The Duke and the Dryad (Elemental Series) (23 page)

“Advisor to the Duke, is the man’s new title,” Lord Wolfe said, standing up to join Sir Braden. “And aye, I am going to ask Rae to marry me. I am guessing that box in your hand is the ring I’ve commissioned for our wedding.”

“W
ell, congratulations, Sir Irving for your new title,” said Sir Braden. “And congratulations to you, Lord Wolfe as well. And aye, Lord Wolfe, this parcel was left by a messenger in the bailey who was looking for you. I told him I’d deliver it to you personally.”

Sir Braden handed the box to Wolfe. Wolfe opened it slowly, his heart racing, wondering if it turned out the way he’d intended.

“Perfect,” he said, holding up the silver ring, inspecting it in the light.

“What are those engravings on the ring?” asked Sir Braden.

Sir Irving rushed over, leaning in closer to see it. “The plants and animals of the forest and birds that sing . . . are woven with mistletoe, oak and mushrooms to create the faery ring.” Sir Irving’s words of wisdom spouted from his mouth.

“Your are correct, Lord Advisor,” said Wolfe, using the man’s new title, getting a grin from him as well. “I had the silversmith make a ring that encompasses all life of the forest, and shaped it into what I’ve heard circles of mushrooms referred to
- as a faery ring.”

“That is perfect,” said Sir Braden with a low whistle and a nod. “And Rae is going to love it. When are you going to ask her?”

“Right now!” said Wolfe, closing the box and placing the ring in his pocket. “I can wait no longer. I am going to ask her in the forest, and I want both of you to be there when I do it.”

“But, are you sure that’s wise?” asked Sir Braden. “Would it not be humiliating if she says no?”

“I have been humiliated before and lived through it,” Wolfe stated. “But I assure you, Rae has proclaimed her love for me as well, and would not say no.”

“I hope you’re right, answered Sir Braden, following him out into the courtyard.

Wolfe hoped so too, because if Rae refused him, he didn’t know what he was going to do.

* * *

Rae finished pruning the flower garden around the stone henge and stepped back to admire her work. Juturna had stayed by her side this entire time, even if Wolfe, her father, and Sir Braden had all abandoned the project after a few days time.

She was actually glad the men
left, as none of them had the skill of working with the earth, nor did they have the patience. If Wolfe had stayed more than the few days, she probably would have had to ask him to go back to the castle and do manly things or she may have gone crazy like her father.

“So what do you think?” she asked Juturna, breathing in the essence of the flowers she’d transplanted from parts of the forest that had not burned. Ivy was already growing through the ashes, wrapping itself up and around the stone pillars of the henge. With her energies now nearly fully restored, she was happy to give the plants the life essence they needed to grow ten times faster than they would
if she had not helped.

Roses also wound around the ivy, blooming
in hues of red, pink and white.

Humphrey, the high priest druid had stayed to help restore the sacred circle, working with Rae and calling to his own gods and goddess
es to help. He stood inside the circle now, cleaning off the last of the ashes from the huge gazing crystal atop the sacrificial rock. Rae believed in the druid’s religion and beliefs, as well as the Christian ones of Wolfe. But she, being an elemental, had more or less a religion of her own. One like the druids that revered all nature, and one similar to Wolfe’s that believed in a spiritual god as well. But she was one with the earth and all that lived within it or walked upon it. That, to her, was a religion all its own.

“I think you’ve done a wonderful job,” said Juturna, surveying the blooming flower garden around the henge. “You have also done wonders back at the ancient oak
and the vegetable garden you have planted there.”

“I have melded with the oak every day, trying to bring it back
to life. It is not completely dead, though burned badly. But I do believe ’twill be back to normal eventually.”

“So glad to hear that, Rae. And I am also glad you found your father after all these years.”

“I am too,” she said with a smile. “Though I’ve yet to ask him what he was doing in the cave to begin with, and how long he’d been there.”

“I can answer that,” said Jutu
rna. “Drake Pendragon of Thorndale sealed off the cave on the opposite end, and your father was trapped inside.”

“What?” she asked. “And who is Drake Pendragon?”

“He is the husband of your elemental friend, Brynn-Riletta.”

“How nice,” she said. “I would like to see them some day.”

“They live right over the mountain,” said Juturna. “’Tis not far.”

“But tell me, Juturna, did they know my father was inside? If so, why didn’t they dig him out? And why did they close off the cave in the first place?”

“Those are all good questions, Rae, and that is Brynn’s story to tell you when you see her. But ’twas I who told them to leave him inside. I saw in my gazing crystal that he would be fine. And no one knew who he was, child. They all thought he was just a madman.”

“
I’d barely recognized him myself,” said Rae. “The years have not been kind to him. How long was he in there?” she asked. “And how did he survive?”

“He wasn’t in there that long,” she said, and I am sure the spirit of your mother watched over him, as the cave hold
s many spirits and that’s why it was closed off to begin with.”

The howl of a wolf rent the air, and Rae tuned in to the forest, now able to hear its call, to her delight, though still faint.

“What are you smiling at?” asked Juturna.

“I am smiling because I just found out Wolfe as well as Sir Braden and my father are headed this way.”

“There is more to it than that, I can tell by the look on your face.”

“There is,” she said, and was sure her face blushed. “The forest has relayed to me the message that Wolfe has a ring in his pocket and intends on asking me to marry him.”

“You are up to something, child. I can see the gleam in your eye.”

“
I am thinking of refusing him, Juturna.”

“What? Don’t you want to marry him? I thought you loved him.”

