Lunamae (26 page)

“Perhaps we can live closer to Feyris, if it
would make you feel better. At any rate, we should take you to
Feyris now,” he said to me, rubbing my shoulders.

“What about Eclipse?” I asked, concerned.
Surely he hadn’t forgotten my cat that was being cared for in
Midonia.

“I’ll see to his travel. I’m going to make
sure you are thoroughly pampered with anything you could ask for,”
he said to me. I turned to view a warm smile spreading across his
face.

“Thank you,” I said. I closed my eyes,
imagining my homeland and wondering if anything had changed.

I was in my third month of pregnancy, just
developing my baby bump, when we received word of an emissary
coming from Kyrie. It seemed only yesterday that the chief dame had
released the prisoners, not over a year. This time, the chief dame
made it quite obvious that the person would be received with open
arms.

I was sitting with Theron in our house the
chief dame had commissioned immediately after our return. Eclipse
was with us, and as soon as he had saw me after his transport, he
ran and meowed for petting and cat cuddles. He was now quite
settled down in his new home. We were constantly bombarded with
“presents” he had caught for us.

Lunamae came into the house as soon as I
started petting Eclipse, asking if we had heard anything further
about the emissary.

“No I haven’t,” I told her honestly. Even
though we were considered to be the same level as Angharad, because
Theron was from Fanarion, I had been kept out of political
discussions.

“I’m so tired of waiting,” the chief dame’s
daughter whined as Eclipse ran off. It was typical behavior for her
at her age. At fifteen she was becoming the beauty that her mother
was, but ever so stubborn and defiant.

“It’s only been a day since we heard of it.
The emissary would need at least a week to get here. There is no
use worrying over it. You should attend to something constructive,”
I said to her, knowing full well she had Marcus on her mind.

“There isn’t anything ‘constructive’ to do.
Can’t I just pine away?” Lunamae begged. I gave a great long sigh
and looked at her lovingly, almost motherly I thought as I caught
myself.

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt. Pining away does
have the tendency to produce needles in your heart, especially if
you are pining for something you can’t have,” I told her
honestly.

“But we
do
have something. He loves me
and I love him. What if the emissary tells me he has gone to marry
another and I’ll be all left alone and married off to a
stranger?”

“You most likely
will
be married to a
stranger. You really think Angharad would allow you to marry
Marcus?” I asked her.

“Stop telling me that!” Lunamae pouted away
as I just shook my head. I really didn’t need the added stress.
Theron had told me he had to monitor me because the “ingredients”
inside me weren’t in perfect balance and there wasn’t anything he
could do directly. He could heal me, sure, but then somehow I would
revert to my previous state. He said it was a miracle enough that I
conceived. His presence together with me must have changed me long
enough for the miracle to occur. I thank the Creator daily for
giving me such a precious gift and I was so curious to know what
the child would look like. As long as it was healthy I would be
happy, of that I was sure.

I turned to Lunamae and wrapped my arms
around her. “Perhaps we could wait on the last two days to see the
emissary arrive. Then we might be able to find out about Marcus
before the chief dame comes from the keep.”

Lunamae shook her head happily and I brushed
an errant hair away from her face. Eclipse wandered back in and
plopped his furriness in between us. Lunamae started to cuddle
him.

“I would like to,” she said to me softly.

“Shall we resume our needlework together?” I
asked. She nodded, although it seemed a bit reluctant. “Perhaps
also some riding later?”

I was probably a little more excited than her
about that prospect as I could tell from her face as she nodded
slowly. Recently, due to the attack on Talfrin years ago and the
desire that her daughter learn basic horse riding skills, Angharad
had contracted several towers to be built, primitive as they were,
to scout for would-be attackers. This allowed us to go outside the
constraints of the keep and immediate crossing of the Humble
Bridge. Since we had started so late with her, Lunamae was a bit
daunted at the size of the horse, and her emotions were very clear
when she was actually upon one. The horse always sensed it and
reacted. It really was important for her to continue learning, so
obviously she was even more evasive towards it. She would rather
play, although I’m not certain how one does such a thing at her
age.

I walked my horse out, donned in full winter
apparel. I knew Theron would probably be furious with me for even
attempting to ride in my pregnancy, but I’d seen plenty of other
women ride while pregnant. I didn’t see it as being any different
than sitting in a carriage. Walking was much better for me than
what I was going to teach Lunamae with, and I wasn’t going to teach
her from my saddle anyway.

We began with the trot. Since the gait can be
easily done over long distances, it was the most important to
learn. Lunamae had issues with balance as the horse’s body dropped
and would tousle her a bit. We started out slow without the
bouncing and worked our way up once I felt Lunamae was comfortable
enough.

