Erec realized now, from her stare, and from the way she was ignoring Alistair, that after all these years she had not changed one bit.
“My brother,” Dauphine said, stepping forward, embracing him, hugging him tight, refusing to let go.
Erec held her and felt her tears run down her face and onto his neck. Erec realized he’d missed his family dearly, despite all their quirks, and it was overwhelming to see them all back here in one place. In some ways, it felt as if he’d never left. It was an eerie feeling.
“My sister,” he said. “I’ve missed you dearly.”
She pulled back and looked at him.
“Not as much as I’ve missed you. Did you receive all my letters?”
“Every one,” Erec said.
Dauphine had written to him constantly throughout the years, falcon after falcon delivering him her scrolls. Erec had replied when he could, but he was not able to write as often or as much as she. Clearly he had never been far from her thoughts, and a part of him had always felt guilty at being so far away from her, almost as if he were abandoning a daughter.
“These islands have not been the same without you,” she said. “I’m sad that it took our father’s impending death to bring you back. Was not I being here enough?”
Erec felt a twinge of guilt at her words, and did not know how to reply.
“I’m sorry,” he finally said. “My duties compelled me elsewhere.”
Erec turned to Alistair, not wanting her to feel left out, hoping that Dauphine would be gracious to her, but fearing otherwise. His stomach clenched as he introduced them.
“Dauphine, may I introduce you to my bride-to-be, Alistair.”
Alistair smiled graciously, not territorial in the least, and held out a hand.
Dauphine looked at it as if a snake were being handed to her. She grimaced and turned to Erec, ignoring Alistair.
“And why do you not choose a bride from your amongst own people?” Dauphine asked. “Do you mean to have a stranger rule over us?”
Erec’s face darkened, and he felt mortified with embarrassment for Alistair.
“Dauphine,” he said firmly, “Alistair is my bride. I love her with all my heart. Please show her the respect that she is due. If you love me, you will love her.”
Dauphine turned and stared at Alistair coldly, as if looking at an awful creature that washed up on shore. Then she suddenly turned her back and walked away, strutting off into the cheering crowd.
Erec reddened, embarrassed. That was his sister, always caught up in a storm of emotion, mostly of her own making, and always unpredictable. It was amazing; despite all the years that had passed, nothing had changed.
Erec turned to Alistair, who seemed crestfallen.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “Please forgive her. She knows not what she does. It is not personal to you.”
Alistair nodded, lowering her eyes, but Erec could see that she was shaken by the reception. He felt terrible.
As he was about to console her further, the crowd parted and up stepped Erec’s mother. Erec was overcome to see her. It was like having a part of himself returned.
His mother held out both hands as she stepped forward, not going to embrace Erec first, but rather Alistair. That was his mother—always unpredictable, and always having impeccable timing. She always knew exactly what to do, and when. Erec was so relieved to see her, and delighted that she had given Alistair the honor of greeting her first.
“My daughter to be,” she said, holding out both hands and clasping Alistair’s warmly.
Alistair looked up at her with a surprised smile, as Erec’s mother hugged her, holding her tight, like a long-lost daughter. She pulled back and looked her up and down.
“Your beauty has been sung of, yet it does you no justice. For it is the most glorious thing I have ever seen. I am thrilled and delighted that Erec has chosen you for a wife. He has made many good choices in his life, but none better than this.”
Alistair beamed, her eyes glistening, and Erec could see how overwhelmed she was. His heart softened. His mother had managed, once again, to undo the perpetual damage that Dauphine had done.
“Thank you, my Queen,” Alistair said. “It is an honor to meet you. Any mother to Erec I shall love with all my heart.”
His mother smiled back.
“Soon, you shall be his wife, and you shall be Queen. You shall hold my title. And nothing shall make me happier.”
Erec’s mother turned to him, and she embraced him, hugging him tight.
“Mother,” he said, as she pulled back and wiped a tear from her eye. She looked so much older than when he’d left, the sight saddened him. He had been away so long, had missed so many great years of her life, and seeing her brought it all home. He saw all the new lines in her face, and he thought of his father.
“Your father awaits you,” she said, as if reading his mind. “He still lives. Yet not for much longer. He does not have much time. Come now.”
She took his hand, and she also took Alistair’s, and together, they walked through the cheering crowd, hurrying their way, as Erec braced himself, anxious to see his father in his dying moments. No matter what happened, he was home.
He was home .
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Gwendolyn rode in the wagon at the rear of her people, trekking west and south alongside the Canyon, as they had been all day, heading for the crossing. Gwen took comfort in knowing that, despite her people’s protest, soon they would be across the Canyon and that much closer to boarding the fleet of ships waiting to take them to the Upper Isles. Her heart tugged with a combination of remorse and urgency, knowing it was the right thing to do, yet still hating to do it.
Most of all, though, Gwen stirred with uneasiness as she looked out at her people, the thousands and thousands who had marched from King’s Court reluctantly, resentfully, all under the eyes of her watchful soldiers who bordered the people on every side and kept them marching along. It was like a controlled riot. Her people clearly did not want to go, and Gwen heard them grumbling louder at every turn. She didn’t know how much longer she could control them; it was like a storm waiting to break.
“Ruling is not always painless,” said a voice beside her.
Gwen looked over to see Kendrick riding up alongside her on his horse, proudly, nobly, Sandara, his new love, mounted on his horse behind him.
Gwen took comfort at seeing him. She smiled, tense.