Chapter 32 #2
“I’m sure she is. She was raised by Uncle Edmund, after all.” Fieran gave a little shrug, though the somber look in his eyes belied his easy words.
Pip eyed the space next to Fieran on the bed. There wasn’t a chair to sit at his side, nor did just holding his hand feel like enough. She wanted to be held close and made to feel safe.
Perhaps Fieran understood or had the same craving for closeness. He held out his right arm, inviting her.
She clambered onto the bed, tucking herself next to him instead of merely sitting. His arm came around her, holding her close, as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Fieran heaved a sigh, his breath stirring her hair a moment before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“I was so worried about you when I realized we’d been separated.
But my dacha reminded me that you are a strong, capable woman who can take care of herself.
That helped. But I would’ve stayed worried if I’d realized that Uncle Edmund was getting you into his spy shenanigans. ”
Pip gave a somewhat hysterical, somewhat halfhearted laugh into Fieran’s shirt. “I was fine. It wasn’t like the shackles or metal bars could actually do anything but give me a lot of iron to work with. And it wasn’t like the firing squad was actually a danger to me.”
“Firing squad.” Fieran’s breath was half a laugh, half a sigh. “I definitely should’ve remained worried. But you’re pretty amazing.”
“Linshi.” Pip snuggled more comfortably against him, letting her eyes fall closed and her body give in to the exhaustion. “You’re pretty amazing yourself.”
Fieran gave a wordless hum as a reply. His muscles relaxed, his breathing going more even.
After long moments, so long that she’d assumed he’d fallen asleep, he murmured into her hair, “The next time we go on a dangerous mission, I want a heart bond. Relying on a telephone exchange of other people’s heart bonds wasn’t nearly good enough. ”
Pip propped herself up on her elbow and leaned her chin on her hand, her tone light and teasing. “Is that a proposal?”
Fieran gave another of those tired laugh-sighs. “No. Consider it a promise that I intend to propose sooner rather than later.”
“Promises, promises.” Pip relaxed once again, letting her eyes close again. “I’m going to hold you to it one of these days.”
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep, curled against Fieran’s side, when she stirred at the feel of a blanket being settled over her shoulders. Somewhere in the background, a voice was saying something about surrender terms and Prince Edmund replied, his words indistinct in her sleepy brain.
She peeled her bleary eyes open, her vision blurry, her eyelids gritty. Yet she could just make out the shortened strands of Prince Farrendel’s hair as he spread the blanket over her and Fieran.
As if sensing her gaze, Prince Farrendel’s silver-blue eyes met hers. He tipped his head to her. “Rest.”
At another time, she might have been more embarrassed to have Fieran’s dacha catch her and Fieran snuggle-sleeping like this. Tomorrow, she and Fieran would go back to boundaries and all that. Not that they were crossing any lines they were unwilling to cross, even now.
But for that moment, she was more than willing to stay right where she was and follow Prince Farrendel’s directive.
Smile creasing her face, she let herself sink back into sleep.
“Should you be up and about this soon?” Pip clambered over the side of the small captain’s boat, landing in the sand next to Fieran.
Under the cover of darkness, seamen from the ship had rowed her, Fieran, Prince Edmund, and Prince Farrendel to a remote stretch of shore to the north of Landri Castle.
Of all of them, she probably shouldn’t be on this mission, but she was glad Prince Edmund had allowed her to come anyway.
Her time in Landri Castle wouldn’t feel complete without this.
“I’m fine now that the healer fixed me up.” Prince Edmund grinned, the expression no longer horrific now that the swelling and bruising had gone down, as he slogged up the sandy beach toward the strands of sea grass and scrub brush.
Prince Farrendel made a noise in the back of his throat, frowning at Prince Edmund. “The healer said this trip was inadvisable.”
“But she didn’t forbid me from going.” Prince Edmund’s grin remained, though it slipped as he struggled up the sandy beach.
Prince Farrendel gave a sigh, reached out, and gripped Prince Edmund’s arm to steady him. “Not that anyone could have stopped you.”
“No.” Prince Edmund’s grin disappeared as his voice became low, as if he wasn’t talking to them any longer. He probably didn’t even realize he switched to elvish. “She is my sena.”
Fieran clasped Pip’s hand as the two of them trudged up the beach. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “Apparently near-death experiences encourage my uncle and dacha to banter even more than usual.”
“They are quite the pair.” Pip leaned into Fieran more than necessary as the sand beneath her feet slid.
“They’ve had more than a few years to perfect their banter. Especially since they’re stuck with each other at both sides of family gatherings.” Fieran swayed into her as well, as if he, too, wanted to be as close as possible.
“They remind me of my mother and my Detmuk uncles.” Pip would have leaned her head against Fieran’s shoulder, but that would’ve made walking awkward.
“I can’t wait to have the time to actually get to know your Detmuk side of the family.” Fieran swung their clasped hands, grinning. “And see the dwarven mountains.”
