“Highness,” the old man said with a low bow. “I’m the Speaker Gan…contact has been requested from Manse.”
Gwaynn blinked and his heart jumped into his throat, but he nodded for the Speaker to continue. He glanced back at Vio, whose dark eyes were huge and appeared almost luminous in the half light of the hall. Her legs were pulled up, the gown stretched tight over her knees, but as he watched she unfurled and walked to his side.
Moments later the hazy form of a Speaker bubble appeared before the old man.
“King Gwaynn,” said a voice they both recognized as Zarina Monde’s.
“I’m…I’m here,” Gwaynn said, his voice cracking. Vio slipped her hand into his and squeezed. Gwaynn squeezed back…hard.
“Gwaynn,” another voice said from the bubble, but it was not Monde’s nor was it Samantha’s, instead it was Knote’s…Doctor Knote’s, but spelled with a “K.”
Gwaynn chuckled nervously but then the import of the situation hit him.
“Samantha!” Gwaynn said and Vio’s mind echoed his thoughts and suddenly wondered what would happen if the High Queen died in childbirth. It was a terrible thought, but for Vio it held its own wonder, but then…
“She’s fine,” Knote said. “She had a rough time but she’s resting now and doing well.”
Gwaynn suddenly began to breathe again. He could not remember being so paralyzed with fear…even long ago on the scaffold, the fear was not so intense, not so debilitating.
“And the baby?” he asked, silently cursing the old woman for not getting on with the news.
“They’re doing fine,” Knote replied and she sounded very pleased.
“They?” Gwaynn said and his legs began to shake.
“Twins!” Monde shouted in excitement. “A boy and a girl…you’re a father Gwaynn!”
Gwaynn squeezed Vio’s hand again and he turned to her and smiled, tears welling in his eyes, then he pulled his hand away and began to weave them about in front of him in a strange hypnotic motion. Vio instantly knew what he was doing and moved close to him, close enough to feel the heat that emanated from his body. He was not leaving without her. She watched silently, and he worked for a long time before finally the bridge sprang to life with little warning. Vio saw Monde through the bridge smiling happily across the vast distance which separated them. Vio grabbed Gwaynn’s right hand as it stopped its dance and together they stepped through and back into Manse.
“Amazing!” Monde said. “Well done…very well done. Few can cover such a distance.”
Monde turned and snapped her fingers at someone as the two moved deeper in the dark courtyard of the eastern bailey. Monde stepped forward as the bridge collapsed and Gwaynn sagged against Vio, dimly aware of her soft, firm body as he pressed against it.
“I’m hungry again,” he whispered in her ear and when he pulled back she could see the joy in his eyes.
“You’re married, so you probably should take your hand off my breast,” she whispered back and he jerked his hand away as if she were the goddess of flame herself. Vio laughed and Gwaynn soon joined her. Monde quickly approached with a plate of bread, meat and nuts and Gwaynn tore into it as Knote led the way inside the bailey.
Gwaynn ate continuously as they made their way inside, and in the much smaller hall lay Samantha, her hair still slick with sweat. Her eyes were closed and at first Gwaynn could not tell if she was truly alive, but as he neared her eyes opened and she smiled beautifully at him, radiating happiness.
“You missed it,” she said, her voice surprisingly strong and it was then that Gwaynn noticed the two small bundles propped into the crook of her arms. Poking from the blankets were two tiny faces, perfect in form, absolutely perfect.
“I’m sorry,” Gwaynn answered.
Samantha smiled again. “Knote claims they came fast,” she said. “You’ll have to take her word for it. I disagree.”
Gwaynn moved closer and kissed Samantha on the forehead. “How are you?”
“Tired,” she answered.
Then Gwaynn looked down at the nearest baby.
“Avigail,” Samantha said, “after the first High Queen.”
And though he was frightened, something compelled Gwaynn to reach out and lift the tiny bundle of blankets. It was so light he could hardly tell there was a small person inside. He held her out before him awkwardly, looking into her sleeping face. The baby remained perfectly still for a moment but then she wiggled and yawned and stretched her tiny arms above her head before immediately drawing them back in. Gwaynn moved her close to his body, staring at her while Samantha stared at him, and Vio stared enviously at the new mother.
‘This is love,’ Vio thought and felt suddenly dirty for having wanted it to end. ‘Something like this should never end,’ her mind amended then she realized Samantha was now looking at her.
“Would you mind? I can’t sleep with them so close…I keep waking, afraid I’ll roll over on one of them,” Samantha explained and nodded her head at the other baby.
Vio smiled broadly. She moved forward and plucked the sleeping baby from her side.
“Arnot,” Samantha whispered to Gwaynn, already closing her eyes, “after your father,” she added softly, shifting her position, already nearly asleep. Vio moved around the foot of the bed to stand beside Gwaynn. His eyes went from one little bundle to the other until finally Knote ushered them to the far side of the hall.
“I’m going to rest myself,” the doctor whispered. “Just place them in their basinets when you get tired,” she added and with Monde in tow they left, hoping to get at least a few hours of sleep.
Gwaynn pulled a sturdy wooden chair from beneath a nearby table and sat down. Vio did likewise and sat across the table from him, cooing softly and bouncing the baby boy she held in her arms. Her face was lit softly by the small fire that popped and crackled in the nearby fire pit.
“They’re beautiful,” Vio whispered and Gwaynn could only nod, suddenly very sad. She noticed his expression.
“What?” She asked, confused.
“Vio…” he began and then stopped for such a long time she was afraid he would not continue. “Vio, I’m going to have to kill a little one…one like her…and one yet unborn.”
Vio said nothing.
“If I don’t it will bring nothing but danger to my own,” Gwaynn explained. “While Aiden lives he will always be a rallying point for any unsatisfied with my rule, even if he does not grow to become a threat on his own. I toppled his father…took his throne. Peace will not come for my twins while he lives,” Gwaynn finished with almost a sob.
Vio didn’t know what to say; she knew he was right, ghastly as the thought was, especially while holding such an innocent and vulnerable being. It was hard to believe that either could ever be a danger to anyone.
“Perhaps there is another way,” she whispered back at him.
“What way?” He asked, but to that she had no answer.
ǂ
Gwaynn remained in Manse for nearly two weeks trying to avoid the need to return to the King’s Island even though nasty rumors were already reaching him, confirming his fears and reinforcing the dreadful decision he knew he had to make. Tar Kostek reported from Noble that Antioc was demanding the Tars reinstate the Mastoc line. He was Arsinol’s eldest son and the rightful ruler of Deutzani and if they felt Aiden was too young to rule the Inland Sea, well then he, as uncle, would take up the mantel and preside over the land as guardian to the throne until Aiden came of age.
Trouble was beginning already, much sooner than Gwaynn would have predicted and it would have to be resolved. But as the days past, Gwaynn continued to delay his return and might have done so indefinitely had not Tar Nev contacted Monde one morning.