Tempered Hearts (Hearts of Valentia Book 1) (31 page)

“I need…” His words came between gasps of air. “To speak… to my wife.”

She set her hand on his. “I’m here.”

His eyes remained closed. “Alone.”

Worried at his tone, Arden looked to the others. Vennic and Ehlren frowned, but retreated towards the door.

“We’ll explain to the Ta’Mareth,” Vennic said as he opened the flap, letting Ehlren out first. “Naya?”

She looked at Arden for a long moment, something strange in her gaze. Whatever it was passed quickly, however, shifting into a smile. Without a word, she bowed, and all departed.

Nervous, Arden moved closer to him, to hear him if he spoke softly. “I’m here. It’s only me now.”

“You broke your promise, asahana.”

Her mouth went dry. Was he angry with her?

“I… I couldn’t. I’m sorry. I—”

Darius opened his eyes, then lifted his hand to touch her face. “Don’t apologize. If I’ve learned anything since the moment I saw you, it’s that you sometimes know far better than I do. I’m glad you broke it, Arden, but how will I ever repay—”

She placed a finger on his mouth, silencing him. “If you think I saved your life for anything besides selfish reasons, you have much more to learn about me.”

A tired smile worked its way across his mouth. “Selfish reasons?”

She nodded, trying not to cry. “Between a civil war and being a widow at my age, your death would be incredibly inconvenient. I simply refused to allow it.”

He chuckled, but it was weak. “Arden, I’m exhausted. As much as I’d love to keep the banter going, I think I’ll have to ask we skip straight to the part where you kiss me so I can get some sleep.”

Unable to contain herself, she bent and pressed her lips to his, relishing every moment, relieved to know he lived, that he loved her. It took nearly losing each other, but they’d finally come around.

As elves rushed into the tent to tend to him, Arden eased away, brushing the hair from his face. “You have guests, Your Majesty.”

He groaned a little, but nodded. “You’re not allowed to leave, though.”

She sat up and smiled at him. “I wouldn’t even if the stars demanded it.”

Chapter 31

Darius

The water slipped over his head, washing away the days’ worth of grime and sweat he’d accumulated since… Darius paused to think, breaking through the surface of the lake to take a breath. The last time he’d bathed was during their stay at Ogtern. How had Arden stood the stench so long?

He smiled at the thought of her. She barely left his side since he woke from near-death. She doted on his every need, insisting he rest and regain his strength, following the advice of Garethell and the elven healer to the letter. She changed the dressings on his chest, wincing every time she pulled back the bandages. Her reaction was never because of a weak stomach, but that it was a reminder of how close he came to leaving her, and the pain she caused him to save his life.

Three days after, he had enough of the confinement and insisted on a visit to a nearby lake. At the mention of water, Arden paled a bit, but Darius assured her there was nothing to fear. Even still, she made Vennic go with to stand guard. While the elf protested at first, a single look of reprimand from her was all it took to change his mind. Vennic lounged on the bank under a tree, snoozing the moment he pulled his hood down over his eyes.

Finally feeling clean and almost back to normal, Darius dried off and dressed. With him well again, they needed to head back to Ogtern, to see Arden’s method of treatment was working for the dwarves. Ehlren left almost immediately after the ordeal with the brand and instructions on how to duplicate the solution. Arden personally wanted to speak with Master Thrass about what she learned regarding Gordian weapons. Darius imagined after that they’d be trying to plan the quickest route back to Castle Dulaine. Their entire trip had gone askew thanks to the vrata gesh, and it would take a lot of explaining to Ingram why they were delayed.

As Vennic and Darius returned to camp, the conversation turned to the matters of the frantic letters he’d sent. The first day after his recovery, the birds began arriving with missives from Aerenhall asking after Arden’s safety, and from Castle Dulaine, both from Ingram andMadame LeVallier demanding explanations for all sorts of things, including what to tell the Prasta when he didn’t show up to meet their envoy in a month’s time.

“Do you think she’ll let you leave for the parley?” Vennic asked, chuckling.

Darius snorted. “Not without her, she won’t. Have you been paying any attention at all the last three days?” He waved it off. “Besides, you know how curious she is. If I don’t take her, I’ll spend days recounting everything I know about the Prasta to her. If she went along, it’d save me a lot of trouble.”

He hummed and nodded in agreement. “And what about the other matter?”

“You’ll have to be more specific. There are about fifty matters that require my undivided attention at the moment.”

“I was referring to the, er… the issue you informed me of the morning we left for this adventure of ours.”

Darius grimaced. “That’s hardly your business, elf.”

He shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. If other arrangements need to be made, I don’t think she’d be opposed to me throwing my name in the running. She did kiss me, after all.”

