“You know. If you keep doing that you’ll go bald.”
He let out a laugh. “So I have been told.”
She watched him as he sheathed his sword and walked into her sleeping quarters. Lara followed close behind. Liam squatted down, looked up at her and winked, slid through the slit in the corner and was gone.
Lara sat down hard on the fur covered pallet just stunned at the meeting. She put her head in her hands and finally let down her guard. The tears got away as she broke down. Her heart ached so bad she could hardly catch her breath and her stomach was in knots. The tears started to flow and this time she let them.
When her eyes ran dry of tears she was finally able to feel like she could really breathe again. Lara fell over into the furs and drifted off into a deep troubled sleep.
After Kedryn stepped out he quickly walked over to the pavilion that Eion and Aodhan shared. He pulled up the door flap and stepped into a sitting area and anxiously looked around to where Eion and Aodhan were sitting. He wasn’t sure if he wanted Aodhan to know that Liam was with his mom and decided against telling him.
“Can I have a word?” Kedryn asked.
“Of course.” Eion said as he gestured to a chair and watched as Kedryn nervously looked at Aodhan. Kedryn was trying to think of the right words to ask for a bit of privacy with Eion.
“No offense but is an aurar thing I’d rather just discuss with Eion alone. If you like we can go for a walk.” Kedryn fidgeted as he stood and looked from Aodhan to Eion.
“No offense taken. Please stay I was going to check on my father anyway.” Aodhan stood up and left the tent with a questioning look at Eion.
Eion nodded and looked at Kedryn concerned as he kept rubbing his eyes. “What has got you all worked up?”
Kedryn looked around to make sure Aodhan was really gone. “I walked into mom’s tent and Liam was in there with her.” Kedryn watched as Eion’s face switched from pure shock to curiosity.
“He was? Why not ask Aodhan to go there? How was she?” Eion asked and stood ready to go to her tent.
“She was pretty much in control of the situation. The reason I’m here is because I had a flash.” Kedryn rubbed his eyes again.
Eion relaxed and sat back down. “An aurar flash? What did you see?”
“Do you remember me telling you about my mom and Aodhan’s colors?” Kedryn asked as he watched light green spots float in front of him.
“Yes.” Eion said as he rubbed his stubble then waved a hand and it was gone.
Kedryn stopped fidgeting for a moment. “Nice trick. Anyway, it’s the same with her and Liam.”
“That is interesting. It looks like your mom has a choice to make. She is a strong woman and I have faith she will make the right decision.”
“What was your theory before when you saw just your mom’s and Aodhan’s colors?” Eion shifted in his chair.
“I was thinking that Aodhan was one of two of her possible soul mates.” Kedryn scooted his chair back then decided not to stand.
“I thought much the same.” Eion said
“I saw something else.” Kedryn pulled out his stone and ran it through his fingers.
Eion leaned forward in his chair looking up at Kedryn troubled. “What did you see?”
“I had. I guess what you would call a vision. I saw just a quick flash of Liam’s sword clashing with mom’s daggers. Then nothing.”
Eion leaned back in his chair intrigued. He rubbed his chin and watched as Kedryn blinked a few times. “This is very interesting news. Has this ever happened before?”
“When I was younger. The only thing I saw was a quick flash of mom meeting Wash. Nothing more.”
“You are truly a rare individual. It seems you have a bit of Seer in you also. I believe you have had enough excitement for today. Head back to your tent and get some rest.” Eion let out a huge yawn. “I should get some rest also. It has truly been a long day for us all.”
“I think you are right. I would like to hang out with the guys for a bit anyway.” Kedryn said as he scooted his chair back and stood up.
“It is good that you have made friends here.”
“They are pretty cool guys. I do miss my friends, Mikkel, Brett and Austin from back home. I grew up with all of them. It makes me a little ill to think my family and friends think I’m dead. I know mom feels the same she just doesn’t show it.” Kedryn said and realized he didn’t mention Lisa or hadn’t really thought about her recently.
