‘The only way for that to be true would be if the resonance between the Diamond and Garnet was there before I was taken,’ she said in a manner that sounded like she was talking to herself more than him.
“If that was the case, why could I never reach you in time?”
‘Because my task was complete and I had left the boundaries of Greywolf Kingdom.’
Prince Kelton nodded. “Then what about the times the resonance seemed to disappear these last two months?”
Iredys was quiet for a while. ‘The loss of resonance occurred due to marriage proposals offered to me by several of the young men here in Pride Town.’
“What?! How could they even ask? You’re my betrothed.”
‘They do not know that.’
“Wait. What?”
A soft smile lifted Iredys lips again. ‘With the exception of Ponderosa, Sir Droyn, and yourself, no one else knows who I really am.’
Prince Kelton took a calming breath.
‘You felt the resonance return when I rejected their offer.’
“Then it calmed once I arrived in Pride Town and insisted on seeing… you.”
Iredys nodded.
Prince Kelton sat back and looked at the ceiling. He saw, but didn’t pay much attention to the herbs hanging there as he was trying to get all the pieces to fit the timeline in his head.
“There is just no way,” he muttered, as he thought about the resonance he felt in tandem with what Iredys had told him regarding Ponderosa coming to her rescue. With all the storms that had come through, there was no way she could have been in Mediocre Village the same day they were in Hope Village then be in Pride Town a month later for Iredys to start receiving marriage proposals. “Unless….”
He turned his eyes towards Ponderosa.
She seemed unnerved by his gaze and bit her lower lip before she bowed her head and looked at the floor.
“Do you also possess magic, Ponderosa?” he asked.
Ponderosa fisted her hands and closed her eyes, but nodded.
“What kind?”
She drew in a shaky breath as Lady Iredys moved from the cot to stand beside her. She embraced Ponderosa and rubbed her back.
‘She has transformation magic like myself, Prince Kelton,’ Iredys responded, ‘though the stone used to complete the activation differs from mine.’
“Does that change the magic?”
‘Not in the dramatic ways you are thinking.’
Prince Kelton nodded.
‘You’re okay, Ponderosa,’ he heard Lady Iredys say to her. ‘Nothing will happen to you.’
Ponderosa gasped and wept on her shoulder.
‘It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re safe.’
A few minutes passed before Ponderosa calmed down.
“Did I say something wrong?” Prince Kelton wondered.
Ponderosa shook her head then turned to wash some of the jars she had emptied the previous day.
“Iredys?”
‘Ponderosa is still adjusting to the fact that she is still safe despite the fact that the Prince of the kingdom, that has banished magic, knows what she possesses,’ Iredys said as she sat down again.
“You can rest assured that your secret is safe with me, Ponderosa,” Prince Kelton said.
She turned her head slightly and nodded, but her shoulders and arms remained tense as she continued to wash her jars.
‘Going back to the previous discussion, Prince Kelton,’ Iredys said, to draw his attention away from Ponderosa. ‘There is a choice you must make about who you will marry.’
Prince Kelton furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand,” he said. “I married you.”
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
‘A marriage that was broken by my death, despite the fact that I am still breathing right now.’ She held up her left hand so he could see the break in the Diamond band on her hand, in the same place that it was broken on his. ‘I should also tell you that I do not know how my reawakened transformation magic will affect me after our son is born. It has been in stasis since my death six months ago.”
He bowed his head and locked the fingers of his hands together. “And if it does affect you?”
‘If I had to venture a guess, I would ‘die’ again, Brekano would ensure that I’d be reborn somewhere, and Dagaz would change my form.’
“Is there a way to know for sure?”
Iredys shook her head. ‘I cannot see my own path.’
“...And if I were to marry you again, how long would we have?”
“About three months, starting now.”
Prince Kelton nodded then stood to approach her.
Iredys held up her hand to stop him.
Prince Kelton did stop, but furrowed his brow in confusion. “Do you not want this?” he wondered.
‘It is not a matter of want, Prince Kelton,’ she said as she picked up the glass she had used from the floor and took it to the corner to wash. She removed the cloak from her shoulders when she was done, folded it, and set it on the cedar chest beside the table. Then she returned to the cot and sat down. ‘I am no longer welcome in this kingdom.’
“I can make that change.”
‘Not soon enough.’
