An impossibility.
But their joy quickly faded into distress. Neither of them had truly expected the healing waters to work, and now that it had, Rawn realized the birth of their child threatened the future of the throne.
The first matter was to extend their holiday by hiding away in their estate, for fear of what the king would do. After a month of giving excuses to circumvent his summons, Rawn had no choice but to bring a bottle of the healing waters to Leif and confess.
He was right, of course.
Lief was furious that they kept this from him.
It was only the fact that they had found the answer to undo his own curse that pardoned Rawn. By his command, they were to remain in Sellav and keep Aerina’s pregnancy a secret. Their child wouldn’t be acknowledged until the Queen herself had given birth first.
Rawn couldn’t have hoped for anything better.
They found peace in their corner of Greenwood. Aerina was a glowing light of happiness as her belly grew.
“What shall be our child’s name?” she asked one night in bed. “It must be a great name and one of meaning. So they will always know what they mean to us.”
“I think you’re right.” He laid a hand on her perfectly round stomach and laughed at the little kicks against his palm.
She smiled. “Do you have one in mind?”
“I will ponder on it.”
The sun was low on the horizon of red blooms when Rawn’s son came into the world. Pink and screaming, with a tuft of blond hair and his mother’s eyes. He was a fussy little thing, but Rawn had never seen anything more perfect.
“I’ll take him now,” he said softly when Aerina finished feeding him. “Rest.”
“Oh, darling, the nursemaid can take him to the nursery,” she said sleepily.
“Absolutely not. I’m here. He has no need of a nursery. This little one is staying with me.” Rawn kissed her forehead and tucked her in before slipping outside onto the terrace. “Best we let your mother sleep, yes?” he murmured as he swayed their newborn in his arms. Rawn could only gaze at him in wonder, at his little miracle.
It seemed at last their wish had come true.
But Rawn only held his son for one day before the royal messenger came galloping up the road with a cryptic message.
The desert searches for an eye,
and the forest lacks a fang.
Return to the castle at once.
It could only mean Red Highland had brewed a new scheme. Rawn had been a soldier most of his life, but at that moment, he abhorred it. His wife had given birth. He wanted to be home with his family, not on another mission for the crown.
But it wasn’t as if there was another choice. He couldn’t defy a royal command. Perhaps it was more punishment, for King Leif had yet to forgive him. Or perhaps it was retaliation, for the Queen had not yet fallen with child.
When he told Aerina the news that night, she wept as she held their newborn close. “It’s not fair…” she told him. “I gained a son, but he may lose his father. If anything happened to you, I could not bear it.”
Rawn curled with her on the bed, holding his family tight. “I have thought of a name,” he said.
“Tell me.”
He did.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “It’s perfect.”
The day he had married the love of his life, Rawn had sworn to do whatever necessary to repay the gift he had been given. Even if the cost was the remainder of his life in service. So at dawn the next day, he left home for his mission.
If only he knew he would never keep what he had paid for.
