I returned to my seat and the memories continued. I felt relief having put that off my chest. I didn’t think anyone else knew about my desire to be an herbalist. I of course didn’t want to mention it, but it was as if I had.
The chief dame turned to me, expressing appreciation for my comments. She then asked about the state of Brynna since Logan hadn’t arrived yet.
“She’s pregnant,” I said.
“Pregnant? Truly?” Surprise and happiness fell over the face of Angharad. “I was so worried it was something worse. It is such good news to my ears. In the wake of death, new life is present. It is a marvelous mystery how the Creator plans it so.”
“Indeed,” I agreed. I noticed Theron come up to address the crowd. He was on the other side of the room, far away from me. He came quite close and addressed the audience.
“Talfrin was a good man, a kind man, and an intelligent man. In the past few months I was with him he saw something developing that most of you may not be aware of. I had talked to him about a certain proposition when his health was getting worse, a proposition I wanted to ask in front of everyone in the village as well as an announcement. I know this may not be the most opportune time, but Talfrin was aware of what I wanted to do. I have fallen in love with a woman here.”
My heart dropped. Surely he was talking about me. Who else was there? This was absolutely not appropriate in the slightest, but the chief dame didn’t seem at all surprised. She just sat there, listening intently. I looked at her, gawking with astonishment.
“Muirenn, I would like your hand in marriage,” Theron said. My mother stood up and started to wail but my aunt quickly swatted her down. “I have discussed this with the chief dame and the joining would be timely as well as approved by her. Madam Adelle, I think even you would approve of this marriage.”
“I would never!” she said, outraged at the thought. She crossed her arms in contempt.
“Yes you would, as I am the crowned son of Fanarion. The king’s favorite son,” Theron stated. My jaw continued to drop and I had to clamp it shut. Why had he lied to me? Why couldn’t he have told me? It wasn’t fair to keep me in the dark like this. “I know it was a bit deceitful, but I always like to take on the roles of individuals in the community to see how they really feel about my family and the governing of Fanarion as a whole. It is easier to get one’s opinion as an equal. I actually did not know you were coming until shortly before and since I was already in a servant’s attire, I figured I might as well play the part.”
The room was silent for a while. I didn’t know what to say. Of course, his reasoning for doing what he did made sense, but I couldn’t believe he had kept it all from me this long. Why did he even bother being an apothecary? Logan didn’t think it even suitable for him. If he truly loved me, he would have been truthful. Why would I want to marry a liar? I crossed my arms like my mother had done. I looked over at my mother who had a scornful expression across her face. I didn’t blame her in the slightest.
Theron continued, “I wanted the village to get to know me, to understand me. I didn’t think that coming in here as the son of the rulers of Fanarion and taking away Muirenn with me in marriage would be a very good way to make myself known. I wanted you to like me for who I am. I was not lying by being an apothecary. You all know by now of my knowledge of herbs. I wanted to know Muirenn’s people on a personal level. If I was here as the son of Fanarion, I didn’t think I could.”
My anger waned a little in understanding of his situation, but I still wanted to talk to him in private, not in front of the whole village. I knew I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. If he had discussed the marriage with the chief dame and she’d approved it, then I was as good as given away.
“Thank you Theron. We will have more to discuss later. You may be seated,” the chief dame said, dismissing him. “I have heard we have other news to celebrate as well. It has come to my attention that my nephew Logan and his wife, the former maiden Brynna, are expecting their first child. Let us all rejoice.”
The whole of the room started to clap their hands, although Logan hadn’t come back yet. He was probably making sure Brynna was actually in bed. She liked to be busy and keep occupied and being pregnant would keep her from being as active.
“Chief dame, may I be dismissed so I might talk to Theron?” I asked my aunt who turned back to me and nodded. I got up and marched to where Theron was sitting. I pulled on his arm and he followed me out of the room like Eclipse when he gets in trouble, head hung low. We entered the foyer of the keep and before I had a chance to say anything, Theron started to apologize.
“I truly wanted to tell you earlier but I didn’t think you’d believe me,” he professed.
“It doesn’t matter whether I believe you or not, you shouldn’t have lied to me. I of all people would have understood at least,” I declared.
“I can’t help I was attracted to you the moment we met, and even interested before. The tradesmen that come here from Midonia have always talked about you. As I said, I was already dressed as a servant. How would you have believed me? Is it usual for the chief dame to be about the village acting like a maiden? I don’t think so,” he blurted.
I threw up my hands in frustration. “No, but it doesn’t give you the right to assume! What does your father think of this?” I wondered.
“He didn’t like it at first—my disguising myself, but when he started to gather beneficial information from the city’s population, he became at peace with it,” he explained. “That’s why he didn’t exactly punish me when your mother had a fit. My brother Alexo is a spoiled brat, even though I am my father’s favorite. He is his mother’s. I thought perhaps marrying you would relieve Lunamae from her obligation to Alexo if a marriage was proposed. I had thought of it before you had even arrived, before I even had met you. I didn’t realize you would be coming so soon. Then as soon as I saw you, I wanted to get to know you. I didn’t know of any way how. I knew your aunt would want Lunamae married off first. I suppose I didn’t think it all out. Of course, my father would have suggested me if I had asked.”
