The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

Previous chapter: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3271.0.html


Chapter Thirty-Four

September 26, 1464
The Île d'Orsal
Horthánthy
Early Afternoon

Devyn McLain stole yet another glance at what the Llyrian Banoidhre referred to as her 'battle dress,' which contrary to his initial expectations had not been some form of armor, but instead was some sort of open-sided Llyrian summer garment pinned together at the shoulders and barely held together by a belt, exposing bare braceleted arms and sandaled bare legs and leaving little else to the imagination, and Devyn was capable of imagining quite a lot. The two Jouvian soldiers they had brought with them from Gwynedd appeared to be stunned but wildly appreciative themselves, while her Anviller companion seemed only mildly amused. Apparently he was more accustomed to Aoife's ways.

"I understand His Hortic Majesty Adémar's susceptibilities and have no problem with taking full advantage of them," said Aoife as they made their way up the long, winding Zöldhegy road to the Palace. "We will have no difficulty securing a prompt audience with the 'very busy Hort,' and once we've got our feet in the door, Da'ud can present our case while I remain properly ornamental and deferent." She rolled her eyes. "Once we have his full attention, he will hear what we have to say, and to his credit he is usually swift enough to action once his attention has been fully engaged."

"I am quite certain every single bit of his attention will be engaged," joked Devyn. "I can only hope his Queen doesn't hate me forever for accompanying you here! She's an old friend."

"No worries, Miranda Haldane is quite well acquainted with the ploy. I'm certain she's used it herself on her husband a time or twelve. Adémar is very stubborn and set in his ways, and sometimes requires a fair bit of managing. Fortunately he's well enough behaved to know that when it comes to me, at least, he may look all he wants, but he may not touch."


September 26, 1464
The Île d'Orsal
The Palace at Horthánthy
The Hort's audience chamber
Afternoon

"So do any of you know the extent of Renier's incapacity?" His Hortic Majesty Adémar asked his guests.

The Nabil Da'ud answered for all. "He has been kept in his chambers since the apoplexy that struck him on the evening he learned of his heir's death, so all we have had to go by is Court rumor and the occasional statement from his servants or Healers. But he has been confined to his bed, or at least his private rooms, since the night of the 17th, I think."

"Over a week, then." Adémar stroked his chin, looking thoughtful. "But you are certain he still lives?"

Da'ud shrugged. "I am as certain as it's possible to be without having set eyes on him since that evening myself. His staff and Healers appear to believe he is still alive, since they are the ones reporting on his condition, and if they are reporting falsehoods, they are at least reporting things they believe to be true. I can ascertain that much."

"But of course they have not reported anything of the sort to me, as they should have done. Yes, I will look into the matter. The only thing worse than Renier holding power in Joux would be that coterie of sharks he surrounds himself with taking it on themselves to run the Kingdom in his stead. I was on the verge of calling Renier to account for his son's actions in Gwynedd anyway. If he is no longer fit for rule, that saves me the bother. And if he dies without an heir...."

"He has an heir," the Banoidhre reminded him. "That heir is just no longer Rémy. Do not forget that Renier has three daughters, ones he has mostly attempted to neglect and ignore much to his cost, but Alixa of Gwynedd has been learning statecraft at the Haldane Court. She is nothing like Renier, but she bears his blood. If you seek to strip her of her rightful inheritance, I doubt your Haldane allies will be best pleased."

"That's right. I had forgotten about Cinhil's barren Jouvian Princess."

Aoife raised a censorious brow at the Hort. "Your information is behind the times, I see. Alixa bore Cinhil a daughter just six days ago. I would have invited her to join us, but she is still lying-in after her birthing ordeal. However, she was not so infirm as to be completely unable to lend us her support." She reached into her belt pouch, producing the sealed letter from Alixa to the Hort requesting his military aid as Joux's feudal overlord.

Adémar scanned the missive with a shrug. "I can supply a few extra men for this side mission she mentions, since I was planning on looking into Renier's condition anyway. Inheriting Joux is one thing; however, holding it is quite another. I can see a woman ruling a Kingdom like Gwynedd or your own Llyr more easily than I can imagine that going over well in Joux. She will need another husband if she wishes to be Queen of Joux. We have received word of Cinhil's death, so we are not completely behind when it comes to current events, though of course I don't expect Alixa to leap from childbed straight to the church altar. She can have a decent amount of time to mourn her husband first; perhaps a year or two. If Renier is still alive but unable to rule, I will appoint a Royal Council to govern the Kingdom in his stead until he recovers or dies. If he recovers, I may strip him of his power there anyway because of how he has abused it. Alixa can inherit it if she meets my terms. The same if he dies; Alixa must prove to my satisfaction that she will be able to hold and govern Joux."


