«I don’t think so», Alyce replied. «She’s had a very hard birthday. Just be very gentle».
As she nodded encouragement, Alaric reached out a tentative finger to stroke the baby’s downy head.
«She’s got soft hair», he said, grinning.
«She has hair just like you had, when you were a wee baby», Alyce replied.
«Can I hold her?» came the next question.
«Well…» Alyce began.
«Oh, I think we can arrange that», Kenneth said, glancing at Alyce’s maid as he helped the boy down to the floor. «Melissa, could you bring some pillows over here?» he asked, pulling a heavy chair with arms closer to the bed.
Lifting Alaric up to sit on it, he then arranged several pillows on his lap. The boy craned his neck to watch as his father gathered up the swaddled infant and brought her over to the chair, carefully setting her in her big brother’s arms, resting on the pillows, and knelt down beside them.
«Papa, she’s so little», the boy breathed, his eyes wide as he glanced up at his father. As he gently touched one of the little hands, the baby’s fingers closed around one of his, producing an excited grin.
«I think she likes me!» he whispered.
«She’s your sister», Kenneth replied, smiling. «And because you’re the big brother, you must always take care of her, and keep her safe».
«I will, Papa, I will!» Alaric said. «When will she get bigger?»
«Every day», Kenneth answered. «And you must help Mama and Melissa take care of her, so that she’ll grow strong and healthy. You’ll do that won’t you?»
The boy’s grinning nod left no doubt that he was more than willing to assume his fraternal responsibilities.
Two more days Kenneth remained at Morganhall, before making a quick trip to Rhemuth to check on the king and report the birth. Though he returned in time to celebrate Bronwyn’s first Christmas, he found his wife less recovered from her confinement than he had hoped.
«I’m fine», she insisted, as she met him in the hall, though her color was poor, and she had engaged a wet nurse from the village.
«Is she fine?» Kenneth asked his sisters later in the afternoon, when Alyce had retired for a nap.
Delphine, solid and dependable and slightly older than he, drew him closer to the fire, where Claara was playing with one of her grandchildren. Vera had stayed to read in the chamber where Alyce slept, and Llion had taken Alaric and Duncan outside for a run-around in the garden with Alaric’s hound-puppy.
«I don’t know», Delphine said in a low voice, drawing Kenneth to a seat a little apart from her sister. «Claara says it is nothing, but I am frankly worried. I fear it may be the milk fever, though she denies she has any of the symptoms. She did lose a lot of blood. She does not rest enough. She pushes herself too fast, but she is determined that she must be strong enough to travel to the coronation. Can you not make her see some sense?»
Kenneth sighed, leaning his forearms on his thighs to interlace his fingers.
«She can be a very stubborn woman, Delphine», he said. «And seeing the new king crowned is very important to her». And to him, he added in his own mind. «But there is time yet».
But time was running out for Alyce de Corwyn Morgan. She had been feverish for the first Mass of Christmas, which she insisted on attending, and was worse the following day. She spent most of St. Stephen’s Day in bed even as she directed the packing of her gowns for the trip to Rhemuth and the coronation. By Childermas, two days later, even she was forced to admit that her illness was serious. And Kenneth, himself poised to head back to the capital, was torn between loyalty to his new young king and devotion to his wife.
«You will not be able to go with me to the coronation», he told her sternly, when Claara had gone out of the sickroom to fetch clean compresses. «You must rest, regain your strength».
«But Prince Brion needs me», she whispered desperately, clinging to his hand.
«No, your children need you!» came Kenneth’s retort. «I need you!»
«He needs his powers awakened», she choked out, tears streaming down her face. «Without them, he is likely to perish the first time some Torenthi interloper faces him down in a magical challenge. What if that Torenthi prince and princess show up at his crowning?»
«Darling, they won’t», he began.
«No, listen to me! Alaric was to have been the instrument of that awakening, but he is too young by many years. Donal knew that. It means that I must do it, though it cost me my life».
«No! That is too high a price to pay!» Kenneth blurted, seizing her hand and pressing it to his lips.
«It is the price I agreed to pay», Alyce countered. «Kenneth, I gave my word!»
«But you are ill», he protested. «It can wait until you are well. Surely he will be safe at his own coronation. He will be surrounded by guards».
«Would he be safe from someone like me?» she demanded, flaring her shields around her head in an emerald aura; and then, at his tight-lipped resistance, raising her free hand in a fist that opened to release a column of green flame that gushed briefly upward, so powerful that it left a scorch-mark on the ceiling.
He flinched from it, turning his face away until it had subsided, then dared to look at her again.
«I do not know», he admitted. «But there has been no challenge by Deryni in many years. Surely he can be protected for another week or two, until you are well».
«Then, perhaps you could bring him to me», she said quietly, exhausted by her exertion. «It would ease my mind. If I need not expend the energy to go to him, perhaps I can marshal it to do what must be done here».
«No», Kenneth said flatly. «I will not leave you. And he would not come merely on my written word. Not so close to his coronation. He is of age, Alyce, but he is still a boy; and I left him in the care of Duke Richard and the crown council. They would not let him come».
«Then I must go to him as planned», she said, «and pray that God will give me the strength to carry out what I have promised».
Kenneth summoned up a deep sigh, shaking his head, but it was more in resignation than any further attempt at fruitless resistance. If anyone knew the cost of duty, it was he.
«Very well. I shall go. I cannot fight you indefinitely».
«Thank you», she mouthed, drawing his hand nearer to kiss it. «I promise that I shall rest while you are gone».
«See that you do!» he said sternly, though he managed a faint smile as he bent to kiss her burning forehead.
Kenneth rode out alone within the hour and returned with the following dawn — and with the king posing as his squire. The early morning light stained the snow with rose as the pair passed through the gates of Morganhall, giving lie to the somber atmosphere within the manor walls.
Delphine and Vera met them just inside the door, both of them grey with fatigue and pinched with worry. Delphine did not speak as Kenneth embraced her, and Vera choked back a sob. Neither seemed to notice the crimson-clad squire standing quietly at Kenneth’s back, face averted.
«How is she?» he murmured, drawing back to search their eyes.
Grim-lipped, Delphine shook her head. «Not good, brother. She is very weak, and her fever has not abated. I called the priest shortly after you left — just in case. She was lucid while she received the Sacrament, but now she is drifting. I think you should prepare yourself for the worst».
«No!» he said firmly, though he kept his voice down. «I cannot accept that! We’ll think of something — we must! I’ll go to her now».
He started forward, Brion starting to follow like the dutiful squire he pretended to be, but Delphine put out an arm to stop him.
«You won’t be needed in my lady’s chamber, sir squire», she said somewhat imperiously. «The kitchen lies down a level, through that arch. Go warm yourself by the fire, and ask Cook to give you something to eat».
«No, I need him with me», Kenneth retorted, reaching back to seize Brion’s shoulder and urge him along, before the king could think of a suitable response that would also preserve his anonymity. «He has a message from the king, which hopefully will cheer my dear wife».