Chapter Eight 

Arletta gathered the dry, warm washing from the rocks at the side of the creek and folded it before placing it in the cane basket to carry it up to the cottage where their four-month-old baby slept in the crib that Steele had made for him. Although Steele had named him ‘Broderick’ after the belated Crown Prince, they both called him ‘Brodie’.

 Arletta found it hard to believe that almost two years had passed since they escaped from Klavon, moving north, into the southern-most province of Gosnovia. Arletta had not wanted to settle in either Klavon or Gosnovia, but to go elsewhere, but Steele insisted that they stay near to both kingdoms and glean all they could about Grahgor and his rule.

The holy man had not been hard to find—they had met one that very day on the wide road through the forest. He had been with a group of refugees, fleeing from Gosnovia and the coming army. After hiding in the forest from a band of Grahgor’s horse-men, the brother had quoted verses from the Bible and had pronounced them ‘man and wife’ after which he had unrolled a fresh parchment scroll from a roll in his haversack, with a quill and a small bottle of ink. Two copies of the certificate had been signed with Arletta using her fourth name, Anne, and Steele using his second name, Sedrik.

“What is your first name?” Arletta had asked. 

“I’ve always called myself Steele—since I began talking,” he replied.

She had not questioned him again, but had sighed and felt that at last she had found her ‘prince’ and would love him forever.

The travelers and the holy man had made them welcome and both Steele and Arletta had blended with them as if they belonged.  

Placing the washing basket in its place in their two-roomed cottage, Arletta stepped into the bedchamber to look at the tiny babe nestled in the crib.

What a wonderful blessing, she thought. This child is a beautiful blossom of our undying love. God is so good to us. I had no idea that being married would be like this—it is beyond my most beautiful dream. I love Steele more every day, and I love our child with such protective love, it scares me…