“Apologies that you have to go through all of this. My wish is that it will all work out in the end.” He stood up and walked over to the door flap.
“Go and hang out with your new found friends and get some well deserved rest. We can discuss what you saw tomorrow if you’d like. One thing is for certain if you are correct your mom and Liam will meet in battle as foretold.”
“Thank you for listening and everything.”
Eion followed him out and watched Kedryn walk down to the area where the soldier’s tents were set up. He noticed a slight shadow walk away from Lara’s pavilion. The shadow stopped and Eion gave it a nod of acknowledgement turning around. He paused for a moment as he concentrated and sensed that Liam was on his way back. He concentrated on Lara and when he was certain she was in her pavilion alive and safe Eion walked back inside.
After Kedryn talked to Eion he felt a bit better. He headed down to the tent that he was sharing with Doyle and Lawler. He walked through the tiny sitting area into the sleeping area. Two cots were set on each side with a lamp set above each hanging from a thick wood post. On each post was a hook for hanging belts, sheaths and swords. Armor was stacked at the end of each cot for more room to walk. Kedryn walked over to his cot and turned the knob to his lamp and a flame shot up to light his area.
“Checked on your mother?” Doyle asked as he turned to face Kedryn.
Kedryn slumped down hard onto his cot. “Yes and I got a shock when I walked into her tent. Liam was there.” Kedryn said as he reached up and pulled out his sword that was hanging from the post and rested it against his cot.
“What!” Lawler exclaimed as he turned in his cot grabbing his sword. “What was he doing there? Do we need to go back? He actually had the balls to come here himself?”
Doyle quietly stood up from his cot and looked at them both. “What do you think? Head back up or stay here?”
Kedryn ran his hand through his hair. “He’s probably long gone by now. Mom was kicking him out when I interrupted. He was trying to convince her that she was on the wrong side. Even had the nerve to try and recruit me.”
Doyle took a step back and sat back down on his cot. He didn’t hide the fact that he was relieved they weren’t going.
“If he spied on her today during training. I understand why he would.” Lawler said as he sat down with his sword and grabbed his whetstone. “You sure we shouldn’t check things out?”
“I talked to Eion and I’m sure if he felt it still needed checked out he would see to it.” Kedryn said as his mind flashed to what he had seen.
“I am not surprised he tried to recruit you too. You aren’t too bad with a sword yourself. In the training yard you held the four of us off pretty easily.” Lawler said as he started working on sharpening his sword.
Kedryn placed his sword across his legs and realized that he didn’t have a whetstone. Doyle reached into a flap on the side of his small hanging pouch. He grabbed a whetstone out and tossed it to Kedryn.
“Thanks, and it’s part Milesian. I have Danann in me too along with a wee bit of Scott.” Kedryn looked at their confused faces and laughed. “It’s a race in my realm. It’s not that I’m better. I just know different fighting styles you are not used to.”
Doyle watched as Lawler and Kedryn worked on their swords. He lounged on his bunk and thought about getting out his other whetstone and thought Nah, I’ll do it tomorrow. His curiosity got the better of him.
“Eion knowing how to fight came in handy while we were heading here. I
already knew how to use a sword. It made it so that General Carrick could spend more time showing me a few tricks rather than training me on how to actually use one. Eion’s a good teacher but Carrick put me through the ringer. He even gave me this sword.” He held it out for them to see and admired the hilt.
“General Carrick? You got one on one time with General Carrick!” Lawler almost dropped his sword.
“I’m sure it helped that his little group of soldiers were in Tralee. I was the only one there.” Kedryn said amused thinking Lawler’s eyes and gaping mouth couldn’t open any wider. He looked over to Doyle who was staring at him in shock too.
“Holy banshees! I would give my right arm to train personally with him. General Carrick, Ruark and even Kayne are the best anyone would be honored to train with any of them.” Doyle said.
Lawler swiped his sword with the stone. “It would be an honor to train with any of them including General Kayne. General Carrick must have seen something in you.”
