Chapter 234 - After Ian

Delaney couldn't manage to regain her feeling of happiness after watching Ian leave their home for good.  She didn't know if she would ever see her friend again and that made her heart ache.  Vincent didn't push her.  They went together to their room where he sat on the couch there and she curled up against him, tears on her cheeks.  She talked about how she would miss the pirate and Vincent agreed he would miss him as well.  He was sad to see the man go just as his wife was.

"Can we go home now?" Delaney asked quietly after they had sat for a time.

"Of course," Vincent nodded, "I'll tell everyone we want to leave first thing in the morning."

"Thank you," she whispered and hugged him.

-

That night after a small dinner when they were in bed about to go to sleep, it was only then that Delaney remembered the news the Queen had shared with her.  She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on Vincent's chest.

"I nearly forgot to tell you!  You won't believe what Sophia told me this afternoon when she was here."

"And what's that?" Vincent asked with an amused smile as he lay with one arm tucked up beneath his head.

"She's pregnant!"

Surprise swept over his face and he shook his head slowly.  "Really?  Is she sure?"

"The witches confirmed it," Delaney nodded, "They said everything was looking good."

"I can't believe it," he said still in shock, "Daniel didn't say anything."

"He didn't know.  She was going to tell him but after you and Ian came she wanted to wait.  I imagine she's told him by now though."

"He'll be so happy," Vincent chuckled, "I can't believe it.  After all this time they've finally done it.  They'll have the heir they've wanted so badly."

"I know," she smiled, "Sophia was thrilled.  And she was very sweet when she told me because she knew I might be upset.  But knowing all they've been through it's hard to be anything but happy for them."

"I agree... Wow... I never would've guessed... So does that mean... does that mean the potion worked then?"

"It must have.  She said there wasn't any other way she could have a baby.  I didn't want to bring it up though because... because of what they had to do to get the potion."

Vincent nodded, "That's probably for the best.  I think that's good news either way.  I'm happy for them.  And the Kingdom will be thrilled to have a new prince or princess."

Delaney giggled and snuggled back down against him again.  They were quiet for a while but his last words had brought other thoughts to his wife's mind.  Delaney bit her lip and tried to push the thoughts aside but in the quiet of the night, she couldn't manage it.

"Vincent do you think... do you think Mason is alright?"

Her husband sighed, "I don't know my love.  I've been trying not to think about it.  I hope he is but there is no way to know for sure.  I just hope Danny's ship that's sailing to the Red Lands will find him there alive and well."

"I hope so too," she whispered, "But even if he is... so many of Ian's other siblings would have been on that ship and his mother too.  Ilona... there is no way she wouldn't have been on board.  She was the captain after all."

"Yes... I thought about her this morning when I read the letter.  I only just started to forgive and actually like her before she left.  Even if I hadn't though, I still wouldn't wish anything bad to happen to her.  Besides, I know the two of you were friends after a while even if you tried to fight it."

He chuckled at those last words and Delaney giggled as well.

"We were," she said softly, "Ilona said so herself that she thought of me as a friend... I hate thinking something bad has happened to her but Vincent you know how stubborn she is and Ian said she was always getting herself into trouble and..."

"Yes, but he did admit to me she was an excellent sailor and captain of a ship as far as the actual running of the ship was concerned.  She may not make the best choices in how to handle the men but she knows her ship and the oceans."

"Really?" Delaney asked with hope, "Ian said that?  When?"

Vincent chuckled, "The night of the fire when Mason told me their foolish plan to steal him away and sail him off to the Red Lands.  I was worried about his safety aboard the pirate ship and Ian assured me that although his sister was a pain, she knew how to keep the people aboard her ship safe."

"But Captain Black sent word that the ship had gone down."

"I know.  But maybe she found some way to save her people first... or at least as many as she could.  Maybe she got out herself.  I think we have to try not to get upset until we hear from Ian.  He won't stop searching until he has answers."

"You're right," Delaney sighed.

-

The next morning they were dressed early and left for Edgewood.  Delaney felt guilty because she knew it wasn't the house's fault but she was not sad to say goodbye to the Adair City House.  As they left from the King's City she prayed once again that they wouldn't have to go back there.  At least not for a long long time.

Since they were on their way home and Vincent still had plenty of his medicine from Opal, this time he didn't hold off on drinking it until his pain was bad.  Instead, he sipped it now and then when he felt the pain starting to reach the levels that would make him groan.  Anything less than that though he managed.

He wouldn't let it get so bad that it would upset his wife but he also didn't like the idea of having his muscles numbed so much by the medicine.  Without Ian, he was warier of something happening where he would have to protect Delaney.  They had their guards but it still didn't make him feel quite at ease like having the pirate around had.  Not for the first time since the man had left, the Duke missed Ian.

Instead of staying the night somewhere, the Duke and Duchess had decided that instead they would stop and get fresh horses when theirs had started to reach their limits so they could travel the entire way home to Edgewood at once.

When it was getting closer to evening, they rode into a town to eat and Vincent left one of his men in charge of arranging the new horses for them.  The rest of the men and servants went with the Duke and Duchess of Edgewood into an Inn where the keeper was thrilled for a chance to sell so much food and make so much extra money.  Delaney smiled fondly when she saw her husband pay the man extra for his troubles.

She watched Vincent walk to the table and bit her lip when she noticed he was limping fairly hard on his bad leg.  He assured her the pain was manageable but now she wondered if maybe they should stay the night somewhere instead of pushing him to ride in the carriage all the way home.  When she tried to gently broach the subject with him he wouldn't hear of it and ended the conversation by saying he was fine and he wanted to get back.

Knowing better than to continue to push the subject once he had told her he was alright, Delaney stayed quiet even though she wasn't happy about it.  When they were finished with their meal and the carriage had fresh horses as well as the horses for the guards, they all prepared to leave again.  She watched Vincent when he winced and closed his eyes for a moment as he climbed up inside the carriage and eased himself down on the seat.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," he said although his words were clipped, "I told you I was alright.  You don't need to worry."

"I will always worry about you," she said before the carriage began forward, "You are my husband and I love you."

Vincent looked down at her with a warm smile although his scars were already a deep red from his pain, "I know you do.  I will be fine though my love."

She gave up and took his hand in her lap before leaning her head against his shoulder.

-

A steady drizzle began to fall shortly after the sun had set, one of the first spring showers.  The sound of it made Delaney sleepy but the bumping of the carriage made it impossible to doze off for more than a few minutes at a time.

It was dark and they were exhausted as she knew their men must also be after riding so far in the rain.  It was all worth it though when Vincent nudged her and pointed out the window as he held back the curtains.  There atop the hill was Edgewood manor with all its torches lit to guide their way.

They were home at last.