AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m hungry, and I ken the bairns are, too. They’ve had a trying day.”
“But I need to—”
“Yesenda, the bairns are hungry and upset. Please stop being selfish and put your problems aside for now.”
“My proble—”
“Mysie, Domhnall, Michael, come help your aunt Yesenda. She could do with some hugs.”
The children ran to Yesenda and crowded around her. She hugged them and gave Iain a death glare when the children were not looking. He just ignored her.
***
Council Room, Henderson Keep
Iain explained everything to Bram, who issued orders for his War Band to increase guards and patrols. Iain explained about what happened with Yesenda and the children.”
“Bram, I’ve seen no one move as fast as she did today. She is highly skilled in combat, whether it be hand to hand or with weapons. There is no way I could have saved three bairns like she did today.”
“How did she do it?”
“She pulled Mysie out of the path of one arrow. Shoved Michael onto the ground, and then she caught the shaft of another arrow with her bare hand before it hit Domhnall.”
“Damn, that is mighty impressive. Mayhap she should be the one training our warriors.”
“Aye, I agree.” Iain was quiet for a while.
“So what is troubling you, Iain?” Bram asked.
“Yesenda put her body in the line of fire to protect the bairns with no thought to her own safety. It filled my heart with warmth that she would protect our kin, but it also fills me with dread. Someday she may not be fast enough to stop the arrows.”
“But there’s more?”
“She lied to all of us. To me. She’s been lying the whole time pretending to be this gently reared fragile lass, when she is anything but. Tis the fact that she lies about who she is that doesna sit well with me.”
“But was she pretending to be a fragile woman? Or is that what we assumed?”
Iain said, “A lie is still a lie if you hold back important facts.”
“Iain, what is this really about?” It amazed Iain that Bram could read him so well.
“You asked me once what I’d do if Yesenda left.”
“Aye, you said you’d follow her to the end of the earth and drag her back. Is that still true?”
“It is, but I am torn with the need to protect her and not wanting to leg shackle myself to another Liosa.”
“Yesenda is not Liosa. You do her no favors by comparing the two.”
“Butshe lied to meabout who she is. Even now I dinnae have the full picture.”
Bram said, “And what were the reasons? She made a vow to someone, and she means to uphold it.”
“She should trust me with it.”
“And then what? You would make her change course, something she cannot do.”
Iain was silent a moment.