Doyle jerked up on his cot moving from his casual lounging position to sitting. He reached up and grabbed both sides of his head and grimaced. “No.” he said under his breath and leaned over with his head between his legs.
“You ok?” Kedryn looked at him concerned.
“Just a seriously bad headache. It is late we should get some sleep.” He reached up and turned off the lamp by his cot and laid down facing away from them.
Lawler and Kedryn glanced at each other and put their swords down. They put out their lanterns and lay down to get some rest themselves. Kedryn’s last thoughts were of his mother wondering if she really was ok.
Lara woke feeling physically and mentally exhausted and sore from everything that had happened. She sat up and tried to shake herself loose. Rocking herself off of the pallet she walked over to the wash basin and splashed water on her face. Streams of moonlight flowed through the small flap and she tied it open. The last time she remembered falling apart was after Wash’s funeral. She had completely lost it and anything breakable in her bedroom was broken. That was when she decided it needed a complete makeover.
Her mind was still reeling from Liam’s visit and Kedryn’s flash. Not possibly being able to sleep anymore Lara turned and studied the slit in front of her and decided on pushing a small table over and leaned it on its side to cover the slit.
“At least I will know if someone tries to slip through again tonight.” she said to herself.
Not wanting to deal with anyone else she decided to stay in and not wander about the camp. Tired of sleeping in her clothes she dug into her pack.
Lara grabbed out the only sleepwear she had with her. A pair of sleep shorts and crop tank that she had bought for the Egyptian digs she went on. Bet there is no Victoria Secret around here, she thought to herself. With all of the firs for blankets a person could sweat to death even with the chill in the air.
“Pita would have a heyday here.” she said as she changed and took one of the thinner furs and wrapped it around her.
Lara picked up her pack and took out her journal, sketchbook, pen and colored pencils. She walked into the small sitting area and sat down at the table. As she was drawing from memory the beautiful landscape, houses and people of this new and fascinating realm until she started to feel herself growing tried.
Lara looked down and realized she had started on a sketch of Liam. After it was finished she caught herself studying it for far too long. The picture was of him lounged back in the chair with his feet propped up on the table and a nonchalant look on his face.
“I just have to remember he’s not Wash. I almost lost myself for a minute while he was here.” Lara whispered.
She started to get up but decided she didn’t want to forget the night and what had previously happened and started writing in her journal. She had already made up her mind that if she met Liam in battle it will be a fair fight. No holding back and no confusion.
When Lara’s eyes and head started to droop she got up and walked back into the sleeping area and rolled into the furs. She thought of her son and wondered if he was ok and her lids closed and she fell instantly back asleep.
Chapter 21
Aodhan woke up just before the break of dawn. “Why is it that on a day we are allowed to sleep in, I cannot?” he said to himself irritably and rolled up sitting edge of his pallet. Aodhan looked over at Eion who was still fast asleep.
He ran his fingers through his hair, pulled his boots and shirt on and headed out. Aodhan paused outside of Lara’s tent and looked around. The moon sat on the edge of the horizon. Aodhan pulled the door flap back to her pavilion and walked into the sitting area.
“Must not be up yet.” he mumbled to himself.
He glanced at the table and noticed her journal and another book sitting on it. Being more focused on Lara he decided to ignore them and he quietly walked into her sleeping area immediately stopping. Aodhan felt himself turn red and chastised himself. It’s not like she doesn’t have anything on. Her auburn hair was spread out around her and she was wearing left little to the imagination. Lara was lying on her back with her arm over her eyes and the furs lie on the floor or pushed to her side.
As he turned to walk out Aodhan heard her quietly murmur his name. He turned to look at her as she rolled over to her side facing away from him and was amused at what he heard and saw. He looked at her shoulder and still couldn’t make it out. The one on her lower back was quite clear.
Aodhan turned to walk out into the other room before he did something she might slug him for. The first time they met he found out that she had a mean right hook. He walked over to the table and sat down deciding to look through her drawings. Aodhan ran across one of her dagger and had an idea. He rolled up the picture and hurriedly walked out so he would return before she woke.
