Age of Valor: Awakening

by D. E. Morris

  “That's not the story he told us,” said Cavalon. “He said his brother was killed by a temperamental mare here in Siness.”

  Lilia shook her head. “You must be mistaken. He told me all about his childhood the other night when we were walking. A mare was never mentioned, neither was the death of his brother.”

  Cavalon started to argue, but Badru cut him off. “It was a time of high emotion when the subject of Jessiah's brother arose. Perhaps he was confused.”

  The way Lilia's lips set into a thin line suggested she didn't appreciate the pacifying answer. She turned once more to Jaryn. “If Tasarin is on his way here, now married to the high queen of Caedia, he has every right to claim authority over Jessiah's life. Please, Jaryn.”

  The others looked to Jaryn for his reaction to both the plea and Lilia calling him by his name, but Jaryn did not show surprise. She was closest to Ashlynn and had become like a family member. In private they all called Ashlynn by her name and Lilia had taken it upon herself to do the same with Jaryn. But all knew when others of less intimate company were about they were to be addressed properly. She'd either forgotten as much in her passionate argument or knew everyone within the library was well within Jaryn's confidence.

  A heavy sigh passed Jaryn's lips. “I will speak with him about it but don't hold your breath. Tasarin is only Luella's consort and Donnchadh may not hold him in very high respects because of that. Technically speaking, Tasarin has less power as her husband now than he did as steward here at Altaine. Firstly, we must deal with the business of Pierre's death and what it all may mean.”

  “But no one else has been killed like that!” Lilia argued. “Donnchadh could have Jessiah beheaded or drawn and quartered by the time-”

  “I said I will speak with him about it.”

  The tone of his voice made her close her mouth and bow her head. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  “If there is nothing else...”

  There was defiance in Lilia's eyes, but she kept her voice neutral when she answered, “That is all.”

  “Perhaps I may escort Lady Lilia back to her room,” Wessely offered.

  Her lips parted to form a rejection but a stern look from Jaryn had her pasting on as genuine a smile as she could muster. “I would be honored, Your Highness.” Wessely offered his arm and Lilia slipped her hand through. Together they left the room with the promise from Wessely that he would rejoin them in the morning. It wasn't until the pair had gone that Cavalon blew out a low whistle.

  “Looks like not all her manners have improved.”

  “It's not entirely her fault,” Jaryn grumbled, sitting behind his desk. “She's picked up a few bad habits from Ashlynn.” He scratched the scruff on his chin in thought. “I will talk to Tasarin. I'd hate to know we could have done something to save Jessiah and simply not done it.”

  Cavalon grimaced. “The kid's annoying as all get out, but I don't think he deserves to die.”

  “Neither do I,” said Badru. “He was never less than helpful when he was with us. Perhaps too full of questions but always doing everything he could to be of use somehow. Even here at Siness.”

  Shifting on his feet, Cavalon glanced out to the darkening sky. “If we're done for the night, I think I'm going to go home.”

  Jaryn grinned. “To your wife and child?”

  The grin was infectious and Cavalon nodded. “To my wife and child. Never thought I'd say that again.”

  Badru clapped him on the shoulder. “Rest well, my friend. We will see you again in the morning.”

  “That you will.” With nothing more to say he was engulfed in fyre and disappeared, leaving Badru and Jaryn alone in the library.

  “I am pleased he has found companionship again.”

  Jaryn nodded in agreement. “He seems a bit more relaxed.”

  Badru couldn't help but chuckle. “Relaxed is not the word I would have used when we were in Ibays, but in general, yes.”

  “Shall we go get something to eat? I doubt Ashlynn will be joining us tonight.”

  “Eating sounds wonderful to me.”

  Jaryn was quite right in his assumption that it would only be he and Badru at supper, but it was the perfect time to get to know more about the mysterious older man. They talked about Badru's many children and grandchildren, of his past loves and losses. Badru was a man with a big heart who found good in everyone he met. It was one of the reasons why he had so many children, in fact, and something he found amusement in himself. He had been one of the few Elementals who had never questioned the worth of loving someone. He had lost his father at a young age, the only parent he'd ever really known and his senior Fire Elemental.

