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Cassair's tall figure was easy to pick out, despite the layers of furs he was enveloped in from head to toe with only his eyes remaining uncovered.
"Cassair!" I yelled from the doorway and, although he was still a few paces out from me, I watched him jolt at the sound of my voice.
I hastened to his side while white tufts of air evaporated off any uncovered surface of my skin.
"Lady Alahna," Cassair greeted me, "you shouldn't be here, it's too—"
"Where is the warlord?" I interrupted him.
With a sigh, fully understanding that he stood on the losing end of this battle, he pointed his spyglass down to the beach where I watched dismayed as Brogan's unmistakable figure dismounted his ginormous battle horse.
"What is he doing?" I asked, knowing the answer already, but hoping Cassair would have a different one. If the Vandalls wanted to parley, Brogan would have been all too happy to oblige. Anything to make the threat disappear and save his people, even at the cost of his life.
"Brogan," I whispered, with a desperate undercurrent in my voice.
"The Vandalls want to parley," Cassair explained, confirming my fears.
"What will happen?" I wanted to know. Every single tale I had ever listened to about the Vandalls' brutality came back to me and the lump that had settled in my stomach became even heavier.
"We have them in our sights, Lord Cassair," a man said, and I noticed several archers standing on Cassair's other side, aiming at the beach. At the leader of the Vandalls and… a sob broke from my throat, Brogan.
My hands flew to my mouth. The cold was forgotten as an ache spread through me that hurt more than anything I had ever experienced before.
"You really shouldn't be here," Cassair tried again.
I stubbornly shook my head but allowed Cassair to adjust my furs so only my eyes were free like his.
I didn't have gloves on, but my hands were clasped tightly underneath the warm furs, pressing against the hard lump in my stomach.
From here, the two figures were only dark forms, but I knew who was who and watched in astonishment and disbelief as the Vandall leader stretched out his arm in greeting and Brogan allowed him to lay it on top of his shoulder while he did the same to the Vandall.
"What is happening?" I asked again, but nobody answered, as all our eyes were riveted on the men on the beach.
They stood and talked for what seemed an eternity before the Vandall waved Brogan forward.
"No!" I cried dismayed.
"Nyck, Brogan, you fool," Cassair pressed out in a rare moment of venting his emotions and disapproval of his warlord. I couldn't fault him though, because I too, wanted to throttle Brogan, who turned to wave at his guards to stay, before turning again to follow the Vandall aboard his ship.
With bated breath, I watched him climb up the extended ramp leading to the swaying longboat. And before long, both men vanished from view as they entered the ship's hull.
Endless minutes stretched on where none of us spoke, all we did was keep our gaze fastened on the boat, willing Brogan to reappear.
"Come on," Cassair pushed out after what seemed like ages.
"What is he doing?" I added, just to say something.
My feet were getting numb from standing in one spot and the cold snow underneath my soles seeped into my boots. My eyes stung and even my lungs were beginning to hurt from breathing in the cold air, despite the fur covering my lower face. None of that mattered to me. I didn't even feel anything besides the constant hammering of my heart calling Brogan's name.
"He didn't even say goodbye," I whispered so low I didn't think anybody would hear it.
Cassair did though. "He wanted me to tell you that he knows you love him," he said tightly.
My eyes filled with tears, and I quickly wiped them for fear they would turn into ice and blind me.
"He is not dead," I said with as much vehemence as I could muster.
"Nyck," Cassair said, thenot yet, remained unspoken, but it was there.
