“Is that—?”
“Tui had it cleaned up a bit for you, while you were bathing. He came to find me earlier—to knock some sense into me if I’ll be honest. Said that I should be the one to present it to you.”
Papa’s carved obsidian pendant shines and glitters in the afternoon sunlight filtering through my window. It looks more beautiful than it ever has.
“May I?” he asks.
I nod. He settles the pendant against my chest, then fastens the chain securely at the back of my neck.
I grasp it between my fingers, the stone still warm from Leif’s pocket. I can’t stop grinning. “I suppose I’m ready now. Oh wait—my boots!”
Leif’s brows go up, and his mouth twitches and I can tell he’s trying to hold back a laugh. As requested, he fetches my newly polished leather boots and helps me slide my feet in—since I can’t see past the billows of fabric—then laces them up for me.
He stands and looks me over again, a huge smile on his face. “Regal. That’s the only word that truly describes you right now, m’lady. And I’d mean that even if you were naked.” One of his brows quirks up teasingly and I can’t help but laugh. “Ready?” He offers his arm up toward me.
“I’ve never been more,” I reply, as I entwine my arm in his, and together we descend to the Palace entrance hall to wait for the ceremony to begin.
Chapter 21
Leif
When Raven was crowned Woman King of Nadir, it was an epic, history-making moment that any of us lucky enough to witness will never forget. I’d waited my entire life for this moment, and knowing that she is mine, forever, made it all the more sweeter.
Afterward, she was determined to travel back to Baldachin to see her family. It took her only a week to arrange for the Palace and Bastion to be managed in her absence.
I know better than to even entertain the notion of trying to stop her. And now, after a month of travel, we’re nearly back to Baldachin. I’d gotten word that Papa was waiting there, along with everyone else, all safe and well. Thankfully, the late season has been mild so far, and we had no trouble following the main road over the pass.
We’d stopped at the villages along the way: Westford, Dunfall, even Blackpool. Raven stood and spoke before the residents of each, sharing her vision for a peaceful and prosperous Nadir. The fancy dress stored away, she’s been wearing what she’s most comfortable in: her old leather boots, with new gray woolen pants, and her soft, brown leather jacket, a sapphire-blue cloak on top of it. Underneath, she’s always wearing Glissanda, the new sword Sufa brought to her.
I’d watch the crowd, immediately spotting the Loyalists standing and listening with crossed arms and looks of suspicion on their faces. They wouldn’t clap or cheer. But at least they didn’t boo, and that’s a start.
Not me. I’d stand right in front, cheering the loudest, watching my beautiful fiancée talk animatedly, her long, dark hair shimmering behind her, her blue eyes sparkling with hope—hope that would radiate through the crowd until they were rapt with it.
Rapt before our Woman King.
We’ve just emerged from the old bearcat forest. Wildegaards still swoop overhead, but they are silent, their terrifying screeches held in. It’s late in the day and we’ll stay at the Waters’ inn at Alderwood before continuing on to Baldachin tomorrow.
Our large party takes up most of the dining room: Raven’s brought a number of workers with us to help the rebuilding of Baldachin. Then there’s her various counselors, assistants, and cooks. Quite unlike our other travels throughout the kingdom.
The innkeepers and their children bustle about, serving up huge mugs of ale, loaves of crusty bread with fresh butter. Although we’ve eaten very well the entire way, it still hits the spot. A fire roars in the huge stone hearth at the end of the room, the heat warming our limbs, chilled from the icy late-autumn air.
Raven, Tui, and I are seated together at a small round table to ourselves. She’s been unusually quiet this afternoon, but I can wait for her to tell me what’s up. I know she will, eventually.
I don’t ask Tui about Catriona, either. I know from our talks over the past few weeks that Tui’s accepted he needs to let her go. I don’t blame the fellow, truth be told. Raven and I have spent our time apart—never again.
With bellies overfull of steak and sweet potato pie, we still manage to fit in a large piece of pumpkin cake each. Raven takes a small sip of her coffee, then leans back and clears her throat.
“Yes?” I say, raising a brow.
She smiles. “How did you know that I’ve got something to say?”