“Calm down,” I said, realizing Theron was getting flustered and was stumbling over words. “Your heart is in the right place, I guess.”
“Not yet, but if you would only let it be,” he said, taking my hand. I felt like resisting but the moment he touched it, those sparks flew again. I melted and didn’t feel like fighting with him any longer.
“I don’t want to go back to the feasting hall. Can we go outside and take a walk around the village? I would feel much better getting some fresh air,” I requested, although deep down I also wanted to cuddle Eclipse. He would never lie to me. Theron agreed to my wishes and led me out, his hand still linked with mine.
“Do you want to visit your brother?” he asked gently. I shook my head. I just wanted to be alone with Theron. I didn’t want any more drama or wandering eyes.
“So what happens next?” I inquired. “What do I do, what do we do?” The brown eyes of Theron coated my insecurities and every time I looked at them I felt less apprehension.
“We don’t have to live in Fanarion, if that’s what you mean. We will at some point in time of course, as I do intend to rule. There is no way I’d let my brute of a brother take over the kingdom. The people are too good for him. Once we are married, I should like to go to Aelisonia and strengthen the relations between your clan and my country. You haven’t ever been to Aelisonia have you?”
“No,” I murmured as we walked past my old house.
“I’ve only been there once, to visit Slievenamon through the mountain pass between Fanarion and Aelisonia. Our city of Lermeri is quite close. I wanted to see the paintings of the kings of long ago. They are still hanging there, you know,” Theron told me. I could only imagine how large the fortress was. I had never seen anything built in the construction he began to describe. It was like the keep of Feyris only so much larger and better protected. There were hundreds of rooms and the city was pract
ically all inside the fortress. It was like a city of stone.
“So where would we live after visiting Aelisonia?” I wondered. Truthfully, I loved to travel. The trip to Fanarion had released some desire to explore the whole of Orinda—even maybe Cragash! The idea of getting to visit new places made the thought of marriage much easier to take in. Anyway, it wasn’t as though I would be marrying a stranger, or even someone I didn’t like. I quite fancied Theron, until I had found out everything was a lie—except our love for one another.
“We could come back here to see your family,” he said and then chuckled. “I do have a house here.” I laughed. There was no way the chief dame, knowing he was royalty, would let him stay in accommodations such as those. We walked around the apothecary shop and turned around to head back.
“We will figure it out, I suppose,” I said.
“Quite,” he added. “Oh, I forgot to mention. You know that sealed letter from the royal family?” I nodded. “Well, that was to tell the chief dame of my position and to allow me whatever profession I should choose to take on in the village. My parents still don’t know of my healing gift. I don’t know if I will ever be ready to tell them.”
“Would they be coming to the wedding, assuming it is here?” I speculated.
“Since I am the king’s favorite I should hope so,” he grinned.
“When do you think would be an appropriate time for the wedding? With my sister-in-marriage pregnant, I wouldn’t want to upset the baby by having it nearing the end of her term,” I asked him.
“Next fall perhaps? Maybe in your month of Sedfyr? Given it’s almost the end of Aust now, you have about a year to plan. I know your aunt will be involved in it considering the lengths she went to with Logan and Brynna’s, and that wasn’t even a royal wedding,” Theron said. When we finally arrived at the keep we were met by the chief dame, who was by herself—highly unusual. Her head was held high and she wore a light overcoat she tugged close as the air was getting chilly.
“I thought,” she started. “Theron could have an apartment prepared in the keep. Since you’ve told the whole village who you really are, it would be highly inappropriate to still live in your house. I have already discussed the situation with the servants. They have found a suitable place for you to accommodate. I hope you don’t find it too awkward, but it was my husband’s apartment. Before we were married, he stayed there while visiting from Moir Awin. He still kept it after we were joined in order to have private time for himself to work on his writing. He liked to write, although not many people knew that about him. He had one of the monks from Bexweth as his tutor growing up and he weaseled out the art of script from them.”
“Thank you for your kindness and hospitality, Chief Dame,” Theron addressed her formally which she was quite prepared to handle.
“Have you decided on a time to wed?” Angharad asked curiously. “I do not want to rush you into it, of course, but the union would be welcomed at a time like this. Kryie has yet to respond to us. We need our allies.”
“Next year,” I stated. We all walked into the keep to keep out the nip of fall.
“Splendid,” the chief dame smiled widely, removing her jacket as we entered. She handed it to a servant waiting for her nearby. “The chapel would be done by then. You could be the first to join in marriage in it.”
The chief dame wanted to show Theron the apartment so I was left by myself in the keep’s foyer, not wanting to go any further. I didn’t want to face the village.
Lunamae popped her head in. “There you are. I wondered where you went. Your mother has been asking for you. I didn’t think you wanted to talk to her, though.”
