Iolyn balked at the idea of being sent to bed and he took a seat on the couch. “I’m too old to be sent to my room.” he scoffed and relaxed into the plush back with an insolent smile towards Brynmor. Unlike my brother who seemed impervious to mental strain, I was exhausted. It seemed there was no end in sight to stress and without a word to my family, I headed into my room, wanting nothing more than to flop face first into my thick blankets. I kicked my slippers off and did exactly that, groaning tiredly into my bed.
“Are you sure it is just a prank?” A little voice sounded behind me and I gave a start, not realizing that Rhian had followed me into our room. I rolled over onto my side, watching as Rhian sat on the edge of her bed. “What if it’s from someone that wants to hurt us?” She looked worried, and I couldn’t blame her. I shared her worry, though I couldn’t imagine who would wish us ill here.
That note had left a rock in my stomach, but I did what I could to put her at ease. “Who would want to hurt us, Rhi? We haven’t made any enemies here or done anything wrong. There isn’t anyone here who would want to harm us.” I said as much to convince myself as my little sister. “And we are protected by our faithful guards who will be even more cautious now. I’m not worried about it, so you shouldn’t be either.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it had to be a stupid prank, there was no other explanation.
“Get some sleep, Rhi.” I finally told her, pulling out my own nightclothes to change for bed. She smiled at me, finally looking like she was starting to relax. Crawling under the covers, I snuffed out the lamp next to my bed, though Rhian pulled out her diary, scribbling her daily thoughts into it as usual. pulling the blankets up to my ears and closing my eyes.
I didn’t sleep for a long time, but I didn’t toss and turn either. I lay there listening to the gentle scratching of Rhian’s quill on the paper, losing myself to the rampant thoughts that were stampeding through my head. Finally I drifted into sleep, dreams of a blazing, angry bird trying to burn us all to a crisp and Ben’s whispers: Strike hard, angle up, swift kill.
CHAPTER 29
I woke in a sweat, the inky blackness of night seeming even darker next to the fiery blaze of my dreams. I rubbed at my eyes as I stifled a yawn in the pre-dawn, silently sitting up to peer out the window. I could see the faint beginnings of light to the east and carefully slid out of bed to dress, eying my sleeping sister as I tried not to wake her.
Rhian’s diary had fallen to the floor, open to a page from a few days ago. Ben’s name popped off the page and I squinted in the dim light of the embers, trying to read her writing. “...and when Ben looks at me with those glorious eyes, I feel myself getting warm all over. I wonder what it would be like to marry him instead of Pedr…” Gods, Rhi.I rolled my eyes and pulled my satchel and boots out from under my bed, feeling the weight of the dagger in the one.
I didn’t pull my boots on until I was outside and on the front step, slinging my satchel over my shoulder and grabbing my empty basket. My story of berry picking seemed to raise no suspicions, though nobody thought to ask how I picked them. It was assumed, of course, that I picked them one by one from shrubbery, but selecting the bag of berries from the market was still “picking”, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.
I didn’t commend myself on my clever thinking this morning. The note from the night before coupled with my unsettling dreams had left me restless and anxious. I was grateful for having my lessons with Ben today, giving me something worthwhile to focus on, not to mention having a way to expend my growing nervous energy before I drove myself crazy with speculation.
Ben had beaten me to the alcove, and I paused before he knew I was there. He was running through his own forms while he awaited my arrival and I couldn’t resist watching for a minute, unable to bring myself to interrupt the graceful movements he made. It’s almost like a dance, I thought, and the mere act of watching began to settle my frayed nerves. Each motion was another way he could end a life, and yet the lithe and elegant movements brought a sense of peace to me.
“Are you going to stand there and watch all morning or come learn it for yourself?” His voice carried a slight hint of amusement and I felt my cheeks grow warm, embarrassed at having been caught watching, though grateful for the dark that still hid my crimson cheeks. I stepped forward, making my way towards him with the thought I could never be as graceful as he.
“You make it look so easy.” I murmured, trying to explain without sounding like a foolish girl.
He turned to face me, looking down to meet my eyes. “A lifetime of training makes it look easy.” He said with a rare humility, lips curling into a faint smile, though it quickly turned into a slight frown as he studied my features. “You did not sleep well.” He stated as though speaking fact. I blinked and frowned, wondering how he could tell. Do I look that terrible?
“I...had dreams.” I begrudgingly admitted. I didn’t really want to talk about them, but I knew he would press until I told him the truth. If I had learned anything about this man, it was that he wouldn’t so easily let me get away with being vague. I sighed and explained the events of the night previous. “Someone left a cryptic note on our door last night. It has us all a little rattled, but I am fairly certain it was just a prank.” I pulled the note from my satchel and handed it to him, his brow creasing deeply with concern as he studied my face, gently taking the letter from my hand and lowering his eyes to read it.
His jaw worked, his features growing stony as he read it and in the span of a moment, I felt as though I was locked in a barrel with a coiled viper, his fury rolling off of him in a powerful wave. He folded it up, every motion crisp and deliberate. He was silent as fumed and handed the letter back to me. “Have I not earned your trust even now?” He growled at me. “Hire me, Carys.” He lifted his eyes to meet mine again, the blue grey irises blazing with emotion.
