Choose the Sky: A Medieval Romance (Swordcross Knights Book 2) (40 page)

They lingered a day more
at Pencombe, then rode slowly back toward Trumwell Castle, a small entourage with horses and a few carts. The last cart bore a shrouded body in a wooden coffin. Mina wouldn’t leave her cousin behind.

Luc showed intense concern for Domina’s delicate condition—almost to the point of annoying her—though every time she might have grumbled or snapped at him, he leaned over to give her a kiss, and her pique dissolved in a wash of giddy joy.

Mina’s reactions amused Constance, who hid her laughter poorly behind her hand.

“Oh, hush,” Mina told her one time.

“I said nothing, my lady.”

“I can hear you thinking, Constance. How one kiss from my husband tames me.”

“One kiss?” Constance noted with an arch of her eyebrow. “Closer to one hundred, and that’s just since sunrise.”

“You think me foolish.”

“I think you’re in love.”

“So I am, even if it makes me behave with all the brains of a newly-hatched chick.”

“Well, some of that may have to do with the fact that you’re breeding, my lady. But you need not fear. It’s a delight to see you smile again. For so long, you’ve been burdened with a weight no one should have to bear alone. Now you have a lord who is pleased to carry it for you…you deserve the happiness you’ve found.”

“Thank you, Constance.” Mina felt tears spring to her eyes. “Oh, my. I can’t stand how I laugh and cry in the same breath!”

“I think it will pass after a time. So will your morning sickness.”

Mina gazed over at Luc. “Will he mind, do you think?” She put a hand on her belly, thinking of how her body would change so much.

Constance chuckled. “Ask him.”

Domina didn’t have a chance to ask on the road, and a few days later the walls of Trumwell Castle rose before her.

They passed into the main gate, riding alongside the pond, where the swans swam gracefully in the parts that weren’t iced over.

Inside, everyone greeted her with relief and joy. Margery embraced both her and Constance like long lost sisters. Octavian bowed to Mina and told Luc that all was well in their absence. Even Ancel looked a bit teary. Ban actually ran to Constance, leaving no doubt about how he felt after all.

“Ah, it’s good to see everyone here,” Mina confided to Luc.

“That’s what it means to be a good ruler. They love you and know that you’re the lady of the castle. They would have no other.”

In the great hall, Mina stopped short on seeing Guinevere standing on her perch near the fire. “It’s my falcon! How can she be here? Don’t tell me she flew back on her own.”

“No,” Octavian said. “A young man came here two days ago. He found a falcon in the woods several miles away, and was able to capture it. He saw that it wore jesses, so he brought it here, the nearest place a noble lived, in hope of a reward. Wouldn’t be the first time a falcon’s escaped from its owner.”

“Of course he shall have a reward,” Mina said. “Oh, my lovely, you’ve come home after all.”

Guinevere squawked softly, puffing her feathers as Mina spoke to her. Luc joined her.

“I’m glad to see her home,” he murmured.

“It was a mistake to let her fly away,” Mina said. “One I won’t repeat.”

“Nor I,” Luc agreed, dipping his head to kiss Mina’s cheek.

Over supper, Luc and Mina shared the news with Octavian and Ancel. However, no one else would know the extent of Joscelin’s treachery. Even Drugo, who planned to return to London as soon as possible, swore it would remain secret.

“I’ll tell only the king, and perhaps a few men who must know a detail or two,” he said. “But to the world, the Swan will simply disappear. It will trouble our enemies and frighten those considering a similar path. That’s all we can ask for.”

“Well,” said Octavian then. “Thank God he was never ordained. He would have been a terrible priest.”

“I can never tell if you’re joking or not,” Mina said.

“There’s no harm in finding humor in serious matters,” Tav replied. “But I’m not really making light of it. Perhaps his end was brought about by Providence, for he would have disgraced the Church.”