For a moment, Pip’s heart sank. The dwarves weren’t easy on elves, nor were the depths of the dwarven mountains. Her dacha tried, but he never fully fit with Clan Detmuk.
But Fieran wasn’t fully elf. He was half human. He wasn’t bothered by stone, nor would he feel the lack of green, growing things any more than she did. With his loud, boisterous personality, he’d get along with the Detmuk dwarves like he was one of them.
She grinned up at him, something going light in her heart. “My clan will love you. And you’ll love the mountains.”
While her parents loved each other very much, she had seen how hard it was when a spouse couldn’t adapt. They’d moved to the western rail terminal, isolated from both dwarves and elves alike, because they couldn’t fit anywhere else.
Yet Pip had fallen in love with someone who could actually navigate her messy dual heritage and dual families alongside her. She wouldn’t be alienated but would remain connected to all the pieces that made her whole.
Fieran, too, wouldn’t have to give up either side of his heritage. She was as adaptable as he was. They fit together, no matter where life took them.
Prince Edmund and Prince Farrendel ducked into the darkness beneath the scrub trees at the edge of the beach, and Pip and Fieran followed a moment later.
In the gloom in a cluster of trees, Prince Edmund made a low hooting sound, like that of an owl.
A rustle came from deeper in the trees a moment before a figure stepped into the space, her hair especially black in the darkness. She dropped something heavy onto the ground before flinging herself into Prince Edmund’s arms, her voice low despite the emotion in it. “Dacha!”
“Sena.” Prince Edmund wrapped her in a hug, holding her with even more exuberance than he had when in the dungeon.
Jayna, too, held herself differently, as if both she and Prince Edmund had been aware of their masks while in Landri Castle, even when the three of them had been alone. Only here, away from the castle, could they fully let down their guard.
“Are you all right? When I heard they were going to execute you…” Jayna’s voice choked off for a moment. “It was so hard not going to you.”
“You did so well, sena. Above and beyond what I should ever ask of you.” Prince Edmund’s hug remained tight, his own voice ragged and strained.
Pip looked away, and beside her Fieran shifted. Prince Farrendel went so far as to spin away. They were intruding, even if Prince Edmund had invited them to come.
After another long moment, Prince Edmund partially released Jayna from his hug. “You don’t have to go back, sena. The war is over. You can come back with us. You can come home.”
Jayna sniffed and swiped a hand over her face.
Then she straightened her shoulders and shook her head with a sharp, determined motion.
“No, I can’t leave. Not yet. If I simply disappear when you do, it will cast suspicion on my cover and all my contacts.
I need to take a few months to lay out an exit.
On top of that, Mongavaria is in a perilous place.
It’s tipping toward an implosion, and losing the war might just be the thing that sends it over the edge.
You’ll need the information I provide in the next few months. ”
Prince Edmund pulled Jayna in for another hug. “My brave girl.”
Jayna hugged him before stepping back. “Just following in my dacha’s footsteps.” She picked up the leather bag once again. “Here’s all the information Pip and I gathered.”
“Linshi. This is going to be key for the eventual peace treaty.” Prince Edmund took the bag from his daughter. “I’ll start laying the groundwork on my end for you to come home. Just a few more months, got it?”
“Got it.” Jayna nodded, smiling, before she turned to where Pip, Fieran, and Prince Farrendel stood. Hurrying forward, she gave her uncle a hug. “Uncle Farrendel!”
“It is good to see you safe and well, neshena.” Prince Farrendel patted her back in one of his awkward hugs.
Pip stifled a smile. Good to know the awkwardness wasn’t just for her.
Jayna moved from Prince Farrendel to give Fieran a hug. “Good to see you alive, cousin. I’ve heard lots of frightful rumors and stories over here in Mongavaria. And I know Pip was very worried for you.”
“And I was worried for her. Thanks for looking after her.” Fieran gave Jayna a returning hug. “Keep looking after yourself.”
“Always.” Jayna released Fieran and turned to Pip, sharing a grin. “Well, we did it.”
“Yes, we did.” Pip hugged Jayna, standing on her tiptoes because the other girl was so much taller than her.
Jayna stepped back, still grinning. “I’ll try to return in time for your wedding. I wouldn’t want to miss it.”
Fieran coughed, as if he was choking on his own spit.
Pip’s face heated, and she couldn’t bring herself to look at either Fieran or Prince Farrendel. “Well, uh, we haven’t…we aren’t even…”
“I know. Don’t rush things, all right? I need a few months.” When Jayna smirked, the expression was the exact mirror of her father’s.
Pip looked up, meeting Fieran’s gaze. He reached out and clasped her hand again, smiling.
No, Pip didn’t intend to rush. She wanted to savor every step, every moment, especially now that she and Fieran wouldn’t have a war hanging over their heads.
Someday, likely sooner rather than later, she and Fieran would have that dream wedding.
But Pip wanted every other dream along the way, no shortcuts.
As Jayna turned to say farewell to her dacha, Pip leaned her head against Fieran’s arm. “Let’s go home.”