Mercy's Prince (22 page)

“I
must speak with Eldred as soon as possible.”

“Any
particular reason?” Ruddy stared at Valerian until he met his gaze.

Without
meaning to, Valerian
Saw
the older man’s thoughts. His anger and
bitterness assaulted him, and Valerian cringed at the intensity of it. Ruddy
scowled.

“What
did ye do just now?”

“I’m
sorry. That’s why I must see Eldred, so I can learn how to control it.”

“Control
what?”

“I’m
a Seer.” Valerian grimaced. “The gift came upon me the very hour Waryn died.”

Ruddy’s
face reddened, and he raised his voice.

“So,
Your Highness, ’tis not enough that ye cut off me leg, now ye invade my mind
without permission?”

“I’m
sorry, Ruddy.” Valerian kept his voice as calm as possible. “I didn’t intend to
See
your thoughts just then. And as for the other, I did what seemed
best at the time.”

While
Ruddy growled, his wife and her maid entered. Shannon still carried the infant.
The girl carried a tray with a flask, several cups, and a loaf of bread, which
she set on a nearby table. Then she curtsied and left the room. Valerian stood
and faced Sir Rudyard’s wife.

“Who
is this, Ruddy?” Shannon studied the three strangers.

Ruddy
gestured toward Valerian but would not meet his eyes.

“This
is Prince Valerian and his squire, Kieran MacLachlan.”

“Your
Highness.” Shannon curtsied.

“This
is my wife, Shannon, and our wee bairn.” Though his voice was still gruff,
Valerian could hear his obvious pride.

“’Tis
my pleasure to meet you at last, Lady MacNeil.” Valerian wondered if she knew
he was the one who’d cut off her husband’s leg.

“Lady
MacNeil,” said Kieran with a bow.

“Is
your father
the
MacLachlan?” Shannon asked eagerly.

“Aye,
lady. Do ye know him?”

“I
certainly do. He married my mother’s sister after your good mother died.”

“Oh,
aye.” Kieran smiled sadly. “Your bonny aunt has been a great comfort to me Da.”

Shannon
turned her attention to Merry.

“What
ails this poor girl?”

“She’s
overcome with exhaustion,” Valerian said. “I think a day or two of rest and
food will set her to rights.”

“Except
for meat,” Kieran added. “Merry willna eat meat.”

“Merry
is her name?” Shannon studied her. “I see she is one o’ the Brethren. She looks
very young.”

While
they all watched her, Merry stirred and opened her eyes. She focused on
Valerian first and then sat up, grimacing as she put a hand to her head. Valerian
sat beside her so she could more easily communicate if necessary.

“How
are you feeling?” he asked.

The
room is spinning.

Kieran
poured nectar into one of the cups and handed it to Valerian. He helped Merry
drink from it. When she swallowed, her eyes widened.

What
is this?

“It’s
a juice called nectar. Its sweetness will help restore you.” Valerian handed
her a small loaf of bread.

Merry
brought it to her mouth and stopped when she saw Ruddy and Shannon. She glanced
back at Valerian.

I
can’t eat now. It would be impolite.

Valerian
sighed. Sometimes formalities got in the way.

“Merry,
may I introduce Sir Rudyard MacNeil and his lady, Shannon. We are guests in
their home in the village of---” He glanced at Ruddy.

“Forestglade.”
Ruddy hobbled closer. “Ye are welcome to stay as long as you need to recover
your strength. Please, dinna wait on us. Ye need to eat, lass. You will wither
away.”

Merry’s
eyes widened when she noticed Ruddy’s stump, but she quickly moved her gaze to
his face. Valerian felt compelled to explain why she didn’t answer.

“She
is not able to speak.”

“Oh?”
Shannon frowned with concern. “Can she write?”

Merry
shook her head.

“Poor
girl! How does she communicate?” Shannon must not have expected an answer, for
she turned away, distracted by her infant.

