She felt Bryce’s hand on her arm before she saw it. It was a firm grip he had on her, one that not only meant to offer comfort but also empathy. He understood her grief, and he was letting her know that he shared it with her and that they would see this mission through and find her da.
She realized then that he had not asked if there were more prisoners. He had placed her concern for her da before his mission, and to her that was a sure sign of just how much he loved her.
The old man continued. “Your da and I talked, when possible, about trying to escape. Your da always felt one of us could possibly make it but not both. We agreed that if an opportunity presented itself, one of us would take it. Your da presented me with such an opportunity.”
“That’s my da,” she said proudly.
“Writhing in pain, your da made the soldiers believe his injury was more serious than it was. They were quick to remove the rope that tethered us and quick to ignore me, so fearful that they would be punished for what had happened to your da.”
“The soldiers must have searched for you,” Bryce said. “How did you ever escape them?”
“Idris advised me how to avoid the soldiers, and I did, putting a good distance between them and me.” He sighed. “But little rest and barely any food finally took its toll, and I have no strength left to travel any farther.”
“Your name?” Bryce asked.
“Donald.”
Bryce took the old man’s hand. “You are safe now, Donald, and I will see that you remain so.” He turned to Charlotte. “Give Donald food while I see to fashioning a carrier that will allow him to rest while we travel.”
She did as he asked, the old man nibbling slowly at the cheese she had offered.
“You should leave me to die, as that is my fate now, and go find your da,” he urged Charlotte. “He waits for you.”
“My da would not want that. He would expect me to see you safe before I continued my search for him.”
Donald tried to protest.
Charlotte wouldn’t let him. “We waste time arguing; I have more questions about my da, and I need to know if there were any other prisoners with you.”
The two began to talk.
Any protests Donald had of being left behind to die soon vanished after he was placed on the makeshift carrier, the bed cushioned with pine branches, then covered by a blanket with another blanket tucked around him. The comfort had finally eased his worries and allowed him to fall into a much-needed slumber.
Bryce had used a thick vine as a rein, slipping it over his head to rest across his broad chest. Charlotte could see that it was no chore for him to pull the man though it did slow their pace.
“What did you learn from him?” Bryce asked, as they walked, Odin trotting up ahead.
“Was that why you asked no questions?” she said. “You knew I would.”
“You have a way of talking with people, of understanding what they themselves don’t always understand. I was confident you would learn all you could from him.”
It had happened slowly, this understanding of each other, but she supposed that was part of falling in love. You grew to know the person like no other, and once that bond was forged, there was no breaking it.
“I inquired about other prisoners, and Donald told me that my da had told him about another group of prisoners that had once been part of his group. Those prisoners, three of them, had been taken in a different direction only a few days before Donald showed up.”
Neither one said a word, it wasn’t necessary. Both realized what it meant. If her da traveled alone, then the spy Bryce searched for had been sent elsewhere. They would need to split and go in opposite directions in order to fulfill their missions.
They remained silent for several moments, neither wanting to voice the truth of the situation.
Charlotte finally continued. “My da’s injury must have prevented him from leaving any more messages for me.”
“Did Donald say if he or your da heard any mention of their destination?”
“No, he said the soldiers never spoke of where they were going though they made sure to remark how once there, my da and Donald would never see freedom again.”
“Was he able to tell you where he last saw your da?” Bryce asked.
“You fear what I did, that he wandered so much that he lost focus and could not tell where he was or where he had been.”
“It can happen easily,” Bryce said, “especially to those unfamiliar with the land.”
“He did better than I expected, though it was my da who actually told me.”
“How?”
“He told Donald that his daughter would love to return to the area she so loved when she was young.”
“And where is that?”
“Glen Loran.”
“That is not far from my home.”
“Then we can meet there when we’re both done with our missions,” she said, not truly wanting to voice aloud what they both knew must be done.
Bryce frowned. “What do you mean meet there? We travel together.”
“But you now know that the one you search for isn’t with my da. You must follow a different trail.”
“And leave you to rescue your da on your own?” He laughed and shook his head. “That will never happen.”
“But you have your duty,” she insisted.
“A duty that I have determined needs more help than I presently have,” he said, “which is why we will return to my home, have a brief rest, and—”
“No,” she said adamantly. “There is no time to rest. I continue my search.”
“You need to be reasonable.”
“I need to find my da before it’s too late,” she insisted.
“The mission requires not only more help than just the two of us but a good plan, so that it will succeed.”
“My da has been hurt,” she said, as if it explained her urgency to reach him.
“That will give your da time as well as us.”
It took a moment for her to understand his reasoning. “His hand will need to heal so that he will be able to work.”
Bryce nodded. “It also gives us an opportunity to gather more men to help with the rescue.”