As the settlement came into view, Darius chuckled and slapped his back on his way past, heading for the tent. “Nice of you to offer, but I don’t think that will be necessary. Sorry to disappoint you.”

He heard Vennic laughing as he pushed the flap aside.

“Oh!” Arden’s startled yelp caught him off guard the moment he entered. She spun away, pulling a towel tightly around her, her hair still dripping wet.

Though he felt a little bad for scaring her, he wasn’t at all sorry to find her that way. “Don’t look so excited to see me,” he said with a small laugh. “Where’d you run off to while I was gone?”

She lifted a bare shoulder, her cheeks visibly pink when she threw a glance at him. “Naya showed me a hot spring. I was trying to finish before you got back. You just surprised me, is all. How are you feeling? Better?”

His hesitations with Arden evaporated a week ago, but so many things had gotten in the way since then. At that moment, he could think of no better opportunity for the two of them.

Turning, he quietly secured the tent flap, not about to let anyone disturb them. When he looked again, Arden was absently braiding her hair, trying to look like she wasn’t as nervous as she’d been on their wedding night. He needed to set her at ease. So long as he was breathing, he’d never do anything to hurt her, and she needed to know that.

Slowly, Darius stepped towards her. The closer he got, the more flushed her skin became.

“May I ask you a question?” He leaned in to her ear, not quite touching her.

“Of course,” she said, the pulse of a vein in her neck throbbing in time with her heart.

From behind her, he reached out to run a hand up under her towel, to her right hip. “How did you get this scar, asahana?”

Her shoulders tensed. “You remember the man I told you about? The one in Aerenhall who succumbed to hega rhotaru?”

Darius winced. Perhaps that wasn’t the best way to start. “I remember.”

“He…” she swallowed hard. “He was… well, he had nearly turned by the time I found him. He’d already… His wife was… I didn’t… well, I didn’t want you to worry for me.”

Leaning his head down, Darius brushed a kiss across her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up… I suppose I should’ve guessed it was something like that. I have plenty of scars of my own, but only one with a story that ends well.”

She remained quiet.

Trying to salvage it, he turned her to face him, pushing a loose hair away from her forehead. “I can’t promise you I can protect you from everything in this world that might hurt you, but I can promise to try. I can promise to be with you through every heartache, hold you through every nightmare, do everything in my power to make your brightest dreams come true. I promise you that, Arden. For as long as you’ll let me, I’ll be anything you ask.”

The smile returned to her face, and she looked up at him through her dark lashes, her blue eyes sparkling. “All I’d ask is for your heart, kendala. Nothing more, nothing less.”

With gentle touches, he let his hands drift up, under her towel, and it fell away as he lowered his mouth to hers. “You are a mountain, asahana. If my heart is what you want, it’s yours for all time.”

She closed the distance between their lips, her arms encircling his neck as he lifted her to carry her over to their shared bed. With every touch, he whispered his gratitude to her: for her patience, for her understanding, for the way she looked at him with more love than he ever thought he deserved. She answered his movements in kind, stripping away his clothing to leave tender kisses in lines across his skin. Her mouth set off a desire within him the likes of which he’d never known. In all his life, no one could compare to the quiet strength, the gentle beauty, the fierce intelligence she contained in one impossible body. She was softer than silk, a welcome contrast to the calloused hands that explored every inch of her. He craved all she was: every curve, every sigh, every taste. So much of his life was harsh, not even his dreams free of that reality, and yet, there was Arden, perfect and warm, asking only that he love her.

He couldn’t not love her.

When her legs wrapped around him, pulling him inside her, he shuddered with absolute need. He was infinitely careful with her, intent on seeing her experience the unfettered bliss he wanted to give her. Slow and steady, he held back, waiting until sweat glistened on her brow and her soft sighs gave way to low moans before he pushed harder, quicker, longing to touch the deepest parts of her, to match her pleasure with his own. Her nails dug into his back as she arched up to meet him, his name on her lips. Desperate, he brought them together, both tumbling over the edge of ecstasy as he kissed her with all of the desire and love that filled his heart.

“In every way, you saved me, asahana,” he said as he panted in her arms. “My life is yours.”

Her fingertips trailed up and down his spine as she caught her breath. “You are one of my biggest dreams, kendala. So long as I have you, I have the world.”

Arden

Arden took the steps two at a time, launching herself into Paitra and Elena’s waiting arms halfway up. For several minutes, they were a mess of tears and talking, exclaiming how much they’d missed each other.

It was Darius’s rumbling chuckle that interrupted them, reminding her of where she was and how she was supposed to act while in public. She coughed and stepped back, trying to regain her composure, but she was far too happy to see them to hide her grin.

Darius stepped up behind her, leading her away up to the castle as he kissed her temple. Ingram was waiting for them at the top of the stairs, his frown not nearly as dark as she thought it would be.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness, welcome home,” he said with a light bow.

