Talon pulled the rocker next to thetable and sat Lara down on it, unable to do more than stay andwatch over her until she came back.
He woke cold and bent and cramped in achair, alone but for Sophie, who lay in state on the table.Thefront door was open, and he stepped out into the morning chill tofind Lara standing in the middle of the yard, a woolen scarf aroundher shoulders, Wolf hugging her knee.
“Sunrise was alwaysSophie’s favorite time of day,” she said, her voice subdued as shegazed up into a brilliant amethyst sky with topaz clouds, a fittingtribute to Sophie the Sixth.“The dawning, she called it.”Shesmiled, sad and bittersweet, her gaze never leaving the crystallinesky.“She should be buried beneath the old oak, facingeast.”
Talon hated leaving Lara, but thegrievous news of Sophie’s death and the business of burying herneeded to be dealt with.Halfway out the door, he turned to askLara if she’d truly be all right, but she was already sitting inthe rocker, her hand on the shroud over Sophie’s arm, Wolf nowlying on the floor beside her.He left them for what would be theirlast time alone together.
He entered the keep through thekitchens, where Berta sat at table with Anglbert eating a breakfastof cold ham and eggs, as close and cozy as an old marriedcouple.
“One of the advantages toan old soldier’s habit of rising at dawn,” Anglbert said with aglint in his eye.Then he saw Talon.“Captain?”
He half stood as Talon pressed hislips tight.Talon looked to Berta.He’d searched for the rightwords to tell her that her lifelong friend was gone the entire rideto the keep.In the end, there was no kind way to tell her, so hesimply said it.“Sophie’s dead.”
It took a moment for the terribletruth to sink in, and when it did, Berta’s legs gave out.Anglbertcaught her, and when she came to, it was his face, his eyes thatreaffirmed the awful reality.
“I’m so very sorry.”Talonlaid a hand on her shaking shoulder as she sobbed into Anglbert’s.He gave Anglbert’s shoulder a squeeze as well.“I’ll let the othersknow.See to your lady.”
“No.”Berta lifted hertear-streaked face.“I should go to Lara.There are preparations tomake, funeral cakes to bake.”She wiped her tears and smoothed herapron.“The Abbot Rogert needs to be sent for to perform the burialrites.”She took in a shaky breath and let it out with a sigh.“He’s at the Abbey St.Marie.”
“Right.”Anglbert gave hera kiss on her cheek.“I’ll go for the abbot.”
***
They buried Sophie under the oak atsunset with the Abbot Rogert presiding over the funeral rites andhalf the valley in attendance.Lara stood still and pale beside theabbot throughout the service, her gaze never leaving Sophie’s graveuntil the last shovel full of dirt was patted down.Talon cuppedher elbow and wrapped an arm around her waist, letting her lean onhim as they walked back into the house.She sat in Sophie’s rockerby the hearth and accepted the villagers’, and several of hissoldiers’, teary condolences and heartfelt tributes, thanking them,comforting them with her soft smiles and words, performing her lastduty to Sophie, as gracious as any queen.The abbot, who had spokento Talon only to introduce himself when he’d first arrived, watchedboth Lara and Talon closely, and spoke privately with Berta in afar corner of the house for what looked to be a very seriousconversation.
It was well into the night when Talonclosed the door behind the last mourner, after assuring Berta he’dkeep watch over Lara, who stood and rolled the rug back from thetrapdoor that Talon had heard bump and squeak the day he’d talkedto Sophie about his wildcat.She pulled the door open and steppeddown onto a ladder, stopping when her head was level with Wolf’s.She leaned her forehead into his, kissed him on the nose, andwhispered something into the sad-eyed hound’s ear.Lifting her headfrom Wolf’s, she met Talon’s worried frown with a tremulous smile,the first tear he’d seen her shed through it all slipping down hercheek.Then her face crumpled, and she went down the ladder andpulled the door shut.
Tired, lost in Lara’s grief, he lockedthe house up, then pulled the rocker next to the trapdoor and tookup his post.He and Wolf would keep guard as candlelight shonethrough cracks in the floor, Talon’s ears attuned to Lara’s pacingand weeping below.
The first gray streaks of dawn lit thesky when Talon realized it had grown quiet in the cellar.Afterslowly pulling the trapdoor open, he peered down into the cellar tofind Lara sleeping on a pile of blankets in the middle of theplanked floor.A hide-bound tome sat on a small table beside aguttering candle, and shelves on every wall were lined with bottlesof tinctures and potions, wheels of cheeses, and baskets of rootsand fungi.The tools of her and Sophie’s trade.
He shut the trapdoor, spread out onthe floor alongside it, and took the opportunity to snatch somesleep, only to be woken up a short time later by an insistentknocking at the door.
“Where is she?”Bertabustled past Talon as he opened the door.Anglbert, Phillipe, andDenys followed her in.
“Sleeping.”Talon shookhis head as Berta went to the ladder that led to the loft, thennodded toward the cellar door.
“Ah,” Berta said.“Howlong?”
“She went down aftereveryone left last night.But she’s only been sleeping since dawnbroke.”
“Poor lamb,” Bertaclucked.“She must be worn out.”She looked around the house andset her hands on her hips.“I’ll see to the house and the food.”She nodded toward the table where Sophie had lain in state, nowcovered with gifts of breads and cakes and pies.“You men see tothe livestock.Out, now.”She shooed Talon, who was reluctant toleave his post, guarding Lara.“Out, I say, before you wake thepoor dear with all your clomping about.”
Talon shooed along with the others andWolf, but while the three soldiers stood staring about the yard andstables, trying to figure out what needed doing where, Denys jumpedright in.
“Here.”He handed Anglbertand Phillipe an empty basket each.“The apples need gathering.Justthe ones that’ve dropped.Don’t pick any from thetrees.”
“Yes, sir.”Phillipesaluted Denys, then elbowed Anglbert, who grumbled as they headedfor the orchard.
Talon led Gaea and Honey out of theirstalls into the little corral, where he spread hay for the horsesand goats and watched Denys cajole a ruffled hen from her nest ashe gathered eggs from their roost.
“How attached are you tobeing a stablehand at the keep?”he asked the lad.
“I like the work wellenough,” Denys told him.“And the pay’s good.Better’n I’d earnanywhere else as I’ll not work for the count.”
Talon clapped a hand on his shoulder.“I may have a job for you, if you’re interested.”
***
