Lunamae (28 page)

Outside the little shop was a woman with full
skirts and a stunning bodice. Brilliant golden hair caught the
light from the morning and I caught myself as she turned around.
When did Lunamae grow up? Was it all under my nose and I hadn’t
realized it?

“Muirenn!” she called out towards me. She
hefted up her skirts and ran over, stopping mid-run, and probably
realizing I might chastise her as I had done so often in the past.
Also, it would have been mildly difficult to give me a proper
hug.

“Lunamae,” I answered with a hearty smile and
slight head curtsy as I walked towards her, and my little Eclipse
following behind ever so obediently. My heart began to race and I
feared for the well-being of the babe as I thought of what I needed
to say to her. “I need to speak with you.”

“Here?” she wondered, spinning around to see
if anyone was in a proximity close enough to hear.

“Here is fine. You need to reduce your
contact with Marcus,” I told her. It was hard for me to utter the
words, but I did feel a bit of relief as they came out.

“Why?” she asked with the all-familiar pout
stretching across her face.

“Because you are of the age to be married and
Marcus is not a suitable courtier,” I responded, trying to sound as
prim and proper as I could.

“Yes he is. He’s the son of a Dominar.
Dominar’s lead. It’s like he’s the son of a mini-chieftain,”
Lunamae responded with arms firmly planted crossways under her
chest.

“Nevertheless, you should appear to have your
options open for your mother,” I said, hoping she would soften up.
I did make a valid point and she nodded, realizing the truth in it.
“So come along if you’d like. Theron is making apothecarial
deliveries and you are welcome to join.”

“Thank you, I will!” She practically bobbed
up and down in anticipation as we went through the town and I could
barely restrain my own excitement. I was glad she was taking the
news well and, as my imagination took hold, could only hope she
wouldn’t react violently when I tell her what her mother had
confided in me.

It was Joyai and a year had passed since
Angharad told me about Lunamae’s wedding plans and my little bundle
of joy had also arrived. We decided to name him Caden, as he was a
fighter certainly. Towards the latter months of my pregnancy, he
kicked more than he was still.

I had to do what was nearly impossible and
definitely uncomfortable by telling Lunamae she would be engaged to
a Dominar’s son and she would not know how he was until they were
wed. Lunamae tried to pry from me the details, but I had no details
to tell her. Even the chief dame told me she did not know the name
of the man her daughter would marry, intentionally.

In Mae, she told the Dominar’s upon meeting,
that whoever came up with the strongest reason for marriage would
be the one whose son she would allow to marry. She did not want a
name in the event Lunamae discovered it and then, as Angharad
feared, complained. I recollected the events of Lunamae’s birthday
as I cradled Caden and rocked him to sleep.

It started mildly enough as we had prepared
for the birthday and we did have the feast. The chief dame who had
just come back from Kyrie on the eve of Lunamae’s birthday had been
silent, although she eyed me for some time. I excused myself and
Lunamae along with me, and headed out of the hall.

“What is it?” Lunamae wondered. “Something
important?”

“You are to be wed to a Dominar’s son, by
order of the chief dame,” I told her. The fear inside me was
building as I looked at the scorn on her face.

She softened momentarily. “Marcus?”

“I don’t know the name. The chief dame
doesn’t either. She is afraid you would complain if it were a man
you were not attracted to. Their ages range from young to old. She
did not want you making a scene,” I told her softly. “Do
not
make a scene.”

“When will I know?” Lunamae demanded, her
voice low enough to not be heard in the hall over the voices of the
guests.

“At the altar,” I told her. I could see tears
welling up in her face and I so very much wanted to reach out to
her and hold her as I had done when she was a child and did so much
as scrape her knee, but my belly kept me restrained.

“That’s barbaric!” Lunamae whined.

“I’m here to tell you before your mother
announces it. She wanted you to hear from me first. I don’t want
you to go through what I did,” I told her, hoping her remembering
my situation would bring some comfort. “I had no idea Theron was
royalty until the marriage was announced over a feast. Can you
imagine trying not to scream and cry simultaneously? You wouldn’t
know how to react. I only barely had my wits about me.”