Luc took Mina up to their bedchamber as soon as it was reasonably polite to excuse themselves. That night they made love slowly, lazily. Mina never felt closer to him. “Enjoy me while you can, love,” she murmured. “Soon enough I’ll not be able to please you.”

“You’ll always please me, my Mina. You’ll always be perfection, no matter what shape your body takes. You’re going to be the most lovely mother. When will our child be born, do you think?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I don’t know enough to say when I conceived. He’ll be born in late summer, perhaps.”

“He?” Luc put a hand on her belly, giving her a quizzical smile. “What makes you so sure  it’s a he?”

“Or she. I don’t know. The women all have guesses, but they keep contradicting each other!”

“I care not, so long as the child is healthy and you’re healthy. I can’t lose you.”

“You will never lose me, darling.”

* * * *

The next morning, Domina rose early, intending to visit her father. Now that she knew the true cause of his persistent malady, she had hope that he would survive…if it was not already too late.

Luc said, “I’ll walk you there. I want to be there with you.”

He escorted her to the chamber in the keep where her father now resided. Mina worried the whole way. If she lost her father after all that had happened…it wouldn’t be fair.

“I wish to go first,” she said.

“Of course.” Luc released her.

When she arrived at the doorway of her father’s room, she saw Beatrice smiling. “My lady!” the servant said. “How did you know? Your father has been asking after you.”

“Mina,” her father said. He was sitting up, though cushioned against a number of pillows. His gaze was clear and questioning. “Come here, child. I am quite concerned.”

She sat on the edge of the bed. “Father, what’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Well, I’m in bed in the middle of the day, to begin. They tell me I have been ill, and I think it must be true, for I’ve had strange dreams.” His eyes flickered past her. “Who is this?”

Mina turned to see Luc in the doorway.

“I am Luc of Braecon,” he said, striding forward. “We spoke once before, but you would not remember it.”

“Father,” Mina said hesitantly, “you have been ill…for a while. But I think that you will recover at last. I will tell you everything, but you must not strain yourself.”

“What do you mean by a while?” Godfrey asked, watching Luc put one arm around Domina.

“Long enough for Domina to be married,” Luc said.

“But not so long that you will miss meeting your first grandchild,” Mina added with a smile.

There were more questions, and
more explanations. Luc didn’t mind any of it, because Mina was next to him every day. Octavian returned to London with Drugo, in case he’d be useful in providing details of what happened. Luc missed his friend’s presence, but he knew without a doubt that he’d see Tav again.

Now that Joscelin was no longer able to feed him poison, Godfrey slowly recovered, though he seemed to have suffered some permanent damage and would never quite be the man he once was. Spring had arrived when Godfrey walked out of his chambers on his own feet, and by summer, life in Trumwell Castle was as lively as it had once been somber.

Domina, her belly now swelling gently under her breasts, still acted as chatelaine, and she was no less active as she moved through the castle, directing everyone from the steward to the scullions.

As spring advanced, Luc and Domina prepared to travel to Braecon. Luc wanted Mina to meet his whole family at last. He was sure they’d love her immediately—especially if Eva had anything to do with it—and they’d all be overjoyed to know that a child was already on the way.

Mina agreed to his proposal with a mild “Naturally, love.” Her whole being seemed calmer now. She had her father and her fortune restored. The castle of Trumwell was in safe hands, and she smiled every time she put a hand on her belly. Luc loved to watch her, and he loved that she was his. He long ago gave up thinking that encountering her in a dark street in London was a coincidence. God did not send coincidences.

They left Trumwell on a fine spring morning. Along the road, they stopped at the manor of Cleobury, where Luc’s good friend and brother in arms Alric now lived as the lord. He and his lady Cecily greeted them effusively.

Luc introduced Domina to them, and Cecily beamed at them both. “How content you both look,” she said. Luc knew Cecily from when she was a little girl, and her primary goal in life seemed to be ensuring the happiness of others.

“You don’t need to worry about me any longer,” Luc assured her. “I have Mina.”

