Despite their escape from the Frozen Mountains and the successful rescue of Arianne and Celene, there was no celebration when they finally headed home.
Even though Arianne and her companions were safe, it was difficult to forget who would not be returning home at all. That Tully Furnsby would be denied a proper burial like his wife seven years ago weighed heavily upon Dare’s conscience. It would be a regret that would follow him all his days and remind him how much he owed the couple who had lost everything to help him. Arianne tried to comfort him, but she too felt the same sorrow. She was mourning the loss of a friendship of seven years that was an illusion from the start, just a way for Syphia to gain their trust.
The griffin upon which Arianne and Dare rode was willing to return them quickly to Sandrine Keep, and Arianne was grateful for this. After everything she had been through, she wanted to enjoy what was left of her pregnancy in the comfort and safety of her home, with her husband close by. Dare could not deny her that request, and in truth he felt safer once she was within the safety of Carleon once again. They did not know how many Berserkers and shifters had escaped Sanhael, but if more were about, they may try to avenge Syphia’s loss on Arianne.
Celene and Ronen decided not to head directly to Sandrine, choosing instead to visit Angarad on their way home. Yalen had not met Ronen yet and Celene thought it was time that he met her family. Furthermore, she had not seen her father since she led Angarad’s forces across the Burning Plain towards Astorath. She longed to see him and her brothers again, to spend a few weeks in Wyndfyre before it was time to return to Gislaine. Ronen was so grateful that she was alive and well that he would have denied her nothing, and the King was happy to spare him while he visited with his Angarad family.
While the griffin offered to bear the Watch Guard back to safer lands, Melia declined, for she had no intention of leaving Serinda behind, and offered to take the horses back to safer land for Celene and Arianne, who felt similarly above leaving their horses behind. Thus Aeron offered to accompany the Watch Guard back to Angarad, despite the lady’s protestations that she was more than capable of handling herself.
To ensure that both were still alive when they reached their destination in one piece, Kyou decided that it was probably best that he accompanied the two, since there was only thing worse than travelling on the back of the horse and that was travelling upon the back of a griffin. In truth, they would pass close to the Jagged Peaks, and it was an opportunity for the dwarf to spend some time with his family before returning to Sandrine to complete work on that city’s fortifications.
Before their departure, Dare gave Melia orders to give to the Watch Guard at the Green to begin a search of the old wood for Keira’s remains. Although the possibility of finding her body was remote, the King insisted that an attempt be made. He owed Tully that much at least, and Melia was happy to take that message back for him. If they could not bury the husband, at least they could do something for the wife.
Tamsyn chose to accept the griffins’ offer and returned to his tower in the Jagged Teeth. Dare suspected that Tamsyn grieved the loss of Tully almost as deeply as him. The mage had become fond of the farmer during this quest, and knowing that they had been unable to do anything to save him was a loss that burdened him greatly. Dare supposed that immortality did not inure one to the loss of a friend.
********
With the departure of the others, Aeron, Kyou and Melia began their journey home.
The Watch Guard said little as they travelled, though Aeron’s reasons for this journey was providing Kyou amusement to no end, despite the elf’s claims otherwise. It was clear that Melia was more than capable of taking care of herself and leading the horses back to Angarad alone. However, Aeron insistence that it was a journey unsafe for a lady did not earn him her gratitude, but rather her utmost frustration.
By the second night of their journey, Kyou was growing accustomed to hearing the two bicker about one thing or another. If he did not know better, he would think they were married already.
‘I do not see why you insist on following me about everywhere—I have been taking care of myself quite a while before your vaunted presence in my life, Prince of Halas,’ Melia grumbled as she returned to the camp with firewood she had been gathering. For some odd reason, the elf had chosen to accompany her on this task, and Melia was starting to think he did not believe her capable of doing anything for herself.
‘I thought you might like the company,’ he remarked with just as much exasperation, wondering if there was something wrong with this particular mortal that made her impossible to please.
‘I am a member of the Watch Guard!’ She dropped the load of wood in her hands and growled. ‘I am accustomed to being on my own! In fact, I pride myself being able to endure being out there in the wilds alone. It is something of a job requirement.’