My breath caught at the fury in his voice, surprised by it, and yet understanding completely. He had been striving to earn my trust as I had been testing to see if he could be trusted, and now it had come to this moment at last. There is no more testing, it’s do or die. He had earned both my trust and my friendship, and I nodded faintly to him, seeing both anger and fear in his eyes. Fear for our family...He knew as I did the note was more than a prank. My throat was dry as I spoke the words I never expected to say. “I will talk to Father when I get home, Ben. I will recommend he hire you as a guard.”
He visibly relaxed as I spoke, some deeply rooted stress swiftly falling away to be replaced with a strength of will and duty that lifted and filled his frame to stand tall. “I will await you tonight at the Stag then. For now, we fight.” There was no need for further prompting, nor was there a need to convince me of the growing importance of what we were doing. The note felt like a hot coal burning a hole in my satchel, weighing me down like a ship’s anchor. If I hadn’t felt the ambition to learn before, I certainly did now.
He was even harder on me than usual in our lesson that day, having no qualms about teaching me the hard way. “You must learn to keep fighting, despite the pain. It could mean the difference between life and death.” He told me sternly, though that was easier said than done. He didn’t do any serious damage, but pushing through the pain was dreadful. How do warriors do this? There were no apologies made and there was no complaining, though, only an unspoken dread driving us forward. We’re running out of time for him to teach me everything I need to know.
I was sweaty and dirty by the time we finished our lessons for the day, and he helped me to my feet for what felt like the thousandth time that morning. If I had ached after our other lessons, I knew already this would be the worst pain by far. He knew it too, and he snorted down to me as he reached out to pluck a leaf from my hair. “You are doing well.” He said, the rarity of his compliments not lost on me.
I stood a little straighter as though trying to be worthy of this compliment, managing a weary smile. “You are a good teacher.” I replied humbly, though inwardly I beamed wit
h his approval.
He sheathed his blade with a gentle scrape and stepped back, giving me an analytical look-over. “Soon you will be ready to try some actual sparring. But not yet. Go home and clean up, talk to your Father, and meet me at the Stag later.” He ordered, and while I wanted to comment that soon I would be giving him the orders, I was far too tired and sore to jest.
“Alright.” I complied tiredly. “I will see if he is free today to discuss it, but either way I will find you there tonight.” I tucked my own blade back into my boot and gathered up my things, only taking two steps before Ben called after me, “Lady Carys?” I halted, turning to look over my shoulder at him as he approached me. He said lowly as he looked down to me, sincerity filling his voice. “I swear to you here and now, I will keep you and your family safe from harm. Thank you for trusting me.”
His oath was not given lightly, and I stared at him for a minute, several thoughts coursing through my mind. Most men would have walked away after initially being turned down for the position, but he hadn’t. His persistence, and his willingness to help despite my earlier refusal had surprised me often, but as I looked back it was those very qualities that earned him my trust. “Thank you for earning it.” I said softly, meaning every syllable.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I got more than a few baffled looks upon my arrival home, nobody noticing the overflowing berry basket, though Brynmor, Iolyn, and Madox found my disheveled state amusing. Rhian, on the other hand, wrinkled her nose, appalled at my grubby state. “I slipped on some mud, tumbled down a hill, and fell into some shrubbery.” I told my family, looking properly abashed even though it was a complete lie. The men laughed, Rhian eying them before finally finding some humor in the fact that I met with disaster. “So you aren’t perfect after all.” She gloated and I rolled my eyes.
Once bathed and attired like a proper noblewoman, I knocked on Father’s study door. He was at his desk, turning to look at me through his spectacles, which he promptly pulled off as he beckoned me inside, patting the armchair nearby. “What is on your mind, Carys? Are you still worried about that note?” He asked, and I nodded as I eased myself into the chair, pretending that the stiffness of my earlier lesson already setting in.
“Yes, in part.” I said honestly, settling in comfortably. “That note has given me reason to think further on the safety of our family in case it is not just a prank, but a genuine threat. Do you recall Ben, the man Rhian was sneaking out to see?”
Father snorted and leaned back in his chair, appraising me with a critical gaze. “He wanted a job as a House guard, yes? You refused to hire him, as I recall. Has your mind on that changed?” His arms crossed over his chest, and while he likely suspected what I was going to request, I wasn’t sure whether he was receptive to the idea or not.
I nodded slowly, trying to keep my growing friendship with the man separate from the practical request I was making. “He was a stranger and at the time, I felt he was untrustworthy. At first, I suspected he was encouraging Rhian to misbehave and go against our rules, but since then I have come to understand that I was mistaken about his intentions where Rhian was concerned. I have spoken with him often and have come to trust him, and I would venture to say I would even consider him a friend. It is my belief that we should hire him as a guard.”
Father’s brow perked and he shifted in his chair. “We already have plenty of guards, Carys.” He grunted. “And now you think we need more? This is not Perinthas, Little Dove. We don’t need a large retinue of protectors here.” He waved his hand dismissively, turning back to his desk and the pile of papers as though intending to return to his work.
