The tuntreet with its leaves in autumnal splendour stood in front of the double doors. Even the air felt different, softer. Ash’s heart clenched.
How many times had he dreamt of this? Riding in to reclaim his heritage. To see his father’s eyes light up with the knowledge that his son had returned the sort of warrior a man could be proud of? And even now, he couldn’t be sure he was. All he knew was that he had returned home.
It was harder riding the final few miles to Jaarlshiem than it had been when he first learnt of his father’s death in Sand. Everywhere he looked, he saw ghosts and reminders of his former self, lurking and waiting for him to make a mistake.
‘Ash, your father would be overjoyed that you have returned.’
‘Are my feelings that obvious?’ he enquired in a tone that normally had his men running for cover, rather than continuing with the subject.
Kara’s hands tightened on her reins. ‘They have always been to me. I’m your wife. I learnt to notice things years ago. Otherwise...’
A wave of guilt swept over Ash. Kara noticed things about him, but she didn’t expect him to notice anything about her. There were times when he wanted to shake his younger self for his arrogant selfish behaviour.
‘I hope you will allow me the chance to learn things about you. I do want to learn. Everything. I already have immense admiration for you. There are not many women who could have ridden as hard as you have.’
Her red lips curved up into a sad smile. It was all Ash could do to keep from stopping their horses, hauling her into his arms and kissing her senseless. And that would be a mistake. She reminded him of his falcon, the one who had not trusted him after the broken wing. It had been Kara who had showed him how to tame the bird and regain its trust.
Patience where he had wanted everything at once.
He had had to relearn the lesson of the falcon several times, but it had served him over the past few years. All things came to the man who was patient and who noticed the little details.
‘You mean you have forgotten.’ Sadness and resignation laced her voice.
‘I want to learn about the you of today, rather than trying to force you to be the young woman you once were.’ Ash’s nerves coiled. He had to get these words right. He had to undo the mistake of yesterday’s careless words. He had to hope that the woman she now was would see the sort of man he wanted to be and approve. Faced with the tuntreet, he knew he’d never be the sort of warrior his father demanded.
‘Do you?’
‘You are infinitely more complex and I want to uncover all your secrets.’
He waited for her answering smile. ‘I have no secrets. I never did.’
‘Women always have secrets. Denying them simply makes me more determined to uncover them with you.’ He turned in the saddle and looked directly into her deep blue eyes. Silently he wished he could do something to make her see that he was capable of being a hero. ‘I do remember, Kara. You could always make your horse go faster. You have a way with animals, but I could climb higher than you and reach the birds’ nests more swiftly. A point which used to irritate you to no end.’
‘You’re being impossible.’
Ash stilled and the teasing remark died on his lips.
He strained forward to see better. There was a movement on top of the left gable. His blood ran cold. The gods still had the strangest way of granting his wishes. Not a raven or even a cat, but a person. A child, clinging to the gable, who attempted to move, but slipped and started to dangle dangerously. And he knew being a hero didn’t matter. Rescuing the unknown child did.
He spurred his horse, signalling to his men to follow.
‘Is there something wrong, Ash?’ Kara called after him.
‘Look!’
‘Help me!’ A child’s voice floated towards them. ‘Someone please help me. Gudrun! Anyone!’
Kara’s anguished scream rang out. ‘Oh, gods! It’s Rurik! And he is going to fall!’
Ash urged his horse forward. ‘Not if I have anything to do with it.’
Chapter Eight
Rurik dangled from the top gable, hanging on with two hands with his little legs kicking out and his face screwed up in concentration. Beneath her two favourite elkhounds, Dain and Durin, circled, whining and howling, adding their cries to the sense of unease. Kara watched frozen in horror, unable to help. She was too far away and climbing up to the roof without a ladder was a tricky proposition, particularly in a dress. A wave of helplessness washed over her.
‘Somebody do something. Please.’