I can’t help a corner of my mouth quirking up. “You’ve got something to confess, haven’t you?”
Tui snorts, nearly blowing coffee out of his nose. Then he laughs. “You’re a braver man than I am, Leif Phineas.”
I return his grin. “Brave, or foolish?” Tui’s gaze flicks back to Raven and I follow it. She’s leaned back in her chair, arms across her chest, listening to our banter with a sly smile, eyes twinkling.
“Anyway, Leif”—she drops her arms, folding her hands in her lap—“I’ve decided to send word to Imogen and Caleb. To invite them to Baldachin. To make amends.”
I lean over to take her hands in my own. “Really? Are you sure?”
She nods. “Positive. Besides, I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I’m still not sure I did the right thing. I mean, Imogen’s always been loyal to me, to our kingdom. It’s just … her methods … well, obviously I don’t agree with those.”
I shake my head. “Of course not. What she did was deplorable. But you’re right, she’s more loyal to you than anyone. Thank you for giving her a second chance.”
“You’re quite welcome. Besides, she’s your aunt. And”—her smile grows even larger—“Caleb would make a great ring bearer. Well, even if he’s a little old—”
I pull her hands to my lips, planting a firm kiss onto the back of each. “Naw, he’s perfect. Our cousin, after all.”
Raven laughs, the sound ringing around the pub like a silver bell. “That he will be. And soon.”
“Very soon.”
Tui coughs. The sound startles me; I’ve nearly forgotten we weren’t alone. “Sounds like you two need a room to yourselves,” he mutters.
Raven looks at him, and I can hardly believe her next words.
“I think we surely might.”
Raven’s up before dawn, already packing.
“You don’t have to do that—your ladies can.”
“I know. I’m just so … I just need to keep busy. I want to leave straight away. I’m dying to see everyone.”
I sit up, yawn, stretch. “Me too. Although, if I’m honest, I’m a wee nervous about meeting your father.”
She laughs, the sound making my stomach flip, as usual. “Don’t be. He’s going to love you.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
I sure hope she’s right.
It’s mid-morning when we arrive at Baldachin, just a few hours after leaving Alderwood. Even before the burned-up village comes into view, we can hear the sound of hammers pinging on nails: the treevillagers are full-on up and working on the rebuild, in a new grove of trees, just past the old.
I could tell Raven was itching to move faster than our company was able, what with all the wagons of supplies and food. But as we near Baldachin, she gives her trusty Pearl a gentle kick and the two of them race ahead.
I follow a little ways behind on my dark gray stallion, then stop when she leaps down from Pearl’s back and runs into her papa’s waiting arms.
She is soon smothered with hugs and kisses from who I assume is her mother, and an older gray-haired woman who must be Miss Lilith. Then Tui joins in, and his parents grab hold of him: his mother a tiny woman, barely five-feet tall, and his father built large, just like him. The sound of sniffling reaches my ears. Laughter. Joy.
I smile, watching. It’s the homecoming I know Raven was dreaming of.
Before I know what’s happening, she’s pulling on my hand, so I dismount and walk with her to meet her family.
We stop before her father. We’re the same height, and our eyes meet. His are a warm, golden brown. He’s got sandy-blond hair, same as the shorter woman standing next to him: Raven’s mother. Raven definitely has no resemblance to either of them, and I wonder for a second how everyone was convinced for so long that she was theirs.
Then I remember myself. “Hello, Mr. Aegis. Leif Phineas.” I offer out my hand. He hesitates, just for a second, then takes my hand in his. But before I know it, he’s tugging me into a warm embrace, patting my back.
“It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Leif,” he says as he releases me. “Please, call me Eli.” He’s wearing a huge smile, and he glances over again at Raven with pride.
Raven’s mother places a hand on my arm. “We’ve heard a lot about you, Leif. I’m Melody. Welcome to Baldachin. Well, what’s left of it.”
I put a hand over Melody’s, and squeeze it warmly. “It’s so lovely to meet you both, and I’m looking forward to doing what I can to help the rebuild.”
Melody smiles at me, acknowledging my offer with a silent nod.