Prince Kelton frowned, but nodded. His heart and mind were troubled by the realization that he really would have to marry the bratty Princess Analisa, unless he managed to find a way to keep Iredys magic secret.
‘Princess Analisa is not your only choice,’ Iredys said.
A mix of pain and hope knotted in his heart as he turned tear filled eyes in her direction.
“Aside from Princess Analisa, I have seen you choose Countess Lilia.’
Prince Kelton’s brow furrowed a little as he thought about the shy Countess Lilia.
‘You know well that, in choosing Princess Analisa, you will have a stronger alliance with Lakemead Kingdom to draw upon in times of war,’ Iredys said. ‘As for Countess Lilia, you will find greater reprieve during times of stress and a great support as you continue to work for and with the people of this kingdom. Both will be able to give you many children in the days ahead.’
Prince Kelton was quiet for several moments. “And you?” he tried again, not willing to let go of the possibility to have her again, no matter how slim. “Even if Dagaz were to change your form after you give birth, would you not be able to transform back into a Human?” he wondered.
‘I would think so, given how fluid that ability seemed while I was held captive, but how soon I would be able to is something I am not entirely sure of.’
He blew out his breath and nodded.
‘I need to rest now, Prince Kelton. I hope you will give more thought to everything I have told you.’
“You want me to leave.”
Iredys shook her head. ‘You are welcome to stay here to think over the options before you. All I am asking is that you give everything I’ve said some thought instead of rushing ahead on emotion only.’
Prince Kelton sighed. “Okay.”
‘Thank you.’
“You’re welcome, Iredys,” he replied gently.
Iredys lay down and Ponderosa came over to adjust the blankets and stoke the fire.
Prince Kelton watched the flames as he thought about what it would mean to leave Iredys and their still growing son here because of the danger her newly acquired magic brought with it. It would mean he would have to marry Princess Analisa or Countess Lilia when he returned. There would be no way out of it. He wondered if he could consummate his marriage to either woman knowing that his former wife was here, or wandering the world somewhere. Could he be faithful to Countess Lilia or Princess Analisa knowing that the one woman he could not deny he still had feelings for would still be alive in the world somewhere, but unable to be with him because of the laws of the kingdom were what they were?
As for children, yes he had the heir that his mother pushed him for, but she would not recognize him as a legitimate son. That recognition would only come with the first son he had with either Princess Analisa or Countess Lilia. He sighed.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Ponderosa had brought him a glass of water.
“Thank you,” he said quietly, as he accepted the glass.
Ponderosa nodded then removed a bunch of dried herbs from her rafters.
Prince Kelton took a few sips of water while he watched Ponderosa carefully break the dried leaves into smaller pieces and drop them in a mortar. She carefully, yet thoroughly, ground them into a fine powder with the pestle. After all the leaves had been ground into a powder, Ponderosa dug into the chest beside the table and pulled out a bulky satchel. From the satchel she removed several small jars that had a label on them. A small scoop was pulled out next. Then Ponderosa meticulously filled the jars with the powder from the mortar.
Ponderosa secured the stopper in the top of each of the jars before tucking them back into the satchel. She wiped out the mortar, cleaned the end of the pestle and her hands, before turning to grab the next bunch of dried herbs from the rafters. However, she stopped when she noticed Prince Kelton watching her closely. She fidgeted a little before turning to her writing kit and writing something down. Prince Kelton stood then to see what she was writing.
‘Is something wrong, Prince Kelton?’ she had written.
“Not at all, Ponderosa,” he replied. “I was fascinated by the work you were doing. How long have you been a healer?”
‘Fourteen years,’ she replied.
“Have you assisted any births?”
She nodded.
He nodded as his attention turned back to her answers while he thought about all the care she had given Iredys these last two months.
Ponderosa tipped her head to the side as she watched him.
“If I choose to bring Lady Iredys back with me, are you in a position to come along?” he asked after a moment.
Tears filled Ponderosa’s eyes, but a smile lifted her trembling lips as she nodded.
“Okay. I have more to consider, but I will be back in the morning with my decision.”
Ponderosa nodded.
Prince Kelton left Ponderosa’s home, purposefully ignoring Sir Hamnet, who ducked behind a nearby barrel, as he returned to the inn. He promptly headed upstairs to his room to rest and give more thought to the reality he faced and not the emotional decision he was still sorely tempted to make.