Once Thorn realised his impotence, he would lash out at anyone who got in his way – especially those who brought bad tidings. Loyalty to King Thorn did not always mean a reward, for Vardan knew how treacherous his brother could be.
Vardan found paper and ink, and began to write a response to the merchant who called him mad. The man might be old and loyal, but he was not entirely stupid, and if he liked living, perhaps he would be willing to embrace what he'd once called madness. If he did not...be it on his own head. He could stand with the treacherous snake. Vardan had more men than he needed on his side already.
But all the men in the world could not equal one woman...
He sighed and sent up a silent prayer that someone would find her, and persuade Zuleika to return to him. If word of the league reached Thorn, it would surely reach her.
He hoped so. For all this was for naught unless one day he would be reunited with his Lady Belle.
FORTY-SIX
Some hours later, when the only thing in the wagons was a chest of Zuleika's belongings that looked pitiful compared to the full loads they'd carried up to the keep, Rolf offered her a seat beside her chest, but Zuleika declined. She was far more comfortable astride her own horse, even if little Lady was nowhere near as elegant as the prince's Embarr.
She rode tall and straight, like the queen her father had wanted her to be. He'd settle for her being a princess, though, she'd discovered, when she'd found him interrogating Rolf about the prince, particularly whether he had a wife. Her father had insisted she wear her violet riding habit, and do everything she could to make the prince think of her as a suitable bride, not an envoy.
Privately, she wasn't even sure he'd consider her an envoy, but the more she thought about the idea, the more she liked it. She would never be a bride, let alone Vardan's, but his merchant league had merit. Not to mention it would give him allies against the king, should Thorn choose a less devious attack than a curse. And she would get to see him again.
Rolf coughed, making her look up. He looked relieved to have finally secured her attention. "Beg pardon, my lady. But is it true what the master said about you being a witch?"
She considered not telling him, but where was the harm in telling the man what he already knew? Vardan kept no secrets from his servants, after all.
Zuleika sighed. "Yes. And when I was a child, I cursed a mirror on the king's command, which he gave to the prince. When I arrived at your island and discovered the result of the cursed gift, I did everything in my power to undo the harm that was done. I could not give back the lost time, or make up for all those years of invisibility, or – "
"Is it true that you nearly died to break the curse?" Rolf interrupted.
"Yes," she admitted, then hastened to add, "But I am much recovered from the ordeal. Why, I'm sure I could cast a spell before you could blink, if I needed to." Not that he looked about to attack her for being a witch, but it paid to be wary.
"Like the fast travel spell you talked about. Is that how you appeared on the island?"
Zuleika nodded. "I could, but I'm not sure I'd have the power to create a portal big enough to fit all of us, including the wagons. In fact, my portals are barely large enough for me. Certainly not big enough for a horse."
Rolf wet his lips. "So, if you wanted to, you could go back to Beacon Isle without having to take ship with us, and be there sooner. Like, today?"
And see Vardan sooner. "Yes."
"Then you should go, my lady. The master was very angry when you disappeared just as the curse broke. He said if we found you, to send you to him immediately."
Zuleika's traitorous heart beat faster at the faint hope that Vardan wanted to see her again. Perhaps he had questions about her past. Or he wanted to tell her to her face that she was no longer welcome on Beacon Isle, as if walking out of the room when she'd finished her tale wasn't clear enough.
"You would not mind?" she asked.
Rolf grinned. "I've been cursed for five years, my lady, but I never saw magic cast before. Seems you're the good kind of witch, lifting the curse and all, so if I see any magic, I'd like it to be yours."
"A witch like me is called an enchantress. There are not many of us, and fewer still can cast portals," Zuleika said. "We try to do some good in the world."
"As you will, my lady." Rolf reined in his horse, and waited.
Zuleika slid from Lady's back, feeling very self-conscious with Rolf watching. Portal magic was difficult, but not particularly impressive. She bit her finger, and traced an arch in the air, squeezing out a drop of blood to hit the earth at the end. The portal to Beacon Isle glowed into life.
"Farewell, my lady. We will see you at Beacon Isle soon," she heard Rolf say as she stepped through.
FORTY-SEVEN
As Vardan strode along the passage, he glimpsed a flash of purple in the rose garden. Could it be she? Instead of leaning out the window, he raced down the stairs into the courtyard. Row upon row of rosebushes stood sentinel...but no lady lay among them.
It was probably a good thing. While snow had lain deep in the courtyard when she first arrived, now she would find herself beset by thorns.
He approached the place where he'd first seen her. In place of the snowdrift, there stood a different white drift – this time made up of rose petals, not snow, as his grandmother's white roses were celebrating spring in true floral form. She'd called them her full moon roses, specially bred for their colour, which in the ancient language of flowers meant loyalty.
Here he saw the purple he'd glimpsed from the level above. In the midst of all the white roses, one rosebush had not yet burst into bloom as its companions had. No, this had extended a stem higher than any of the others, and it was crowned by a single bud that had just begun to open.
This rose was not white, like its fellows, but a particular shade of purple. Almost exactly like the pair of enchanting eyes that haunted his dreams.