I feel someone else staring at me, and slowly turn around. Although I swear I’ve never seen her before, I can’t help the sense that Miss Lilith seems rather familiar.
“Leif,” she says with a warm smile, holding out both of her hands. I take them, and she too pulls me into a tight embrace. “It’s good to see you again,” she whispers in my ear.
Before I can reply, Papa’s voice booms out. “M’boy!”
I release Lilith and spin around. Papa’s running toward me, his white hair disheveled and full of sawdust.
He practically throws himself at me, pulling me into a huge embrace. “I’m so glad to see you here safely, and bearing such good news! Our lovely Raven, crowned Woman King, your upcoming nuptials … my goodness what a turn our lives have taken!”
“They sure have. Will be even better when—oh.” I feel my face blush bright red, remembering the company I am in, glad I stopped myself before I’d said something truly embarrassing. I indicate my hand to all standing nearby. “It’s most excellent that everyone is here safe, and the rebuild looks to be well underway.”
I can’t help but notice Raven’s eyes trained not on me, but on Tui, who’s moved off to the side and is talking with Catriona.
Then as if she can feel my eyes on her, Raven looks back to me, a large smile bursting out on her face. “I have an announcement, everyone!” Her clear voice rings out over the gathering crowd. When the din of excited voices quietens, she continues. “At the latter half-moon next month, I will celebrate my eighteenth birthday. But with all my wishes granted—to see all of you back here, safe—the only wish I have left is to marry the love of my life, Leif Phineas. Right here in Baldachin, before all of you.”
If I could possibly have torn my eyes from her lovely face, I’m sure I would have seen the jaws drop. But I manage to pick my own up from the ground, and reach for her, my hands finding hers.
“What do you think, Leif?”
My heart is beating so hard I’m not sure I’ll be able to get any words out at first. “I’d marry you anywhere. But here—perfect.”
She grabs me then, and kisses me, right in front of everyone.
Somewhere in another world, cheers and shouts and whoops ring into the treetops. But in this one, it’s just the two of us, me and her. All I’ve ever dreamed of.
The past two weeks have flown by, both with sun-up to sun-down building work and with preparations for our wedding. Great progress has been made with Baldachin’s rebuild, what with the extra builders Raven brought. Nearly every family has a new treehome just in time for winter.
I’ve helped salvage what we could from the ashes: iron stoves, pots and pans, those sorts of things. Every night I go to bed with the smell of ash in my nostrils—I’m sleeping in Tui’s treehome, of course; I wouldn’t dare to sneak into Raven’s room with her mum and papa nearby. I struggle to hold back my anger at those Loyalists and what they did to these innocent people. But then I remember that despite all the terrible things they’ve done, we’ve succeeded in the end: Raven is now ruler of Nadir.
But she won’t take revenge. That’s not who she is.
I also can’t help noticing Papa and Miss Lilith spending more than a bit of time together, not only as he helps her rebuild her new treehome, but during downtime as well. It’s almost as if they know each other. I mean, I suppose they could, both being from the Bastion and all. I’m sure Papa will fill me in, eventually. Either way, I’m glad for him to have the companionship. At least for now.
Imogen and Caleb arrived a week after us. When she saw Raven, Imogen about collapsed onto one knee. With tears streaming down her eyes, she begged Raven to forgive her. Said she’d done it only to help Raven gain her rightful throne. Which I know is true.
I did the same, after all.
And, as with me, Raven forgave her immediately, with a stern warning to never to do anything like that again.
Since they’ve arrived, I’ve spent as much time as I can with Caleb, happy to take him under my wing, after so many years of serving at the Palace. He’s never been outside the Bastion, and while he was quiet at first, he’s quickly come to enjoy the freedom of climbing trees, running through autumn leaves, fishing in the river, just hanging out with the other boys. I think the kid will be all right, though I doubt he ever wants to see the inside of the Bastion again and I don’t blame him.
Finally, our wedding day arrives. I gaze out a window of Tui’s treehome and from here I can see the central platform where our ceremony will be held. The treevillagers have gone all out with decorations: ribbons and white scarves are draped from the tree branches, wreaths and garlands too. But the only sight I’m hungry to see is Raven in her wedding dress.
