nearly three summers less than you, and you adore
her.”
This was true. I stopped
and really thought about what she was saying. Could the young widow have been in love with me? She was certainly doting upon me—always wanting
me to do things with her. I shook my head. “It matters not. She is
happily married to another now and expecting a babe of her
own.”
She glanced down. “And soon you will be
too.”
“ Yes, soon I will be too.”
It was unreal how fast things could change.
“ But not with the girl you
were expecting.”
She wasn’t going to let this go.
“ No, but with a girl more
exquisite than any I’ve ever seen. A girl who’s opened the windows
of my imagination and shown me there’s so much more to believe in.
I am here with you just like you’ve always wanted, and that’s all
that matters. Will that be enough for now?”
Eirian’s eyes filled with tears, and she
nodded. “It will be enough—for now.”
I reached for her hand and we started
walking together again, maneuvering through the sculpted paths and
stairways—gradually descending lower.
She didn’t speak, or explain things as we
walked, and I didn’t press her to. I knew our conversation was
weighing heavily on her, and I wasn’t sure what was upsetting her.
I wasn’t going to press for answers though. If she wanted to tell
me something, she would.
I quietly observed everything as we
passed—trying to take it all in as I thought of the craftsmanship
and trades I’d love to learn from these people. Those thoughts
brought me pause, though, causing me to wonder how I would provide
a living for myself and Eirian. Granted, she was a princess, but I
still wanted to keep busy.
My father reared me in lessons of farming,
and raising strong, beautiful horses. People came from miles around
to purchase from our stock. I’d intended to continue on in the same
grain, but as I looked around, there were no fields to tend, no
places for horses to even be used. It was as if everything I’d been
taught in my life was for naught, and it worried me.
“ What will I do to support
us?” I asked Eirian, bringing her out of her current
musings.
“ Hmm? You mean like
work?”
I chuckled. “Yes, that’s exactly what I
mean.”
She waved her free hand in the air, as if to
brush the subject off. “You needn’t worry of such things
anymore.”
“ But I do. I’m a laborer.
It’s the only life I’ve known, and I want to be productive. Even if
my skills are not useful here, I’m teachable. I long to learn new
things.”
“ I understand, and I know
you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, but I’m saying
it’s not necessary. I’m royalty and all our needs are taken care
of. It would be unseemly for you to get your hands
dirty.”
I laughed. “Then what, pray tell, do you do
around here?”
“ Whatever we want.” She
smiled. “The Fae have always been suited to creativity and
learning, but we relish pleasure as well. The servants will take
care of our needs, leaving us to enjoy the pursuit of the finer
things in life.”
“ Which are what
exactly?”
“ Things like lovemaking and
merriment.” Her eyes sparkled vividly, as we reached the water
level. “Don’t worry, Bran. I promise to keep you busy!”
Chapter Seven
There was no bridge that extended from the
canyon walls to the glowing, thin-spired castle mid river. Though
the water seemed smooth from above, I could tell there was a swift
undercurrent farther out. Several of the anchored boats bobbed up
and down, some of them bumping together occasionally with a hollow
thud as they shifted.
Eirian let go of my hand and stood on the
end of the pier.
I looked around, and seeing no one, began to
loosen the rope of the closest boat.
“ Wait,” she commanded
without turning. She continued to stand still.
“ What are we waiting for? I
can have one of these boats loose in just a second and row us
over.”
“ We already have one.” She
pointed toward
her.”
This was true. I stopped
and really thought about what she was saying. Could the young widow have been in love with me? She was certainly doting upon me—always wanting
me to do things with her. I shook my head. “It matters not. She is
happily married to another now and expecting a babe of her
own.”
She glanced down. “And soon you will be
too.”
“ Yes, soon I will be too.”
It was unreal how fast things could change.
“ But not with the girl you
were expecting.”
She wasn’t going to let this go.
“ No, but with a girl more
exquisite than any I’ve ever seen. A girl who’s opened the windows
of my imagination and shown me there’s so much more to believe in.
I am here with you just like you’ve always wanted, and that’s all
that matters. Will that be enough for now?”
Eirian’s eyes filled with tears, and she
nodded. “It will be enough—for now.”
I reached for her hand and we started
walking together again, maneuvering through the sculpted paths and
stairways—gradually descending lower.
She didn’t speak, or explain things as we
walked, and I didn’t press her to. I knew our conversation was
weighing heavily on her, and I wasn’t sure what was upsetting her.
I wasn’t going to press for answers though. If she wanted to tell
me something, she would.
I quietly observed everything as we
passed—trying to take it all in as I thought of the craftsmanship
and trades I’d love to learn from these people. Those thoughts
brought me pause, though, causing me to wonder how I would provide
a living for myself and Eirian. Granted, she was a princess, but I
still wanted to keep busy.
My father reared me in lessons of farming,
and raising strong, beautiful horses. People came from miles around
to purchase from our stock. I’d intended to continue on in the same
grain, but as I looked around, there were no fields to tend, no
places for horses to even be used. It was as if everything I’d been
taught in my life was for naught, and it worried me.
“ What will I do to support
us?” I asked Eirian, bringing her out of her current
musings.
“ Hmm? You mean like
work?”
I chuckled. “Yes, that’s exactly what I
mean.”
She waved her free hand in the air, as if to
brush the subject off. “You needn’t worry of such things
anymore.”
“ But I do. I’m a laborer.
It’s the only life I’ve known, and I want to be productive. Even if
my skills are not useful here, I’m teachable. I long to learn new
things.”
“ I understand, and I know
you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, but I’m saying
it’s not necessary. I’m royalty and all our needs are taken care
of. It would be unseemly for you to get your hands
dirty.”
I laughed. “Then what, pray tell, do you do
around here?”
“ Whatever we want.” She
smiled. “The Fae have always been suited to creativity and
learning, but we relish pleasure as well. The servants will take
care of our needs, leaving us to enjoy the pursuit of the finer
things in life.”
“ Which are what
exactly?”
“ Things like lovemaking and
merriment.” Her eyes sparkled vividly, as we reached the water
level. “Don’t worry, Bran. I promise to keep you busy!”
Chapter Seven
There was no bridge that extended from the
canyon walls to the glowing, thin-spired castle mid river. Though
the water seemed smooth from above, I could tell there was a swift
undercurrent farther out. Several of the anchored boats bobbed up
and down, some of them bumping together occasionally with a hollow
thud as they shifted.
Eirian let go of my hand and stood on the
end of the pier.
I looked around, and seeing no one, began to
loosen the rope of the closest boat.
“ Wait,” she commanded
without turning. She continued to stand still.
“ What are we waiting for? I
can have one of these boats loose in just a second and row us
over.”
“ We already have one.” She
pointed toward
Similar Books