September 26, 1464
The Kingdom of Joux
The estate of Alta Jorda
Evening

The thirty Tralian soldiers, led by the two Camberian Councilors and Devyn McLain, and assisted by the two Jouvian volunteers brought from Gwynedd, made short work of surrounding the manor of Alta Jorda and detaining the small contingent of guards and household servants lodging there. As none of the captured residents understood any language but Jouvian, the Comte de Morigny and the chevalier L'Orme volunteered to Truth-Read and Mind-See them, swiftly learning which of the captives had access to the Blocker's warded chamber.

"All of the guards and two of the kitchen staff have access to the Transfer Portal," de Morigny explained to the others, "and the warded area is attuned to allow the kitchen staff to enter so they can bring food and water to the prisoner, but those staff are unable to bring anyone else in or out. All of the household staff are loyal to the Jordanet family, so that is likely why the wards were set up that way. The staff would feel motivated to care for their lord, but they were not enabled to help him escape. So we will still need the assistance of la Princesse."

"Let us hope that the wards will allow anyone of the Buyenne-Furstán line through, then, and that they were not attuned for Renier and Rémy specifically," Davyn said. "It would be awful to get this far and then run out of options for getting the man out. Shall I go back for the Princess, then?"

"I will," Aoife replied. "Princess Catherine said that might work best, as Princess Cécile has difficulty trusting men. Little wonder, given all she's been through!"


September 26, 1464
The Kingdom of Joux
The estate of Alta Jorda
Late Evening

Princess Cécile took a moment to recover her bearings as she landed on the Transfer Portal in Joux. The warded chamber was directly in front of her, and Healer Berthelot, seeing her arrive with Aoife of Llyr, watched warily yet curiously.

Cécile took a cautious step towards the wards. Her Deryni training was still fairly rudimentary, but Aoife had shown her what to sense for and how to attune the wards for another person's psychic signature if need be.

The Healer, recognizing the Princess, bowed. She smiled back.

"Thank you for trying to help me," Cécile said to him. "We are here to help you in return. Others have gone to bring back your wife and son. May I try to enter?" She indicated the warded barrier between them.

"The King your Father permits this?" Berthelot asked, bewildered.

"Renier has learned of his heir's death. He was struck down by an apoplexy over a week ago. I do not know if he lives or dies, and frankly I do not care. But I know what it is like to live in a cage, so I am here to release you from yours if you will let me," she replied.

"Please, Votre Altesse!"

Cécile held her hand up to the glowing barrier cautiously. Sensing it would do her no harm, she pushed it through. A moment later, the rest of her followed.

She studied the Blocker a long moment before holding out her hand to him. As you can see, I have my powers back. I trust you will not Block me again?

I will not. I did not ever wish to do so.

It is my hope that you will never be forced to Block others in future, but that is beyond my ability to guarantee. But such protection as is in my meager power to give you, you shall have. Alixa is Renier's heir now. I do not think she would wish you to live in a cage either.


The Healer Berthelot was able to supply the leaders of his rescue party with a list of Deryni he had been forced to Block for Renier over the past few years. In return, they warned him not to mention to the Tralian soldiers that he had this special gift, for they could not guarantee that the Hort wouldn't want to secure his services, given willingly or not, were he to learn of it.

Within the hour, the Healer's wife and son were returned to Alta Jorda, the family tearfully reuniting after years of separation. The Tralian soldiers had returned to the Palace at Trebaçeaux, taking Renier's guards with them for further questioning. Those who had simply been following their King's orders to detain the captive Healer would be released on their parole after receiving new assignments and being made well aware that their former prisoner was to remain free. Those found to have been excessively cruel or neglectful in their treatment of the former captive were to be dealt with accordingly.

