Later that night, as they cuddled in each other’s arms and watched the flickering light of the campfire, Brandela twisted to look at Donovan and asked, “I’ve been wondering something. As your wife, what house am I now affiliated with?”
“What house?” Donovan repeated, puzzled.
“Yes, you know, like my father’s house is the House of Oen-dale. When a maiden marries, she takes affiliation with her husband’s house. What is your house name?”
“I don’t have a house, Brandela. That’s an Elven custom. Humans from the Wildlands don’t generally have last names, unless they are earned through special deeds. I was too young at the time that I started living amongst the Elves to have earned a name.”
Brandela frowned thoughtfully. “But what house will our children be raised under in the future? Elven citizens without a house are little more than outcasts.”
Donovan said nothing to this for a long moment, then gently brought up the question she had invoked in his mind. “Brandela, four months ago, neither of us had any idea that an Elf could bond with a human. Are you sure that we’re even capable of having children?” Brandela didn’t reply right away. She had never really considered whether it was possible or not. She knew, from what her mother told her, that Elven maidens, once bonded to their mates, were able to become pregnant with their husband’s seed. But what if the husband was not of the same race?
Finally, she replied, “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. But, even if we couldn’t, I would count myself blessed to have you as my bonded mate.”
They sat in thoughtful silence for a moment before she added, cheerfully, “Just in case we can, though, I want to be prepared. We should have a house name for our offspring and, if you don’t have one, then we will just have to create one.”
Donovan smiled at her enthusiasm. “Okay then,” he replied, “what do you have in mind?
Brandela thought for a long moment and then suggested, “Perhaps your house name should be the name of your kin.”
Donovan chuckled. “I guess, since I have no kin, that would make me Donovan, of the House of Donovan.”
Brandela laughed and readily admitted that perhaps it needed a little work.
Donovan kissed the top of her head and replied, “No, the House of Donovan isn’t a bad sounding name. It’s fine.”
Brandela was pleased with his response and glowed with Donovan’s approval. She snuggled closer to him and said, without thinking, “Donovan, I love you so much.”
A deafening silence fell between them and Brandela turned her face into Donovan’s chest to hide her embarrassment. Why had she let that slip? How could she ever look into his face again?
“I love you as well, my Princess,” he murmured.
Brandela lifted her head from his chest and looked into his eyes. Had she just heard what she thought she had heard? “What did you say?” she asked, incredulously.
“I said I love you, Princess.” He took a deep breath and laughed nervously as he exhaled. “I remember my father once telling me that love is not simply a feeling, but a choice. ‘You will know when you’re in love,’ he told me, ‘because some days you’ll want to kiss her and other days you’ll want to strangle her. As long as you want to kiss her more than strangle her, you’ll be fine.’” Donovan grinned at the memory and gazed intently at Brandela. “I haven’t wanted to strangle you once yet, so I guess, by my father’s standards, I’m in love.”
Brandela began laughing and tears of joy streamed down her face. “I knew I loved you within two weeks of knowing you,” she confessed. “I was so worried that you didn’t, or couldn’t, as a human, feel the same. I was so scared to tell you how I really felt, even after we had bonded. I still can’t quite believe this could be possible.”
Donovan smiled at her unabashed tears of joy and, as she poured her heart out to him, he marveled at the remarkable change she had undergone during their time together. The rigid and formal princess was now weeping openly, sharing all of her feelings and fears and joys with him. How fortunate he was to have a woman such as this who deeply loved and cared for him. She didn’t know it, but she completely filled the void of sadness that he had felt ever since Alayna’s death. He still thought about Alayna often and knew that Alayna would be pleased with his new wife if she could see what had become of him.
Brandela began kissing Donovan’s face, again and again and again. She couldn’t help herself—she was just so filled with happiness.
Donovan began to stir at Brandela’s display of affection and she soon received the third shock of that day. Donovan’s desire was burning yet again, even so soon after they had made love in the river. It was a fantastically pleasant surprise. She could think of nothing that she would rather be doing than making love to the man who loved her.
Donovan rolled on top of her with a wicked grin on his face and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face to hers to kiss with all the passion she possessed. She couldn’t possibly be any happier than she was at that moment with this man she loved with all her heart.
Several leagues north, up the Kshearry River, Garock stood, waiting. He was not in a good mood. He had been forced to abandon his encampment months earlier to avoid the wrath of his suppliers. All he had left were a few of his most trusted soldiers.