Charlotte trusted him but not when it came to taking her to his home. She knew once there, he would want her to stay, and she could not do that. Her da was expecting her, and she would not disappoint him.
“You go gather who you must while I continue my hunt.”
He shook his head. “We’re not separating.”
“It is the only way.”
“No,” he said sternly. “We remain together.”
“Our missions dictate otherwise.”
“Our missions are somehow linked, and we will see to them together.”
Charlotte suddenly felt disheartened. Their duties stood between them, and unless they were careful, would separate them forever. He would continue to want to return home, and she would continue to want to hunt for her da. Though he offered help, it would be done his way. And his way was to see her safe and keep her from harm. While noble and no doubt loving, she would not have it.
Why argue with him, though, since it would do no good. If and when the time came, she would do what was necessary to rescue her da. She would face the consequences later. She only hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
Donald was well rested by the time they came upon the small village and had insisted on walking, though with assistance from Charlotte. The carrier was discarded, and the trio entered the village, which was nothing more than a few crofts clumped together. The people there were as cautious as other villagers had been and kept their tongues to themselves.
Charlotte left Donald with Bryce to talk with an older man, who, though apprehensive, was willing to cautiously chat. She insisted that she could learn more on her own than saddled with the two men.
The young were never as cautious as the older ones. Life had not yet hampered their spirit or desire to live. It was obvious that the s
oldiers hadn’t been there, men and young lads still being in attendance. So she was quick to seek out the young lads and see what she could learn.
Charlotte was off on her own before Bryce could stop her. Though Odin went with her, Bryce felt uneasy about letting her go, more uneasy than ever since the incident with Ewan. It seemed that whenever she was out of his sight, she got into an altercation. She barely recovered from one when another followed. The injuries she had suffered had yet to heal, and yet she hadn’t let them hamper her. He had seen her wince in discomfort now and then, but she had not complained once of a pain or ache.
“Stubborn,” he mumbled, he and Donald moving along after having finished an uneventful chat with the older man. Whether he had nothing to share or had remained silent out of fear, he traded nothing more than mundane chatter.
Donald smiled. “Idris had said it would be his daughter’s obstinate nature that would help free him.”
“He knows her well,” Bryce said.
“And loves her dearly.”
“From hearing Charlotte speak of him, I have no doubt that there is a strong bond between father and daughter.”
“One that will send her to him in spite of the danger,” Donald said.
That was what Bryce was afraid of. He knew from their recent conversation that trying to convince her to return home with him had been a futile effort. She would do as she pleased. How would he ever get her to listen to reason?
He cast an anxious glance around for Charlotte. With the size of the village, she should have easily been recognizable, along with her dog. Where had she disappeared to?
Chapter 25
Bryce spotted her. She was flying through the air, limbs splaying, and landed with a hard bounce on the ground. She scrambled quickly to her feet as Odin hurried over to stand protectively in front of her, snarling and barking.
Bryce couldn’t believe the size of the lad who suddenly came into view. He was a big one, more in width than height and no more than perhaps three-and-ten years. He was laughing, which did not bode well for him at all, not in front of Charlotte.
“Sit and wait here,” Bryce ordered Donald, who sat with relief on an old tree stump.
“The big lad may have brawn, but she’ll outwit him,” Donald said, his eyes having followed Bryce’s.
“Not before suffering for it,” Bryce grumbled.
“She does what she must; do not deny her that,” Donald cautioned.
“I’ll not see her suffer,” Bryce said, and turned away.
“He’s as stubborn as she is,” Donald grumbled though Bryce didn’t hear.
Bryce couldn’t believe that she ran with her head down, straight for the large lad. Odin ran alongside her, barking encouragement. He wanted to throttle both of them. Before he could reach her, she smashed her head right into the large lad’s stomach and sent him reeling backward, to land with a solid thwack on his back. She had her booted foot firm to his throat before he could move, and Odin added to the capture by growling in his ear.
“It was a simple question. Now answer it, and I won’t crush the breath from you,” she threatened.
He capitulated fast enough. “No soldiers or strangers have passed this way. We are a small village with no want of quarrel.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said, pressing her foot a bit harder to his throat.
He went to grab at her ankle, and Odin nipped at his hand. He immediately yanked it away.
“We have seen no one,” he choked, and Charlotte eased the force of her foot. “But we have heard things.”
Bryce wanted to rush to her side, grab her by the back of her shirt, and tell her if she ever did anything so foolish again, he would lock her away where she’d be safe. He shook his head. She’d never speak to him again if he did anything so foolish.
He took control of his anger as he stopped not far from them. She had things well in hand, and it would do no good to interfere. It would do him well to support her actions just as Odin had done, even though he much preferred to throttle her. If he was honest with himself, he’d admit that what he truly preferred to do was hold her close and keep her safe. That wasn’t likely now and he sensed there would be future moments like these, and damned if that didn’t alarm him.
