In the king's private chambers, Princess Heavenly Flower, usually known as Lelani, listened to her father with dismay shifting into despair.

"Do you understand?" King Mahi asked.

"You are very quiet." Lelani, her eyes lowered, nodded

"You seem less than enthusiastic. Surely you realize this is a great honor."

"I am surprised King Morsh offered for me," was the best she could manage. Appalled is how she felt. Why, King Morsh was as old as her father!

"Come, come, my dear. A healthy young maiden such as you is what every man looks for as a wife."

Healthy, yes. She was that, as well as being a maiden. Her father had not mentioned beauty for a good reason. In a land of dark-haired, dark-eyed men and women with unmarked honey-toned skin, she alone had sand-colored hair and eyes and pale skin dotted with freckles. Sasha repeatedly told her she not fat, merely sturdy, instead of being whip-lean like the others. A throwback, she'd heard people whisper. To what, she wondered.

"There's no doubt in my mind, Lelani, that you will provide him with the heir he needs. Also, keep in mind the marriage will solidify the connections between our two kingdoms." So her fate was to be a child bearer and a solidifier. She sighed inwardly.

"King Morsh will visit us three days hence. I am sure you will greet him properly in the dignified manner an intended wife should."

Oh, no! "Father, I have long looked forward to the picnic in the glade I planned for that day."

"No, no, that will not do, not at all. You will see that your husband-to-be is royally entertained in our palace, certainly not out in the open."

She had no choice but to obey. Just as she had no choice of who to marry. Thinking quickly, she said, "I spoke hastily. I did not mean to imply our distinguished visitor would be taken on the picnic. Though I do hope you will allow me to change the date so I may still enjoy that picnic tomorrow."

The king frowned. "I gave my original permission re-luctantly. You know I dislike you going anywhere near the forest. I can't think why you persist in wanting to visit the glade."

"But the glade isn't the forest." Then afraid he might order her never to go there again, Lelani allowed the tears she'd been holding back to pool in her eyes. Her voice quivered as she spoke. "Tomorrow will be the last time I shall ever ask to visit the glade. I may never have another chance once King Morsh arrives, and I am officially betrothed to him."

"Which is just it should be. You know as well as I our ances-tors warned us to keep away from the deep woods or risk never being seen again."

'Twould never do to admit that very prohibition made being anywhere near the forest fascinating to her. Not that she dared enter it. "I have always abided by that warning," she reminded him. Clasping her hands, she looked up at him, his features blurred by her tears. "Please, Father."

Finally he offered her a grudging nod.

Back in her own chambers, she sent her attendants to the outer room before she sank onto the bed, covered her face with her hands and let the held-back tears flow free. She muted her sobs, not wanting any of them to rush in to see what was wrong.

After a time, though she'd heard no on enter the inner chamber, a voice said, "My dear one, what ails you?"
Lelani dropped her hands, blinked her eyes free of tears and looked up at her old nurse. Sasha's skin was darker than most of the kingdom's people because she'd come from a far-off land called Lemora. A Wise Woman, her mother had always said. "Witch," others whispered. Wise Woman or witch, she'd as-sumed Lelani's care after her mother died and the princess loved her, whatever she might be.

Sasha handed her a handkerchief and sat next to her on the bed, putting her arm around Lelani, who dropped her head onto Sasha's shoulder. "Father is forcing me to marry King Morsh."

"At nineteen, you're late to marry. The time has now come. Your father could have chosen worse. I have heard King Morsh is a kind man."

Lelani pulled away. "But he's so old. How can I love him when I know he doesn't love me? He only wants me for a breeder. I don't understand why—I've heard he has a grown son."

Sasha handed her a lace-trimmed handkerchief. "Dry your eyes. This is not the end of the world. And the marriage may keep you safe."

"What does safe have to do with this betrothal? I've always dreamed of a handsome prince who'd sweep me off my feet, who would love me, even though I'm not pretty. But dreams never do come true, do they?"

"Yours was but a wish dream and such rarely, if ever, come to pass. True dreams are different, true dreams predict a possible future and can be frightening to look forward to. I dream true dreams, child."

Lelani sighed. "If I'd ever had one, I suppose it would have been of King Morsh coming to carry me off as his bride. Fright-ening, yes. I always knew I had to marry someone, but why an old man? And why must he come here the day of my picnic." Tears threatened again. "As it was I had to beg Father to let me change the date to tomorrow."

"No!"

Lelani stared at her. "Why not?"

"Ever since your mother died, I have had true dreams of danger to you. Danger from what waits within the deep woods."

Lelani took a moment to think about this. "Is that why you said the marriage would keep me safe? Because I'd be traveling farther away from the forest to King Morsh's kingdom?"

Sasha nodded. "Your mother told me her ancestors' tales about the forest. How there was a great open maw in its den-sity that swallowed all who came near. And about the beast man who captured unwary travelers.

"Those stories have been repeated to me often enough, along with the warnings. But the glade is not the forest. .I have no intention of venturing into the deep woods."

"Perhaps you will be lured there. Do not insist on this picnic tomorrow."

