“And you have reason to do so, but—are you not more able with your elven magery now, thanks to their instruction?”

He nodded. “So I am, and I have exercised it out of their presence, as far as I dared go away from you in this critical time.” He grinned. “I have even used it in ways they would not approve—so I must admit my instructors do not control me.”

“What did you do?” Arian asked.

“Nothing evil, I promise,” he said. “But if a king may not wake and put back to sleep a rosebush in thanks for his queen’s safe birthing—” He reached down and picked up the roses he’d laid there. “Aliam told me the Lady did much the same in his steading, and it is too early for roses.” As he held them, their fragrance poured out, filling the room for an instant as if they stood in the rose garden in summer, then faded, no more than three roses usually produced.

Arian smiled. “Thank you. I am glad our children will have that scent at the root of their lives.” She frowned a little. “Kieri … if you can wake and put to sleep the roses, do you think you now know how to wake those sleeping magelords?”

He shook his head. “I doubt it,” he said. “They sleep by someone else’s spell, and how to unweave another’s spell is still beyond my understanding. At least a trifold weaving, your grandfather said. And yes, I may have some elements of mageborn talent, but I know nothing of its use. Dorrin has no idea what would set magelords asleep for hundreds of years. I wish Paks would come from wherever she is and tell me more about what she saw.”

“Or someone else on that journey. Maybe the Marshal-General could send one of the Marshals who were there.”

“Maybe. I confess I would like to have those magelords when I consider what Alured the Black might do. If he has been invaded—or if he willingly harbors one of the Verrakaien or their like—we will need those with experience in warring with magery. We had paladins with us in Aarenis when we defeated Siniava, and yet it was a near thing. Alured, I believe, is a more dangerous opponent than Siniava. From what Paks said, those sleeping magelords seem to be mage and warrior both.”

Arian looked down at the babies, her face stiff with worry. “They must have time to grow, Kieri.”