Chapter 197 - Keeping Secrets

Delaney sat against a tree to watch the fairies. She wasn't upset to not be able to dance with them but she worried about her husband. If Vincent thought the fairy magic wouldn't help with his pain then how bad must it be?

She tucked her legs under her skirt and pulled her cloak around her. Looking up, she watched Vincent as he crossed through the edge of the fairy ring and came to join her. He sat beside her, his bad leg outstretched and his good leg bent with his knee up. He kept his gaze cast to the ground and she wanted to speak with him but the music was growing louder.

He looked over at her then however and their eyes met. After a moment Vincent moved, sliding behind her so his back would rest against the rough tree trunk and hers would rest against his warm, muscled chest. He pulled her in against him, one leg on each side of her and his arms wrapped around her. Even in the chill night air, with her husband's unnaturally warm body against hers, she felt cozy.

Delaney leaned back against him, and he leaned down to kiss her hair before whispering in her ear.

"I'm sorry I've spoiled your night. I just don't think I could keep up with the dancing and I don't want to embarrass you."

Delaney turned in his arms to look up at him, "You haven't spoiled my night at all but I wish you would have told me your pain was so bad. And you wouldn't have embarrassed me, Vincent. You never do."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I just wanted to be able to give you this night. I thought I might be able to dance with you but my leg is already starting to ache. Are you sure you won't dance without me?"

"I'm sure," she smiled softly up at him, "I'll enjoy sitting here and watching them with you while you keep me warm."

Vincent leaned down to give her a gentle kiss before sitting back against the tree again. Delaney settled in against him and watched the scene before her in awe.

There was a mixture of both little balls of light and glowing fairies in an almost human-like form. The whole group moved around and around the great fairy ring, rising and dipping, moving in and out. Delaney watched the colorful group and listened to their strange, haunting music that reminded her of their first night here together.

After a time, Delaney looked down and noticed little balls of light hovering over the ground and coming towards her and Vincent. She watched them curiously as they grew closer until at last, they were hovering over the edge of her cloak that was on the ground. She slowly moved her hand from where it had been resting on her husband's and slid it down until it was close to the closest ball.

Holding very still, Delaney waited with her hand there until she felt warmth against her fingertips and the orange ball of light moved to rest in the palm of her hand. Smiling, Delaney raised her hand until the ball was even with her face and she could study it. After only a moment though there was a little pop and in her hand sat a tiny young boy.

"Hello there," she whispered to him.

The tiny boy smiled and waved at her and she felt Vincent chuckle against her back. Before she got the chance to ask the boy his name there was suddenly a purple ball floating over her palm as well. A yellow ball moved to join them and then a blue one and a green one. Delaney put out her other hand to make more room and before she knew it there were a dozen little balls around the glowing orange little boy. 

Popping sounds came from her hands and she felt the warmth of a dozen young fairies of all different colors settling down to study she and Vincent. Delaney smiled and asked them their names and a dozen tinkling voices spoke over one another, eager to answer.

Vincent put a hand up to help her by taking some of them but as soon as some moved, more came to replace them. Within minutes they were covered in over a dozen fairies climbing over them and asking them questions. Delaney and Vincent chuckled and answered all the questions they could. Soon, a familiar rosy ball of light hovered down and turned into Nell.

The music was starting to wind down when the Princess of the fairies clapped her hands and sent all these little fairies off to find their parents. She smiled at Vincent and Delaney and thanked them for coming to visit her but it was time for the fairies to go.

Vincent got slowly to his feet, using the trunk of the tree for support. Nell watched him with worry as he winced and pushed himself up. Once standing, he reached down to help Delaney up. They walked together to the center of the fairy ring and smiled at the little glowing people. Nell floated up to hover in front of them and she smiled.

The princess swept forward to give Vincent a quick kiss on the cheek and Delaney felt him relax beside her. She knew Nell must have done something to take away his pain again like last time. She then swept forward to kiss Delaney's cheek and Delaney felt the familiar ease wash over her. When Nell moved back though there was a frown on her little face as she studied Delaney.

"What is it, Nell?" Vincent asked seriously.

"I don't know," the little fairy replied, "There is something different about you Delaney."

"Something different about me?" Delaney questioned in surprise.

Nell nodded, "It isn't magic. I would know if it was magic, even if it wasn't fairy magic. I also can't quite tell if it's good or bad but I'm sensing it is bad."

"So there's something different about her that isn't magic... but it's bad..."

Vincent frowned at Nell and Delaney could see he didn't quite believe her.

"It's like a taste or smell," Nell tried to explain, "It wasn't there before but now it is and it tastes almost... almost like sadness."

"Tastes like sadness?" Vincent shook his head but a small laugh escaped him, "Nell you aren't making any sense."

"I'm afraid that's all I can tell you without extensive study of her," Nell sighed.

"Could it be something has happened that's making me sad?" Delaney asked now, thinking about how she'd only just learned she wasn't pregnant again."

"I don't think so," the fairy shook her head, "Your body knows something is wrong though. I can tell."

Delaney and Vincent both frowned at the little fairy with her odd message.

"Is she sick?"

"Not exactly," Nell answered, "But I must go now. Vincent do talk to your wife."

Vincent tensed at those words but Nell didn't care. Her frankness coming into play again. Delaney looked at her husband with curiosity for a moment before she was distracted by the princess fairy again.

Calling goodbye over her shoulder, Nell flew to join the wall of fairies around Delaney and Vincent. The fairies began to move faster and faster, a buzzing growing until there came the flash of bright light. Delaney knew before she even looked around that the fairies would be gone just like they were last time.

They stood in the middle of a ring of toadstools that had not been there only moments before. Delaney smiled and bent down as she studied one that was closest to them. It looked like it had been there for its entire life, roots and all. Vincent chuckled at her observations and held his hand out to her. He couldn't argue that it was a strange thing.

With their arms linked, together Vincent and Delaney began their long walk towards their home. Just before they were out of sight of the fairy ring, Delaney glanced back at it and for a moment, pictured it full of fairies again. She wondered when she and her husband would be able to return and dance with the fairies together again. She also couldn't help but wonder if they would ever bring their children here with them.

The ring disappeared behind them and Delaney turned to look forward again. She was quiet as she walked and Vincent noticed this. He waited for a time to see if she would say anything but eventually, he gave in.

"Is everything alright love?"

Delaney didn't answer right away. She knew she should tell him about not being pregnant but they had had such a lovely night with the fairies she didn't want to spoil it. He would be leaving in the morning too and she didn't want them to part with sadness hanging over them.

"I'm just tired," she sighed at last, not completely untrue, "I think I've worried so much today it's actually made me tired."

Vincent chuckled and said something to her about getting good sleep but his mind had floated back to what Nell had said. The princess had told him he needed to talk to Delaney about his scars and make sure she understood them. Hearing her words now though he knew he couldn't. It was not the time. She was already worried enough that something would happen to him because of the heirs being murdered.

No... He couldn't tell her... Not now...