Mercy's Prince (38 page)

“Yes,
Your Majesty.” Caelis bowed.

He
turned and left the room, unable to contain a smirk. With the Horde massing
between Valerian and the Keep, it was unlikely the whelp would ever return.

Valerian
and Kieran pressed on through the worsening snowstorm, though they soon had to
slow their pace for the horses’ sakes. They took short breaks to rest the
animals, but they did not stop for the night. Valerian was afraid the storm
would turn into a blizzard before they reached the Northern Garrison. If that
were to happen, even Kieran would be hard pressed to find their way.

Questions
swirled through Valerian’s mind like the blowing snow. Would the weather bar
the Horde from the Keep or at least slow the swarm’s advance? Would he and
Kieran be in time to warn the last garrison? If they found the dragons, would
the great beasts remember Alden’s covenant? Or would they simply kill Valerian
and Kieran so as to have two fewer human enemies?

Had
he done the right thing sending Merry to the Keep? Should she have come with
him and Kieran after all? The sudden absence of her presence was a hole in his
heart. But how much worse for Merry! At least he could still communicate with
others.

The
wind picked up, howling down from the mountains and piercing Valerian’s
clothing like shards of ice. Shivering in his cloak, Valerian followed Kieran’s
lead through the deepening drifts. As the second day grew darker, Kieran had to
dismount and guide his horse in order to keep to the road.

Just
as Valerian was beginning to think they would have to stop for the night after
all, a brief lull in the blowing snow revealed a glow ahead.

“There’s
the garrison, Sire.” Kieran moved faster through the knee-deep snow.

They
reached the gates, and the man on watch spotted them. He shouted, “’Tis the
prince and young MacLachlan.”

Valerian
and Kieran gratefully entered the gates and were escorted to Kieran’s brother. After
a joyous greeting, Angus had them sit with him around a small table and sent
for food and drink.

“You
don’t know how glad we are to see you,” Valerian told him. He related the
finding of the nest, the discovery it was part of a “swarm,” and the
destruction of the other three garrisons.

“So
you’ve sent the others to the Keep?” Angus stroked his mustaches. “Won’t the
beasties go straight to it and attack?”

“Yes,
but my father must be warned to prepare for siege. I hope to bring the great
dragons to help.”

“Ye
plan to ask the dragons to
help
us?” Angus said. “Meaning no disrespect,
my lord, but I’m supposing ye have a good reason for believing they will e’en
listen tae you.”

Valerian
leaned closer and tried to project more confidence than he felt.

“I
am a Seer, and part of that gift is having dreams of the future. Since my
brother died, I’ve had a recurring dream of facing the great dragons with a
sword.” He patted Alden’s blade at his side. “Lately I’ve seen the dragons
inside a circle of enormous stones, which Kieran says he’s seen before.”

“Aye,
I took the lad with me one time when we traveled that uninhabited land.” Angus
crossed his arms. “Pardon me, Sire, but what about the dreams makes ye think
the dragons will help humans? They would rather flame us or eat us than reason
with us. Humans have a history of treachery in their dealings with the
beasties.”

Valerian
glanced at Kieran, but his squire was finishing a haunch of mutton.

“I
read all the historical accounts in the Keep’s library,” Valerian said. “There
were many references to Alden the Great and his dealings with the dragons. Did
you know he made a covenant with them?”

“Aye,”
Angus said, frowning. “That treaty was broken not long after Alden’s death. I
dinna mean to discourage ye, Sire, but it worries me that ye would put so much
faith in dragons.”

Valerian
stared into Angus’ eyes and
Saw
his distress over the news about the
Horde. The man also recognized, alarmed, that Valerian was
Seeing
his
thoughts.

“Forgive
me, Your Highness. I meant no disrespect.”

“There
is nothing to forgive.” Valerian pushed down his anxiety and stood, staring
into the flames of the fireplace. “If the dragons refuse to help us, then
Levathia is lost. Those who cannot escape will die.” He glanced back at Angus. “I
have to find them and convince them to renew the covenant. It’s our only hope.”

