Verity did not argue, she snuggled against her husband, pleased she was safe in his arms. He was right. The morrow was soon enough to think on Ulric. Though, a question followed her into sleep... why was Ulric truly here on Pict soil?
~~~
Wrath walked to the feasting hall under gray skies while an icy chill not only stung his cheeks but threatened more snow. He smiled. More snow meant more time spent in his dwelling with his wife. He had woken early, donned his garments, and was about to leave when she woke.
“Kiss before you go,” she had said.
His smile broke into a soft laugh. It had turned into much more. He hurried his steps, eager to eat before the High Council convened.
Wrath entered to see Simca talking with Broc, her hand going from patting his shoulder to caressing his cheek. She had wasted no time in finding another warrior to pleasure her.
“When do I get to speak with the King?”
Wrath turned to Minn standing behind him.
“Forget I was here?”
Wrath grinned. “You are definitely not a woman a man forgets.”
Minn smiled. “That tongue of yours pleases in more ways than one.”
“Let me introduce you to Broc,” Wrath said with a nod toward the warrior.
“Who is the woman who cannot keep her hands off him?”
“That’s Simca. She sees to the food preparation.”
“It looks like she is about to feast on Broc.”
Wrath laughed.
Simca turned a scowl on Wrath as he and Minn approached the table.
A smile quickly replaced her scowl when she turned to Broc. “I will see you later.”
Broc did not respond to Simca as she walked away, he looked to Wrath.
Once seated, Wrath said, “This is Minn. She is from the Imray Tribe. She is a skilled warrior and a good friend.”
“I am honored to meet you, Minn.”
“Watch out for that woman,” Minn said with a nod in the direction where Simca had gone. “She cares only for herself.”
Broc laughed. “That suits me fine.”
Wrath and Minn laughed along with him. The three were soon lost in talk and laughter and enjoyed the hardy fare set out on the table before them. They all stood when King Talon entered the feasting hall from the High Council Chambers, Gelhard at his side.
The King did not look pleased.
“Minn,” King Talon said, acknowledging her with a nod, “it is good to see you again.”
Minn bobbed her head. “As it is to see you, my King.”
“Come, we will talk now. Wrath and Broc will join us,” the King commanded and the three followed the King to the High Council Chambers.
Verity entered the feasting hall just as the door to the High Council Chambers closed. Not seeing her husband or anyone else, she assumed the council meeting had started. Wrath had told her, though it was more an order, to linger and not rush to the feasting hall when he left her feeling quite satiated earlier. She did as he had said, at least for a while, stretching sore limbs and enjoying the memories of mating with her husband. Then her insides had begun to grumble, reminding her that it had been some time since she had eaten.
She smiled at the change, not in the feasting hall for it had remained the same as the last time she had been here. It was she who had changed and she was pleased she had. She was not as fearful as she was before, but then the unknown had loomed large in front of her. And she had feared people learning about her visions. Now Wrath knew and she was alone with that burden no more. And best of all, she was wife to the mighty Wrath, a brave warrior she had met in her visions and had lost her heart to.
Her stomach grumbled again and she hurried to a table where bread, quail eggs, and a crock of gruel sat. She stared at the food for a moment, thinking how it was not that long ago when she had been imprisoned by Ulric and given little food to eat or how she had almost starved after arriving on Pict shores and searching for Hemera. Now she had food aplenty, but she still had not been reunited with her sister. She missed Hemera, but she had missed her sister while living with the Northmen as well. They had been kept separate, Hemera having been placed in the chieftain’s dwelling and she with a family who worked her day and night. She saw little of Hemera, but once she was moved to another family to serve, closer to the chieftain’s dwelling, she got to see her often and it made each day a bit more bearable.
Tears welled in her eyes and she dropped the piece of bread in her hand, her hunger having faded.
“What is wrong?”
Verity jumped at her husband’s abrupt tone. She looked to see him hurrying her way and her heart swelled at the sight of him. His handsome face was twisted in anger, which she now understood was actually concern... concern for her. And seeing his powerful strides, the formidable muscles in his chest and arms that strained at the black wool garment he wore, gave her a sense of security. He would keep her safe and he would do the same for Hemera when Verity was finally reunited with her.
Wrath dropped down on the bench beside Verity, his arm circling her waist. “Has someone upset you? Did someone speak ill of you? Do you not feel well? Tell me so I can squeeze the life out of the fool for bringing tears to your eyes.”
Verity laid her head on his shoulder, not wanting him to see her tears.
Wrath laid a gentle hand beneath her chin and lifted it, forcing her to meet his eyes. He muttered several oaths while wiping at her tears with his thumb. He kept hold of his anger, saving it to unleash on whoever caused her this suffering.
He kissed her gently. “Tell me, wife.”
Verity sniffled back her tears. “I miss my sister. She defended me without hesitation as you do, though she suffered for it.”
“I care for your sister already and I will see her kept safe. That I promise you.” He wiped the last of her tears away. “Eat and know all will be well.”
Voices caught both their attention. The council members entered, talking while making their way to the Council Chamber for the meeting.