  The transfer had been much as Jaryn remembered happening to Misuzu the night Mei Xing died. Badru had been told since birth what he had the potential to become and was trained in shifting his form, flying, and even aerial maneuvers and combat as a precaution, so when his father passed there was no great surprise. The Water Elemental at the time, Nealie's great great grandfather, found him and took him in, teaching him all he knew about the Elementals. Not long into his childhood he met Cavalon and the two became fast friends. The rest, as he said, was history.

  “I know the elves stop aging after they reach a certain age, but what determines when an Elemental stops aging?”

  Jaryn's question made the older man sit back in his chair, stomach full from a large meal. He wiped his mouth on a napkin and raised his brows. “That is a question I have always asked myself. We always assumed it was the height of physical ability since Cavalon is in his best form.”

  “He'll gladly tell you as much if you ask him.”

  Badru laughed. “And without reservation. My own father and all the other Elementals at the time looked to be around the same age. I continued on past their youthful appearance as I aged. Luella's father, Mortagh, did as well, as did Nealie. It is one mystery that remains to be solved.”

  It was a subject Ashlynn and Jaryn had discussed several times before. They both knew there was a very real possibility that she would stop aging while he might grow to be an old man. When they spoke of it the conversation would eventually turn to what would happen when Jaryn died. The first time she told him she would follow soon after he yelled at her. Under no circumstances was she to take her own life. It was selfish of her to do that to everyone she would leave behind and she would be giving up the gift she'd been given by inheriting her Elemental powers. Now she knew better than to bring up the subject, but it was something that crept into idle worries when Jaryn thought about the future.

  It sat heavy upon his shoulders now as he made his way to the rooms he shared with her. There would come a day when he would no longer be in the world to hold Ashlynn, to protect her. Not that she let that happen often, as stubborn and independent as she was. He didn't want her to give up everything her future could hold simply because he couldn't be there to share it with her.

  He opened the door to their rooms and walked inside to near silence. Only the sound of heavy breathing welcomed him. Looking to the far side of the room he found his beloved asleep on the bed, Lochlainn beside her and Rowan, half hidden beneath layers of long red hair, on the other side of him, both asleep as well. One of Rowan's fingers was held fast by Lochlainn and her other hand was placed upon his stomach. A glimpse at the food tray that had been brought up showed that not a morsel was left. There was no way the little girl could have eaten it all herself and that alone made Jaryn feel lighter. If Ashlynn was eating, that was a very good thing indeed.

  His steps were quiet as he walked closer to the bed. One of the lighter blankets had fallen on the floor and this he picked up to carefully drape across the three. Then he walked around to the side to kiss Ashlynn's cheek. It was enough to rouse her.

  She took in a groggy breath as she rolled to her back, then opened her eyes to see Jaryn smiling down at her. Her own lips curved upward and she whispered, “Hi.”

  “Hello, beautiful.”

  “We fell asleep.�
��

  He chuckled. “I see that.”

  “Let me get someone to fix a room for Rowan and-”

  She started to rise, but Jaryn gently pushed her back down and said, “It's all right. Stay there. Stay here tonight. She'd be frightened if she woke up in a strange room all by herself. I am going to take the baby, though. Don't want either of you rolling over on him, do we?”

  “No we don't.” Reaching up, Ashlynn took Jaryn's face in her hands. Her thumbs ran over the stubble on his cheeks as love filled her eyes. “You are the most wonderful man.”

  “I know.” He bent down and kissed her, long enough that she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer which made him laugh as quietly as he could into her neck. “Not with the children here, saucy girl.”

  Ashlynn grinned and turned her head to look at Rowan. “I adore her, Jaryn. She's precious. And such a little spitfire. I'm teaching her our language, she's teaching me hers...”

  “And you've only had an afternoon together.”