“You are right,” Lunamae said as her head
hung down in disappointment. “There, I hope, is the slim chance
that Marcus is my betrothed.”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” I warned. “You
don’t want to bury yourself in further disappointment.”

We then headed back into the feast hall,
where Angharad took my nod to mean her daughter had been told and
raised herself from her chair, garnering the attention of all in
the room. She motioned for her daughter to stand, and Lunamae did
so reluctantly. I noticed Angharad reach for her goblet and raise
it with a smile, and then began.

“Today is a reason for celebration. Not only
has my daughter reached her sixteenth year of life, but she will
also be wed. In two years she will be wed to a Kyrian and we will
be united with the clans of this land. Upon such a time, according
with the treaty requirements as they are governed by the prophecy
of the bard, I will hand off rule to Lunamae and her spouse. To the
future, and to my Lunamae!” Angharad finished with a raise of her
goblet, and she was joined by the rest of the audience who also
raised to the toast. My goblet was filled with nothing more than
melted cocoa mixed with fresh cow’s milk. Still, I followed suit
with what I had.

As Lunamae sat down, she turned to me with
eyes wide and mouth aghast. “Did you hear what she said? I am to
rule.”

“I did hear, and I am just as amazed,” I
admitted. The chief dame had not confided that information to me so
it was as new for me as it was for Lunamae. I didn’t know how to
comment further, but I was glad the hardest part was over. Now
Lunamae knew and I could rest with ease and hope for a speedily
delivery of my babe as my due date was fast approaching.

As I handed off Caden to his cradle and
snapped out of my little daydream, I was greeted by a knock on the
door. I opened it and smiled at the sight of my aunt who smiled in
return very warmly. I ushered her in and shut the door behind me
and offered her a seat in our home.

“Thank you,” Angharad said, although she
declined my offer. “What I shall now ask of you is very quick and
simple. I could have even sent a messenger, but I thought it would
be best to ask you in person. Would you be open to assist in the
planning and arranging of Lunamae’s wedding preparations?”

“I would be honored,” I said with a smile and
nod. I looked down at my sleeping son and no doubt Angharad saw
this.

“You needn’t worry. I have a house servant
assigned to keep watch over Caden while you are doing your duties
for Lunamae. I will give you some time to properly nurse and then
the servant will take over. I do not want to intrude on your
parenting, so you will have as much time as can be allotted to be
with him and ensure he grows up as best he can. We need a most
respectable offspring from the union of Frys and Fanarion,”
Angharad rattled and then dismissed herself from my company. I was
left to be in shock and awe and had to take a seat myself.

I knew why the chief dame had asked me. It
was more diplomatic than anything else. She didn’t have time to
hand-letter invitations with all of the peace treaty details to
work out. As I was a member of the family, as well as having
connections with Theron’s, I would be easily able to include a
company of people to invite from the far reaches of the known world
of Orinda. In short, it would make the chief dame look very
well.

I thought about the whole house servant
concept and realized the chief dame was not going to let my son
enter into the Altram, at least not yet. He would need to be with
me when we moved from the village into our own home in Midonia, but
any Altram ceremony would have to wait until after the wedding. I
did concede eventually to live in Midonia for a time in order to
keep the peace. As I had given Queen Eirene plenty of reason to
leave me alone—namely a grandson, and I assumed my stay would be
more enjoyable than the last visit. Theron had written to his
parents and explained the situation with the apothecary business
and they agreed to stay his return until there was a new one in
place.

I thought about the house servant and
wondered if they would also be able to wet nurse Caden. I wasn’t
keen on being interrupted to return to feed him. It was only a year
since he’d been born and I certainly wanted the best care for him.
It wasn’t quite time to wean him and there was plenty to be done
for such a wedding as I had to plan.

Shrugging off my worries, I decided to use
part of my journal to make notations on what I wanted for the
wedding. I made a checklist of various items that needed to be
included so I wouldn’t forget. I had almost run out of ink when
there was a knock on the door.

Putting the stylus and paper down, I pulled
myself off of my chair and stood. I walked over to the door and
grasped the handle, opening it up wide enough to see my brother
smiling at me. His daughter Annadel was following behind, her big
eyes glistening as she lifted a handful of flowers, hastily pulled
out of someone’s garden by the looks of them.