Chapter 21
Darrow
Lunch turned into a game of avoidance among my father, brother, and Aella.
To accommodate my wife, we sat at the opposite end of the table with Rynn and Meilani.
The latter was immensely grateful for our arrival, so she had an excuse to play hostess to us while the others kept the royals entertained.
While Hagon’s wife wasn’t a healer like Aella’s cousin, she did enjoy growing herbs with medicinal properties, so that gave the ladies plenty to discuss. Unfortunately, the topic nearly put me to sleep.
I couldn’t imagine how a discussion on various soil types, the best types of compost, and ideal daytime lighting could possibly be as riveting as they thought. By the end of the meal, my eyes had glazed over, and I decided I’d join the other end of the table next time.
The royals, the Frostdar lord, and my brother kept the conversation light from what I caught on their end.
We’d agreed to avoid any discussion of war during meals, in case of spies.
I’d made a mental list of topics to address with my father and the others while attempting not to nod off during the garden discussion.
Lady Meilani planned to take Rynn and Hadrien, Princess Lillian’s daughter, to the market for the afternoon.
Both girls had left their homes with only one bag of belongings, so she took it upon herself to help them get anything else they needed in the near future.
She would also see about them getting a tutor, as well as appropriate masters for their individual magic lessons.
The elven lady had a knack for organizing that none could match.
That would give the rest of us time for war planning, but I suspected my wife wasn’t ready to stand in a closed room with two men who’d killed her family. She’d dropped a few subtle clues implying as much, so I thought I’d show her something else she might prefer before I was due at the meeting.
“Where are we going?” she asked as we climbed aboard a small boat reserved for my family.
It had cushioned seats and an engine fueled by the user's magic, making trips smoother and faster than with oars. My father had discovered the new contraptions a few years back while visiting the Isles of Mannoth, where dwarves and gnomes regularly invented interesting devices. They were experimental and expensive, though, so he only purchased a few. We hoped to acquire more at some point since we’d had few problems with them so far.
I guided the craft onto the waterway. “I thought I’d show you my grandmother’s garden patch.”
“Oh.” She brightened. “So, I don’t have to go to the meeting?”
“You are welcome if you’d prefer that,” I said, keeping my hand on the motor so my magic could continue feeding into it.
She made a disgusted face. “I think I’d rather throw myself at the creatures in these waters than be in that room.”
We passed the island where we kept most of the army’s horses.
It had numerous stables and exercise areas.
Guests could keep their mounts there as well if they wished, but we rarely allowed outsiders.
When we did, they were usually important enough for their horses to stay at the keep.
Most people in the city didn’t need them since we primarily traveled by boat, but each island with housing had its own stables for those who often left Darynia.
“I know you don’t want to hear this, Aella, but you will have to find a way to get along with my father and brother.” As much as I understood her animosity, considering our histories, it couldn’t be allowed to fester too long. “We need to work together if we hope to accomplish anything.”
Her shoulders sagged. “I know, but every time I look at them…”
I guided the boat toward the largest garden island in Darynia, aiming for the dock on the southeastern end.
There were quite a few portions assigned to individuals or groups.
Schoolchildren had a spot, the ladies' society had its own area, and the healers kept a section.
After that, various fae were allowed patches of land for free as long as they maintained them.
The largest area at the western end was the one my grandmother had used. She’d passed almost thirty years ago, but no one had been ambitious enough to take it over since then.
“You can’t avoid my family forever,” I said, tying off the boat before helping her out of it. Aella wasn’t used to being on water yet, so she had difficulty balancing, especially on a craft this small.
After stepping safely onto the dock, she turned to me with an earnest expression. “I know, Dare. Just give me a little time to settle here, and I promise I’ll find a way to deal with them that doesn’t end in murder.”
I put a hand on her lower back to urge her along.
The meeting would start soon, but I wanted time to give her a proper tour.
“I would greatly appreciate it if you avoided killing any of my family. Perhaps add maiming, skewering, and sending them flying into the waterways to the list of things you shouldn’t do. ”
“It could take months, if not years, for me to reach that level of restraint,” she said in a serious tone, though there was a sparkle in her green eyes.
We ambled past the various garden plots.
