“And,” Gwen continued, “that night, Margaret May died.”
“OH MY GOSH,” Jam yelled.
An insane flood of objections followed, and it took almost a whole minute before Gwen managed to get a word in edgewise and assure them, “The story's not over.”
The children and fairies, feeling betrayed, settled down and gave Gwen a chance to redeem the tragic story. She still had Hollyhock's rapt attention.
“They buried Margaret May in the royal catacombs, but three days later, she woke up.”
“Phew!” Rosemary sighed.
“However, she was no longer Margaret May. She awoke in the body of a raven and flew out of the catacombs. She went to the forest, and flew all through it until she found the raven tree. Landing in its branches, she pecked an egg-fruit free from the tree. It cracked open against the ground, and Margaret May ate from it to become human again. She remained transformed, though. No longer a young lady, she had aged much in her short death and returned to life with a few wrinkles and grew hairs. She knew then what the raven witch had meant when she said her fate was sealed—Margaret May felt the magic of the raven tree's fruit deep in her belly and the magic of the tree's bark in her blood. She had become a raven witch.”
The children did not know what to make of this plot point either, but they listened as Gwen continued to spin her story, winding into deeper and stranger territory than they had ever traversed in a simple fairytale.
“Margaret May experimented with her newfound magic for several days, and summoned the forests' enchanted birds to build her a tree-house nest deep in the woods. As she learned, and began to enjoy, her new powers, her mind turned to her grieving loved ones.
“She could not return. The King and Queen of Westera hated raven witches and would banish or kill her for this eerie witchcraft she now practiced. Still, she felt terrible for heartbroken Prince Jay, and poor Gracia who had become such a sweet soul since the ball. Hoping to help them, Margaret May hatched a cunning plan.”
“The next day, she returned to Westera and, using her raven magic, kidnapped Princess Gracia out of the castle courtyard. Several onlookers saw, and reported to the king and queen that the raven witch had returned and taken Gracia. No one recognized Margaret May, not even Gracia.
“Margaret May took her back to the nest home she had made in the forest, and kept her captive there. She treated Gracia well, giving her a soft and mossy bed, plenty of food, and constant promises of her safety, but still Gracia worried.”
“WHY IS MARGARET MAY DOING THIS?” Jam yelled, voicing a question all the lost children shared.
“Because,” Gwen answered, “not two days later, Prince Jay came into the woods with a troop of soldiers, for he had vowed revenge on the raven witch who had killed his bride and now stolen her beloved sister. The elves helped lead Prince Jay to the new raven witch's home—for they also wished to avenge the sweet princess of Westera.
“Margaret May flew out as they approached, swearing Jay would never rescue his princess even as Prince Jay fired an arrow at her. He missed, but Margaret May pretended his arrow struck her. 'I've been hit! I've been hit! I'm dying!' she cried, staggering off in flight and collapsing into the trees. She quickly morphed into a tiny raven and abandoned her cloak so it would seem she had dissolved into nothing upon her death. The soldiers found the cloak and declared the witch vanquished. Prince Jay climbed the tree to rescue Princess Gracia, who had become even sweeter and more humble during this frightening event. She was grateful to him for rescuing her, and fell as immediately and entirely in love with him as he fell in love with her.
“And so, in a few weeks' time, Gracia and Jay were married. Together, they ruled the joint kingdom of Westera-Eastan, which prospered with the elves' blessings. When they had their first daughter, they named her Margaret May after the wonderful and mysterious princess that they had once known. But the real Margaret May lingered as an ordinary raven only long enough to see that both of them would live happily ever after. Satisfied with their happiness, she flew off to find new kingdoms, new continents, and new adventures that she might lend her magic to.”
The children stared at her, somewhat happy, somewhat puzzled. Before anyone could begin the usual gamut of follow-up questions, Fish exclaimed, “Dinnertime!” and the hungry children leapt to their feet, scrambling to get the first serving. Their bellies growled loud enough to quiet their questions, and only Peter remained, sitting in front of Gwen with his confused eyes staring her down. His thoughts stewed in the firm confines of his own head. He offered no comment, so the only questions Gwen had for her story were the ones that had rattled in her heart all along.
Chapter 16
After their late dinner, the children immediately cuddled into bed. Their full stomachs overpowered their busy minds and lulled them into sleep. The children could compartmentalize in a way Gwen couldn't. They fell asleep, untroubled by what tomorrow would bring. She didn't toss and turn in bed, but simply failed to fall asleep. She stared at the ceiling, her eyes feeling wired open. How could she sleep on the eve of an invasion?
Rosemary slumbered in their canopy bed and the other children's snores drifted in from bigger beds and smaller hammocks elsewhere in their cavernous home. The underground house at night always had the faint hum of a kindergarten class during nap time.
Gwen had learned to wander without disrupting the children's sleep. For as much as she tried to assimilate to Neverland's daily rhythms, she still found herself alone with her unsleepy mind some nights. It didn't surprise her that consciousness clung hard to her tonight. Creeping out of bed and treading
