“Wha d’ye know o’ it?” Rohr turned back. “Do no’ compete in the next round. Stay and groom yer pony.”
Deathan did not compete in the next contest, nay, but not because his mount required his attention. One of the lads was more than happy to take that duty.
He went to watch instead. The contest—meant to be friendly—was held in the bailey, and the princess had a seat in the tent with her woman beside her.
Deathan edged into the back where he could watch her as well as the competition.
Several of the Caledonians were competing, including Urfet. It should have been clear from the first footrace that these men threw themselves into competition whole. No one expected blood to be drawn.
Deathan could tell by his brother’s expression how badly Rohr wanted to win. As future chief, he should be best among the many.
He could also tell by the glow in Urfet’s eye that the fellow meant to prevent it.
It came down to the two of them in the end. The last two standing who had not been disarmed.
The two Caledonian women watched closely, their heads together. No doubt speaking in their own tongue. The competitors circled, circled, half crouched. The spark in Urfet’s eye made Deathan wonder if the man toyed with Rohr or if—
The flurry came quickly and to exclamations from the crowd. The goal was for one man to disarm the other, but when the encounter ended, it was with a rush of blood.
Down Urfet’s arm.
Da, also seated and watching, surged to his feet. King Caerdoc followed more slowly. The Caledonians edged in. Would it come to blows?
But nay, for Urfet made nothing of it. He smiled and shook his arm—the skin of which Rohr had laid open with his blade.
Da quickly waved the healer forward, but Urfet wagged his head and said something to Rohr.
Congratulating him?
It was not a clean win. But the Caledonians, seeming to fight—and play—hard, made nothing of it.
Princess Darlei, though, jumped to her feet, looking as if she wanted to go to Urfet. Her companion urged her back.
Was Rohr right? Could there be something between the two?
It should not matter to Deathan either way, save that what he’d said to his brother was true. It would be a shame for his marriage to be doomed before it began.
Chapter Fourteen
Rain came sweepingin from over the sea before the archery contest concluded, chasing them all inside. Darlei would have liked to stand outside and watch the clouds lower over the sea, absorb the magnificent power of the rain striking the water, for she had never seen the like. But apparently among the many things women here did not do was stand out in the rain.
A relief, withal, to have the competition ended. It had not gone well for her intended bridegroom, other than his one questionable victory, and he was not in a good mood.
Having seen that, and indeed, having seen more of the man, Darlei could not like him.
She hated to admit that to herself, it being one of the last things her mother had warned her about before they parted.
Daughter, I know you are unhappy about being sent away, but give this a chance. Givehima chance. Your future happiness depends upon it.
Good and fair advice but impossible to follow. Nay, she had not wanted to be sent here like a sacrifice. Not only did she dislike the man to whom she’d been sent, she did not respect him.
She did not know how to overcome that. She supposed if she tried hard enough, she might look past the fact that she was not attracted to Rohr MacMurtray. For she was not. A woman did not strictly have to be attracted to her husband, though it would unquestionably be far better if she were.
But Rohr was a small-minded and bad-tempered man who so far had done little but whinge and frown.
He had not won the pony race, and everyone there from his people to her own had known he felt the loss. She had wanted very badly to compete in the archery competition, for she knew very well she was a dead-eye shot. But due to the rain, that had not taken place.
Even before the rain canceled the competition, Father had taken her aside. “Daughter, it does not seem that the young ladies here participate in the men’s games. I know what a good shot you are. But why not let it go?”
