They moved to the open end of the Doward valley after dark and camped there, away from the stench and where the charred, smoking hill could not be seen.
Ambrosius’ officers argued over what Ambrosius should do next. Vortigern’s sons, Vortimer and Catigern, were still somewhere in the western half of the island and free to cause mischief.
The rest of the company set up cooking fires and soon the smell of hot food made Ilsa’s belly rumble.
She retrieved bowls from her pack and from Arawn’s packs which sat beside her sleeping furs. His packs were a bold, wordless statement of how much the world had changed in the last few hours. Arawn might return in time to eat the stew while it was hot, or she could find him among the men sitting around Ambrosius, discussing strategies.
She was at the fire, waiting patiently to dip into the cooking pot, when Stilicho found her.
Ilsa dropped the platters onto the big stone in front of the flames and turned to him. “Stilicho! What are you doing here?” She glanced at the armed sentry who had escorted Stilicho. “Thank you. This man answers to my husband. You can leave him with me.”
“My lady.” The sentry saluted and walked away.
Stilicho’s eyes widened. “He saluted you!”
“There is a lot to tell you,” Ilsa assured him.
“Stilicho! I thought that was your lanky outline!” Arawn moved around the fire, his arm out toward the man.
They gripped arms and Stilicho lowered his dignity enough to smile in delight. “I reached Calleva the day after you left.”
“You traveled here alone?” Arawn said, astonished.
“The land is completely empty,” Stilicho said. “Rumor of Ambrosius’ rage has scattered even the most hardened of criminals. I could have walked openly with a bag of gold and no one would have stopped me.” Stilicho looked about. “Is it true, what they say about Doward?”
“It depends upon what they say,” Arawn said, his smile fading. “Although, not tonight, Stilicho. It is still too near. Tell me why you are here, instead. You who dislikes travel so much?”
Stilicho reached under his cloak and withdrew a flask. “I wanted to bring you this.”
Ilsa stared at it. “Wine, Stilicho?” she asked, confused.
Stilicho rolled his eyes. With an impatient sound, he unstopped the flask, then gripped Arawn’s hand and lifted it. “Keep it there,” he said shortly.
Arawn raised his brow, his jaw rippling.
Stilicho grabbed Ilsa’s wrist and lifted her hand beside Arawn’s. “Now…” He tipped the flask over their hands.
Ilsa flinched as the liquid touched her flesh. It was warm, body-heat warm. It was clear and…
“Water,” Arawn said, turning his wet hand over and back.
“No,” Stilicho said, shaking his head vehemently. “Rain.”
Ilsa caught her breath in a quick inward gasp.
Arawn grew still, staring at Stilicho.
Stilicho smiled again. No, he grinned, all elegance deserting him. “When I boarded the ship for Britain, it had been raining for three days and looked to rain for a good few days more.”
“The drought has broken,” Arawn breathed.
Ilsa clutched at his arm. “It can’t have, Arawn. I haven’t born a child!”
“Then you will bear a child, in the near future.” It was Merlin’s voice, from behind them. They both whirled to face him, and Ilsa gripped Arawn’s arm once more, this time for balance, for Merlin had startled her.
Merlin’s face was shadowed in the firelight, his eyes twin gleaming spots in the dark. “Prophecies cannot be ignored. Neither can they be taken as literally as they are spoken, for once they have been spoken, humans reacting to those prophecies will change them. In your case, Lady Ilsa, the curse has been broken by the impending birth of your first child.”
Isla put her hand to her belly. “Am I with child?”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “I do not dabble in the affairs of women with their herbs and their love potions! My father has a kingdom to win!” He melted back into the shadows as silently as he had arrived.
Arawn drew her to him. “You must be,” he said, cupping her jaw. “And even if you are not, it doesn’t matter. You broke the curse anyway.” His smile was warm and soft and just for her. “You, Ilsa, have saved my life and my kingdom. I thank the gods I was ever cursed in the first place, for I found you because of it.”
Ilsa brought her lips close to Arawn’s ear, stretching up on her toes to do so. “I love you.” She whispered the profound truth, for men laid all around them, eating and listening to every word they said, watching this small domestic drama play out amongst them.
Arawn kissed her, anyway, and didn’t stop even when the men cheered and clapped.