“I understand,” she replied and stepped away from his guiding fingers.
~~~~~~
Liam’s words, though tinged with a hint of demand, were true and gently delivered. She took them as he intended, a warning of what would be expected of her.
“Ireic.”
A joyful cry drew Jayne’s thoughts away from the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. A small, dark haired woman descended the last of the stairs, her slender fingers resting on the forearm of a burly, middle-aged man dressed in the king’s livery and armed. As the woman negotiated the final step, Jayne’s professional eye instantly noted her condition. The high-waisted dress was the first hint, but the telltale swelling beneath the fuller skirts made it unmistakable.
“She is pregnant,” she whispered in shock.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Liam asked, as he turned to the king. Jayne cringed at the accusation in his tone, but the king laughed.
“It isn’t common knowledge and I wish to keep it that way.”
“But the travel...”
“Why do you think it has taken me so long to get here? We traveled slowly so she could be as comfortable as possible. Besides, I couldn’t leave her behind, especially considering I don’t know how long it will be until I can return. I am not about to miss the birth of my firstborn.”
As the king finished speaking, the queen joined them. “Liam?” she asked in a voice soft and warm. Her dark eyes turned up unerringly toward Liam as she released her grip on her escort’s arm and extended a hand toward him, but the movement was slightly off. “It is you, isn’t it?”
“Your Majesty, I am very pleased that you remember me.” Liam caught the woman’s slender white hand and brushed the tips of her fingers with his mouth. “I am delighted to see you growing more beautiful.”
The queen smiled warmly, he sightless gaze wandering off to the side. “How could I forget you when all Ireic talks about are your letters? By your voice you sound well. Does it tell me the truth?”
“I am well, my queen, though hungry and dirty.”
“As well as could be expected, Lirth, after spending a night in a dungeon,” the king commented to his wife. “Now, Beloved,” he said, slipping an arm around the queen’s shoulders and turning her slightly so that she faced Jayne. “There is someone else that you need to meet. May I present Lady Jayne Alain?”
Jayne managed a shaky curtsey beneath the king’s gaze. She was struggling within herself whether to listen to her instincts which screamed at her to run or her eyes. The emotion in the touch of the king’s hand on his wife’s shoulder was something she had never seen. He loved her, or at least played the part before Jayne and Liam. Everything about the queen’s appearance seemed to agree.
“Pardon, Your Majesties, my lord,” the queen’s escort interrupted. “I have just been informed that dinner will be ready in less than a half hour.”
“In that case, we should go clean up,” Ireic agreed. “Do you know of a place where I can wash off all this dirt?”
“Follow me,” Liam said and strode off toward the back courtyard where the well was. Jayne was left alone with the queen and her intimidating escort.
“Jayne,” the queen said, extending both hands toward her. “I cannot tell you how pleased I am to meet you.” Her smile was so warm and welcoming that Jayne stepped into the woman’s offered embrace without thought. When it occurred to her that this behavior was highly inappropriate etiquette, Lirth’s gentle squeeze silenced the fear. “I have wanted to meet you since the first time Liam mentioned you in his letters. He gave such a glowing report of your skills and character I had little trouble convincing Ireic to bring me here for the birth.” She blushed becomingly as she rested a hand on her swollen belly.
“How far along are you?” Jayne asked as she turned toward the stairs. The queen’s escort took her hand and laid it on his forearm to guide her in the same direction.
“About eight months. The royal midwife who delivered Ireic says I am gaining weight just like I am supposed to, but I feel like a horse, a very fat horse.” She did look heavy, but no heavier than any other woman in her eighth month despite her small frame.
“Don’t you wish for the royal midwife to be present for the delivery?”
“No, the title is honorary at this point. Gilda is an ancient wise woman now. Her advice has been valuable so far, but she admits that her delivering days are past.”