Cecily smiled. “Mina, is it? Well, Mina. You must be tired from the road. Come for a walk in my garden. If that doesn’t restore you, I have some mint tea that will do the trick.” The two women walked off, Mina casting a glance over her shoulder at Luc as she went.

“Congratulations,” Alric said. “I assume there’s a story behind all this.”

“More than you can guess,” Luc told him. “I’ll tell it all to you, but not till we’re comfortable, for it’s a long story.”

“One filled with intrigue, I bet,” Alric said. “You always had a nose for politics.”

“I did,” Luc admitted. “But less now than before.”

“You don’t intend to take your lady to live at the court, basking in the glory of the royal presence? That’s what you always wanted growing up.”

“I was an idiot.”

Alric smiled wider. “I’m going to enjoy this story.”

“Don’t laugh too hard,” Luc warned. “There’s plenty of tragedy in it.”

“It seems to have ended happily enough,” his friend said, with a nod toward where the women had gone.

Luc shook his head. “It hasn’t ended at all,” he said. Indeed, he was looking forward to every moment of his life with Domina. That reminded him of something. “Alric, as the closest person I’ve got to a brother, I wish to ask you something.”

“Anything.”

“Will you come to Trumwell for the baptism? Will you be the child’s godfather? And Cecily the godmother?”

“Gladly. If it’s a boy, he’ll need to be trained as a knight, and I’m better than you on the field,” Alric teased his friend.

“Speaking of skill on the field, have you heard anything of Rafe?” Luc asked, referring to their mutual childhood friend, who’d disappeared from their lives in disturbing circumstances.

Alric sobered, then said, “I’ve been asking after him, but he seems to have vanished from all his old haunts. This past autumn, there were a few reports of a knight in black mail and black surcoat with a raven insignia. Rafe’s symbol. This knight’s been accepting challenges at tournaments and in other places. He fights so well he’s not lost yet. At least, so the rumors say.”

“Rafe simply gave up war and is earning his wealth by tourney?” Luc asked, incredulously.

“
If
it’s him,” Alric said. “It may not be him—this knight is reputed to give nearly all his spoils to the local churches.”

“Certainly not Rafe, then.” Rafe had never been known for his piety.

“He’s also said to turn every woman’s head,” Alric added, with a knowing look.

“So it may be Rafe after all.” Luc wasn’t sure he could believe such a profound shift in behavior. But then he thought of Domina, and remembered how quickly he’d fallen for her, and how it upended all his expectations. “I suppose anything is possible.”

“We won’t know until we can find him and see for ourselves,” Alric said. “I hope that day is sooner rather than later. Rafe was a friend to both of us for a much longer time than he spent as an enemy. I want to see him again, if only to tell him there’s no need to run away.”

“
If
that’s what he’s doing,” Luc said. “Well, now that I’ve settled down, perhaps we’ll both be able to look for him. Octavian will help too, I’m sure. He travels more than any of us—he may be the one to find Rafe.”

Luc and Mina stayed a few days at Cleobury before pressing on toward Braecon. Just after they bid goodbye and were riding away, Mina said, “I feel as if I’m gaining family every time I meet someone you know. First Octavian. Then your sister Eva. Then your friends. I hadn’t known what an isolated life I was living till I met you.”

“You were happy growing up at Trumwell, though,” Luc reminded her.

She looked thoughtful. “In a way, yes. But perhaps it was mostly because I didn’t know any other life. I’ll always love Trumwell, but it’s not my life. I realize that a place can never hold my heart. Only another soul can.”

“A soul?” he asked.

Mina smiled at him, and he fell in love with her all over again.

“Your soul, specifically,” she said. “Wherever you are, that’s my home.”

He leaned over to kiss her. “I knew the moment I saw you that you were destined to play a role in my life, but I never guessed you’d become my life.”

“Enjoy it,” Mina breathed. “For we’re bound. Forever.”

* * * *

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