The Mage of Trelian (22 page)

As their small procession finished rounding the corner, a cheer went up, which rose in volume and exuberance as it spread through the crowd. The closer they got, the louder it became, until it gradually changed from a wordless series of shouts to a repeated unified chant: “Dragon Princess!”

Meg stared, agape, for several long seconds, then pulled herself forcefully together. She wasn’t feeling quite up to a public appearance in her current physical state, but that didn’t matter one bit, and she knew it. These people had gathered to celebrate their victory, to celebrate the successful campaign of Varyn’s company, to celebrate Meg and her dragon. There was a time when Meg would never have dreamed this possible — this public, joyful recognition of Jakl’s place in the kingdom and undeniable proof that the people of Trelian accepted her fully and freely. More than accepted — they loved her. Clearly they did, the way they were shouting and waving and hugging one another as she went by. She smiled brightly back at them, waving her less-injured arm, ignoring the tenderness of her shoulder, and radiating her own thanks and gratitude. She kept it up the entire length of their slow journey along the narrow inner road and up to the entrance to the main hall, where she saw her parents waiting at the top of the stairs.

Her mother’s eyes widened at the sight of her dirty, damaged daughter being carried toward her like an overcooked pheasant on a plate, but she quickly hid her dismay and flashed her own bright smile. Her father was doing the same. The people continued their enthusiastic chanting until the medics and their assistants had managed to get her all the way up the stairs and through the doors. Meg gave her admirers one last wave and blew them a kiss, and then some blessed person closed the doors and she let her hand drop, exhausted, to her side.

“Please, set me down for a minute,” Meg asked her carriers.

They complied as her parents rushed over and Maurel struggled free of Pela’s hand to crowd in close beside them.

“We’re so glad you’re home safe,” her mother said, touching her good shoulder gently. “And very proud of you.”

“Yes,” her father agreed. “Well done, Meg. Well done, indeed.”

“Thank you,” she said. She cast a glance back at the closed doors. “I see that everyone has already heard all about the battle.”

“Yes,” her mother said. “Varyn’s riders couldn’t keep the story to themselves, and we didn’t see why they should try. These people needed something to celebrate, by the gods. And what we heard certainly sounded worth celebrating.”

Meg couldn’t help feeling pleased by her mother’s words. “I’m glad I could help them there. But I didn’t do it alone, you know. Captain Varyn and the others did most of the fighting. And Jakl was magnificent.”

The king nodded. “So we’ve been told. We’ve also been told that he saved your life. Please give him our very sincere thanks for taking such good care of you.”

“You should go thank him yourself,” Meg said. “I think he’d like that.”

The king looked startled, but after a moment nodded his acquiescence. The queen looked equal parts alarmed and amused at the idea.

They insisted that she could tell them the rest in a little while, and the medics resumed their forward progress. When they reached her room, she saw immediately the adjustments Pela and the castle physicians had prepared. There was a small but high table brought close to the side of the bed, bearing a stack of books and a tray containing a pitcher of water and a glass. The books appeared to be romantic stories of the kind that Pela loved to read — these were probably her own copies. Meg smiled at her lady-in-waiting, touched. There were also baskets of what looked like medical supplies on another table, and another medic standing at attention, wearing that same no-nonsense expression that seemed to be a requirement for the profession. This woman watched closely as the others gently helped Meg onto her bed, which had been covered by a thick sheet. Then she waved them away.

“You too, young Princess,” she said to Maurel, who pouted but allowed herself to be sent away once Meg promised that she could come back later, after Meg had had a chance to rest a little. The medic didn’t attempt to send Pela away; Meg suspected that had been negotiated by Pela in advance.

The medic then carefully unwrapped Meg’s bandages and examined her injuries, and gave her a somewhat embarrassing but very welcome washing with hot water and soap and a series of wet cloths. After gently patting Meg’s skin dry again, she applied some thick salve to her burned shoulder and ear and some other kind of medicine to the wound on her thigh. “We’ll send Mage Serek to see you shortly,” she said, “in case there’s anything he can do to help. But these look very well; I believe all will continue to heal nicely, Your Highness.” Then she gave Meg a significant look. “Assuming you rest as you are supposed to.”

