Chapter 20 #2
“Lady Aella,” Hagon said, giving me a slight bow. “It is good to see you’re in much better condition than you were at Ivory Castle. If it is any consolation, we only torture our family with words, which we find adequate enough.”
“He speaks the truth,” a woman standing next to him said. She had flawless dark-brown skin and black hair that fell in perfect ringlets well past her shoulders. I appreciated that, like me, she wore pants and a tunic, rather than a gown. “I’m Lady Meilani, and it is a pleasure to meet you.”
I couldn’t hold any resentment toward this lovely woman. She was originally from Juvarn, a northwestern land in Zadrya ruled by a large family of darker-skinned elves renowned for their fighting prowess and love of nature. Since they were far from Therress, I rarely saw any of them except at court.
“It is a pleasure to meet you as well,” I said, giving her a deeper curtsy than I had given Lord Gannon.
She scowled at the men. “I’ll be happy to show you all the places they never visit, so you know where to escape when needed. Rumor has it you’re an avid gardener?”
“I believe most of Zadrya is aware of that fact by now.” Hagon gave his wife an amused look. “Perhaps you shouldn’t encourage Aella to take up her hobby here, or she might render certain areas uninhabitable to anyone she doesn’t like.”
Meilani gave her husband a scathing look. “That only inspires me more.”
“I have already selected the plot of land grandmother used to tend long ago,” Darrow said, interrupting them. “No one has touched that patch in decades since she had a penchant for growing a few untamable varieties, but I’m certain my wife will handle them fine.”
Lord Gannon glared at his son. “You should have run that idea by me before announcing it to everyone. I’d been thinking of having it cleared and used for herbs. The healers have been asking for more space to grow them.”
“That section is far too large for herbs and meant for serious gardening. Aella has plants that need transferring, and some of them are useful for various purposes,” he said, glancing at me with a reassuring look.
“Like murdering people?” Hagon asked, lifting his brow.
I met his gaze. “My plants are hardly the only murderers among us.”
His jaw hardened, and he looked away.
“Um.” Rynn flashed everyone a sweet smile. “I hate to interrupt, but I’m really starving. The Andalagar are great and all, but some of their food is questionable. I don’t suppose you serve something better here?”
Nameless ones bless her. When everyone’s attention turned to her, their expressions softened. She had a natural ability to put people at ease, except with my uncle. Even Ulmar had a tough time being as cruel to her as he was to me.
“I planned a wonderful meal to appease everyone’s palates,” Meilani said, moving to take Rynn’s hand. “How about I show you to your room? It’s near mine, since I hope we can become friends. Would you like that?”
My cousin beamed. “I would love it.”
They led the way with the rest of us following. Darrow and I trailed at the back so that I could have some breathing space. He’d be taking me to his quarters anyway, where the servants should have already delivered our things.
“If Meilani and I weren’t already married, and I didn’t prefer men,” I whispered to Darrow. “I’d want to marry her. She seems really nice.”
He chuckled. “Yes. She is very kind as long as you don’t upset her. Which, as you may have noticed, she’s not overly fond of her husband these days.”
“I remember you telling me about that.” He’d mentioned the story of how Hagon wooed his wife and made her fall in love with him before she found out about his curse. I could hardly blame Meilani for remaining bitter over it, especially with that man.
Darrow guided me through the keep, pointing out various features I’d need to know.
It was bustling with activity. I appreciated that my mount would be kept at the stables within the walls here, rather than on a different city island, as most others were.
There was even a paddock, where the horses could get some exercise.
I noted that there weren’t any shops, inns, or taverns like in most keeps.
I assumed that was because they expected fae residents to go to other sections of Darynia for those things.
Instead, I only saw an armory, a blacksmith forge, one barracks building, and a dozen cottages for the servants with families who needed to live closer to the lord’s home.
Crystal Castle itself took up most of the space. As much as I hated to admit it, the design was beautiful with four gleaming towers at each corner. While the stones were clear, something lay beyond them, blocking anyone from seeing inside.
We climbed up the steps and entered the great hall.
It was a spacious room with fireplaces on either end, a long row of well-crafted tables, and chandeliers that dropped from the high ceiling.
Darrow took me to a corridor off to the left, then up a set of stairs to the second floor.
Then we moved toward the back of the castle before coming to his room.
I was surprised by the massive space when we entered.
It was easily five times the size of my old room.
A large, canopied bed stood at the center with its headboard against the wall.
It was made of a deep mahogany wood and had beautiful vines carved into it.
There were matching nightstands on either side and two tall wardrobes at the far end of the room. My bags sat in front of one of them.
“I requested furniture be added before we came, so you’d have somewhere to put your things,” he said, gesturing toward the one I assumed was mine. “Once we get the rest of your things, we can add more wardrobes or chests as needed.”
I shook my head. “I brought most of it, so there are only a few ball gowns and holiday garments I didn’t take.”
Most of the time, my uncle would sell the special dresses he had made for events after I had worn them once.
That way, he made back some of his coin.
He only let me keep a few if I bargained and begged for them, and those were stored elsewhere.
They were the ones I wanted to retrieve when I went back, so I at least had some fancier selections when the need arose.
“You only brought one large bag and a small one,” Darrow said, frowning.
“Yes,” I agreed. “Lord Morgunn didn’t believe I needed many things.”
He worked his jaw. “I’ll have you fitted for more because you’ll need them with us.”
“There’s a war right now.” I shook my head. “Let’s focus on that and worry about the unimportant things later.”
Darrow stared at me for a minute, as if deciding what to say. “I won’t force you into anything, but would you at least agree to letting me see what you have? We can discuss it if there are things I think you’ll immediately need beyond that.”
“Fine,” I said. My husband was trying to compromise and make sure he took care of me. I wasn’t used to that, but I appreciated his efforts. I could give a little.
“Good. Do you have a dress you can wear for lunch?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”
He showed me the bathing chambers that connected to his room, and I noted another door beside that. “What leads through there?”
“Those are my guest quarters, though you were the last to sleep in there,” he said, smiling ruefully.
I opened the door and peered into a large bedroom, though not as spacious as his, which contained a full-size bed and sturdy furniture. “I stayed in here the whole time?”
It was strange thinking I’d been in this place for several days and had no memory of it.
“Yes. I wanted to keep you close,” he admitted.
“Thank you,” I said and closed the door.
“Of course.”
We worked around each other as we washed and changed our clothes.
Despite having spent little time together in our marriage, we’d had a few occasions when we shared a room.
This time, it didn’t feel awkward, despite being a new environment for me.
I rather liked that this was the room where Darrow had spent most of his life because it had more character.
The only thing that made me nervous was that I wouldn’t be able to escape him easily anymore.
I would truly be in his bed every night.