The servants were sitting down to their dinner in the kitchen when Anna entered. The men stood to their feet, as she sank into a chair, and they all waited for news of the princess, but Anna didn't say anything. She just stared blankly at the table until Ada, the youngest kitchen maids, timidly inquired of the princess' health.
Anna wearily lifted her head and addressed the entire table, "You all need not worry any longer. The princess was well enough to speak with me this morning and was awake long enough to eat her meals. The physician was with her this evening and believes that she will recover."
The tension seemed to ebb from the room at the pronouncement, and everyone began chattering happily, completely missing the look of concern that never once left Anna's face, but Hans' quick eyes noted it and wondered at what it could mean for Princess Cordelia. He was very relieved to hear that she was recovering from her sudden illness. She had been on his mind far more than he was comfortable with, and he often caught himself missing the way her presence filled up a room, not to mention her daily greeting. Princess Cordelia could make the lowest kitchen wench feel like nobility.
It had been more than a month since she had been stricken with her fevers, and there had been times when all of the servants feared the worst, but according to Anna, there was no need for further fear, but had that been completely true? The look on Anna' face seemed to portend an undefinable ill that might befall the princess which could not allow Hans to feel at ease.
Hans mulled over the princess' illness and the new possible complications even as he was supposed to be sleeping, but try as he might, he could not figure out why Anna would be so worried after hearing that the princess was going to recover.
Over the next few weeks, Hans prayed for the princess' new struggle and went about his work. Once his accounts were in order, Hans thought it might be beneficial to take a stroll out of doors for a change and hobbled along toward the gardens. After some time wandering the shrubs and flowers, he settled himself on a bench to rest his leg and take in the beauty of the gardens. He was about to return to the castle when he heard what sounded like the cry of an infant which was odd since he was unaware of any of the servants' having children. Those who had married lived in the surrounding village and did not bring their children to the castle unless there was need of a wet nurse in residence, but Cordelia was unmarried, so there was no need of a wet-nurse.
"My lady, we should go back in." Hans recognized Anna's voice from around the hedge.
"Oh," another woman sighed deeply, "do allow me a few more moments. It has been so long since I was able to walk about the garden." At Princess Cordelia's voice, Hans stumbled to his feet in shock.
"Yes, my lady, but I think John might be getting hungry."
"Anna" the princess dragged out her voice in a childish wine as if she were pleading with her mother. "He'll be fine for a little while longer." Cordelia trailed off, and after a lengthy pause, she asked quietly, "What do you suppose the people will say when they find out about John, Anna? Will they think I've taken a lover?"
Another pause settled on the two women, long and filled with an undefinable burden.
"Surely they'll believe the truth, princess. I know you can't have given birth to him. I would gladly attest to the impossibility." Anna's spoken with conviction, but the silence that followed her statement said everything. Cordelia's question had not really been a question; rather, it spoke of her expectation when her subjects learned of the child she had.
"Princess, we should go in," Anna repeated, breaking the silence, and Hans heard the two make their way back through the gardens.
Hans couldn't move. Anna had said that the child couldn't possibly be the princess', but where could it have come from? Could Anna have been mistaken? King Wilhelm had been gone for over a year, and in that time, Lord Heinrich had made many visits, but wouldn't they have noticed if Cordelia had been with child? No, there had to be some other explanation for the child's presence, but what was it? I wish I knew for certain, Hans thought in his agitation.
At once, an image pressed itself into Hans' mind so strongly that the garden faded away and all he saw was the memory. In the next breath, the vision connected with the rest of his senses, enveloping him as though he were physically transported to another reality. He was within himself, yet it was as though he retained no control over his body or thoughts. It was reminiscent of a dream in that Hans' thoughts and actions in his new, invading reality were under scrutiny by the Hans of his present reality.
Hans sat in the corner of the library, staring out the window at the grey sky. Unbidden, Princess Cordelia came to his mind; she had been sick now for an entire month, and the whole house was awash with gloom. He couldn't deny that he missed her and the children that flooded through the library on her teaching days. The quiet that had invaded in the wake of Cordelia's illness was oppressive and lonely. Hans sighed deeply as a desire to see her well welled up deeply within him. Again he sighed, wishing, without really thinking, that not only would Cordelia recover but that she would soon know the joys of motherhood. The consistency of Lord Heinrich's visits convinced Hans that she would soon be engaged, and Hans knew that when she had children, she would make an excellent mother.
The vision faded like the morning mist from Hans' consciousness, and he gasped, horrified at the realization. This entire debacle was his fault! He dropped to the bench, stunned, hid his head in his hands and groaned. How could this be? He didn't have the book! He hadn't even wished out loud! Hans lifted his head as another realization washed over him. He now knew for certain that Princess Cordelia had not been with a man… just like he'd wished. Hans jumped up to his feet, ignoring the piercing pain that drove through his back at the action. He paced, his limp growing more pronounced as panic and horror raced through him. How many other things had he altered without realizing it? He stopped abruptly and considered his options. Maybe he could reverse this by wishing it away.
"I wish," he looked up at the sky, and said it out loud to be sure it would work. "I wish the baby was gone. I wish that I hadn't done this to the princess."