That last week before we would leave out for the Session meeting to be held in Dermot was a frantic one, heaped with last minute preparations and taking care of the business of running a kingdom. Still, I tried to spend every available moment with Gwen.
As much as she had said she wanted to take it slow, we had gotten very close to each other in the two weeks since she agreed to our courtship. I wanted to honor her as well as God, but it was all I could do not to push things further than they should go between unmarried couples. No words had even been spoken of marriage, but I had plans for that to change soon.
I was ready for the break in my duties this trip would bring. For the next month I would not have to sit through hearings every morning listening to petty offences—offences that should not be against the law to begin with.
Arlana would be in charge while I was gone. She could handle the lesser cases, but the bigger problems would be piling up, waiting for my return. As much as she tried to hide it, I could tell the woman was giddy with the power she would wield in my absence. This worried me more than a little.
Rian, Gwen, and I would spend nine days together in an enclosed sleigh heading toward the kingdom of Dermot. Terence hated traveling away from home. Mother and Father had always insisted in the past, but I felt he was old enough to make this decision for himself. I knew he would be well cared for at the castle. Since he would not be traveling with us, I had offered the extra space in the sleigh to my advisor, but having never traveled further than the town of Gilvary, Filib chose to view the sights from the back of a horse.
We stayed in designated chateaus of my noblemen along the way. We were treated as honored guests at each stay, yet after nine days of travel, I was happy to see our destination in sight. The castle of Dermot was a tall, square structure made of brownstone and built into the side of Mount Cullan. Garden terraces were staggered on each side of the castle going up the mountain side. Everything was covered in a thick blanket of white. It was not unusual for snow to cover the peaks of the mountains in this range nearly year round.
These session meetings were held twice a year and were rotated through the three kingdoms of Kearnley. Anyone who had the desire and the means to attend were welcome. Some would not miss out on an excuse to celebrate. It was a chance to stock up on the latest offerings of wares, gadgets, and gossip. The only thing that might hinder a large gathering was the frigid temperatures of winter in Dermot.
The merchant booths were closed by the time we approached the castle that Friday afternoon. The path from the stables to the castle entrance had been scraped free of snow, but Gwen kept a firm grip on my arm as we made our way. We both glanced at the exposed prison cells off to the right of our path. They were like small caves, dug into the side of the mountain with iron bars covering the front offering no protection from the cold.
I had never seen a prisoner held there. It had been rumored that King Farris doled out either pardons or punishments just before Session when it was hosted in Dermot. Prisoners at Gilvary were not pampered by any means, but I could not imagine leaving them out in the elements, especially with the harsh temperatures found in these mountains.
After entering the castle, we parted ways—Rian and I would stay in the royal suite my family had always used, and Gwen would be shown to her own room. I made sure to introduce her as my healer. She would not be staying in the fine suite she had shared with Brianna on her previous visits, but she would be treated with more dignity than a mere servant. I had a feeling she would be content no matter where she was placed.
We had missed supper, so I made a request for food to be brought to mine and Rian’s suite. We had just finished eating when a castle messenger delivered a summons for me to come to Farris’ office. I thought it unusual that he would require a meeting this late and on the day of my arrival. This was my first visit to Dermot as acting ruler. Maybe he wanted to establish a connection before the official meeting began. Still, that was days away.
I tapped on the door of his office and was bade to enter. I was surprised to find he was not alone. A young woman, maybe a couple of years younger than me, sat in front of the king’s desk. Her hand rested on her rounded belly, obviously swollen with child. A tall, rough-looking man stood behind her, his hand possessively holding her shoulder. I thought they must be husband and wife until I noticed they had the same blond hair and green eyes.
I looked expectantly back at Farris sitting behind his desk. “Come in, Prince Reagan, and you may want to close the door.”
I took a moment to compose myself as I turned to do as he said. I had no idea what this was all about, but I had a sinking feeling that this meeting would not be a good one.
“This is Angus Sawyer and his daughter, Juliane, whom I am told you already know.”
I took another look at the woman seated there. She looked vaguely familiar, but I did not know who she was. Her name did not sound at all familiar either.
I shook my head. “No, I do not believe I do.”
“Liar!”
