“I am fine,” she said, having repeated it so often that it felt like a chant to her.
He leaned down closer, his face not far from hers. “If we were alone I would strip you bare and check every inch of you to make certain.”
Images of her naked, his hands roaming over her, exploring, igniting her sensitive flesh, filled her mind. It left her feeling deliciously wonderful, yet terribly vulnerable, especially since in her vision he was completely clothed.
Her remark slipped from her mouth as fast as images had filled her head. “I would permit that—only if you are naked as well.” Had she truly just said that? Did she truly mean it? Oh Lord, whatever was the matter with her letting him know that she wanted to see him naked again?
Torr grinned. “I am not asking your permission, Princess, and if you want me naked just ask. I will gladly oblige you.”
Her cheeks turned so hot that they probably blistered red, and she wished for more snow to cool them off.
“Tell me you will wed me, and then you will be able to see me naked whenever you want.”
She laughed softly and gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. And she found herself about to agree to wed him, but she held her tongue.
Too fast. Too fast.
It was all going too fast since she had left the abbey. She had to take a breath and think. No not think, she thought too much. She needed to let things be—for now.
“You are mine and you know it. Soon you will admit it,” he said still grinning. “I would love to wrap myself around you tonight to sleep, but that won’t be possible, of course, if we were wed…”
“Go,” she said giving him a slight shove. “I need to think.”
He laughed. “You never stop thinking.”
“I am cursed with a curious mind or so say the nuns at the abbey who are probably at this very moment praying for me.”
Torr brushed a damp curl off her face. “I love your curious side. It makes you even more interesting than you already are.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I will be back soon. Do not think. Rest.”
Wintra watched him go. Each step he took left her a bit more upset. She sighed and burrowed further under the blanket. Her sole thought and objective for so long had been for her and her brother to be reunited. It had occupied her thoughts day and night. She had taken to devising plans, often nonsensical ones, to escape the abbey and find her brother. But the years had passed and the plans had remained mere thoughts—until Owen.
She wondered now what Owen had truly wanted from her. And try as she might she could not get the two dead warriors out of her mind. Their lifeless eyes haunted her. Were they begging for help or warning that she too could find herself like them—unexpected victims?
Too many possibilities rattled around in her head, and she reached the conclusion that there had to be more to Owen’s plan than to simply wed her. There had to be a reason that these two men who had helped him rescue her had been found murdered. She had to settle this matter for herself if she was to keep her sanity. She might not always find answers to her endless questions, but this was one time she intended to get answers, no matter what.
Her busily buzzing thoughts drifted off as sleep laid claim to her. The last thought she took with her, not of death and deceit, but of Torr and how much she wished for his arms around her.
“The closer we get to the village, the more restless you become,” Torr said looking down at her snug in his arms.
“I have not seen my brother in some time, through no fault of his,” Wintra was quick to add. “About three years ago, I refused to see him when he visited. The only way I would see him is if he was there to take me with him, foolish on my part since I missed him terribly. I thought in my naïve wisdom that he would give into my demands. I should have known better. And now I wonder how he will receive me.”
“Like the sister he has missed as much as you have missed him.”
“Or perhaps as the young, witless sister who made things more difficult for him.”
“You are far from witless, though closer to stubborn—” He laughed and she punched him, though it felt more like a tap.
“I am not stubborn; I am determined,” she insisted.
“Determined is good. Are you determined to love me no matter what? No matter anyone’s reaction? No matter what is said or done? Above all else, will you love me as much as I love you?”
His words sent a shiver racing through her. Would their love face that much opposition? But then how could it not? To fall in love in such a brief time was not quite believable. How then did it happen? How did she know with such certainty that she loved this man who held her so lovingly and protectively in his arms?
More questions, few answers, and yet she found herself believing in this unbelievable love. She could not explain it, though she felt it, and she could not explain that either. The thought of being separated from him overwhelmed her with such grief that it roiled her stomach and she grimaced.
“Such a pained face can only mean…” He left her to explain.
“The pain is from the thought of not having you near and as much as I fight the unbelievable that we could love so strongly when only meeting, I cannot ignore the certainty of my love for you.”
“Strong enough to wed me?”
“Aye, my love is strong enough to wed you, though I cannot wed you yet. Love may have rushed in to claim my heart, but my mind challenges my heart. I thought myself in love with one man only to realize that I had never loved him and now here I am claiming I am in love again. It troubles, yet excites me, which leaves me completely confused.”
“But is your love for me strong enough to stand the strongest scrutiny?”
“You make it sound like I will be facing an impossible task and that my love for you could fail?”
“Could it?”
“Why would it?” she asked, fear prickling her skin.
“We sometimes find ourselves tested by unexpected happenings, and it is the strength of what we know to be true, to be honorable in nature that can help us see the right or wrong of it. I believe love can uncover truths and survive the most difficult challenges. We face a challenge you and I, and I pray that the truth will help us survive.”