Ash rode up to the house, vaulted from his horse and began to climb the longhouse wall with sure steps, favouring the right more than the left, the higher he went. ‘Everything will be fine. Just keep talking to him. I will get there.’
Kara bit her knuckle. Ash walked with a limp. Was it paining him to climb? And once he reached Rurik, would he be strong enough to carry him down? Surely he was strong enough to rescue their son. He had to be. She didn’t want to lose either one of them.
She tried to think of another plan, something that had a greater chance of success.
Gudrun rushed out of the longhouse, swiftly followed by several servants, flapping about like crows rather than doing anything productive. The two dogs went down, covering their eyes with their paws as if afraid to watch.
‘Gudrun!’ Kara called. ‘What is going on here?’
The elderly woman glanced up at where Rurik dangled and immediately started to wail that it wasn’t her fault, that it was all Virvir’s doing. Kara readily believed that. Gudrun’s great-nephew had led Rurik astray before. Too many times for her liking. If there was the slightest bit of mischief, Virvir was sure to be involved. But the boy was an orphan of eight. She simply didn’t have the heart to banish him, but this time, he had gone too far, enticing the younger Rurik up to the top of the roof.
‘Hang on, Rurik,’ she called, giving Gudrun a hard glance. ‘Mor is here. We will get you down!’
The words were somehow inadequate, but better than nothing.
Rurik kicked out his legs. ‘Mor! Mor! Please help me.’
‘Hang on.’ Kara watched Ash steadily make his way up to the roof. He had done it before, many times. ‘A...a friend of mine is coming for you. He is climbing the far wall now.’
The word ‘father’ struck in her throat. The last thing she wanted was for Rurik to become distracted and forget to hang on.
‘A good friend!’ she called out. ‘He has climbed many times. He’ll get you down. Hold on!’
‘Valdar?’ The note of hopefulness in Rurik’s voice was painful to hear.
Ash turned his head and gave her a strange look. Kara clenched her teeth. Ash had to understand Rurik’s safety was paramount.
Gudrun pulled Kara’s sleeve.
‘Is that who I think it is?’ she asked in a loud whisper. ‘There is only one man I can think of who could climb like that.’
Kara gave a brief nod. The elderly woman’s eyes went round as plates.
‘I always used to wonder how he climbed up on the roof,’ the woman muttered. ‘But he’ll be too late.’
‘A very good friend is coming to get you. Hang on!’ Kara called again, ignoring Gudrun’s mutterings. ‘He will get you down. Trust him.’
‘Want Valdar!’ Rurik kicked out again, trying to swing his legs up to the gable, but they were too short.
‘This man is a friend. You will like him.’
When they were both safe, she’d make the proper introductions. To everyone.
Right now, Ash seemed to be taking far too long climbing up. She knew he had climbed up to the gable in the past. Many times, normally to cause mischief. She could remember being utterly terrified and refusing to follow, but he had gone ahead. His father had beaten him for his bravado when he�
�d come down, but Ash had never cried or flinched. Kara had brought over ointment for his wounds the next day. He had taken it, but he had also made a point of climbing up the wall again and carving his rune on the topmost gable, simply to show he could.
‘Mor! I didn’t mean to, Mor! Don’t be angry. Help me!’
Angry? She was terrified and she wanted to murder Rurik for doing something that was utterly forbidden, but she would never beat him like Ash’s father had beaten Ash. Virvir might have suggested it, but he didn’t have to follow like some devoted thrall. But mostly she wanted him to be unhurt and she couldn’t see how this was going to end happily, even with Ash here.
‘Keep still. You will be rescued, but you must stay absolutely still. Conserve your strength. Hang on tight to the gable. You can do that. For me?’
‘Mor, my arms are getting tired.’
‘You must hang on! For me. Do it for your mother!’
Ash’s men arrived and clustered around the base of the gable.
‘Your cloak, give them your cloak, Kara,’ Ash called down. He had reached the roof ridge and was inching along towards where Rurik clung. His face was contorted with concentration and pain. Clearly the climb had taken its toll.
