Redemption, M J Marlow [best way to read ebooks TXT] 📗

us. You will grow to have affection for me, I know.” He put his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead. “For me, it is enough.”
Marit felt safe in his arms, and cherished. There was no force, no manipulation. With Edmund, it was always and ever a gentle affection. His only wish was for her to be happy. He went out of his way to find ways to make her smile and by the end of the first month of their life together, he had succeeded. He was her constant and loving friend and she was not afraid to let him occupy a corner of her heart. At the end of the second month, the nightmares about Tavin had eased until they were only a tiny echo in her mind as she lay in her husband’s arms after their love play. At the end of the third month, she and Edmund were overjoyed to hear that she was with child – his child.
“I do not like leaving you, beloved,” Edmund frowned eight months later when he was called to council at Sylvan Ford. “You are vulnerable here at Fellstone.”
“You worry too much, my love,” Marit smiled up at him gently from her place by the fire in their chambers. “I have Naji here with me, and your entire army is here in attendance. I worry more that you travel with only your personal escort.”
“Silly wife,” Edmund laughed down at her. “No one is going to bother me. I am only your consort; the lord of Fellstone, and we are only two and a half day’s ride from Sylvan Ford.” He looked over at the healer. “Are you certain she can not make this journey?”
“If you want your child to be born without harm, lord Fellstone,” the healer frowned at him, “you will not jostle your wife while he is still developing.” Edmund bowed his head in defeat. He kissed Marit on the lips and left the chamber. “Men are so helpless at this time, Princess. You will be glad of the peace and quiet.”
“He has been very attentive,” Marit smiled, remembering the little gifts her husband kept bringing to her; the way he doted on her and pampered her. “He loves me very much, doesn’t he?”
“He is a good man,” the healer replied, seeing the look on Marit’s face. “He understands your pain.”
“I wish I were worthy of such a man,” Marit said softly. She shook her head to clear it of the depression and got to her feet. “I need some air, Berta. Join me in the gardens?”
“I believe lady Naji is already there, Princess,” Berta replied, looking out the window to make certain. “You are not going to watch the lord Edmund leave?”
“No,” Marit shook her head. “It only distresses him.” She left the room and went to the gardens via the kitchen. She found that the Cook had already set aside a plate for her with fruits and cheese and bread. There was a cup of juice next to it. “You are too good to me.”
“You make him happy, Princess,” the Cook returned. “And that makes us happy.” She frowned as she heard something spooking the chickens. “I’ll be right back.”
Marit nodded and ate her snack. The people in Fellstone were as gentle and loving as their lord. But there was an underlying steel to their nature that most people would miss at first glance. She knew each and every one of them would die for their lord Edmund and, by extension, herself. She heard the chickens continuing to make a fuss and wondered if the Cook needed a hand. She got up slowly and made her way out to the kitchen gardens. The Cook was missing. She saw the gate open and called the guards. They went to look and did not return. Marit went to find Naji and her guards and they were not in the garden where the healer had said they were.
“Don’t worry about them, sister,” a cold voice sounded behind Marit. She turned slowly to see a girl who looked almost exactly like her, but with thick silver hair bound down her back in a thick plait. “I thought it was time we met, Marit.”
“Sister?” Marit repeated. Her mind and body felt dull and she knew this girl was doing something to her. “I don’t have a sister.”
“Yes, you do,” Reyma smiled back at her. “A half sister. My name is Reyma. Please sit down, Marit. You must be weary from carrying such a load.” She laid her hand on Marit’s abdomens and smiled. “Twins! How delightful. Your lord Edmund is going to be so thrilled.” She picked up a piece of fruit and bit into it. “We will leave him his children before we go to Verdis. Follow me, sister.”
Marit got to her feet and followed Reyma up to her rooms. The healer was sleeping on her cot in the corner as Marit was led inside. Marit could not move as Reyma went to the healers kit and took out different compounds. As she mixed them, she hummed a familiar tune under her breath. It was as she was mixing the potion into a cup of water that the spell ended and the guards burst into the room and surrounded her.
“She says she is my sister,” Marit told Naji as her sister-in-law joined her in her chambers. “I couldn’t stop her. She was mixing something.”
“To force birth,” the healer hissed. “She came to steal your children, Princess.”
“Then she is definitely a witch,” Naji frowned. “She had the entire fortress under some kind of spell. We will have to send her to your father in chains of silver and blindfolded. He will know what to do with her.”
“I’m going with her,” Marit said. She saw Naji start to argue. “I need to know what the truth is, Naji. This girl so much like me it is spooky. But neither of my parents said I was a twin.”
