Blaze (24 page)
"Look." She pointed to the ground. Fear gripped her. "Blood."
Glenna drew her bow and arrow. "I don’t like this. I feel like we’re being watched."
"So do I."
"Hey. Over here," a male voice bellowed from across the valley.
Sir Starr, his head swathed in a bloody bandage, pushed his way through grass and tree branches concealing the entrance of a cave in the valley wall.
Hope swelled in Melody's heart. She and Glenna kicked their horses to a gallop. By the time they reached the cave, Blaze and the children had also emerged. A quick glance over the group revealed that Mercy and the younger children were unharmed. Blaze's clothes were streaked with blood
and dirt. The putty makeup was gone from his face which sported a black eye and an oozing cut across his left cheek.
"I was so worried about you." Melody dismounted and flung herself into Blaze's arms.
He squeezed her tightly. "I was worried about you, too."
"What happened here?" Glenna had also dismounted and was inspecting Starr's head wound.
"It was nearly a disaster, that's what happened," Mercy said, picking up one of the smaller children. "But damn, it was exciting. We were surrounded by a group of six raiders. They're tied up in the cave, by the way. Starr and Blaze rode in and started fighting."
"Now tell them the worst part, young lady." Starr folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow in Mercy's direction.
The girl's face flushed with embarrassment, yet Melody saw something else as well. Sir Starr was a very young Knight, probably only a few years older than Mercy, and he was quite handsome.
"Sorry about that again, Sir,” the girl said. “The children and I picked up rocks to fling at the raiders, and I'm afraid mine went astray and knocked Starr unconscious."
"Nearly got me killed," muttered the Knight. "If it wasn't for Blaze, we'd all be dead."
One of the boys stared at Blaze in awe. "And he didn't even use a sword or nothing."
"Or anything, Toby," Mercy scolded. "Have you learned nothing from our morning lessons? After Blaze defeated the raiders, we heard the sound of soldiers in the distance. Blaze got everyone into the cave, then we hid the entrance with branches and weeds. But the soldiers never passed through
the valley."
"It was probably Torn's men moving into the village from the south," Glenna said. "Well, you're all safe. That's what counts."
"How did things go at the village?" Blaze asked.
"Very well. Few lives were lost."
Mercy turned to Melody. "Is mum all right?"
"Yes, she's fine. I suggest we return. Until all the raiders are completely accounted for, we're safer in the village."
"You had better ride with me." Glenna mounted her horse and offered Starr an arm up. "A head wound can make you dizzy. You don't want any other accidents."
"This is humiliating." The Knight curled his lip. "I come out to fight the good fight and a sixteen year-old girl knocks me on my arse."
"I really am sorry, Sir," Mercy said. "As for being sixteen, you don't look much older than that."
"I'll have you know I'm a full nineteen. A grown man."
"Nineteen?" Mercy took her lower lip between her teeth. "Perhaps I can make up for knocking you out by baking you one of my special vegetable pies?"
"All right, but I want something else, as well."
Mercy lifted her chin and smoothed her skirt. "I am not yet old enough for that sort of thing, Sir."
"What? I want to give you some throwing lessons when we train the villagers for future defenses.
With an arm like you’ve got, you could be deadly if you learn to hit the right target."
Mercy blushed again. "I would like that very much. It might help me when I try to join the Opal Order."
"They can always use a good recruit, right?" Starr glanced at the Dames.
Glenna raised her eyes to heaven. "If you're going to flirt, Starr, at least wait until the girl is a bit older."
"Yes, and she is my sister, so I'll be keeping a careful watch over her suitors," Blaze teased.
Starr lifted an eyebrow. "What did I do? I thought I was being nice, considering she almost split open my skull."
Perhaps Mercy would become a Dame after all, and Melody could certainly see her with a nice young man like Starr sometime in the future. Love was a wonderful thing. She hoped Mercy found it, just as she and Blaze had.
She tugged on Blaze's arm and he turned to her with a smile that revealed teeth still blackened with Tango Root. Laughing, she slipped her arms around his neck. Even the taste of the Tango Root couldn't ruin the magic of his kiss. They had survived the battle and the future was theirs to share.
Epilogue
Several Months Later
Blaze's heart pounded with happiness. He gazed at Melody who stood beside him, looking more beautiful than words. A wreath of wildflowers rested atop her hair which hung in satiny spirals down her back. She wore a white tunic embroidered with tiny yellow and green flowers. Staring up at him, she smiled. The pure happiness of the gesture warmed and thrilled him. Within moments, this courageous, loving women would become his wife.