"You have choices now," the Nabil Da'ud informed Berthelot. "If you wish, you can remain here in your home. However, the situation here in Joux is still unstable, with Renier's current health apparently precarious. The Hort plans to put in a ruling council to oversee Jouvian matters for now, but if Renier eventually recovers, it might be difficult to prevent him from seizing the reins of power again. On the other hand, if he eventually dies, you will have a new Queen, but for the moment she is a grieving young widow only six days delivered of a child, and not quite ready to take on the mantle of Queenship of a Kingdom that requires a strong hand to keep its various factions in line. You may wish to leave a steward in charge of Alta Jorda and leave the Kingdom until you can see which way the wind will blow."

"My sister Queen Alixa and I are at the Court of Gwynedd," said Princess Cécile. "Rhemuth is currently under siege, but despite that it might still be safer than remaining here in Joux. Or perhaps my companions know of other options that would be available to you. Healers are not so commonplace that you would be unable to find honest work anywhere you choose to go." She hesitated before adding, "My companions have said they will help me rescue my sister Princess Marthe. With my powers returned to me and the Tralian forces currently at Trebaçeaux, I am willing to face Renier if I must in order to retrieve her, because I doubt Marthe will trust anyone else unless she sees me there. I would feel safer if you were with me when I face my father, though I won't compel you to go back there with me. I will ask that you Unblock my sister, though."

The Healer's wife looked anxiously up at him, but Berthelot whispered, "I owe the Princess at least that much for our freedom." He squeezed his wife's hand before nodding his assent.

"Of course, Votre Altesse. I am yours to command."


September 26, 1464
The Kingdom of Joux
The Palais de Trebaçeaux
The Royal Apartments

Princess Cécile, flanked by the two Camberian Councilors, entered the Royal Apartment at Trebaçeaux for the first time since her marriage in mid-February. Her father's guards appeared shocked to see their princess, but had been left sufficiently cowed by the arrival of the Hort's fact-finders that they made no protest. They had far worse things to worry about, for some of those fact-finders were even at that moment going through Renier's records, taking account of how the Kingdom had been managed and mismanaged by the Hort's at least nominal liegeman.

The Princess herself cared for none of that. She was here to find her sister.

Marthe was not to be found in her own bedchamber, nor in the one formerly belonging to Cécile. Cécile cast out her senses for her sister, wondering if the girl was hiding. That seemed likely, given the unexpected activity that had descended on the Palace and Marthe's natural wariness of anything unusual or new.

To her surprise, Marthe was in the last place Cécile ever expected to find her--with their father the King.

Cécile, after a shared glance of trepidation with the Healer who had agreed to come with her, entered Renier's private sanctum. She discovered her father lying in his bed, a sad, diminished figure of a man, staring up at her with a dribble of saliva running down one corner of his mouth. She felt nothing.

Another man in Healer green bowed, crossing the room to speak with her out of earshot of the King. "Votre Altesse, Le Roi is awake and aware of what we say, but at the moment he is unable to rise from his bed. He can take in water and nourishment, but only with a Healer's care, for without it he has difficulty swallowing it safely on his own without choking. His mental capacity is still intact, and so are his powers...for the moment." He glanced nervously at Berthelot. "However, we have placed him under training controls at present, the sort one might use on a young child, because in his present condition he might not have perfect control of his powers and might therefore be a danger to himself or others. I hope you have no objection, Votre Altesse?"

"None," said Cécile.  She was half tempted to go back on her word to Berthelot and command him to Block her father--it would serve Renier right for doing so to her and her sisters!--yet as she saw the mounting terror in Renier's eyes, she merely turned away in disgust. If Berthelot chose to seek his revenge by doing so, she would not stop him, but as for her part, she would be content enough if the King of Joux could no longer harm another living soul. Raising her voice to ensure Renier could hear her, she added, "You may do as you think best for Renier. I ask only that you keep him alive for long enough for my sister Alixa to recover from the birth of her child and grieve for her husband the late King of Gwynedd before she returns to Joux to take her rightful place as his Heir." Let their father choke on that!  "I am merely here to care for my youngest sister Marthe." Turning to the child, she said softly, "I am sorry I had to leave you. I returned as soon as I was able."

Marthe was strangely still as she sat in her corner, her gaze staring fixedly at Renier. At Cécile's words, she glanced towards her sister for the briefest of moments, a faint half-smile on her face before turning her attention back towards her stricken father, waves of gloating joy emanating from her. Cécile attempted to distract her sister, but could not.