Some contained an assortment of flowers, while others featured herbs, and many had specialty plants that grew rare fruits and vegetables.
Aella paused several times to admire the flora and to tell me all about them.
Seeing her finally let out a genuine smile since our arrival pleased me.
I gestured toward a stone archway covered in dead vines. “That is the place up ahead.”
“Oh, dear nameless ones. You weren’t exaggerating when you said no one had tended it in a long time,” she said as I unlocked the gate for her. It creaked as it opened, so I made a mental note to have it oiled.
A black metal, spear-top fence marked the border of the garden plot, standing about four feet high with ugly weeds surrounding it.
Since this area sat at the edge of the island, my grandmother chose to line most of the beachside end with tall trees and thick bushes for privacy, leaving only one gate at that end for when she wished to reach the water.
“This is at least several times larger than my plot at the castle.” Aella’s eyes were wide as she took in the space. “I can already see how I can make it work and add plants I couldn’t before.”
She came to a fork in the path and put her hands on her hips as if she couldn’t decide which way to go.
I didn’t bother to tell her there were many hidden gems within the wild growth surrounding us, such as bird baths, a small fountain, and a quaint fishpond in desperate need of a cleaning.
Letting her explore and find those things for herself would be better.
“I’m glad you like it,” I said, relieved to see her excitement.
She dashed back and put her arms around me, squeezing my body tight. Then, to my surprise, she kissed me. It wasn’t a quick peck, either. My wife put every ounce of herself into rewarding me with the type of passion I usually had to wrench out of her with my tongue and hands.
After she had me fully hard and considering my father’s fury if I skipped the meeting, she finally pulled back. “This is perfect. Thank you.”
“Kiss me like that again, and I’ll give you the whole damned island,” I vowed.
Aella laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. Even I can’t handle tending that much land.”
“You’re beautiful,” I told her, meaning it. The glow on her face was utterly enchanting.
She stiffened and looked away. “Please, Dare, don’t do that.”
I clenched my fists, wishing she weren’t so determined to keep me at arm’s length. Even the simplest comment could put her on the defensive. I made myself change the subject, honoring her wishes no matter how difficult it was. “I assume you would like to work in here for a while today?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding.
“There is a shed over there.” I pointed to the small, white stone building off to the far right. “It has some basic tools in there you can use until you reclaim your own.”
She glanced at it before meeting my gaze. “When will I be able to go back and retrieve my plants and other things?”
“Take some time to prepare the areas where you want them.” It was going to take a lot of work, given the extensive dead vegetation and the invasive flora that had taken over some sections.
“We’ll get a group together once you’re ready to go to Therress.
It’s too dangerous to travel there without an appropriate escort, as you did a few days ago. ”
She had informed me of her recent visit with Jax and the weird chicken. I’d wanted to be upset with her for not waiting until I recovered, but the imagery she’d painted of the wild bird made it difficult to admonish her while unable to contain my laughter. The plan had worked, after all.
“Okay,” she agreed.
One other thought occurred to me. “Also, I might consider setting up a temporary portal here in the spring, so you can save time whenever you wish to go find new plants for your garden. I’d only ask that you tell me your plans and always take someone with you.”
“You trust me enough to put one here?” she asked, surprised.
“Yes. You’ve never intentionally done anything to lose my trust.” How I wished I could pull her into my arms without her thinking it was too intimate outside of sex. “And I hope someday you’ll feel the same about me.”
“I hope so, too,” she admitted, then cast her gaze away.
“I’ll return shortly before dinnertime so you can wash and change beforehand,” I said, ready to escape to war planning.
“Wait, Dare?” she said, taking one step toward me before stopping herself.
I stilled. “Yes.”
“Thank you for this. I couldn’t ask for a better place for my plants and to grow new ones. I’m sure they’ll be happy here.”
Only my wife could be that pleased with a gift that would require considerable hard labor. “You can show your gratitude by reminding your flora often about who gifted them this place. Perhaps encourage them not to attack me.”
Her lips twitched. “I can do that.”
“See you in a few hours.”
I walked briskly toward the gate, not looking back. Aella needed to create a safe space for herself before she could become comfortable living in Veronna. I could only hope this new garden would give her that.