For that was the meaning of purple roses, he remembered now: enchantment.
His grandmother would have liked the blue moon among all her full moons. She probably would have liked Zuleika, too – the lady who undoubtedly changed the colour of her roses through magical means.
Smiling, Vardan stretched out on one of the garden benches his grandmother had liked to sit on when he was a boy.
Throughout the rest of the house and Harbourtown below, people bustled about their business, but he enjoyed a moment of stillness. His grandmother's garden always brought him peace.
FORTY-EIGHT
Spring had come to Vardan's rose garden far sooner than it had reached her father's house, Zuleika found. Some of the bushes had already burst into bloom, while the profusion of buds on others promised that spring had only just begun.
It was a far cry from the snow-filled courtyard she'd first arrived in. And so sweet-smelling, too. Zuleika took another deep breath, hoping that the memory of sweetness would be enough to help her keep her composure in her interview with Vardan. No, she would need more than just the memory. Reaching out, she plucked a purple rose from the nearest bush, and tucked the bloom into her braided hair.
"Now you've returned to steal my flowers, Lady Belle?"
Zuleika whirled and found Vardan seated on a bench she hadn't seen, tucked under an archway twined with flowers. He rose.
"I...I didn't mean to..." she stammered. "And my name isn't – "
"Belle, I know," he interrupted. "But you have been Lady Belle to me so long, both before me and in my dreams, it is hard to remember you are also Lady Zuleika, powerful enchantress." He bowed.
Zuleika swallowed. "My power is less than it was," she admitted. "I lost a lot of blood. It will return, though, as I recover. Which reminds me that I have a proposal for you. When I heard of your plan for a merchants' league – "
"You came here with a proposal because of the merchants' league?" Disbelief registered on his face.
Zuleika shook her head. "No, I came because Rolf brought my father's goods, and told h
im that they came at a price. That I must come here immediately."
"I gave no such order," he snapped, then his voice softened as he continued, "Though I considered it. Many times. Rolf..."
Realisation hit Zuleika at the same time as she saw it dawn in Vardan's eyes. "He lied," she breathed. "Loyalty. He lied to me out of loyalty to you, so that I would return to Beacon Isle. To you." His eyes. Once she'd seen them, she couldn't look away. Beast or man, those eyes spoke to her soul as he pierced her heart. She understood the loyalty that had driven Rolf. Now, she, too, would live or die for this man. Even if he never looked at her the same way as he had the night he'd kissed her.
She cleared her throat. "To be your envoy, I assume, as I suggested. I can travel quickly, and if I speak for both you and my father, I'm sure your league will exist before the year is out. If you give me a list of merchants, I shall go immediately – "
"You will not. Rolf and my men have the league well in hand." Vardan took a deep breath. "If you wish to help me, I have a different proposal in mind. One where you stay here on Beacon Isle, with me. If you wish."
"Of course, but I thought...after I was the cause of the curse afflicting your island, you wouldn't want me here. No one would."
Vardan grasped her hand. "You cursed a mirror, not me. My brother gave me a cursed mirror, not you. I looked into the mirror and cursed my island, not you. Yet you came to my aid, to our aid, and broke the curse, though it nearly killed you. None of this is your fault, Lady Zuleika."
She swallowed. "But it is. I still cast the curse so the king could give it to you. I had no idea it would be so powerful. Lifting it was the least I could do, when I knew no one else would be willing to die in order to correct my mistake. What else could I do?"
"I can think of a few things." He captured her other hand and brought them to his lips. A warm, tingling kiss drove all other thoughts out of her head for one blissful moment. "You are the only person alive who could break that curse?"
"Yes."
"And yet my brother told me to slay you."
Zuleika frowned. "That would not have broken the curse. The mirror was imbued with blood magic that only blood could dispel. Killing me would have ensured the curse was permanent."
Vardan inclined his head. "As you say. A curse my brother made you cast, which he gifted to me, and then lied about how to break it. He has woven a curious web to trap us both and keep us apart. Perhaps he fears what we can do together."
"With the league, yes – " she began, but he silenced her with a kiss. A kiss that stole her breath and her senses, because she wanted nothing more than him.
"With you by my side, he wouldn't dare try to curse me again," Vardan said. "Lady Zuleika, my brave Belle, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"
Zuleika felt lightheaded. For a moment, she thought she'd heard him say something else, something impossible, until she realised she must have heard wrong. Her soaring heart plummeted. "Your witch?" she asked. "I could cast protection spells on your person right away, but to protect the isle would take longer. I would be honoured to try, though."
He chuckled. "I have had enough of spells to last me a lifetime, and perhaps a second one after that. No, I want you to be my wife. The woman who will stand by my side when the league first meets."
Zuleika's heart soared once more. There could be no mistake this time. "I will," she said, lifting her chin.
"You will? You really will?" He beamed. "I will send someone to bring a priest directly. We will be married in the chapel today, and tonight..." He swallowed, his eyes shining. "Tonight I will truly make you my wife. Nothing would make me happier."
Could he truly mean that? With all her heart, Zuleika wanted to believe him.
FORTY-NINE
She'd agreed to stay. With him. His Lady Belle would be his in truth – tonight!