Lara woke to the sound of chair creaking in the sitting area. She swung her legs to the side of the pallet, twisted her hair up into a couple of hair pins and grabbed her dagger. When she cautiously walked into the other room she saw Aodhan sitting at the table. Lara realized what she was wearing and turned pink.
“Good morning. I’ll be right back.” she turned around and gracefully moved back into the other room.
“She tortures me and doesn’t even know it.”
Lara hurried over to furs on the floor and picked up the blanket she had wrapped around her during the night. She walked back into the room feeling a bit more covered. She sat down across from him and swept some hair out of her face. He was sifting through her drawings and Lara realized she ended up drawing more than she expected to. Scenes from Tralee, the men she had just met and the one of Liam. Apparently Aodhan hadn’t seen that one yet. As Aodhan flipped through the sketchbook a piece of paper fell out. He picked it up and looked at it. He handed it to Lara.
“I take it that is him.” Aodhan flatly said and handed it to her.
Lara examined the picture. “Yes. That is Wash.”
Lara tried to hide her feelings as she felt her heart start to hurt again. The picture was of Wash and Kedryn on his Indian motorcycle. She picked the picture up and set if back on the table face down. Looking at Aodhan she felt better. For some reason he put her at ease.
“He does bear a close resemblance to Liam.” Aodhan said as he shuffled through more and stopped at one. He waved it in front of her. “Is there something you wish to tell me?”
Lara glanced at the picture that he held up and let out a loud breath. Aodhan put the picture down on the table. He felt a twinge of jealousy and for the first time felt insecure around her. What if she decides to chose to be with Liam because of the resemblance to Wash? Aodhan cringed as he thought of Liam sitting in the very chair he was in.
Lara brought him out of it by patting his cheek. “Come back to reality. I had a visitor last night. I take it you haven’t seen Kedryn yet today or you would have known.”
“No I have not. Father and Ruark decided to allow the soldiers to sleep in. I woke up early and wanted to see if you were awake. W
hen I saw you were not I did not wish to wake you. There will be a war counsel after breakfast and you can fill us all in about the conversation you had with your company. Why Kedryn?”
She stood up and stretched her legs out. “He came in last night just as Liam was leaving. You good with a needle?”
He looked at her puzzled why she would ask him about women’s work. “Why?”
Lara took his hand and led him into her sleeping area. She pulled back the small overturned table and he gave her a troubled look.
“Liam took it upon himself to find a different way to get in my tent than the front door. He was lurking in the shadows when I came in.” She pushed the table back and led him back into the other room and sat down at the table. Lara started stacking the drawings and placing them in her sketchbook.
“I thought Kedryn came to see Eion for the aurar thing.” Aodhan said more than a little annoyed at Kedryn.
“He was. I can handle myself when it comes to Liam. Don’t blame Kedryn for not telling you he was probably still seeing spots.” Lara said with a hint of hesitance in her voice.
“Did anything take place? He is pretty smooth with women.” he leaned forward to gage her reaction.
Lara gave him a goofy look on the verge of sticking her tongue out. Instead she got up and walked around the table. She picked up his arm that was resting on the table and slid into his lap. Lara put her head on his shoulder and Aodhan pulled her close and kissed her hair.
“You put me at ease.” Lara said
“Not to ruin the moment. I thought you should know that Bevin will be at the morning meal with her ladies. I tried to talk my father out of the marriage.” He started to play with the loose strands of her hair.
“Let me guess. You couldn’t”
“Father still believes that it could end the war. I really think the sickness has gone to his head. Everyone knows that it most defiantly would not.” He let her hair fall through his fingers.
Lara turned her head and kissed his cheek. “What are you going to do about that?”
“I will have to wait until the war is over. Father is not doing so well and with the added stress I don’t think his heart could take it.”
Celtic Rain (The Battle Raven Series) Page 24