I took a step away from the large man pointing his grubby finger in my direction. I looked to Farris as if to question what he had brought me into. He was glaring at the man in front of him.
“Hold it right there. Prince Reagan is a fellow ruler and a guest in my kingdom. You will not speak to him in that manner. Another outburst like that and this meeting will be over. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Highness.” The expression on the man’s face did not match the humbleness of his reply.
“Miss Sawyer, maybe you can enlighten us as to your dealings with Prince Reagan. An explanation may jog his memory.” The look on King Farris’ face gave me the impression that he was taking some kind of pleasure from this meeting.
I waited for the girl’s response. She did not look at me as she spoke. She seemed to be making a study of the desk in front of her.
“As you know, the last Session was held in Gilvary. I had always wanted to go, so Pa took me. I met Prince Reagan a few days before the meeting began. We ate together in the dining hall. We spent a lot of time together in the few days that we had. Pa and I were to leave the day after the meetings started. That last night I spent in Gilvary . . .”
She stopped talking. A blush colored her cheeks. She still was not looking at me as I waited for her to continue.
“You seduced my daughter. You are the father of her unborn babe.”
All of my energy seemed to drain from my body with her father’s accusation. The best I could do was lean my back against the door for support. This could not be happening. Not after everything else that had gone wrong in the last six months. Not when things were finally going right between me and Gwen.
“Prince Reagan, what do you have to say about these allegations?” I wanted to wipe the smug look from the king’s face.
I addressed the girl in front of me. “I had forgotten all about you, Miss Sawyer. We did, in fact, eat supper together. And we kissed, but that is as far as things went between us. You certainly know that nothing happened while we were together that would make me the father of your child, and I do not know what you mean to gain from accusing me of such.”
She still would not look at me. Her father spoke on her behalf to clarify their motives. “I know the laws of your kingdom. You have no choice but to marry my daughter.”
Bile rose up into my throat, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. My father had warned his boys repeatedly about the dangers of false attachments to what he called common girls, those whose only desire was to become a princess. He told us they would use trickery to get what they wanted. We had been warned to abstain from premarital relations to avoid being trapped into having to marry one of these girls in order to satisfy the law—a law he enacted himself.
Any maiden in the kingdom of Gilvary who found themselves with child while unmarried, could force the accused father into matrimony. If he denied that the child was his, he would have three months from the date of the child’s birth to prove his innocence. Normally this couple would go before the king, but I was the acting ruler of Gilvary now. Who would judge on my behalf? My research on the matter would have to wait for my return.
I stared at the girl’s father as I thought this through. “You have no proof.”
“Everyone saw the two of you hugged up in your father’s dining hall. Even King Farris says he remembers seeing you together.”
If he saw me getting too close to his daughter, why had he not put a stop to it then? I looked back at Farris and he nodded. “It is true. I did see the two of you looking pretty cozy there in the dining hall. Still, that is not proof that you are the one who has fathered her child.”
The brute pointed in my direction again as he addressed his king. “My daughter told me that he was the only man she has ever been with.”
“I am sure everyone in this room doubts that to be true.”
The big man looked as if he also wanted to knock the smirk off King Farris’ face. I hoped he would. I did not feel like I had the king’s support in this matter. I had the feeling he wanted me to fall victim to this scheme. How could it possibly profit him if I were to end up married to this woman?
“Prince Reagan, are you aware of the law Mr. Sawyer referred to earlier?”
“Yes, I am. I have until the child is three months old to prove my innocence.”
“You mark my words. When this child enters the world looking like a Barnali, no one will dispute who the babe belongs to.”
“Let this be the last time I have to remind you, Mr. Sawyer, you are not on equal level with me or the prince.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” He gave a slight bow toward the king before sending a glare my way.
King Farris steepled his fingers in front of him. “I have given this some thought and have come up with a plan I think you will both find satisfactory. Mr. Sawyer, you and your daughter will keep quiet about this situation. I will not have you disrupting this gathering in my kingdom. That part is not a suggestion. And Reagan, I recommend that when you leave here, you take Miss Sawyer with you. Surely you have heard about keeping your enemies close. This will be for your protection as well as hers.
