“I love your mother very much, you know,” I told them during the long night watch, stroking my hand over the swell of my lover’s belly. Small twitches and bumps underneath my hand reassured me that, for now, the children were still moving. It almost felt like they were listening to me, responding to my voice, but perhaps that was wishful thinking. I convinced myself that if the babies were still alive and well, Rapunzel would be, too.
My chest was sore and tight with the tears that I had been too terrified to shed, and they broke in my voice. “You were not conceived in love, but I promise that you will be born into it. You will be my princes, and I will give you anything you want.” For some reason, the familiar words sent gooseflesh crawling over my skin. I wanted to take them back. “I will give you my love, my protection, and my knowledge, but I will not be like my mother.”
Surprisingly, I believed in what I said. I would never be my mother. Her shadow had hung over me for too long already. Until I let go of her, let go of my fears, Rapunzel would still be touched by her darkness. Treasuring Rapunzel and her children did not make me a monster. I loved her like nothing else on the earth, but I would not let greed blind me to her humanity. I would not repeat Mogra’s mistakes.
As I caressed the soft curve of her cheek, gray from the loss of blood, my lover’s eyes fluttered open. Immediately, her right hand reached for mine, holding it tight against her face as her other hand curled protectively over her stomach. The strained lines of her face smoothed over as she felt the babies move inside of her. “He is all right?” she asked, her voice cracking.
“They,” I corrected her, lacing my fingers with hers. “They are alive. There are two heartbeats.”
“Two?” Although her brown eyes were still clouded with pain and weariness, they widened with understanding. I released her hand and rubbed her forehead, checking to make sure that her skin did not feel warm. She had lost a lot of blood and there was still the risk that she would run a fever. “Two,” I repeated. “We have two children. That is why you are growing so quickly.” It was also why I could feel her quickening so early in her pregnancy. There was less empty space to absorb the small taps and kicks.
For a moment, Rapunzel looked frightened, as though she was wondering how she could possibly handle giving birth to and raising two children at once, but her eyes locked with mine and I felt her draw her reassurance from me. It felt wonderful to be there for my Tuathe, especially since I had not been able to offer her strength or comfort before. The scars of guilt inside of me began to fade.
“I love you,” I told her, letting my fingertips drift over her lips so that she could kiss them. Her eyes closed and the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile despite the pain that I knew she was feeling. “Sleep.”
My lover obeyed and began to drift back into a healing sleep, although I was pleased that she had shown some alertness. I sighed and sat back on my heels, observing her as best I could in the dark. Our children had settled back down and I felt no more movement under my hand, but I suspected that they were following their mother’s example and resting for a while.
Our children.
My body instantly locked, muscles seizing and cutting off my breath as that thought echoed in my head. It was the first time that I had referred to the babies as ‘ours’. Even though it was only in my mind, it was a monumental step. The idea of being responsible for two infants still terrified me, and I felt a flash of sympathy. Rapunzel must have been so frightened when she first suspected that she might be pregnant. I had not been there to support her, the children’s father was absent, and she was still imprisoned in Mogra’s tower.
Only now, when I was threatened with losing the most important people in my life, did I understand just how much they meant to me. “My sons,” I said, mouthing the words in quiet disbelief.
“And how do you know they will be sons? Do you have the Sight?” came a voice from behind my shoulder. I concealed my startled reaction to Hassa’s appearance, willing my heart to beat more slowly. The Liarre could approach as silently as ghosts, even the large Equiarre. His body did not seem built for stealth at all, and I was impressed.
“No,” I said, “I am only guessing. But I am a Witch’s Daughter.” I could say that now without humiliation or shame. My mother was a part of me, and her knowledge made me the Ariada that I was, but she did not dictate my actions. Mogra could not control me anymore.
…
Chapter Nine:
It took us three more days to reach Liarre territory. It was slow going because we did not want to do anything to upset Rapunzel’s recovery, but she was conscious and aware of her surroundings when we crossed the border. Instead of a thin line, the border was actually a stretch of high brush, not something I had expected in the dry, warmer western climate with its bare canyon faces and rocky outcroppings. The brush was high enough to touch my upper arms at the elbow, but Hassa stood well above it.
I realized that we were not alone after only a few minutes. Soft rustling sounds, almost like sighs, came from the field around us. At first, I thought that some small animal must be scurrying for cover, but the sounds continued and became much larger. Not being able to see our silent, spectral watchers was unsettling and I looked at Hassa for reassurance.
“We are seen only when we want to be seen, and heard only when we want to be heard,” he said, not waiting for me to ask my questions aloud. “The border guards are letting you know that they are here.”
I glanced over my shoulder, squinting as I tried to discern any difference in color or texture that might give one of the hiding sentinels away, but I could not see anything. It was difficult to imagine a creature as large as Hassa hiding himself in the brush, but perhaps some of the other races like the Feliarre were more adept at camouflage.
