The Winds of the Heavens (Sons of Rhodri Medieval Romance Series) (6 page)

Glain too put her hand on his arm. “You don’t need to have a priest say words over you. Isolda is already your wife. She gave her heart to you when she agreed to the betrothal. If the saints wish it, she’ll recover with your love to aid her.”

Glain cleared away the remnants of the half-eaten meal and suggested to Rhun they leave their siblings alone for a while. Hand in hand they walked in the woods in silence, their heads bent, enjoying the rustling of leaves beneath their feet.

Rhun took a deep breath, but did not look up. “If a priest comes, you can give your consent. You and I could be married.”

She turned to face him and pressed her body to his. He enfolded her in his cloak.

“Rhun, you know I want that desperately. You once told me you were greedy for me. I’m greedy now, hungry for life—with you. But I can’t marry while my sister—”

He tried not to let his impatience show. “She may stay like this for a long while. Are you willing to take the risk?”

She nuzzled her face into his chest, sending waves of desire coursing through him. “I can’t do otherwise, Rhun. You’re a twin. You wouldn’t abandon Rhydderch in the same circumstances. How can you expect less from me?”

He remained silent for a long time, knowing she spoke the truth. “Then I propose we take her to Powwydd. She can receive good care there in our
llys
.”

Her body tensed. “She’s receiving good care here.”

He pulled her to him. “Don’t be angry for the wrong reasons.”

She hesitated a long while before she spoke. “What you suggest has merit. You’re both needed by your people. Rhydderch can’t spend his life kneeling at my sister’s bedside in a remote village. I agree she should be taken to Powwydd, but I’ll go to tend Isolda, not as your wife.”

The silent walls of Powwydd welcomed the three sons of Rhodri. Carys had removed the bindings from Rhys’s leg and he walked with the aid of a staff. Annalise would bear their child soon and Rhys wanted his son born in Wales. Carys’s recovery had been swift. Rhys and Annalise were godparents to Fleurie at her baptism. That scrap of humanity prospered, making her demands known.

A sadder homecoming brought Rhun and Rhydderch within the walls that had sheltered them since childhood. It was not the joyous occasion they had hoped for, but both brothers repeated to anyone who would listen that they were happy to be with the women they loved.

Rhydderch provided Isolda with healers to tend to her nursing. Maidservants washed and combed her hair, dressed and undressed her and attended to her bodily needs. He lavished her with kisses and soft touches, crooning soothing words and conversing with her about each day’s happenings. He turned her in the bed, bolstering her with pillows.

“My heart breaks to watch him,” Rhun told Glain.

She was unsympathetic. “He has shut me out of my sister’s care. He does everything for her. I may as well not be here.”

Rhun winced. “I’m glad you’re here.”

***

Rhys worried the tense atmosphere in the castle would have a negative effect on Annalise. She protested and told him she sympathised with his brothers’ plight. “Rhys, you’re nervous about our
b
é
b
é
and you’re angry because your brothers are unhappy.”

They lay abed, his head resting on her breasts. She stroked his hair. “
Pauvre
Glain is probably crying herself to sleep alone in her own chamber, longing for Rhun, but she can find no way out of the predicament. She’s trapped by her loyalty to Isolda.”

He kissed her breast, grateful for the peace and contentment his Norman wife brought him. “You’re right. Rhun is cut off from the brother he’s been bound to all his life and is powerless to satisfy his craving for Glain. He’s become morose and moody, quick to lose his volatile temper. I’m supposed to be a diplomat, and yet I can’t reason with my own brothers. Rhun is tearing himself apart and Rhydderch is immersed in his sorrow. Nothing I say to them seems to get through.”

She cuddled into him and kissed the top of his head. “They’re desperately in love and the fates have seen fit to thwart them. Perhaps they’re being tested in some way, as we were. We must find a way for them to be wed, but Glain won’t marry Rhun while Isolda sleeps.”

