Dark One Rising (45 page)

The night went on, her finally giving herself over to someone, him choosing to throw his old life away and make a new one with her. Two promises made, though unspoken, two people choosing their path.

When she fell asleep hours later, wrapped in his arms, the full weight of the world on her shoulders that she felt earlier had mel-ted away. The choice that had to be made, put aside. The only thing that mattered was them.

When morning came the choice she had to make would still be there, but she knew now that she wouldn’t have to make it alone. Her sleep was sound and her dreams pleasant. He never moved from her side, his arms never loosened from around her. As he drifted off he vowed that they would be one from this moment on. He swore his life on it.

***

When he opened his eyes, he was stunned for a brief moment, forgetting what it felt like to have a warm body next to him. His face was in her hair, and he could smell the scent of flowers from her bathing oils. He smiled to himself, not moving his arms from around her warm body. He didn’t want to wake her. He felt refreshed and renewed and realized how good it felt to wake up sober and alert.

For a brief moment, he also wondered if he had done the right thing. He had wanted her so badly he could barely contain himself, but maybe he should have waited, allowed her to make the first move. He chided himself. She had made the move in the meadow, but he resisted then. She could’ve stopped him anytime last night, and he would have respected her wishes and let it go no further, but he had sensed that she wanted him, needed him. She had responded with welcoming arms and body. It had felt good to have someone in his arms again, but this time he knew it felt good for different reasons. He missed making love to a woman, but this time it felt more real, more satisfying, and he understood now what it felt like to share himself with someone he cared about.

He looked over and saw that she was still sound asleep, her steady breathing rhythmic, her long red eyelashes fluttering every now and then with eye movement. He traced the outline of her body with his hand and studied every inch of her pale soft skin.

She didn’t make any moves to rise, so he quietly slipped out of bed and covered her with the blankets. He grabbed his clothes for the day and headed to the washroom. He hesitated in the doorway for a moment or two more, reassuring himself that last night had not been a dream. He looked at her sound asleep and felt his heart skip a beat. He slipped into the bath and when he returned and she still had not awoken, he let himself out of the room silently.

As he moved down the corridor, he stopped and glanced at himself for a moment in a mirror hanging in the main hallway. His body had not changed in the months since her arrival, but his eyes had. They were still a pale blue, but there were no longer circles under them, no longer bags which showed age before his time. He had become the man he had always wanted to be, the king he should have been before now. She had given him hope, given him a reason to want to settle down and be a king his father would be proud of. Last night had just made his resolve stronger, his urge to make amends with the past clearer.

He headed for the dining hall to grab a bite to eat. She had given him nourishment for his soul, now he needed it for his body. There were things that needed attending to, decisions that had to be made, and he couldn’t do any of them on an empty stomach.

When he entered the hall, fresh and new, there was almost a bounce in his step, a youthful jaunt in his stride. He was met by Alekzand’r coming out. They bumped into each other, and Alek stepped back, looking at his friend with curiosity.

He couldn’t be sure, but he swore Dain was giddy. Not outwardly so much, but Alek knew his king and friend well, and he could tell something had changed.

He continued to look at him, saying nothing. Dain smiled outwardly and grabbed his friend in a hug. “Alek, good to see you this fine morning. Have you eaten already? Sit, have some wine with me.”

Alek was suspicious. He hadn’t seen his king this genuinely happy in years. “What’s happened? You look almost radiant this morning.”

“Well, it’s a beautiful day and I slept well. Better than I have in years.”

Now he really was suspicious. There was something amiss. He realized for the first time, that it was late in the morning and he hadn’t yet seen Melenthia for breakfast. Suddenly a thought hit him. He knew then what was going on, and he didn’t like it in the least.

“My God, Dain, what have you done?”

Dain went around his friend and seated himself in his chair at the head of the table. A servant brought him food and poured some wine. The servant left. Alek sat down angrily next to his king.

“Answer me, Dain, what have you done?”

“Relax, Alek, I have done nothing. Can’t a man feel vibrant on a morning such as this?”

“I have seen this excitement before, Dain, and I know exactly what it means. You get this way when you have conquered a quest, when you have talked a maiden into relinquishing herself to your charm. Please tell me that you have done nothing to embarrass me, or make Kevaan mad.”

Dain looked into his friend’s eyes. “You don’t need to worry yourself so, my friend. I have done nothing of the sort. It was completely mutual.”

Alek frowned and put his head in his hands, moaning. “Dain, you promised.” His head snapped up. “You didn’t get her drunk did you?”

He looked at Alek indignantly. “I did not! Alek, give me
some
credit. I’m not a complete scoundrel.”

Alek sighed. “You swore to me that you would never do anything to upset her. She may have thought it was mutual last night, but she will regret it today, I assure you.”

“Not this time, Alek. This time it’s genuine. I swear to you.”

“It’s never genuine with you, Dain. You’re a cad where women are concerned. You swore to me that it was plutonic, that you wouldn’t go there. Her brother is on his way as we speak. How am I going to explain this? I promised him she would be okay under your roof. I gave my word.”

“On his way here?”

“That’s what I was coming up to rouse you about. The city border patrol has sent word that he passed through yesterday. He will be here in a few hours.”

“After getting my news of Fallon’s movements into the coast and what I suspect his plan is regarding the castle, why would he risk coming here? What’s happened?”

“I don’t know, but I hazard a guess that it’s bad whatever it is, or he would never risk leaving. Perhaps he didn’t get the dispatch.”

“Do you think my man was caught?”

