Mercy's Prince (21 page)

“Now,
now, my dear, you must show a little charity to those less fortunate.” Reed
patted her arm. “I’m sure the king will agree you would be the best possible
choice to become the new crown prince’s royal bride. You must be patient.”

Yes
, Caelis echoed
silently.
We must all be patient. But I fear, my ambitious cousin, you will
never be a royal bride. Your royal bridegroom isn’t going to live that long.

When
Mercy awoke just before sunrise, it took her a moment to remember where she
was, and with whom. The fire had almost burned itself out, and she was glad to
be wrapped in furs in the chilly morning air. She turned her head. Kieran lay
on one side, snoring softly. Mercy smiled when she remembered how he’d been
showing off, just like Michael used to do. By that alone she knew Kieran couldn’t
be much older than she was.

Mercy
sat up, carefully stretching her sore muscles. Valerian lay on his side with
his head pillowed on his arm, facing her. Asleep, he appeared more at peace
than he had yesterday. Her guilt lingered for giving him such a painful
headache when she forced her thoughts into his mind. Should she have tried to
Heal him or would that have made the situation worse?

She
closed her eyes, remembering how Kieran wanted to call her Merry. Should she
tell them her real name? No, it would be best if she began to think of herself
by this new name. After all, no one alive knew her as Mercy. Her throat
tightened as tears spilled over her cheeks. Maybe choosing to accept this other
name would help her find a new life among these outsiders. And, she reflected,
it was just as much a Brethren name as the one she’d been born with.

So
Mercy sadly put aside that name and became
Merry
, just as the sun’s rays
appeared through the trees. A new day, a new beginning. And there was heavenly
light to bless the moment.

***

Valerian
opened his eyes when the sunlight touched his face. He pushed himself to a
sitting position. Kieran still slept, but Merry was awake. She sat with her
face turned away from him, and she had undone her braid. From this angle, all
he could see was a cascade of auburn hair. He stared, amazed at the sight of it.
Merry took a comb from her carry sack and began to untangle the individual
locks of hair. No wonder the Brethren kept their hair braided; it would always
be in the way if they’d worn it loose.

He
kept silent through the process of combing and re-braiding. The girl was
remarkably quick with her small hands. When she finished braiding the hair,
Merry secured it with a wooden clasp. She replaced the comb in her carry sack
and rose gracefully. Then she turned, only then noticing him.

“Good
morrow, Merry. I hope you slept well?”

She
nodded, appearing flustered.

“Did
I startle you?”

Shrugging,
she came closer so he could
See
her.

You
were so quiet I didn’t realize you were awake.

“I
would have said something, but you were engrossed with your hair. Besides, I
was fascinated watching you. There are those who think
my
hair is too
long.” He smiled, hoping she would realize he was teasing.

Your
hair is longer than the soldiers who came to our village.

Valerian
ran his hands through his tangled hair. He realized it was long enough to tie
back if he wished. But he was spared having to comment when Kieran leaped up, not
quite awake.

“My
lord!  How long have ye been awake? What did I miss? Can I get ye anything?” He
rubbed his eyes, clearly disoriented.

 “All
is well. We’ve just awakened ourselves.” Valerian stood beside Kieran. “We
ought to put away our things and get ready to leave.”

“Shouldn’t
we break our fast, Sire?” Kieran blinked. His hair stuck up on one side, and Valerian
tried not to laugh.

“If
you wish it.”

First
Kieran refilled their water flasks in the nearby stream. He ducked his head
underwater and shook it, spraying water from his hair. After that, the squire
came fully awake.

Once
they ate some travel bread, Kieran saddled the horses, and Valerian helped
Merry up behind his squire. Then he mounted the gray and they found the road
again.

The
farther they traveled the more people they met on the road. Soon they came in
sight of a village. Before they reached it, a woman dashed out in front of
Valerian’s horse, and he had to pull back on the reins to keep from trampling
her.

“Please,
sir, can ye help my poor son? He’s fallen from that tree yonder and broken his
arm.”

Valerian
dismounted and walked the gray off the road, Kieran’s horse following. Then Valerian
caught Merry’s eye. When she nodded, he spoke to the villager.

“Merry
is a Healer. Would you like for her to look at your son?”

The
woman stared up at Merry and frowned.

“But,
she’s just a lass.”

“Do
you want our help or no?” Valerian didn’t mean to sound so sharp.

“Yes,
sir. Of course, sir. My boy is just over there.” The woman hurried toward a
nearby copse of trees.

Valerian
helped Merry off the horse and handed her the carry sack of herbs. Kieran took
charge of the horses as they followed the woman.

Her
son sat under a stand of black oaks, a lad of seven or eight with a shock of
curly brown hair. His face contorted in pain, and he cradled his right arm. As
they got closer it was obvious he’d badly broken it; the two forearm bones had
pierced the skin and blood dribbled from the wounds.

“I
don’t know what to do for an injury like this.” The woman began to cry.

Merry
put her hand on the woman’s arm for a moment. Then she knelt beside the boy and
stroked his head, trying to reassure him. Valerian squatted down opposite her
in case she needed to communicate with him.

“This
is Merry,” he told the boy. “She can’t speak, but she can help you.”

The
boy nodded, sniffling. Merry took one of the clay pots from her pack. Then,
breathing deeply, she gently encircled the boy’s injured arm with her hands. Valerian
realized she intended to put the broken bones back in place, so he moved behind
the boy to keep him from jumping up. When the lad tensed, Valerian bent down
and spoke quietly to him.

“It
will only hurt for a little while, but then your arm will be able to heal. When
we’re finished I’ll show you the injury I received in battle. It hurt at first,
but now it’s healed.”

The
boy gazed up at him with wide eyes, but Valerian’s words had their intended
effect, and he set himself to endure the pain.