Since the queen appeared more than willing to discuss her pregnancy all the way to her quarters, Jayne complied. The queen showed the enthusiasm of a first time mother without the fear Jayne expected. Most mothers experienced the fear of the unknown, the pain of labor pains and delivery. The queen kept mentioning the king’s name. If Jayne didn’t know better, it sounded as though Ireic was the best husband a woman could ask for—gentle, kind, considerate, and loving. It was against everything Jayne believed of men in power, and the fear and memory of hate she clung to so desperately to keep herself at a safe distance. Despite this, she held to what her experiences had taught her.
As she turned away from the queen’s closed door, Jayne frowned. The king couldn’t be as wonderful as his wife painted him. Time and actions would show his true self.
Chapter Twelve
Liam stood against the outer wall of the Great Hall and observed the mingling crowd of men-at-arms. Many faces were familiar from the days he served in King Ireic’s personal guard, but time and rank now set him apart from them. He was pleased to see his recent recruits from the village welcoming the new arrivals with warmth, inviting them to sit and converse as they waited for the king and queen to arrive.
Warm, delectable scents emanated from the kitchen door to his right, reminding his stomach he hadn’t eaten in twenty-four hours. It growled as the door swung open slightly and Patti leaned out to check something.
“They are still not here,” he informed her.
Patti frowned. “Don’t they know that the meal is ready?”
“The king went off to fetch the queen a moment ago. They should arrive any moment. Jayne hasn’t appeared though. I am about ready to go searching for her.”
“You needn’t bother,” Patti told him as she stuck her chin out toward the far entrance. Liam turned and spotted Jayne slipping into the hall without fully opening the door.
“Good. I was growing concerned.”
“She knows her duty,” Patti commented and withdrew.
Jayne scanned the room. Her body language was demure and unremarkable as though she wished to fade into the wall. Liam waited until her eyes met his before he smiled. The light of recognition lit her face, and she began making her way toward him.
The soft sway of her skirt caught his attention. For the first time he noticed her gown. Despite the faded material, the simple elegance of the cut spoke of a former time, before the strife and trouble of her years of trial. Wondering where she had found it, he instantly decided that he would inquire about cloth for dresses as soon as possible. If his memory served him correctly, she owned two outfits, both of which needed mending, or better yet, retirement to the rag bag. She kept the children in better clothing than herself.
Jayne avoided getting even remotely close to a group of three men and hesitated when a duo in deep conversation blocked her path. While she deliberated on what to do, one of them turned and noticed her. Liam did not hear what was spoken, but he recognized the restrained fear on her face.
Liam glanced at the man. His manner appeared courteous, but that didn’t mean his words were the same. Just as Liam pushed himself off the wall to go to her rescue, the men stepped back to allow her passage. She inclined her head in thanks and passed between them as regally as a queen.
“I was worrying,” Liam said as Jayne approached. He extended his hand toward her, but she ignored it. He glanced to where her hands hid in her skirts. “That is a beautiful gown.”
“My mother’s.” Her voice cracked and she avoided his eyes.
“No wonder it fits yo
u so well.”
“How long are they staying?”
Looking to her face in surprise, Liam asked, “Who?”
“The king and queen,” she replied, though her wary glance toward the full tables made Liam suspect it wasn’t the royal couple she was so eager to see leave.
Before he questioned her further, the main doors opened and one from the king’s personal guard announced the royal couple. They stepped into the great hall and began the progress to the high table set for them. Turning to Jayne, Liam offered her his arm with a bow.
“Lady Alain, would you allow me to escort you?”
Jayne hesitated but obeyed. The feathery touch of her fingers on his forearm shook. Placing his left hand over the trembling one on his arm, Liam secured it firmly and looked into her eyes.
“No one in this room will hurt you, Jayne. I guarantee it with my life. Now relax and enjoy the meal.” He gently squeezed her cold hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner and then led her forward to join the procession.
~~~~~~
Jayne did not share Liam’s confidence that the men crowding the halls and rooms of the vargar were trustworthy. In the short journey from her mother’s old bedchamber to the Great Hall, she encountered at least six armed men in the halls. Though all but one of them let her pass without a word, it made her nervous to be around so many unknown faces.