She dipped a curtsy, but kept her mouth shut, entirely sure she’d start gushing about anything and everything that occurred to her if she opened it.

“You know,” Darius said, looking up at the building, “it’s actually nicer than I remember. Did you have servants scrubbing the exterior while we were gone?”

Duke Ingram looked confused. “No. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”

Darius smiled broadly. “Never better. Is dinner ready? I’m starving. We can talk over food and wine.”

When he stepped forward, Arden hung back a little, motioning him on. He took one look at her friends and nodded in understanding, walking away with Ingram to see about the meal and already discussing matters of state.

Paitra and Elena were on her the moment they were out of earshot, but she waited until the men turned a corner before ushering the handmaidens inside.

Elena giggled and dipped a curtsy. “You look much different than the first day you came to the castle, Your Highness.”

Arden poked her for the teasing. “You’re not allowed to make fun of the Light of Valentia.” She let out a laugh of her own. “But you’re right, I am different. Everything is different. Everything is wonderful.”

Paitra stopped her, a hand on her arm. She stepped back a bit, still holding on, and scanned Arden from head to foot. Her mouth dropped open. “Arden! You’re…”

She bit down on her lip, trying not to show every emotion she had on her face. “You can tell already? I understand how Garethell knew when he told me the stars before we left, but…”

She squealed and hugged her tightly. “Oh I just knew he’d come through, Arden. I knew it! Does he know yet?”

Arden hooked their arms and pulled the two of them farther down the hall. “Not yet, but I think maybe I’ll tell him tonight since you’re certain. Or do you think it’s too soon? Should I wait? It’s only a few weeks in, so maybe it’d be better once my body catches up to what only elves can see.”

Elena shook her head. “Hmm, that’s tough, but I think maybe it’s better to tell him before the whispers start. You know how fast news travels around here, and even when you think you’re alone,” she cast a disapproving glance at the walls, “you’re not.”

“That’s true,” Arden said. “He’ll probably be able to guess soon enough anyway. I’d say another two weeks at the most and…”

“And what?” His voice behind her made all three of them jump.

Fixing her face, Arden turned to Darius, completely calm in the face of his smirk. Walking up to him, she leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Nothing, kendala. They were just catching me up on some gossip I missed out on while we were away.”

His eyebrows lifted, skeptical, and he glanced at the handmaidens, looking for confirmation. Elena was eight shades of red, but Paitra was far better at looking utterly unreadable, with just a hint of expectation in her expression, as though she was waiting for him to ask a question.

Seeing he’d get nothing out of them, he sighed and turned his attention back to his wife, his eyes softening to the loving gaze she’d come to cherish. “They’re serving dinner a little early for us. Would the lady care to accompany me, or will she be fending for herself tonight?”

Threading her arm through his, she let her smile shine for him. “Where you go, I follow.”

As they walked together towards the dining room, he bent to speak to her.“You should know, I’ve already told Ingram I mean to change that law the way I said I would.”

“Oh? Which law was that?”

“The one that will make you queen regardless of heirs.”

She choked back a small laugh. “You’re not afraid I’ll try to smother you in your sleep if you’re successful in that?”

When he spoke again, his words were low, tinged with a hint of desire. “I plan to ensure that’s the last thing you’ll ever want when it comes to our bed.”

Flushing uncontrollably, she smacked his arm lightly. “That is not the way one speaks to a princess, Your Majesty.”

With a wink, he eased up, putting some distance between them. “Soon to be queen, if I’ve anything to do with it.”

It took all of her willpower not to tell him then, but she was glad she waited. That night, when they finally retired, she chose her moment carefully. As she laid in his arms, watching the moonlight bathe his hair in silver, she couldn’t imagine being happier.

“It’s probably a very good thing I have two trusted friends for handmaidens,” she said, watching his expression shift into curiosity.

“Odd thought to have right now, but, all right, yes, I’m sure it is. What makes you say so?”

She shrugged and ran her fingertips along his jaw, feeling the stubble against her skin. “I was just thinking it’ll make things much easier with so many extra hands at my disposal. After all, it’ll already be difficult to do all of the things I’ve got planned, so someone else will probably have to hold the baby from time to time.”

His face shifted between confusion, more confusion, and absolute confusion as she tried desperately not to laugh. She waited, wondering when he’d finally ask the obvious.

“Are you… You’re not having a laugh at my expense, are you?”

She pursed her lips and shook her head, near to bursting with joy.

He sat up suddenly, and she landed against the pillow, giggling. Placing his arms on either side of her, he hovered above, his eyes searching hers. “Are you absolutely certain? It’s so soon, how could you possibly…” His face went slack and he glanced away for a moment, then back. “Garethell?”