And making my Yuletide wish come true.
Chapter 20
Twelfth Night Wedding
Cardin made a slow but steady recovery over the next few days leading up to the Yuletide festivities. His appetite increased, his color returned, and he was able to rise from the bed and walk to the alcove near the castle kitchen to share meals with his family.
With Vill on the nearby floor in front of the hearth, Ulla continued sleeping in the cot near Cardin’s bed, changing his bandages and applying healing ointments as he regained his strength. “Let’s go to your cottage,” he’d said gruffly this morning, taking her hand and placing it against his hardened length. “I’ve recovered enough…”
“Soon, my love.” She’d withdrawn her hand and kissed him softly. “Very soon.”
Love, lust, and longing had danced deliciously in his dark green eyes.
Ulla had brought Lukaz to the castle stables for his equestrian training with Lord Quentin, Grandfather Esclados, and Uncle Gaultier. Now that Bastien and his sons Gunnar and Haldar had arrived atle Château de Landuc, the three of them had joined the riding lessons as well. “That’s my Friesian, Kol,” Lukaz had said proudly to his cousins as the boys watched the stable hand Argant brush the colt’s shiny black coat. “He’ll be ready to ride in three years. He’ll hunt with me and my falcon Rask.” Eyes widening in surprise as a sudden thought had occurred to him, he’d looked hopefully and expectantly up at Ulla. “Maybe Lord Chauvin could give Gunnar and Haldar each a peregrine, too. We could give them Viking names, like Rask and Finn.” Nearly breathless with excitement, he’d suggested to his older cousins—who were obviously keen on Lukaz’ brilliant idea—“Then we could all hunt together with our falcons in Finistère!”
“An excellent suggestion for a Yuletide gift,” Bastien had remarked with a broad grin, resting his hand on Lukaz’ shoulder as he eyed his exuberant sons. “Let’s pay a visit to the Master of the Mews and have a look at his raptors.”
As the three boys whooped with joy and departed with a jubilant, energetic Vill, Ulla smiled gratefully and returned to Cardin inside the castle.
****
The day before Christmas, as she had promised, Ulla and Lukaz—riding with Gaultier, Bastien, and several knights of Landuc and, of course, Vill bounding alongside—led the Archdruid Odin to the majestic oak in the heart of the forest where the two of them had found the enormous clump of mistletoe while hunting in the woods. Odin and his tribe of Druids distributed a sprig ofle gui—sacred plant of the Celtic people—to the castleand to every household in the surrounding village. A cluster of mistletoe with fragrant white blossoms now hung in the doorway ofle Château de Landuc,symbolizing the protection and blessing of the Goddess Dana and the beloved Forest of Brocéliande for the upcoming new year.
On Christmas Eve, with Gaultier’s assistance, Cardin climbed the stairs with Ulla to join the entire family, King Guillemin, and Xabi in the private solar ofle Château de Landucfor a sumptuous feast. They savored several courses, including a creamy chestnut soup,velouté de châtaignes, followed by fresh oysters, lobster, baked trout, roast boar, steamed vegetables, and Lukaz’ favorite dessert—candied chestnuts calledmarrons glacés.
When the meal concluded, Ullastrummed her harp and sang her heart out, regaling the entire castle with a hauntingly beautiful melody, the same Celtic Yuletide Carol that had brought Cardin back from the darkness of death’s doorstep and into the light of her healing love.
Christmas morning, before they joined the family in the private solar to exchange Yuletide gifts, Ulla changed Cardin’s bandage and helped him don a clean woolen tunic. Pulse pounding in her temples, her mouth suddenly parched, she took his hand and raised it to her trembling lips. “I have a special gift for you,” she whispered, resting his hand on her lower stomach. “I carry your babe. Our child will be born in late summer.”
Panic warred with elation in his anguished eyes.
He’s terrified because Charlotte died in childbirth. I have to reassure him.
“I’ve already given birth to a healthy son.” Tears flowed as fond memories of her beautiful little boy Fjall filled her heart. “I’m young, healthy, and strong.” She rose to her feet, taking his hands and running them up and down each side of her rounded bottom. “My ample hips are plenty wide enough…” she murmured, bending down to kiss him softly with a sensuous, seductive smile, “…to bear you several children.” Ulla brushed a lock of hair from his furrowed brow. “Your mother will be my midwife. You’ll see, my love. Everything will be fine.” She grasped his hands and pulled him to his feet. “Come, let’s join the others and give Lukaz his gift.”
“Wait,” Cardin said, crossing the room to retrieve a small package from a drawer in the walnut sideboard. He handed it to her with a shy smile. “I have a gift for you, too.”
She untied the red velvet ribbon, unwrapped the gold-colored cloth, and opened the small wooden box. Her breath caught in her throat.
From a delicate golden chain, a pear-shaped, faceted ruby glittered in the morning sun.
“Before Xabi arrived from Biarritz, I had the castle jeweler craft it to match your wedding ring.” He carefully lifted the necklace from the box and walked around behind Ulla. Pushing her long black curls aside to tumble over her shoulder, he fastened the pendant around her throat and kissed the nape of her neck. From a corner table, he fetched a mirror and held it up for her to see. “I thought you could wear it with your wedding gown. The ruby is red like your dress.”
The deep scarlet gem was dazzling. As it lay against her skin, Ulla admired the exquisite jewel, caressing it with reverent fingertips. “It’s perfect for my red velvet gown. I absolutely love it!” She rushed forward, threw her arms around Cardin’s neck, and showered his smiling, bristled face with fervent, grateful kisses.
His hearty chuckle evolved into a guttural moan as he devoured her lips with his own. Parting them with the tip of his tongue, he delved deep, his ravenous hunger evident in the insistent hardness pressing against her belly.
Ulla withdrew from his intoxicating embrace, stepping back to catch her breath and adjust her kirtle. She exhaled slowly to compose herself before taking hold of Cardin’s calloused hand and, with a whistle for Vill to follow, leading her betrothed out the bedroom door.
****
A blazing fire crackled in the enormous stone hearth. Through the elegant ogival windows of the eastern wall, morning sunlight filtered into the festively decorated room. Evergreen boughs entwined with holly, ivy, and berries adorned the elaborately carved wooden mantel above the enormous fireplace. The scintillating spice of cinnamon and cloves mingled with the tangy scent of citrus and the heady, earthy scent of mulled wine as Ulla, Cardin, and Vill entered the room.
She gestured for her wolf to lie by the door.
Upon an informal throne—an ornately carved gilded chair—a majestic King Guillemin, resplendent in a deep blue velvet cloak lined with ermine, sat between his royal hosts, Esclados and Laudine. Near the western wall, Gabrielle and Bastien were seated on a carved oak settee, their infant daughter Ylva in a nearby cradle, their three sons gathered on the floor. Gaultier and Xabi sat beneath the sunlit windows with a beaming Lukaz on his uncle’s left, inside the entrance door. When he spotted Cardin and Ulla enter the solar, he proudly patted the settee he’d reserved for them to sit at his side.
While Jehan served the adult guests goblets of spicy mulled wine, Maëlys delighted the excited children with platters of sweetmeats and pastries as they impatiently waited their turn to open the Yuletide gifts.