‘My cloak?’
‘For a net...in case... Yours is large enough.’
Then she saw what he was saying. If the men held the cloak beneath Rurik, they could potentially break any fall. Her fingers fumbled on the string. She gave an impatient tug and the cloak came off. She threw it down.
‘Thank you, my lady,’ one of the more scarred sell-swords said, catching it with an easy grace. ‘Your son will be fine. Ash knows what he is doing. Now you go in. Let us do our job.’
Kara slid off the horse and planted her feet firmly in the ground. Gudrun put an arm about her, but she shrugged it off. ‘I stay here. I’ll keep out of the way and won’t interfere. Just catch him if he falls.’
‘We intend to, ma’am. We intend to.’
Silently she prayed to any god who might be listening that her child would be spared. And that nothing would happen to Ash either. She had only recently had him return to her life. It wouldn’t be fair to lose him so quickly, but when was life ever fair or just?
She wanted to curl up in a ball and hide her face, but that was impossible. She had to watch. Both of them. Ash inching along, moving ever closer, and Rurik desperately clinging on.
How had this happened? How had he been allowed to run free with Virvir when she had given strict instructions that the pair were to be separated? And that Rurik was to be watched at all times.
She’d trusted Gudrun to look after him properly and this had happened. She should have guessed that this could happen, but taking him to Sand would have caused more trouble.
Time enough for answers later. And she’d get them. Virvir would have to be punished. And Rurik would have to learn the consequences of following the older boy’s lead.
Ash reached Rurik. His fingers closed around one of Rurik’s wrists at the same instant the boy let go. For a heartbreaking moment her son dangled, then Ash pulled him up the roof to safety of a sort.
Kara remembered to breathe again. Her son was safe. She brushed away a single tear. Her limbs trembled and she wanted to sink to the ground. Ash had reached Rurik in time.
Now to get them both down. She could hear the low murmur of his voice, but not what he actually said.
Then she saw Ash pointing to her and Rurik giving her an enthusiastic wave.
Kara ground her teeth. Ash should be getting Rurik down, rather than encouraging wilful behaviour.
‘Come down now! The pair of you!’
Ash cupped his hand to his ear. ‘What was that? I can’t hear you properly. The view is lovely up here. Thank you for asking.’
She heard Rurik’s laugh ring out and ground her teeth. Typical Ash, playing to the crowd. Everything had to be made into a joke.
Surely Ash understood the job was only half-done. Rurik needed to be coaxed down. Not until his little feet were on the ground and she’d been able to wrap her arms about him would she believe that he was truly safe.
‘On the ground now!’
‘Impossible,’ Ash retorted.
‘But...but...you climbed up there,’ Kara said in dismay. ‘Surely you can carry Rurik back the way you came.’
‘We climb down once you arrange for a ladder to be placed somewhere where we can actually get to it.’ Ash indicated where he wanted the ladder put. ‘It would be foolhardy in the extreme to take Rurik back along the ridge of the roof. He is far too tired. My leg aches too much to be trusted.’
‘I’m not tired, Mor. I can do anything.’ Kara heard the tell-tale whine in Rurik’s voice.
‘A ladder is on its way,’ Kara said, ignoring Rurik’s continued protest.
Kara motioned to two of the farmhands, who ran to get a ladder from one of the outhouses. The ladder was rapidly placed against the gable end, precisely where Ash had indicated.
It was a good four feet short, but there were some clear handholds. It should be a simple enough matter to get down to the ladder and then descend.
‘Be careful, the pair of you,’ Kara whispered.
As she watched, Ash had Rurik loop his arms about Ash’s neck and hook his legs about his body. Then he slowly began his painstaking way down to the ladder. Every breath seemed to take an age. He reached the ladder and Kara expected Rurik to scrabble down, but his arms remained firmly locked about Ash’s neck.
