He dropped his head into his hands and, for the first time since he had been a small child, he wept. His tears were for Annelise, and for his own folly in not appreciating the marvel of his wife when she was by hisside.
Long moments later, Rolfe thought he felt the brush of fingertips on his shoulder. The fleeting touch was so light that he might have imagined it. He did not lift his head, for if the djinn was back, he did not want to know. “Leave me,” he muttered, but the weight of that hand landed upon hisshoulder.
“It is not so bad a wound as that,” Annelise whispered, and Rolfe could not believe his ears. “See? The blood runs clearly. You have bound it but I think it needs a stitch or two. Shed your tunic and chemise, and let me see what can bedone.”
“Annelise!” Rolfe rose to his feet and seized her hands in his own, unable to believe that she stood beforehim.
She smiled at him and touched her fingertips to his cheek. “You are not cursed anylonger.”
“No! And you, my beloved lady wife, are not dead.” With relief, Rolfe scooped Annelise into his arms, holding her so tightly that there could be no doubt that she was real. He bent and captured her lips beneath his own, then kissed her with all hislove.
Annelise kissed him back. Her arms wound around his neck and she pressed herself against him with a sweetness he had feared never to savoragain.
When he lifted his head, she met his gaze. “You thought medead?”
“The djinn said you had asked to become that stag.” Rolfe’s heart leaped as he relived his fears. “I saw the hounds give chase! I saw them close in for thekill.”
“The djinn came,” Annelise said, shaking her head in wonder. “Azima. She said that a good deed should not go unpunished and snatched me away. All I saw was a rosy gold sparkle after I heard her voice, then I was alone in the snow.” She frowned. “I thought I was where the palace used to be so I came here in search of you.” She reached up and framed his face in her hands, her eyes filled with fear. “I feared Enguerrand had killed you, until I foundhim.”
“Surely he is dead,” Rolfe said, fearing it might beotherwise.
Annelise nodded. “There were wolves...” She shuddered. “His men were trying to force them away.” She grimaced. “But when I saw that he was lost—not a wolf with one blue eye and one silver-gray—I dared to hope that you had survived. I ranhere.”
“And I came here in search of you.” He kissed her again, still marveling that she was with him and safe. “The djinn told me what you had done.” He cupped her face in his hands, his fingertips tracing a scratch on her cheek. He stared down into her eyes, so filled with promise and love, and ached at how close he had come to losing her. “But why would you put yourself in such danger? You should never have taken such arisk....”
Annelise smiled. “Why did you try to lead the hunters away from me,then?”
The answer was so obvious that Rolfe was surprised she needed to hear the words. “Because I had to see you safe.” He cleared his throat and held her gaze. “Because I love you, and your survival is of greater import thanmine.”
She flushed even as her eyes sparkled with pleasure. “I am glad,” she whispered. “For I love you so, Rolfe de Viandin.” After he kissed her again, she sighed with contentment. “It seems that I wed for love afterall.”
Rolfe stared down at Annelise in horror as he realized the truth of their situation. “Annelise,” he whispered. “The palace is gone. My gift for Adalbert is gone. I am still a younger son, still landless, still without the right to wed. I am beholden to my older brother for all I have and might have.” He smiled at his wife. “In truth, I have little to offer you butmyself.”
“But that is all I want!” she declared. “There could be no other for me but you, Rolfe,” she continued. “I do not care where we live or what we eat or what manner of clothes we wear, as long as we are together.” She tapped one finger in the middle of his chest and Rolfe’s heart began to sing. “My home is wherever youare.”
“And mine is wherever you might be, my Annelise.” Rolfe smiled and pushed his fingers through her hair, which had loosed itself from her braid. “You will not blame me for wanting more for you,though.”
“A life with you is the only life I want,” she said with a ferocity that was familiar. “We could live in a hut in the forest and I would be content with you by myside.”
She was so solemn that Rolfe had to tease her a little. “So long as there are no djinns,” he said and shelaughed.
“Orwolves.”
Rolfe sobered. “Let us hope that Adalbert will be convinced to grant me some small holding to call my own. I could defend a town on hisborders.”
Annelise stretched to her toes and kissed him sweetly. “You can do any deed, sir, for you are a knight, a champion, and a man who has defeateddjinns.”
Rolfe crushed Annelise in his arms and kissedher.
He owed everything to the bold bride whom the Fates had brought to his palace gates. Rolfe vowed silently that he would spend the rest of his days and nights ensuring that Annelise was confident of hislove.
“Let us ride toward Beauvoir with all haste,” he suggested, even as the sky darkened. “The wolves may be sated for the moment and they will be less likely to attack a moving party.” He smiled at Annelise. “I would reach Viandin with allhaste.”
He was lifting Annelise to the palfrey’s saddle when he recalled Marcus’ tale. The dark decanter was said to make dreams come true. Was it possible that the djinn’s sorcery had another surprise instore?
* * *
It had become toocold to snow as their horses climbed the steep road to Beauvoir pass the next morning and the wind was biting. The horses were tired, but they seemed to sense that relief lay ahead. Annelise watched Rolfe covertly as they rode, afraid this might be the last time they rode together and atease.
