The Beauty Bride (The Jewels of Kinfairlie) (45 page)

* * *

Epilogue

Rhys
had called for a feast, for all those abiding at Caerwyn and his neighbors
besides to meet his new wife, but it took a fortnight for the feast to be
arranged. Of course, there were tales to be shared, for Rhys had not known
about Ellyn and everyone had to share the tale of their adventures on the
journey from Kinfairlie, as well as of their role in the recapture of Caerwyn.

There
were funerals to be planned, for Robert Herbert and Nelwyna. The mercenaries
also had be to be buried and there was some consultation between the priests of
Caerwyn and Harlech as to the spiritual status of those fighting men. Few in
the end were buried in Caerwyn’s consecrated ground.

The
neighboring lords had to be invited to the festivities and arrangements had to
be made for the feast itself. There were friendships to be made and Caerwyn
itself to be explored. Alexander and Vivienne and Elizabeth went hawking and
hunting with Rosamunde and Adele, accompanied by an extensive party of
Caerwyn’s men. The feast was the excuse for their hunt, for the kitchens had
need of meat, but they had a merry time. Alexander resolved to tell his uncle,
the Hawk of Inverfyre, that falcons would be a fitting gift for the newly wed
couple.

Madeline
had continued to sneeze throughout that night, for she had been chilled to her
very marrow. Rhys had undertaken her care himself, and they had remained locked
in the solar for six days and nights. Rhys had opened the portal only to
receive food and had made an enigmatic comment about sons.

The
others oft heard him singing or the pair laughing. Adele had reported that both
of the solar’s occupants looked hale enough when she took them a meal, but no
one was inclined to oust them from the solar.

There
was a further delay when they finally rejoined the company, as Adele insisted
upon fussing over Madeline’s garb for the feast.

To
the great relief of all, an old missive was found within a trunk of Nelwyna’s.
This missive had been dispatched by King Henry V in 1416 - it declared that Rhys
had been pardoned, along with his fellows, on the condition of future loyalty
to the crown. Only Nelwyna had ever laid eyes upon the missive, for she had
hidden it away, though all of Caerwyn rejoiced to know Rhys to be safe from the
king’s wrath, after all.

Rhys
himself dispatched a missive to the crown regarding the suzerainty of Caerwyn,
and the response came with astonishing haste. The king, it seemed, had heard
tell of Rhys’ competent stewardship of Caerwyn beneath his uncle’s direction.
The king considered Rhys to be reformed and laudable, and well deserving of
Caerwyn’s seal.

Madeline
suggested that the king was busy with other matters and that Dafydd had spoken
aright. Prompt payment of tithes and a lack of rebellion had indeed turned the
king’s eye to other concerns.

In
commemoration of Rhys’ title, Madeline and her sisters insisted then upon
modifying his insignia. He had worn only the mark of his homeland for years. It
was time, Madeline insisted, that Rhys have colors to call his own.

He
did not protest overmuch.

* * *

And
so it was that the moon was waning on the night that all gathered at Caerwyn.
They came to celebrate Caerwyn’s new lord, who was familiar to them, and to
meet Caerwyn’s new lady, who as yet was not.

A
new banner hung over Caerwyn’s high tower and the same insignia graced the dark
tabard of Caerwyn’s new lord. The red dragon of Wales now emanated golden rays
on both tabard and insignia, not unlike the rays that surrounded Madeline’s
precious Tear of the Virgin. The rays were similar, as well, to the glowing orb
of Kinfairlie’s insignia. The sisters’ clever needles made it look as if
Kinfairlie’s orb had slipped behind Wales’ red dragon, much as the setting sun
will slide behind a ship upon the seas.

“Mingled
insignia for mingled blood,” Madeline had said with a smile, her hand sliding
over her flat belly. Her sisters had not known whether she but hope for a
child, or whether she knew already that she carried one. Vivienne and Elizabeth
agreed, however, that Rhys would make a fine father.

