Dragon Sword (The Dragon Lord’s Bride #2)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Alisa opened the door and revealed a quaint interior with simple rugs and walls filled with all sorts of odds and ends. There were frames filled with dried flowers, paintings of elegant hills and forests, and even one of the city itself with the tower standing tall in the center sans the domed roof, and a few white-painted masks in the shapes of animals hung near the chimney. The fireplace was of the same simple stone as the path and had an assortment of pots and pans at the ready for fast cooking.

The entrance opened into a large room and the other rooms branched off from them. There was a small kitchen with a wood stove and in the wall opposite the front door were two entrances into a pair of bedrooms. A narrow hall between the kitchen and the closest bedroom led to a rear door to the backyard.

Alisa hobbled her way over to the fireplace and poured the bucket of water into a large cauldron that hung in the hearth. She set the bucket down and turned to us with a heavy sigh. “There. That will make a great many soups.”

“What do you think?” Will asked me as he watched me study the room.

I shrugged. “It’s. . .different from the rest of the city.”

Alisa nodded. “This has been my family’s home for many generations, almost before there was a king, or so some books say.” She waved her hand at the picture of the tower. “One of my ancestors even helped build the Vahti.”

I blinked at her. “The what?”

“The tower that rises out of the city,” Will told me. “It means ‘sentinel’ in the elven tongue and was once a watchtower.”

Alisa wrinkled her nose. “Yes, before the guards grew lax in their duties and decided the King’s Mound wasn’t worth watching.”

I looked to Will for another explanation and he smiled. “A burial mound for the first king of the elves. According to legend, he’s buried in the center of a ring of stones on the other side of the canyon and further down the road, though within sight of the Vahti.”

“Did you know him?” I asked my ancient husband.

Will chuckled. “I’m old but not that old. The king in the legend died some seven thousand years ago, a few centuries before even my birth.”

My stomach interrupted any further talk. I set a hand over my growling belly and sheepishly smiled at the pair. “Sorry.”

Alisa sighed. “I suppose I will get something cooking for you, but do not expect a meal out of me every day.” She paused and lifted her eyes to Will. “How long do you intend to stay?”

Will shrugged. “We hadn’t discussed it, but long enough to enjoy the sights the elves and your lovely forests have to offer.”

Her wrinkled face drooped. “I will not be having you here for a century.”

My husband laughed and shook his head. “Not that long, but at least a week, if you’ll allow it.”

Our hostess rubbed her chin in one hand and furrowed her brow. “I will allow it but the proper price will go up.”

Will bowed his head to her. “I would expect nothing else. How long will dinner be?”

She shrugged. “About half an hour.”

Will turned to me and offered me his arm. “There’s something I’d like to show you.”

I lifted an eyebrow but looped my arm around his. Will guided me down the hall and out through the back door. I jerked to a stop just past the threshold and gaped at the sight before me.

A small luscious garden stretched from the rear of the house to the rocky, moss-covered cliff face. Flowers sprouted everywhere in a picturesque chaos with ferns and grass sharing the same space. The plants cascaded over small stones that lined the gentle waters of a small spring. The spring filled the air with a sweet scent and fed the short trees that hung their low willow-like branches over the glistening water. I expected the air to be chilly but in fact, the waters warmed the small space.

The spring dipped low and entered into the bottom of a round wooden bath large enough to fit three people. A low board on one end allowed for the excess water to escape, keeping the depth at a consistent two feet. Steam rose from the water and cast a soft mist over the area. It was like a delicate blanket wrapping around me and I couldn’t help but break free of Will’s grasp and hurry over to the barrel. I grasped the edge and peered into the water. The spring was so clear I could see it swirling along the bottom, refreshing the heat. I dipped my hand in and reveled in the soothing heat, just the right temperature for a dip.

I looked over my shoulder as Will joined me at the tub. “Can we go in?”

He grinned. “Any time you like.”

“After dinner?” I suggested.

He nodded. “I would like that.”

I couldn’t wait for the coming dip but the garden had other joys. The flowers had innumerable scents, everything from lemon to lavender, and even a chocolate smell. I moved from bed to bed admiring their bold colors and luscious petals, each different from the last. Even the trees fascinated me as their soft branches tickled my nose as I slipped under one to watch the spring flow toward the barrel. Small golden birds the size of sparrows were perched in the branches with many of them having their heads tucked under their wings for a long rest.

“This place is so much different from the rest of the city,” I commented.

Will took a seat on a stone bench along the half-hidden rock path that wound around the garden and watched me, a smile ever on his lips. “Alisa’s family has a great gift for the natural plant magic all elves possess. I once witnessed an ancestor of hers grow a tree from a sprout in less than a minute.”

“I’d like to see that,” I mused as one of the birds twittered overhead.

I spun in a circle with the branches dangling around me, tickling my nose and making me laugh. The spinning made me dizzy so I lost my balance on the wet ground. I gasped as I tumbled backward toward the spring.

An arm shot out and wrapped around the back of my waist, catching me. I looked up and found myself staring into the tender eyes of my beloved. A soft blush accented my cheeks as he righted me but kept his grip on my waist.

“You should be more careful,” he scolded.

I gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I guess I got carried away.” I tried to step away from him, but his arm was still tightly around me.

Will drew me close against his side and gently nuzzled my hair. “What would I do if you hurt yourself?”

I grasped the front of his shirt in both my hands and toyed with the cloth. “I won’t go anywhere. We’re supposed to be together forever, remember?”

He wrapped his other arm around me and pressed me against his chest. His warm body soothed my tense muscles and I gladly rubbed my cheek against his strong muscles. “Forever would be an impossible time without you.”

I embraced him and tilted my head back to smile up at him. “I’m fine and I’m going to stay that way.”

“Then you should be getting some food,” a sharp voice spoke up. We both looked to the open doorway and discovered Alisa standing on the threshold. She jerked her head over her shoulder in the direction of the house. “Get in here. Supper is ready.” And with that announcement, she disappeared into her home.

Will reluctantly separated us and took my hand. I couldn’t help but notice his tight grip as he led me inside.