her eyes away from him to take in the land’s beauty. And then she was in his arms, not even sure how she arrived there.
“Stay with me, Willow.” He held her, a precious thing to be adored. “Stay here in Shondravar with me. I love you, Your Highness.”
She smiled and gazed into his eyes, lost to the surrender of her heart. Was she hearing him right? Oh yes! She wanted to shout it but…she was a princess and he, a commoner. She had no idea why it mattered though. She would love to stay here with Caleb. But her father…no. She didn’t care about the king right now. She only cared about Caleb, and her own heart. “I love you also, Caleb.”
He dipped his head to hers and kissed her. She held onto him when her kneecaps tingled. Oh, she would never forget this day, this kiss, so tender, yet passionate. But…
But how could she just go ahead and marry his enemy? He would never forgive her. Even if he died, he would leave without forgiving her. And no matter what he had done in the past, she still loved him.
“Can we sit here and speak awhile?” she asked him, withdrawing.
“Of course.” He gave her his warmest, widest smile and offered her a place to sit next to him.
“You might not want to hear of it, or speak of it, but it weighs heavily upon me.”
“Your father.”
“Yes,” she told him, loving how he always seemed to know her thoughts. “I’m afraid of what you will do to him. Whether you put him in Predaria’s prison—yes, I know of it. The men used to speak of it often. If you put him in chains or kill him in combat, it will be the same. I will lose him.”
“Yes,” he agreed quietly.
“Caleb, isn’t there—”
He shook his head. “There is nothing I can do. It has already been decreed.”
“By whom?”
“By m…many people.”
She looked at him narrowly. “What other kings or noblemen? You said decreed.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” He looked as if he were about to be ill.
“You will?” She almost leaped with joy. Oh, what tremendous thing was forgiveness? Did he love her enough to forgive her father for what he’d done?
Did she want him too? Completely?
It wasn’t fair. Her father should answer for his crime. She was torn!
She swung back and canted her arms behind her head. The wheat was high enough to block the sun, but not enough to keep her eyes open.
She turned her head to look at him. “Tell me about your childhood, Caleb. I know nothing about you except what my father’s lips have whispered.”
“And your eyes have seen.”
She smiled. “Yes. My eyes have seen. Who and what made you who you are today?”
“Hmm.” He smiled and lie beside her, turning his head to meet her gaze between the stalks. “My mother died giving birth to Shauna. My sister and I became orphans when Baltrasard killed our father. We were brought to Shondravar and raised by Jonas’s parents, Henry and Kathryn. We were both too young to remember our first father, but Henry was my father’s closest friend and reminded us of him often.
“Henry was a Warrior, and so we were taught the art of battle early.”
“Did you have any childhood sweethearts?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“I didn’t have time for that. I was doing chores and learning to read the Bible and trying to change Shondravar. All this didn’t take place over night.”
“That’s noble,” she told him, “but it isn’t your responsibility to save Predaria. It’s my father’s.”
“Is he going to do it?”
She saw his point and shook her head.
“I know I’m doing what God wants of me concerning the land. Look at the rain, the wheat. It’s a sign from Him to keep going, not to give up. So I’ll be faithful and trust Him for miraculous things.”
“I wish I had that kind of confidence in someone,” Willow complained.
“You can have it in Him. And you can trust me also to keep my word.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Caleb. Do you think you will ever leave Shondravar?”
He shook his head. “This is where God planted me. He put the desire in me and then He helped me see it through. Many things could have stopped it, including my own doubts when the crop failed, but He pushed me onward—to make a difference.”
“I’ve been reading your book.”
He smiled and gave her heart palpitations. “We can read together if you like.”