Page 91 of Veil of Winter

“My precious Elyce,” she heard him whisper into her hair. “All is well now. I’m here.”

His voice was at once deep and masculine, gentle and soothing. She never wanted him to let her go.

She lifted her head and saw her father lying on the floor near her feet. Already he had a knot on his head the size of a goose egg. He wasn’t moving, and the guards kept pouring in until they blocked him from her view.

“Is he dead?” she rasped, gazing up into Sir Gerard’s eyes.

“I don’t think so. Are you hurt?”

“Only my throat.” She tried to talk normally, but her voice could only rasp.

The guards asked what they should do with her father. FatherJohannes instructed them to take him back to his bedchamber and lock him inside. As they picked him up to carry him out, she heard him moan.

“I don’t think I hit him hard enough to kill him, but it’s you I’m worried about. You hit your head on the floor.” He started feeling around on her head.

“Ow.”

“Forgive me. At least there’s no blood.”

The guards carried her father from the room and everyone left, closing the door and leaving them alone together.

“I can stand,” she said. “Will you help me?”

He stood and helped her to her feet.

“You saved me again.” She snuggled close to him. Her knees were weak, but at least they would hold her up.

“I’m so glad I got here when I did. A moment later and...” He squeezed her tighter, burying his face in her hair.

Now is the time. It was time to fully reject what her father and aunt had told her. Sir Gerard was not disgusted by her emotion. Her father had been wrong. Emotions were not evil. Perhaps they weren’t to be completely trusted without some wisdom, discernment, and rational thinking, but neither were they completely untrustworthy. After all, emotions could be a warning that something was wrong, such as when something made her angry or sorrowful or fearful. Emotions also made life more bearable, producing joy and love, which were fruits of the Spirit of a holy God.

“I love you, Sir Gerard. And I don’t want to hide my feelings any longer.”

Had she truly said that aloud? Her heart pounded. Shouldshe laugh and tell him she did not mean it? No. There was nothing to say, nothing to do but wait for his answer.

He pulled away just enough to look into her face. “And I love you. I have loved you for some time. I am sorry I didn’t say it sooner. I wasn’t sure if you loved me.”

Her heart soared. “Will you stay in Montciel... and help me?” She wanted to ask him if he would marry her, but she stopped just short.

“Of course I will. You need someone to keep you safe, obviously.”

“I need someone to love me.” That was what she wanted, what she had always wanted.

“I can do that too. But you will have to marry me. And I’m not sure how your people will feel about that.”

“I will marry you, and my people will love you as much as I do. Well, almost as much.”

She started to laugh, but he leaned down and kissed her, and suddenly her life felt like a dream. She didn’t want to think of the pain her father had caused her. She would have to deal with that later, would have to think of how her own father had tried to kill her. But for now, she was kissing the one she loved, the one who loved her.

Could it be that she was finally going to be loved?

***

Elyce’s coronation took place the very next day. Her first duty as queen was to exile her father from Montciel.

She sent him to live in the north with distant relatives, some lesser nobles in the kingdom of Norway. He was given a small sum of money, enough to buy food and secure lodging along the way, and the relatives would keep an eye on him and send regular reports to Queen Elyce.

Elyce longed to tell Ysabeau that she and Sir Gerard were getting married. Elyce missed her so much that she asked if she would like to come back to the castle, but Ysa sent word that she was content to stay with her family.