Page 24 of Touched By Maen Llia
“I like you, Merlin—” Marcus began.
“I’m pleased to hear it,” Merlin replied crisply, as Lucan smothered a laugh and Bedivere smiled.
“And it would gladden my heart to serve you,” Marcus admitted. “But with the greatest of regret, I must refuse your offer. I serve King Arthur, and it is he who must release me.”
In the long silence which followed, Marcus could feel his heart knocking sickly against his chest. He couldhearthe beat in his temples, which throbbed.
“You were right,” Bedivere said lightly, to Merlin.
Merlin nodded.
Marcus let himself breathe a little easier. Merlin was not angry. Marcus picked up his reins. “If that is all, I will—”
“Where do you think you are going?” Merlin demanded.
“I…intended to return to the file, my lord.”
“And leave me without my best listener?” Merlin shook his head. “No, no, you are going to ride beside me, all the way back to Camelot, and listen to every damn word I chose to speak. If you can manage to look fascinated while you sleep on the back of your horse, you will further endear yourself to me.” He looked pleased. “Ten days!”
“It would be a damn sight fewer days if you didn’t melt at the touch of water,” Marcus said. His jaw slackened at his exhaustion-driven lack of judgement and he looked at Merlin, horrified.
Both Bedivere and Lucan laughed loudly and long, clutching their middles. Even Merlin smiled.
Marcus looked from Lucan to the other two, confused.
“I don’t melt at the touch of water,” Merlin said gently, with a touch of chagrin. “But I do grow seasick the moment I step onto the deck of a boat.”
*
Sunset.
Catrin let her hand brush the face of the Maen Llia as she passed it, then followed the shadow down the short slope to the river, just as she had done two days ago.
But the changes that had taken place in those two days made her first visit here seem as though it had happened to someone else, a long time ago.
She lifted the hem of her new gown. It was a pretty green colour the shade of new leaves in spring. It had been hastily stitched together by the fastest seamstresses in the weaving room and presented to her at the midday meal. Catrin carefully trod in her new, whole and clean boots down to the very edge of the river, close by where the shadow of the Maen Llia stretched out to kiss the water.
Only, it did not quite reach the river, just as it had not reached the river the day before yesterday at this time. Neither day had been midsummer. Yesterday had been the true midsummer and she had not been here to witness the touch of the Mael Llia upon the water.
Catrin looked down at her boots. She did not have the courage to remove them and bathe in the water, nor did she want to ruin her new gown by bending to drink the water, either.
She sighed.
Far behind her, the sound drifting over the crest of the hill where the Maen Llia sat, she heard male voices. Soft, kept low so they did not disturb her. That would be her guards.
She had guards now. How life had changed!
Then another shadow moved alongside that of the Maen Llia’s, drawing her gaze. Catrin turned to look at the big rock, to see who stood there.
Her hand came to her heart and pressed, for it was Marcus.
He moved down the slope toward her, walking fast, slipping every few steps, but staying on his feet with perfect balance. Then, just as it occurred to her that perhaps she should meet him halfway, he was there before her, breathing lightly despite the descent.
“You look…” Marcus shook his head. “It is you, completely. A different you, but entirely appropriate. I knew you would look every inch a queen.”
She gripped her hands together. “It has been a perfectly miserable day,” she said. And suddenly, the words poured from her—for Marcus preferred the truth, always, and stars!—how she needed to speak the truth. “Eira has been lecturing me all day. Every man in the palace and most of the townsfolk have arrived to give fealty…tome! And the ladies of the court won’t speak to me, unless I address them directly, and then they give the shortest answer possible.” She pointed past the stone. “I have guards, Marcus!”
“I spoke to them,” Marcus said.