Sir Mahir stood in front of them, performing the ceremony which would bind them for the rest of their lives. "We're here to witness the union of Blaze and Melody. Both have had a long search to find the right partner."
Several guests assembled in the great hall chuckled. Blaze and Melody exchanged amused looks.
Mahir's words were true enough.
"Yet sometimes we search our whole lives and never find what we're looking for, so in the grand scheme of things, perhaps their wait wasn't so long after all. They have been joined by the Spirit and have accepted that joining. With the strength of the Spirit, I bless them as husband and wife."
Mahir glanced at the couple. "Blaze, do you promise to be Melody's husband until the Spirit reclaims your soul?"
"Yes, I do." Blaze stared into Melody's eyes, pouring all his love into a single glance.
"Melody, do you promise to be Blaze's wife until the Spirit reclaims your soul?”
"I do." She squeezed his hand tightly.
"I, Mahir of the Ruby Order, stand as witness and mediator between your souls and the Spirit.
You are, from this day forward, husband and wife."
Taking Melody's face in his hands, Blaze covered her mouth with a tender kiss. Cheers and applause filled the great hall at the fortress of Rubyshire.
"Let the festivities begin." Mahir's powerful voice carried above the noise.
The crowd dispersed for dancing and eating. Blaze and Melody remained where they stood, since their friends and family had gathered around them to offer congratulations. Torn, Honey Wine, and Lenora embraced them, as did Mercy and Aura. Glenna, Lock, and members of the Green Sash Faction pumped their hands and clapped their backs. Blaze's foster daughter, Sun, had arrived the previous day with her husband, Mica, and several of their children. They also hugged the newlyweds and made them promise to visit the Kennas as soon as possible.
Suddenly Blaze caught site of an elegant looking older couple dressed in the black and red tunics of the far east. Both were tall with black hair streaked with gray.
"I don't believe it." Blaze nudged Melody. "It's Master Etah and his wife."
Smiling, Melody grasped his and tugged him toward the couple. "Introduce me. I must meet them."
Blaze paused in front of his old Master and his wife. He bowed and the couple returned the gesture.
"I had no idea you were coming here," Blaze said. "I am so happy to see you both."
"When you wrote of your upcoming marriage, we wanted to offer our congratulations in person."
Master Etah’s dark blue eyes met Blaze's. The man's facial expressions were usually stern and unreadable. Only if one looked deeply into the older warrior's eyes could you capture his emotions.
Long ago, Blaze had learned to read his Master, so he knew he was touched by their reunion, as well.
"Welcome, Tyra." Blaze turned to Etah's wife. He was just as happy so see her, as she had not only played a huge part in his training, but had trained Master Etah himself. That was a long story, one they had yet to fully tell him. Perhaps one day they would.
"We offer you our sincerest congratulations and wish you a lifetime of happiness," Tyra said.
"Thank you so much for coming." Melody smiled at them. "And thank you for training Blaze so well."
"My dear, I think our book worked." Tyra rested a hand on Etah's arm. The two exchanged such knowing smiles that Blaze blushed.
"Please, enjoy the celebration." Blaze gestured for them to take a seat at the head table.
Melody giggled and stood on tiptoe to whisper in Blaze's ear. "I had been referring to your skills in hand-to-hand combat. They both look so formal that I didn't expect them to mention the book."
"The book has been rather helpful, though, don't you think?"
"Talk about the book now and I'll want to run upstairs for the wedding night before we get to eat the lovely meal Lenora and the cooks have prepared."
"She and Aura get along surprisingly well."
"I noticed that. It's a good thing, too, since Aura and Mercy have been talking about moving closer to Rubyshire."
"Next year I'm going to suggest that your sister be accepted as a trainee for the Opal Order."
"That should make her happy." Blaze was about to continue speaking, but his gaze fixed on the three scholars standing across the room. Looking as real as any of the other guests, they approached.
"We have much to tell you," said the tallest of the three.
"But it can wait. The warriors will bother you no more. You have fought a battle within yourself and have emerged stronger than before," said the short, plump scholar. "We have much time ahead of us."
"Blaze?" Melody touched his arm.
He turned to her, thrilled beyond words. No man should be this happy. He had the woman he loved more than his own life, and his guides had returned.
"Is something wrong?"
"No." He brushed her mouth with a kiss, enjoying the softness of her lips and the gentleness of her hand as it squeezed his. "Everything is as it should be."
"Your spirits have returned, haven't they? I can tell."
"Yes, and it's all right."
"Well, I hope they're not being as rude as
"Don't be so sure." He slipped his arm around her as they walked to the table. "That book has many chapters, Sweet Music, and we have many nights to test them."
"I love you, Blaze."
"I love you, too."
The End