Charlotte removed her foot and held her hand out to the large lad. Her keen instincts never failed to impress him. She always seemed to know the appropriate action to take in most situations even if it did frighten the hell out of him.
“Charles,” she said, as the big lad took her hand.
“Edward,” the lad said, and stood.
“I look for my da,” Charlotte said.
“Why didn’t you say so from the start?” Edward said.
“You never gave me a chance.”
“For a skinny thing, you fight well and fear little.”
“The only thing I fear is not finding my da,” she said.
Seeing that the two were now agreeable, Bryce walked away. Odin must have thought the same, for he followed Bryce and seated himself next to Donald.
After only a few moments, Bryce watched a crowd begin to gather around the pair, and concern once again had him making his way over to Charlotte. The people seemed agitated and with Charlotte in the middle of it all, he didn’t want things getting out of hand.
“So it is true?” a man asked anxiously of Bryce as he approached. “The soldiers are forcing men and lads into the king’s service?”
Bryce answered honestly. “I’m afraid so.”
“What are we to do?” a woman asked, teary-eyed, as she hugged a puny lad of no more than ten years to her, as if her loving grip could save him.
“Maybe the soldiers will not bother with us,” one man said.
Donald had hobbled over to join them. “I would not count on that. The king prepares for battle and spreads his soldiers like a plague over the land, claiming all in its path.”
“Is there nothing we can do?” another asked.
Edward spoke up. “We can go join those who fight for the true king, as I’ve been saying we should. There is little here for us, and the women and young ones will have even less if the men and lads are taken away.”
“This is our home,” one woman said through tears.
“Once the true king claims the throne, we can return to it,” Edward said.
“And what if he doesn’t?” someone shouted. “What if King Kenneth defeats him?”
“We have not seen or heard from this supposed true king,” said another. “Where is he? Why doesn’t he make himself known and help his people?”
“Is he a coward?” yelled another.
“Fools,” Charlotte spat. “You would have the true king make himself known and risk losing all? He knows what is right, what he must do. Like King Kenneth, he gathers men, but not by force. Those who serve him do so willingly. He is a good man and will make a good king.”
“You have met him?” someone shouted.
“My da has,” Charlotte said. “He told me that he was a good man. A truthful and caring man who would do whatever was necessary for his people even if his people thought less of him for it. Never, never though, will he give up. He will sit the throne and keep his people safe.”
She once again impressed him, talking with such confidence of a man she had never met, though the fact that her da had could prove a problem. Few knew the true king’s identity and for a good reason—to protect him.
“Our food runs low, and the land has not been good to us,” a woman said, cradling a babe while a young lad clung to her leg and another older lad, his eyes filled with fear, stood beside her. “I fear my young ones will go hungry, and now I fear my oldest will be taken from me. I will go wherever I need to keep them fed and safe.”
“There is food aplenty there and shelter and many to welcome you,” Bryce said. “I know, I fight for the true king.”
Edward stepped forward, looking around, then reached out his hand to a short, round woman, who pushed her way through the crowd. H
e slipped his arm around her shoulders. “My mum and I will go. I will fight for the true king.”
Bryce placed a hand on the lad’s thick shoulder. “He would welcome you, though you will be made to learn the ways of a warrior before you join the battle.”
Others spoke up, some in agreement and others disagreeing. But it wasn’t long before they all came to an understanding. They would go and take residence with the true king’s followers. And those who could would fight beside him.
Bryce spoke with the men, explaining where they were to go and areas to avoid. It was decided that there was no time to waste. They would leave as soon as they all could get their belongings together. As usual, Charlotte thought as he did and was already having Edward help her retrieve the carrier from the woods where they had left it. She had asked Edward, as Bryce himself had planned to do, if he would look after Donald and see that he arrived safely.
By the time Bryce finished with the men, Edward’s mother had Donald cozy on the carrier, with several bundles piled around him. Charlotte was saying her farewell when Bryce approached.
“You will stay well,” she ordered. “My da will want to see you again.”
Misty-eyed, Donald nodded. “You’ll find him. He has no doubt you will, don’t you have any doubt.”
Charlotte leaned down and gave the old man a hug. “I will see you again.”
“I hold you to that,” he said, and waved her away.
When she turned and saw Bryce, she stared for a moment, her eyes filled with sorrow and unshed tears. She needed to be in his arms, where he could comfort her. He fought the urge to reach out and snatch her up, to let her release her sorrow and tears against his chest. But he couldn’t, her disguise needed to be maintained for her own protection.
“Look after the stubborn lad,” Donald said, and held his hand out to Bryce.
Bryce took firm hold. “Take care, Donald, and I will see you soon.”
Donald gave his hand a yank to pull him closer, and Bryce leaned down.
“Let her do what she must, or she will never forgive you.”
A Warrior's Promise Page 19