Mercy's Prince (47 page)

“Thankfully
you have a happy ending here.” Orland indicated Drew should continue.

“While
we were at Lord Reed’s, Sir Caelis hired a killer to assassinate Prince
Valerian, not willing to gamble everything on the possibility of discrediting him.”
Drew glanced at Merry, who nodded.

“I
was with Valerian when a man tried to kill him,” Merry added. “Kieran stopped
him.”

Now
Kieran spoke up.

“But
Merry saved his life. The assassin crushed the prince’s windpipe with a
garrote.”

“Then
we are doubly indebted to you, Lady Merry,” Orland said. “Please continue,
Drew.”

“Later
Sir Caelis sent two men to capture the prince and Lady Merry.” Drew sent Kieran
a sympathetic look. “He said to kill Kieran if he was too much trouble.”

“I
guess I
was
too much trouble. They crushed me skull, but Merry saved me,
too.” Kieran smiled at her.

“Where
would we all be without you, my dear?” Orland squeezed her hand.

“Once
we arrived here,” Drew added, “Sir Caelis bade me stay in his quarters with
Rafael. I don’t know what he said to Lady Merry, but I feared for Rafael’s
safety and brought him to her this morning, against Caelis’ orders.”

“Caelis
came to me in the night through a secret passageway and threatened Rafael’s
life if I did not do as he wished.” Merry trembled, remembering.

“And
what was that?” Orland asked gently.

“To
marry him and produce an heir of Alden’s lineage.” She closed her eyes. “Then
he attacked Valerian just now when no one was around to intervene.” Her
trembling increased, and Rafael leaned closer.

“Sissy?”

“Are
you all right, Lady Merry?” Orland let go of her hand and caught her shoulder
in alarm.

“No,”
she said in a choked voice. “I—I had to cut off my braid because Caelis grabbed
it and would have killed me, but I had to save Valerian. All I could think was
that he was going to bleed to death, and now I’ve lost the symbol of my Oath of
Peace.” She reached back and fingered the shorn ends of her hair. Tears sprang
to her eyes.

Kieran
went down on one knee and pulled something from his tunic. “Ye haven’t lost it,
my lady. I have it right here.” He held her braid across his hands.

With
a gasp, Merry reached out to touch it, and the world dissolved around her.

Valerian
woke from a pleasant dream. He’d been with Merry in a beautiful sunlit place. It
had seemed so real.

Then
fiery pain jolted his right leg. Valerian pushed himself to a sitting position
and glanced at the bed. Something didn’t look right. With a trembling hand, he
pulled off the coverlet. He gasped.

NO!

His
right leg was gone below the knee. Just like Ruddy’s.

Valerian
shut his eyes, panting. Panic gripped him. What happened? Where was Merry?

“I
have some tea for you, sir.”

When
Valerian opened his eyes, a young boy stood before him, holding a cup in his
small hands. His long hair was reddish-brown. He had eyes the same color as
Merry’s. Valerian automatically tried to take the cup, but his hands were
shaking too badly.

“I’ll
hold it for you. I know how.” The boy carefully brought the cup to Valerian’s
lips and helped him drink from it.

He
hadn’t realized how thirsty he was.

“Thank
you.” While he drank again, he studied the child’s solemn yet earnest face.

“Are
you hungry, sir?”

“No,
thank you.” The brief numbness of initial grief began to dissolve, and panic
threatened to consume him. The boy turned away, and Valerian caught his arm.

“Who
are you?”

“I’m
Rafael. This is my Sissy.” He pointed to a cot near Valerian’s.

Merry
slept there, her face pale and worn. Had she overreached herself trying to Heal
him? Had she been injured too? He saw no bandages. And Rafael was her brother. Then
Valerian’s gaze drifted back to the stump that had been his right leg, and his
chest tightened around his lungs, squeezing out the air.

Valerian
lay back, reeling from the enormity of the loss. Was this how Ruddy had felt? And
he had been the one to cut off his friend’s leg.

Oh,
Rudyard, forgive me. How did you manage it?

His
thoughts were interrupted by Rafael’s return. Valerian sat up again, and the boy
placed a platter on his lap. There were meats and breads and a piece of
winterfruit.

“I
know you said you’re not hungry,” Rafael said. “But Sissy says hurt people must
eat to get strong again.” He waited, but Valerian did not move or answer him. “I’ll
get some more water now.”

