Page 48

Aldronn

The day is a day of delightful firsts, beginning with showing May the rest of the heart tree cottage, with its large main room made of the living golden wood. Then I take her to the village baths. Numerous orcs soak in the long rectangular pool of the largest room, but I stride right past them, carrying my bride into the smaller, more private room. A circular pool awaits, steam rising from its surface.

I luxuriate in something I haven’t enjoyed in years. Time. We lounge in the pool, and I slowly wash and finger comb her hair until her body goes limp and relaxed against mine, her breath coming in soft sighs that tickle my neck.

Once she’s dressed in another new set of orc clothes, I take her to Naomi and Wranth’s cottage. The main room already shows signs of everything his bride has brought to my cousin’s life—books form little piles on the tables of the seating area, a small and colorful human blanket drapes the back of the couch, and several human foods cover the kitchen counters. It looks lived in and homey in a way his guard quarters back at the castle never did.

I can’t wait for May to bring all her color and life into our new home as well.

The two women hug, and Naomi wiggles her eyebrows at May and holds up a fist. “So did you?”

“Yep!”

They break into giggles as Wranth and I exchange glances. He sounds vaguely horrified as he says, “Are they talking about sex?”

“Are you certain you want me to answer that?” I ask.

While they chatter a bit more, I grip my cousin’s shoulder. “Are you all right with this trip? If not, you don’t have to come with us today.”

“No, I want to.” His eyes flick over to Naomi, filling with pride. “It’s time they met my bride.”

“I know exactly what you mean.”

Naomi takes Wranth first, then me. In another blink, Naomi and May stand beside us in the bailey of Elmswood Keep.

“This is your castle!” May gasps, looking all around. “It looks just like the one I use to understand your mind.”

“Our castle.” I take her elbow and steer her toward the main doors to the keep. They fly open as we approach, a familiar pair of people filling them. “Or perhaps more accurately, theirs.”

My parents race outside, arms flung wide. They’re as tall and well muscled as any warrior in their prime, each of them continuing to train every day. Laugh lines bracket my father’s warm eyes, and my mother’s warrior braid holds as much silver as black, but they both still radiate competence and vitality.

“Aldronn! Wranth!” my father bellows.

“We heard the news!” Mother adds. “Are these your brides?”

May stands her ground beside me, not even flinching as my mother scoops her off my arm and into a hug. “Aren’t you just the prettiest thing! Why, I’d think you were an elf if I didn’t know better.”

“Nope!” May laughs. “One-hundred percent bona fide human. I’m May.”

“I’m Priva, and this is Lovarr.”

“So pleased to meet you,” Father says, picking May up in his own hug. “I was worried my boy was never going to get married.”

“I told you both I hadn’t found the right person, and I was right,” I say. “I was waiting for May.”

“And who do we have here?” Mother looks at Naomi.

“She is my moon bound bride,” Wranth says with pride.

“I’m Naomi.”

Mother scoops both of them into a warm embrace, murmuring to Wranth, “I was so happy when Aldronn sent word of who you are. It’s so good to have more family.”

The stiffness goes out of my cousin’s shoulders as my father also pulls them into a hug.

“We must celebrate our family growing by three amazing additions!” Father says. “Have you eaten yet?”

“I was hoping we’d have lunch with you,” I say. “We have much to discuss.”

Mother loops an arm through May’s and pulls her into the castle, while Father escorts Naomi. We cut through the public rooms with their vaulted ceilings and marble floors until we arrive at the private royal wing of the castle. Here, tapestries warm the stone walls, and rugs cushion the floors, the wooden furniture so finely made it needs no embellishments to highlight its natural beauty.

The large windows of the private dining room are thrown wide, letting in sunshine and fresh air and a view of the castle flower garden. Roses, lilies, irises, and snapdragons all bloom in a wealth of perfume and color.

We eat pork roast with stewed apples and fresh baked bread, chasing everything down with a light apple cider.

Although several of my letters outlined the basic story of Naomi using her teleportation powers to open the doors of Faerie, the couple goes into greater detail now, especially discussing Wranth’s origins as a royal cousin.

When they’re done, Mother turns to me. “The last letter we got said you’d been summoned by the goddess to find your moon bound bride. You must tell us everything.”

“Okay, maybe not everything -everything.” May shoots me a mischievous grin. “I’m definitely not telling you what I heard the first time I read Aldronn’s mind.”

“Agreed.” I hide a wince, remembering how I immediately wanted to bed her. “They don’t need to hear every detail.”

May launches into the story of our quest to find and free the Moon Goddess, my parents hanging rapt on her every word. I fill in a few details here and there but mostly sit back and enjoy watching two of the most important people in my life fall in love with my sunny bride.

When she gets to the grand revelation, all their years of practice in schooling their expressions fails them, and they gape.

“She was trapped for three-hundred years by her husband ?” Mother says, sounding affronted.

