then … I’ll know.”
“You’re a courageous woman, Mariah.”
She blinked again, took a deep breath, and looked at Rowan. Her eyes narrowed. “So what’s your story? Where are you from?”
Rowan carefully lifted the glass of juice and drank. He could feel the cool, soothing liquid run down his insides and settle into his stomach. It was a strange sensation.
“As a child, I was an orphan, living on the streets of Laos. But then I met a man who taught me about the Prince.”
Mariah’s eyes opened wide. She leaned forward and put her hand on his arm. “The King reigns…,” she began.
“And His Son,” Rowan finished.
“So you’re a Follower too?” she asked
Rowan dropped his gaze. “Yes … but not a very good one.” He looked back into her eyes and saw no condemnation.
“Sir Aldwyn took me under his tutelage and taught me the ways of the Prince and of the sword.” Rowan paused to take a bite of his corn mush. “I learned them well, especially the sword. After four-and-a-half years of training, I began to participate in the tournaments.”
At that, Mariah looked confused. “Why?” she asked.
Rowan wasn’t sure how to answer. She had obviously never heard of him, and he found himself grateful for that. “Because I was a foolish young knight seeking fame and fortune.” He grimaced and turned away for a moment.
“So,” Mariah asked teasingly, “did you find it?”
He looked back into her eyes.
“Yes.”
Mariah’s smile faded as she realized that he was not kidding.
“I know it is hard to believe, considering how I look now.” Rowan lifted a wasted arm and shook his head. “But before my capture, I was quite strong. I fought in many tournaments and eventually became the champion of Laos. I was on my way to fight in the Camerian Games at Kroywen when I was taken by the marauders.”
Mariah slowly straightened in her chair. Rowan wondered if she believed him. His story sounded far-fetched even to him. Nothing was said for a while as Rowan took another drink of juice and finished a few spoonfuls of mush.
“I will be able to pay you for your trouble once I get back to Laos,” Rowan said.
Mariah reached for the empty tray across Rowan’s lap. “Palson said we shouldn’t accept payment for kindness, especially from those who are in need.” She stood and started toward the door. “You are welcome to stay as long as you like, provided you behave yourself.”
It took Rowan a week before he felt he had regained enough strength to move about and relocate to the outbuilding. He still fatigued easily, but he could feel his strength steadily returning. Mariah’s care was unfaltering, and Rowan became more and more grateful to her every day. Hearing her sing in the morning was perhaps his favorite experience of each day, for it was a reminder that he was indeed free from the torture of evil men.
The more he was with Mariah, in fact, the more he liked her. At first he attributed the attraction to the fact that she had saved his life and was caring for him, but then he began to suspect it was something more. None of the other maidens of Laos had ever affected him this way. Mariah was a true Follower of the Prince, and he admired how she lived her simple life with integrity and devotion. He also admired her beauty, and each day he found himself drawn to her more strongly.
She, on the other hand, seemed to be distancing herself from him as he grew stronger, and he couldn’t understand why. She gave no indication that he was anything more than a guest in need. He told himself this was probably for the best, since his life in Laos was waiting for him.
When ten days had passed, Rowan decided to return home. He voiced his intentions the next morning at breakfast.
“You’re still in no condition to travel,” Mariah protested mildly. “I could barely get you from the cave to my farm, and that’s a short distance compared to the journey to Laos. It’s a full day’s ride even
“You’re a courageous woman, Mariah.”
She blinked again, took a deep breath, and looked at Rowan. Her eyes narrowed. “So what’s your story? Where are you from?”
Rowan carefully lifted the glass of juice and drank. He could feel the cool, soothing liquid run down his insides and settle into his stomach. It was a strange sensation.
“As a child, I was an orphan, living on the streets of Laos. But then I met a man who taught me about the Prince.”
Mariah’s eyes opened wide. She leaned forward and put her hand on his arm. “The King reigns…,” she began.
“And His Son,” Rowan finished.
“So you’re a Follower too?” she asked
Rowan dropped his gaze. “Yes … but not a very good one.” He looked back into her eyes and saw no condemnation.
“Sir Aldwyn took me under his tutelage and taught me the ways of the Prince and of the sword.” Rowan paused to take a bite of his corn mush. “I learned them well, especially the sword. After four-and-a-half years of training, I began to participate in the tournaments.”
At that, Mariah looked confused. “Why?” she asked.
Rowan wasn’t sure how to answer. She had obviously never heard of him, and he found himself grateful for that. “Because I was a foolish young knight seeking fame and fortune.” He grimaced and turned away for a moment.
“So,” Mariah asked teasingly, “did you find it?”
He looked back into her eyes.
“Yes.”
Mariah’s smile faded as she realized that he was not kidding.
“I know it is hard to believe, considering how I look now.” Rowan lifted a wasted arm and shook his head. “But before my capture, I was quite strong. I fought in many tournaments and eventually became the champion of Laos. I was on my way to fight in the Camerian Games at Kroywen when I was taken by the marauders.”
Mariah slowly straightened in her chair. Rowan wondered if she believed him. His story sounded far-fetched even to him. Nothing was said for a while as Rowan took another drink of juice and finished a few spoonfuls of mush.
“I will be able to pay you for your trouble once I get back to Laos,” Rowan said.
Mariah reached for the empty tray across Rowan’s lap. “Palson said we shouldn’t accept payment for kindness, especially from those who are in need.” She stood and started toward the door. “You are welcome to stay as long as you like, provided you behave yourself.”
It took Rowan a week before he felt he had regained enough strength to move about and relocate to the outbuilding. He still fatigued easily, but he could feel his strength steadily returning. Mariah’s care was unfaltering, and Rowan became more and more grateful to her every day. Hearing her sing in the morning was perhaps his favorite experience of each day, for it was a reminder that he was indeed free from the torture of evil men.
The more he was with Mariah, in fact, the more he liked her. At first he attributed the attraction to the fact that she had saved his life and was caring for him, but then he began to suspect it was something more. None of the other maidens of Laos had ever affected him this way. Mariah was a true Follower of the Prince, and he admired how she lived her simple life with integrity and devotion. He also admired her beauty, and each day he found himself drawn to her more strongly.
She, on the other hand, seemed to be distancing herself from him as he grew stronger, and he couldn’t understand why. She gave no indication that he was anything more than a guest in need. He told himself this was probably for the best, since his life in Laos was waiting for him.
When ten days had passed, Rowan decided to return home. He voiced his intentions the next morning at breakfast.
“You’re still in no condition to travel,” Mariah protested mildly. “I could barely get you from the cave to my farm, and that’s a short distance compared to the journey to Laos. It’s a full day’s ride even
Similar Books
