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“You have my word, Willard, that Lady Fia will not harm you,” Varrick assured him and saw uncertainty in the young warrior’s eyes.
“I will say what Willard fears to say,” Marsh said brazenly. “How will you know what damage the witch may do to him?”
“Lady Fia is no witch. She is a kind soul.”
All turned to see the old woman standing not far from them.
“How can you not see the truth when it is so clear?” Dysa asked bewildered.
Marsh continued to accuse. “The witch casts a spell on everyone she touches.”
“Enough!” Varrick admonished. “This is not the time or place. Since Marsh says what you lack the courage to say for yourself, he can tend to your wound.”
Marsh gave an agreeable nod. “I can do that. All that is needed is to break the arrow off and yank the arrow out and bandage the wound. He’ll be fine after that.”
Fia went to disagree.
“Not a word, wife,” Varrick ordered. “Marsh will see to the wound and you, and the old woman, will return to where you were ordered to remain.”
Fia had only gotten to her feet when one of Varrick’s warriors ran toward him.
“Lord David and four of his men approach on horses,” the warrior said. “And all stands ready, my lord.”
Varrick nodded at his warrior, and he hurried off.
“Marsh, move Willard to rest against that tree,” Varrick said with a glance toward a thick pine near the rock formation. “You can tend to him after this is settled.”
“Aye, my lord,” Marsh said and signaled another warrior to assist him.
Fia wanted to follow the injured man but a warning look from her husband stopped her. She went to do as she was told, return to where he had first left her, though once there she peeked around the rock to watch.
It was not long before five men appeared. The one in the middle, a rough looking man, took the lead, the others remained close behind him.
Varrick did not wait for Lord David to speak. “You dare attack me!”
“An honest mistake,” Lord David said, shrugging as if dismissing it as unimportant. “Mercenaries have been spotted in the area and I dared not take a chance. Besides, it is I who should be angry with you for the problems you caused at the monastery under my protection. You had no right to bring a witch on holy ground. It was lucky I was hunting the mercenaries and stopped there and was made aware of what happened. I had hoped to find you and rescue Brother Luke from the witch’s control.”
Fia hurried a glance at Brother Luke who looked ready to race around the rocks to freedom.
“He means you harm,” Fia whispered.
Brother Luke hesitated.
“The monk is my responsibility, and I will see the evil purged from him,” Lord David said, “then he can find peace in consecrated ground. Of course, I can save you as well. Give me the witch and I will see her purged from your life before she damages you and your clan.”
“So, that is what this is about,” Varrick said. “You are annoyed I got to the witch before you did, not that Chieftain Newlin would have given her to you since I had already laid claim to her. You want her power and you saw a possible chance to get it after stopping at the monastery and hearing what happened.”
“You waste her power… I would not,” Lord David sneered. “Why not leave the choice to the witch as to the one she would prefer. Under my protection she has a chance to live. With you, death awaits her.”
His blunt remark sent a chill through Fia, and she shivered. Did death await her with Varrick?
Varrick is your fate.
It was a firm warning, though more of a reminder that she heard in her head.
“Good Lord!” Lord David cried out as if a realization had struck him. “Here I thought you were a fool to wed a witch, but now I realize why you did and what a wise decision it was. The marriage binds her to you. Unless, of course, you have yet to consummate the vows. Until then, the choice is hers. And with the snow impeding your journey, and what happened at the monastery, I would guess, and quite correctly, that you have had no time to consummate your vows or perhaps you never intended to.”
“The only thing you need to know, Lord David, is that the witch is my wife and will remain so,” Varrick warned.