  Ashlynn took a lock of Rowan's hair between her fingers to feel the silky texture. “She hadn't had a bath or real food since she was brought to that town.”

  “Now look at her.” Jaryn brushed hair from Ashlynn's face. “Just remember, love, she has a father out there somewhere. She's not here to stay.”

  “But what if she doesn't?” Ashlynn returned her gaze up to Jaryn. “What if her father isn't alive anymore for whatever reason?”

  “Then Badru will probably take care of her as he was taken care of by the Water Elemental when he was young.” He kissed her forehead. “Don't think on it now, all right? Go back to sleep.” He was careful as he reached in between the two for Lochlainn, first removing Rowan's hands before lifting the baby up. The little girl gave a sleepy whine before moving over, eyes still closed, to snuggle into Ashlynn's arms. Jaryn smiled. “We'll have one of our own soon enough. Sleep well.”

  He left her then, stepping out into the hallway with his son and closing the door behind him. In the nursery he gave Lochlainn over to the care of his nannies, then went to make arrangements for his own place to sleep. Finding one of the servants still awake he said, “Have my old rooms made ready. Seems I'll be sleeping alone tonight.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Ashlynn and Jaryn sat back to watch the children play in their private quarters late in the morning; Rowan had woken early and Ashlynn had Jaryn summoned to come spend the waking hours with her. He brought Lochlainn in as the sun was rising, much to the delight of the little girl. Rowan and Lochlainn formed an instant bond as she talked in quiet, high tones, making him laugh and reach for her and her smile widely in turn. She charmed Jaryn almost straight away as well, having long moments of conversation with him and bursting into giggles when he accidentally slipped in a Sinessian word or phrase. While Lochlainn was being fed, Rowan sat quietly with Jaryn and felt his face, telling him her father's face felt a lot like his. His nose was not as pointed and perhaps a bit smaller, his brow more prominent and his cheeks softer. They were small differences, imperceptible by sight, but clearly known by Rowan.

  It turned out she knew much more of the common Caedian language than she'd originally let on as well, a fact which she found highly amusing when she chose to reveal it. Some words were choppy and incorrect, but she could converse in basic words even if she was far more fluent and comfortable with Gaelic.

  Lounging on the bed together and watching the two children interacting with one another, it seemed Jaryn couldn't stop grinning. “She really is quite spirited, isn't she? And Lochlainn is completely taken with her.”

  “You should have seen them last night,” said Ashlynn. “She had him laughing like I've never heard before. I think it was love at first sight.”

  “I love my son more than I ever thought possible and cherish how small and innocent he is, but I look forward to the day when he is Rowan's age.”

  Ashlynn kissed her husband's cheek. “Of course you do. He will be learning and watching everything you do, following you around and trying to be just like you.”

  The idea of it put a wistful smile on Jaryn's face, though it too quickly turned thoughtful. “I like the idea of him staying here as he grows. With country alliances always shifting and so much uncertainty I don't want to send him somewhere else to fulfill a squireship. He is being groomed to be High King, after all.”

  “Which is why it is important we send him somewhere we know will be safe, where he will learn under skilled knights and a great king. Before all of this business with Donnchadh, I had thought of sending him to Ibays.”

  Jaryn blinked and looked down at his wife. “You've already thought of where to send him? He's not even half a year old yet.”

  The exclamation made Ashlynn smirk. “Love, I was making plans the moment I realized I was pregnant. Ibays if we had a boy because Donnchadh used to be trustworthy and reasonable; Braemar if we had a girl to learn to be a lady from Nuala, the most elegant and feminine woman I know who also has the education and know-how to run an entire country on her own. I even thought about who we could possibly match them up with.”

  “What?” Jaryn removed his arm from around Ashlynn and sat up straighter on the bed. “You're already thinking of marriages?”

  “Of course I am.” She watched him with a trace of amusement. “You know that with Tadhg gone, political alignments are coming back into order and old traditions are being resurrected. Unions are being organized for children in order to assure alliances. Sons are being sent to other men to be raised, daughters to other women.”