Wrath gave a squeeze to her waist and a quick kiss. “Do not wander off. There is an icy chill that stings the flesh. Stay where it is warm and—”
“Go,” she said when she felt him hesitate to leave her. “I will see you when you finish.”
“Eat,” he ordered with a smile as he stood.
“As you wish, husband.”
“An obedient wife, how wonderful, now if only I could find one?” He laughed as he hurried away.
Verity found that her appetite had returned and she ate. When she finished, she thought to wait for her husband, but she did not know how long he would be and she did not want to continue to sit and do nothing. She decided a walk through the village would suit her.
She wandered through the village amazed at her freedom to do so. There would be daily chores she would soon have to see to, but they would be done not for someone else, but for her and her husband and eventually their bairns. The thought brought a smile to her face.
Her walk turned even more enjoyable when a couple of women stopped to talk with her. She was being accepted not only as Wrath’s wife but into the tribe itself.
She was so pleased to finally be home, finally have a home, finally be a Pict once more.
Bethia approached and Verity stopped to talk with the woman.
Bethia glanced with a frown at her face. “You took a beating. It would seem a few days ago from how the bruises have faded some. Are the ones I see the only ones you have suffered?”
“There is one at my side,” Verity said and placed her hand where it was. “But it is fading quickly and causing me no discomfort.”
“I can only imagine what Wrath did to the person who dared to raise a hand to his wife.”
“He did not get the chance,” Verity said, not knowing how much the King would want others to know about the Northman.
“Otherwise all goes well with you and Wrath?”
“All goes quite well,” Verity smiled and leaned closer to whi
sper, “as do my visions.”
Bethia smiled as well. “That is good to hear. Secrets are too much of a burden to keep.”
They talked a bit more, then Bethia leaned closer and whispered. “Do you know a woman follows you? She does not look familiar.”
Verity was glad Bethia confirmed what she suspected. At first she thought it was her own worries that had her thinking someone trailed her, until she spotted the familiar face more than once. “I thought so, though I could not be sure until now.”
“Shall I make Wrath aware of it?”
Verity laughed lightly. “He is probably the one who forced the task upon her.”
They were about to part when Bethia asked, “Tongues wag about the King’s second wife. Is it true?”
Verity found herself shaking her head, wondering what Bethia meant. “I have heard nothing about his second wife.”
“There is talk that she, now too, is with child just like his first wife.”
“I had not heard that,” Verity said.
Bethia said what Verity thought and no doubt what most were thinking. “This does not bode well for the King. I must be off. I have two women who recently gave birth who I must look in on.” She smiled and reached out and patted Verity’s middle. “Soon you will be growing large with a bairn, having such a potent husband like Wrath.”
Verity pressed her hand to her middle and thought how much she wished that was so. She had never thought it would be possible, but now...
She smiled as she walked, enjoying the crisp air that turned her cheeks rosy and made her bruises appear less prominent. She hastened her steps a bit, tucking her cloak closer around her and suddenly ducked around the side of a dwelling. She waited a moment, then popped back around, startling Minn who nearly bumped into her.
“It is your husband’s doing,” Minn said before Verity could berate her. “He told me I owed him, since it was my fault that idiot abducted you.”
“I believe I am safe here in the King’s stronghold,” Verity assured her.
“I believed I was safe once, then I learned there is truly no place that is safe.”
“What happened?’ Verity asked as she continued walking, an invitation for Minn to follow, and she did.
“It was when Talon fought to unify the tribes, to bring them together instead of destroying one another and leaving ourselves vulnerable to foreigners. Fighting among the tribes had slowed and Talon was having some success in keeping the tribes from fighting and slaughtering one another. Unfortunately, the Drust was bitterly against the tribes uniting and they went on a rampage, attacking tribes that were in agreement with the unification. My tribe was one of the tribes they slaughtered until not a person was left.”
“How horrible for you,” Verity said, tears stinging her eyes at her terrible loss.
“Talon went after them, killing those who took part in the attack and destroying much of their village. It is why he supplies them with necessities now, since nothing was left. I know Talon warned that we all had to forgive the blood spilled between us if we, as a people, were to survive, but it is difficult for me to do, so I keep my distance from the Drust and have little to do with them as much as possible.”
“Are you the only one left of your tribe?”
“Yes.” Minn said and tossed her cloak back over her left shoulder and pushed her sleeve up, holding her left arm out for Verity to see an intricate weave of never-ending, interlocking circles that ran around her wrist.
Verity stared at it, for some reason it looked familiar to her, but she made no mention of it. “Something to pass on to your bairns one day,” she said.
“It is a solid, powerful tribe I want my bairns to know, so I will do all I can to make the Imray Tribe a strong one. I also want a King who can keep us from slaughtering one another and foreigners from invading our land, which is why I pledged my fealty to King Talon and will fight beside him whenever necessary.”
Shouts caught both their attention and Verity could not help but shiver when I young lad ran past them, shouting, “The executioner has returned!”
Chapter Twenty-eight
Verity and Minn hurried along to the feasting house.
