Page 24 of To Ride the Wind

“Aye, that he did.” Harold ran a hand over his head. “He explained the whole situation and received my agreement to conduct the ceremony, but…” He hesitated again. “I believe it is incumbent on me, given my position, to speak to you alone for a moment first.”

Charlotte glanced quickly at the bear, her first thought for him. Would he be offended by the implication of Harold’s words? But the bear merely smiled, gesturing with his head for her to follow Harold into the house.

She swallowed and trailed him inside, giving a subdued greeting to his wife and young children as he closed the door behind them.

“You really came?” his wife gasped, making it clear Harold had already shared his neighbor’s odd story. “You’re a brave girl! Your family will owe you much. If the bear’s claim is true, that is.”

Charlotte gave her a tight smile. She wasn’t doing it because of the rewards promised to her family, but she couldn’t say that to this woman, who had always been kind to her.

“But are you sure about this, girl?” Harold asked. “It’s not a light thing. You aren’t being…coerced?” He winced as he said it, clearly as uncomfortable as she was but still determined to do his duty. “I can’t conduct the ceremony if I think you’re being forced into it.”

A sudden influx of warmth made Charlotte soften. Harold was a good official, one who took his responsibilities seriously. He was attempting to protect her, as much as he was able, and she appreciated the efforts.

“It was my decision,” she said softly, struggling to keep tears from her eyes at the look of sympathy on the face of Harold’s wife. They had been at her cousin’s wedding, like the rest of the valley, and must have some idea of Charlotte’s position in her family.

“I understand, lass,” he said quietly. “Although this seems a drastic step to take. Allying yourself with a white bear…” He shook his head. “I know his people have brought us great prosperity, but we know little about them, and there are some who think…”

He trailed off as his wife put her hand on his arm, her eyes wide as she shot a warning look toward the door.

Charlotte frowned. When people spoke of the High King and his servants, it was only to praise the great prosperity they had brought to all the Four Kingdoms. While it was true no one knew many details about the Palace of Light itself or the godmothers and creatures who dwelt there, that was hardly a matter for concern given all the good they had brought to the kingdoms. For herself, she couldn’t believe the High King or his creatures wished any of them malice—especially given the inexplicable certainty she felt in Henry’s presence.

“Of course it’s unknown,” she said, “but I don’t fear the Palace of—”

“Hush!” Master Harold’s harsh whisper cut her off. He glanced back at his children who were watching them with rapt expressions. “Of course I can see that you would need to know all about it given this unusual situation, but surely your father warned you of the necessity of discretion. It has been pressed upon him often enough. You shouldn’t speak of such things aloud. Not around the valley folk, at any rate.”

Charlotte blinked, utterly bewildered. In Northhelm, the people had spoken openly of the Palace of Light. She couldn’t think why they would have a different custom here in the valleys. Unless there really were some people here who opposed the High King?

She frowned, wanting to ask the identity of such dissenters, but the sound of horses in the distance caught her attention. Her family was about to arrive to watch the wedding ceremony—her wedding. Did it really matter what the valley folk thought of the Palace of Light? She would soon be gone from among them anyway.

“Thank you for your concern,” she said, “but I’ve made up my mind.”

“I’ll need a minute to gather the necessary papers then,” he said. “Would you like to wait in here or…” He glanced at the closed door.

Harold’s house was large, one of the oldest in their valley, and it was filled with cozy warmth. For a moment she hesitated, wanting to linger in the familiarity of ordinary valley life. But she straightened and shook her head. Her place was with Henry now and in whatever adventures awaited them outside the valley. She should wait with him.

Harold made no protest when she slipped back outside, leaving the door open behind her. All his children rushed to look, coming no further than the doorway despite their eager faces as they gazed at the enormous creature in front of their house.

“Has he talked you out of it?” the bear asked, saying it like a joke, although she could hear a hint of real concern behind.

“Of course not,” she said. “I gave you my word, and I won’t be so easily dissuaded.”

“Thank you.” He touched his great head lightly against her.

Her family’s three horses pulled to a stop beside them, making her stiffen. Her sisters looked uncomfortable squeezed onto the sturdiest horse together, but at least all four of them had come. She couldn’t help a sense of relief at their arrival. For all her bravado and hurt, it felt wrong to be married without a single family member by her side.

By the time Harold came back outside with a book in his hand, they had dismounted and stood awkwardly beside her and the bear. Charlotte’s father moved quickly forward to greet Harold, and the two men exchanged some quiet words she couldn’t catch. She kept her face steady, refusing to guess at what they might be saying. The only thing that mattered was that Harold had agreed to conduct the ceremony, which meant Charlotte was about to escape.

Harold’s wife emerged, having somehow wrangled her children into staying inside, and she soon had Charlotte’s family arranged to one side while Charlotte herself and Henry—she had to start thinking of him by his name, however hard it was—stood side by side facing Harold.

As she had promised the bear back in the forest, the ceremony was a simple one. He lifted one enormous paw, and she placed her hand on it as Harold led them through an exchange of promises. She knew the solemnity of their words, and she wanted to take it seriously, but she was feeling strangely weightless and detached. Her mouth repeated the words whenever she was called on to do so, but she couldn’t focus on what she was saying. Was this really her wedding? It was nothing like she had imagined as a girl.

When it came time for the parents’ blessing, everyone kept tactfully silent about the bear’s parents, and Charlotte wondered again if he had any. When Harold turned to Charlotte’s family, her mother instantly broke into gasping tears that left her unable to speak. But her father repeated the traditional blessing, sounding sad and broken in a way that twisted Charlotte’s heart.

But she refused to soften toward him. His crimes against her had been the least, but they had hurt the most because she had trusted him.

His face crumpled when she wouldn’t meet his eyes, but he finished his part, completing the ceremony. Harold would already have recorded their names in his book, along with those of all the valley couples who had been married before them. The next time he traveled to the capital, he would record them in Rangmere’s official registries, but it might be years before that happened. It didn’t matter, though. By valley law and social custom, Charlotte was married.

GWEN

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