp of air, needing it in her lungs.

She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the sun had given way, the warm rays gone, the air cooler now, and the moon already up in the sky.

Goosebumps raised on her arms, and she rubbed them, trying to warm herself from the sudden chill.

An inner dislike for Sir Thorne rose within her, which she couldn’t have explained beyond saying it was just a feeling she had. A knowing.

Mia had never had one knowing after another before. More than one now had her on edge, feeling nervous.

This man was dangerous.

Mia felt it in her bones.

She wouldn’t be cheering for the sixth knight, for she disliked him on sight. But she said nothing to Lilly about the feeling.

Mia kept these knowing’s to herself, when they came upon her, for she had no logical explanation for them. She’d stopped telling people about them when she was young. People didn’t understand the inexplicable.

“They are all big and strong,” Mia said. “Almost larger than life”

“Yes, but if you could take one home, for a new happy ever after for you, which one would you choose?” Mia asked.

“I want a modern-day personification of knightliness,” Mia said.

“A man who’s not afraid to laugh triumphantly in the face of death, who lives for adventure and excitement.

Not a guy who scares the crap out of anyone who gets a good close look at him.

Sexy as these guys are, some of them are quite intimidating.

I’m not quite ready to take one of them home. ”

As the final hoofbeats faded, and the knights dismounted, applause thundered from the crowd. But Mia barely heard it, and her arms stayed wrapped around herself, failing to clap.

Another feeling, that of being watched from behind, made her turn her head.

She saw no one at first, but then she saw two golden eyes fixed directly on her.

A great horned owl sat motionless on top of a large tent pole, the intense yellow eyes watching her made her more aware of the goosebumps on her arms.

The air had cooled. It was still more spring like in the evenings once the sun began to fade, and a slight breeze blew through the meadow, making her shiver.

Beneath the owl’s gaze, her skin warmed and her goosebumps faded.

It blinked once, and then continued looking at her.

The owl’s eyes felt more like the eyes of the neighbor’s sheepdog where she’d grown up. The dog was always present, watching out for the neighborhood children who gathered to play ball in the neighbors back yard. Like he guarded them. This felt like that kind of watching.

The owl steadily gazed at her and then blinked once more. He looked very much like the owl from her dream.

Coincidence?

Comforting, that’s what this owl was. She let that comfort soak into her. That warmth.

“What are you looking at?” Lilly asked. “You’re missing the handsome knights.”

Mia turned back to face Lilly. “I saw an owl. A great horned owl.”

“You and your birds.” Lilly shook her head. “Look, I know how you love animals, especially owls, but you’re going to miss the knights. You can see owls anywhere, any time. Handsome knights are hard to come by. And we have all six of them here right now.”

Finn stepped up next to them, grinning. “I knew you ladies would enjoy the parade,” he said. “Wait till the jousting tomorrow. That will be even more exciting. This is just the opening night pageantry.”

“Oh, they aren’t jousting tonight?” Lilly asked.

“Not in the dark, sill…” Finn caught himself before he called her silly again.

“Cousin,” he said with a smile. “Evening entertainments are my area,” he winked.

“Fire is much more dramatic at night. I’ve got to do a few things, but if you go between those two vendor tents,” he pointed.

“You’ll be on the row where my stage is. And you have the map to find it.”

“Yes,” Lilly nodded. Ever the practical one, she would keep them on schedule, and make sure they didn’t get lost, or miss something they wanted to see.

“Good. See you in a bit,” he said. “The fortune teller I told you about is behind you on your right. You’ve got time to see her if you go now.”

They both turned and saw the sign which said, ‘Madame Merlina, Fortune Teller.’

Mia giggled. “Think that’s her real name?”

Finn had already walked away, so he couldn’t answer.

“I doubt it,” Lilly said. “The name is too close to Merlin, and I’ve never heard it before. I bet she made it up.”

“It’s kind of fun, though,” Mia said.

Lilly just shrugged. “Finn insisted we should have our fortunes told by her,” she said. “I don’t know why. It’s not real. They just make stuff up.”

Mia really didn’t want to get into a discussion about it.

Lilly preferred facts and figures, science and data, rather than anything magical.

But Mia, who loved romance, adventure, and magic, was intrigued, so she said, “Let’s try it! It will be fun.”

“Sure,” Lilly shrugged again.

They headed for the fortune teller’s tent, which was dark blue with silver stars on it.