“Why wouldn’t it?” she said. “I may speak at times when it would be wiser for me to keep my thoughts to myself—” his laughter caused her to pause a moment and give him a playful jab—” but I always speak the truth to you as you do to me. No one can take that from us.”
“A good thing to know—
and remember
,” he emphasized.
Sloan rode up beside them, ending their conversation, though thoughts lingered in her head. She sensed there was more to what Torr was saying than he had voiced and her mind, as usual, went wild with possibilities.
“We will be entering the village soon,” Sloan said.
Torr felt Wintra tense against him and he gave her waist a reassuring squeeze.
“I sent a warrior on ahead to let them know we approach,” Sloan continued. “They will be waiting for our arrival.”
Wintra could not believe it. After all this time, she was finally going to be with her brother.
Not for long. My life is with Torr.
Her thought did not startle as much as she expected. Torr was right about one thing—unexpected things did happen. And she could not help but wonder how many unexpected things were about to happen.
~~~
The village was quiet when they entered, but then it was near to nightfall and most everyone were tucked safe and warm in their homes. Yet Wintra sensed an underlying unease. Was it her arrival that had caused it?
“Owen is here,” Torr said as they approached the keep.
Wintra’s stomach roiled as she spotted three of Owen’s warriors standing at the bottom of the steps of the keep, their eyes remaining steady on her and Torr.
“Owen must have come directly here after finding we led him on a false trail,” Torr said.
She feared what lies he may have already told Cree, and how they would affect her and Torr. The one thought that was stronger than all others was for her to get to her brother and tell him the truth about what had passed.
Torr dismounted, and then helped her off the horse. “Do not let this evil man rob you of the joy of being reunited with your brother. That above all else is what is important at this moment.”
“That is why I love you so much. You understand me and my maddening thoughts and love me anyway.”
“Just to remind you how much, Princess—”
He kissed her and not a gentle, friendly kiss, but a kiss that let all who saw it know that she belonged to him, and it tingled from head to toe and back again. When he ended it, he gave her a minute to clear her senses, then took her hand and led her up the keep steps.
She followed along, though at that moment she would have followed him anywhere.
Wintra stopped a few feet into the Great Hall, Torr halting alongside her and Sloan and some warriors coming to a stop behind them. A nervous quiver ran through her. Cree’s warriors milled about while a few of Owen’s warriors lingered near the dais, which meant he was close by.
When Owen’s warriors spotted her, their heads turned, and just after that Owen’s head appeared to the side of a wide set of shoulders.
She cried out as her brother turned around. “Cree!”
Tears stung her eyes and her heart filled with joy at the sight of him. While intimidating to all, he wasn’t to her. He was simply her loving brother. She didn’t stop her tears from falling, and when he spread his arms wide welcoming her into them as he had done so often when she was young, she did not stop herself from running to him.
Cree hugged his sister tight, happy to finally have her home and he let her shed her tears just as he had always done. Then she would raise her tear-stained face to him and tell him how much better she felt now that he had chased away her fear or sorrow or whatever had been bothering her at that moment. If it was happy tears she cried, she would wiggle out of his arms and tell him that she had planted some happiness on him, and he was not allowed to wipe it away.
She eased herself from his arms, though her hands took hold of his, but before she could say a word Owen stepped from behind Cree.
“There is no need to worry, my dear. I have explained to your brother how much we love each other, and how we are practically wed since we already consummated our love for each other. I also explained how that brute,” — Owen pointed to Torr—“forced himself upon you and although you are disgraced I love you and will overlook it. We can wed immediately.”
Wintra was horrified by his lies and was about to tell Owen what she truly thought of him when Torr stepped forward.
“You are a liar. You never consummated anything with Wintra. And she does not love you.”
“We most certainly did. Wintra gave herself to me willingly the night we spent alone in the woods,” Owen said boldly. “She is rightfully mine. All we need is the ceremony to confirm it”
“You are a fool if you think anyone will believe your lies,” Torr said, his hands fisting at his sides. “I tracked you and I saw everything that went on that night. You left her sleeping alone while you joined a group of warriors a distance away.”
Cree turned his head slowly to glare at Owen. “You left my sister vulnerable to attacks by foe or animal?”
“He is lying,” Owen yelled.
“Is he?” Cree asked. “Then tell me how Torr got my sister away from you.”
“I offer your sister love and a good life with me,” Owen argued rather than answer Cree.
“I do not know your motive for wanting to wed Wintra, but it has nothing to do with love or you would have never hit her or—” Torr never got to finish.
Cree grabbed Owen by the throat and hoisted him up off the ground to dangle in front of him. “You dared lay a hand on my sister?” he demanded, his eyes full of fury.
