The Rebel Prince (18 page)

Wynter nodded. ‘I understand,’ she said.

‘The inquisition took Phillipe the very week that he had planned to journey here. Jared knew I would not be safe, and so he came for me and took me with him. Phillipe’s fellows were meant to meet us on the trail. They never appeared, but Jared knows they are still active. They await news of this negotiation – so eager for change.’

Mary paused, her thoughts running away with her.

‘Do you think they will effect that change, Lady?’

‘Oh yes,’ breathed Mary. ‘Oh yes. With your Prince’s machines they can do it. I have no doubt.’

The Prince’s machines.

‘Lady?’ asked Wynter, her mouth dry. ‘Will it be a change worth effecting?’

Mary looked up at her. ‘Protector Lady,
anything
would be better than the current situation. My husband’s plans have robbed him of his life, and they have left me with nothing. I doubt that even one member of my family remains alive. But I still believe in the reform, Protector Lady. I must. For if you could only know what it is like there . . .’ She shook her head. ‘A change must come,’ she whispered.

Wynter looked from the lady’s dark, earnest eyes to the swell of her pregnancy, appalled at how little the poor woman had left. What on earth would become of her, now that Tamarand’s purge had robbed her of all she was?

Mary ran her hand across her belly. ‘This only became apparent on the trail,’ she said softly, ‘silly child.’ She tapped the fullness beneath her skirts. ‘What a time to come into this world.’

At last, Mary’s voice cracked, and Wynter came from behind her chair to sit on the cot, looking into her face. She took Mary’s hand. The satin of the lady’s gloves was soft, the grimy lace at her fingertips very fine.

‘Isaac stayed behind, while Jared and I fled, and when poor Phillipe was finally released from the inquisitors and set to burning in the executions square, Isaac threw a knife across the crowd and risked his own life to end Phillipe’s pain. It was only then that he joined us. Brave Isaac. He made the endless journey here so much easier to bear,’ she whispered. ‘He had a way of lightening any situation.’ Finally the tears came, slow and soundless, rolling unheeded down Mary’s pretty face. She glanced at Wynter. ‘My husband was very much older than me, Protector Lady. Isaac was . . . he was a very
dear
friend.’

‘I am so sorry,’ whispered Wynter. She went to speak again, then hesitated. She wanted to justify Razi’s actions somehow, wanted to reveal his true nature to this seemingly gentle person, but she did not know how.

‘It is a burden to him,’ said Mary suddenly. Wynter frowned, not understanding. Mary wiped her face with her gloved hand. ‘Your friend, the Lord Razi, he carries his deeds as a terrible burden.’

She said it in sympathy, not judgement, and Wynter felt her face crease up, tears threatening. She nodded.

‘Poor man,’ said Mary. ‘I suspect it sears him.’

Their attention was drawn by the calling of men outside the tent, and they looked over to see the soldiers moving away, no longer needed now that the Midlanders had been proved loyal.

‘And so we are left,’ sighed Mary, ‘while men shape the world.’

Wynter frowned, anxious to be out there. Her hands opened and closed in frustration. Mary eyed the sword at her hip and her dusty men’s clothing. ‘You are not a person used to this woman’s waiting, Protector Lady. This isolation will madden you.’

‘It does not madden you, Lady Mary?’

Mary smiled. ‘What difference would it make if it did?’ she said dryly.

A shadow crossed the tent and Wynter rose to her feet at the distinctive shape of Christopher and Boro coming to the door. ‘My friend is here,’ she said. ‘I suspect that he has brought food and some tea for you, if you should like?’

The lady brightened and Wynter hesitated. ‘He is Merron, Lady.’

Mary’s expression fell and she seemed to shrink a little. She glanced to Christopher’s shadow, obviously frightened.

‘He is a good man, Lady. He will not harm you.’

Christopher’s shadow came to a halt by the door. He cleared his throat and called softly through the canvas: ‘Lass?’

Wynter rolled her eyes. Just because the soldiers were gone did not mean he could be so lax, goddamn it.

Mary eyed Christopher’s slim shadow, Boro’s giant shape hulking threateningly by his side. The dog’s breathing was disconcertingly loud as he snuffled along the door.