Finally, in desperation, Cécile produced a sphere of amber handfire, catching Marthe's attention at last. "Look, ma sœur, see what we can do! You have the power within you also. We just need to uncage it. Come to Gwynedd with me, petite sœur, and I will teach you what I know."

Marthe stared at her sister's hand, cupping her own in a similar gesture. "Uncage me now," she whispered.

Cécile gave Berthelot an uncertain look, and the Healer stepped forward, laying a hand briefly on the little girl's head and Unblocking her. Marthe's half-smile grew as she focused on her cupped hand, a smaller amber flame rising up from it.

Berthelot, with a concerned glance at Cécile, reached forward once more, but Marthe neatly sidestepped, casting forward with her hand as if throwing a ball. There was a loud whoosh as Renier's bed curtains burst into flame.

"Non!" Cécile cried out, leaping forward to distract her sister as Healer Berthelot caught Marthe, quickly fixing training controls into place. Waves of pain emanated from Renier as the stricken King emitted a few feeble gasps and grunts, while the other Healer who had been tending to him frantically yanked the flaming curtains off the canopy, attempting to stamp the fire out with his feet. Berthelot rushed to assist him, grabbing up a nearby ewer of water and using it to douse what remained of the fire. Behind him, Marthe howled with glee.

Cécile stared in horror at the destruction Marthe had wrought. The fire finally under control, the two Healers focused on treating each other's more superficial burns before turning their attention to Renier's more severe ones.

"That was wrong," she attempted to instruct her sister. "I know Renier is a horrible waste of air and space, but a princess is not above the law." Marthe simply smiled back, either uncomprehending or uncaring. Cécile's mind whirled, wondering how she would be able to save her sister from a charge of attempted regicide.

The Healers straightened, their task complete. The one in charge of Renier's care bowed towards Cécile. "It was very careless of me to leave a candle where it might catch the King's bed curtains on fire. Fortunately the King himself took no injuries." He stepped back so she could see Renier's unblemished flesh. "You should probably leave, though. It is very late, and I am sure they will be awaiting you in Gwynedd, Votre Altesse."

Tears filled Cécile's eyes. "Merci, Healer...I'm sorry, I do not know your name."

"I am Healer Simonet de Beauchêne at your service, my lady. And our future Queen's."

"I will be certain to let her know of your excellent service to our House, Maître de Beauchêne."

Next chapter: https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3275.0.html

I had hoped this would be longer and reveal what else is happening. I am concerned about Marthe's mental state. I certainly can't blame her for hating Renier but what will happen to her. I hope she is not damaged beyond repair. A scary situation here.

Rescue well done. Wonder what will happen next. I miss Cinhil who would have known how to handle it. I'm sure Nicholas will figure it out but right now he is fully engaged in defeating the attackers surrounding Rhemuth. Catalina will I am sure be a great help in untangling this situation.

Now that was something I hadn't foreseen.  Her father's daughter?  Or damaged by what she's been through?

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 07:56:28 AMI had hoped this would be longer and reveal what else is happening. I am concerned about Marthe's mental state. I certainly can't blame her for hating Renier but what will happen to her. I hope she is not damaged beyond repair. A scary situation here.

Reveal what else is happening in Joux, or somewhere else?

We will learn more about Marthe in the sequel story, but regarding chapter sizes, I am usually careful not to go too far past ten Google Docs pages per chapter. I try not to stop short of ten pages, but if I run too far over, there is the risk of hitting the forum post line limit and having a chapter ending get chopped off unexpectedly. I think that ended up happening once with an earlier story ("Balance of Power," maybe?), and I ended up having to leave a scene off the end of one chapter, tack it to the beginning of the next one, and do some other chapter length juggling that disrupted my story's flow in ways I didn't like. So now I am very conscious of trying to keep my chapters to a more consistent length that is long enough to include multiple scenes but not in danger of bumping up against the forum's line limit even if I feel the need to add in one more short scene at the end so the chapter will flow better.

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 08:36:40 AMRescue well done. Wonder what will happen next. I miss Cinhil who would have known how to handle it. I'm sure Nicholas will figure it out but right now he is fully engaged in defeating the attackers surrounding Rhemuth. Catalina will I am sure be a great help in untangling this situation.

While Nicholas is on the battlefield, Catalina is Regent of Gwynedd, so either way, there will be someone in charge back in Rhemuth.