Rhys
stood at the foot of the stairs on this night of nights, all in black save for
the brilliant insignia upon his tabard. Alexander stood beside him, hands
folded behind his back, the colors of Kinfairlie upon his tabard. Rosamunde
stood alongside, resplendent in her own uncommon garb. They waited for the
other women to descend. The entire company was on their feet and wearing their
best garb. The musicians played a winsome tune, though James had returned to
his father’s home.

Alexander
thought that the preferable arrangement, and it had been he who had encouraged
James to leave.

Now,
Alexander cleared his throat and spoke softly. “I would have a matter resolved
between us, Rhys.”

Rhys
granted the younger man only the barest glance of acknowledgement. “Indeed?”

“I
brought your coin with me on this journey, for I thought to repay you the
auction price if Madeline wished to wed James,” Alexander said with haste. “I
thought it would be unfitting for you to have paid for a bride who abandoned
you.”

Rhys
shrugged. “How fortunate for both of us that Madeline did no such thing. You
have a fat purse to keep, as was initially your hope, and I have the bride who
was my initial hope.” He turned back to watch the stairs.

“But
I have changed my thinking.”

Rhys
did not apparently hear this comment.

Alexander
seized his host’s sleeve. “Rhys, I know that I erred. I know that I should not
have auctioned Madeline’s hand.”

“Matters
ended well enough,” Rosamunde interjected.

“If
you mean to apologize, I would suggest you apologize to Madeline,” Rhys said,
with that same infuriating calm. “She is the one who was done a disservice.”

“I
mean to return your coin!” Alexander said in frustration, and was rewarded by
Rhys’ look of surprise. He took his host’s hand and placed the sack of coin
heavily within it. “Here! I will not have mere coin between us. Let us be
friends and allies, let us be brothers.”

Rhys
considered the sack of coin, apparently astonished. “Are you certain of this
course?”

“I
can do nothing else to remove the stain I put upon our family’s name.”

“I
thought you had need of the coin.”

“No
one can need coin so much as to put a barrier between himself and new kin.”
Alexander did not know what he would do about the crop that would surely fail,
but there had to be another solution than this one. In truth, he was glad to be
rid of the weight of the coin.

Rhys
smiled slowly and put his hand upon Alexander’s shoulder. “You become a man
before me.” His gaze was steady and Alexander was relieved to see no censure in
those dark eyes any longer. “If ever you have need of a loan, Alexander, come
to me. You will find my terms more readily met than those of a moneylender.”

Sadly,
Alexander did not feel it appropriate to beg such a loan immediately. He nodded
and inclined his head. “I thank you, Rhys.” Then he pointed to the summit of
the stairs. “Look! The women finally join us!”

Every
eye turned to watch the ladies arrive. Elizabeth descended first, her face more
red than ever Alexander had seen it. She tripped on her skirts on the bottom
step and Rhys caught her elbow with ease. She thanked him and her blush
deepened even more as she scurried to Alexander’s side. “How hideous,” she
whispered. “Why could I not simply wait here with you?”

“Because
you are the sister of Caerwyn’s lady,” Alexander reminded her.

“Rosamunde
is her aunt,” Elizabeth retorted.

That
woman smiled. “I have made my own rules for so long that I forget there are
others. Do not be so quick to step away from the expectations of others,
Elizabeth. I would not change my choices, but you might if you made the same
ones.”

Alexander
could think of little he might say to add to that. He looked back to the
stairs.

Vivienne,
in marked contrast to Elizabeth, clearly savored the attention of the company.
She smiled, and her hips swung as she descended the stairs with grace.

Vivienne
was followed by Rhys’ mother, Adele, who positively beamed in her delight.
Adele kissed Rhys and pinched his cheek when she paused beside him, a
familiarity that Alexander would have found unthinkable.

Yet
more incredibly, Rhys not only endured it, but smiled.

“Grandchildren,”
Adele said with mock solemnity, patting Rhys’ cheek as if he were a small boy.
“I desire many grandchildren and I desire them soon.”