“It would not be good for others to learn that your father was seduced by a witch, Marit,” Naji warned her. “Perhaps we should just send word and wait for your father to come here.” She shook her head as Marit started to argue. “No, sister,” Naji said fiercely. “You are not to travel. That is why you were here when the witch attacked.” The door burst open and Edmund came running in. “Edmund?”
“I was nearly to the ford when I had an awful feeling that something was wrong,” Edmund said as he went to his knees beside Marit. He laid his hand on her abdomen. “The guard told me about the witch. Are you all right?”
“You are supposed to be on the way to Sylvan Ford, Edmund,” Marit reminded him, so overwhelmed with joy that he had come back to her that she knew she was in danger of truly loving him. “My father will not be pleased…”
“He will just have to forgive me,” Edmund broke in fiercely, “if my wife’s safety is more important to me than a stupid council meeting.” He looked at the tears in her eyes and frowned. “Marit. I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt…”
“You darling idiot!” Marit laughed as she threw her arms around his neck. “How could it hurt to know how much you love me?” She looked at Berta. “I don’t care what you say, Berta. I am going with my husband. See that a cart is prepared.”
“Marit,” Edmund shook his head. “You have had a scare. You’re not thinking straight.”
“You are my husband,” Marit told him. “I belong at your side. I do not want to be treated like a fragile object.”
“You heard my lady, Berta,” Edmund smiled down at Marit as he picked her up in his arms. “Prepare the cart.” He carried her down the stairs, knowing something had changed between them in the half hour he’d been gone; something very important. “Now, my lady,” he said sternly as he set her in the cart a half hour later; “you will not move from this cart, or your companions’ sides, except when you are with me. Is that clear?”
“Yes, my love,” Marit nodded. She kissed him as he leaned over to tuck the robes in around her and he blushed. “I adore you, my lord.”
“As I do you, my lady,” Edmund nodded and moved off to mount his horse. They moved out of the fortress with most of the Fellstone force joining them this time. “On to Sylvan Ford.”
They arrived at her father’s castle with no incidents, except the numerous stops so Marit could stretch and tend to business associated with pregnancy. She was smiling as she saw her parents standing together at the top of the steps as they drove into the courtyard. Her father nearly beat Edmund to her side, but her husband was the one who carried her into the great hall and had her made comfortable on her throne. Marius remained behind, freezing as he saw the silver-haired girl being brought forward.
“Put her in the rooms next to our daughters for now. She is to be left blindfolded and chained.” He looked over at Margarete, who was frowning darkly. “Come my lady. We have guests to see to.”
“What’s the matter, Father?” Reyma laughed as she turned her head in his direction. “Afraid someone will learn you allowed yourself to be seduced by your own wife’s sister?”
“I allowed nothing,” Marius shot back. He turned to the guard. “Have the healer keep her sedated as well. No one is allowed near her but my queen or myself. No one.”
Marit entered her old chambers and smiled. It was nice to be back here, but she had changed quite a lot in the past nine months. She had been robbed of her true mate, and married to a man who adored her. She was now having his children; and she was finding it possible to love more than one man. She looked at Edmund as he set down her trunk and held her hands out to him with a loving smile. He came to her and laid his cheek on her hands, lost to her. Neither of them heard Naji and the others leave. Much later, Edmund left Marit sleeping in their bed and joined the Council.
“Sister.”
Marit opened her eyes frowning as she heard the voice in her mind. She got up and dressed, wondering if she had been dreaming. But it had felt urgent, like someone was in a great deal of distress. She turned towards the doors adjoining the next chamber and headed towards them, frowning. Someone in the next room was hurting. She turned the knob and it was locked.
“Hurry, sister,” the voice sounded even louder. “I need you.”
Marit walked into the next chamber and saw the girl lying on the bed. She was blindfolded and chained. She had obviously been drugged. What was her father doing with a prisoner here, Marit wondered as she approached the bed. Something about the girl seemed familiar to her but the call in her mind was too urgent for her to recall anything. Pain, the girl was in so much pain. Marit sank down on her knees next to the bed and put her hands on the girl’s arm. She pulled the pain into herself and screamed as it triggered labor. The door opened and the healer came in to find Marit shaking in pain and the witch removing the blindfold and laughing. She froze as Reyma’s eyes met hers and helped Marit to her feet. They went back to Marit’s chambers and Reyma stayed hidden as her half sister had her children. Then, once the children were born and Marit was too weak to fight, she