He turned her to spoon into her back, cupping her heavy breasts as her rounded bottom snuggled into his manhood. “You’re lovely, Annalise. I can’t believe you’re mine.”

He ran his hand over her swollen belly. She smiled as she pressed it to where the baby moved. “
L
à
, he’s telling us he’s alive and kicking.”

He let out a long, slow breath. “If only we could say the same for Isolda.”

***

“
Glain
?”

Rhydderch’s head jerked up from the side of Isolda’s bed. Had he heard something? Had he imagined Isolda had spoken? He rubbed the cramped muscles of his neck.

“
Glain
?”

His eyes swivelled to Isolda’s face. The darkness thwarted him. He lifted her hand, massaging her palm with his thumbs, then pressed her fingers to his lips. “Isolda? Come back to me.”

“
Rhydderch
?”

He felt light headed. Sweat sheened his body. “Isolda? I’m here waiting for you.”

Her eyes remained closed. “I know.”

He laid her hand back on the bed and ran to fling open the door. His voice echoed down the hallway. “To me, quickly.”

A breathless pageboy appeared.

“Find
Arglwydd
Rhun and Lady Glain now! Tell them to come here at once.”

The boy nodded nervously and hurried off. Rhydderch rushed back to Isolda, grasped her hand and murmured her name again. He must not alarm her.

“Rhydderch? It’s dark.”

He pressed her hand to his forehead, unable to stem the tears of relief. “It’s late at night, my darling.”

She licked her lips. “I—I’m—thirsty.”

He quickly retrieved ale left over from his supper and held the goblet to her mouth, cradling her head. “Drink this.”

“Thank you, my love,” she whimpered after drinking a few sips. She drifted back to sleep, her hair spilling over his trembling hand.

***

Rhun strode into the chamber. Nothing had changed, apart from his brother’s obvious agitation. He raked his hand through his hair. “What’s happened?”

Rhydderch beckoned. “She spoke to me, Rhun. She spoke to me.”

Rhun looked into his eyes, fearful for his twin.

Glain hurried into the chamber, concern etched on her face. “What’s happening? Isolda? Has something—?”

Rhydderch interrupted excitedly. “She spoke to me. Actually, at first she spoke to you. She called your name.”

Glain had longed for Isolda to whisper her name, prayed for her sister to be whole again. She rushed to the bed. “But she still sleeps.”

Rhydderch’s eyes were wild. “Yes, but she said your name, and mine. She sipped some ale. Then she fell back to sleep. But she told me she knew I—that I waited here—for her. She knew. She said ‘
thank you my love’
. She spoke. I heard her. She said it.”

He looked at his twin’s face and must have seen the doubt written there. He clenched his fists. “I tell you she spoke and she’ll speak again.”

Rhun kneaded the tense muscles of his brother’s shoulders. “I believe you.”

I must, for my own sake.

***

They continued their vigil into the early hours of the morning. Glain dozed in a chair. A faint whisper came to her ears. “
Glain
?”

She rocked forward and grasped her sister’s hand, pressing it to her lips. “Isolda?”

“Glain? The darkness—”

Glain gasped, holding her breath. “It’s the middle of the night, Isolda. I’m here. Can you see me?”

“No. But I feel your hand.”

Sennights of restrained grief washed over Glain as she pressed her sister’s hand to her forehead, trying to stem the torrent of threatening tears. Rhun and Rhydderch now stood at her side. Rhun put his arms around her. “She’ll understand if you cry.”

Glain finally took in a ragged breath. “Isolda, my sister, my twin. I feared you were lost to me forever. I’ve missed you.”

Isolda’s voice was faint and raspy. “I’ve—missed—you—Glain. Rhydderch has been telling—me news of everyone—it’s dark—can you bring light?”

Rhun hurriedly brought the torch from the hallway sconce.

Rhydderch pressed Isolda’s hand to his lips. “My love, welcome back. My heart never doubted you would awaken.”

With his help, Isolda sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. “Thank you for bringing me back. I can’t see. Is someone bringing light?”