“What
Prince Valerian says is the truth, brother,” Kieran said, wiping his mouth on
his sleeve. “The swarm is an uncountable multitude. Lady Merry saw their
purpose, which is tae destroy all living creatures.”

“Lady
Merry? Who is she?”

Kieran
smacked his forehead.

“Ach,
brother, I forgot that ye have nae met our future queen. We ourselves found her
only about a month ago. She’s a Healer and can speak mind-to-mind with Prince
Valerian.”

“You
can speak tae her mind, Your Highness?” Angus raised his bushy brows. “Like the
great dragons?”

“That’s
another reason I have hope I can speak to the dragons.”
Though I would
rather speak with Merry right now
.

“Well
then, Sire,” Angus said. “Ye and my brother ought to get a good night’s sleep,
and we’ll hope this blizzard does nae worsen so ye might set out as soon as
possible. ’Tis yet a long way from here to the place of your dreams.”

Valerian
gratefully accepted MacLachlan’s offer. Before he lay down, he prayed the
dragons would give him a chance to speak, at least. Then he also prayed for
Merry’s safety. His last waking thought was a wish to speak to her even at this
great distance.

***

Merry
first glimpsed the Keep when Stripe crested a rise in the road. The castle was
built on the edge of a rocky bluff overlooking a large lake. The stone edifice
towered over the walled village below. From this vantage point, it appeared
impossible to defeat.

Each
rise in the road showed Merry more detail until they came to the outer gates. Life-sized
dragons were carved into each of the massive wooden halves. Guards opened them,
and the horses’ hooves echoed within the gatehouse. Not far away a drawbridge
had been lowered over a moat. Beyond the bridge stood a second gatehouse and
even taller stone walls with another dragon gate that opened to admit them.

They
rode through the snow-covered yard to a long low building along the wall. Nearing
the door, Merry saw and smelled a stable. Sir Gregory and the others called out
greetings, and several boys and older youths rushed out to take their horses.

Merry
slung her carry sack over her shoulder and handed Stripe’s reins to a
dark-haired lad who smiled shyly.

“I’ll
take good care of your horse, my lady. Just ask for Conrad when you want to see
him.”

She
smiled at his kindness. Terron stepped forward to speak to the groom.

“This
is Lady Merry. She is Prince Valerian’s intended bride. And her horse is called
Stripe.”

Conrad’s
eyes widened, and he bowed his head.

“I’m
honored to meet you, Lady Merry. I will take special care of Stripe. I’ll put
him in the stall beside Theo.”

Merry
perked up at the mention of Valerian’s horse.

“Have
you met Theo, my lady?”

She
shook her head. Conrad grinned.

“When
you come to see Stripe, I’ll introduce you to Prince Valerian’s horse.”

“Terron,”
called Sir Gregory. “King Orland awaits.”

“We’d
best be going, Lady Merry.” Terron indicated that Merry should precede him. “No
one keeps the king waiting.”

Merry’s
empty stomach churned, making her nauseous. She hadn’t expected to meet
Valerian’s father like this, dressed in filthy riding clothes with a sleeping
fur for a cloak, needing a bath, and unable to communicate. Her first meeting
with the King of Levathia was supposed to make a good impression, with Valerian
at her side to speak for her.

For
Valerian’s sake, Merry steeled her resolve even while she quaked on the inside.
Sir Edmund crawled from his warm nest inside her cloak to sit upon her shoulder.
He wrapped his tail around her neck and nuzzled his head against her cheek.

Surrounded
by the men she had come to trust on their long journey, Merry entered the tall
double doors and continued down a long wide hall. Torches lit their way to
another set of doors carved with dragons, smaller versions of the ones on the
Keep’s massive gates. Two guards wearing the royal dragon on their livery opened
the doors at their approach.

