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He didn’t need to get too close to the camp to judge troop buildup, and the closer he got, the more of a chance he would take of getting caught. So he kept a safe distance, and when he came upon a tall pine tree, he knew it would give him the view and safety he needed.
He climbed it with haste though cautiously, and, not far from the top, he found himself a good perch that gave him a clear view of the troop encampment. There he waited and watched.
It was larger than he had expected, and seeing the preponderance of archers there was no doubt that preparation was being made for battle. The question was when would the king strike?
Or perhaps the question was that the prophecy was about to be fulfilled.
When summer touches winter and the snow descends, the reign of the false king begins to end, four warriors ride together and then divide, among them the true king hides, when he meets death on his own, that is when he reclaims the throne.
Just before he had come upon Bliss, the weather had been unnaturally warm and now it was cold and no doubt snow would soon fall, fulfilling part of the prophecy. Missions had divided him and his brothers. And despite the buildup of troops, the fact that more troops were yet to arrive meant that an attack was not imminent. But why would King Kenneth be foolish enough to wage war in winter? Or did he believe it would be tactically beneficial since neither Trey nor his brothers would expect an attack from the north, especially this time of the year?
Whatever the answer, he was glad he had happened upon the information. He and his brothers could now make sure that they were prepared. Or perhaps attack before King Kenneth did.
Having learned what he needed to know, Trey was ready and eager to return to Bliss, but as he reached the lower limbs of the tree, he heard voices and instantly stilled. He listened but could only hear snippets, and he didn’t like what he heard.
It seemed a sentinel was being placed right beneath the tree, and the other two soldiers with him were debating the wisdom of the spot. He hoped the older soldier won the debate since he thought it a foolish choice, but the younger one was adamant.
Trey waited, knowing that once the sentinel was alone he would have no choice but to attack and take his leave. But if he did that, he would alert the encampment to the presence of an enemy. No doubt contingents of soldiers would be sent to find the culprit, and that could prove difficult for the few farmers who lived in the area.
It was a dilemma for sure, and so he waited, though not patiently, hoping the older soldier would win, and the three would move to a different location.
He grew more irritated, and when, after a few moments passed and there was still no decision made by the quarrelsome two, Trey had no choice but to rest against the thick tree trunk and temper his impatience. It would do no good to let the soldiers know that someone watched. It could possibly force King Kenneth to take action before he planned to, and Trey did not want that.
And so he waited and waited when suddenly ... he sat forward. He sensed something was happening with Bliss, and he couldn’t be sure if it was good or bad. And that frightened him. He had to get to her. He had wasted enough time, hours to be exact, and it would take at least another hour to return to her.
Where are you, Fate, now that I need you?
Suddenly, the quarreling stopped, and he could only hear grumbling. When Trey peered through the branches he saw the three soldiers walking away.
Had fate heard him and answered?
Perhaps so, and without hesitation, and as soundlessly as possible, he lowered himself to the ground and hurried off. He kept a fast pace, worried that night would fall before he was able to reach his wife.
He didn’t understand this sudden ability to sense when she needed him, or that she was in danger, but he was pleased with it. He liked that he was so attuned to her. It gave him more peace of mind.
He was relieved that he was making better time than he had expected, daylight having yet to give way to nightfall. He would need light, if for some reason he needed to follow her tracks—he stopped abruptly, realizing he had reached the very spot where he had left her.
With cautious and silent steps, he approached the cropping of rocks where she had said she would wait for him. Something wasn’t right, and he wasn’t surprised to find that she was not there. He was, however, surprised to see a bloody piece of cloth that looked to have been torn from her skirt.
He took a deep breath and gave thought. Was the blood hers, or had she come upon someone who had been injured and required help? But where would she have gone? And why would she leave the spot where she had said she would wait?
He cast a cautious glance to the ground and saw two separate and distinct footprints. One he knew belonged to his wife and the other was large and deep, and no doubt belonged to a sizeable man. He didn’t want to think she was in danger. And there were no indications in the footprints that there had been a struggle. She could have merely come upon an injured person, but why then would she go off with him?
Knowing his wife the answer came easily ... someone needed her help.
His gut twisted with worry regardless of whether she willingly followed the man or not, and he started following the footprints. He would find out what happened though, more importantly, he’d find his wife.
It took until dusk for him to find the campsite and at first glance he knew he had no worry. He strode into camp, taking in the sorrowful scene surrounding him and keeping a keen watch for his wife.
There were at least a dozen farmers, all with injuries, some more serious than others. It didn’t take long to realize that the soldiers had simply dumped the farmers they had collected as soon as they had sustained a wound.
Many looked with pleading eyes at him, no doubt recognizing him as a MacAlpin warrior, and it troubled him that they had suffered for the true king.
Trey came to a halt when he spied his wife bent over a man prone on the ground, holding his hand. She released his hand to rest on his stomach, stood and turned as he approached, and his heart tore in two when he saw her eyes glisten with unshed tears. He rushed to her side.
“Trey,” she said on a sigh, and threw her arms around him.
He hugged her tight and he saw that the few nearby farmers nodded, as if in some way it gave them hope that they too would soon be reunited with their loved ones.