As they stepped inside, a brown skinned woman, with a multicolored skirt, a purple and red full blouse, wearing a red turban, and large silver hoop earrings, said, “Come in, come in.” She gave them a smile.

“Fortune is smiling on you. Have a seat.” She gestured to the two chairs on their side of a round table.

As they sat, she watched them, and then she said, “No private readings for you, as you both share everything with each other.”

Surprise showed on Lilly’s face, for this was true.

Mia knew Lilly would be thinking, how did she know that? She must have made a guess.

But Mia believed in the woman’s abilities. So, she smiled at her.

“Madame Merlina,” she said. “We would like readings to learn our futures, with love and marriage, children, that kind of thing. My name is Mia, and this is my best friend, Lilly.”

“Of course,” Madame Merlina said. “A pleasure.” She smiled at them both, and then unwrapped a purple silk cloth from around a deck of Tarot cards. “This deck for you.”

The deck she laid on the table was older, much used, with faded corners on the cards.

Mia wondered if it had been Madame Merlina’s first deck. The other deck on the table was newer, more dramatic looking. Compared to that one, the older deck didn’t look like much.

“Why that deck?” Lilly asked looking back and forth between the two decks.

Mia knew the answer before the fortune teller spoke.

The older deck was stronger, gave deeper messages, life changing ones. Goosebumps spread down her arms at that knowing.

Madame Merlina tapped the deck with her index finger, and looked at Mia as if she knew what Mia was feeling. “This deck,” she said. “Speaks to me. Always answers. Always true.”

“Now,” she turned to face Lilly. “You shuffle first.” She handed her the deck. “Three times shuffle, and while shuffling, think of questions you want answers to. Nothing else.” She pushed the deck in front of Lilly, and then sat back, her hands in her lap, waiting.

Lilly picked up the cards and began shuffling. Once. Her brow furrowed as she thought. Then twice. And a third time. She sat the deck down in between them.

Madame Merlina nodded. “Well done. You have all the questions, yes?”

“Yes,” Lilly said.

Madame tapped the top of the deck once. “These will read this night’s truth. Your future may be changed, if you wish it. Futures are not set in stone. Prepare to listen, as the cards speak.”

Cutting the deck in half, she placed two sets on the table, and then pulled cards from the top of the bottom half, to lay out a pattern.

“Past,” she said, laying cards down. “Present,” she laid more cards down. “Future,” she laid the last cards down. Then she looked at Lilly. “First we learn from the past.”

Lilly nodded.

She turned the first cards over. Looking at them, she nodded. “Your mother sailed here on a boat, with you in her belly,” she said. “You grew up in a new land. A happy child. Then lost your mother to a sickness.”

Lilly’s jaw dropped.

Even Mia sat stunned. How could Madame Merlina know those details?

Lilly’s mother had come to the United States from Panama, after marrying an American man, and Lilly had been born nine months later. It was a love match. Her mother died from cancer the year Lilly and Mia graduated high school, and Lilly matured fast that year, becoming more serious.

This isn’t like any card reading I’ve ever heard about. Madame Merlina is more than a card reader. Anyone can learn to read cards.

Mia had dabbled in reading cards.

She must also be psychic.

Mia sat up and paid more attention now.

“We do the present next,” Madame Merlina said.

Lilly nodded, still soaking in what the first cards had shown.

“Now, tonight,” Madame Merlina turned the cards over. “You have your eyes on a man.”

Lilly smiled.

I’ll bet Lilly is thinking about the fifth knight, Sir Elias of Sundholm.

“He is steady,” Madame Merlina went on. “Strong. Dependable. But is not easy for him to… open. You want assurances from a man. You must learn patience.” She tapped a card, and then said. “Enough. Now the future. Why you are here.”

Lilly took a deep breath, riveting her eyes on the next cards being turned over.

Mia could tell that Lilly had started to believe.

The cards were telling truths, as Madame Merlina had said.

Madame sat quiet, looking at the cards. “You must be brave,” she finally spoke.

“And you will be, when it’s time. You hide disappointment in yourself.

You are too hard on yourself. When you find your agency and your dreams again, and believe in yourself, then you will succeed.

We are stronger when we don’t go it alone, when we go with true companions.

This weekend will have turning points. There is a good future when you choose well. ”

Lilly appeared stunned.

Madame Merlina started collecting the cards, without asking if Lilly had questions.