«Please take her back to her cot, dear Melissa, and bless you, for your love. Care for her when I am gone».
Silently weeping, Melissa ducked her head in agreement and came to gather the infant into her arms, then ducked to kiss Alyce’s free hand before turning to flee the room. Young Alaric watched her go, confusion in the grey eyes, then turned back to his mother in concern.
«Mama, why is Melissa so sad?» he asked.
Alyce briefly closed her eyes, tears brimming among her lashes, then took his hand in hers and drew him closer as Kenneth fought to hold back his own tears.
«She’s sad because I have to go away, my darling», she told him honestly. «I don’t want to go, but I must».
He cocked his head at her, a pout pushing at his rosy lips.
«Did the king say you have to go?» he demanded.
«No, no, darling. He would never do that. I wanted to help the king — and I have helped him, as best I can. I want you to promise me that you will help him, too — all the days of your life. Will you do that for me?»
Without hesitation, the boy lifted his chin and nodded bravely, tracing a cross on his chest with one small forefinger.
«Cross my heart an’ hope to die, Mama!»
«No, cross your heart and live, my love!» she corrected, gazing into his eyes and again making that soul-connection. «Grow up to be a wonderful, strong, courageous man like your papa! Now, come and give your mama a big hug and a kiss».
He crawled closer to fling himself down beside her with his arms around her neck and his face nestled against her shoulder, starting to cry. She held him close for several seconds, memorizing the feel and the smell of him for all eternity, then passed her hand across his brow and took him into trance.
Kenneth bowed his head, unable to watch — and incapable of comprehending whatever it was that passed between mother and son as her life waned — but he looked up again as Alaric stirred, to sit up and then bend down to kiss her cheek a final time, his tears in check.
«I be good, Mummy», he whispered.
«I know you will, my darling, my Airleas», she murmured, blinking back her own tears. «Go with Papa now».
She closed her eyes then. It took all of Kenneth’s strength of will to lift their son down to the floor and lead him to the door, where Llion was waiting outside to take him back to his room.
«Is she —?» Llion began softly.
Kenneth shook his head. «Please take the boy back to bed now, Llion, and stay with him through the night. I’ll remain here until…»
With that, he ducked his head, unable to speak more of it, and put his son’s hand into the young knight’s larger one, firmly pressing the pair of them out into the corridor and closing the door behind them. Returning to his wife’s side, he retrieved the king’s silver bracelet and went to the fire to slip it back on the royal wrist, also tucking a fur-lined cloak around his sleeping sovereign. Brion’s own cloak had fallen open so that the Lion brooch was exposed, so he unpinned it and put it in the king’s hand, closing the slack fingers around it.
Then he returned to his wife’s side to keep vigil until the end, carefully lying down beside her to slide an arm beneath her shoulders and cradle her to his breast, lips pressed tenderly against her feverish temple. Sometime during what remained of the night, he drifted into sleep, and she, into eternity.
Chapter 24
«She hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day».[25]
Sir Kenneth Morgan awoke shortly before dawn to find his wife cold and still beside him. The last candle had guttered out and the fire had gone to smoldering ashes, providing only a faint glow against the chamber’s gloom.
He lay there until dawn began to stain the sky beyond the chamber’s arched window, holding her lifeless body close, gently stroking her golden hair, allowing himself the rare indulgence of tears. But as the house began to stir, he collected himself and gently rose, splashed water on his face, went briefly to his sisters’ rooms and to Vera’s, to inform them of her passing. On his way back, he summoned Melissa to begin doing what was needful for his wife’s body. After that, he roused the sleeping king to impromptu squiring duties, both of them retreating to his writing room, where Kenneth set about making arrangements for her funeral.
«I have several letters to write, and I need to get you back to Rhemuth as quickly as possible», Kenneth said, pulling out pen, ink, and parchment, all business now. «I’m thinking to send you back with Llion. I hate to take him away from Alaric at a time like this, but he’s the only one I can trust to be discreet about the fact that you’ve been here. Do you remember much of what went on last night?»
Brion shook his head as Kenneth sat down at his writing desk and set pen to parchment. «Very little. And when we first arrived, I kept wondering when someone was going to recognize me».
«You are fortunate that, outside court, most people have little idea what you look like — yet — and most squires look greatly alike. That will change once you’re crowned, of course. Meanwhile, rejoice in your freedom».
«I had already noticed the difference, back at Rhemuth». Brion paused a beat before continuing, sinking down on a stool not far from Kenneth. «This is a terrible time to ask this, Sir Kenneth, but will you stay beside me, be my guide?»
«Always, my prince», Kenneth said softly, setting down his quill.
A while later, Sir Llion came with a servant bearing a breakfast tray, and with questions regarding the arrangements.
«Llion», Kenneth said, setting the tray aside and dismissing the servant. «Just the man I wanted to see. I’ll need you to accompany this squire back to Rhemuth with as little fuss as possible, and no questions asked».
Llion glanced at the «squire» in Haldane livery, then looked again more closely, his eyes widening.
«I am who you think I am», Brion said, smiling faintly as he stood a little straighter and shook hands with a dazed Sir Llion. «But Sir Kenneth says I may trust you. And I’d rather the rest of the household didn’t know I’ve been here. I needed to see Lady Alyce before she died, and it never would have happened if I’d had to go through formal channels. Will you keep my secret?»
«Of course, my Liege», Llion murmured. «Ah — aren’t you being crowned in less than a week?»
«All the more reason to get him back to Rhemuth», Kenneth answered, handing Llion a letter he had penned to Trevor, informing him of Alyce’s passing. «And can you find him something besides Haldane livery to wear? There will be heavy traffic on the roads to Rhemuth, as people begin arriving for the coronation, and I’d rather no one took too close a look at him».
«I get to wear a disguise?» Brion asked, a pleased twinkle in his eyes.
Llion snorted, unable to contain an answering smile. «Sire, you will be following a long tradition of kings who go among their people incognito». He glanced at Kenneth. «Will Morgan livery do, my lord? I should be able to locate something that will suit».
«My king, wearing my livery…» Kenneth rolled his eyes. «See to it, then. And Llion…»
«My lord?»
«Please tell Lady Vera and my sisters I’ll be down directly. And ask Father Swithun to attend me, if you will». He sighed. «We have sad duties to perform today. Sad duties for all of us».
Sir Llion left with the king within the hour. Kenneth, for his part, had the household assemble at noon in the hall, where the priest led them in prayers for their departed lady. Alaric was taken to play with Duncan, Kevin, and the steward’s son, who was a year older. Afterward, Kenneth announced that his wife’s requiem would be celebrated the following morning at the local church outside the manor walls, where she would be interred with generations of Morgan ancestors and wives. He did not add that later, when suitable arrangements could be made in Culdi, her body would be moved from Morganhall.