‘One . . . one hears stories,’ said Mary faintly, ‘of Merron and what they do.’

‘Do not worry,’ said Wynter, opening the flap and letting Christopher in. Thankfully, Boro contented himself with peering in at the door and did not try to invade the lady’s domain.

Hallvor stood a little distance away, clasping her elbows, her grave face watchful. Wynter lifted her chin in greeting, then ducked back inside, dropping the door in Boro’s curious face. The big dog whined in aggravation and his huge shape plopped to the ground, a long, panting shadow barring the threshold.

‘What’s prickled our lad?’ asked Christopher, nodding a perfunctory greeting at the Lady Mary. ‘He looks like a mule kicked him.’

‘Where is he?’

‘He tried to wander off towards the river, but the Merron ain’t having none of it. Sól has grabbed him and sat him by the fire. He’s planning on getting some tea and porridge in him. Razi ain’t got a hope of declining.’

He waited for an explanation, but Wynter just nodded, avoiding his eyes.

‘Alberon’s big manly knight was sobbing his heart out behind the tents,’ he continued. ‘The soldiers near turned themselves inside out pretending not to notice.’

‘The Lord Razi and Sir Oliver had a misunderstanding,’ mumbled Wynter.

‘Iseult!’ he cried, almost spilling the tea with frustration. ‘Don’t
do
that to me!’

Wynter glanced into his anxious face. Christopher’s eyes were huge with desperate inquiry, but she could remember his rage the day they had found out about Shuqayr. She remembered the hard brightness in his eyes when he had said,
If it turns out that Alberon ordered his brother dragged to his
death, and had a football made of his head, I will kill him. Whether
Razi wants me to or not.
Wynter was certain that he would feel the same about Oliver. Christopher would go for the man, and, Razi or not, that would get him killed.

She took the steaming beakers from his hands. ‘They had a misunderstanding, Christopher. In the heat of the moment, Oliver said some horrible things. He instantly regretted it, but it hurt both of them. It is over now. They are reconciled, and it would do no good to rehash what was an unfortunately low exchange.’

She felt Mary’s eyes hop from one to the other of them, but she trusted that the woman was wise enough to hold her tongue. Christopher continued to scan her face.

‘Let me introduce you to the Lady Mary,’ she said gently, and Christopher relented with a sigh.

Mary was regarding him with a nervous type of curiosity and surprise. Wynter was familiar with the Midland idea of what a Merron would be. No doubt Mary had been expecting some looming great hulk of a creature, more hair than man, leering and making crude suggestions, battering people over the head left, right and centre. Christopher must have been quite a surprise: slim-built, small in stature and clean-shaven, he hardly conformed to the fables. Still, he lived up to the Merron reputation of being uncouth when he crossed without invitation and crouched at Mary’s feet, openly eyeing her pregnant belly.

‘How far gone are you?’ he asked.

Mary’s eyes widened in shock and she flung a panicked look at Wynter. Wynter sighed in exasperation.
She’s not a
God-cursed brood mare, you fool.

‘Lady Mary Phillipe D’Arden,’ she said. ‘Please allow me to introduce, insofar as he will permit the nicety, my very good friend Freeman Christopher Garron. Forgive his manners, he’s incorrigibly dubious.’

Christopher grinned wryly, tickled at Wynter’s use of their old private joke. He extended his hand. The Lady Mary automatically went to take it, then faltered at the sight of it. Christopher waited, and after a moment Mary tentatively closed her own small hand around his horribly mutilated fingers.

‘It’s all right,’ he said softly. ‘You ain’t about to hurt me.’

The lady looked into his face, searching; then she tightened her grip and firmly shook his hand.

Christopher glanced around the tent, wrinkling his nose at the musty smell. ‘How long has it been since you were out and about?’ he asked. At Mary’s blushing silence, he sighed. ‘This ain’t exactly a cosy harem, is it, Lady? Come on!’ He leapt to his feet and extended his hand to help the lady up. ‘T’aint good to sit about with a baby in your belly . . . all the waters head for the feet and you end up looking like an African Oliphant.’

‘Christopher!’ moaned Wynter.