Liam’s warm reassurance that he would guarantee her safety elicited a responding measure of calm in her. His steady strength and calm presence kept her from excusing herself and running.
They approached the high table as the king was seating the queen in the left central place. Liam guided her with a gentle hand to the seat next to the queen and then took his place at the far side of the king.
The first course arrived with a fragrant aroma that made her mouth water. Jayne became preoccupied with filling her stomach. At the other end of the table Liam discussed their situation with the king, but she could only hear every other word.
“You are tense,” the queen said as she laid a hand on the table, seeking Jayne’s hand. Jayne obligingly placed her hand in the queen’s.
“I am sorry, your majesty. It has been a trying few days.”
“But you shouldn’t be tense now. You are home and safe. Relax.” The woman’s slender fingers rubbed the back of Jayne’s hand as though she was trying to soothe the tension that tightened Jayne’s whole being. “The Kurios has brought you back to Liam and he is at peace. You, however, are wound tight and ready to burst. What is it that bothers you?”
Jayne’s fears about the king and his men, the fear of what Klian would do next, the concern over the crops and the harvest, and the strange way that Liam kept seeing into her soul flooded her mind at once. Kurios, what can I do? An overwhelming desire to cry flooded over her.
Firmly pushing it back, Jayne scrambled to answer Lirth. Knowing she could not speak to the queen of all the things that raged within her thoughts, Jayne grasped for a plausible answer.
“I miss the children.” It wasn’t on the list, but it was an honest reason. She worried about the children. In her hurried search for a gown and quick change she hadn’t time to check on them, especially Rowana.
“Tell me about them. Liam mentioned your children in his letters, but he didn’t describe them in detail. How are you related?” Lirth’s dark sightless eyes opened wider in her interest.
Jayne told their story, skimming over the childbirth complications for the queen’s sake. With each birth and rejection, Lirth’s face grew sadder. Reaching over to grasp Jayne’s hand again, she squeezed it gently.
“The Kurios only allows what we can handle, and through His strength He carries us through. Your story is a wonderful testimony of God’s provision.” She smiled sadly. “Though, I can see that it has left scars.” She opened her mouth to speak again, but a commotion at the doors to the courtyard interrupted.
Braxton emerged from the group of men around the door and approached the high table. The grim look on his face bode ill news. Bowing to the king and queen, he turned to Liam.
“It is raining, my lord,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Liam leaned back in his chair with a weary sigh. “What is the damage?”
“One store room in the village and three in the vargar are still empty.”
“How bad is that?” the king asked.
“Bad,” Liam replied. “According to my calculations we will need those storerooms plus an equal share more to pass the winter in comfort.”
The king frowned. “Am I correct in guessing you did not include a lengthy stay of your king and his men in your calculations?”
Liam looked up and met his liege’s gaze. “That is correct.”
“I see I will need to collect Klian’s back taxes at once. If what you say is true, he should also reimburse you for your workers’ time and effort.” Pushing back his chair, the king rose. “Shall we retire to your study? I wish to look over the logbooks and review those documents you mentioned.”
“Very well, sire.”
Turning to Lirth, who was listening to the conversation with upturned face, Ireic leaned down and stroked her cheek. “You have had a long day, Beloved. Don’t wait up for me.” Then he kissed her with such tenderness that Jayne lowered her eyes in embarrassment. If this was a show, the couple before her were supreme actors. “See she rests well, Lady Jayne,” Ireic admonished before turning away to follow Liam out of the room.
“Yes, sire,” she replied though he was already out of range to hear her.
Jayne turned back to her meal. King Ireic had not reacted as she anticipated to the news that the vargar’s supplies would be short this winter. She had expected anger or at least a rebuke for mismanagement. Instead, the king acted as though he and Liam were equals fighting a battle side by side.
“Does he always deal with his lords like that?”
