M
orning came too fast for Trey and Bliss. While they had made love once before supper and another time after supper, it was the length of time they had talked while in bed that had prevented sleep. And he had been sorry when they had fallen asleep, for he couldn’t recall a more enjoyable time. Bliss and he had talked about anything and everything. In that few short hours, they had learned much about each other, and he felt all the closer to her and fell all the more in love with her.
It was the moment that she had confided in him about a fear she had since she was young that he realized just how much she trusted him. And he swore to himself at that moment that he would never betray her trust.
She had claimed her fear nonsensical, foolish, but it was more foolish not to pay heed to the fear, for then it could easily conquer you. Bliss had not allowed her fear to stop her, though it reared its head now and again. She feared being in a dark place and never being able to escape. She had tried to make sense of it through the years, thinking perhaps it was something that was yet to happen to her though she hadn’t sensed it as such, and so she had found no peace from it.
He had wrapped her in his arms and told her that he’d never let darkness get to her; he’d shield her from it forever.
Trey tucked her closer against him and kissed her awake. They needed to be up and ready to leave at first light. Trey could always sense when sunrise was close, and they didn’t have much time.
She turned in his arms and cuddled against him. “You are so warm and comfortable. I could stay like this with you forever.”
“You are staying with me forever,” he said, as if issuing an edict. “Unfortunately, the sun will soon rise, and we need to be ready.”
Reluctantly, she moved away from him and stretched herself awake. Trey knew that if they continued to remain in bed naked, they would not be leaving at sunrise, so he too reluctantly hastened out of bed and dressed.
Bliss chuckled. “Don’t trust me?”
He grinned. “I don’t trust
me.
”
She followed suit, slipping hastily into her garments. And when she turned to him, her face no longer held a smile.
He waited, knowing from the concerned look in her eyes that she had something to tell him.
“I have sensed something about our journey that you should know.”
He walked over to her. “Tell me.”
“We don’t continue on to MacAlpin keep with Roan and Dolca.”
“Why and where do we go?”
She shook her head. “I wish I knew, but I have no answer to either question.”
“I’m glad you told me of this. We’ll see about taking extra provisions with us,” he said. “Do Roan and Dolca make it safely to my home?”
Bliss nodded. “Without a problem.”
“Then it doesn’t appear that it is the soldiers that separate us.”
“I thought the same myself,” she confirmed.
“It is a puzzle,” he admitted, and though he did not like being unable to solve it, at least he could be prepared. Then he realized something. “Could it be that you are summoned to heal someone?”
Her eyes turned wide. “That is a possibility.”
“We will remain aware,” he said, and she nodded in agreement.
He took her in his arms then and kissed her, a gentle kiss that stirred passion nonetheless. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”
“Husbands and wives do that . . . share.”
She more and more acknowledged him as her husband, and he had had no problem acknowledging her as his wife. They were one, joined forever, and nothing would separate them.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She took hold of his hand. “Now I am.”
He kissed her again and gave her hand a squeeze. “Together. Always together.”
T
heir pace was slow in consideration of Dolca’s age though she seemed to keep up with them well enough. It would be another day’s journey to MacAlpin keep, and while Trey was eager to get home, he knew a delay was inevitable. What Bliss had seen would surely come to pass, and so he would make certain that Roan took the information that he had learned to his brothers. And also let them know he would be home as soon as possible though he once again would advise Roan and also let Dolca know that his marriage to Bliss was not to be discussed. He wanted the privilege of announcing it to his family.
The air grew colder as they continued, and Trey had no doubt flurries would fall before long. Winter was making itself known.
Several hours later, with thick gray skies blocking any sign of the sun, they stopped for rest and sustenance. Trey and Roan took turns scouting the surrounding area, while Bliss and Dolca enjoyed the brief repose. With no signs of soldiers in the area, they felt it safe to continue and cover as much ground as possible before dusk.
By the time they made camp for the night, Trey could not help but wonder if perhaps this was one time Bliss could be wrong. Perhaps they would continue on with Roan and Dolca. He supposed he was hoping they would though in his heart he knew that when Bliss had a vision or sensed something, it would surely come to pass.