It
would be difficult to explain this to her, wouldn’t it?
Merry shrugged.

Valerian
nodded once and stared meaningfully at the bread in her hand. She bit into it. Shannon
turned back to Merry.

“If
you can’t eat meat, what else can you eat?”

“She
eats bread.” Valerian realized he’d never seen her eat anything else. He met
her gaze again.

Grains,
herbs, vegetables.

“You
must eat more than bread.” Shannon frowned. “Can you eat eggs? I have chickens
and ducks.”

Merry
frowned while she gazed thoughtfully at Valerian.

I
have never eaten an egg. Isn’t there a living creature inside the shell?

“Lady
Shannon,” Valerian said. “Merry can eat anything that comes from plants.” He
answered Merry quietly. “I don’t believe there is a simple answer to your
question, but for the sake of your conscience, if there is any doubt, you
should not eat eggs.”

“What
about milk?” Kieran asked. “And cheese? Merry, you canna be strong on bread and
vegetables alone.”

She
nodded at Kieran and shrugged before returning her gaze to Valerian.
We
drank our ewes’ milk and made cheese
.

“I
can see that milking a ewe would do her no harm,” Valerian said, not that he’d
ever had the opportunity to milk a ewe or anything else. Other than meat, he’d
never even considered where his food came from; it had always been prepared for
him.

“Well,
then, I’ll know what to serve for the evening meal tonight.” Shannon bustled
out of the room, calling for her servant.

            *         

When
they all sat down to a meal that evening, Valerian was surprised at Merry’s
appetite. Though considering what she had experienced in the last few days, he was
sure she hadn’t eaten during that time. And if Healing took so much energy from
her, no wonder she was ravenous.

Kieran
sat beside her and seemed pleased she ate so well. He eagerly refilled her
trencher with everything from the table, except of course the roast venison. Ruddy
pushed away his empty trencher and sat back with a sigh.

“So,
Val, how long will ye be in the south?”

With
only two candles on the table providing limited light, Valerian didn’t have to
worry about accidentally using his Sight.

“We
must return to the Keep before the spring thaw.” Even without
Seeing
Ruddy’s thoughts, he could tell the man was uncomfortable about something.

“Before
I left the Keep, the king appointed me magistrate. The day after tomorrow is
the village’s winter festival, and the day following I hold my first court.”
Ruddy cleared his throat. “Might I persuade ye to stay here ’til then? I would
welcome your knowledge o’ the law.”

“I
would be honored to help you,” Valerian said, relieved. “’Tis only fair
considering all the help you gave me when I struggled to learn how to use a bow
and spear.”

“Advice
on the letter of the law is nae much repayment for all the bruises and torn muscles
I suffered during your training, but I concede tae the exchange of favors.” He
crossed his arms, frowning. “Dinna forget the quarterstaff.” Ruddy’s gruffness
returned, and Valerian realized it was his way of dealing with the loss of his
mobility.

“How
could I forget that? I
am
sorry for knocking you in the lake.” Valerian
sighed, and Ruddy grunted.

“Me
new shirt was ne’er the same.”

“Nor
was my head after you cracked it.” Valerian rubbed the spot on his head.

Kieran
grinned. He leaned forward eagerly.

“You’ll
have tae tell me about that sometime, Sire.”

“I
will.” Valerian glanced at Merry. “Some other time.” She had visibly wilted. “But
for now, we ought to bed down for the night. Might Kieran and I sleep in your
stables?”

Ruddy
glowered, and Valerian wondered what he had done wrong now.

“I
am offended, Valerian d’Alden, that ye would consider me such a terrible host
as all that. Thanks to your generous father, I’m well able tae offer
hospitality of a better sort.” He pushed himself upright and grabbed his crutch.
“Follow me, all o’ ye.”

Valerian
had to scramble to help Merry and keep up with Ruddy. The knight could move
surprisingly fast with his crutch. He led them through a doorway into a narrow
hall with a door on either side and one at the end. Ruddy opened the first door.