  “I know, but...why?”

  “A man or woman who has not given birth to the child they are training up is more likely to be objective and hold that child to the strict standards to which they should be held.”

  Jaryn frowned. “I can hold my son to strict standards.”

  “Who are you trying to fool? Lochlainn already has you wrapped around his finger. If there was a task he thought too hard you'd soften it for him. Don't give me that look, you know you would. And if we had a daughter...”

  “Stop smirking. You've made your point.” He paused to watch the children, thoughtful. “Would you have wanted to be sent elsewhere when you were a child?”

  “I would.” There was no hesitation in Ashlynn's answer. “Kenayde and I were terribly sheltered at Oceana. There was necessity in it to protect us and keep us hidden from Tadhg, but I would have loved to have been sent to another kingdom during those formative years. I know it sounds cold on the part of the parents, but take Lilia for example. Had she stayed home to be trained as a lady there she would still have her nose in the air, an unshakable sense of entitlement, and a terrible temper. The house she went on to raise would have been a terror and her poor husband...”

  “All right, all right.” Jaryn slid his arm back around Ashlynn's shoulders as he leaned back against the headboard once more. “There is merit to it. I understand it - but that doesn't mean I have to like it.”

  “No, it doesn't.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “As dark as it was, we were lucky to live in a time when status and money were not the ruling factors in a union.”

  “Was it only a year ago?”

  “It seems much longer than that, doesn't it?”

  The question didn't need answering. They both knew the world had gone through great changes since the battle with Merrik and his men the previous year. There was a commonality among the nations as they rebuilt what had been destroyed in the war and under Tadhg's rule. They were healing as one, at least they were trying to, getting to know each other again with each nation hoping to shape the world the way they believed it should be. Not all changes were met with gratitude or even an embracing atmosphere which meant there was tension here and there, but for the most part there was civility among the nations once again for the first time in two generations.

  “Out of curiosity...who have you paired Lochlainn up with in that over-active brain of yours?”

  “Lady Ide Kava
naugh from Newbourne in Ibays had a brand new baby girl, but she died of influenza just two weeks ago according to court gossip.”

  “You're really going for the Ibayish alliance, aren't you?”

  Ashlynn shrugged. “They need help getting back on their feet. Siness is and always has been a strong nation. If we took the lead and began showing friendship, the rest of the nations would follow. Ibays should not be an after-thought among us. They should be closer to our equal.”

  A knock at the door preceded Mairead's entrance. “Tasarin has arrived.” She held out her hands as the couple started to rise. “Cavalon and Badru are speaking with him now and filling him in.”

  Jaryn's brow creased. “When did Cavalon get here?”

  “Just an hour or two ago. He told us not to disturb you.” Mairead turned to the children. “When we told him you were all together he said it would be best to let you have this time.”

  “It has been wonderful,” Ashlynn admitted, “but if Tasarin is here, I think it is time to get dressed and meet him. There is much to be done.”

  “Shall I take the children?”

  Jaryn and Ashlynn looked at one another, and she shook her head. “I think not. I want to keep Rowan close and Tasarin has yet to meet Lochlainn. If you'd gather Lilia and Zarra to help Rowan and me dress, please.”

  “Of course.” Mairead bowed her head before leaving.

  “Since I will be ready before you,” said Jaryn as he rose, “I will meet you in the solar.”

  Rowan looked up, her head tilting like a curious bird. “I gcás ina bhfuil tú ag dul?”

  “We have a guest to receive who also speaks Ibayish.” Jaryn's news made Rowan's face light up, but Jaryn took her in with a stern gaze she could not see. “However, since most who will be in attendance do not speak Ibayish it would be courteous to speak the common Caedian tongue.” He paused before asking, “Understand?” When Rowan gave him a blank expression and shook her head he repeated in Ibayish. This time she offered a small smile and a nod. “All right then. See you soon.”