Vardan could barely believe it. That very morning, he'd wondered if he'd ever see her again. Now...he could scarcely stand to let her out of his sight. Inga refused to allow him into the queen's chambers, though, saying that it was bad luck to see a bride before she was ready for the wedding.
Vardan had endured enough bad luck for a lifetime – as had she. Reluctantly, he retreated from his housekeeper's stern gaze. He'd do nothing else to jeopardise his future with Zuleika. She'd run from him twice now, and he didn't want to risk a third time. Not when she was so close to becoming his wife.
And tonight...
Vardan swallowed. He'd endured so long without a woman's touch, that the mere thought of bedding Lady Belle tonight...he prayed that he could be the charming prince she deserved, and not a beast in her bed tonight.
FIFTY
In a daze, Zuleika found herself back in her old chamber, at the mercy of a delighted Inga and Greta. Some time later, she stood in the chapel wearing the same gold silk dress she'd worn when she danced with the prince. When she knelt, he dropped to his knees at her side, and they both said the vows which the priest told them made them husband and wife.
The moment they left the chapel, Vardan pulled her in close to give her another breath-stealing kiss. Zuleika thought he would carry her to bed then and there, for the desire in his eyes was unmistakeable, but he insisted on heading for the great hall instead for supper.
She ate, but she didn't taste a bite. As each moment ticked past, it brought her closer to what she feared most about marriage. Even to Vardan. And yet...she did not want to delay the inevitable. When Vardan asked whether she wanted to dance a little after dinner, she summoned her courage and replied calmly, "No, I think I would like to go to bed."
Servants whispered as Vardan wrapped a proprietary arm around her waist and lifted her from her seat, but Zuleika did her best to ignore them. Her heart beat so fast she was scared he would hear it, but Vardan only took her hand and led her to a part of the house she hadn't seen before.
His bedchamber, she realised, entering the grand room that was much bigger than her windowless chamber. The bed, too, was enormous – big enough for a dozen people to sleep in. Fit for a king, or, tonight, a prince. And his bride.
Tears sprang to her eyes, though she tried to stop them. Vardan had his back to her now as he poured two cups of wine, but in a moment he would turn and see...
"You are the bravest woman I have ever met. One who, I believed until this day, was afraid of nothing. Yet now, you look terrified." He handed her a brimming cup. "Share the wine with me, and tell me your secret: what has the power to frighten an enchantress?"
She burst into tears. "The consummation."
"Ah." He sipped from his cup. "Me, too."
She stared at him. "Why?"
"The first time I kissed you, you ran away. If you found one kiss so terrible, what will you do if I don't please you in bed?"
Zuleika blushed. "It was not the kiss I objected to, but...has anyone ever told you how similar you look to your brother?" Her eyes begged him to understand.
Vardan clenched his fists. "One day, I will make sure my brother answers for the evil he has done. Whether to me, or to God, I haven't decided, but I swear on your life and mine, he will answer for it. I am not my brother, and I promise you that I will never hurt you. Never."
Zuleika wiped her tears away. "Not intentionally, no, but..." She felt like such a fool.
He seemed to understand. He sat on the edge of the bed, patting the spot beside him. When she sat, he said, "You drink your wine, for it's my turn to tell you a secret I never told anyone."
She sipped, and tasted dewberry wine. Relaxing a little, she said, "All right."
Vardan slipped an arm around her waist. "When I was perhaps sixteen or seventeen, only a boy though I thought I was a man, I was sent here to the monastery to study. My brother had just claimed the throne and perhaps he thought it amusing to make a monk of me. My grandmother had other ideas. One memorable week, an envoy came into port, from some exotic southern city. My grandmother wanted to hold a feast, so I was invited to sup with them. The envoy was boring, dro
ning about politics and trade agreements that held no interest for me, but he'd brought with him two girls I thought were his daughters. As a good host, I set about trying to entertain them with witty conversation."
Zuleika managed a small smile. "Were you as charming then as you are now? I'm sure they could not resist you."
Vardan coughed. "I was a bumbling fool, and they knew it. As the evening progressed, though, it turned out that the ladies were not his daughters, but courtesans who he'd brought to soften up the monarchs he met along the way. As I was a prince, they decided that included me, so they made a wager as to who could win my affections by the end of the evening. After a few cups of wine, they called off the wager, and retired to their chamber with me in tow.
"They made a man of me that night, but as I was young and eager and had little stamina, the ladies took to amusing themselves. I watched, wide-eyed, for some time, before I summoned the courage to ask them what they were doing. So...they showed me everything they knew about how to pleasure a woman, and in the morning, one of them bit her lip the same way you do and whispered to me that when I lay with the woman I loved, I would give her nothing but pleasure, every time. I don't know if she was a witch, but the way she spoke and the way she touched me, it seemed very much like a spell."
Zuleika wet her lips. "Only an enchantress could work that sort of spell, and I haven't seen any magic about you since the curse was lifted."
Vardan reddened. "Well, no, you wouldn't. She only touched me in one place, which you haven't yet seen."
Enchant: Beauty and the Beast Retold Page 12