“She will,” Pela said at once. “I’ll see to it, Medic Sadie.”

The medic bustled about a bit longer, redressing Meg’s shoulder and leg, helping Meg into a fresh nightgown, and giving Pela some final instructions before heading out. Meg was glad; she really did want to rest. The top sheet had apparently been to protect the bedding from at least some of Meg’s layers of dust and dirt; it had since been removed, and she was now nestled comfortably under the blankets. Her bed felt like heaven. And she still felt so weak. Even just being carried into the castle had completely worn her out. But first . . .

She gripped Pela’s arm as soon as the medic was gone. “Tell me what’s been happening. Has Calen —?”

Pela shook her head. “Not yet. Soon, I believe. I’ll tell you everything I know later, after you rest. We’ll have some lunch brought up for you, and we can talk while you eat.”

“No,” Meg tried to argue. “I want to know now. Pela —”

“Truly, Princess. There is nothing so urgent that you cannot rest first. Just for a while.”

Meg felt her eyelids drooping and suspected this was not a fight she could win. All Pela had to do was wait her out, anyway. She was desperately tired.

“All right,” Meg said finally. “Just a little sleep.” She could barely get the last words out before she felt herself drifting away.

She woke to the sound of Pela quietly arguing with Maurel in the doorway.

“It’s all right, Pela. I’m awake.” By the position of the sun, she’d slept plenty long enough for now. And she did feel a good deal better than she had when she’d arrived. There was still pain, but it was tolerable. And she couldn’t sleep forever.

Maurel took that as permission and pushed past Pela, bouncing toward the bed. She remembered just in time that Meg was injured and merely sat on the bed rather than jumping onto it. She gave the side of Meg’s head, now free of bandages, a long look, but didn’t say anything. Meg hoped that her scorched ear didn’t look too frightening. She had assumed it was mostly healed, since the medic had left it uncovered.

“So. What has been happening while I was gone?” Meg asked, smiling for her sister and raising herself gingerly up against the pillows. Pela was there in an instant, fluffing and arranging them to just the right position behind her.

“Nothing, really,” Maurel said. “Mostly we were all just wondering about you. But then the riders came saying that Lourin had lost the pass and you and Jakl were heroes and the Kragnir soldiers were on their way now and everyone was glad, except that also they said you were hurt, but that you would probably be okay. But they also said it would be a while before you came home, but then you came home the next day.”

“I wasn’t supposed to let Jakl take me home,” Meg said, “but then everyone decided it would be okay after all. But I’m not allowed to ride him anymore until I’m all healed up. I can’t even go and see him for at least the next few days. Would you go and visit him for me sometimes? I don’t want him to get lonely.”

“Sure!” Maurel said. “I like him. I’ll bring Lyrimon with me so they can be friends, too.”

Meg wasn’t so sure how well that would go, but decided to let Maurel work that out for herself.

Maurel stayed a bit longer, filling in Meg on what she’d been studying and what terrible injustices she had suffered at the hands of Nan Vera, and then the servants arrived with some food, and Pela suggested that Maurel should go now and let Meg eat. Maurel left willingly enough, saying maybe she’d go see how Jakl was doing.

Meg wanted to get up and sit at the table, but Pela insisted that she stay put. She instructed the servants to lay the tray on the bed. As soon as they lifted the cover, Meg realized that she was ravenous. Which was good, because she had a feeling that Pela would have made her eat regardless.

“So,” Meg said, once she’d taken her first few bites. “What has happened with the plan to get Calen back?”

“There have been several crows back and forth,” Pela said. “I wasn’t there for all of the messages, but Mage Anders assured me that plans were being refined. He wouldn’t share the details with me, but I believed him that they were still working hard to arrange Calen’s return.”

“I hope so,” Meg said. “I will insist on more information when they come to see me, though.”

“That should be soon,” Pela said. “I can send for them as soon as you’re finished eating, if you like.”

“Yes,” Meg said. “That would be very welcome. Thank you, Pela.”

There was an immediate knock at the door. Meg wondered if Anders had been outside listening, waiting for the perfect moment to make an entrance. It seemed like something he would do.

Pela went to the door, but she only murmured something and then closed it again.

“Not the mages?” Meg asked as Pela turned back toward her.