Tui and I are getting ready together. We have matching dark blue pants, white shirts. Everyone will be barefoot as is what’s normal for walking around in the treetops of Baldachin. I have a white tie and Tui has a blue one. I do my best to knot it, but he laughs, reaching over to help. “Nervous?” he asks.
“Yes. No. Maybe.” Hell yes, I’m nervous. My knees are positively quivering.
He gives the tie a harder tug than is probably necessary, then takes a step back to examine it. And me. “I love Raven, you know. I always have and always will. But she’s well and truly yours. And you’d better not take that for granted, ever again.” He sticks his hands in his pockets, dark eyes burning into my face.
I gulp. “I know that, mate. I don’t know what to say except … I won’t let you down. I treasure that woman with my heart and soul. Always will.”
His face softens, a corner of his mouth turns up a bit, and he pats me on the shoulder. “I know it. Otherwise, I’d never let you marry her.”
“I know that too.” And I do.
Shortly after, the sound of soft flute music drifts through the open windows. The air is crisp, but there’s not a single cloud in the brilliant-blue sky and though the sun rays are weak, it feels plenty warm. Or, it could just be me.
There’s a soft knock on the door—it’s Papa, telling me that it’s time. It feels like I’m swimming as I walk across the swingways to the platform where everyone is waiting. I scan the crowd: there’s Raven’s mum, Miss Lilith, Tui’s parents, Catriona, Imogen. Everyone is here, except for my bride.
I take my place with Papa and Tui next to Miss Lilith, who will be our officiant—she’d admitted it’d been a very long time since she’d performed a wedding ceremony, but Raven insisted that she’d do just fine. I can’t help but notice Papa smiling at her, and she smiling back radiantly. Catriona stands opposite, looking unusually lovely in a long, dark blue dress.
My heart speeds up when the sound of the flutes changes and everyone turns to look at the swingway opposite. Suddenly, as if it was an angel appearing, Raven, holding her father’s arm, emerges from t
he tunnel of vines.
Oh gods, she’s more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. Her sky-blue silk dress hugs her hips, then flows behind her in a long train. A soft, white shawl is around her shoulders, held fast with my mother’s silver bird pin. She’s wearing a crown of blue flowers in her loose hair. But it’s her face that has me rapt: she’s looking right at me, coming toward me, smiling.
My heart slows. Calm washes through me.
This is the moment I’ve always dreamed of.
Raven and her papa stop before me. “May I present my daughter, Raven Araroa. Will you love and treasure her for all eternity, Leif Phineas?” he asks.
I nod, eagerly. “Yes, yes, I swear I will.”
Eli nods, then offers Raven’s arm toward me. I step forward, grasping onto it, our fingers entwining together.
Miss Lilith speaks, but my brain doesn’t quite manage to hear the words coherently. The only thing that fully registers is Raven’s beauty, her radiant smile, and the fact that after a few minutes, we’ll truly belong to each other.
Caleb appears, in his usual way as if out of nowhere. He hands me a simple sapphire ring. Raven’s eyes go enormous when she sees it for the first time; her breath hitches and I know she remembers it. It belonged to her blood mother, Queen Seraphine.
“Will you take this ring, will you be my wife, my love?”
Her grin grows even wider. “Yes, yes I will.”
I slide the ring onto her finger, my hands steadier than they’ve ever been. Then I kiss the back of her hand. I don’t let go.
I promise the same, and she slides a golden ring onto my finger too.
We stand there, staring at each other, both of us forgetting for a moment just what is going on here.
Miss Lilith clears her throat. “May I present our royal couple: wife and husband, Woman King and Duke of Nadir, Raven Aegis Araroa and Leif Phineas Araroa!” Her voice quietens dramatically. “May you kiss, now and for forever.”
We don’t hesitate for even a split second: I take Raven into my arms, slide a hand into her hair, and our mouths meet as if for the first time. The cheers of our witnesses fade from my ears as my blood starts pounding again, sparks shooting down my body as I kiss my wife, my love.
Glissanda Page 27