AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘First thing. The king is sympathetic with my plight and gave me leave to see my son. I wanted to inform Valdar, as well, in case he felt the need to say goodbye.’
‘Valdar wouldn’t expect me to say goodbye,’ Kara retorted. ‘He’ll approve in any case. He likes Rurik. And he has never been in allegiance with your uncle, if that is what you are implying.’
Ash’s face hardened. ‘Yes, you did say what an excellent person he is.’
A tiny flutter developed in the pit of Kara’s stomach. Ash was jealous. She quashed it as wishful thinking. Ash didn’t care about her. He did want to meet Rurik and that was all she asked.
Ignoring Ash’s glower, Kara issued a few final instructions to the servants, including delivering a message to Valdar of her leaving. The youngest kitchen maid volunteered to run over to Valdar’s house straight away. Kara shook her head and told her that it could wait until after she’d gone.
‘Have you finished?’ Ash slapped his gloves against his wrist. ‘Or do you need to instruct the maids on how to spin wool?’
‘The servants need to know what to do. I take my responsibilities seriously, but all is sorted now.’ Kara walked past him and out into the street.
She stopped in surprise. Rather than two or three men as an escort, a host of twenty men sat on horses, with their weapons clearly displayed as if they expected trouble. One held her horse, saddled. The back of her neck prickled. Despite his earlier assurance, Ash expected trouble.
Various townspeople gathered, staring open-mouthed at the number of outriders.
‘No cart?’ she asked, frowning.
‘As you can ride a horse, a cart is unnecessary. If you need one for your dignity, you’ll have to employ your own escort. I intend to travel swiftly.’
‘I’ve ridden to Jaarlshiem before. Bring my horse here and I’ll mount.’ Kara sent a silent prayer up thanking various goddesses that her skirt was full enough to allow her to ride a horse without displaying her limbs. But even if they had showed, she’d have refused the cart. Silently she vowed that she would be there when Ash met Rurik. She wanted to make sure Ash didn’t reject Rurik once he saw him. It would absolutely devastate Rurik. Hring’s vicious remarks about how she was lucky that Ash had died as he’d never have accepted the boy resounded in her brain.
She mounted swiftly.
‘Kara!’ Valdar strode down the street with about fifteen friends. Their hands hovered above their undrawn swords, ready for battle. As they neared her horse, they spread out, taking up the street’s entire width. The message was abundantly clear—if Ash wanted to go to Jaarlshiem, he’d have to pass through them.
Kara struggled to control her horse, which had reared up at the noise. Men! She hated violent posturing, ever since her father used to pick fights just to prove he was the stronger. One day he hadn’t been and he’d died of the infected wound.
‘Valdar.’ Kara inclined her head when she had her horse under control. ‘I return to Jaarlshiem. What brings you here?’
‘Willingly?’
‘You will let us pass, Valdar the Unwed!’ Ash manoeuvred his horse so that it pawed the ground directly in front of Valdar.
‘Not until I hear from the Lady Kara. Do you go willingly, my lady?’
‘Of course she does! Do you see any chains?’ Ash swung down from his horse. In unison, his men followed suit.
Two armies facing each other. One wrong word and blood would spill. Kara’s head thumped. In an odd way she was certain both enjoyed the confrontation, but it ended here.
‘I go willingly to Jaarlshiem. Ash Hringson speaks the truth. As you know, I am more than capable of speaking for myself.’ She gave Valdar a hard look and then Ash, who looked unapologetic. ‘Allow us to pass. Next time, Ash, allow me to answer questions directed towards me.’
Valdar raised his hand and his men cleared a path. ‘If that is what you truly desire, my lady, it will be done without question. I...that is, we...aim to serve you.’
She pulled the cloak tighter about her shoulders and wished that she had deserved the loyalty. ‘It is.’
The warrior’s face fell. ‘And you need no assistance. Send word, any time, if you need me.’
‘I trust my husband will see to my safety, if not my comfort. He has more than enough men. Perhaps it is because he is used to travelling in Viken rather than in Raumerike. The roads are far quieter here.’
Kara glanced at Ash, who stood jaw set and hands clenched. Her heart hammered. She spoke the truth. In his own way, Ash had always looked after her...when he had been here.
