The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 53

As the week went on, Henry learned a great deal. He learned how to cook, how to keep a fire going, and how to tend to the livestock. While he was still slow getting around, he was doing much better. Mavis had found some old crutches her father used when he broke his ankle years back. One of the crutches had split in two, but the other was sturdy to use. Mavis' father was a few inches shorter than Henry, causing him to hunch whenever using the crutch, but it was better than having nothing at all.

With time Henry was able to slowly put more weight on his left leg. He was hesitant to put his heel all the way down, but it was progress nonetheless. He tried to stay close to the house, weary of anyone seeing him. Part of him wondered if he was even recognizable as the Prince anymore. Had someone been walking by and seen him, they would have thought him some poor crippled lad, working in his field. Yes, Henry was quite sure no one would expect him of royalty.

Wilkin was full of energy, often begging Henry for sparring matches. For the first couple days they had used sticks from the forest, but those had a tendency to break after a few good strikes. In secret, Henry spent two nights staying up late struggling to whittle a couple swords. The first attempts had been pitiful but after a while Henry grew better. He sanded the wood down to make sure Wilkin wouldn't get any splinters.

When the make-shift swords were ready for use, Henry surprised the little boy one day after his chores were completed. Mavis had seemed less than thrilled about the concept, but there was a gleam in her eyes that suggested she wasn't completely against it. In fact--and maybe this was Henry hoping--she almost seemed impressed. Not at his craftsmanship, she had herself a good laugh over that, but impressed with the effort.

It was hard for Henry to teach Wilkin how to sword fight while leaning into a crutch, but he managed to make it work. He had to lean into the crutch on his right side to offset any weight on his left. This made it impossible to use his right hand to fight with. Instead he worked on his left-handed skills.

Wilkin was scrawny but quick. He was good at evading. With some practice Henry thought he might actually make a decent swordsman. His quick thinking made up for his lack of strength. He was cunning, this little boy.

That night when Wilkin went to bed, exhausted from sparring all evening, Henry rocked by the fire, enjoying its warmth. Mavis had finished cleaning the kitchen and took a seat in the chair next to Henry.

She smiled over at him and began knitting. Henry closed his eyes, taking in the serenity of the moment. After a while he opened his eyes again and watched Mavis. Her hands moved quickly, with years of experience, and there was a sense of peace to her. She was content with her life. She worked hard every day and was tired every night, but she enjoyed her life. Henry admired her for it.

As he watched her work, he found his gaze raising to her concentrated face. Her lips were slightly parted and she was breathing slowly and evenly. Once and a while she would tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear or scratch her nose.

Henry was transfixed. When he first met her she had seemed so shrewish. So uptight, her face always pinched in disapproval. Henry had found her appearance dirty and unkempt. Now they both worked the soil all day and tended to the livestock. They wore the same tired expressions on their faces, there was dirt in their nails, their bellies always just shy of being satisfied.

It was easy for the women at the castle to stay clean and keep up appearances. They had never worked a day in their lives, never needed to. They were bred for carrying on the family name, producing heirs for their rich husbands. Mavis was made for more than that.

In the dim light from the fire, Henry could see the hues in Mavis' rust colored hair take on a new light. It was still in a rat's nest, piled on top of her head, but somehow this look had become home to Henry. In her own way she was stunning and Henry found himself quite surprisingly taken aback by her radiating beauty.