As the brush started to fade into knee-high weeds and grass, we began to climb over a low, rolling hill. “Over the crown of the hill is the valley of Ardu,” he said, gesturing with his hand, but even with the warning, the sight that stretched out before us when I reached the top of the hill took my breath away. Rapunzel let out an equally impressed gasp of surprise.
Like a network of threads, several dirt paths led down the side of the hill and into a sharp dip in the landscape. Nestled in the valley, perhaps valley was not the right word to describe it, because the climb down looked very steep, was some of the most stunning architecture I had ever seen. Instead of stairways, the outer walls of the taller buildings were surrounded by spiraling ramps that led up to the roofs. To our right was a large, angular structure that reminded me of an hourglass. A large, ancient-looking stone wall that rose and fell with the landscape surrounded the entire city.
Beside me, Rapunzel was taking everything in, just as awed as I seemed to be. Her hand reached out to grab mine, and I knew that she was itching to draw what she had just seen. Instead, she stared with wide eyes, trying to soak in as many details as possible.
A gentle touch on my shoulder drew me from my breathless study of the city. “You will have more chances to see Ardu from a distance,” said Hassa. “The young mother needs rest and food, and your friends are waiting. I am sure that they are anxious to greet you.” Overlooking Rapunzel’s needs made me feel slightly guilty, but I did not worry too much when I saw the pleased expression on her face. She already looked much better than she had a few days ago, and her color was healthier.
“Come on,” I said, squeezing the hand that was still twined with mine. The warmth was comforting, reminding me that she was alive and safe. “I want to see it up close.”
The walk down the steep hillside was easier than I expected, but I was surprised when we did not follow any of the larger, wider roads. Instead, we traveled down a narrow, winding footpath that took us out of our way several times. Sensing my curiosity, Hassa answered my unspoken question. “These are dangerous times. Many of the main roads have been blocked off or defended with traps.”
The closer we got to the city itself, the wider and more well
-used the road appeared to become. “This place is amazing,” Rapunzel whispered as a large pair of wood and iron gates rose high above us. The wall was also growing taller as we drew closer, and I was impressed by how well defended the Liarre were. I was not sure whether this was because Ardu was directly on the border, or if the cities in the heart of their country were also well defended.
There was movement on top of the gate, and soon the pair of doors began to swing open, their weight shifting with a loud, reluctant groan. The three of us walked into the city together, past several groups of curious onlookers that watched and whispered in a language I did not understand, although most of them were too polite to point.
“Some of them have never seen a human before,” Hassa explained. “The Liarre have as many myths and legends about your race as you do about ours.”
“What about Cate and Larna? I thought you said they were here?”
“They are Wyr. They might look like you sometimes, but it is not the same. They will want to see you. I can show you the place where they are staying…”
I caught sight of two small, familiar figures that were clearly not Liarre and smiled. “No need, they are already here.”
As soon as red hair and pale, freckled skin came in to view, Rapunzel looked at me with a silent question. When I nodded and smiled in answer, my lover grabbed my hand and started towards the two women. Calling out a greeting, they hurried towards us at a surprisingly fast pace. Their movements gave them away instantly, marking them as something more than human. They walked with the rolled, loping gait of wolves even though they were on two legs, and I understood what Hassa meant when he said that they were not the same.
As soon as they reached us, Cate wrapped me in a tight embrace. “Arim Dei. Thank the Maker you arrived safely. I was worried that something had happened to you.”
“Several somethings happened,” I admitted.
Cate’s expression could only be described as chastising. “You seem to enjoy rushing headlong in to dangerous situations.” For a moment, I felt like a child being scolded for wandering too far. Even though Cate and I were roughly the same age, she had adopted a motherly attitude towards me.
“I do not,” I protested. “Mogra followed us.” I noticed the slight flinch at my mother’s name, but did not think further of it. “The rest of our party…”
“Is probably fine,” Hassa interrupted, sounding more confident than I felt. “Jinale will bring them back safely. Without Mogra behind them, I am sure that they were able to escape the Kerak and the Shadowkin.”
“Good.” Cate released me and moved to hug Rapunzel, who was closer to her height. “I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable, but I feel as though I already know you. My name is Cate.”
My lover allowed the physical closeness and returned the hug. “Arim dei. I wanted to thank you for saving Ailynn’s life…” I blushed, embarrassed but pleased that she had referred to me as hers.
“We were lucky,” Cate said modestly.
Larna stepped forward and clasped Rapunzel’s hands warmly. She was not as comfortable with touch as her mate, but she was still very friendly. “We are glad to have you here. Cate spent a long time looking for the spell to free you.”
My face paled and the bottom dropped from my stomach. “The book,” I said, suddenly remembering. “I left it with… your horse!” My worries instantly doubled. “I left your horse in the forest, and the book… Mogra summoned a great wind and we…”
“The book does not matter, at least not to me. I do not think my friend Ellie’s wife will be pleased to hear that it was lost, but it is only an object.”
“The horse…”
“Knows the way home. He will find his way to an offshoot of the rebel camp, although there is no way he will be able to follow us here.”