“Here
is me best room, Val. I suppose your squire will be wanting to stay in here,
too.”

Kieran
nodded and entered first.

“My
thanks, Sir Rudyard,” he said.

Valerian
gave the room a cursory glance. There was a large canopied bed, a table,
chairs, and nightstand with an ewer of water, basin, and towels.

“This
is a fine room, Ruddy. You are indeed a gracious host.” He nodded to Kieran. “I’ll
settle Merry and be right back.”

Ruddy
opened a door opposite that of Valerian’s guest room.

“Here
is a room for the lass. Our room is there at the end of the hall.” He turned to
leave, and Valerian stopped him.

“Thank
you, Ruddy. I meant no harm in suggesting the stables. I didn’t realize Father
had provided so well for you, but I’m grateful for your sake.”

Ruddy
growled softly, the anger just under the surface.

“Dinna
pity me.”

“Indeed
I do not pity you. I’ve always looked up to you, Sir Rudyard, and I always
will.”

The
knight paused for a long moment and then hobbled toward the door to his
bedchamber. Before he entered, he silently bowed.

With
a sigh, Valerian turned his attention to Merry. He made sure she had everything
she needed.

“I
can’t
See
your thoughts until morning, but if you need something in the
night, don’t hesitate to wake me. You don’t even have to knock. I’ll remind
Kieran so he won’t attack you, thinking you’re an intruder.” They both smiled
at that image. “Sleep well, Merry.” She nodded and closed the door.

As
Valerian walked slowly back to his room, he pondered how Ruddy must feel. How
did such a valiant knight, highly esteemed by the king, learn to live with the
loss of his leg and accept such a new and totally different role in life?

***

Caelis
waited alone in the guest room of his uncle Reed’s castle. The clutter of too
many chairs and jewel-encrusted trunks made pacing difficult, but he did not
have the patience to sit on one of the embroidered chairs. He had just made up
his mind to leave when there was a knock at the door. Caelis opened it.

Thrane
stood with Captain Ulfred, a man Caelis had known his entire life. Before Caelis
left the Keep, his cousin Lewes revealed that Ulfred was strongly in favor of a
separate southern kingdom.

“Come
in,” Caelis told the two men. Once they entered, he closed and barred the door.
Then Caelis faced them.

Ulfred,
a captain of Lord Reed’s guard, was about Caelis’ height with a stockier frame.
His plain face was unremarkable except for his gray eyes. Ulfred’s gaze pierced
like a bird of prey, missing nothing.

“I
told Captain Ulfred about the Brethren village, Sir Caelis.” Thrane leered,
obviously pleased with himself.

Caelis
frowned. He hadn’t expressly told the men not to discuss what they’d done, but
still it surprised him that Thrane would be so open.

“Then
I assume you told him why.” Caelis did not try to hide the irritation in his
voice. Let Thrane wonder if Caelis was displeased.

“I
told him about the prince’s decree,” Thrane said with less enthusiasm than
before. “He thinks—”

Caelis
held up a hand, glaring at Thrane before meeting Ulfred’s unreadable gaze.

“And
what do you think about it, Captain Ulfred?” Caelis studied the man’s face and
waited to measure his words.

“It
matters little to me what a prince of Levathia decrees.” Ulfred’s voice remained
calm, while his eyes hardened. “Though they were southerners, the pacifists
would never have joined our cause.” He shrugged. “It is possible we would have
had to kill them anyway, if they got in our way.”  

Caelis
nodded, pleased to hear that Ulfred was as ruthless as he remembered.

“What
are the plans for the south?” Caelis asked carefully.

Ulfred’s
face masked his emotions, as if chiseled from stone.

“A
man with great charisma named Orin Swift is quietly gathering discontented men
to himself. There are more than we anticipated who desire a separate southern
kingdom.”