“I
shall see what can be done, Mother,” Rhys said, then winked at Alexander.
Alexander was shocked. His response must have been clear, for Rhys chuckled.

Then
Madeline halted at the summit of the stairs. Her hair was covered by a veil,
her face framed in silk. Her beauty, though, was more astonishing than ever,
for she glowed with a new happiness. She wore a kirtle of a rich red hue, the
same hue as the dragon in Rhys’ insignia, and it was thickly embroidered with
gold at the cuffs and the hems. The Tear of the Virgin hung at her throat,
shining with unrivalled brilliance.

“That
gem is astonishing,” Alexander murmured.

Rhys
grinned. “Aye, there is no treasure so fine as the Jewel of Kinfairlie.” He
moved to the foot of the stairs, offering his hand to his lady wife. He kissed
Madeline’s hand when she met him there and the pair seemed oblivious to all
others in the hall.

“But
there is no Jewel of Kinfairlie,” Alexander said.

Rosamunde
laughed beside him. “Is there not, Alexander? Show me a more radiant gem than
your sister.”

In
that moment, Rhys and Madeline turned, the Lord of Caerwyn holding his wife’s
hand high. “I bid you all welcome my lady wife...”

“Your
anwylaf
,” Adele interrupted with
satisfaction.

The
couple laughed and Madeline flushed. “My
anwylaf
,” Rhys agreed easily, and the crowd chuckled in
their turn. “Lady Madeline of Caerwyn!”

“He
will kiss her, of that you can be certain,” Vivienne said with delight. “It is
simply too perfect of an ending to their tale.”

“It
is only a beginning,” Elizabeth said, which made both sisters smile.

The
happily wed pair exchanged a smile, oblivious as they were to all other than
each other, then Madeline cupped Rhys’ jaw and kissed him with vigor before all
the men and women of Caerwyn. The assembly applauded, then began to stamp their
feet. Alexander found himself hooting with all the others, so well pleased was
he that Madeline had found the happiness she deserved.

“Woho!”
roared some merry soul and every person in the hall turned to look.

A
portly man, who looked to be a monk by his garb, grinned at the assembly with
pleasure. He led a horse by its bridle, that beast swishing its tail as its
ears flicked.

“We
look to have timed our arrival well,” he said to the horse. The beast nuzzled
him and nibbled at what remained of the monk’s hair, as if in agreement. “A
feast is no small welcome, especially for such humble travelers as ourselves.”

“Thomas!”
Rhys shouted with obvious delight, and much of the company echoed his greeting.

“Tarascon!”
Madeline cried, then picked up her skirts to hasten across the hall. Alexander
realized belatedly that it was indeed his sister’s palfrey that followed the
monk into the very hall.

The
lord and lady greeted the new arrivals with much merriment, and the assembly
closed around them, clamoring for the tale. Alexander smiled as the monk
exchanged hearty greetings with many in the company: this Thomas was clearly
well known here and held in great affection.

Alexander’s
smile broadened as he watched his sister Madeline, her features alight.
Rosamunde had spoken rightly. However poorly this marriage had begun, it could
not have ended better. He need not fear for Madeline’s future, not with Rhys by
her side.

He
could not have asked the Fates for more.

Well,
perhaps he could have asked for a measure more coin in Kinfairlie’s treasury,
but he would find a solution to his woes somehow.

* * *

Only
Elizabeth saw the spriggan skip over the heads of all gathered there that day.
Only Elizabeth saw Darg seize the blue ribbon that seemed to flow suddenly from
Madeline. Only Elizabeth saw Darg braid that ribbon with the gold and silver
ones already twined together behind Madeline and Rhys. They were long ribbons,
every one of them, and Elizabeth was glad to know that this Madeline would have
many more years with her true love than Madeline Arundel had savored.

But
Elizabeth hugged the secret to herself. Let all the family wait nine months to
know the truth of what - or who - Madeline and Rhys had wrought. Darg winked at
her from across the hall, and Elizabeth winked back, content to keep the
fairy’s confidence.