I felt guilty for forgetting both of the gifts Cate had given me, particularly the horse, since it was a living creature. “At least there is food and water for him in the forest,” I sighed, knowing that there was nothing I could do to fix things now. It seemed a little silly to worry about a horse when there were still nine Liarre missing that had risked their lives for us, but all of my emotions were jumbled from the excitement of the past several weeks.
Cate smiled. “Worse things could have happened. You arrived safely and I am sure that the others will, too.” A little cautiously, she added, “do you know what happened to Mogra?”
“Doran gave us three gifts when he left us with the Liarre,” I told her. “There were two combs and a scarf. When Mogra chased us, I threw them over my shoulder. The combs turned in to a giant row of spiked trees and a swamp, and the scarf became a large lake…”
To anyone else, this would have sounded like ridiculous babbling, but perhaps Cate had Seen some of what had happened or maybe Doran had shown her the gifts, because she only asked one question. “Mogra did not try to cross?”
“She was riding a Shadowkin,” Rapunzel interjected. “The split in the earth caused a landslide…”
“Which could have broken your neck,” I reminded her sourly, casting a meaningful look at her bulging stomach. Larna followed my gaze and smiled softly.
“I am after thinking there is more than one pup in there,” she said.
Instinctively realizing that the Alpha wanted to touch her stomach but was far too polite to ask, Rapunzel took Larna’s hand and placed it over her belly. “Ailynn says we are having twins.”
The use of the word ‘we’ did not disturb me this time. Instead, I felt a surge of warmth. Cate gave me a small, approving nod. I was not sure how much she knew about the circumstances of Rapunzel’s pregnancy, but surely she did not need her Sight to realize that they were not mine. No, not of my blood, but they are still mine, I corrected myself.
“That is unusual for humans,” Larna said, smiling down at Rapunzel’s stomach. “Have you felt quickening yet?”
“Yes.”
Cate sighed. “You act like you have never seen human pregnancies before. You were a human for many more years than you were a Wyr.”
Larna removed her hands from Rapunzel’s belly. “My father made me leave the house when my siblings were born…” A shadow crossed her face as she mentioned her family, and I secretly wondered what had happened to them. The brief expression of sadness was poignant enough to make me wrap a protective arm around Rapunzel’s shoulder. “I have seen more Wyr give birth than humans.”
Her redheaded mate shuddered. “I like to pretend that Wyr only carry one at a time. The thought of three or four at once is a little overwhelming.”
Rapunzel laughed. “I wasn’t even prepared for one, let alone two, and poor Ailynn was just dragged along without anyone asking her opinion…”
“You did not need to,” I protested, “it was my choice. Please don’t think I am doing anything I don’t want to.” Even though I had certainly had my share of doubts, that did not mean I was incapable of making my own decisions. I was much more comfortable with the idea now. Really, the most frightening part of the situation had been its suddenness – my helplessness. But now, I did not feel helpless. I was with Rapunzel because I loved her, not because she had trapped or manipulated me.
When I noticed that the crowd of interested Liarre had begun to break apart, I nudged Cate’s shoulder. “Do you think there is somewhere that we could clean up and rest? Rapunzel looks pale.” Although this was true and I really did want my lover to rest now that we were safe behind the gates of Ardu, I wanted to wash and rest for my own sake as well. It was just easier to use her as an excuse.
Cate saw through that immediately. “You look pale,” she said. “Come with us. The building that Larna and I are staying in has a few properly shaped beds that you and Rapunzel can use.” Grateful for the offer, we followed her.
…
Chapter Ten:
A short time later, we were freshly washed and dressed in clean, loose shirts and leggings that fit us surprisingly well, considering that they belonged to our hosts. Se
nsing our need for some privacy, Cate and Larna showed us to our room and left us after a quick but polite goodbye, promising to come by later with food after we had rested.
Unsure of ourselves, we sat on opposite sides of the bed, which was human-sized and fitted with covers. The headboard was made of several vertical strips of slatted wood, each decorated with carvings of plant life. I trailed my fingers over a cluster of grapes, admiring the craftsmanship.
“I feel unsettled,” I said instead of commenting on the room, bending down to take off my shoes. “We have spent the last few weeks traveling, and now we are in a clean room with a warm bed… alone. Are we sure this is real?”
“We have spent the last few weeks in a constant state of panic,” Rapunzel said, gripping my shoulder lightly. I flinched, then relaxed at the gentle touch. “Enjoy the fact that we can stop running for a while.”
I smiled and leaned back against a pillow, letting my eyes shut. “Maybe we should sleep.” Even though we had caught a few hours here and there, it had been a long time since I got a full night’s rest in a real bed.
Rapunzel shifted beside me. I could feel her studying my face even with my eyes closed. I could guess what she was thinking.
“Come here,” I urged her without opening my eyes, spreading my arms so that she could rest her head on my shoulder. She settled beside me, shifting until she found a comfortable position against the line of my side.
The Witch's Daughter Page 20