Lirth looked up in surprise. “Like what?”
“He didn’t blame or show anger.”
“As your father would have?”
“Yes.” Jayne stared at her meal.
“Not every man is like your father. Neither is every man like my father, thank the Kurios.” Leaning back in her chair, Lirth tilted her head in thought. “I think it is time you heard my story.
“I was born, much like you, to a father who did not truly want me. He abused my mother and was distant to his children. Though he did not deny us his name as your father has you and your siblings, he denied us his attention and love.
“One summer, while I was out picnicking with my brothers, I was kidnapped by a fortune hunter. He sought money and fame and received the money when he sold me to one of the many the sworn enemies of my father, a baron. The following five years I was abused both physically and mentally. Many times I despaired of ever living to see freedom again. If it wasn’t for the Kurios’ constant presence, I would have perished.”
Lirth lowered her eyes as if recalling those long years. The memories clouded the queen’s beautiful face, and Jayne counted her blessings. Although her life was hard, she still had friends. Lirth’s past held no friendship in those five years of pain.
“How did you escape?”
The queen’s face cleared and brightened into a smile. “The Kurios brought Ireic to me. My father, though he did not have me in his control, used me as a diplomatic pawn, handing me over to Ireic as part of a peace agreement. After everything was signed, he sent Ireic off on a wild chase to find me.” She laughed. “It was a shock to both of us when Ireic found his way to the top of my tower. He didn’t know I was blind, and I didn’t know he was my betrothed.”
“Weren’t you afraid of him?”
“At first, I was. It took a long time to realize that he would not hurt me. He is a wonderful man, Jayne. I thank God daily for giving me him.” Catching Jayne’s hand in hers, Lirth smiled in her direction. “Someday, He will bring someone into your life as well.”
Jayne could not help the shiver that ran down her spi
ne. Biting back the denial on her tongue, she turned the conversation. “You should get to bed. It is growing late.”
Lirth agreed and Jayne escorted her up to her bed chamber. A slender blonde young woman met them at the door and introduced herself as Larissa. Seeing the confident familiarity between the two women, Jayne left Lirth in Larissa’s capable care.
“Jayne!” Suddenly she was engulfed in a crowd of clamoring children. Rowana and Ryana both wrapped their arms around her waist while Trina tugged at her skirt.
“Are you whole?” Oran asked solemnly over the young ones’ heads, looking every inch a grown young man. His blue eyes scanned her with concern.
“Braxton said that Klian would make you marry him. You wouldn’t do that would you?” Rowana asked.
“Patti let me help in the kitchen while you were gone,” Trina added.
“Never go away again,” Ryana pleaded, nuzzling her face into Jayne’s dress.
“I am not planning on it, Ryana,” Jayne assured her, stroking the girl’s dark hair. “I am so glad you are safe.”
“Why shouldn’t we be safe?” Urith asked. “You were the one who was kidnapped.”
“Shh,” Oran hissed at his brother, punctuating it with a jab to the ribs. “Trina isn’t supposed to know.”
“She doesn’t know what I am talking about,” Urith protested.
“What’s kidnapped?” Trina asked.
Oran shot Urith a look that clearly said ‘now you have done it.’
Jayne smiled and lifted the five-year-old into her arms so she could bury her face in the child’s shoulder. They were safe. That was all that mattered. Thank you, Kurios, she prayed. Then lifting her head, she smiled at the boys. “Tell me what you have been learning.”
In the next hour before exhaustion finally claimed her senses, Jayne listened to Urith talk about all the books he had read in the past week. She also saw a demonstration of the new moves Oran learned.
~~~~~~
“There must be something we can do,” Ireic declared as he frowned over the logbooks spread across the desk in Liam’s study. Long columns recorded the total harvest. On a parchment lying to the right, the equations verified the bleak picture of the future. Outside the walls, the rain pattered the stone and killed the hope of salvaging any grain from the fields.
The Reward of Anavrea Page 11
