Baylin and Luana stood in silence after her family left the dimly lit shop.
The Prince felt a mix of emotions running through him—relief to know Luana was safe, fear she was still in danger, anger that she had left on her own.
“Baylin, I…” Luana murmured. “I’m sorry. My family… they…”
“How could you run off like that?” Baylin boomed. “You were told to stay in the castle.”
“My family was in danger,” Luana explained. “I couldn’t just—”
“Yes, you could!” Baylin scolded. “Ferric was going to get your family to safety, but you didn’t allow him the chance. You thought you knew better.”
“He was going to wait until morning,” Luana said. “It would have been too late.”
“Too late or not, the whole Kingdom knows you left the castle against the King’s order,” Baylin snapped. “I have been working so hard to get the Kingdom to see you as more than a bed wife. Someone they could respect, trust. Even my father was coming around. All that is lost now.”
Luana’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “Baylin, I’m sorry.”
He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her he forgave her. To kiss her and declare his love. “I know you are. The damage has been done and there’s no undoing it.” He opened the door. “We need to get back to the castle.”
Luana walked out the door, her head hung low. It broke Baylin’s heart to know he had caused her sadness, but it was a lesson they both needed.
Baylin placed a hand in the small of Luana’s back, guiding her through the crowd of soldiers and horses.
Ferric sauntered up. “Baylin, the men say a horde of trolls was being led by some sort of hooded man.”
“She was a woman,” Luana burst out.
Baylin and Ferric both turned to her. “A woman?”
Luana blushed. “Yes, she spoke to me.”
“What did she say?” Ferric asked.
Baylin placed a hand on Luana’s shoulder. “What did she want?”
“She didn’t say,” Luana murmured. “She seemed to be in league with the trolls, or controlling them somehow. And she said she knew my mother.”
Ferric cocked an eyebrow, wrinkles spreading across his forehead. “Your mother?” He pointed toward Fersa, who was standing with her arms around Lesta. “Did you ask her who she might be?”
Luana looked up at Baylin, her eyes pleading with him. Her parentage had been kept a secret throughout the Kingdom to protect her. Even Mother only learned of the gift when Luana saved Father’s life. But how do we keep something like this a secret? Baylin wondered.
“I’m sure we will get to the bottom of this,” Baylin said. “But our first move is to get everyone back to the safety of the castle. With a troll horde on the loose, it is too dangerous to leave anyone behind.”
“Let’s prepare to move out!” called Ferric.
Baylin walked Luana over to her family. “Hal-john, it is time to bring your family to the castle.”
“But our shop,” Hal-john pleaded.
“Shops can be rebuilt,” Baylin said. “As your Prince I am telling you, you must come with us.”
Hal-john looked as though he wanted to argue, but he didn’t say a word.
“I will take Luana on my horse,” Baylin instructed. “Hal-john, you can ride with Fersa on the mare Luana rode here on. Lesta can ride with Ferric.”
Lesta blushed as she looked up at Ferric on his horse. She reached up to his outstretched hand and he pulled her onto the horse behind him. He gave Baylin the slightest smirk as he trotted up the road, leading the soldiers back home.
*****
After the group arrived safely back at the castle, Baylin made sure Luana’s family was placed in a protected bedchamber, not far from his, so Luana could visit them. He spent the rest of the night going over defensive plans and discussing the possibility of a new enemy—the dark sorceress.
It was early the next morning when Baylin made his way back to his bedchamber. The sun had not risen yet, so the room was dimly lit by the few candles flickering shadows across the walls.
He walked through the darkness to the bed. Luana was not there. The bed appeared to have been unslept in. Where is she? He walked to the cradle at the foot of the bed. His son lay sleeping, quite oblivious to the world around him.
He heard movement out on the balcony and went to investigate. Outside, Luana was wrapped in a fur. Though winter was not upon them, the nights were growing cooler.
“Luana,” Baylin asked. “Why are you not in bed?”
“I have a lot on my mind.” She turned to face him. Her eyes were red rimmed and swollen. Salty tears still lay heavy on her cheeks.
“You’ve been crying?” Baylin asked, crossing the balcony.
“Baylin, I’m so sorry I let you down,” Luana whimpered. “I should have trusted you and Ferric. But I was so scared for them, especially Lesta. And to think, what if I hadn’t come and…”
“Shh,” Baylin soothed, pulling her into his arms and stroking her hair. “It’s over now. They’re safe now. Have you spoken to them since we left Black Hallows?”
“No,” she sighed. “What am I supposed to say? Up until last night, I’m pretty certain Lesta was unaware of my real origins. I mean, how could she know? This isn’t something she would keep from me. Would she?” Luana put her face in her hands and began to cry again, her body shaking as she took deep breaths to try and quiet her sobs.
Baylin held her in his arms. “Of course she didn’t know. And your parents, no matter what, love you. Perhaps they didn’t tell you because they didn’t want you to feel you didn’t belong.”
“But you didn’t see their faces,” Luana argued. “The way everyone looked at me. I might as well have been traveling with the trolls and the sorceress.”
Baylin gripped her shoulders, straightening her so she was looking at him. “You listen to me carefully. You are nothing like that sorceress and you’re not even like King Rydel. You have a good heart, a beautiful heart. You care so deeply that you would risk your life for those you love.”
Luana averted her eyes from his gaze. “But what if—”
“I won’t hear of it, Luana,” he said. “You risked your life for my men. Men you didn’t even know other than that they were Grasmere soldiers. You are the very essence of goodness.” He pulled Luana into his arms, embracing her.
Baylin knew the news of Luana’s powers was already floating around the castle. The men were bewildered and frightened by the exchange between Luana and the mysterious sorceress. Mind you, had it not been for Luana, those men would have died. They must realize that.
