A Thousand Blessings - Book One (Blessings Series 1) Read online

  Simon had told her that Colin was thirty-one, so the secret wasn’t that he was ancient. Compared to her age of twenty, thirty-one was old enough, but not so old as to repulse her. Her brother was older than thirty-one and still seemed young and strong to her. She also knew that the king had lost his wife five years before, a fact that made her sad for him. How young he was to have already suffered such loss. Prior to this moment, she had thought of it very little, his feelings about his late wife. Now, though, it seemed to require much more consideration. If he had loved her deeply, what might that mean for them? Was he still suffering over his queen’s loss?

  Soon enough Isabel’s mind began to wind down, so she came to rest again on her pillow. Her final thoughts before drifting off to sleep were of the commander and his captivating blue eyes. Each time he laughed, there was the sweetest twinkle in them, like starlight almost. Without question the commander was the most handsome man who had ever stepped foot into the palace. It was with much delight that Isabel had watched the female staff as they encountered him. Voices stammered and hands trembled, causing trays of dishes to rattle.

  She herself was taken aback by him momentarily; maybe more than momentarily, she had to admit. Who wouldn’t be with his strong and noble appearance? A taller than usual man, the commander stood at least a head taller than Isabel’s relatively tall brother. His weathered face and the creases that formed when he smiled indicated he was near her brother’s age.

  A sigh escaped her at the thought: For a man of battle, his voice had been surprisingly soft, and with her, she noticed, gentler than with others. All in all, the commander was a man whom any woman would long to marry, but for Isabel, her future was already determined with the king. Not that she would ever tell a soul, but Isabel had a tiny little voice inside that whispered, I wish Elias were king.

  Since the trip to Kidian was long, it was agreed that the party would arise early and leave at dawn. King Colin had sent two maids to attend to Isabel’s need. They were placed in a carriage separate from her, leaving Isabel to travel alone. After many hours of this lonesome journey, she longed for companionship.

  One of her three ladies-in-waiting, Beatrice, the only one whose company Isabel enjoyed, would be making the trip later, once her father recovered from a nearly fatal fall. With no one to share the journey, the excitement of the great adventure was fading the more miles she traveled away from home and family.

  Isabel appreciated a stop for a light meal and a chance to stretch her legs, especially since the commander spent the time with her. From the moment she stepped from the carriage accompanied by Elias’s hand, Isabel found her heart pounding an amusing little tune. Tempted to dance to its rhythm, she began to tap her feet beneath the fabric of her gown. Her secret movements caused her to smile.

  Elias watched the princess for some time. “May I ask you, Princess, what thoughts are lighting up your face in such a way?”

  Isabel’s face grew warm. “If you must know, I hear a tune in my heart, so my feet are secretly dancing beneath my skirt.”

  He chuckled and nodded toward her feet. “Well, let me see.”

  She was sitting on a small stool, so Isabel looked down at her own feet and lifted her skirt only enough to expose them. “Watch them. They hear the rhythm and take on life.”

  “What I’ve told you, Princess Isabel, of the music and dancing in Kidian is true. Feet such as those must surely find their way home.”

  His words made the orchestra of her heart sound even louder, not their meaning, about the music and dancing, but rather his tone. The playful manner with which he spoke and the fact that he would dare to ask to see her feet were beyond shocking and would be considered insolent by most. To Isabel, however, his words made her feel something foreign, something less than admirable as the king’s intended.

  “Will you dance with me once we are there?” Isabel asked.

  “I will be the first to twirl you around the room.”

  At the sight of his twinkling eyes, Isabel grinned at him. “Do you promise? Even if the king is a jealous man?”

  “I do promise, and I will ask the approval of the king without question.”

  ***

  Elias was climbing onto his horse after assisting the princess into her carriage. Although he had enjoyed the stop, he now found his thoughts cluttered. The princess had been an absolute joy to be around with lighthearted humor and an easy manner. Without question this was no ordinary woman of high birth, all serious and stodgy. Instead, she was like drawing a breath of fresh air into his lungs on a spring morning. Because of his instant liking of the princess, he was less than enthused about his pending task.

  Such a joyful heart begged to be loved, no matter how practical a girl she may be. It was inevitable that a woman of such charm and warmth would soon wither within the bounds of a loveless marriage. Especially for this young woman, so bright and vibrant, Elias felt dreadfully sorry to bring her to his king.

  Still, he wondered about his own behavior, how he had so shamelessly flirted with her. When speaking to her, while gazing into her large dark eyes, he had often fallen silent for fear of what he might say. He had yet to encounter a woman whose beauty so captivated him. Already he was becoming well aware of the delicate shape of her face and how her lips curved only slightly when secretly amused by something she chose not to convey. Isabel was like a spark of a candle on a dark night. Something about her illuminated him, causing even the darkest recesses of his heart to brighten.

  ***

  Once alone again in her carriage, Isabel huffed aloud, wishing she was free to make the journey on horseback like the others. For a heart so drawn to the outdoors to be penned up with only a small set of windows on either side rather than to make the journey on horseback was a cruel fate.

