Freya was relieved. She felt ridiculous, the voluminous white cloth blinkering her peripheral vision, and digging in around her forehead and under her chin. It was itching already.
I’m only going to wear this when I go out,she decided, fidgeting.
Kyla led her outside to a small outbuilding that seemed to be a stable. Working quickly, she harnessed up a stocky carthorse to a rickety cart, climbed up into the driver’s seat, and gestured for Freya to follow.
“I’ve never ridden in a cart before,” Freya admitted, once they were a mile or two down the road. “Just carriages.”
Kyla shot her a wry smile. “Aye, we thought ye were a wee bit of a fine lady.”
She flushed. “Is it that obvious?”
“Aye, lassie. Ye are well-fed, with soft hands, and an air of confidence that few poor folks have. It’s naught to be ashamed of, though. Living a life free of trouble is a thing most of us can only dream of.”
“I feel soft,” Freya murmured. “Too soft for the world. I-I ran away without thinking of where I’d go or what I’d do. I only thought about escaping. I’m so weak, I can’t even take care of myself.”
Kyla was silent for a moment, pursing her lips. “Have ye ever heard of theCommunitasprinciple?”
“What? No.”
“Well, it’s Latin for Community, of course. I learned Latin to read some texts, and it comes in handy. It’s an old principle, and in it, the writer claims that we are not meant to live alone, none of us. We’re meant to live in family units, yes, but above the family unit is the importance ofCommunitas. Our community, the people around us. It’s about more than family because we can’t choose our family. We can choose our friends, and we can choose our community. For example, I chose to come here. The sisters who live in the convent chose to take their vows and live this way. Wechooseour community, and our lives often depend on them.”
Freya was quiet for a moment. “What am I supposed to take from that?”
“Ye say ye cannot do anything yourself. Well, why not rely on yer community to help ye? Yer friends?”
“Ye… Ye think we’re friends?”
Kyla shot her a sidelong look, sunlight glinting off her spectacle lenses. “Aye, I do. Do ye think we’re not?”
“No, no, I just… I’ve never had many friends before.”
Kyla chuckled, taking one hand off the reins to throw her arm around Freya’s shoulders.
“Welcome to the community, lassie.”
They arrivedin the main town shortly after. It was a small place, clearly market day, with the courtyard in the center of town fullof stalls. Kyla deftly parked the cart off to the side, pulling a list out of her apron pocket. People nodded and smiled at them as they went by, murmuring greetings.
This is nice,Freya thought, following Kyla through the crush of people.I could get used to this. I don’t want to be a nun, of course, but it’s nice being… nobody of interest. Certainly nobody that a laird would want to marry, on account of being a nun.
She turned around in a circle, trying to take in everything—the stalls, the crowd of people, the laughter, and chatter, the smell of pies and cake and savory herbs—and then she saw him.
It was Brendan, of course, shuffling along a little way behind them, looking wary. He flushed when Freya met his gaze.
“Just a moment,” she said to Kyla, and walked off before her friend could say a word, elbowing her way through the crowd towards Brendan. He looked as though he were thinking of walking off, then changed his mind at the last minute.
“There ye are, then,” she said, grinning up at him. “Not visiting the Priory today?”
He looked as though he were trying not to smile. “Not today.”
“But I lured ye out instead.”
He snorted, shaking his head. “I’m keeping an eye on ye because the Abbess asked me to. And ye should know that, considering ye listened at the door when she asked me. Don’t flatter yerself.”
She grinned wider. “Don’t ye know I have bundles of unearned confidence? I’m excellent at flattering myself. Besides, what am I meant to think, if ye keep coming after me like this?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are ye flirting with me, woman?”
“Flirting? Aye, of course I’m flirting. Have ye just noticed? I’m not sure I was being subtle.”