Valerian
numbly watched him pour water from an ewer into the cup without spilling a drop.
Merry had taught her brother well. After Rafael helped Valerian drink from the
cup again, Valerian nodded toward Merry.

“Is
your sister all right? She’s not wounded too, is she?”

“She’s
just tired from Healing today.” Rafael smiled shyly. “Did you know she saved
your life?”

Valerian
gazed at Merry’s dear face and shook his head.

“No,
I didn’t, but I’m not surprised. It’s not the first time she has saved me.” He
looked back at Rafael. “By the way, I’m Valerian.”

“You
are to marry my sister,” Rafael said, nodding.

“Yes.”
If she will still have me, one-legged and permanently damaged
. Valerian’s
gut became queasy at the thought, but if Ruddy could learn to manage with a
wooden leg, then he could find a way, couldn’t he?

He
met Rafael’s steady gaze and
Saw
the pain the child carried, pain much
greater than the loss of a limb. Surely, Valerian could be strong enough to
bear his own losses in order to comfort this boy. He forced a smile, but it twisted
into a grimace.

“What
do you think, Rafael? That will make us brothers.”

Rafael
studied Valerian and nodded.

“I
liked Gabriel all right, but I think I will like you better.” He leaned closer
as if imparting a secret. “My Sissy likes you very much.”

Valerian
spoke quietly, sharing the secret.

“I
hope so, Rafael, because there is no one in the world who I love better than
your sister.”

“Truly?”
Rafael’s eyes widened.

“Truly.”
He offered his hand. “Brother to brother, I pledge my life to your sister’s
happiness.”

Rafael
stared at the hand and timidly held his out. Valerian showed him how to grip
wrists in a man’s handshake. A smile briefly lifted the boy’s solemnity. Then
Rafael let go and pointed to the plate of food.

“You
should eat now, Valerian.”

“All
right.” Valerian smiled at Rafael’s resemblance to his sister. With shaky hands,
he tore off a piece of bread and ate it. Then his stomach growled, and he
realized how hungry he was.

After
Valerian finished everything on the plate, Kieran and Drew approached them. Valerian
tossed the coverlet over his legs, self-conscious about his stump.

“I
see Rafael is taking good care of you, Your Highness,” Drew said.

“Yes,
he’s quite the good physician’s helper.” Valerian nodded at the boy. “He is to
be my brother.”

“Yes,
so I’ve heard.”

Kieran
cleared his throat.

“I
thought ye’d like to know, Sire, the dragons have hunted down every stray
Mohorovian. They’re still here. I dinna think they’ll leave ’til Albinonix has
a chance to speak with you.”

Valerian
glanced at the stump again. Indeed, it was difficult not to stare at it.

“I
don’t think I’ll be able to walk for a while yet.”

“Then
perhaps we can find a way to carry you tae the lord of dragons in a dignified
way. Drew and I could be your throne bearers as you and I were once Merry’s.” Kieran
grinned, and Valerian had to smile at the memory. “But ye need not worry ’til
the morning. I’m sure the beasties won’t mind spending the night with us here. In
fact, they seem to be enjoying all the attention.”

“What
attention?” Valerian wished he could go outside and see for himself.

“Ach,
the lads are making sure they have food and water, and some o’ the braver ones
have even ventured close enough to thank them properly.”

“How
is that, Kieran?”

“With
a bow or a salute, though one older man did pass out when one o’ the dragons
grinned at him.” Kieran bared his teeth and widened his eyes, and Valerian
laughed.

“The
dragons are helping us dispose of the bodies before they begin to stink too
much,” Drew added.

“That’s
quite an unpleasant duty.” Valerian grimaced. “I’m thankful the dragons are
willing to help, otherwise it would take mere men a very long time to finish
that job.”

They
lapsed into silence. Valerian watched Merry, both hoping and dreading she would
awaken soon.

***

Merry
sighed and opened her eyes. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and
what had happened. She sat up too quickly and became light-headed, but she
closed her eyes and rubbed her temples until the dizziness passed. Then she
touched the back of her head, and her eyes filled with tears. Even though she’d
had to cut the braid to save Valerian, Merry still grieved the loss of the
hair.

She
opened her eyes again and swung her legs over the side of the cot. Nearby lay
two sleeping forms, her patients from earlier in the day. Rafael checked on
Brentley, and Gwendolyn walked toward her, looking pleased.

“How
long have I been out, Gwen?”

“Not
long, just an hour or so.”

“An
hour? Oh, no.” Merry swallowed her disappointment. “Have they already taken Valerian
to his rooms?”

