Chapter 182 - A Deceptively Quiet Morning

Delaney got in the tub first and Ms. Bird went to work scrubbing her hair to get out the smoke smell. Once she was finished she left and Vincent was free to join his wife in the steaming water. She washed his black hair until she was satisfied it was clean and then helped him wash his skin until they had gotten off all the ashes and grime they could manage.

Once they were finished, Vincent leaned back against the high back of the tub and pulled Delaney into his arms where she rested her head on his chest. She felt the heat of his skin and scars on his chest against her back and it was comforting. He was solid and real and home with her. She didn't have to be afraid for him anymore.

They were quiet as they both worked to relax after such a stressful evening. Delaney took one of Vincent's arms in her hands and studied the little pink burns she found there. It reminded her just how close to the danger he had been and she had to push it from her mind again, lifting his hand to her lips and kissing it.

Her husband leaned over to kiss her cheek and she smiled. She asked him if he was ready to go to bed and he agreed that he was.

The hot water had done a lot to help his bad leg so although he still limped as he went to their bed, it didn't seem quite as painful as it had been before. Delaney dried and braided her hair before joining him. She snuggled up close, getting warm again. A chuckle rumbled in his chest and he pulled her close.

They both lay quietly as they watched the rain pelt down against the paned glass of their windows. Lightning flickered and they could hear the echoes of thunder but the storm was starting to move away.

"This has been quite a lot of rain," Delaney commented.

"We're getting into fall," Vincent replied as he absently ran a finger lightly over her hip, "It will rain more and more now."

"We have the medicine from the Pirate King's doctor. You won't have to worry about the storms bothering you anymore.

"I hope it works," he sighed.

"It will."

He didn't argue so they fell back into a comfortable silence for a time.

"Do you think Mason and Ilona are alright?" she asked quietly after a while.

Vincent sighed, "I think they will have a miserable time riding all that way in the storm. I hope they're smart enough to stop and take shelter somewhere."

"Do you think they'll be caught?"

Her husband was quiet as he thought over her question.

"If they are able to get out to sea quickly enough then I think they won't get caught. If they delay at all though and Daniel is able to find out where they are then he will send soldiers after them. If they catch them they will drag the two of them back to the city to face punishment."

Delaney swallowed, "Do you think Daniel will ask you about his brother's disappearance?"

"I'm sure he will ask both of us."

"And what will you say?"

Vincent sighed, "I will say that his brother would go anywhere if it saved him from marrying Anna."

"But you won't tell him where they've gone?"

"I will put it off as long as the doing so doesn't make me guilty of lying to the King."

"And if they ask me?"

"You can say what I said but don't lie. If Daniel ever found out you'd lied to the King he could have you punished."

She nodded, "Daniel loves you much too much to punish you so at least we won't have to worry about that."

"Perhaps but he also loves me much too much to punish the woman I'm in love with either."

Delaney giggled, "Hopefully we won't find out."

"Mace and Ian were very discreet in getting out so I can't imagine they were seen by anyone he would listen to."

"Good," she smiled and rolled over in his arms to face him, kissing him deeply until her head was spinning. Not long after, they both fell asleep.

-

When morning came the rain was gone and the skies were a clear, bright blue as if they'd had a good washing themselves. Birds splashed in the puddles and feasted on the earthworms that had come out of the mud when it rained.

Delaney and Vincent slept late into the morning and none of the servants tried to wake them. Ian didn't stir and neither did the young William. In fact, because their master and mistress didn't wake, many of the servants who had been helping at the castle the night before now either took baths of their own or snuck away to catch a bit more sleep.

The storm and all the people helping had completely put out the fire at the castle and now it was left as a blackened spot that would need extensive repairs. Everyone said the royals were lucky to have had a fire during such a storm because it was only the rain that kept it from spreading and possibly causing much worse damage, if not destroying everything.

Neither the fire nor the storm would keep the nobles from the court so bright and early, the throne room and the halls were filled again as usual. The King ordered repairs to begin on the burned area right away. He had more important things to worry about that morning though and all the nobles steered clear when they saw his anger.

-

When Delaney finally woke she stretched, and as she did every morning, reached out to touch Vincent asleep on his side of the bed. The feeling of the especially warm, smooth, skin of his back beneath her fingers made her smile and she rolled over to gaze down at him where he slept on his stomach with his hands beneath his pillow. She leaned over him to kiss his scarred cheek and he gave a quiet groan. She giggled and kissed over his shoulders and lightly down his back.

Vincent groaned louder and suddenly flipped over, catching her and pulling her down to him where he pressed kisses to her cheeks as she laughed. She put up a poor fight to get away but he pinned her to the bed and moved over her, holding her wrists as he enjoyed kissing her body.

It wasn't much later when Vincent climbed from the bed and pulled on a pair of breeches and a loose white shirt. Delaney stood only long enough to pull on a nightgown before climbing back into their bed and pulling the blanket up around her. She held out her hands to her husband, asking him to stay and have breakfast in bed with her. He chuckled, giving up and climbing back into bed with his beautiful wife.

Delaney leaned over to ring for Ms. Bird and Harris. They could hear talking in the hallway so they knew their servants were up and about.

"What do you want to do today my love?" Vincent asked, smiling at her.

"I want to finish up anything else that needs to be finished so we can leave for home tomorrow."

He chuckled, "I think that can be arranged."

Delaney giggled and kissed his cheek. Outside in the hallway, the noise was getting louder but they couldn't make out what was being said. Vincent frowned.

"Someone is arguing," Delaney whispered.

"A group of them it sounds like... They should know better than to fight like that up here though."

The commotion in the hall grew louder and something crashed. Delaney heard someone yell stop. A moment later the door to their bedroom burst open, nearly being torn from its hinges. Delaney gasped and yanked the blanket up around her, scrambling backward away from the swarm of royal soldiers who were now invading their bedroom. Vincent swore and jumped from the bed, lunging for his sword only to be caught by the soldiers nearest to him.

Delaney screamed as she watched her husband swing and his fist connect with the jaw of one of the men trying to hold him. He was outnumbered though and didn't manage to make another move before five of the soldiers forced him to the ground and pulled his hands behind his back.

"Get off of him!" Delaney shouted, "That is the Duke of Edgewood! He a cousin of the King!"

"It's the King who sent us to get him, my Lady," the Captain of the soldiers smirked at her.

Delaney crouched on the bed, covering herself with the blankets to keep the soldiers from seeing her body through the thin gown beneath. She watched in horror as they hefted Vincent up off the ground and he jerked in an attempt to get free. One of the soldiers holding him reacted by punching him hard in the stomach, directly in the spot where the puncture wound from the dragon tooth was.

Vincent cried out and slumped forward. Delaney yelled for them to stop but the soldiers ignored her. Vincent slowly lifted his head and angry green eyes met her terrified blue ones. He took a deep breath, fought to push down the pain, and relax so as to not scare his wife anymore.

"It's alright Love," he assured her though his voice was hoarse, "Go get Ian. He'll know what to do. He'll help you."

One of the guards laughed.

"That pirate won't be helping anyone."