Michael Stackpole - At the Queen_s command

"I wish I could." Vlad shook his head. "By the end of the month Duke Deathridge will be here with his troops."

"And Owen's wife."

"Yes. And we shall have to invite them, and Lord Rivendell, for dinner. You know this."

"Yes. I had just hoped it would be otherwise. I shall do all required to make the dinner successful."

"I am gathering this is a trait among those from Kesse-Saxeburg, and one I like. Your Count von Metternin is off planting the seed that will ensure Lord Rivendell believes Forest's plan is his own. A dangerous man, the Count."

Gisella laughed lightly and rested her head on Vlad's shoulder. "He is like me, not one who fits in at home. Here, he too is more relaxed. Had his duties not required him to attend me, he would have joined Prince Kamiskwa and Mr. Woods on their last expedition."

"I should like, very much, for him to accompany the mission to the fortress. You can attach him as an advisor to my command."

Gisella stopped and came around to face him. "You did not tell me you would be going." Her expression deadened. "I did not think you would abandon me."

Vlad reached out, resting hands on both her shoulders. She's trembling. "I have no choice, darling."

"You have Major Forest to lead them."

"I do, but he does not have the standing to be present as things are planned."

"Count von Metternin can speak for him."

"He could. I have no doubt he will, but I need to be there as well. No, please, my darling Gisella, do not look at me that way. You know me better. You know I do not desire glory."

She stroked his cheek. "My dearest, I know you do not seek military glory, but your mind seeks answers. Do you not think I know of the experiments you have been conducting with Mugwump? I marvel at your genius, but I fear for you. What you would see as just another experiment might put you in harm's way. I love you, I truly do, and I would not have you hurt for anything."

"And I have no desire to be hurt. But I do have responsibilities. The Crown may not recognize how important this is. Rivendell will not use our troops because he is stupid. I need to convince him that he must. For that I must go."

She slowly shook her head. "I understand your reasoning, but I also know you seek the adventure. Not of war, but of seeing places you have not seen. You have showed me the jeopard; Nathaniel shot it, but only after you missed, my darling. It was coming for you. And in all the times I have heard you tell that story, you marvel at the beauty of the beast, never mentioning the danger you were in. I love you for this, but I fear for you because of it. You will put yourself in a place where danger can find you."

"And if I promise you I will not? If I have the Count swear he will not let me do so?"

Gisella laughed. "You are both men. He will promise. You will plan. He will protest, but not too much, then join you. I know this. And, alas, I know there will be no gainsaying you."

Vlad pulled her to him. "And you will worry, and I would do anything to prevent that."

Her hands came up around his shoulders, one sinking into his hair. She looked up and kissed him softly. "If you were to do that, you would not be the man I love."

May 19, 1764

Temperance

Temperance Bay, Mystria

T o Owen's surprise, Bethany Frost slipped her arm through his as the six of them started the trip back to the Frost home. Bethany had slowed her pace so that her parents, uncle, and brother drew ahead of them. "You are completely lost in thought, Captain. What is it?"

"I don't think you want to know, Miss Frost."

"I should not have asked if I did not."

Owen sighed. "Would you think me a coward if I told you I feared returning to du Malphias' fortress?"

"No, Captain. I should think you very intelligent and brave, because I know you shall go regardless."

"You're very kind."

She looked up at him, her blue eyes flashing. "I read your journal. I know exactly how brave you are, both from what you wrote, and from what others have said."

He shook his head. "Mr. Woods exaggerated."

"Of course he did, but I could see the truth."

"When I think of du Malphias-and he invades my nightmares far too often-I see his face lit by the pistol backflash. He shot me cold-bloodedly. It wasn't that I was an enemy. I was just an experiment. If I lived or died, it meant nothing. The man's expression revealed neither anger nor pity. He showed no emotion whatsoever. He was wholly inhuman and I am not certain we know of a way to defeat such."

"He was arrogant, and his arrogance, then, will prove his downfall."

"I shall trust in your wisdom."

"Trust more in the humanity of your companions. He is a man surrounded by the dead. He is alone, and together you shall defeat him."

Bethany stopped at the crossroads of Diligence and Virtue to call out to her parents. "The night is pleasant. May Captain Strake escort me on an extended walk?"

Her father nodded his assent. Bethany directed him toward the west, along Virtue. "I hope you don't mind, Captain."

"Not at all."

"Good, because I need to speak with you." She looked up again, a kind smile on her face, but her eyes looking sad. "I fear this is the last I shall be able to walk with you."

Owen looked straight ahead. "I never meant to lead you on, Miss Frost."

She laughed. "You will do better, sir, to listen with your ears, rather than your mouth. You did not lead me on. You have been very direct, from the first, that you are married and you love your wife. I have known this from things you said about her, and things you have not said. I know you love her from things you wrote in your journals, and the letters you had me write for you during your convalescence."

"Miss Frost…"

"No, Captain, I beg you. Let me say my piece directly, or I shall never get through it."

"Very well."

She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. "I am neither silly nor stupid. When you first came to stay with us, I knew you were different from the others. I enjoyed your company. I enjoyed seeing you argue with my brother and discuss with my father. I felt very much at ease around you. I had not known that sense since Ira had been taken from me. I thought certain I had made a fool of myself and I was pleased when you left with Nathaniel, as it gave me a chance to recover my dignity.

"And yet, while you were away, I found myself missing you. When a missive would arrive, my father would read it aloud, and I would take it and read it over to myself. More than once. Perhaps that was silly, but it gave me comfort."

Bethany's grip tightened on his arm. "And then when word came that you were lost, I felt the same pain I had at the news of Ira's death. It left me prostrate. I prayed for your safe return as I had for his-and told God that He had taken one from me, so He must deliver you to me. And yet, even as I did so, I remembered your wife. I remembered you belonged to her."

A hand rose to brush away a tear. "When you came back, God had answered my prayer. I made certain you would get well. That became my mission. For me, yes, but also because I knew your wife would feel as I did, and I would not have anyone know such grief. This is why I wrote those letters for you, why I reminded you to write her when your strength returned.

"But now she will be coming. I will lose you to her."

Owen's guts roiled. Bethany had been his angel during his captivity and during his recovery. The very fact that he feared her hating him more than his wife doing so had revealed the nature of his feelings for Bethany. Those feelings were wrong-he knew it, and her hatred would be just punishment. The pain in her voice lashed at his heart, for only by misleading her could they have reached this state of affairs.