The tension ran out of Kara’s shoulders. Ash was being sensible. He was not enticing Rurik to do more and more dangerous things.
Suddenly they were down. Rurik let go. Ash sank to the ground, rubbing his bad leg, his face contorted in pain.
Rurik with his blond hair flying came running across the yard to her, seemingly oblivious to the danger he had just been in. ‘Mor! You’re home! I thought you would be coming and I wanted to see. Only I couldn’t see very well and Virvir dared me. Only he took away the ladder once he got down as the men needed it. He said that only babies couldn’t climb down. I am not a baby!’
Kara struggled to keep her temper. Shaking or beating Virvir wasn’t going to do anyone any good. But he would be gone from here before the day was out. She gave Gudrun a significant look. The elderly woman had the grace to pale.
Gudrun pulled Virvir by the ear. The overly plump boy gave a shriek. ‘I will deal with it, ma’am. It won’t happen again. But you know how your son is. Always into mischief. Just like his father.’
‘We will have words later, Gudrun.’
The woman dragged Virvir, protesting loudly his innocence.
Kara knelt down and looked directly into Rurik’s eyes. Even though she knew he disliked being touched in public, claiming that he was far too big for such things, she couldn’t help running her hand down his thin shoulders, checking to make sure her son was fine. Rurik made a face and tried to shrug her off.
‘I promised I’d come back,’ she whispered against his hair. ‘Climbing to the gable would not make me come any quicker.’
Rurik struggled. She reluctantly forced her hand to her side. Only six and he was already growing away from her, chafing at the apron strings.
‘You promised me Valdar! Where is my new father?’ Rurik peered around the yard. His little face showed increasing signs of anxiety and dismay. ‘Virvir said I was lying and no warrior like Valdar Nerison would want to be my father. That was why you refused to take me to Sand. You were...you were ashamed to have a boy like me. But I said that was a lie! A lie! But I want Valdar!’
‘Good for you!’ Kara declared. She should have banished Virvir months ago when this friendship first started to develop. ‘You had to stay at home to look after the estate while I was gone. It had nothing to do with my being ashamed of you! How could anyone
ever think such a thing!’
‘Listen to your mother, Rurik,’ Ash said, coming up behind Rurik and placing his hand on Rurik’s shoulder. ‘I know how proud of you she is. She rode until she nearly dropped with exhaustion to reach you and explain the news.’
Although he was upright and moving now, his eyes still bore the shadow of pain. Seeing him tower above their son, Kara was struck at how much alike they looked. They had the same nose and chin as well as the same basic body shape. No one could mistake Rurik for being anyone but Ash’s son.
‘Mor won’t understand why I had to climb,’ Rurik protested. ‘Virvir dared me. I’m not a baby Mor’s boy.’
‘I told you she would be far from happy about you being up there. There are good reasons why gable climbing is expressly forbidden. Warriors take their punishments like warriors.’
‘Yes, sir, you did.’ Rurik stuck his little chest out. ‘Mor, I’ll take my punishment like a warrior. Like he says warriors do.’
Kara’s heart sank. Punishment like a warrior. She knew what that meant. She’d fought Hring for years. Now she had to had fight Ash, as well? Just when she thought her son was safe.
‘But why is Valdar not here?’ A tiny tear trickled down Rurik’s face. ‘What did I do wrong? Did he leave like my father did...because...because of me?’
Kara glanced at Ash. He had been true to his word. He had saved her son and had not said who he was. She also had failed to realise about Rurik’s worries and private fears.
‘You’ve done nothing wrong except climb where you know it is forbidden. And how could your father have left because of you when I didn’t even know I was carrying you?’
Rurik’s mouth formed an O.
She took a deep breath. She had to tell him now. Rurik’s little adventure might be unwelcome, but it provided the best possible introduction to Ash. Ash had been right. Rurik needed to know as soon as possible who his true father was. He had to understand that Ash wasn’t ashamed of him.
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