Merry
nodded at them and closed her eyes. In one swift motion, she moved the ends of
bone back under the skin. For a moment, the bleeding intensified, and then it
stopped. Merry continued to hold onto the boy’s arm, and Valerian watched,
mesmerized, as an unearthly yellow glow emanated from her hands.

Just
as Valerian felt he should intervene, for Merry’s face became visibly pale, she
let go of the boy’s arm and opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented. She took
a shuddering breath before smearing salve from the clay pot on the arm, but the
puncture marks were all but healed.

The
mother came forward and offered her apron. Merry fashioned a sling for the boy’s
arm and tied it around his waist. He pushed himself upright with his left hand
and grinned.

“It
don’t hurt now, Ma.” He turned back to Merry. “Thank you, lady.” Eagerly, he
faced Valerian. “Will you show me your battle scar now, sir?”

Reluctantly
Valerian lifted his leather tunic and the white linen shirt underneath to
reveal part of the long ax scar. The boy leaned closer and hissed through his
teeth.

“What
cut you so bad, sir?”

Valerian
paused, remembering the pressure of the Mohorovian’s ax against his abdomen,
the sound of metal slicing through leather and chain mail and flesh, and the
flash of fiery agony before he lost consciousness.

“A
battle-ax.” He pulled down the shirts to cover the scar from view.

The
boy’s mother fell to her knees.

“How
can I ever thank you enough? What can I give you for what you have done?”

Valerian’s
first impulse was to raise up the woman. No one had ever knelt before him.

“You
can tell us if you have heard of Eldred, an old man who recently served the
king as Seer.”

She
frowned, thinking. Finally, she spoke.

“Nay,
sir, but there is someone who might know. Sir Rudyard MacNeil recently returned
from the Keep.”

“Sir
Rudyard lives here?” Valerian glanced at Kieran.

“Aye,
in the manor house, at the far end of the village.”

Now
Valerian did help the woman stand.

“Thank
you, good woman. That is payment enough.”

Mother
and son walked away. Valerian stood, but Merry had not moved from her kneeling
position.

“Are
you all right, Merry?”

She
nodded, but he went down on one knee and peered into her eyes.

“Something
is not right.”

I
did not fully Heal the arm this time, but even so it takes something from me to
set the bones. I will be all right in a minute or two.

She
tried to stand, but she lost consciousness, and Valerian barely caught her
before she fell. He cradled her against his chest.

“Kieran,
we must find Ruddy’s house.”

“What
happened to the lass?” Kieran’s face was full of concern.

“I
think she’s just spent.” He pondered her words and the glow he had seen from
her hands. When she Healed someone, was it at the expense of her own health? If
so, she would need to be more judicious about who she helped and to what
extent.

They
made a strange procession through the village, he carrying Merry, and Kieran
leading their horses. Two women carding wool outside a cottage stopped to
stare. The rhythmic ringing of hammer on anvil ceased when they passed the
blacksmith’s, resuming once they moved beyond his sight. Three small boys
followed, remarking on the “fine ’orses,” and Valerian was especially glad not
to be wearing the royal surcoat. At the far end of the village, Valerian spied
a manor house just off the road.

“That
must be the one.” He turned to Kieran. “I don’t know whether Ruddy will be glad
to see me or not, but he’ll be willing to help Merry, at least.”

They
approached the door of the wattle and daub structure. Kieran dropped the horses’
reins so they would know not to wander off, and then he knocked.

A
young girl answered. Her eyes widened when she saw the three strangers. Valerian
spoke.

“Is
Sir Rudyard at home?”

“Yes,
sir.” The girl nodded, staring.

“Will
you tell him that an old friend has come to see him?”

“Just
a moment, sir.” She closed the door.

As
small as she was, Valerian had to shift Merry’s dead weight, now that they were
standing still. The door opened again, and standing before them was the
red-haired knight. He balanced on his one remaining leg and a crutch.

“Prince
Valerian.” His voice was gruff. “What are ye doing here, Your Highness?”

“It’s
a long story, which I’m happy to relate, but we must have help for the girl.”

“Come
in.” Ruddy backed away so Valerian and Kieran could step inside the manor’s
hall. “Lay the lass on the cot by the fire.”

Valerian
strode across the spacious hall, his boots echoing on the portions of the wood
floor not covered with rugs or rushes. He gently placed Merry on the
fur-covered cot. By the light of the fire, Merry’s face appeared ashen. Alarmed,
Valerian probed her wrist for a pulse. It was rapid and shallow. He covered her
with another fur draped across a nearby cushioned chair.

“What
happened to her?” Ruddy hobbled closer. “Is she one of the Brethren?”

“Yes.”
Valerian turned to his old friend. “We found their village massacred by the
Horde. She was the only survivor.”

“The
Horde? So near?” Ruddy frowned. He turned and bellowed, “Shannon!”

A
heavy-set woman entered the hall. She cradled an infant in her arms.

“What
is it, Ruddy?”

“Have
that girl of yours fetch us bread and nectar.”

“What’s
going on, Ruddy?”

“I’ll
tell ye after we get the bread and drink, woman.”

Shannon
huffed and disappeared through another doorway.

Valerian
sat beside Merry on the cot and began to rub her bare feet. They felt like ice.
He didn’t know exactly what to do to help her, but he knew she needed to get
warm.

“Why
are ye in the south, Val?”

Valerian
turned to Ruddy but was careful to avoid direct eye contact.

“The
king sent me to all the border garrisons. My first command.”

“So
where are your men?” The knight crossed his arms.

“At
the Southern Garrison assisting Sir Walter ’til I return. I’m looking for
Eldred.”

“Well,
ye came to the right place. He lives here in Forestglade.”

Valerian
let out an audible sigh.