Page 24 of Swords and Curses

Eldon wokein the cottage with a strangled scream and the cold, wet slick of sweat. His father's concerned face hung over him.

"Ugh, Bleddyn, what do you want?" Eldon groaned, sitting up on the couch.

"I wanted to see what was wrong," he answered, stepping back from him. "You sent out a panic beacon, so I got here as fast as I could."

Eldon noticed he never kept his Eli human glamour when they were alone. Perhaps he thought it would be easier to see him as he was, and not the human he masqueraded as. It made no difference to Eldon who had swapped names like underwear over the centuries.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was sending anything out," he murmured as he smoothed the hair back from his face.

"What did you see, Merlin?" Bleddyn asked, sitting in one of the armchairs.

"Her."

"Was it still snowing?"

"Yes."

Bleddyn steepled his fingers in his lap. "How long?"

"I'm not sure. It could be a week or a month from now. We need to give Rosa the sword…formally," Eldon said delicately not knowing how far Bleddyn was willing to stretch his Unseelie heritage. "The sword needs to recognize her so that the Seelie know it has been claimed. If they see it, and it's still Ryn's…"

"They can still try to claim the throne. With the Autumn Queen weakening, there are old ones who would happily slit Rosa's throat for a chance to topple the queen," Bleddyn finished.

"I don't suppose you've considered taking the sword for yourself, making a claim on both kingdoms and…going home."

"The Aos Si is not my home anymore," Bleddyn said sadly. "I can't even imagine what has happened to our old lands or what the Autumn Queen has subjected the Unseelie to. No, it is right that sword stays with Rosa. She earned it. It might be a good thing if it stays in the human world."

"I can only imagine what Rosa would do if she decided to go to the Aos Si and make a claim herself," Eldon laughed, but Bleddyn looked pensive.

"You don't think she would?" he asked, voice surprisingly uncertain.

"And leave the glowering, doting attention of so many Vane men? Why would she?" he joked, but his father didn't return the smile. "She's not going to leave,athair. You needn't look like you've been stuck in the ribs."

"I enjoy having her around," Bleddyn admitted.

"We all do, which is why we are going to do the sword ceremony in the next few days and make sure we can protect her when they come for it," Eldon replied with more confidence than what he felt.

Two daysafter Saul's arrival back at Gwaed Lyn, Rosa was summoned to the new door of her tower. She and Balthasar would now share a staircase, but at the top, there were now two doors. The newest was made of a golden timber and carved in a spiral pattern of roses. All the Vane men stood outside of it nervously, and only Eldon wore his typical bemused expression.

Balthasar sidled up beside her and kissed her knuckles. "My Lady of Gwaed Lyn, your chambers."

Eli and Saul pulled open the doors for her, and she stepped onto the plush carpet runner that covered the cold stone steps. Paintings done by Balthasar hung on the circular stone walls, flashes of color and beauty that she would take the time to study, but she knew their theme. It was the story of them, including scenes from the Aos Si. Still clutching Balthasar's hand, she reached the top of the stairs, and her new chambers opened up around her.

Where there used to be a stone wall, there was now a wide bay of stained-glass windows with soft couches for reading in front of them. Oak bookshelves lined the wall, some filled with books they knew she liked, and others empty to fill as she saw fit.

The portrait Balthasar had painted of her hung over a stone fireplace, and thick carpets covered the floor. There was a desk and plush chairs around the fire and stained-glass lamps to warm the space. Through a stone archway was her bedroom, complete with a small ensuite and deep tub. On the small ridges of stonework, there had been placed candles.

Like many of the beds in Gwaed Lyn, Rosa's bed was solid oak with its four posts carved with roses. The headboard of the bed was a stylized forest scene complete with wolf and stag. Fresh flowers sat in vases filling the chambers with sweet, summery scents.

"Do you like it?" Balthasar asked her, and she turned to wrap her arms around his neck.

"It's perfect," Rosa said and kissed him deeply. "Thank you for doing this for me."

"I had to stop Eli from going too crazy," Balthasar admitted. "He was getting ready to build a pocket dimension for extra wardrobe space."

"Shouldn't have stopped him." She grinned and left Balthasar's arms to hug Eli. "It's perfect. I've never had anyone do anything so nice for me."

Eli pressed his lips against her forehead. "You're most welcome,merch fach."

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