Barbara almost checked to see if there was actual steam coming out her ears. After all, it was the Otherworld, so anything was possible. Except, apparently, being able to live out her life with the man she loved. Without the Water of Life and Death to extend his life as it did hers, she would be faced with the terrible choice of either staying with him and watching him grow old and die or giving him up forever.
“Your Majesty, is this truly so much to ask, after all my years of service to you and your kingdom?”
“Maybe you shouldn’t push it,” Liam said in a low voice. “Didn’t you tell me that she once turned someone into a swan?”
“It was a number of someones,” the Queen said in a clear, haughty tone. “And they were not foolish enough to question my decisions. I suggest you let this matter drop, Baba Yaga. I grow tired of this discussion. Let us speak of something more amusing.”
Barbara felt lightheaded, almost dizzy with what she was about to say. But she said it anyway. “As you wish, Your Majesty. In that case, I am afraid I must resign my position as Baba Yaga. If I am forced to choose between the work I was destined to do and the man I was destined to love, I choose the man.”
All around them there were gasps and whispers and she could see Liam out of the corner of her eye, standing with his mouth open in amazement. His grip on her hand grew tighter, but he knew better than to interrupt.
The Queen stood up, tossing her gold plate onto the grass so that it rolled into the lake with a splash that echoed loudly in the sudden silence. Her beautiful face was as glacial as if it had been carved out of ice.
“No Baba Yaga has ever abdicated her position,” she said. “It simply is not done.”
“But it isn’t against the rules, is it?” Barbara asked.
“It is not,” said the King, gazing thoughtfully from Barbara to his wife. “Surely there is some room for compromise. We should not like to lose Our most loyal and experienced Baba Yaga, and not everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy Our naturally long lives. Even with the aid of the Water of Life and Death, their time together is so short compared to Ours. Will you not reconsider, my darling?”
He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, laying a kiss on her palm in a show of tenderness as heartfelt as it was rare. “A true companion is an uncommon and wonderful thing, don’t you agree, beloved?”
The Queen’s eyes narrowed and several ladies-in-waiting stepped back so fast they ended up standing ankle-deep in the water, the silk of their dresses trailing in the mud.
“Very well,” she said in a suspiciously reasonable voice. Barbara winced. She didn’t know what was coming, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t going to make anyone happy. Least of all her.
“What are you thinking, dearest?” the King asked. Even he looked a bit concerned, an unaccustomed wrinkle appearing on his smooth forehead underneath the ebony sweep of his hair.
“You suggested a compromise,” the Queen said. “I have come up with one. Since the Baba Yaga is so certain that having this Human in her life will be good thing, We will allow them to prove to Us that he is an asset and not simply a distraction; that she will still be as capable a Baba Yaga as before. You imply that their love is as deep as Ours; we shall see if they work together as well as We have done all these centuries.”
“Um, and how would we prove that, exactly, Your Majesty?” Barbara asked.
The Queen smiled. “Why, I shall take a page out of your stories, Baba Yaga, and give you and your man three impossible tasks to do. If you can achieve them, We will grant your request. If you do not”—her voice dropped ominously—“if you fail, then you will continue in your role as Baba Yaga and there will be no more talk of marriage or sharing the Water of Life and Death. Ever.”
Barbara swallowed hard. She was used to being the one who demanded that others fulfill three impossible tasks and she didn’t much like being on the other side of the equation. Especially since when she did it, she always made sure that what she asked for wasn’t quite as impossible as it sounded. It was never meant to be unattainable, merely difficult enough to prove the seeker’s dedication and strength of character. Barbara didn’t have much faith that the Queen would be so considerate. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as if she had any choice.
Head high, Barbara nodded. “I agree to your terms, Your Majesty.”
The court murmured. This was all very entertaining for them, since they weren’t the ones whose lives were on the line. Not for the first time, Barbara wished that the Otherworld could just get cable TV. It would probably prevent a lot of trouble.
“Excellent,” the Queen said, sounding pleased with herself. If anything, the King’s frown deepened.