“I doubt that you are seriously interested.”
Uther interrupted Syranna in between bites of food.
“Fitzwalter, and the big one is Marcus.”
William laughed out loud, spewing wine from his mouth.
Marcus’ glare could not quell his laugh, either. Marcus saw the gleam of
amusement in his friend’s eyes, revealing his surety that this would make a
good story to tell Stancia, and most probably several of the friends they had
made while fighting.
Syranna spoke quickly. “Do not read more into this than a
simple name.” She stopped as Fitz and AnnaBelle crawled back into her lap.
Quickly she fitted their mouthpieces. Looking up she found Marcus’ eyes trained
on her.
Marcus grinned at the beautiful woman. “It appears ‘Marcus’
has a lusty appetite!”
Syranna glared at him while she picked the last dragon up
and replaced his mouthpiece. “Well, if you are finished eating, Lord Marcus,
then I suggest you be on your way. It is a long ride back—”
Marcus grabbed her forearm as her feet hit the floor. “I’m not
going anywhere until you and I speak in private.”
“Very well.” Syranna looked at Uther. “Uther, will you
please take the babies for their walk?”
“Eeuuw…can’t they wait until you are done? The last time I
took them they singed the bottom of my best robe and I had to explain to cook
how her prized carrots got a little toasty.”
Syranna looked away from Marcus, but not before he saw the
smile curling her lips. “Then I guess that means you get to walk with me, Lord
Marcus.” She made a different trilling noise this time and started walking
toward the door he had entered through a short time earlier.
“No, William” he replied as the other man went to stand.
“You can stay here with Uther.” Marcus turned and quickly followed Syranna,
joining her entourage, which he hated to admit resembled a mother duck and her
ducklings.
Marcus caught up with Syranna as she entered the garden to
the side of the castle. It held little resemblance to the well-cared for lawns
and gardens surrounding his palace. Plants and flowers grew wild in every
direction. What was at one time a stone path was now mostly grass and weeds,
nearly obliterating the stones entirely. Walking quickly, he soon saw that
Syranna was seated on a stone bench. As he came close, he heard splashing
noises.
“Good Lord! What next?” Marcus exclaimed as he watched the
three little mischief-makers splashing and playing in a stone pond.
Syranna turned from watching her dragonets’ antics to the
tall, fierce warrior. “Why did you come here?”
Marcus turned to look at Syranna. “I’m surprised that you
ask, madam. It’s been more than a month, and I assumed there might be
consequences from our night together.”
The bright flush that suddenly stained Syranna’s cheeks
didn’t strike him as embarrassment, especially when she turned away from his
gaze quickly. He watched as Syranna jumped to her feet and walked toward the
water. When she spoke, it was not at all what he had been expecting to hear.
“I owe you an apology, sir. I hope that you can forgive my
transgression. If there had been any other way…believe me, I would have taken
it.”
Marcus walked across the overgrown weeds and grass to stand
beside Syranna. He noticed how pale her skin looked in the sunlight and how her
black hair shimmered. “Of course, I forgive you. We are going to be married,
after all.”
Syranna turned her head to look at him and Marcus was
stunned to see the tears welling up in her blue eyes. “I doubt that you will
want to marry me, once you learn of my treachery.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Syranna. What could you possibly have
done that would require my forgiveness, let alone make me change my mind about
marrying you?” Marcus reached out and turned Syranna’s body to face him fully.
Jokingly, he asked, “Is there another man? Don’t tell me it’s old Uther. No one
would believe that!”
“Ha!” she replied with a
Uther interrupted Syranna in between bites of food.
“Fitzwalter, and the big one is Marcus.”
William laughed out loud, spewing wine from his mouth.
Marcus’ glare could not quell his laugh, either. Marcus saw the gleam of
amusement in his friend’s eyes, revealing his surety that this would make a
good story to tell Stancia, and most probably several of the friends they had
made while fighting.
Syranna spoke quickly. “Do not read more into this than a
simple name.” She stopped as Fitz and AnnaBelle crawled back into her lap.
Quickly she fitted their mouthpieces. Looking up she found Marcus’ eyes trained
on her.
Marcus grinned at the beautiful woman. “It appears ‘Marcus’
has a lusty appetite!”
Syranna glared at him while she picked the last dragon up
and replaced his mouthpiece. “Well, if you are finished eating, Lord Marcus,
then I suggest you be on your way. It is a long ride back—”
Marcus grabbed her forearm as her feet hit the floor. “I’m not
going anywhere until you and I speak in private.”
“Very well.” Syranna looked at Uther. “Uther, will you
please take the babies for their walk?”
“Eeuuw…can’t they wait until you are done? The last time I
took them they singed the bottom of my best robe and I had to explain to cook
how her prized carrots got a little toasty.”
Syranna looked away from Marcus, but not before he saw the
smile curling her lips. “Then I guess that means you get to walk with me, Lord
Marcus.” She made a different trilling noise this time and started walking
toward the door he had entered through a short time earlier.
“No, William” he replied as the other man went to stand.
“You can stay here with Uther.” Marcus turned and quickly followed Syranna,
joining her entourage, which he hated to admit resembled a mother duck and her
ducklings.
Marcus caught up with Syranna as she entered the garden to
the side of the castle. It held little resemblance to the well-cared for lawns
and gardens surrounding his palace. Plants and flowers grew wild in every
direction. What was at one time a stone path was now mostly grass and weeds,
nearly obliterating the stones entirely. Walking quickly, he soon saw that
Syranna was seated on a stone bench. As he came close, he heard splashing
noises.
“Good Lord! What next?” Marcus exclaimed as he watched the
three little mischief-makers splashing and playing in a stone pond.
Syranna turned from watching her dragonets’ antics to the
tall, fierce warrior. “Why did you come here?”
Marcus turned to look at Syranna. “I’m surprised that you
ask, madam. It’s been more than a month, and I assumed there might be
consequences from our night together.”
The bright flush that suddenly stained Syranna’s cheeks
didn’t strike him as embarrassment, especially when she turned away from his
gaze quickly. He watched as Syranna jumped to her feet and walked toward the
water. When she spoke, it was not at all what he had been expecting to hear.
“I owe you an apology, sir. I hope that you can forgive my
transgression. If there had been any other way…believe me, I would have taken
it.”
Marcus walked across the overgrown weeds and grass to stand
beside Syranna. He noticed how pale her skin looked in the sunlight and how her
black hair shimmered. “Of course, I forgive you. We are going to be married,
after all.”
Syranna turned her head to look at him and Marcus was
stunned to see the tears welling up in her blue eyes. “I doubt that you will
want to marry me, once you learn of my treachery.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Syranna. What could you possibly have
done that would require my forgiveness, let alone make me change my mind about
marrying you?” Marcus reached out and turned Syranna’s body to face him fully.
Jokingly, he asked, “Is there another man? Don’t tell me it’s old Uther. No one
would believe that!”
“Ha!” she replied with a
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