Page 60 of Dancing On Air

Chapter13

Eleanor approached Connor’s home the following morning, having been escorted by her cousin Raven with her sword. They left the abbey early, before the rest of their cousins awoke. Eleanor hadn’t slept a wink all night, thinking about Connor and what he must be going through right now. She only wanted to comfort him. To be a friend. To give him someone to talk to. To be his strength right now.

“Thank you for escorting me, Raven. I know Rook would tell me to stay away from Connor right now, but this is exactly when he needs me the most.”

“He’s in a bad situation,” said Raven as they rode. The sun poked its head up over the horizon. “I mean, now that his father is dead, he is the hangman, you realize.”

“He doesn’t want to execute people.” Eleanor felt emotions welling within her. “All he wants to is be a knight and noble. The way he should be.”

“That’s nothing we can change about his situation, Eleanor, so don’t even try. Connor made the decision to save his father’s life and in doing so, it sealed the fate for his entire family. Now he needs to learn to live with it.”

“It’s just not fair,” said Eleanor, shaking her head, unable to believe the wicked turn of events. “Yesterday we were all having fun at the home of Edna and Albert. It almost seemed like the old times when we grew up with Connor.”

“Don’t let that fool you. Nothing has changed. Just remember this when you go in to talk to him.”

“He needs to be comforted.”

They stopped their horses in front of Connor’s cottage.

“Comforted, yes. But please don’t bed him. It wouldn’t be a good choice for either of you right now.”

“I have no intention of taking advantage of his vulnerable state. Now, stay here while I go in alone. I think it will be too overwhelming if both of us go in to see him.”

“I’ll be waiting,” said Raven, scanning the area like any good warrior would do. “Just don’t be too long. I want to get back before Rook awakes. My brother won’t be as understanding as I am about all this.”

“I know, I know. I’ll hurry.”

Eleanor dismounted and went up to Connor’s door, knocking softly. When he didn’t answer, she knocked a little louder.

“Connor?” she called out. “It’s me. Eleanor. Connor are you in there?”

She looked back at Raven and shrugged.

“See if the door is unlocked,” Raven told her.

Eleanor tried the door and it opened. “Connor?” She stuck her head into the darkened room, looking around. “Good morning,” she called out, taking a step inside.

She suddenly got the awful feeling something was wrong. Walking into the cottage, she stopped when something crunched under her feet. That’s when she realized the table and benches were turned over and things were scattered everywhere. It looked like possibly there had been a struggle.

She was about to go back outside and get Raven when she thought she heard Connor’s voice from the bedroom. She tiptoed over and slowly pushed open the door. The bed was empty. No one was there.

“Connor?” she said again. She was about to turn around and leave when she saw what looked like a person lying on the floor on the opposite side of the bed, and it looked like Connor. “Is that you?” she asked, heading over. When she gazed down to the floor she saw Connor with his eyes closed, holding an empty bottle of whisky. In his other hand he gripped his dagger and also her green hair ribbon. The blade of the dagger was covered with dried blood.

“Nay! Connor!” She threw her body over him and started wailing. “What did you do? Why did you kill yourself?” She hugged his prone body.

“What the hell is going on?” came his deep grumble.

She sat back up and pushed the hair from her eyes. “Connor! You’re not dead! Thank goodness!” She reached over and started kissing him on the mouth. He smelled and tasted strongly from whisky.

“God’s eyes, Eleanor, what are you doing here?” He sat up, trying to get his bearings.

“I came to comfort you and you didn’t answer the knock at your door. I thought you were dead when I saw that bloody dagger in your hand.”

“Huh?” He looked down and shook his head, putting down the blade as well as the bottle, but holding up the green ribbon in front of his face. “I can’t lie. I thought about killing myself last night when I was in a drunken stupor. But then I saw your green hair ribbon fall out of my pouch and I knew I couldn’t leave you.”

“Oh, is that the one I dropped at the hanging?”

“Yes,” he told her, lowering it to his lap.