Later in the afternoon, the newlyweds emerged to stroll hand-in-hand in the convent garden, beginning talk of plans and dreams. Toward suppertime, others began to appear in the garden. Though most of the wedding guests had left, either the night before or first thing that morning, Zoë and Jiri Redfearn remained, along with Jovett Chandos. The five of them supped together that evening with Father Paschal and Mother Judiana, and spoke guardedly of the state of affairs concerning the bishops.
Alyce, who knew better than any of them just how far the bishop's wrath could extend — and with how little cause — kept largely silent, and lay shivering in Kenneth's arms later that night, until he kissed away her tears and turned her thoughts to more pleasant contemplations.
But their idyll of married bliss was not to last. The very next morning, not long after first light, Sir Jiri came knocking on their door with missives from the king recalling them all to Rhemuth.
«The king says there's been trouble up near Sostra. The county of that name belongs to Torenth, of course», Kenneth said, still skimming the king's letter, «but the town of Sostra is Corwyn's, as you know».
Both were aware that Duke Richard had been patrolling along the Torenthi border since mid-May, hoping his presence would discourage a repeat of the incursions into Corwyn two years before.
«It appears I'm to take up some of my regenting duties somewhat sooner than we expected», he went on. «Deinol Hartmann has asked for Jovett as well. We should leave as soon as possible».
They were gone within the hour, Jiri and Jovett in addition to Alyce, Kenneth, and Zoë, clattering into the yard at Rhemuth just past noon.
«Dreadfully sorry to drag you away from your bride, Kenneth», the king said, before briefing the three who would leave shortly for Sostra.
As he drew them toward the maps spread on the table in the summer council chamber, already starting to review details of the reports he had received from Richard, Seisyll Arilan watched silently from the other side of the room, and wondered why the king had lied.
Whatever the reason, Kenneth was away off-and-on for most of the summer and into the autumn, with periodic visits home to deliver dispatches and be reunited with his bride, but never for more than a few days, and never long enough to get her with child.
Jessamy, meanwhile, continued her observations regarding Alyce, recalling her own preparations for the conception of Krispin, and gradually narrowed down a series of optimal target dates.
But Jessamy's health was fast failing. Alyce and the royal physicians nursed her, but there was little they could do besides ease her pain. By October, she was all but bedridden, and early in November asked for Seisyll Arilan.
«I'm told you wished to see me», he said quietly, pulling a stool closer to her bed, at her gesture. Her maid had withdrawn, and they were quite alone.
«I am dying, Seisyll», she murmured. «It may not be today, or even next week, but it will be sooner rather than later».
«I had heard that», he replied. «I am very sorry».
«So am I». She turned her face to gaze at the canopy above the bed.
«Seisyll, we have not always agreed — you and I. I understand, though I do not accept, the reasons that others felt obliged to dictate the course of my life. I have never understood why there was so much antipathy toward my father, but I accept that perhaps there are things I was not meant to understand».
When he said nothing, only lowering his eyes, she went on.
«But you must believe me when I tell you that I have tried to act only in ways that would honor my blood and the love I have come to bear for the House of Haldane».
She paused to cough, and Seisyll watched her in compassion.
«I wish to speak to you of Krispin», she whispered, when she had caught her breath. «He is gone now, so the telling of his tale cannot hurt him, but because of… other things that are in progress, you have a need to know. Take my hand, Seisyll».
As he did so, she closed her eyes and pulled back her shields, inviting rapport… and gave him the full reckoning of Krispin's begetting, the death of Sief, the deceptions thereafter… and now, the plans in train for Alyce de Corwyn, to repeat the king's mission, that another Deryni heir of his body should be conceived to become the protector of Gwynedd's future kings…
Suddenly, so much makes sense», Seisyll told the Camberian Council a few nights later, after leaving Jessamy in a coma from which she was not likely to emerge. «Much we had surmised, but we had imputed malice where there was none. Krispin MacAthan was, in fact, Krispin Haldane — and Sief’s death was unfortunate, but Donal did not set out to kill him. Had Sief not guessed the truth of the boy's paternity — we all know how jealous he was — all might have proceeded according to plan».
«That still does not answer the question of how the king happened to come by his rather extraordinary ability», Michon said. «Nor does it explain why Donal seems never to have exercised that power since killing Sief».
«No, and Jessamy declined to enlighten me on either point», Seisyll replied. «I was grateful enough that she chose to share what she did — and on her deathbed, in all likelihood».
«Could you not have slipped past her shields, in her weakened condition?» Vivienne muttered.
«Dear Vivienne, there are some scruples that even I will not set aside», Seisyll replied. «The source of the king's power is not nearly so important as the fact that he has it — and that he desires to get another child who will share those powers».
«What?» Barrett gasped, as the others merely gaped at Seisyll in astonishment.
«Whether we like it or not», Seisyll went on, «the notion of a Deryni protector for the Haldane princes was a good one. The matter of Haldane paternity for such a protector is a separate issue, and disturbs us mostly because we did not think of it, I suspect — and because that Haldane bloodline is an unknown quantity, proven dangerous because of what Donal Haldane was able to do to one of us. Sief would not have been an easy conquest».
«Definitely true», Oisín said with a grimace.
«That said, you should know that the king intends to repeat the experiment».
«Well, certainly not with Jessamy», Barrett said mildly.
«Sadly, no», Seisyll agreed. «But the stage is already set for a replanting of Haldane seed».
«In what field?» Oisín muttered.
«Alyce de Corwyn!» Michon declared.
«She is the only appropriate Deryni to whom he has access», Seisyll replied. «None of Jessamy's daughters would do, for various reasons».
«That would certainly explain why her husband has been kept so often abroad since their wedding», Oisín said. «Will the king have had her yet?»
«Not yet, so far as I can tell», Seisyll replied. «I have the impression that he is proceeding with great caution, since the deed must be carried out without the lady's knowledge or consent: an additional factor that will be different from his coupling with Jessamy.
«That makes it likely that he may dare to try it only once, lest her suspicions be aroused — or Sir Kenneth's. Hence, the timing will be critical. And regarding Kenneth — if anything, the king is closer to him than he was to Sief. It will be a betrayal — but one that the king is willing to accept, in the service of a greater cause. And hopefully, Kenneth will never know».
«Sief also was meant not to know», Dominy pointed out.