  She stared out the small window and thought of the commander and his careful attention toward her. He was nothing like other men in her presence. In the royal court of her brother’s palace, men acted differently. Some kept clear distance, knowing her future union would benefit the kingdom, some stammered in embarrassment and obvious attraction, some even openly desired her and secretly told her so. This commander was like none of them. He seemed to be himself, bold and confident, yet soft spoken and playful. How could she help but admire such a man as one who would ask to see her dancing feet?

  Two days of travel passed with Isabel riding along in miserable in confinement. At the end of the second day, once they broke for camp, she was taken to the commander’s tent for supper. Just as before, she found a proper meal served on an elegant table. That night there was venison and vegetables, soup and bread, way more food than she cared to eat.

  “Commander?” She looked around at the setting and men present to serve.

  “Yes, Princess.”

  “Do you always eat so extravagantly when traveling?”

  “It’s been a number of years since I’ve eaten while traveling.” He looked around them as she had. “Even then, it wasn’t like this.”

  Isabel shrugged. “I would rather have bread and soup under the stars any evening than a fine meal in a tent.”

  Without hesitation Elias stood and reached for her soup bowl. “Then by all means, you shall eat your soup under the stars.”

  His abrupt movement caused Isabel to wonder. “Have I offended you? This is lovely, and I’m grateful that you have gone to such trouble.”

  With an easy smile, he held the tent flap open so that the princess could pass by. “I can’t imagine you ever offending me, Isabel.”

  Her stomach fluttered at the sound of her name. He called her neither Princess nor Princess Isabel, as he normally did. Just Isabel, as a friend.

  When the commander handed her the bowl, he turned as if to go back.

  “Only the bread, not the chairs, please.”

  “Where will you sit?”

  “On an overturned log if you will find me one.”

  The commander did just that, and together they ate under the stars.
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  When they were through eating, and noticing that no one was near, Isabel said, “May I ask you a question?”

  “You may ask me many questions.”

  “You have spoken plenty of the kingdom but not the king. Other than his being a good man and great king, you’ve said not one word.”

  “What is your question?”

  “Is he kind?”

  “He is.”

  “Now that you know the topic, may I still ask you many questions?”

  “You may.”

  They were sitting close together by the fire, but Isabel had come to conclude it was his smile that warmed her on that chilly spring evening. The fire popped and crackled, and on occasion he would take a long stick and poke around at the wood. Many of those times she sensed he needed a distraction, something to do besides look at her. His long gazes were noticed, and for the most part they weren’t unreturned. Something was happening between them and both knew better.

  “Do you admire him?”

  “I do. As a king, none compare, and as a former man of battle, he has been feared.” Elias sighed. “You will be queen alongside a noble king, one whom all respect and admire.”

  “Is the king handsome?”

  “Very much so. I’ve heard him described as striking, especially his smile.”

  “Even more handsome than you?” Her question caused him to grin in embarrassment.

  He rubbed the stubble of his chin as if in deep thought. “Well, now, that’s hardly possible.”

  “Very humble of you, Commander.”

  “All of us great men are – humble that is. It comes naturally.”

  His sarcasm wasn’t lost on her, but she knew better. He was confident and bold, but beneath the surface of this dashing man, he was humble without question. It came across in how he looked at her and how he treated his men with such respect.

  “So what is the secret you are keeping from me?” At her question the commander looked away. By his posture she knew. “He still loves his late wife?”

  Without turning back to face her, Elias said, “He does.”

  “I suspected.” Isabel’s heart sank at knowing. “Thank you for being honest with me.”

  Only then did he look her in the eye. “I will always be honest with you.”

  Isabel stood. “I should retire for the night. I’m sure you want to set off early in the morning.”

  Elias walked with Isabel to her tent. “I will see you in the morning. Sleep well, Princess.”

  Without looking at him, she said, “You, too, Commander.”

  Chapter 3

  Elias had been up since long before dawn. Now, sitting at a table outdoors waiting for the princess, he watched her with amusement as she left her tent and came to join him.

  “It’s late. Why didn’t you send someone to wake me?”

  “You have had two difficult days of travel, so I thought I would allow you to sleep in.” He smiled at her, his tone light-hearted. “Little did I know you would sleep the entire morning away, nearly until the noontime meal.”

  His truest motive was to delay their arrival home for as long as possible. More than one reason prompted his desire. For one, to know she would soon be hurt caused his heart to ache for her and had kept him awake most of the night. No matter her practicality, there was no question she would be. He could see it in her eyes the night before when he admitted that the king loved another. Mostly, though, the idea of Isabel marrying a man whose sole desire was to conceive a child with her and nothing more made his heart sink to his stomach. She deserved better than that. Though the king would certainly be kind to her, his later rejection would be devastating.

  “I rested well enough.”

  “Your eyes tell a different story.” From the moment she had approached, he could see a clear expression of sadness laced with sleepiness on her face.

  Isabel tore a piece of bread off and looked away. “I know my lot. I will be his queen and can hardly expect more. I came to terms with it last night.”