He longed for the time when he’d had thousands at the battle. How quickly everything had changed around him… and all because of one man. He never should’ve agreed to that deal, and now his only hope was to somehow get his hands back on that Elven princess. If he could get her back, there was still a chance that he could buy off his suppliers and, with some luck, he could get back to business as usual. He would rebuild and become even more powerful than he had ever been in the past.
His concentration was broken by the return of some of his men from their scouting mission south, along the Kshearry River. He watched in silence as they got off the floating log platforms, pulled the rafts to shore and headed towards him. They had found no signs of the prey so far, they reported.
Garock nodded his head and waved the men away. They have to be heading north, he thought, and there ’s no way they would have gotten past this point yet. It’s the only route through. Eventually they ’l l come—and when they do, I’ ll be right here waiting for them.
The man would die a slow and painful death; Garock would make sure of that, personally. He would get his revenge for all the trouble the unknown man had caused him. They would not escape this time; everything was in place. All he had to do was wait patiently and let them walk right into his hands.
And this time he would not spare the princess. It had been months since he’d had a woman and he was in desperate need of one. He didn’t touch her the first time, tempting as she was, because he thought it might hurt her resale value. But now, he didn’t care. Times had been too hard and he doubted if his suppliers would care if she was damaged goods or not. Yes, he would have his way with her this time and it would not be pleasurable for her. He grinned as he imagined her pleading and her delightful whimpers and cries. It’s simply a matter of time, he thought.
Downstream, Donovan and Brandela prepared to continue their northward journey, and Garock was far from Donovan’s mind. Wolf tracks circled their campsite, closer than ever, and larger. Donovan had taken some comfort in the knowledge that most animals feared fire. As long as he kept the fire burning, he had felt confident that he could keep Brandela safe. But these wolves were growing rapidly bolder and he wasn’t sure the fire would be enough for much longer. Sooner or later, he would have to confront the animals. It was time to make Brandela aware of the danger they faced.
Brandela was very quiet while she listened to Donovan telling her about the wolves. She listened to his words as he told her everything he knew and understood and guessed about the kazzic wolves’ behavior and what they might do. And she listened to his heart and felt the deep concern for their safety, for her safety.
“I think the best course of action would be to confront them and scare them off. If we don’t, they may become bold enough to attack us while we’re sleeping. It wasn’t a problem before as long as we had a fire going, but now I’m not so sure that it’s enough anymore.”
“When do you want to set this trap of yours?” asked Brandela, quietly.
“Tonight,” answered Donovan. “Once we set up camp tonight, I’ll hide well back from the fire. I’ll disguise my scent with river mud and position myself downwind from you. I should be able to hear them once they start making their way toward the camp.”
Brandela frowned. “And if they choose, tonight, to disregard their inherent fear of fire and come after me?”
Donovan smiled at her transparent attempt to discourage his plan. “I’ll leave you my short sword and you make sure to scream as loudly as you can. It’ll startle them and give me time to get to you.”
Brandela did not reply immediately but looked at Donovan with serious eyes. Her voice was barely more than a whisper when she asked, “And what about you? Who is going to save you if you get into trouble?”
Donovan laughed out loud. “I’ll save me! Or have you forgotten that I am a highly trained warrior? As long as I have my bow and broadsword I’ll be fine, trust me on this.”
Brandela did not look placated by his answer. If fact, she was becoming increasingly agitated as he spoke. “I trust your skills as a warrior, but I would rather you did not go off risking your life,” she said in a clipped voice.
Donovan raised his eyebrows, amused by her silly reaction. His expression angered her and she was nearly yelling when she said, “I’m serious, Donovan. I understand that you must keep us safe, but one of your duties as my husband is to stay by my side. How can you do that if you’re deliberately putting yourself in harm’s way?”
Donovan pulled her into his arms, trying to comfort her. He could feel her trembling and realized, finally, just how afraid she was. “It’s all right,” he soothed. “Nothing is going to happen to you, my love. I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you. I promise.”
Brandela pulled away from him and looked up at him with a wounded expression. “I’m not afraid for myself, you daft man. I’m afraid for you. I fear you may never return to me. If you get yourself killed, I’ll never forgive you.”
Donovan pulled her close again and rested his chin atop her head. She was being so sweet and foolish right now. He would never fully understand how her mind worked.
“Nothing will happen to me,” he promised her. “I will always manage to make my way back to you.”
“You’d better,” answered Brandela softly as she squeezed him tightly.