Chapter 16
Welcome Home
Carol had been trying not to pace for the last hour.
"You're going to wear a path in the carpet," Bea observed from her seat by the window.
"I'm not pacing," Carol said, taking another turn around the parlor.
"You've circled the room seventeen times," Jasper said, not looking up from his book. "That's pacing."
"I'm just... restless."
"You're waiting for your husband to come home," Bea corrected, smiling. "It's sweet."
Carol stopped mid-stride. "Sterling said they'd likely arrive by early evening. It's early evening now."
"It's barely past five," Jasper pointed out. "Give the man time. He's been fighting monsters for four days."
"Five days," Carol corrected. "He's been gone for five days."
"And you've been counting," Bea said, her smile widening.
Carol felt her cheeks warm. "I have not been counting—"
"My lady!" One of the maids burst into the parlor, slightly breathless. "The Duke's company has been sighted! They're approaching the gates!"
Carol's heart leapt. "He's back?"
"Yes, my lady! They should arrive within minutes!"
Carol was already moving toward the door before she'd consciously decided to go. Mochi, who'd been napping on a cushion, meowed and scrambled to follow her.
"Carol, wait!" Bea called, but Carol was already hurrying through the halls.
She could hear her siblings following behind her, but she didn't slow down. Five days. He'd been gone for five days fighting dangerous creatures at the border, and now he was back, and she needed to see with her own eyes that he was safe.
The main courtyard was already filling with servants and guards as Carol emerged from the estate. The gates were open, and she could see riders approaching in the fading evening light.
At the front, unmistakable even at a distance, was Caspian on his massive black destrier.
Carol's breath caught.
He was still in his traveling gear, dust-covered and clearly exhausted from the journey, but he sat tall in the saddle, silver hair catching the last rays of sunlight. Even from here, she could see he was uninjured—no visible wounds, no favoring of limbs, moving with his usual controlled grace.
The company rode through the gates, and Caspian's green eyes immediately found her in the courtyard.
Carol felt her feet moving before she could stop them, already taking several steps toward him.
Then she caught herself.
We're still getting to know each other, she reminded herself firmly. We've had one dinner. One tea. You can't just run to him like—
But god, she wanted to.
Caspian dismounted in one fluid motion, and their eyes met across the courtyard.
Carol felt her cheeks flush with warmth. He was looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite read—something intense and focused and maybe a little relieved?
He crossed the courtyard toward her, and Carol realized she was still holding Mochi, who meowed loudly in recognition.
"You're back," Carol said, hating how breathless she sounded. "You're safe."
"I am," Caspian said. His voice was slightly rough from travel, and there was dust on his armor, but his green eyes were as sharp as ever.
"You're not injured?" Carol asked, her eyes scanning him for any signs of hurt. "The fighting—was it very dangerous? Sterling said it was a large incursion—"
"I'm unharmed," Caspian assured her. Then, with what might have been the slightest hint of warmth in his tone, "You were worried."
"Of course I was worried," Carol said. "You were fighting Blightspawn. That's extremely dangerous."
Something shifted in his expression—that almost-smile she was learning to recognize.
"I promised I'd be careful," he said.
"And you kept your promise," Carol said, unable to stop her own smile from spreading. "I'm glad."
They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, and Carol was acutely aware of every person watching them in the courtyard. The staff. The returning soldiers. Her siblings, who were standing a few feet behind her.
Her siblings.
Right.
Caspian's gaze shifted past her, and his expression became more guarded.
Carol turned to find Jasper and Bea watching the exchange with varying degrees of interest. Jasper had his protective-brother face on, while Bea was studying Caspian with careful assessment.
"Your Grace," Jasper said, his tone polite but with an edge of wariness. "Welcome back."
"Viscount Holloway," Caspian acknowledged. "Lady Beatrice. I wasn't aware you were visiting."
"It was an unplanned trip," Bea said. "We wanted to check on our sister."
"I hope you've found everything satisfactory," Caspian said, and Carol couldn't tell if he was being genuine or carefully neutral.
"Very satisfactory," Bea said, and Carol saw her sister's expression soften slightly. "Caroline has been showing us around the estate. It's quite impressive."
"And she's been spending your money redecorating," Jasper added bluntly.
Carol winced, but Caspian's expression didn't change.
"So I was informed," he said. "The improvements are welcome."
Before anyone could respond, there was a small whimpering sound from near Caspian's horse.
Carol looked over to see one of Caspian's soldiers carefully lifting a leather bag from the horse's saddle. The bag was moving.
"What—" Carol started.
Caspian turned back to her. "I found something on the way back. I thought you might..." He paused, then seemed to decide on directness. "Would you come with me for a moment?"
Carol handed Mochi to a surprised Bea and followed Caspian to where his soldier stood holding the bag. Up close, she could hear soft whimpering sounds and see the bag shifting.
The soldier opened the bag carefully, and Carol's heart melted.
Inside was a puppy. A shadow wolf puppy, to be precise—black as midnight with glowing amber eyes and already showing the distinctive features of its species. It was tiny, maybe seven inches tall, with oversized paws and ears that were still too big for its head.
It looked up at Caspian and made a small, plaintive sound.
"Oh," Carol breathed. "Oh, it's precious."