  “He is truly a good man, Isabel. I ask you to remember that.”

  “I should get ready for travel. I’m sorry I have caused us such a delay.”

  Before she walked away, Elias reached for her arm, something that surprised them both as they each stared at his fingers wrapped around her exposed skin.

  “Are you in a hurry to arrive at the palace, Princess?”

  She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. After batting her eyes a few times, she finally said, “No, I suppose not.”

  “Since you are tired, as your eyes give you away, I propose we spend a day camped here and begin again tomorrow.”

  “I accept your proposal.” Her words weren’t lost on either of them, and both glanced away.

  When she looked back at him, she said, “What shall we do today?”

  “We can take a walk. There’s a nice meadow just past this tree-line.”

  “Can we ride?”

  “I have no sidesaddle for you.”

  “I’ve been riding for twelve years and have ridden sidesaddle for only five minutes of it.”

  “You straddle like a man?”

  “I do, indeed.”

  “That’s unfitting for a lady.” He grinned at his own words as if he cared about propriety while flirting with a woman soon to be married.

  “Tell me why that’s so.”

  Elias considered her question. “Well…” He pondered a moment more, trying to figure out why himself. “Not to me personally, but I suppose others think it unfitting since you must hike your skirts to mount.”

  “If no one sees, why should that matter? Your men can turn their heads as I climb atop a horse.”

  For the first time Elias was seeing just how practical this woman was. And even more so, he was finding that she had a streak of defiance in her, something he admired and something he hoped would give her resilience in the time to come.

  “You are absolutely correct, Princess Isabel. We will ride if that’s what you want to do.”

  “That is exactly what I want. I can’t imagine a better day than one spent riding with you.”

  Her response made him look away lest she notice his ever-increasing interest in her.

  “I will have my men ready our horses.”

  ***

  When Isabel approached her horse, men surrounded her in a large circle, backs facing her. While the commander was within the circle with her, he turned his head and held out his hands in order to grasp her foot and boost her upward. She gathered her skirt in her hand as she placed her foot into the commander’s hands. Next thing she knew, she was seated atop the large mare as she allowed her skirt to flow over her straddled legs.

  “You may look now.”

  All turned to face her, amazed that a princess would do something so unexpected. She grinned at them and then turned to look at the commander. His expression was just as amusing.

  Their party rode for more than two hours before turning back for camp. Isabel asked no more questions about the king, and Elias offed no more details. For this day they could pretend that an upcoming wedding did not loom overhead.

  “Tell me, Princess, how old were you when your brother became king?”

  “I was only seven.”

  “Your father must have been a young man at his passing.”

  “He was, as was my mother. It was an outbreak that swept through the village nearby. Before anyone knew of the severity of the illness, many in the palace were already affected. My parents were among the last to die.”

  “I’m so sorry. That must have been unbelievably hard, losing your parents at such a young age.”

  “It was, but my brother was always kind to my sisters and me. He has cared for us well.”

  Elias nodded. “He has cared for you well in this pairing. Your life at the palace will be full.”

  Isabel was quiet, her mind too cluttered to respond. How could a life without love be considered full?

  ***

  The
remainder of the afternoon, Elias stayed as far away from the princess as possible. Preparations for departure the following morning took up much of his time. He found excuse after excuse to keep himself occupied. By the time supper was ready, he found he regretted any moment not spent with Isabel. The lot was cast for them both, speaking of their futures, but this time until they arrived at the palace was precious and ticking away. He didn’t want to waste one borrowed moment with her.

  Over supper outdoors under the starlight, Elias said, “You’re picking at your food again. I’ve given you the stars with your supper. What more could you want?”

  “Nothing more than this.” She hesitated then smiled. “Well, if you could grant me one wish.”

  Elias leaned in. “What would that one wish be, sweet Isabel?”

  “I would wish that you were king.”

  He sighed and hung his head.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It was disrespectful to your king.” She began to stand until he held his hand out to her.

  When Elias raised his head enough to see her embarrassment, his heart sank.

  “No. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He paused a moment. “It is I who have dishonored my king. From the moment we began this journey, I have been much too forward with you, familiar in a way that isn’t my right.

  “You should be excited over becoming a bride, about becoming queen next to an admirable king. Instead, I have caused conflicting feelings and misplaced loyalty.

  “I’ve taken advantage of your vulnerability, especially since last evening. What I shared with you about the king has brought you discouragement. That’s unfair. True enough, the king’s heart is still grieving for his late wife, but there is always hope.”

  Elias looked around them and well knew others were looking on, so he had to will his hand to remain at his side rather than to caress her cheek. “In my obvious advances toward you, I have confused your heart. I am genuinely sorry. I ask for your forgiveness.”

  “I’m scared,” Isabel said. “Much more than I thought I would be.”

  “Of course you are. I can hardly imagine how you must feel. And Princess Isabel,” he addressed her formally. “I can’t tell you how I admire your courage. You have struck out from all that you know and hold dear in order to marry a complete stranger. How brave you are and how admirable your willingness to serve your kingdom in such a way!”