“No, it isn’t Perinthas, and that is exactly why we need another protector.” I said grimly. “I don’t think that note is just a prank, and this town is far from safe. Rhian was abducted only a few days from this city, some buffoon tried to get fresh with me, and then ten minutes later, Rhian and I were nearly robbed in the street while Brynmor was busy with the man in the Stag. Thankfully Ben was there when the three bandits surrounded us in the road. Last night, we had someone sneak onto our property without being seen and leave a threatening letter, so I wonder how long they have been watching us?” I started my well thought out argument, though my frustration quickly began to show through.
I caught myself, lowering my voice as I tried to push away the growing emotion. “I feel eyes on us every time I go into town. We are conspicuous, and we have only two guards and there are four people to protect. Rhian keeps sneaking out to see Ben, and don’t you think having him here will prevent her desire to sneak out alone to find him? Guarding our family and two properties is more work than only two guards can handle. Bryn and Madox have no free time, and exhausted guards aren’t much good. You know this, and you know I am right. Ben is highly trained and dedicated, and we could use him here.”
Father sat silently, frowning at me as his lips twisted, trying and failing to come up with a reasonable and valid argument against my request, but he knew as well as I did that our two guards were overworked and had very little time for themselves. He finally let out a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose in resignation, nodding slightly. “ If you truly believe he can be entrusted with our lives, then I will speak to him.”
Relief coursed through me though it didn’t show on my face. I needed to keep my personal feelings out of this, though it was getting more and more difficult. “I believe he is staying at the Stag.” I said with a neutral calm that surprised even me. “I will go find him and make arrangements for you two to speak tonight.” Father nodded his approval, picking up his quill as he glanced to the stack of papers on the desk. “Very well. I will have dinner at the Stag tonight at six. You will join us as well, Carys.”
I was surprised to be included in this meeting, but I nodded dutifully. He smirked, catching the flash of surprise and he said, “You are the one recommending him, so you should be there to hire him. I trust you will have the paperwork in order for that meeting.” he stated, not asked, and dipped his quill into the ink pot. His full attention returned to the documents, his way of ending the conversation without actually telling me to go.
“Yes, I will have it all prepared.” I murmured as I left the study, the faint sound of his chuckling following me out his door. That conversation had gone better than I had expected; I had not thought he would accept my reasoning for another guard so easily. Perhaps I am getting better at coming up with irrefutable reasoning? I wasn’t sure if Father’s swift acceptance of my logic was a good or a bad thing, but beyond the realm of all knowledge, the path of my life was irrevocably changed and my fate had been sealed.
CHAPTER 30
The private dining room in the Stag was cozy as Ben and I sat there in relative silence, awaiting my Father’s arrival. While I was now sufficiently sore from the morning lesson, I had questions about some of the things he had shown me, though I didn’t dare ask for fear of my Father overhearing. Ben’s eyes were fixed on me, serious, but seeming content with the silence as the fire crackled and the waitress came and went with food and drink. As the clock chimed six, Father arrived.
He strode through the door, pulling his gloves off as he smiled warmly to me and nodded to Ben, the man rising and dipping his head respectfully. Father wasted no time, extending his hand towards Ben. “Ben.” Father greeted him, then gave his own name. “I am Lord Llew of the House of Egon, Carys and Rhian’s father.” The two men were nearly the same height, though my Father’s confident carriage and long-winded title seemed to give him an extra couple of inches in height.
Ben bowed his head lower as he gripped Father’s hand in a firm shake, speaking with his usual serious tone. “Well met, Lord Llew. Thank you for meeting with me tonight.” Ben’s eyes stole a quick glance in my direction as he added. “As I have already sworn to Lady Carys, I will do everything in my power to keep your family safe from harm.” He said sincerely as he released Father’s hand.
Father smiled and motioned for Ben to sit on
ce again as he took his own chair, pausing to study Ben with an appraising eye. “Carys has told me little of you, Ben.” He redirected his attentions to me with a slow grin beginning to form on his lips. “Other than the fact she initially misjudged you and that by some miracle, you have found a way to do the impossible; earn her trust.” He chuckled and took the bottle of wine, pouring himself a goblet.
My cheeks burned hot with embarrassment, turning several shades of crimson at Father’s unexpected teasing. “I would hardly call it impossible…” I murmured, glancing with a rare shyness to Ben in time to see his lips twitch into a smirk.
Father added before Ben could respond. “So how did you manage to do that, exactly?” Uh oh. My heart skipped a beat at Father’s question, almost fearing to look at either Ben or Father, though my blue eyes settled apprehensively on Ben, wondering what he would say. Would he honor my request for secrecy even though he disagreed with it?
Those intense blue-grey eyes found mine for a moment, holding my gaze for an extra second before he answered. “I wish I could say, Lord Llew, but I’m afraid women are mysterious creatures whose ways are beyond the realm of my understanding” he said smoothly, a sly smirk forming on his lips before he casually lifted his mug for a sip. He was teasing me also, but he had kept our training a secret and so the gentle ribbing was forgivable, and my trust in him was sealed.
A Single Spark Page 26