And it did, early the next morning, shortly after they had doused their campfire and begun the journey that would see him home soon. A young lad of about ten, skinny, with long brown hair, suddenly stumbled out of the surrounding woods and collapsed not far from them.
Trey was quick to go to him, cradling his limp body in his arms. Bliss was quick to work on healing him though it became apparent all too soon that it was food, drink, and rest he needed.
When they finally roused him, and he was able to speak, his first words were concern for his mother. “My mum needs help.”
“Easy, lad,” Trey urged, as the young boy struggled to stand.
“My mum is alone,” he said, forcing himself to his feet. “The soldiers came and took my da and me, claiming we were to fight for King Kenneth. My mum is close to birthing a babe, and my da helped me to escape so I could get home to help her.”
Bliss rested her hand on the lad’s shoulder. “We will help you.”
The lad collapsed to his knees in tears. “I fear for my mum and da.”
“First, let us see to helping your mum; and then we’ll see what we can do for your da,” Trey said. He was growing angrier at the abuse the common people suffered. And he knew time was growing nearer for the true king to take a stand and claim the throne. He would be glad to see it done so that the people could return to their land and, hopefully, live a peaceful life.
He wished the same for himself. He would fight and do what he must to help the true king, but it was a life with Bliss he wanted the most.
“Your name, lad?” Trey asked.
“Ian.”
With a few more questions asked, Trey had all the information he needed. “Ian,” he said, with a firm hand on the lad’s shoulder, “you’re going to be traveling on with Roan and Dolca to MacAlpin keep while Bliss and I go help your mum and bring her to you.”
Ian got to his feet with a bit of help from Trey. “I’ll be going with you and the lady,” he said adamantly. “My da trusted me to help my mum, and I won’t fail either of them. I go with you.”
Trey couldn’t imagine the exhausted lad’s taking another step, but before he could say anything, Bliss spoke.
“Of course you’ll come with us,” she said. “Your mum will be glad to see that you escaped and returned for her.”
Tears filled his brown eyes. “I need to get home to her and get her someplace safe.”
“We’ll see to that, Ian,” Trey said, “but as for now, you must be hungry. You’ll eat something before we leave.”
Trey’s firm tone left no room for argument, and so, when Dolca placed a comforting arm around Ian’s thin shoulders, he went without protest.
“I’ll check the area to make certain no one has followed him,” Roan said, and was gone.
Trey turned to Bliss. “You’ve seen something regarding the lad?”
“Only that it is necessary for him to go with us.”
Trey reached out and took her hand. “This could prove dangerous. We’re bound to run into soldiers. It would be better if you and the lad continued on with Roan and Dolca and let me see to bringing his mum home.”
“You have birthed a babe?” she asked with a smile.
“She will give birth?”
Bliss nodded and continued smiling. “A beautiful little girl, and her brother will be as protective of her as he is of his mum.”
“As I am of you,” he said, running his finger down along her cheek and lightly over her lips. “I will be glad when we finally have time for us.”
“We need to leave,” Roan said suddenly appearing. “I found fresh tracks to the south, a single one followed by many. They send a scout ahead.”
They didn’t waste any time; they gathered their things though Roan did ask Bliss, “You will be at MacAlpin keep soon?”
“We will be there, though when, I’m not sure.”
“You will make it there, that’s all I need to know,” Roan said, and with that, he and Dolca were gone.
“I’m ready,” Ian announced.
Trey admired the lad’s courage. “Stay close and remain silent. We will need to go around the soldiers to avoid them. If nothing stops us from keeping a good pace, then we should reach your home by nightfall.”
“I’ll keep up,” Ian said, nodding, though Trey wondered if he was trying to convince himself.
They traveled single file, not saying a word. They went off the well-worn path to avoid soldiers, the uneasy terrain making it difficult to keep a steady pace. If Trey traveled alone, he would have covered much more ground in a much shorter time, but, then, who would birth the babe?
