Love Stories

Chapter Sixteen

As the snow melted and the flowers began to bloom Leah couldn't bring herself to leave, but she knew it was time. She decided that when summer came on she would return to Valdara. She'd been gone for a year and it felt like time to go back home. The first person she told was her father. He understood her decision. Keldan would be eager to see her. He also told her that if she did go, which was mostly likely only a matter of when, not if, he would return to Grace also.

                Her twenty-first birthday passed and Keldan sent her a small vial. It came as a surprise. Usually his gifts were on a much larger scale. But this one came with a note and she read that the water came from Mist Falls, and it wasn't water, it was mist, because after all it came from Mist Falls. The people around her didn't forget her birthday, either, and there was a party and more presents. Because of his need to be in Grace at a certain time, some weeks later Leah bid her father farewell. It was only a little sad because he planned on returning as soon as he settled a few things. They could write until then, of course.

                Leah's own trip was delayed a little longer than she might have chosen, but a baby being born is never something that can be rushed. It was June when a little boy came into the world. His parents named him Edric after his great great grandfather. They would have named him Treddian, but the bearer of that name wouldn't hear of it. He said a name only suited one person at a time, and there would be time enough for that after he was gone. Derian was already named after Treddian's father, so the lad received the name of the first king in his lineage that would accept him.

                Leah was slightly surprised at how quickly she was deserted. Arlette seemed to forget she existed unless she was holding the baby. Brun and Dalussa spent all their time trying to find what relation had him and which parent had lost him in the first place. King Treddian said he had to make up for his father, who never saw his grandchildren, and his wife, who hadn't lived to the day either. Even Erian and Cyril had their own spats about who should be allowed to teach the boy things first, important things like how to snatch biscuits from the kitchen without being noticed and run swiftly from an angry mob. It was entertaining to see how one baby turned their world such a way. Only Aisley and Derian seemed to act normally.

                Of course, Keldan had come for the occasion and was a little disappointed they didn't name the boy after him. He had a thousand stories to tell about his travels around Ellora, though they shared much in common with all the stories he told; a bit hard to believe every detail. Not only that, but Aiden joined him. He had shared a little in some of Keldan's adventures because the prince always hated doing those things on his own. Of course, Aiden had had no hopes to be crushed of him becoming a namesake.

                It was near their departure date when Aisley and Leah decided to go for a close-to-last, possibly-last ride. Arlette was busy with the baby, of course, and neither Erian nor Cyril could be found. Keldan said he'd been riding for plenty of his life and refused to let Aiden go with them because he wasn't done tormenting him. That was certainly true, and there was no saving him so the girls were going to go alone until Aisley pulled Derian into the bargain. But Aisley herself didn't last when she heard one of her favorite mares was giving birth. Leah wasn't about to be dissuaded from a ride through the gardens so close to her departure from Runderin and told Derian he was welcome to come along if he still wanted to. Up to the last he maintained his gentlemanly conduct. Of course he would accompany her.

                "I take it you're glad to see winter over," he said as their horses got comfortable with the riders of them.

                "Yes," Leah laughed. She hadn't forgotten about Torr, but she had brightened with the arrival of more sunshine.