“Of course I do,” she answered. “And I want naught more than to be his wife. I am going to accept, but I would play a game with him first. It is the way of the fae to cause mischief. I cannot help myself. ’Tis in my blood. And I haven’t played fae games for so long that I cannot remember the last time.”

“Do you think that’s wise, Rae? After all, the man has just lost the last of his family. He may be in a fragile state.”

“You are right,” she said. “I hadn’t thought of that. I just missed frolicking with him and matching his wits. We haven’t seen much of each other lately, nor had we made love. Instead, I’ll frolic in a different way.”

She
stood at the ready as Wolfe approached. He lowered himself from his horse and made his way to her quickly. Her father and Sir Braden followed a distance behind, and she knew they were trying to be polite and not get in the way of this special moment.

“Wolfe,” she called, “I am so happy you are here. What
do you think of this flower garden?”

He glanced over to it quickly and nodded. “’Tis beautiful,” he said, and she could tell how nervous he was at what he was about to do.

“I was thinking of perhaps putting some small bushes over there,” she pointed. “Or perhaps a stone walkway leading to the center of the circle.”

“Fine, fine,” he said, obviously not caring one way or another. “Rae, I have something important to ask you.”

“I told you, I did not kill your bull,” she said with a grin, knowing that she was purposely stalling his announcement.

“I know, I know. That’s not it.” He pulled the box from his pocket.

“I also told you how I removed it from the castle. If you want, I can help you find another to replace it.”

“Nay, I don’t care about the bull.”

“You don’t? I thought you said, you’d lost your breeder.”

“Nay. Aye. I don’t know – Rae, I need to ask you something important.” He got down on one knee and took her hands in his. She knew what he was going to say, but the fae blood in her wanted to tease him more.

“I can be your breeder, if that’s what you are asking.”

“What?” He looked up
, confused, then frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I would like to breed your babies, Wolfe. And my answer is yes.”

“Huh? I haven’t asked anything. What do you mean?”

“Rae, let him continue,” warned Juturna from inside the circle.

“I am sorry, Wolfe. Go ahead. What did you want to ask me?”

He popped open the box and pulled out the ring and held it up to her. “Rae, I want you to marry me and be my wife.”

Dead silence.

She fought back the urge to toy with him
further by saying no, but when she glanced at Juturna, the woman had a stern look in her eyes and her hands on her hips. She was shaking her head as well.

“Rae?” he asked. “Please say yes. I love you, and want this more than anything in the world.”

“The fae women need to have their father’s permission first,” she said.

“Your father has already said yes when I asked him for your hand in marriage.”

“What?” she asked, taken aback. “You . . . asked my father? Really?” This touched her more than anything and tho her fae side wanted to tease him further, she now knew that she couldn’t play with Wolfe’s emotions in this way. He was fragile in this respect as Juturna had said, and she only hoped that she hadn’t hurt him by stalling.

“Wolfe, I have to tell you something first.”

“Whatever it is, it can wait,” he said. “Rae I am on my knees and hanging on a thread. Now would you marry me or not?”

“Of course, I would
. I love you, Wolfe and want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

He slipped the ring on her finger and she admired the etchings upon it.

“This is a faery ring, and the elements of the forest,” she said in elation.

“What else, my little sprite?” He gathered her up in his arms and kissed her, twirling her in circles and smiling like she’d never seen before.

“You have just made me the happiest man in the world,” he said.

The others came over to congratulate them, and Wolfe put her down on her feet.

“Humphrey,” Wolfe said, looking at the druid. “I would ask you to marry us right here in the sacred circle of standing stones, as you are a druid high priest, are you not?”

“I would love that!” said Rae, her heart elated at the fact they’d be married in the forest. “Would you do it for us, Hump
hrey? Please?”

“Aye,” he said with a nod of his head. “As Lord Wolfe was kind enough to not ban the druids from his lands, and because we honor you, Rae-Nyst as the guardian of the forest, I would be happy to marry you.”

“Then let’s do it anon,” said Wolfe, and Rae could see the excitement in his eyes.

“Nay,” she answered
.

His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is, that I want this wedding to be planned and perfect. And Juturna,” she said, turning to the woman, “do you think you’d be able to get a message to Brynn and Drake in Thorndale? I’d like them to attend as well.”

“Of course, my lady,” Juturna said.

“My lady?” Rae asked, then realized that would be her title once she married Wolfe. “Oh, my lady, I kind of like that.”

“Are you going to ask your other elemental friends to attend the wedding as well?” asked Sir Braden
with hope in his voice.

“You’re not still thinking about that
air sprite are you?” asked Wolfe.

Rae laughed. “Portia-Mayer is called a sylph,” she told them. “And though the elementals helped me in spirit, I do not know where to find them, except for Brynn.”

“Can’t you call to them like you did before?” asked Sir Braden anxiously.

“I had my mother’s help fro
m the spirit world in order to do that,” she said. “I am sorry, but I would not be able to accomplish it on my own.”

“Sir Braden has his mind addled since his accident,” stated Wolfe.

“Not addled,” the knight corrected him. “But infatuated with a woman I’ve never met.

“What did you want to tell me, Rae? I am sorry I interrupted you before, but I was very anxious for your answer.
” Wolfe looked to her with a huge, satisfied smile upon his face.

“Oh, I just wanted to say that the forest told me why you were here and I was toying with you
before. It is in my blood. I am spirited and I am sure you know that. I am sorry if I made you more anxious.”

“You knew?” he asked
. “And you toyed with me and let me squirm?”