“No,” Pela said. “It’s Wilem to see you, Princess. Might I suggest you have him return later?”

“No, it’s all right,” Meg said. “Let him come in.”

“But —”

“It’s all
right,
Pela,” Meg said. Pela looked like she wanted to say something else, but only nodded and went back to the door. After a moment, Wilem stepped hesitantly inside.

“Oh, Princess,” he said. “You’re not — I can come back —”

“It’s all right,” Meg said again. “I’m not supposed to leave this bed for some time yet, so I’m certainly happy to have visitors. I’m — I’m glad to see you’re well. You seem to have recovered from your injuries?”

“Yes,” he said, coming closer. He stood awkwardly a few feet from the edge of the bed. Pela stood back by the door, arms crossed, face carefully blank. “I was very sorry to hear that
you
had been injured.”

“Not as badly as I might have been, all things considered,” Meg said lightly. Memories of
fire
and
falling
and
screaming
tried to flash across her inner vision, but she pushed them forcefully aside. That was over now. “They tell me I’ll heal in time. And Mage Serek may be able to help speed things along. It was worth it, of course. Small price for what we gained.”

“I don’t know that I’d call it a
small
price, Princess. But certainly we needed that victory.” Meg wondered if he realized that he spoke of Trelian’s people as “we” now.

“Captain Varyn trained his company well,” she said.

He smiled. “Spoken like a true soldier. And I’m sure he did, and I’m sure everyone in your company helped earn that victory. But you know that they could not have done it without you. You and your dragon, too.” His smiled widened. “They said you were glorious.”

Meg couldn’t help smiling back. He always did have an infectious smile. “Who said that?”

“The soldiers. They’re all talking about it. I think half of them are in love with you. And the other half are in love with Jakl.”

Meg laughed, but felt herself blushing as well.

“It’s good to see you smiling,” he said.

Meg wasn’t sure what to say back to that, so she didn’t say anything. She was still smiling, though.

“Yes, well,” Pela said, stepping forward, “the princess needs to finish her lunch and get back to resting.”

“Of course,” Wilem said at once. “I’ll visit again soon, if — if that’s all right.”

“I’d like that,” Meg said, surprised to realize it was true.

He gave her a little bow and then walked out. Pela closed the door quickly behind him.

“Oh, Princess. You should have let me send him away,” Pela said, practically wringing her hands.

“Why? There’s no harm in —”

“But your
hair
!” Pela burst out.

Meg stared at her. “What — what about my hair?” she asked finally.

Pela swallowed. “I was waiting to tell you until after you’d eaten. I made Maurel promise not to say anything. The fire — it caught in your hair, Princess. We’ll need to — to cut it, I think. To even it out.”

“Bring me a mirror,” Meg said.

Pela did. Meg took a breath and then held it up before her.

Oh.

That’s what Maurel had been staring at. Earlier it would have been hidden by the bandages. The left side still looked all right, if rather messy, but on the right . . . her hair was almost entirely burned away on the right side. Some of the back as well. At least her ear didn’t look too bad.

“I’m so sorry, Princess,” Pela whispered. She sounded close to tears.

“Pela, please,” Meg said. “It’s not that bad. I mean, yes, it looks
terrible,
but . . . goodness, it’s only hair. It will grow back. Better my hair than my head!”

“Of course,” Pela said. “I know. I just — I had hoped — you didn’t need to let that boy see you that way.”

Meg shocked herself by laughing. But she couldn’t help it; Pela’s dismay was so oddly directed sometimes! “Pela, I don’t think Wilem cares what my hair looks like. But if it’s distressing you so much . . . let’s take care of it right now.”

Pela brightened, happy to have a course of action. “Yes, that would be good. It needs a good washing as well. I’ll get my supplies.”

She didn’t need to go very far; apparently she’d had everything ready. She did agree to let Meg move — slowly and carefully — to a chair for this, at least. Meg closed her eyes and let Pela take over. She realized that there had been a time when she probably would have been very upset about having half of her hair burned away. When she would have been mortified at the idea anyone might
see
her under those conditions. But she was still just so relieved to be safe, to be alive, to know that they’d accomplished their mission, that she couldn’t work up much emotion over burned hair and a few minor injuries.