“I am eager to meet Paine’s wife,” —Minn laughed— “knowing Paine, I wonder who would marry him.”
They both stepped back startled by the large man who rushed past them and into the feasting house. Verity barely got a look at him, he flew by her so fast. Though from the angry scowl that marred his fine features and the double-sided battle axe he gripped in his hand made it appear that he was ready to execute someone.
Minn grabbed her arm. “Come on, something is wrong.”
Verity hurried alongside her, fighting to keep pace with her strong strides.
They entered just as Paine knocked two of the King’s personal guards to the floor, threw open the closed door and entered the High Chamber Council. Minn let go of Verity’s arm to hurry to the open door to hear what was going on.
“I need warriors,” Paine demanded. “My wife and the woman, Hemera, we brought with us, have vanished in the woods.”
Upon hearing her sister’s name, Verity pushed her way past Minn and into the High Council Chamber to grab Paine’s arm. “Hemera was with you.”
Paine glared down at the woman, then looked to her hand that was squeezing his arm tight, as if warning her to release him.
Verity paid him no heed. “Is she well? Where did you find her? How could you lose her? Why did you not take better care of her and your wife?” She realized that she had erred when she finally got a close look at him. His cloak was thrown back and she could see the body markings on his neck that disappeared down beneath his tunic. His hair was cropped short around the sides and back of his head and what was left atop was no more than a thatch of dark hair. His bold green eyes glared with such intensity that she almost took a step back away from him, but her worry for her sister held her firm. Wrath suddenly appeared by her side, easing her hand off Paine and gently pushing her to stand to his side and slightly behind him.
“My wife, Verity and Hemera’s sister, means no disrespect. She is upset that she has been unable to find Hemera.”
“If I was not so upset over my own wife missing, I would find it humorous that you had a wife or perhaps more fitting that you actually found someone who would wed you.”
Wrath took a step forward. “I was wed like you and Anin, by decree of the King and given no chance to object.”
His words cut Verity like the sharp blade of a knife.
“Not that I object. Verity stole my heart and I care much too deeply for her to ever let her go.”
Verity felt her heart swell with joy. That he should announce how he felt about her before so many people, solidified what he had claimed. He would never let her go, and she would never let him go.
“Enough!” King Talon shouted, his fist crashing down on the table. “Tell me what happened, Paine.”
Paine walked to stand in front of the King. “Hemera wandered into the Wyse settlement and Anin’s grandmother, Esplin, advised her to remain there until it was time for her to leave. The other morn Esplin announced that that time had come and that I should escort Hemera to the stronghold.” He shook his head. “Once we were close I made sure to follow the path where the stronghold sentinels would see us. Esplin warned me that our return journey would not be easy and that I should trust my instincts. When I came upon the first sentinel who guarded the far outskirts of the stronghold and found him dead, I knew our journey home would be fraught with difficulty.”
King Talon held up his hand, silencing Paine and turned to Broc. “When did the sentinels in that area change posts?”
“No more than a sunrise ago,” Broc said.
King Talon turned once again to Paine and nodded for him to continue.
“The second attack came before we reached the second sentinel, but by then I had sent Anin and Hemera to hide—”
“Hide? Off on their own with no one to help them?
” Verity called out as if he had done the most grievous thing.
Paine turned and glared at her once again, though it was a much more annoyed glare. “Bog is with them.” He turned to continue speaking with the King.
Verity went to speak again, wondering if this warrior Bog was strong enough to keep two women safe, but Wrath yanked her against him and warned her to remain silent with a strong look and a shake of his head. She wisely held her tongue.
“I assume you dispensed of the troop of warriors since there was no worry for your wife and Hemera?” the King asked.
“It did not take me long to see them finished, though it was long enough for Anin, Hemera, and Bog to vanish without a trace.” Paine’s face tightened in anger. “I told Anin to remain close but out of sight. I searched, but to no avail. I could not find them.”
“How are we to find them, if Paine cannot?” Gelhard asked, stepping forward. “And how is it that this troop came upon our sentinel? They hide themselves well enough.”
“Not from those they know. Do I assume correctly, Paine, that the troop that attacked you was composed of warriors from various Pict tribes?” the King asked.
Paine nodded. “It is difficult to distinguish your enemy when most are Pict.”
“A large troop should be sent immediately to search for the women and for any other culprits who wait out there to do the stronghold harm,” Gelhard said.
King Talon’s fist came down again on the table only harder this time. “Do you think I cannot keep the stronghold safe, Gelhard?”
Gelhard shook his head. “No, my King, I but advise you.”
“Your advice is wrong in this situation. You think with anger, not wisdom. The stronghold is secure, but it will not be if we send a large troop of warriors out in search of two women.”
“I do not need a large troop, Wrath will do,” Paine said.
Wrath stepped forward to show his eagerness to help Paine, and Verity went with him.
“She will not come with us,” Paine said with a nod to Verity as if he knew her thought.
“I will join you in the search,” Minn said, walking over to stand near Paine.
The King's Warrior (Pict King Series Book 2) Page 25