Chapter 18

«And as a mother shall she meet him».[19]

Alyce gasped as the king came into full view between the northern and eastern Wards, still moving toward her and the open gate.

«Sire!»

In her hands, the sword seemed suddenly to turn to lead, its tip weaving and slowly sinking until it touched the floor. Beside her, Vera drew the sleeping Duncan close against her breast and stared at the king in speechless fear. It had been daunting enough that Kenneth now knew her true identity — and that of her son. For the king to know as well…Granted, tonight’s working was being done at the king’s behest, but neither of the sisters had anticipated that Donal might come in person, or that Vera’s participation with Duncan now placed both of them in danger of exposure.

«My apologies if I have given you cause for alarm», Donal said, bowing slightly to Alyce as he unbuckled his sword and wrapped its belt around the scabbard. «I thought you might expect me. Lady Vera, please be assured that your secret is safe with me».

Before either of them could speak, he had turned to make a spare but dignified obeisance toward the altar, also laying his sword along the angle of the altar’s lowest step. Then he was filling the light-limned gateway with his presence, his grey eyes locked with Alyce’s as he laid his hand over hers on the sword hilt.

Numbly she relinquished the weapon, driven back a step by the intensity of his gaze. As Donal took her place at the threshold, he turned his attention to Vera, giving a formal bow over the quillons of the sword that, in his hands, seemed almost toylike.

«My lady, I must ask you to retire. I shall assist my lady Alyce in what further must be done. Take your son and go to bed, and speak of this to no one».

Vera did not tarry. With an anxious glance at her sister and a quick curtsy to the king, she swept Duncan onto her hip and slipped through the gateway and away, not daring to look back. When she had gone, when Kenneth had closed the door behind her and again set his back against it, looking like a stranger, Donal drew the tip of the sword slowly across the open threshold of the circle, left to right.

Golden light flared in the sword’s track, sealing the breach in the glowing canopy, briefly gilding his face as he bent to lay the sword across the threshold. Heart still pounding, though she had not moved, Alyce retreated another step as he turned the intensity of his gaze upon her again, driven back by his sheer magnetism.

Though no longer young, Donal Haldane was still a man to be reckoned with — potent, dangerous — even if he had not been a Haldane, and king. This night he wore a plain black cloak and austere riding leathers of no particular distinction, and the sword he had laid at the altar step was plain; but his bearing would have proclaimed him a man of means and authority even if his attire did not. Only the fine ruby affixed in his right earlobe gave further hint of his true station. Protector he had always been, and occasionally mentor. She could not help wondering why he had come.

He smiled then and released her eyes, turning his attention to the removal of his worn leather gloves. Suddenly she found that she could speak again.

«I truly did not expect you here tonight, Sire», she said softly. «It did not occur to me that you would wish to assist me in this matter».

«Did it not?» He raised one eyebrow in slight amusement as he slipped his gloves under his belt. «Nonetheless, I am here, and alone save for the three of us, and dare not tarry too long before my guard escort discovers I am not at Castle Rundel, an hour’s ride from here, and fears for my safety. Will you prepare me, please? I would not profane your circle further by my untimely entrance».

Surprised, she managed a nod and drew the hood of her cloak back onto her pale hair, took his hand, and led him into the center of the circle, where he crouched by the table on one knee. After renewing the incense, Alyce censed him with the sweet smoke, offered him the holy water so that he might dip his fingers into it and bless himself.

He closed his eyes and remained motionless for several minutes after that, head bowed, his breathing light and barely audible, and she wondered again how he knew what must be done, how he had learned of this most ancient of Deryni traditions, when he was not himself Deryni. She watched him sidelong as she quietly exchanged Duncan’s ash-smudged bowl for a new one and brought out a fresh slip of parchment. She glanced briefly at Kenneth, once again a silent shadow in the doorway.

As for Alaric, he had not stirred, through all the interruption of the king’s arrival. He still sat huddled in his tiny cape, eyes closed in deep Deryni trancing. His candle flame gilded his face and washed the white-gold hair with yet more gold, playing light and shadow on the soft contours of his features. She started to go to him, but her movement triggered Donal’s awareness and he came to his feet, laying a restraining hand on her wrist.

«Nay, I shall bring him», the king said softly. «There is a bond between us. He will come to me».

Numb, her senses whirling, Alyce watched him go to her sleeping son, remembering how very nearly he had also been Donal’s child instead of Kenneth’s. Roused by the king’s soft word and touch, the boy put his small hand into the king’s larger one, smiling, and scrambled to his feet, picking up his candle and walking with Donal to the table where his mother waited anxiously.

Pushing back her apprehensions, Alyce knelt down beside her son so that they were at the same level, smiling to reassure him as her eyes searched his wide grey ones with love.

«Hello, my darling», she murmured, watching his face light at the sound of her voice. «Did you have a little nap?»

«Oh, no, Mummy, I wasn’t asleep», the boy replied, shaking his head with the gravity of an adult. «I watched the candle, just like you said. I watched and watched».

With a smile, she took the candle from him and set it on the table, then hugged him close for just a moment before withdrawing to look at him again, her hands enfolding his lightly between them.

«Darling, Mummy wants to ask you a few questions. It will be like school, when Father Anselm teaches you about the saints. Would that be all right?»

The boy nodded solemnly, and Alyce echoed his nod. Suddenly it was very important that he answer well, as much for the man who stood behind him as for her own reassurance. Alaric was only just four, so she knew she was asking a great deal, but Duncan, who was even younger, had answered well enough….

«Alaric», she began, «I know that Father Anselm has talked to you about the difference between right and wrong».

Alaric nodded solemnly.

«Do you think you can tell me about something that’s wrong? Can you give me an example?»

The boy cocked his head thoughtfully, then looked at her with all the wisdom of his four years.

«Do you mean just naughty, like when I kick Cousin Kevin, or really bad?»

Alyce had to concentrate to keep from smiling at the sagacity of that answer. She need not have worried about her son’s understanding.

«Something really bad, I think. Tell me about something that is really wrong».

«Oh. Well, killing people, or hurting them on purpose. Taking things that don’t belong to you».

«I see. And what do you think about people who do those things?»

A stormy look came across the boy’s face. «They shouldn’t do them, Mummy! God doesn’t like it! The king doesn’t like it, either!»

«The king?» Alyce resisted the urge to look up at Donal, still standing motionless behind the boy, and wondered whether Alaric was aware of what he had just said. «What do you know about the king, my love?»