Rhun and Glain exchanged a glance, and Glain stifled a gasp. She passed her hands in front of Isolda’s eyes and looked back desperately at Rhun.

Rhydderch was immersed in kissing Isolda’s hand.

Glain whispered to Rhun. “Mayhap it’s a passing thing?”

He shook his head.

“Bring more light, Rhun,” Rhydderch suggested. “It’s a moonless night.”

Rhun put his arm around his twin’s shoulder, and passed his hand in front of Isolda’s unflickering eyes. He whispered in his brother’s ear. “More light won’t improve the matter.”

Rhydderch understood at once. He gathered Isolda to his chest and rocked her. “Isolda, your eyes will adjust to the light. We won’t bring torches until your sight improves. We don’t want to harm your beautiful blue eyes.”

Pride and sorrow warred within Rhun as he watched his brother cradle his beloved.

Rhydderch turned to look at them. “I’ll stay with her. She will need my help.”

***

Rhydderch ap Rhodri had known all his life what his destiny was. Or thought he had. He had grown up listening to his father’s tales of his dream of the goddess, Arianrhod, revealing his destiny with Rhonwen as his wife.

But in the moment he understood that Isolda was blind, Rhydderch recognised that his ultimate destiny was not to be a fanatical Welsh patriot warrior. The reason for his existence was to be the helpmate of this woman he loved. It was as compelling a truth as his father’s dream had been.

He would not have thought it possible, but now he loved Isolda more. The pestilence had stolen nothing of her beauty. He grieved for her loss and acknowledged with a heavy heart that she would be devastated. But she was a woman of spirit who would overcome her grief. He relished a future of serving her, meeting her needs. He would never fail her. Her blindness would help him become the man he was intended to be.

Isolda had returned from the dead. They would never be parted again.

***

Rhun carried his trembling betrothed back to her own chamber and helped her to bed. “I’ll stay, but don’t worry. I only want to bring comfort.”

Glain couldn’t speak. A cruel fate had befallen her sister. Hope had blossomed in her heart at the sound of Isolda’s voice. She had trusted all would be well for the four of them. Her sister had reawakened, but was blind. No matter the cost, she swore to stand at her sister’s side to help her with this burden. She fell asleep in Rhun’s arms, sobbing.

***

As Rhun stroked Glain’s hair, the sobs racking her body twisted a knife in his heart. If the same affliction befell his twin brother, no doubt he would move heaven and earth to help him. Glain would do no less for her sister. He grieved for Isolda, sightless in a world dangerous enough for the sighted. He grieved for his brother whose life had suddenly become very difficult. They had shared everything, but Rhydderch would have to shoulder most of this burden alone. He grieved for Glain because he loved her. And he grieved for himself, terrified he might lose his beloved to Isolda’s blindness.

Isolda pouted as she struggled to free her hand from her betrothed’s grasp. “Forgive me, Rhydderch, but can you not see I am blind?”

He took a deep breath. “I know that’s true now, Isolda, just as I know three days ago you were in a deep sleep no one believed you would awaken from, yet here you are, saucy as ever.”

She blushed and thrust back her head. “Blind women don’t make good wives. I can’t marry you. Things are different.”

He placed her hand on his erection. “Nothing about my passion for you has changed, as you can tell. I want you to be my wife, and I’ll keep asking until you agree. I would, of course, prefer you to see my obvious interest in you, but—” He bent to kiss her lips softly, “—I can describe it to you!”

A warm ache snaked its way into her belly and her breasts tightened. She should remove her hand from his disturbing hardness. “No, Rhydderch. It would be selfish to agree. You’re an important man, with many responsibilities. You need a wife who can stand by your side, a wife with her sight.”

He laced his fingers in her hair and pressed his arousal more insistently against her hand. “What I need, what I hunger for, is you.”

She wanted to believe him, to give herself over to him, but fear held her fast, fear of her blindness, of the future. “No. I can’t be your wife. You’ll find another, one who is whole. I must learn to live in a new world.”