“I would gather so, and probably killed.”

Dain kicked the table leg. “Damn it. I should have sent armed escort with him.”

“That wouldn’t have helped, Dain, and you know it. Going by himself was the safest way for him to travel without being noticed.”

“A lot of good it did him.”

“It’s not your fault. Obviously Fallon’s men knew what to look for and already had reports that she was here. The message only confirmed what they probably already knew.”

“You’re probably right, but I can’t keep making decisions if I don’t have confirmation on his plans and movements. I don’t like making guesses.”

Alek tried to belay Dain’s anger and put focus on his own annoyance regarding Melenthia. “Kevaan will be weary enough. I don’t need him to be angry as well.”

Dain sighed now, getting back to the previous topic. “There will be no cause for it, Alek. I promise you from the depths of my soul that I did nothing that I, or she, will regret. I’m in love with her, and she knows it.” He said it with no hint of sarcasm or jest.

Alekzand’r stared at his friend, seeing him in a completely different way. “You’re in love? With Melenthia?”

“Which part is more difficult for you to grasp? The fact that I’m capable of actually being in love? Or the fact that it’s Melenthia that I’m in love with?”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I don’t find it hard to believe that anyone could be in love with Melenthia. She’s a fiery, beautiful, endearing woman. I just never thought I’d ever hear you say it, at least not and mean it.”

“I’m finding it unsettling myself, but I woke up this morning a different man. I didn’t just have the revelation last night, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’ve had these feelings for awhile now. I just only now decided that I couldn’t deny them anymore to her, or myself. I’m ready to be the king my father, and you, have wanted me to be, and I will be an even better one with her at my side.”

Alek was stunned, and his face showed it. Dain looked up from his glass of wine and smiled at his friend and counselor. “Please, Alek, give me something. Tell me you’re at least happy for me.”

Alek pulled out of his silence. “I am, my dear friend, I am. I’m happy that you have finally found the one person to snap you out of the catatonic state you were in.” He reached over and grasped Dain’s shoulder.

“That’s more like it.” He sighed again, a small crease evident on his forehead. “Now we’d better inform Melenthia that she will finally see her brother, and we better prepare her for perhaps distressing news.”

“I’ll tell the stable staff to prepare a stall and tell the guard to have Kevaan escorted straight to us.”

“Yes, and I would have Emerick inform Sol and the elf to join us as well when he arrives.”

He stood and nodded to his king, heading toward the door.

“Alek.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’m prepared to stand behind Melenthia in this fight. She won’t go into this alone. I’m prepared to die if I have to. Can you understand that?”

“Yes, Sire, because I’m prepared as well. This is a fight for all of us. Melenthia is only the light to lead us. I promised Kevaan that I would keep her safe, or die trying, and I will not go back on my word. As always, you have my loyalty, and so does she.”

Dain nodded. There were no more words needed. Alek left him alone in the hall as he took the time to soak in everything that he knew and prepare himself for things that he didn’t. He ate a quick bite and went upstairs to rouse his love.

CHAPTER 28

M
elenthia awoke to a sunbeam hitting her face from the open curtains. She blinked a couple of times in the bright light, then stretched and sat up in bed. The blankets slid down to her waist and she stretched again, yawning.

She thought she would feel tired this morning, weary, but instead she felt refreshed and ready to face the day. She almost wondered if everything that had happened the night before had only been in her dreams. She felt it hard to grasp the reality that not only had she fallen in love, and he was in love with her, but that it was the king who stole her heart. She blinked again a couple of times. It had been real, right?

She suddenly felt as if she were not alone and looked toward the chair near the fireplace, just to the right of the bed. Dain was sitting there watching her, a small smile on his face, his pale blue eyes translucent in the bright morning sunlight. She had not been dreaming. She really had given herself over to a man, and he loved her. She smiled back and did nothing to cover herself up.

“What? Are you still trying to figure out what to do with me?” she finally asked when he said nothing and made no moves towards her.

He laughed heartily. “No. I think we’re way past that now, don’t you?”

She smiled. “Then what?”

“I was just watching you. You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to disturb you just yet.”

“Would you like me to go back to sleep?”

He laughed again, “No, that’s not necessary.” He stood from the chair and came over to her, sitting beside her on the bed. He reached over and brushed back her hair, the red curls awry after a night of passion and deep sleep. She cradled his hand in the crook of her neck.

“I was going to wake you in a few more minutes if you didn’t wake up yourself. I know I kept you up most of the night and you must be tired, but you should probably get up now. There are things to attend to.”

“Do you want to come back to bed?” she asked him, her lids closing halfway in a sensuous way.

His loins came awake again, but he tamped them down and took a deep breath to calm his once again racing heart. “As much as that is an extremely temping offer, you really do need to get up. There will be time again later.”

“I didn’t sleep as long as I should have, but I actually don’t feel as tired as I thought I would. I feel somewhat renewed.”

He smiled at her. “Me too. You have given me a surge of new energy and hopefulness. I feel like a new man.”

He leaned over and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her naked form, caressing her. The passion ignited again, but he knew he must get her up and ready for Kevaan’s arrival. There would be plenty more nights of passion he could look forward to. He pulled back and touched her cheek. “We’re going to have a guest arriving today. I think you should probably get up and get some breakfast.”

She wrinkled up her nose. “More guests? The last two were disappointing to say the least.”

“Yes, I know. But I assure you, this one will be much more pleasant.”

“Who is it?” she asked trying to get him to reveal the secret. She leaned into him and rubbed her form against him. “Please tell me.”