"Oh, Sasha, if I must wed King Morsh, it will be my last time to enjoy a place I love. My last time to feel free."

Sasha took her hand. "Since you refuse to heed my words, promise me you will be very careful to stay clear of the trees. I fear whatever waits within the forest would never set you free."

The next morning, Princess Heavenly Flower's attendants fluttered about, agitated by the change of plans.

"Rain threatens," Lady Cousa pointed out.

Lelani had seen the clouds passing to the north, but chose to ignore them. No rain could possibly fall on what might be her last picnic. "Nonsense, the sun shines."

The sun still shone as the mounted party of seven reached the glade near the edge of the woods. The three guards tethered the harthers, then erected the picnic tent, while the women lifted the food from a cart and prepared to set it out. Lelani smiled at the small dromer hitched to the cart, patting his head, and wishing she could find the patience he displayed.

She surveyed the wild-flower strewn meadow, breathing in the mingled sweet and spicy scents of the blooms, keeping her back to the few trees straggling out from the woods itself. Sasha, who waited back at the palace, need not worry. Lelani had to intention of straying from the glade. Or even being tempted to.

By the time the games had been played, the songs sung, and the food eaten, the sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds.

"Rain is coming," Lady Cousa insisted, her plump face show-ing satisfaction she'd been right. Lelani resisted the sharp retort on the tip of her tongue. Af-ter all, rain was obviously on the way. The attendants packed up what was left of the food, while the guard struck the tent. Before they could mount the harthers, the first wet drops heralded what was to come. The party was still far from the palace when a bolt of lightning zigzagged across the sky, making Lelani realize this promised to be a full-fledged storm, not just a summer rain.

Her mount's ears twitched at the crash of thunder that fol-lowed. The sky darkened and the deluge began, making it difficult to see the others. As lightning struck around them, her harther grew more and more skittish. Then a bolt smashed into a nearby tree, sending it smashing down, and he shied away, hurtling toward the dark gloom of the forest, paying no heed to Lelani's frantic yanks on the reins. Despite all she could do, he rushed panic-stricken into the deep woods.

She had never once ventured into the forest. The gloom in the woods approached the dark of night. Terrified, unable to see, she crouched low on her mount's neck, hoping to avoid being swept off him by a branch. On and on he pounded. When he stumbled, she was too numb with fear to react before he fell. Tossed off his back, she felt herself floating rather than falling, down and down and down, like in a dream, where you never land. Then she hit the wet ground and all thought ended.

Lelani roused and blinked once, twice, three times. No rain or storm No clouds in the blue sky. No woods. She smelled the sweet scent of flowers, turned her head and drew in a shocked breath. Eyes as green as tree leaves stared into hers. No one she knew had green eyes. She sat up so abruptly her head swam.

"Don't be alarmed." His voice both soothed and caressed her. "I'm Colden, and you're safe here."

No Haloni man she'd ever seen looked like him--tall and sturdily built with silvery blond hair and a voice like music. He sat down beside her among the flowers and took her hand. A strange thrill shot through her.

"Where—where am I?" she stammered.

"In the land of enchantment. May I know your name?"

"Lelani," she breathed, beginning to think she had to be dreaming. That she'd wake and find herself back home in her own bed. "Do you live here?"

He shook his head. "I gave up a kingdom to live as I do."

She sighed. "How I wish I didn't have to wake up."

His smile dazzled her. "I'm no dream, Lelani." He dropped her hand, took up a leather sack that lay among the flowers and removed a lyre. "'Tis not often I have the chance to entertain a princess." With that he began to play and sing, the melody and the words weaving a web of enchantment she wished would never end. He sang a ballad of love she'd never heard before. Sang it to her as though he was the gallant courting the fair maiden in the song, and she that maiden fair.

Surely this strange place and this wonderful man had to be a dream, for he couldn't be real. He behaved as though she were the most beautiful lady in the land, and for the first time in her life she felt beautiful. The song ended, but the notes seemed to hang in the air around her, telling her again how lovely she was and how much he adored her. When he put his arm around her and bend his head to kiss her, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. Not real, not real, throbbed in her head. Since it couldn't be real, she reveled in the honey sweetness of his lips on hers. He drew her closer, his caressing hands stirring her beyond recall.

When he eased her onto her back she sighed with the pleas-ure of his body close to hers. Lost in her dream of love, she denied him nothing, let him take her on a journey to what seemed to be paradise. And when the passionate journey at last was over, he held her close and whispered words she'd believed no man would ever say to her.

"You are my dear love, the mate of my dreams, so fair and sweet."

A dream, yes, one she wanted to go on forever.

But eventually he rose up and began to dress. Suddenly shy, she pulled on her clothes, too.

"We must leave this place," he told her. "This is not your home, nor mine. 'Tis dangerous to risk being trapped here."

Lelani stared at him. "I don't understand."

Hearing the plea in her voice, Colden tried not to notice the tug at his heart. "We belong on the other side.” He had told her the truth–as far as it went--just hadn't told all of it. While it was also true he found her attractive and wanted to make love to her, he had an ulterior motive.

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