Quote from: JudithR on November 14, 2024, 08:45:24 AMNow that was something I hadn't foreseen.  Her father's daughter?  Or damaged by what she's been through?

She is a very damaged little girl. Whether there is also some innate instability she's inherited from Renier, it's hard to say at this point. I guess that's something that could be explored in the sequel. But Alixa had the benefit of being mostly protected by her mother's love before she married and moved away. (Her mother died just a year or so before that.) Cécile also is old enough to remember her mother, plus Alixa did her best to protect Cécile during the year after their mother's death.

Marthe, on the other hand, was an infant when their mother died and a toddler when Alixa married and moved away. The only love she has ever had since she can remember was from Cécile, who did her best, but was only eight when Alixa married. And Cécile disappeared with little warning and has  not had any way to contact Marthe since February, so Marthe is feeling very abandoned by the one person she has ever bonded with. Though the upside of the situation is that at least she only had to deal with Renier in Cécile's absence and not Rémy as well, and Rémy was the greater of those two evils.

I just queued up the final chapter of this story and the epilogue in my Drafts folder, which feels bittersweet because I will miss posting chapters of it here, but the good news is that the final installment should be hitting the forum right on US Thanksgiving Day, which seems very appropriate. And I do still have that spin-off story about the early days of Cinhil and Alixa's marriage that will be posted in early to mid-December. You'll need to wait for the sequel, though, since I'm just ten chapters so far into writing that one and have only begun to scratch the surface of that story. Hopefully next term will be a less busy one (please, God, let it be FAR less busy!) and I will have more time and mental energy for writing!

Is the current Monday & Thursday posting schedule still working for everyone, or should I switch it up some other way for the spin-off story? It's only five chapters, so I could just post a chapter a week and get through the entire month that way, but my guess is that some of you will track me down and strangle me if I make you wait a week between chapters!

On the other hand, what am I to do without my weekly fix...?

In other words for me please string it out as long as possible - whilst busily writing the sequel.

Quote from: Evie on November 14, 2024, 09:49:36 AMI just queued up the final chapter of this story and the epilogue in my Drafts folder, which feels bittersweet because I will miss posting chapters of it here, but the good news is that the final installment should be hitting the forum right on US Thanksgiving Day, which seems very appropriate. And I do still have that spin-off story about the early days of Cinhil and Alixa's marriage that will be posted in early to mid-December. You'll need to wait for the sequel, though, since I'm just ten chapters so far into writing that one and have only begun to scratch the surface of that story. Hopefully next term will be a less busy one (please, God, let it be FAR less busy!) and I will have more time and mental energy for writing!

Is the current Monday & Thursday posting schedule still working for everyone, or should I switch it up some other way for the spin-off story? It's only five chapters, so I could just post a chapter a week and get through the entire month that way, but my guess is that some of you will track me down and strangle me if I make you wait a week between chapters!

You can bet on it. It's hard enough to wait as it is. Very long time until Monday for the readers, I understand not long enough for the writer who has to do all the work.

Quote from: Demercia on November 14, 2024, 10:58:46 AMIn other words for me please string it out as long as possible - whilst busily writing the sequel.

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 11:27:17 AM

Quote from: Evie on November 14, 2024, 09:49:36 AMI just queued up the final chapter of this story and the epilogue in my Drafts folder, which feels bittersweet because I will miss posting chapters of it here, but the good news is that the final installment should be hitting the forum right on US Thanksgiving Day, which seems very appropriate. And I do still have that spin-off story about the early days of Cinhil and Alixa's marriage that will be posted in early to mid-December. You'll need to wait for the sequel, though, since I'm just ten chapters so far into writing that one and have only begun to scratch the surface of that story. Hopefully next term will be a less busy one (please, God, let it be FAR less busy!) and I will have more time and mental energy for writing!

Is the current Monday & Thursday posting schedule still working for everyone, or should I switch it up some other way for the spin-off story? It's only five chapters, so I could just post a chapter a week and get through the entire month that way, but my guess is that some of you will track me down and strangle me if I make you wait a week between chapters!

You can bet on it. It's hard enough to wait as it is. Very long time until Monday for the readers, I understand not long enough for the writer who has to do all the work.

Well, I can't exactly post it both weekly and twice a week, now can I?    I guess I can just stick to the current posting schedule, and if @Demercia prefers to read only one chapter per week so they will last through the month of December, I can't imagine anyone is going to stop her.  I think if I post twice a week, that would have the final chapter dropping on December 16, after which I imagine at least some readers will be caught up in their Christmas and New Years holiday plans, so that also seems like a good stopping point for that story.