Seated
on his throne at the far end of a cavernous room was the King of Levathia. He
wore a crown upon his dark hair and a purple robe over his golden surcoat. Two
men stood to either side of the throne. One was a heavy-set older man, and the
other was younger, dressed as a soldier. He had yellow hair and would have been
handsome, had he not been scowling.

Merry
focused on the king’s face. He resembled Valerian except for the severity of
his countenance. Had the Brethren stood in this very chamber when they faced
him?

Sir
Gregory and the others stopped about halfway to the throne and bowed. Merry
added her curtsy.

“Come
forward,” King Orland said in a deep voice.

Merry
followed the men. When they reached the open area below the throne, they all
went down on one knee, and Merry did likewise.

“You
may rise.” The king scanned their faces. “Where is Prince Valerian?”

Sir
Gregory stepped forward and bowed again.

“Your
Majesty, the prince and Kieran MacLachlan have gone north to find the great
dragons.”

King
Orland stood, frowning.

“For
what purpose?” His voice shook with anger.

“To
ask for their help against the Mohorovian swarm.”

“Their
help? Their
help
?” The king stepped forward. He clenched his fists. For
a moment, Merry feared he would strike Sir Gregory. “Levathia hovers on the
brink of destruction, and he goes off on a fool’s errand to certain death. It’s
a good thing he isn’t here, or I would—” He stopped, fighting to control his
anger. Then he gathered up his robe and reseated himself. His frown deepened.

“Sir
Caelis, it appears we must accept that Prince Valerian will not return. You
were right; he is utterly unreliable.”

The
yellow-haired man beside him, who was surely Sir Caelis, inclined his head.

“I
wish it were otherwise, Your Majesty, and that you could depend upon the prince
in this desperate hour, but alas, ’tis not to be.”

No!
  Merry shouted in her
mind. She pressed her hands against her throat and swallowed, fighting to make
a sound. After several tries, she felt a resonance there, and at last a raspy “no”
came from her lips, startling her. Sir Gregory and all his men turned to look
at her in wonder.

“No,”
she said again. It was barely above a whisper, but she could speak again! She
stepped past the astonished men and addressed King Orland. “Valerian is
not
on a fool’s errand. The dragons came to him in a vision. They want to speak
with him. He has every hope they will come to help us.”

King
Orland’s eyes widened, but his anger had not abated.

“And
who are you to speak to me thus?”

She
banished the last of her fear and remembered who she was.

“I
am Mercy, lately called Merry, of the Village of Peace. I am a direct
descendant of King Sigmund. I am also a Healer, and Prince Valerian and I can
speak mind-to-mind like the great dragons. I know that he will come, and he
will bring the dragons with him.”

“Aylmer,
See
this young woman’s thoughts and tell me if she speaks the truth.”
The king gestured to the older man beside him.

So
he was a Seer. Merry stared into his eyes and relentlessly sent images of the
eggs and the massacred garrisons, and the swarm attacking. Aylmer’s eyes widened
and he staggered backward.

“Well?
What happened? What did you
See
?”

“It
is as she has said, Your Majesty.” Aylmer swallowed, fearful.

Sir
Gregory pulled Valerian’s document from his tunic.

“The
prince asked me to give this into your hand, Sire. It is from Eldred and
explains about Lady Merry.”

King
Orland broke the seal and scanned the contents. He glanced up at Merry and back
at the words. Sir Caelis stared at her, but she ignored him and focused on
Valerian’s father. He lowered the message to his lap.

“It
appears I must call you cousin, Lady Merry. Sir Caelis has reported two of the
garrisons fallen to the Horde. What more can you tell me?” King Orland turned
his attention from Merry to Sir Gregory, but the knight gestured to Merry.

“I
think you should hear from the lady what she and the prince have seen.” Gregory
smiled at her and said quietly, “I am glad you have found your voice, my lady.”

Merry
cleared her throat before speaking.