"Its pack was killed by the Blightspawn," Caspian explained quietly. "I found it hiding in the aftermath. It was too young to survive alone, and..." He trailed off, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I couldn't leave it."
Carol looked at him—this deadly warrior who'd just spent five days fighting monsters, who was called The Butcher of the North, who had a reputation for being cold and merciless—and he'd stopped to rescue an orphaned puppy.
"You brought me a puppy," Carol said, feeling something warm and bright unfurling in her chest.
"I thought you might want to name it," Caspian said. "Since you seem to have a talent for adopting dangerous creatures."
"It's not dangerous," Carol protested, even though shadow wolves absolutely were dangerous when fully grown. "It's a baby."
"It will be the size of a horse in two years."
"A very good boy horse," Carol said firmly, reaching carefully into the bag. The puppy sniffed her hand cautiously, then licked her fingers. "Hello, little one. Aren't you adorable?"
The puppy made a small yipping sound that went straight to Carol's heart.
"Shadow," she decided immediately. "His name is Shadow. Because he's dark as midnight and probably going to be very good at sneaking around."
"Shadow," Caspian repeated, and was that approval in his tone?
Carol carefully lifted the puppy out of the bag. Shadow was light, all gangly limbs and soft fur, and he immediately curled against her chest with a contented sound.
"He likes you," Caspian observed.
"Of course he does. I'm very likeable," Carol said, then looked up at Caspian with a smile that was probably far too bright. "Thank you. For saving him. For bringing him to me."
"You're welcome," Caspian said, and this time the almost-smile was definitely there.
Behind them, Carol heard Bea's quiet voice. "Did he just give our sister a shadow wolf puppy?"
"Apparently," Jasper replied, sounding bewildered. "Is that... is that romantic?"
"I think it might be," Bea said. "Look at her face."
Carol ignored them, focusing on the puppy in her arms. Shadow had already closed his eyes, apparently feeling safe enough to sleep.
"He must be exhausted," Carol said. "The poor thing. We'll need to get him settled. Food, water, a comfortable place to sleep—"
"The staff can help with that," Caspian said. "I'll have someone coordinate with you about his care."
"We can figure that out together," Carol said. Then, remembering herself, "After you've had a chance to rest, of course. You must be exhausted too. You've been traveling all day."
"I've been traveling for five days," Caspian corrected.
"Fought monsters for most of them," Carol added. "You should rest. Clean up. There's no rush for dinner or anything formal. I just—" She stopped, feeling suddenly shy. "I'm glad you're home safe."
Caspian's expression softened in a way she hadn't seen before. "Thank you."
They stood there in the courtyard, Carol holding an orphaned shadow wolf puppy, Caspian dusty from travel, surrounded by soldiers and servants and her protective siblings, and Carol felt absurdly, perfectly happy.
Behind them, the sounds of troops dismounting and beginning their familiar routine of settling in filled the courtyard.
Caspian glanced back at his men, then returned his attention to Carol. "I should see to my troops. Get them settled."
"Of course," Carol said. "Go. I'll take care of Shadow."
"I know you will," Caspian said, and there was something in his tone that made Carol's heart skip.
He turned to go, then paused and looked back.
"I'm glad to be home," he said quietly.
Carol's smile widened. "Welcome home."
She watched as he walked away to coordinate with his troops, and she realized she was still smiling, probably looking ridiculous with a puppy in her arms and what was likely a dopey expression on her face.
Bea appeared at her side, Mochi cradled in her arms. "So. That's The Butcher of the North."
"That's my husband," Carol corrected, unable to keep the warmth from her voice.
"He brought you a puppy," Jasper said, joining them. "An extremely dangerous puppy that will grow into a killing machine, but still. A puppy."
"He saved an orphaned creature and thought of me," Carol said. "That's... that's really thoughtful."
"You're blushing again," Bea observed.
"I am not—" Carol stopped. She probably was blushing. "He's just back from fighting monsters. Of course I'm happy to see him safe."
"You looked like you wanted to run to him when he arrived," Jasper said.
"I did not—" Carol stopped again. She had. She'd taken several steps before catching herself. "Okay, maybe I did. But we're still getting to know each other. It would have been inappropriate to just throw myself at him in front of everyone."
"Even though you wanted to," Bea said gently.
"Even though I wanted to," Carol admitted quietly.
Shadow stirred in her arms, making a small sleepy sound, and Mochi meowed from Bea's arms, clearly wanting attention.
"You now have two dangerous creatures who think you're their mother," Jasper observed. "What's next? A dragon?"
"Don't tempt fate," Bea said, but she was smiling. "Come on. Let's get Shadow settled. And then you can continue to tell us all about your husband who fights monsters and rescues puppies for you."
Carol followed her siblings inside, Shadow warm and content in her arms, and she couldn't stop smiling.
Caspian was home.
Safe.
And he'd brought her a puppy because he'd thought of her while traveling back from fighting Blightspawn.
He thought of me, Carol realized. While fighting monsters at the border, he found an orphaned puppy and thought of me.
The warm feeling in her chest intensified.
Four days ago, she'd told him she'd miss him.
Now he was back, and the estate felt right again. Complete.
Like home.
"You're smiling again," Bea said.
"I know," Carol replied.
And she didn't even try to stop.