No,
love, I am right here
.

Merry
gasped and stood, turning around. Valerian sat on the edge of another cot. Kieran
and Drew stood to either side, both beaming. Though she wanted to run to
Valerian and throw her arms around him, she hesitated. So much had changed
since they’d parted on that fateful day. Did he still love her as much as she
loved him?

Of
course I do. My heart is unchanged, though my body certainly has
. He glanced down at
his bandaged stump.
Can you still love me as half a man?

Merry
slowly walked around her cot and knelt beside him. She kissed the bandage and
then gazed up into his eyes.

You
are more of a man than any I’ve ever known. I love you all the more for the
terrible sacrifice you have made in saving Levathia
.

Tears
filled his eyes. She took his hands and kissed them.

My
love, I’m so glad you are home
. Then she did embrace him, gently at first
until he pulled her to his lap. In front of their small audience, they shared a
passionate kiss, triumphant over all the obstacles they’d faced in the last
weeks.

When
they parted, Merry sat beside Valerian on the cot, nestled as close as she
could be.

“I’m
sorry,” she said. “We have not included the rest of you in our conversation.”

Gwendolyn
came forward to take Drew’s hand, and they sat together on the opposite cot. Rafael
joined the group, sitting on Merry’s other side. Gwendolyn patted the space on
the cot beside her.

“Come,
Kieran, and join us,” she said. He did so, impulsively kissing her on the
cheek.

“Sorry,
Drew. I dinna know what came over me.”

“I
know,” said Gwendolyn, winking at Merry. “That kind of love is powerful and
spills over to us mortals.”

Kieran
turned his attention to Merry.

“What
I want to know is, how did ye get your voice?”

“Caelis
made a false accusation about Valerian to the king, and I had to say something.”
She glanced at Valerian. “I suppose it was from dire need.”

“I’m
glad to know I have such a fierce advocate,” Valerian said quietly.

“Never
fiercer,” she assured him. “Don’t forget, I am part dragon, according to
Eldred.”

Valerian
chuckled. Then his face grew somber, and he reached up to touch her shorn hair.
“What happened to your braid?”

Merry’s
throat tightened, and she had to clear it before she could speak.

“After
Caelis cut your leg, I thought he could no longer hurt you, so I started to
Heal you and he grabbed my braid. He had a knife in his other hand, and he was
pulling me to him.” Her breath caught in a sob. “Your sword was lying there,
but I couldn’t lift it, so I took the knife from your belt. I could have used
it on him and saved my braid, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t break my Oath of
Peace, but I had to save you, so I—” Her throat squeezed shut, and she couldn’t
continue.

“So
you cut off your braid to escape him,” Valerian said quietly.
My dear, dear
Merry, you have had so many losses
.

A
braid is nothing compared to a leg. Forgive me, love, but I could not save it
.

There
is nothing to forgive. You saved my life
. He gathered her in his strong arms, and Merry
collapsed against him, weeping.

When
she had no more tears, Merry wiped her face with her hand, and Gwendolyn gave
her a cloth. She dried her tears but kept the cloth over her face.

I
must look frightful
.

You’re
always beautiful to me
.

When
she moved her head, a sob caught in her throat.

My
head feels so light without the weight of the braid
. She reached back and
touched the cut ends of the hair again.

Our
hair is the same length now
.

Merry
peered at Valerian from behind the cloth, and he smiled. With a sigh, she
wadded up the cloth. The opposite cot was empty.

“Where
did Kieran and Drew go?”

“To
find a way to carry me to my room.” Valerian shifted his leg, wincing.

“The
one next door to the king’s?”

“Yes.
Where are you staying?”

“Across
the hall in your old apartment, next door to your mother. I’ve met her, and I
like her. I like both your parents.”

“I’m
glad.” Valerian kissed her. “I know Father likes you very much. I haven’t
spoken to Mother yet.”

Rafael
caught Merry’s attention.

“Where
will I sleep tonight, Sissy? Do I have to go back to Sir Caelis’ room?”

“Oh
no, love. You may sleep with Gwendolyn and me. There’s plenty of room.”

“What
about Drew?”

Merry
looked at Valerian.

What
do I tell him?

Valerian
spoke to Rafael.

“I’ll
ask the king if Drew may be my squire, along with Kieran, and he can stay in my
room.”

Rafael
fidgeted, reluctant to speak.

“What
it is, love?” Merry combed her fingers through his unbound hair. It was now
much longer than her own, she thought sadly.