Then the alarm sounded. I saw riders on the
horizon and my stomach flipped in fear and my mind went back to
when I was sixteen. I wanted to dart back to the safety of the
keep, but I knew better. I couldn’t, in my state, travel that
fast.

Suddenly I was pushed and looked over to see
Lunamae next to me. I didn’t even realize she had ridden over to me
and had been talking to me. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“Yes. I’m fine. We need to get to the keep
now,” I told her.

“You don’t see the banners from here?” she
wondered, putting her hand over her forehead to block out the
solis. “Most definitely they are banners.”

“It’s too soon for the emissary to be here,
isn’t it?” I asked her, knowing full well she wouldn’t be able to
answer such a question.

“You don’t suppose the messenger was
dawdling?” she asked me from the seat of her horse.

“It’s entirely possible,” I admitted with a
gentle sigh. There were a variety of things that could detain a
messenger, and I wasn’t about to go into detail with Lunamae.
Generally, as long as they were ahead of the event in the message,
it was all right. We’d only had a day.

“Still, let’s get back to the keep.”

“But Muirenn,” Lunamae started. “You said
we’d ask the emissary about Marcus.”

“It’s not safe,” I said to her.

“They are riding so fast.”

I know.
I didn’t want to tell her. We
wouldn’t make it to the keep with my walking. But why would an
emissary travel so fast? My eyes started to tear as I wondered if
these would be the last minutes spent of my life and I’d never be
able to see the face of my unborn child. I shuddered at the
thought. I braced myself as the rider came within sight. He was
obviously Kyrian, but in more than just plain robes. He was
armored. Why? Perhaps to brace himself in case he came into contact
with the Wuriven?

“Milady’s,” the rider said as he came within
earshot. He halted his horse next to us and for a second I thought
I recognized him.

I looked over to Lunamae who had dismounted
and started to run over to the rider. “What are you doing?” I
called out to her, but she completely ignored me. Instead, she
grasped at the rider. A wave of astonishment rushed over me and I
realized this was someone I knew—for five years.

“Marcus,” Lunamae said breathlessly. It had
been nearly two years since we had seen him and he had changed so
dramatically. His shoulders were broad and his arms were sculpted
in muscle. He was also darker and I realized of course he would be,
not being trapped in a cell.

“It is good to see you,” he said to her,
reaching down to place a hand over her hair, stroking it
gently.

“You’re the emissary?” she asked. All the
meanwhile, the way they looked at each other, it was as though I
didn’t exist. Marcus dismounted, put the banner in the rest on the
horse’s saddle, and brought Lunamae close—enough to kiss.

“I couldn’t let just anyone come here.”

“Are you an ambassador now?” she wondered
softly, gazing into his eyes. “Is that why you are alone?”

“I’m alone because I don’t trust your
mother,” he admitted. Lunamae shrugged, knowing full well how her
mother was. “I’m still in training to be an ambassador, although my
father has been pressuring me to be a Dominar. I hoped I would meet
you before her. My eyes have been longing for you.”

Right before they kissed, which I sensed they
were about to, I interrupted. “We need to get to the keep.
Especially before anyone sees you two … together.”

“You’ve been so good at keeping our secret,”
Lunamae whined.

“I, yes, but the guards who are more likely
on their way here are not. Their loyalty is to your mother. My
loyalty is to my husband. Fanarion first and foremost now,” I told
her, pulling her away from the arms of Marcus. She reached out for
him, but quickly retracted her hand as she saw the guards
approaching from the bridge.

I decided to address the guards. “Our
emissary from Kyrie has arrived.” I turned to Marcus and motioned
for him to join the guards along with his horse. This week should
prove more than interesting.

Marcus stayed for more than a week. He stayed
even through Mawth, and partly due to a massive snowstorm that
erupted in Fwyfer. Angharad left for Bexweth, Alta, Felyn, Pinor,
and Moir Awin in an attempt to try to unite the clans. She was
hesitant to bring up the marriage of her daughter to a Kyrian, but
her time with Marcus had made her softer, especially when she
learned he knew a Dominar quite well. I could only suppose it was
Marcus’ father, but I couldn’t be sure who he meant.

It was rather empty in the keep these days.
My father was acting chieftain while Angharad was away. I would
have thought Lunamae would be upset, but she was hardly old enough
to rule. She didn’t mind at all, she considered it an opportunity
to spend more time with Marcus. All the while, I or Theron stayed
close by as a chaperone. Sometimes we spent the time together as
two pairs. I always had to warn them to keep their displays of
affection minimal. Entwined arms were about as much of a touch as I
would allow. I didn’t want any rumors to spread back to the chief
dame that the emissary was being less than respectful towards her
daughter.