’Twas only after they had made love, after she slept within the circle of his arms, that he realized every word they had spoken since he had first heard her voice that morn, was spoken only in Gaelic. Even in her anger and despair, she had spoken only his language. And though he should have been pleased, something about this change in her left him unsettled.

Tristan was brought into their room that night, happy to be with his mother again. ’Twas a rough few days before Gwen’s body could meet his demands, but Greylen knew she was grateful that their son turned only to her now.

Gwen stayed mostly within their chamber and only left when he came and escorted her to meals or to sit with him in the study. The first time she sat with him as he went through his ledgers, he could sense that something bothered her, but she didn’t say anything. He had to ask her first before she’d speak of it. Then she quietly explained, with downcast eyes, that the study seemed different to her and many of the items that she had always admired were now gone.

He explained that he commissioned new furnishings as well as maps that were more current than those he had had. The other ornaments and books, which she had quietly remarked were missing, he said he had packed away until their new things arrived.

Had she looked more closely she would have seen that his desk was barely held together by spikes, and the few leather volumes that did line the shelves were void of pages. He had destroyed everything else, including the maps that he’d torn from the walls. As for the trinkets that had lined the shelves and tables, those he had shattered.

But she’d not looked more closely. Not at anything.

She went only through the motions.

Greylen became more and more disturbed with his wife’s behavior as the weeks passed. Though she awoke early every day, she made no attempt to resume her exercise routine. And though she took great care of Tristan, ’twas she who clung to him, rather than he to her.

Whenever he brought her to the great hall, or anywhere for that matter, he always had to retrieve her once he started to leave. He actually had to approach her and place his hand upon her shoulder, and when she would finally realize that he was there, he would then have to take her hand and lead her from the room.