Bliss was needed and, according to her, so was Ian, but why? How could a lad of ten help them? Ian’s hand went up to alert the two that he was about to stop, and he did, abruptly. Had he heard footfalls? He couldn’t be sure, and so he listened.
Trey startled with Bliss’s sudden appearance at his side. He hadn’t heard her steps, and why not? Had she trod so lightly, her steps were undetectable?
“Farmers escaped from the soldiers,” she whispered.
He waited a moment, and, sure enough, two men stumbled out of the woods right in front of them. What surprised Trey was that Ian ran to one.
“Da,” he cried, and fell down on his knees beside the man.
The man, a bit bloody and dirt-ridden, turned wide eyes on Ian before his thick arms reached out and wrapped around the lad.
Bliss had gone to the other man, dropping to her knees and shaking her head. She didn’t hesitate to take hold of his hand, and the man held tightly to her as if he feared letting go.
He struggled to say, “I’m dying.”
Trey went down on one knee next to Bliss and was surprised to see that she didn’t deny the man’s claim.
“Peter,” the man said, and Ian’s da made his way over to the man, with Ian clinging tightly to him, and reached out to take his hand.
“Corwin,” Peter said, squeezing his hand to let him know he was there. “Please, help my wife Rona and my son Darren. See them safe.”
“You have my word,” Peter said with tears in his eyes.
“Tell them both that I—” He gasped for breath, and Bliss closed her eyes and laid a heavy hand on his chest.
Trey saw that it eased the man’s pain though not enough for him to speak.
“I’ll tell them you love them,” Peter finished for him.
A telltale smile caught at Corwin’s lips before he took his last breath.
Ian started crying, and Peter fought back his tears, trying to stay strong for his son, but Trey knew what the lad had to be thinking . . . that could have been his da.
Bliss remained as she was, her hand on Corwin’s chest and her eyes closed. Trey wasn’t sure what she was doing, but he felt that he shouldn’t disturb her, and so he saw to moving Peter and Ian away.
“Tell me what happened,” Trey said, though out of the corner of his eye he kept a watch on his wife in case she was in need of him.
“The group of farmers that the soldiers had taken prisoner decided they would rather die trying to escape than fight for King Kenneth. Many of us made it, spreading out so that the soldiers would have to divide to find us.” He nodded toward Corwin. “He had suffered several beatings by the soldiers, being the most outspoken one, though his strength is what made us all act, especially after Ian’s successful escape. If he could do it, why not the rest of us?”
“You made a brave escape,” Trey said.
“A necessary one though I believe one or two may have been struck down, but most fled. Whether any were recaptured or not, I do not know. I only know that I wanted to find my son.” He wrapped his arm around Ian. “And get home to my wife.”
“We go to your home now to get your wife and bring her to safety,” Trey said.
“We will also need to go get Rona and Darren, Corwin’s family,” Peter said. “I gave my word.”
“And I shall help you keep it,” Trey said.
Bliss joined them. “We must hurry and bury him; the soldiers hunt the woods.”
Peter looked at her a moment, his eyes turning wide when he saw the markings at her wrists. “You’re a—”
“Healer and my wife,” Trey said.
Peter bobbed his head respectfully. “My wife will be grateful for any help you can give her.”
“I’d be pleased to help her,” Bliss said. “Now let me see to your wounds while Trey sees to Corwin.
Trey was again impressed with the lad when he left his da’s side and went straight to work helping Trey with Corwin. He knew it couldn’t be easy for him, but he found the strength anyway and helped Trey lay the man to rest.
Bliss let him know that Peter’s injuries were minor and he was fit to travel. She was concerned with their swift pace, but Trey wasn’t, and he was right. Peter wanted to get home to his wife, and, injured or not, nothing would stop him.
Ian remained close to his da’s side as they continued, their pace a bit swifter than before. Dusk was fast settling, and they were still a distance away, but none suggested they stop and continue in the morning.
With darkness near, Trey made them all travel closer together, and they had no choice but to slow their pace. He had made certain to keep a firm hold of Bliss’s hand. He would not see her separated from him, and so they traveled in pairs, father and son and husband and wife, until finally Peter hurried up ahead of Trey.