He ignored her. ‘Come on, Lady,’ he said encouragingly. ‘There’s women in the Merron group. Their
healer
is a woman. They’ll be your entourage if you decide that you fancy a stroll.’

Mary gazed up at him, uncertain, her hand hovering as if trying to make up her mind.

‘They
are
admirable women,’ said Wynter, surprising herself with the depth of sincerity behind her words.

‘Though incorrigibly dubious,’ confided Christopher solemnly.

Once free from the shadow of the awning, the lady closed her eyes, lifted her face to the sun and inhaled deeply. ‘Oh, my,’ she said, a look of almost painful pleasure on her face. ‘Oh, my goodness. Oh, how lovely.’ In the broad light, Wynter was shocked at how unhealthily pale she was; how dark the patches beneath her eyes.

Mary put her hands to her cheeks as if doubting the fresh air upon them. ‘Oh, my,’ she said again. Wynter’s heart twisted for her. The poor woman must have been cooped up for an intolerable length of time.

Razi was sitting by the Merron fire, a beaker of tea languishing in his hands, his thoughts miles away. Sólmundr glanced up as they led Mary from her tent. He grinned approvingly at Christopher, who was carrying the lady’s little folding chair. ‘It nice day for to eat outside,’ he rasped, and went back to turning sorrel-cakes against the hot stones of the fire.

Soma and Frangok were making their way back from the river, dripping waterskins hanging ponderously from their shoulders. The soldiers of the camp were leering and whistling. The women ignored them, but Wynter took cold note. She would have a word with Alberon as soon as she could, and the same men would be dipping their heads and saying ‘ma’am’ to the warriors before the day was out. Hallvor eyed Mary as she approached, her lips pursed in professional concern.

‘Lady Mary,’ said Christopher, ‘this is the Merron healer. Her name is Hallvor an Fada, Iníon Ingrid an Fada, Cneasaí.’

Christopher grinned at Mary’s strained look. ‘You can just call her Hallvor,’ he said. ‘But I’m afraid that she ain’t got any language but Merron and Garmain.’

‘Freeman Garron would be happy to translate for you,’ suggested Wynter. ‘But as luck has it, I speak tolerable Garmain. I can just as easily translate if you . . .’

‘Thank you kindly, Protector Lady, but I can speak Garmain very well. I shall be glad to effect my own communications.’ Mary curtsied to Hallvor. The healer nodded gravely, and they shook hands. The lady introduced herself in Garmain.

‘It is my pleasure to meet you,’ replied Hallvor. ‘I am certain that your people have provided you with excellent shelter and care, but the Lady Iseult seems to think you might appreciate my aid, and so without meaning any insult to your protectors, I place my skills at your service.’

Hallvor’s flawless Garmain astounded Wynter. Until now, she had never understood a word the healer had spoken. She was ashamed to admit it, but hearing Hallvor’s familiar, smoke-husky voice communicating with such grace and skill elevated the healer in her eyes. It felt as though Wynter was seeing Hallvor properly for the very first time. She listened in wide-eyed silence as the healer introduced Mary to the other Merron. They all seemed to have similarly fluent if pleasantly accented Garmain. Sólmundr rose to his feet, his usual broken drawl transformed into a hoarse courtliness very reminiscent of Wynter’s father’s voice. Watching the warrior grin his gap-toothed grin and shake the lady’s hand, Wynter found it deeply moving, and inexpressibly sad, to realise that all along she could have had the chance to truly understand these people, if only she had opened her mouth to Sól all that time ago, and discovered this shared language.

Wari and Úlfnaor returned from tending the horses. The Lady Mary curtsied low to the kindly smiling Aoire, and without any further ceremony, she was included in the Merron breakfast.

Hallvor unfolded the lady’s chair and, with a significant glance at Wynter, plopped it down beside Razi. He looked up, registered Mary’s presence with a shock, and went to leap to his feet. Mary waved him down.

‘Sit, sit,’ she said, getting herself settled. Once seated she leaned forward, as if to examine Razi more closely. ‘How are you?’ she asked softly, gazing into his face.

Her concern seemed to undo him a little, and Razi winced and shook his head.
Oh don’t
, his expression said,
please
.