Page 28 of To Ride the Wind
“Faster?” she gasped, remembering how swiftly they had traveled before. “Is that possible?”
He gave his gravelly laugh. “It is, indeed. If you lean forward and rest your head on my neck, you can wrap your arms around me in a more secure hold. You can even close your eyes and sleep if you wish. I will not let you fall, and we will be there before you know it.”
Charlotte had intended to remain alert, curious about the journey itself, but as the bear picked up speed, she was forced to flatten herself or risk losing her balance. And pressed against his warm fur, it was easier to close her eyes than keep them open given the wind generated by their speed.
She wouldn’t sleep, however. How could she sleep after all that had just happened and with all that was before her?
An unknown length of time later, she awoke with a start. It took her a disorienting moment to realize she was still clutching the bear’s fur but they had come to a stop. When had she fallen asleep?
“We have arrived,” the bear said in a deep tone she couldn’t entirely read.
Shaking the remaining fuzziness from her mind, she slipped off his back and looked upward. The sight in front of her made her gasp.
An austere castle of gray stone had been built against a craggy mountain face. There were no lights in the windows nor any other sign of life, but it appeared to be in good condition and was by far the largest building she had ever seen. It had turrets but no flags—nothing to indicate which kingdom they were in. And given the rapidly gathering darkness, it didn’t seem possible it could be the Palace of Light.
“Are we to stay here tonight?” she asked, bewildered, wishing she had stayed awake long enough to see the direction of their travel. The presence of the castle suggested they had moved westward, leaving the fringes of civilization and moving deeper into Rangmere. But the mountains that ringed them on three sides indicated they had rather gone east into the impassable mountains that bordered the Four Kingdoms.
“Of course,” the bear said, sounding a little confused. “You would not want to sleep in the open.”
“No,” she rushed to assure him, despite the resurgence of her trepidation now they were truly alone in such a foreign place. “This is by far the grandest building I’ve ever seen. I will be honored to stay here. But…is this your castle?” She managed a small laugh. “Are you a prince among the bears?”
He hesitated for a moment, the air between them turning awkward. “It’s true this is my home for now,” he said at last, “but the castle doesn’t belong to me.”
She laughed again, trying to break the new tension. “Are you a squatter then?”
“More like a prisoner,” he murmured, so quietly she almost didn’t catch it. But when he looked up, he was grinning, and the coldness in the air had disappeared.
“Princess Charlotte suits you, though, don’t you think? I’m sorry there isn’t great fanfare awaiting you and a line of courtiers ready to pledge their loyalty.”
She laughed back.
“I’m no princess, and I have no desire for such a scene. This is already far more than I expected.”
Henry’s face turned serious. “I hope that’s true, and you didn’t marry me because you thought I held some high position.”
“Of course not!” she laughed. “And how could I complain when your home has turned out to be a castle? You said you would provide for me, and you’re already doing so. It’s clear you keep your promises.” She said the last words with extra weight, and he nodded slightly, seeming to instinctively understand her sudden tension.
“You can be sure I will always endeavor to do so. And for now, you are princess of this castle, at least. Though I hope one day I may offer you more.”
He spoke with a careful lightness that betrayed underlying tension.
“Truly, it isn’t necessary,” she rushed to reassure him. And even as she spoke the words, she realized she had no idea how he felt about their marriage. She had only ever considered the matter from her own perspective. Did it pain him to have to seek a human girl as a bride? What had driven him to do so?
“How long will we stay here?” she asked. “Before we continue on to your true home, I mean.”
He looked shocked at her words, and his reply was slow and cautious. “My true home?”
Charlotte frowned. “The Palace of Light, I mean. That is where you are originally from, isn’t it?”
Her clarification only seemed to shock him further.
“You thought I was one of the High King’s creatures from the Palace of Light? And that I meant to take you there?”
“Aren’t you?” She drew back, fear clogging her throat.
“Is that why you married me?” he asked, horror in his voice. “Is that why you trusted me?”
“Yes,” she said in a small voice. But after a moment of heavy silence, honesty compelled her to continue. “Well, not entirely. That’s the explanation I gave myself, but my instincts told me you were trustworthy and safe from the beginning. I was drawn to you from our first meeting in a way I can’t explain.”