Darkwell - Douglas Niles [19]
"I will have to leave the kingdom in the capable hands of you both for a little while longer," he explained. "Tomorrow morning Robyn and I journey to Myrloch Vale. This devastation is caused by an evil cleric of great power, and we shall confront and destroy him."
"As you wish, sire." Randolph asked several more questions about the governance of the realm, while Pontswain sat quietly, a distant look upon his features. Shortly the two men departed, and Robyn and Tristan were left alone in the Great Hall.
"The whole vale devastated!" she whispered, horrified. "What manner of man is this!"
"A man who can be killed, by my sword or your spells. And he will be, I promise you!" He put his arms around her and she leaned into him, comforted by his confidence.
"Will you join me in our celebration tonight?" he asked. "We can do nothing more until the morning. We should enjoy our homecoming."
She forced a smile. "You're right. I have thought of little else than the Moonwell and the druids since our victory on Callidyrr. You deserve greater rewards than I have given you, and I'm sorry for that. Tonight we shall celebrate!"
"And tomorrow, I promise, we'll start for the vale." He looked at her somberly.
"Yes!" Robyn's voice grew more animated. "The scrolls that Grunnarch gave me… I've been looking them over. I think one of them offers a real hope, a chance to return the druids to their mortal forms!"
"You mean the statues? Bring them back to flesh?"
"Exactly! And with the druids of the isles gathered around, mustering all of our combined power, this foul cleric must certainly be defeated. Besides, this time we'll have your sword on our side."
"But tonight," Tristan interrupted, "we feast!"
He kissed her and she met his lips with the full force of her own embrace. For a minute, they relished the touch, the holding of each other.
"Tonight, as we celebrate -" Tristan began slowly, hesitantly – "may I announce to our people the naming of their queen? Will you be my wife?"
She smiled softly and kissed him again. He realized in surprise that her cheeks were wet. Then she pulled away to look him full in the face, and the love shining from her eyes brought a fiery warmth to his heart.
"I do want to marry you. And I shall, I hope – but I cannot make this promise now."
"But why not?"
"I can't make that commitment until we have rid the vale of its scourge. You see, I believe I am the only druid left now. I hope that, with the help of the goddess, we can free Genna and the others from their stone prisons, and then I can marry you. I will tell Genna that I cannot take her place as Great Druid.
"But if we do not succeed, then I shall be the only hope of the continuance of my order. Tristan, I love you, but that would be a calling I could not refuse."
"But could we not still marry? I'm certain I could help you with -"
She silenced him with a finger to his lips. "The Great Druid, and such I must then become, must be chaste. She cannot marry."
Tristan was silent, understanding her calling. The knowledge only fueled his determination to succeed. "I shall love you either way."
"And I you, my king!" This time their kiss was longer, lingering until the maids entered the hall to begin preparing for the feast.
"Perhaps we should bathe," he said with a smile, "and prepare for the feast."
They returned to their separate quarters, relishing the familiarity of their surroundings, and each of them dressed in linens unstained by travel for the first time in many weeks.
Pontswain had acquitted himself well in preparing for the celebration. In anticipation of the king's arrival, the lord had ordered pigs and a cow slaughtered, kegs of ale iced – Tristan, in defiance of local custom, enjoyed his beer cold – and a multitude of cakes and pies baked.
Tristan quickly found himself seated at the head of a huge banquet table in the Great Hall of Caer Corwell. Also at the table sat Daryth, Robyn, Pawldo, Pontswain, Friar Nolan, Captain Dansforth, Tavish, and Randolph. Robyn sat to his right, and at his left hand sat Grunnarch the Red. A score