“I don’t, but I think I’ll agree with everything she has to say anyway,” I said. I hesitated for a moment. “Lunamae, can you bring her to my apartment? I don’t want to go in that room again. I don’t want all of those people looking at me, even though most are all family.” She nodded in understanding. I went up the stairs, noting that Theron and the chief dame were nowhere to be seen. They were probably around on the other side of the keep where the men’s apartments were located.
I gathered myself in my room, Eclipse waiting patiently for me at the doorway. I took off my shoes and sat down on the bed. Eclipse jumped up and curled up next to me, putting his head over my legs. A few minutes later, my mother entered. Lunamae didn’t accompany her—most likely because she knew it would be a private conversation.
“Before you say anything mother,” I began. “I want you to know I was furious with Theron.”
“You were?” she gawked, thoroughly surprised.
“Couldn’t you see my sour expression the whole time he made his too public of a speech?” I inquired.
“I was not paying much attention to you. I was too angry at him,” she admitted. I noticed her age was starting to show. Strands of grey hair started to intermingle with her light brown hair. I wondered if secretly she wasn’t attesting to eyesight issues.
“I had a talk with him. I know it’s pointless to argue the marriage at this point. The chief dame is set on the wedding. She’s already started thinking up plans for it,” I told her. Mother sighed and walked towards me. She sat next to me on the bed and held me in her arms.
“He is not a stranger, you at least have that. I met your father at the altar as is typical in our clan-arranged marriages. It was not easy. We had planned to meet before, but the snows came in and we had to turn back. I worry about you. Theron would be a nice character I suppose if he was trustworthy. I know I haven’t been there for you much but you still are my daughter. I want to you be safe. I do not want him to hurt you. I have heard of these outsiders and what they do to women—even their wives. It is horrible,” Mother reflected. “I was lucky your father was not that kind of man. I was even luckier to be allowed a matron position.”
“I don’t think Theron would do anything to harm me. He likes me,” I noted. My mother patted the cat who was on the other side of me.
“You have Eclipse. I would assume he was a present from Theron rather than Alexo now, right?” Mother asked and I nodded. “He cannot be all that troublesome. Not to give you such a nice and useful pet. He also gave one to Lunamae. Flurry has been a good mouser.”
“Eclipse too if I trusted him to roam the keep without getting into mischief,” I added. Mother nodded affectionately.
“I think I will leave you to bed. You have plenty to think about in the coming months. I will support you no matter what, even your husband. I know I do not like what he did but he had his reasons and they do make sense to a degree. He was not as tactful as he could have been.” She got up off the bed and walked out of the room just as Emylyn was entering. When Emylyn closed the door she prepared herself for bed and I followed suit.
“So you’ll be marrying into royalty then?” she asked, obviously knowing the answer as she gathered herself in bed and brought up the covers to get comfortable. “I suppose the chief dame will release you then and I’ll get someone new in here. I will miss your company Muirenn. You are nice, not at all like Tegan.”
After transplanting Eclipse, I got under the covers myself and shifted underneath them.
I yawned and answered her, “Thank you Emylyn. I hope the replacement is every bit as nice as I am to you.”
I fell asleep with the words of my mother in my head. I had plenty to think of. How would I begin to start planning a wedding? Brynna.
Chapter 10
Bliss
The fall of the year 890 was ushered in with decorations, planning, and visiting. Brynna had delivered a beautiful and healthy baby girl which Logan and she named Annadel. She had time to help me plan the wedding as Logan offered to take her to his shop daily. In Feyris and the other clan villages, it is customary to marry where the woman lives but since I was to wed a Fanarion man, Angharad conceded to me having the wedding in Feyris first and more celebrations in Fanarion afterward. We had already met with the cook for the menu for the wedding celebrations and had been in cor
respondence with the cooks in Midonia. The one here had to be massive and extravagant since the rulers of Fanarion were scheduled to arrive, and fortunately without the company of Alexo. The flower arrangements were going to be made by the maidens of the keep. We had been lucky to catch a traveling musical troupe a few months prior and they were more than willing to provide entertainment for a meager sum on the day of the wedding—and even travel to Midonia to perform later. The chapel had recently been completed so we were in the process of figuring out how we would decorate it for the ceremony.
Theron and I were a little closer. We often bumped into each other since we were both living in the keep now. It was unusual at first, but I figured I would have to get used to seeing him more if I was going to marry him. There was still some mental hindrance I had about marrying him. It felt odd and I couldn’t explain it. The lie was haunting me.
We were never alone, he and I, always under some sort of escort. Emylyn volunteered herself a lot, probably because she felt lonely. I didn’t mind the extra company because it made the whole situation a little less awkward.
I was on my way to the fabric shop to pick out a suitable pattern for my wedding garments. I was keen on getting a white brocade that I could embroider with silver thread and embellish, but Lunamae had come to me the previous day telling me about Theron’s parents giving the shopkeeper some silk for my dress. They had silk in Fanarion but only the very wealthy could afford to buy it and it was even more expensive to import so many places seldom did. They told the owner any leftover could be sold for full profit. Eclipse had been following me around while I did my errands for the day. When I went into the shop, the cat dutifully waited outside for me, although he made sure I knew he was there by his meows.
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