“And everything she’s done for the past three-hundred years here in Alarria was to free herself?” Father says. “She didn’t do it to protect us?”

“I don’t know if it’s that simple,” Naomi says. “I feel like it might have been both. She protected a bunch of her ‘children,’ the Wild Fae, and she set everything in motion to free herself.”

“Like sending these crystal necklaces to Earth.” May holds up her pendant. “And bringing us to Alarria as moon bound brides.”

“Why did it take three-hundred years?” Wranth asks.

“It took that long for people as amazing as May and Naomi to be born,” I say, seeing it clearly. “It took the right witches with the right magical powers, all coming together at the same time.”

“Not just us witches,” May says. “Everyone. You and Wranth and the other orcs each have your own magic. And then there are all the unicorns and dragons and werewolves and werepanthers and pixies.” She shrugs. “It was a huge thing. It took all of us.”

“I’m so proud of all of you,” Mother says.

Father adds, “The alliances you’ve formed are unprecedented in the history of Alarria.”

“Things will be different now.” I take a sip of cider and set down my glass with the definitive clink of fine crystal on lacquered wood. “I foresee a time of peace for our land, so I will not need to lead our warriors into battle anytime soon. I also think visiting the villages can be done by a representative who reports to you.”

“What will you do instead?” Mother asks.

My hand finds May’s and squeezes. We share a look, and I feel her brush against my mind. “Go on. It’s a good idea.” In between all the loving the night before, my bride and I talked and dreamed of a new future for both us and Alarria.

“The doors of Faerie are now open. Our realm is still somewhat cut off, but that could change at any moment, because we have no idea where Alarria’s original doors are. Instead of waiting for surprises—some of which might not be pleasant— I want Alarria to connect with other realms and establish good relations.”

“I’ll help,” May says. “I’ve traveled a lot on Earth and am pretty good at meeting people from various cultures.”

“My bride is being modest.” I smile at her. “She’s also studied several topics that will be of great assistance.”

“This is a large undertaking.” Father purses his lips.

“It is, but we would not do it alone. I want to bring this to the alliance and have the aid of the other Wild Fae.”

Mother’s gaze goes thoughtful. “Alarria could be the new Avalon.”

“Precisely.”

“We can’t do it without you,” May turns to Naomi. “You’d need to make more door crystals.”

“Hey, you know me.” Naomi grins, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “I’ve always wanted to travel.”

“As long as I’m by your side, protecting you,” Wranth growls.

“Always,” my friend says.

“We can use the west wing of the castle. It isn’t being—”

“No!” May cuts over Father. “Oops, sorry, but…” She shoots me a “help me” look.

“We weren’t planning on living at Elmswood Keep,” I say. “We want to live in Moon Blade Village with the other orc-human couples.”

My Mother gives a slow nod, staring into the distance for a moment. “This village has become very important.”

“It does have Alarria’s only far traveler.” Father lifts his glass to Naomi. “And if you place the doors to the other realms there, the village will become the prime center for trade among the realms.”

“We don’t want to change Moon Blade Village,” May says. “It’s pretty damned perfect exactly as it is.”

I nod. “We want to create a second village and travel center on the other side of the cleaning stone. We already have a lot of other fae visiting the area. We could make appropriate accommodations for them.”

“Then it is decided.” Mother lifts her glass. “To new endeavors!”

We all toast and drink, and May leans close to whisper, “I see where you get your decisiveness from.”

“We will establish a second royal residence in the new location as well,” Mother adds.

May shoots me an uncertain glance, and I squeeze her hand and ask, “What is it?”

She leans toward me. “I don’t want to give up our heart tree cottage.”

“Then we won’t,” I promise. “Or at least not until we have a few children.”

“Few? I thought you saw one?”

“One to start.” I kiss her knuckles and smirk at her as my parents begin to fuss about grandchildren.

We talk for several more hours, then take our leave as evening begins to fall, promising to return soon.

“It was nice to meet you, Queen Priva,” May says.

“You must call me Priva, dear. And perhaps someday you’ll call me Mother?” She runs a hand over May’s sunshine hair. “I’ve always wanted a daughter, and I’d love to call you mine.”

Happy tears still fill my bride’s eyes as Naomi returns us to Moon Blade Village.

The other couple hurries toward the village green as I hold May back for a moment. “Are you okay?”

“Do you think they liked me?” A touch of her old vulnerability flashes across her face. “Really? Not just being nice?”

“They loved you.” I cup her cheeks with both hands and stare deep into her eyes. Then I fill my voice with command. “Do not doubt it.”

“So bossy.”

“You love it.”

She grins and loops her arm through mine to drag me toward the sound of laughter coming from the village green.

Before we get there, I pull my bride to another halt so I can kiss her. I fully intend to stop at one—I have some level of self restraint, after all—but then she makes that breathy little gasp that drives me wild.

So I kiss her again, leaving her eyes so glazed with passion that I immediately kiss her some more.