Baylin pulled away from Luana enough to look at her. “So will you go visit your family? You haven’t had a proper visit with them in over a year.”
Luana sighed. “I suppose I could.”
“Shh,” Baylin urged, looking over Luana’s shoulder toward Rivermouth.
The sun had not yet begun to color a soft orange hue on the horizon, and the night’s sliver of moon had already gone down. It was the slightest glint of light that had caught the Prince’s eye. A speck of yellow against the dark purple blanket of the early morning sky. There should be no one in Rivermouth. I’ve ordered all my men back to the castle, except for two scouts. Surely they aren’t so daft as to make a fire.
Baylin stepped around Luana, walking closer to the edge of the balcony. He squinted his eyes to see through the early morning fog that was beginning to roll over the Kingdom. He saw the tiny spark of light again. It was moving. The fluttering dot of light seemed to give birth to another, and then another. It can’t be torches. A torch light would not show brightly from here.
“What is it?” Luana whispered.
Baylin strained his eyes to see through the fog. “I’m not sure.”
The bedchamber door flew open with a loud clang, causing both Luana and Baylin to start. “Baylin!” called Ferric from the room. The baby began to cry, having been woken from his slumber.
Baylin and Luana ran into the room. Luana went to the baby, scooping him up in her arms to soothe him.
“Ferric, what is it? What has happened?” Baylin questioned. It is unlike him to enter my chambers uninvited.
“Kardell ships have taken Rivermouth; they carry the Mirstone flag,” Ferric rasped, attempting to catch his breath. “Only one of our scouts made it out alive, and he is badly injured.”
“So this is it,” Baylin said, his brow furrowed deep. “For the first time in five hundred years, war will stain the Kingdom.”
“Have all the villagers been evacuated and moved into the catacombs?” Luana asked, rocking the baby gently in her arms.
“Yes, your family was the last of them,” Ferric confirmed.
Luana sighed.
“But we did not have time to complete the harvest,” Baylin said grimly. “There will not be enough food to make it through the winter.”
“What are your orders?” Ferric asked.
“Gather all my commanders,” Baylin ordered. “We meet in the war room.”
Ferric nodded and ran from the room.
“Quickly, pack your things!” Baylin turned, grabbing a large brown leather satchel, and began shoving the baby’s blankets and clothes inside. “I will take you to stay with my parents. There is a special chamber for the royal family. You will be safe with them.”
“Let me go with you,” Luana exclaimed. “My power is much stronger. I can help you.”
“Out of the question,” Baylin laughed dryly. “You can’t have imagined I would agree to that.” He hastily fastened the satchel as the nursemaid and Meg entered the room.
“Your Grace, apologies, we just heard,” Meg said with a bow.
“Do not worry on that. I have only just been informed,” Baylin said, handing the leather satchel to the nursemaid. “Make sure everything is packed for our son and Luana. Also pack items for yourselves. You will stay with Luana and the baby for the duration of… of this war. Gather items for winter.”
“Winter?” Luana and Meg said in unison, turning to him.
“Yes, winter,” Baylin sighed, pulling a fur blanket off the bed and rolling it up. “We must prepare for the worst.”
Baylin’s steward arrived, carrying the Prince’s battle tunic and chainmail. “Your Grace, your horse is being prepared now.”
“Good,” Baylin said, taking the items from the boy and throwing them across the settee by the hearth. “Go grab two men to escort Luana and the baby to stay with my mother.”
While the maids hurried to gather the remainder of clothing and blankets, Luana walked across the room to Baylin. “I’m worried for you. I will continue to worry. You can’t expect me to hide away in the mountain while you’re out there risking your life.”
He brushed a stray hair from her face, running his rough thumb along her cheek. “That’s exactly what I expect. Your job is to protect our son.”
Luana looked as though she wanted to argue, but her expression turned from one of defiance to defeat. “What if you’re hurt? What if…” Her lip trembled.
“I won’t,” he lied. Baylin knew there was no guarantee that he, or anyone in the Kingdom, would survive the attack.
“Your Grace.” The steward returned, flanked by two large guards in full armor.
“Yes, thank you. Please help the ladies carry their things. Be sure to take the cradle,” Baylin ordered. “Escort them directly to my mother. Do not stop for anything.”
“What of my family?” Luana asked, grabbing her hooded fur cape.
“I will have them sent to stay with you and Mother as well,” Baylin said, snatching up a little wooden horse he had carved for his son. What if this is the only memory my son will ever possess of me? We still have not named him. Am I to die without giving my son a proper name? He fought the sorrow and fear welling up inside him and shoved the toy horse into an overstuffed bag.
The guards and maids finished gathering up the items and were headed for the door.
Luana walked to Baylin, holding their son in her arms.
The Prince leaned over and gave the little boy a kiss on the forehead. “Goodbye, my son. Take care of your mother.”
Luana’s eyes filled with tears as she looked up at Baylin. “Why do I feel as though I will never see you again?”
“You’re just scared,” Baylin said, pulling her into his arms. “It will be over before you know it and all will be well again.”
Luana began to weep in his arms. He ran his hand down the back of her silken hair. He kissed the top of her head, taking in a deep breath. She smells of lavender and fresh air. He wanted to memorize the scent so he would never forget it.
Baylin pulled away, cupping Luana’s chin in his hand. “I love you.”
Tears stained her cheeks as she fought the onslaught of more. “And I, you.”
He leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. Her petal-soft lips were sweet as honey and warm like the summer sun. He parted his lips, slipping his tongue between them, caressing her tongue with his own.
Baylin pulled her to him as the tip of his tongue traced the inside of her lips.
When the couple finally parted, they gasped for breath.
Salty tears stained Luana’s pale cheeks as she stared up at him. “Come back to me.”
“Always, my love. Now go,” Baylin urged. “Go.”