With some of my much older stories, I sometimes tended to post the chapters just a little ahead of where I was writing in the story, but with stories as long and complex as "Pawns and Queens" and the sequel (which will probably be called "The Rebuilding"), that seems too hazardous to risk, since sometimes when I get a bit deeper into a long story, I find myself needing to go back to some earlier chapter and make a few revisions or scene insertions so it will all hang together better, and I can hardly do that if I've already posted those earlier chapters. But hopefully once the holidays get here, my writing speed will pick up a little more steam. Fingers crossed.

There is also the possibility that other spin-off short stories will get written in the meantime, and if so, I can post those while still working on the sequel.

I'll defer to general opinion to save you being strangled. The chances of me not reading a chapter once it is posted is less than nil!

Alixa also had the great benefit of Cinhil's love and the opportunity to learn statecraft from him. I understand the push for her to remarry, but having experienced a truly loving realationship, I think she will find it difficult to commit to another. We will see.

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 05:11:02 PMAlixa also had the great benefit of Cinhil's love and the opportunity to learn statecraft from him. I understand the push for her to remarry, but having experienced a truly loving realationship, I think she will find it difficult to commit to another. We will see.

Especially given that it is only a couple of weeks after Cinhil's death, that is far too soon for any grieving widow to have begun to heal, much less be willing to be rushed into a new marriage. Fortunately even the Hort, while far from the most sensitive soul on the planet, isn't heartless enough to demand that she remarry immediately. I suspect if he did so, Catalina would hand-deliver Alixa's reply and forcibly shove it where the sun doesn't shine!

Quote from: Evie on November 14, 2024, 05:16:40 PM

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 05:11:02 PMAlixa also had the great benefit of Cinhil's love and the opportunity to learn statecraft from him. I understand the push for her to remarry, but having experienced a truly loving realationship, I think she will find it difficult to commit to another. We will see.

Especially given that it is only a couple of weeks after Cinhil's death, that is far too soon for any grieving widow to have begun to heal, much less be willing to be rushed into a new marriage. Fortunately even the Hort, while far from the most sensitive soul on the planet, isn't heartless enough to demand that she remarry immediately. I suspect if he did so, Catalina would hand-deliver Alixa's reply and forcibly shove it where the sun doesn't shine!

Good for her if such a thing should happen. I don't think the Hort is that insensitive. I wonder how often Miranda's thoughts return to her first dear love. Joss seems more sensitive than the Hort.

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 05:37:17 PM

Quote from: Evie on November 14, 2024, 05:16:40 PM

Quote from: DerynifanK on November 14, 2024, 05:11:02 PMAlixa also had the great benefit of Cinhil's love and the opportunity to learn statecraft from him. I understand the push for her to remarry, but having experienced a truly loving realationship, I think she will find it difficult to commit to another. We will see.

Especially given that it is only a couple of weeks after Cinhil's death, that is far too soon for any grieving widow to have begun to heal, much less be willing to be rushed into a new marriage. Fortunately even the Hort, while far from the most sensitive soul on the planet, isn't heartless enough to demand that she remarry immediately. I suspect if he did so, Catalina would hand-deliver Alixa's reply and forcibly shove it where the sun doesn't shine!

Good for her if such a thing should happen. I don't think the Hort is that insensitive. I wonder how often Miranda's thoughts return to her first dear love. Joss seems more sensitive than the Hort.

It took me a few moments to work out that "Kidd" is Autocorrectese for "Joss." 😂 He's in my head cackling over being "Corwyn the Kidd" now.

I'm sure Miranda's thoughts return to Joss often. I've started a Miranda side story that is currently on the back burner while I work on the sequel to this one, but so far I'm not exactly impressed by the late King Uthyr's choice of a husband for his eldest daughter. Let's just say it's one of those matches that looks like a fabulous idea on paper, but not so much if you spend much time with the man. Not that he's an utter villain like Rémy or Renier, he's just no great husband to write home about either, and definitely not at all like Cinhil Haldane. And he makes Colin's flaws seem microscopic in comparison. Though I suppose as medieval/early Renaissance monarchs go, he's fairly average. Just definitely not at all Miranda's dream man.