Like all other puppies, once we were sure of our footing and our eyes and ears opened, my siblings and I were running around and playing with every single toy and interacting with every person and dog who came through the kennels.

We learned to be respectful around the great Cane Corsos that guarded the palace with stern but sad eyes. We would bark at the smaller Pomeranians, popular with the ladies as pocket dogs who would bark louder at us. We would try to get the sleepy Basset Hounds who chased rabbits and foxes every day to play with us.

And we would get used the Master of the Kennel, Isaac, touching us and picking us up.

Every puppy was given this treatment. At least for a few minutes a day, we’d be picked up, hugged, our limbs touched, our ears and toes squeezed gently. Of course we wriggled and squirmed. Flopsy and Cottonbutt didn’t like it and would wriggle throughout the affair before they realized it was useless to fight back. Even when we stopped squirming, they still whined and cried.

I don’t know why I allowed myself to be touched as such. I wonder if there are things some humans tolerate but others don’t. If they’d understand…

But I’m getting lost in my own memories here. The Lilac Fairy said that would be a downside to me being Rose’s companion.

Yes! That’s it!

I should talk about the Lilac Fairy! She does play a role in this story after all.

Mother told me that a beautiful fairy dressed in a light lilac dress and smelling of soft lilac perfume would visit us from the day we were whelped. She had soft silver hair wound into a bun much like the other ladies of court and a small turned up nose that reminded Mother of a snoring Pug she knew. But she wasn’t in my memories.

Maybe fairies appear to some but not others? I don’t know.

But I do know that I smelled her a total of three times when I was a puppy. I’ll talk about the first time.

It was during a quiet playday. Mother was off getting a bath and her nails and coat trimmed. Flopsy, Cottonbutt and I were playing with the toys that had been left behind. I remember it was four bones, a stuffed frog and a couple of ropes that we could play tug of war with.

Flopsy and I were playing with a rope when I smelled lilacs. I stopped midway though our game of tug of war to get a better sniff at where it was coming from. My distraction was enough for Flopsy to gain the upper paw and yank hard. I fell down but still sniffed for lilacs.

“What are you doing?! Trying to let me win?” Flopsy asked.

“He’s probably lost in his daydreams again,” Cottonbutt said, chewing on the frog.

“Do you smell lilacs?” I asked before coming upon the source.

A large bright red ball.

Us spaniels are fearless and like to alert our humans about something odd. Humans aren’t good at noticing when things are weird or out of place. Not as good as us dogs.

I’ve never liked it when humans get hurt so maybe that’s why I do it.

I barked. Flopsy and Cottonbutt saw what I was barking at and joined in.

“Hey you!” Flopsy yelled.

“What are you doing in our kennel?” Cottonbutt shouted.

“Get out!” I barked and stepped forward to the red ball.

I know humans like using the analogy “I blinked and then it was gone” but that’s really what happened with us. The ball was there…then it vanished. We all stopped barking and looked around.

“Where did it go?!” Cottonbutt asked, backing up.

“It was there a second ago!” Flopsy barked, soon joining Cottonbutt.

I stepped forward, my heart banging in my chest. The ball was gone and the lilac smell was fading.

I put my nose down and sniffed around. I went to the spot where I know I saw the ball and there was a weird feeling in the air.

You know when a thunderstorm is coming and the air smells like heating metal? That’s what the area was like. Except it had the under scent of lilacs.

“Did you find something?” Cottonbutt asked.

“I’m not sure.” I said, walking around.

“Well I’m bored now. Let’s go play, Cottonbutt!” Flopsy said.

“Yes, come on Mopsy, you can find it later!” Cottonbutt said before they both turned and played with a rope.

But I kept sniffing and looking for that something so I could bark at it again.