“If she resides under your care, your healer will be the one to see this child come into the world. Otherwise, if the child’s appearance does not match your own, it could give Miss Sawyer the opportunity to make a switch. As I said, I am making this suggestion for your own safety, but you may certainly choose not to follow this advice.
“From my understanding of this law, your responsibility for the mother and child do not have to start until after the trial, should it make it that far. For all we know, you may decide to go ahead and marry before that day. I dare say it would save you some embarrassment.”
It might save me from embarrassment, but it would most definitely end things for me and Gwen. I was not ready to give up on that dream, nor was I willing to join myself to this conniving stranger without a fight. I could not see a way out of this trap for now. I hated to admit that Farris’ recommendation made sense.
I looked again at the woman in front of me. She had once caught my eye that night in the dining hall but that was the extent of my feeling toward her. She did not compare in integrity or beauty to my Gwen. I thought about the trip back to Gilvary. I would not have this person riding in the sleigh with us.
“Fine. You may travel to Gilvary and you can stay there in the castle, but you must find your own way.”
For the first time since this meeting began, she looked into my eyes. I was confused by the feelings stirred at the vulnerability I saw there. “I would like for my father to stay there with me.”
The man behind her squeezed her shoulder. Neither of them spoke as they awaited my answer. I did not know how she could accuse me of something that she knew I held no guilt in. I looked up into her father’s angry eyes. Him I understood. If he believed what his daughter said was true, then he had every right to be angry. I only gave a nod as my consent.
King Farris clapped his hands together, bringing all attention back to him. “Now that we have that out of the way, the two of you can be about your business. Prince Reagan, you may stay.”
The other two gave their accolades to the king, with the appropriate bows and curtsies before leaving the room. I had opened the door to let them pass. I stood with my hand still holding the doorknob in stunned silence.
“Shut the door, Reagan.”
I turned and stared at King Farris. I had never been the rebellious type. I had lived under my father’s rule, mostly without complaint, but this man was not my father. I felt he needed a reminder that regardless of my age, we were now equals, but I had no idea how to go about telling him. Once again, I did not feel competent for the job I had been handed. If my father were here . . . I could not finish that thought, but surely he would have known how to handle everything better than his untrained son.
I shut the door but stayed with my hand on the knob.
“Given your age and lack of experience in situations like these, I thought I would offer you my counsel. Is there any advice I can offer? All you have to do is ask.”
“It seems as if you have already given your opinion in this matter. If you have anything to add, by all means, go right ahead.”
My sarcasm had hit its mark. The smirk he had been wearing since this meeting began finally slid from his face. He studied me for a moment. “Very well, I suppose I will see you tomorrow then.”
I did not say anything more to him. I did not give the customary bow along with any other niceties I had been taught when addressing this king. I left the door open and headed back to my chambers.
Rian scowled at me as I entered our suite. I was surprised to see him sitting on the couch with a book in hand. I had given him a curfew, and he had stuck to it. Of course, this was only our first night here. He went back to reading his book, and I started pacing the floor. How could this be happening to me? I never was good with memorization, but I remembered reading something in my Bible about bad things happening to the just and the unjust alike.
I suppose I was not totally blameless. Right after becoming a Christian, it was brought to my attention that I had a less than Christ-like reputation. Yes, I flirted, and I may have stolen a kiss or two. I had guessed that some people thought I had even taken things further than I actually had. This situation would only cement their suspicions.
I had asked for God’s forgiveness and changed my ways. In fact, this girl had been the last of my flirtations. Gwen had been the only one I had shown my attentions to since then. If God had truly forgiven me, why was I being punished? Worse yet, how was I going to tell Gwen?
“What is wrong with you?”
I had forgotten Rian was even there. “Should you not be in bed?”
“It is only half past nine! Never mind, I am going, but you cannot make me go to sleep.”
It was never my intention to start an argument between me and my brother. I knew he would use this as an excuse to misbehave later. My problems at that moment were bigger than anything he could dish out.
I was tempted to go to Gwen right then. I would have had to ask someone to direct me to her, and it would not be appropriate for me to go to her room, especially at night. The rumors would only add to my troubles. She would be affected as it was without me adding anything. Maybe it was good that I had to wait. I had until the next morning to figure out what to say to her.