The boy stirred reluctantly, the grey gaze hazy with sleep, but Kenneth wrapped him in a sleeping fur and hoisted him onto his hip, carrying him back into the room where Alyce lay, leaving Llion stationed outside the door. Sitting carefully beside her, he let Alaric down onto the bed, bare legs dangling over the edge. Melissa had laid the sleeping Bronwyn on the other side, in the crook of her mother’s arm, and was wringing out a fresh compress over a basin of water.

«She still burns with fever, my lord», the maid whispered, as she wiped Alyce’s brow, unable to look at him.

Biting at his lip, Kenneth waved her back and took one of his wife’s slack hands in his to gently chafe it.

«Darling Alyce, your children are here», he murmured. «You wanted to see them…»

After a moment, her eyelids flickered and her eyes opened, though they were fever-bright and not focusing well. Her drifting gaze found her son’s, and she mouthed a kiss in his direction before turning her head to press her lips to the top of her daughter’s downy head.

«God’s angels guard you, dearest daughter», she whispered. «I wish we had been given the time to know one another better».

The infant stirred, the blue eyes briefly opening to meet her mother’s in a salute of soul meeting soul; then she snuggled closer and went back to sleep with a sigh. Eyes bright with tears, Alyce pressed another kiss to Bronwyn’s soft cheek, then glanced beyond to Melissa, who was waiting anxiously.

«Please take her back to her cot, dear Melissa, and bless you, for your love. Care for her when I am gone».

Silently weeping, Melissa ducked her head in agreement and came to gather the infant into her arms, then ducked to kiss Alyce’s free hand before turning to flee the room. Young Alaric watched her go, confusion in the grey eyes, then turned back to his mother in concern.

«Mama, why is Melissa so sad?» he asked.

Alyce briefly closed her eyes, tears brimming among her lashes, then took his hand in hers and drew him closer as Kenneth fought to hold back his own tears.

«She’s sad because I have to go away, my darling», she told him honestly. «I don’t want to go, but I must».

He cocked his head at her, a pout pushing at his rosy lips.

«Did the king say you have to go?» he demanded.

«No, no, darling. He would never do that. I wanted to help the king — and I have helped him, as best I can. I want you to promise me that you will help him, too — all the days of your life. Will you do that for me?»

Without hesitation, the boy lifted his chin and nodded bravely, tracing a cross on his chest with one small forefinger.

«Cross my heart an’ hope to die, Mama!»

«No, cross your heart and live, my love!» she corrected, gazing into his eyes and again making that soul-connection. «Grow up to be a wonderful, strong, courageous man like your papa! Now, come and give your mama a big hug and a kiss».

He crawled closer to fling himself down beside her with his arms around her neck and his face nestled against her shoulder, starting to cry. She held him close for several seconds, memorizing the feel and the smell of him for all eternity, then passed her hand across his brow and took him into trance.

Kenneth bowed his head, unable to watch — and incapable of comprehending whatever it was that passed between mother and son as her life waned — but he looked up again as Alaric stirred, to sit up and then bend down to kiss her cheek a final time, his tears in check.

«I be good, Mummy», he whispered.

«I know you will, my darling, my Airleas», she murmured, blinking back her own tears. «Go with Papa now».

She closed her eyes then. It took all of Kenneth’s strength of will to lift their son down to the floor and lead him to the door, where Llion was waiting outside to take him back to his room.

«Is she —?» Llion began softly.

Kenneth shook his head. «Please take the boy back to bed now, Llion, and stay with him through the night. I’ll remain here until…»

With that, he ducked his head, unable to speak more of it, and put his son’s hand into the young knight’s larger one, firmly pressing the pair of them out into the corridor and closing the door behind them. Returning to his wife’s side, he retrieved the king’s silver bracelet and went to the fire to slip it back on the royal wrist, also tucking a fur-lined cloak around his sleeping sovereign. Brion’s own cloak had fallen open so that the Lion brooch was exposed, so he unpinned it and put it in the king’s hand, closing the slack fingers around it.

Then he returned to his wife’s side to keep vigil until the end, carefully lying down beside her to slide an arm beneath her shoulders and cradle her to his breast, lips pressed tenderly against her feverish temple. Sometime during what remained of the night, he drifted into sleep, and she, into eternity.

Chapter 24

«She hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day».[25]

Sir Kenneth Morgan awoke shortly before dawn to find his wife cold and still beside him. The last candle had guttered out and the fire had gone to smoldering ashes, providing only a faint glow against the chamber’s gloom.

He lay there until dawn began to stain the sky beyond the chamber’s arched window, holding her lifeless body close, gently stroking her golden hair, allowing himself the rare indulgence of tears. But as the house began to stir, he collected himself and gently rose, splashed water on his face, went briefly to his sisters’ rooms and to Vera’s, to inform them of her passing. On his way back, he summoned Melissa to begin doing what was needful for his wife’s body. After that, he roused the sleeping king to impromptu squiring duties, both of them retreating to his writing room, where Kenneth set about making arrangements for her funeral.

«I have several letters to write, and I need to get you back to Rhemuth as quickly as possible», Kenneth said, pulling out pen, ink, and parchment, all business now. «I’m thinking to send you back with Llion. I hate to take him away from Alaric at a time like this, but he’s the only one I can trust to be discreet about the fact that you’ve been here. Do you remember much of what went on last night?»

Brion shook his head as Kenneth sat down at his writing desk and set pen to parchment. «Very little. And when we first arrived, I kept wondering when someone was going to recognize me».

«You are fortunate that, outside court, most people have little idea what you look like — yet — and most squires look greatly alike. That will change once you’re crowned, of course. Meanwhile, rejoice in your freedom».

«I had already noticed the difference, back at Rhemuth». Brion paused a beat before continuing, sinking down on a stool not far from Kenneth. «This is a terrible time to ask this, Sir Kenneth, but will you stay beside me, be my guide?»

«Always, my prince», Kenneth said softly, setting down his quill.

A while later, Sir Llion came with a servant bearing a breakfast tray, and with questions regarding the arrangements.

«Llion», Kenneth said, setting the tray aside and dismissing the servant. «Just the man I wanted to see. I’ll need you to accompany this squire back to Rhemuth with as little fuss as possible, and no questions asked».

Llion glanced at the «squire» in Haldane livery, then looked again more closely, his eyes widening.

«I am who you think I am», Brion said, smiling faintly as he stood a little straighter and shook hands with a dazed Sir Llion. «But Sir Kenneth says I may trust you. And I’d rather the rest of the household didn’t know I’ve been here. I needed to see Lady Alyce before she died, and it never would have happened if I’d had to go through formal channels. Will you keep my secret?»