‘Fine, fine,’ Aeron frowned walking towards Kyou, who had been saddled with the duty of preparing the meal. ‘Obviously, my concern was unfounded. I thought a lady was not safe travelling alone in the wilderness. It is hardly proper.’
‘Proper?’ She glared at him, hands on her hips. If Aeron had known a little more about women, he would have seen that was a posture taken by the gender when preparing for battle. Kyou wondered if he ought to tell the elf that.
Then he came to his senses. It wouldn’t have been funny to watch then.
‘I am a lady in every sense of the word, Prince of Halas,’ Melia glowered imperiously. ‘I simply do not need the assistance of an elf who seems to think that without him holding their hand, every woman in Avalyne would fall to ruin!’
‘I have no intention of holding your hand, lady,’ Aeron retorted.
‘Do not make me come over there and separate you two,’ Kyou warned good-naturedly. Both of them ignored him.
‘I’m going to check on Serinda,’ Melia grumbled, before storming off beyond the radiance of the campfire.
‘Are you sure you do not require company?’ Aeron called out after her, just to be annoying.
Kyou rolled his eyes in resignation, wondering how a thousand year old elf could behave like a five year old.
Melia did not respond, but Kyou swore he heard teeth gnashing.
Aeron sniggered to himself as Kyou thrust a plate of food into the elf’s hands, shaking his head in something that was lost between of reproach and disbelief.
‘When I remarked that you were in sore need of female company, I had no idea that you were in this bad a state,’ Kyou remarked, giving Aeron a look.
‘Female company?’ Aeron stared at him with incredulity. ‘You think I have feelings for that?’ He gestured at the path taken by Melia.
‘Obviously not,’ Kyou replied with a straight face. ‘That is why you insist of following her around like a puppy.’
‘I resent the implication,’ Aeron glared at the dwarf, who until a moment ago he thought was his friend. ‘The lady is resourceful to say the least, but I am only keeping an eye on her as I would anyone, including you.’
‘Were you to keep an eye on me in that fashion Aeron, people would talk,’ Kyou teased.
‘I am not having this discussion with you,’ the elf retorted, turning to his meal.
‘Just as matter of curiosity,’ Kyou said, not about to let the subject go, at least without a few more digs at the elf’s expense. ‘How long has it been since you were with a woman?’
‘I do not see what that has to do with anything,’ Aeron muttered, suddenly uncomfortable with this subject.
‘That long,’ Kyou muttered under his breath.
‘Maybe I ought to see what’s keeping her,’ Aeron put down his place and stood up.
Kyou would have told him that was not entirely the best idea, but the elf was already striding towards the horses. Instead, the dwarf enjoyed his meal and braced himself for the inevitable scream of exasperation that would tear through the night in a matter of seconds.
He did not have long to wait.
*********
Dare paced.
He paced and ran into Aeron.
‘Sorry,’ the King apologised blankly, and resumed a little farther away from Aeron, who also did the same.
Ronen had contented to occupy his time with a deck of cards, and realised that perhaps his mind was not on the game since he was playing himself and losing. Kyou sat patiently at the window, watching the display between King and Prince. Outside, it was raining heavily. The wind lashed at the palace and the rain filled the air with a fierce pitter-patter that only served to aggravate the tempers of all those present. Occasionally a bout of thunder would rumble through the air and the King would pause, curse the fact that he had been startled, and resumed his pacing all over again.
This had been continuing for better part of six hours now and the entire palace was going through the time in something of a state of limbo. The anticipation in the air was so heavy that no one could think of anything else. Maids and servants spoke in whispers, while soldiers at their posts glanced periodically at the section of the palace where the Queen’s chambers were situated. Indeed, Kyou would not be surprised if the whole of Carleon were charged with the same anticipation that had gripped the occupants of this room.
‘How long does it take?’ Dare paused finally, unable to endure this endless waiting any further. Not even the battle of Astorath was this hard!
‘As long as it’s meant to,’ Kyou shrugged. Although he had never been in the position himself, dwarf men knew their place at times like this and it was as far away from the women as possible. All their presence served to do was to infuriate the women who would order them away until the event was over.