Owen gasped for breath, his hands uselessly ripping at Cree’s to free himself. “L-l-let m-m-me—” He was suddenly dropped to his feet and through heaving breaths he said, “Wintra was hysterical from what Torr had done to her. Slapping her was the only way to calm her.”
Wintra was stunned at how easily the lies spilled from Owen’s lips. What a fool she had been to believe anything this man had told her. And she was angry that these three men stood here discussing her fate as if she was nothing more than mere chattel to be bargained over.
“Please give me a chance to speak with Wintra alone,” Owen begged.
“No,” Torr said as if his word was final.
“You have no say in this,” Owen said with a self-satisfied smirk. “Cree decides his sister’s fate.”
“No one decides my fate but
me
,” Wintra snapped not able to listen to them discuss her as if she was not there. She took a step away from the three of them. “This is my life,” –she tapped her chest— “I will decide what I want.”
“Do not be foolish, my dear,” Owen said as if speaking to a child. “Men know what is best for women.”
A commotion at the door to the Great Hall prevented Wintra from spewing forth what she truly thought of Owen. Warriors hurried out of the way of a large warrior who appeared to be carrying the body of a limp woman in his arms.
Cree rushed forward to take the woman. He hugged her close, his eyes anxious with worry, though Wintra doubted many could tell just how very concerned he was. He concealed his feelings well, though not from her. She could tell how he felt with just one glance.
“What happened, Elwin?” Cree demanded.
“She was visiting with Lila and discovered your sister had arrived, and so she hurried through the village eager to meet Wintra. When her pace slowed, I realized something was wrong, and she turned to me, her face so pale, it frightened me. I caught her before she could hit the snowy ground.”
“Get Elsa,” Cree barked and Elwin jumped, turned, and hurried off.
Cree carried Dawn over to the large fireplace and sat on one of the benches closest to the fire. She was pale and so limp in his arms that he feared what may have happened to her and their babe. He ran a tender hand over her cheek as he whispered, “Return to me now, Dawn, before I lose my temper.”
Wintra watched, upset for her brother, for evidently it was Dawn, the woman he loved, who he held in his arms, and his obvious pain tore at her heart. She turned to Torr and was surprised to see how upset he was as well, then she realized that Dawn was his sister, so naturally he would be concerned for her. She wished she could help the two men she loved the most but felt helpless to do so. Then a sudden thought came to her. “The snow. Would it not help her?”
“Good idea,” Torr said and ordered a servant to hurry and get a bucket of snow.
Wintra noticed how everyone in the hall seemed concerned for the couple, their eyes steady upon them. All except Owen and his men, they huddled together whispering.
Wintra moved to stand where she could keep an eye on her brother as well as Owen.
Torr took the snow-filled bucket from the servant when she returned and knelt beside Dawn. “I used snow on your sister when she fainted and it helped.”
Cree nodded, though said, “Dawn fainted, no doubt due to our babe, but why did my sister faint?”
Torr rubbed snow over his sister’s face as he explained. “She took a tumble done a hill and rolled into a dead man.”
“We need to talk.”
“That we do,” Torr agreed.
Dawn began to stir just as warriors cleared a path to Dawn for a short, round woman.
“She fainted, Elsa, though she is coming around,” Cree said as the woman came to a stop behind Torr.
Elsa placed her hand on Torr’s shoulder. “Keep rubbing her face with snow.” She then reached into the pouch that hung from a knotted belt at her full waist. She pulled out a couple of sprigs of dried leaves and waved them beneath Dawn’s nose.
Wintra stepped closer, curious as to what plant she had used. A hand tightened so hard around her arm that she winced with pain.
“A moment to speak with you,” Owen whispered in her ear, pinching her arm harder and forcing her to take a step back. “I would not refuse my request or you will take a chance of seeing those you love suffer.”
While fear prickled her skin, Wintra felt a modicum of safety here in the Great Hall with everyone around, especially Torr and her brother. And besides, she wanted to let Owen know what she truly thought of him, so she stepped back away with him behind the dais.
“I have plans, Wintra, and I am not going to let you upset them. You will tell your brother that you wish to wed me or as I have said those you love will suffer greatly.”
She grew annoyed that he did not let go of her arm, but it did not prevent her from speaking her mind. “At one time, your idle threats would have frightened me, but no more. I see you for who you truly are, a deceitful, manipulative bastard. Now let go of my arm before I scream and bring my brother’s wrath down upon you.”
Owen leaned close and whispered, “I’ll tame that mouth of yours once we are wed.”
“Get your hands off her before I do everyone a favor and slit your throat.”
Wintra and Owen turned to see a furious Torr standing on the other side of the dais.
“I am talking to the woman I love and will wed,” Owen said continuing to carry on the ridiculous charade.
“I think not,” Torr slammed his hands so hard on the table that everything on it rattled and a tankard toppled over, ale spilling out.