"Do you really think that Lady Ashlynn is up to handling such a large group right now?"
Marcel stilled at Isabellâs question, and the entire room collectively held their breath. People like Samira and Diarmuid knew just how ragged Ashlynn was after the events of this morning, on top of the past few days, and even those who had just arrived had seen just how hard Sir Ollieâs near-death experience had hit her.
If she were any normal lady, no one would have been surprised if she retired early for the evening, or even if she took the next several days to rest and recover with Sir Ollie... But Ashlynn was no ordinary lady, and she didnât have the luxury of time.
"Thereâs a reason Lady Ashlynn asked me to do what is necessary," Marcel countered, his tone remaining light but his eyes growing more serious. "She knows that some things need doing, whether the time is ripe or not. If the Dunns are willing to play their roles, her plans have a much greater chance of succeeding, but we need to bring them into those plans before I leave."
"She knows this," Marcel said. "Just like she knew that the day she gained by sending Ollie and Liam to secure this alliance was more valuable to her than the chance of obtaining a better outcome from them by going herself. Now itâs the same. Sheâs the only one who can help Ollie, but she needs us to pull together the rest of the threads for her, or nothing will be ready in time."
"Fine," Isabell said, taking a moment to retreat in order to advance. "You can bring the baron and his knights over, along with the rest of their court, but if Lady Ashlynn isnât recovered enough from healing Ollie to meet with them, then Iâll speak on her behalf," Isabell said, meeting the youthful-looking vampireâs eyes with a steely gaze.
"Of course," Marcel said with a wide smile, as Isabell hadnât asked for anything difficult. "But if I know Lady Ashlynn, sheâll push herself through the meeting and sleep the day away once weâre on the river. But if it puts your mind at ease, then I have no objections to you appointing yourself as her proxy," he said, waving his hand in a gesture that implied it wasnât anything important.
"Good," Isabell said sternly. "Then, as her proxy, Iâm forbidding you from bringing Lady Cerys here. Ashlynn can discuss her plans with the Baron and his knights without dragging a poor, injured woman before her to be judged.
"Just like Ashlynn told Ollie," the engineer continued firmly. "Some things can wait, and dealing with her is one of them. Whether she deals with the woman now or tomorrow wonât change much, and it will save an injured woman a trip across the river and back in the dark of night. Ashlynn would have that much compassion, even for someone who betrayed their lord to flee from this alliance."
"No," Marcel said flatly, losing all of his remaining playfulness as he focused fully on Isabell. "Other things, you may represent Lady Ashlynn in, but not this," he insisted before turning to the young lord he still had one arm draped around. "Liam, how bad are Lady Cerysâ injuries right now? Did Sir Ollie heal her completely, or is she still hurt?"
"Sir Ollie was able to heal the life-threatening wounds," Liam said carefully as his eyes flicked between the silver-eyed witch and the youthful vampire. "Her arm is still broken and will be in a brace for some time, as will her ankle."
"Do you... Do you mean that Lady Ashlynn will want to finish the healing that Sir Ollie couldnât?" Eira asked hesitantly. Lady Ashlynn appeared so kind when she cared for Sir Ollie. If Marcel wanted to bring Lady Cerys here to be healed, surely that would satisfy Isabellâs concerns, wouldnât it?
But when she looked at the vampireâs smile with the light from the hearths casting shadows that made his fangs look even longer than they really were, she feared sheâd misunderstood.
"Lady Ashlynn isnât foolish enough to throw away the gift that Lady Cerys has given her," Marcel said, shaking his head. "Injured, sheâs useful. A completely unexpected boon that opens up a new opportunity. Healed, sheâs a liability who might do something foolish like trying to flee again. But in order to know whether she can be used or not, I need to bring her here."
"Thatâs cold, Marcel," Isabell said, frowning at the vampire. "Ashlynn wouldnât..."
"Master Isabell," Ignatious interrupted from further down the table. "Marcel isnât wrong to bring Cerys here. If he were here, Aspakos would say that this is the shape of her destiny. She might not have understood the path she was choosing when she tried to flee, but the first choice she made wonât be her last. Her destination isnât yet fixed."
"If Marcel sees a way that she can be useful to Lady Ashlynn," Ignatious concluded. "Then I believe that there is an opportunity for her to make amends for her mistake and to reach a brighter future. We shouldnât take that away from her, no matter how kind our intentions are. The brightest futures require greater struggles," he quoted with a reassuring smile. "Donât deny her the chance to struggle for this one."
"At least tell me what âuseâ you have for her," Isabell said, drumming her fingers on the table in irritation as the vampires ganged up on her. No, that wasnât right, she scolded herself, and it was childish to frame it that way.
They werenât ganging up on her, but they were speaking their minds, each from their own perspective. But that didnât mean that she was going to roll over and accept their arguments without understanding Marcelâs intentions.
"If your plan is something that Ashlynn would find objectionable," Isabell started to warn, only for Marcel to cut her off.
"An injured noblewoman is an excuse for her husband to abstain from events he would otherwise be expected to attend," Marcel said simply, as though it should be obvious. "Lady Cerys doesnât need to do anything but stay in bed, resting her arm and leg, while we position other people around her."
"Iâm sure that Lady Ashlynn could brew a concoction to render someone else sick," Marcel mused. "Or I could break someone elseâs arm to manufacture a similar excuse. But the Dunn servants are already aware of Lady Cerysâ fall from her horse. The story already has legitimacy thatâs hard to manufacture on short notice. Thatâs why I said sheâd given us a gift," Marcel said with a calculating gleam in his dark eyes.
"As Lady Ashlynnâs vassals," Marcel said. "We just have to collect the gift thatâs been prepared for her and make sure that sheâs able to make good use of it."