escort you, My Lady?”
Emmeline looked at his arm and then back at his face. Could she trust him? Her experiences thus far told her to run away, that he could be one of Mahlon’s men. And yet he looked at her with such warmth, not a trace of fear or malice in his eyes. Her curiosity won and she took hold of his arm, her hand trembling.
He smiled down a t her and held his arm further from his body, no doubt sensing her discomfort. She appreciated the gesture and the space it allowed, but he began leading her in the opposite direction than she had come and a wave of nausea flooded over her.
“Are y ou certain this is the way to the paths?” she asked.
“There is a road up ahead that leads to ju st about anywhere. It’s easier to travel than the forest paths, but it’s a bit of a walk, I’m afraid. Do you think you’ll be able to manage?”
Emmeline bristled and pulled her arm away. “I can manage just fine, thank you.”
“Forgive me, My Lady.” He gestured toward the trees and held his arm out once again. “Shall we?”
Emmeline hesitated. Was he really going to lead her to the road? Or did he know her true identity and was leading her farther away? Her heart pounded in her chest. Glancing around, she hoped to get a better sense of the forest and perhaps find her own way. But the forest was thick and the trees obscured a view of any kind. Unlike her forest home, she feared Dolmerti’s forest was a labyrinth she might never solve.
She looked up at the young man, his face relaxed as he waited for her to take his arm. He smiled and she could almost feel the warmth emanating from him. He wouldn’t harm her, she decided. Nodding, she took hold of his arm once again.
After several long strides he broke their silence, his smooth voice echoing off the trees. “What brought you to my clearing?”
“I t’s your clearing?”
“Sure ,” he said with a wink. “At least, I’m the only one who goes there, but I’d be happy to share it now that the secret is out.”
“Well, thanks ,” Emmeline muttered. She tilted her neck up to smile at him and he responded with a smile of his own. The last of her defenses melted away.
“ What brought you to the clearing?” she asked.
“I go there when I need to think . I am the King’s gamekeeper. Although, he no longer hunts. The two princes hunt on occasion, but while they are traveling I have more free time to myself. I prefer the quiet of the forest.”
“There are two princes?”
“Of course. The Crown Prince and his younger brother, Prince Weldon. You must not be from Dolmerti.”
Emmeline shook her head.
“ I should have known from your speech. Where are you from?”
Emmeline tensed. W ould she be in danger if she told him? She couldn’t be sure. “Why doesn’t the King hunt anymore?” she asked, hoping to drop the subject of her origins.
“You don’t know? He’ s blind. He lost his sight about ten years ago.”
“How devastating.”
He nodded, “It has caused some problems among a few of the nobles. They don’t think a blind king will notice their lack of integrity and radical behaviors. But the Crown Prince has taken on most of the royal affairs as of late.”
“I meant for the King . It must be devastating for him to be blind.”
“Oh, y es, of course. Forgive me. The King is an optimistic man. He doesn’t see his blindness as a hindrance, but rather as an excuse to become a better listener.” He chuckled.
It was clear to Emmeline that he thought very highly of the King and she wondered when she would have the opportunity to meet him. It had been over six weeks since her arrival and not once had he requested an audience with her. Several possible explanations flitted through her mind—he didn’t care for her common upbringing, his illness prevented him—but none seemed a proper enough excuse to ignore his future daughter.
When t hey reached the road, Emmeline understood why the young man said it led almost anywhere. Memories
Emmeline looked at his arm and then back at his face. Could she trust him? Her experiences thus far told her to run away, that he could be one of Mahlon’s men. And yet he looked at her with such warmth, not a trace of fear or malice in his eyes. Her curiosity won and she took hold of his arm, her hand trembling.
He smiled down a t her and held his arm further from his body, no doubt sensing her discomfort. She appreciated the gesture and the space it allowed, but he began leading her in the opposite direction than she had come and a wave of nausea flooded over her.
“Are y ou certain this is the way to the paths?” she asked.
“There is a road up ahead that leads to ju st about anywhere. It’s easier to travel than the forest paths, but it’s a bit of a walk, I’m afraid. Do you think you’ll be able to manage?”
Emmeline bristled and pulled her arm away. “I can manage just fine, thank you.”
“Forgive me, My Lady.” He gestured toward the trees and held his arm out once again. “Shall we?”
Emmeline hesitated. Was he really going to lead her to the road? Or did he know her true identity and was leading her farther away? Her heart pounded in her chest. Glancing around, she hoped to get a better sense of the forest and perhaps find her own way. But the forest was thick and the trees obscured a view of any kind. Unlike her forest home, she feared Dolmerti’s forest was a labyrinth she might never solve.
She looked up at the young man, his face relaxed as he waited for her to take his arm. He smiled and she could almost feel the warmth emanating from him. He wouldn’t harm her, she decided. Nodding, she took hold of his arm once again.
After several long strides he broke their silence, his smooth voice echoing off the trees. “What brought you to my clearing?”
“I t’s your clearing?”
“Sure ,” he said with a wink. “At least, I’m the only one who goes there, but I’d be happy to share it now that the secret is out.”
“Well, thanks ,” Emmeline muttered. She tilted her neck up to smile at him and he responded with a smile of his own. The last of her defenses melted away.
“ What brought you to the clearing?” she asked.
“I go there when I need to think . I am the King’s gamekeeper. Although, he no longer hunts. The two princes hunt on occasion, but while they are traveling I have more free time to myself. I prefer the quiet of the forest.”
“There are two princes?”
“Of course. The Crown Prince and his younger brother, Prince Weldon. You must not be from Dolmerti.”
Emmeline shook her head.
“ I should have known from your speech. Where are you from?”
Emmeline tensed. W ould she be in danger if she told him? She couldn’t be sure. “Why doesn’t the King hunt anymore?” she asked, hoping to drop the subject of her origins.
“You don’t know? He’ s blind. He lost his sight about ten years ago.”
“How devastating.”
He nodded, “It has caused some problems among a few of the nobles. They don’t think a blind king will notice their lack of integrity and radical behaviors. But the Crown Prince has taken on most of the royal affairs as of late.”
“I meant for the King . It must be devastating for him to be blind.”
“Oh, y es, of course. Forgive me. The King is an optimistic man. He doesn’t see his blindness as a hindrance, but rather as an excuse to become a better listener.” He chuckled.
It was clear to Emmeline that he thought very highly of the King and she wondered when she would have the opportunity to meet him. It had been over six weeks since her arrival and not once had he requested an audience with her. Several possible explanations flitted through her mind—he didn’t care for her common upbringing, his illness prevented him—but none seemed a proper enough excuse to ignore his future daughter.
When t hey reached the road, Emmeline understood why the young man said it led almost anywhere. Memories
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