‘How can you be so patient?’ Ronen demanded, his own frustration expressed when he tossed the cards in the air and let them flutter around him aimlessly. He was not the one in the centre of this maelstrom, but he was just as caught up by it as the rest of them. Ronen was more than aware that he could find himself in this position soon enough. Besides, the King was his friend, he could relate to Dare’s anxiety.
‘I’m not the one whose wife is in labour,’ the dwarf grinned mischievously.
‘That is it.’ Dare decided that he could not wait anymore. Hours he had waited, hours since Arianne was spirited away from him by midwives and Celene. He had no word from any of them except to see them scurrying out of her chambers at regular intervals. Why could he not be there for her? He was her husband! ‘I cannot endure this torment any longer. I am going in there.’
‘No you’re not.’ Aeron grabbed his arm before Dare did anything he would regret. ‘If you go in there you will only get in their way.’
‘I do not care Aeron,’ Dare said promptly. ‘If there is any consolation to being King, it is not having to account for myself if I chose to enter my wife’s chambers at. Now, unhand me,’ he demanded.
‘Dare, calm down,’ Ronen insisted, joining Aeron in trying to prevent the King from barging into the birthing chambers. ‘The midwives know what they’re doing. If you go in there you will only be hampering their efforts to help Arianne deliver the baby. Have patience.’
‘Do not tell me to have patience!’ Dare hissed in exasperation as he threw his hands up in defeat. ‘My wife is in there, screaming her head off as if she were being ripped apart. I would be there at her side to endure this agony.’
‘Yes, I am certain that you being there at her side is enduring this agony for her,’ Kyou snorted.
The King was about to question this when suddenly a plaintive wail of a child filled the air. It was one short cry at first, sharp and piercing, then a longer one that tugged at the heart of all who heard it. The effect upon them all was immediate with wide grins and back-slapping moving about the room in quick succession. When the door to the birthing chamber opened, Celene stepped out and the bundle she was carrying announced himself without any difficulty.
‘Would you like to see your son?’ Celene smiled radiantly.
Dare swallowed and stared at the babe in her arms. The newborn was all creases and pink flesh. His eyes were open, but they were too new for him to see anything. Dare reached for his son and cradled the infant gently in his arms. Though it was impossible to tell who his son resembled more, his bow shaped mouth was definitely Arianne’s, and as Dare looked at him, he felt as if his whole life had been in wait for this moment.
‘He’s beautiful, Dare,’ Celene commented as Ronen slipped his arm around his wife, and they shared a little kiss as they watched the King regarding his son.
‘Arianne?’ Dare looked at the Lady of Gislaine.
‘Is waiting for you both,’ Celene concluded before he could say anything else.
*********
‘He is beautiful,’ Dare agreed softly with Celene’s declaration when he stood at the doorway to Arianne’s chambers, his smile wide as he regarded his wife who looked terribly exhausted after her labours today. ‘Almost as beautiful as you.’
Arianne turned to him and smiled wearily. There was still perspiration on her face and though she would always be radiant to him, it was clear that she had been pushed to the limits of her endurance and was in need of a good rest. Dare carried their son to her and rested him at the side of her bed before nestling the child in the crook of her arm. Arianne’s eyes filled with tears as she saw her babe again, the child that was born into the light with no trace of Syphia’s evil spell or Mael’s darkness upon his cherubic face.
‘Oh, Dare.’ She tried not to cry, but the emotion of the moment made her weak and she could not help herself. ‘He is everything we dreamed he would be.’
‘Yes,’ Dare agreed, and he leaned over to plant a soft kiss upon her forehead. ‘He is, my love, the finest thing that we have ever done together.’
‘He will be the first,’ Arianne smiled happily. ‘I intend for him to have a house full of brothers and sisters.’
‘I do not care how many children we have, Rian,’ Dare whispered as he held her in his arms as she held their child. ‘As long as I have them with you.’
‘And I with you,’ she replied before their lips met in a warm kiss.
When they parted, Dare stared at his son’s face and remarked, ‘So, what will your name be young Prince?’
‘I was thinking,’ Arianne said with a little smile, ‘Braedan Tully.’
Dare’s eyes misted over and he nodded. ‘I think that is perfect.’