Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey [78]
In the coastal city-state of Giano, they'd found a small fleet of D'Angeline merchant-ships. As it transpired, Eamonn's father, the Royal Admiral Quintilius Rousse, had received the letter his son had entrusted to my keeping, which I had left with the Lady of Marsilikos late last autumn. Although he was an absent father, Quintilius Rousse was a proud one, too. He'd spread word far and wide in the D'Angeline seafaring community that anyone spotting his errant, half-Eiran son was to give all aid possible. Eamonn and Brigitta had sailed aboard a merchant ship to the mouth of the Aviline River, travelling by barge inland to the City of Elua.
"And here we are!" Eamonn concluded, spreading his arms.
I shook my head. "Oh, Prince Barbarus. I wish I'd gone with you.”
He grinned at me. "Well, we might have beaten those damned brigands if you had, Imri. But I'm not sure Hallgrim would have been so accommodating. And besides, you would have missed your own wedding.”
I couldn't tell him that I wished I had, not with Dorelei at my side. And of a surety, I couldn't tell him what had befallen me betwixt my return and my marriage. That would have to wait.
"I've missed you," I said softly.
Eamonn laughed. "Oh, I daresay you've kept busy without me." He winked at Dorelei. "At least I hope so.”
She smiled politely, not understanding. This time, I didn't translate.
Eamonn noticed that, too.
Several days passed before I had the chance to speak with Eamonn in complete privacy. They had truly arrived in the City of Elua with little more than the clothing on their backs, and while they were anxious to continue on to Alba, there was a good deal to be done if they weren't to travel as beggars. Ysandre was gracious in the matter of hospitality and insisted that they allow the Palace couturiers to provide new attire. I made him a gift of monies from my own accounts, which Eamonn accepted reluctantly after I convinced him it was a belated token of congratulations on his nuptials.
For the most part, he and Brigitta were inseparable. I knew she was uneasy in Terre d'Ange, and in truth, I didn't blame her for it. There were a good many people at Court who made it clear they didn't relish hearing a Skaldic accent in the Palace halls.
Eamonn, who had never particularly cared for the D'Angeline Court, did his best to insulate Brigitta with his constant presence, offsetting her scowls with his sunny good nature, much to the perplexity of everyone who encountered them.
"What a peculiar pair they are!" Dorelei mused when we were alone together. "And yet they seem to dote on one another.”
"Prince Barbarus and his shield-maiden," I said. "That's what Lucius used to call them.”
"His mother was a doughty warrior in her youth," she said. "You know, I wish I could talk to her.”
"The Lady Grainne?”
Dorelei shook her head. "Brigitta. It must be a frightening thing to be almost alone in the world so far from home. I understand a little bit. Although at least…" She didn't finish her thought. "Alais is right. It is very romantic.”
"Alais wanted to marry Eamonn when she was thirteen," I informed her.
"She did?" Dorelei smiled. "What a picture! I can see why, though.”
I'd met few women able to resist Eamonn's charm. Well, except mayhap Sidonie. She's a right bitch, Eamonn had said of her after their first meeting. I'd asked her, once, why she didn't like him. She'd given me a perplexed look. I do like him, Imriel. He's just so infernally loud! It was unkind and true, and it had made me laugh.
Elua, but I missed her.
"You know," I said to my wife. "When you told me about your dream, the next morning I thought of Eamonn. I thought mayhap that's what it was about.”
"The snowstorm?”
"Mm-hmm.”
"No." Dorelei was silent a moment. "No, I don't think so.”
"I suppose not, since he's here now." I ran a few strands of her hair through my fingers, fine and straight and black, wishing it were otherwise.