The King's Warrior (Pict King Series Book 2) Page 12

  “His father would never condone such action,” Wrath said.

  “Perhaps or perhaps Haggard had planned it this way all along, letting me think he wanted peace between us and when the time was right, he would send his son to attack.”

  “That could be why Ulric is coming after Verity and her sister. They saw something they were not supposed to. Their sudden escape from the Northmen, after all these years, would then make more sense.”

  “Then why not share all they know with us?” The King shook his head. “None of the puzzle pieces fit. A Northman dies not far from a Pict village that was attacked by another Pict tribe. Two Pict sisters who had been taken by the Northmen when they were very young arrive on our shore. One cannot be found and the other one reaches us but tells us nothing. Ulric, son of Haggard arrives shortly after the sisters and requests to see me. Nothing fits.”

  “There is a piece missing,” Wrath said.

  “My thoughts as well, but what is the missing piece?” The King remained silent for a moment, then said, “It will take time for Ulric and his warriors to reach us. We will take that time to discover what we can. You will go to the Ancrum Tribe and see what you can find out and while on your way there, you will search for Verity’s sister. We may get clearer answers with the two sisters reunited.”

  “I will take Verity with me.” Wrath had not meant it as an edict, but it sounded like one.

  The King turned silent once again and Wrath remained silent as well, not ready to offer an apology since he had no intentions of going anyplace without Verity.

  “Go find Verity and bring her here,” King Talon ordered and Wrath nodded and left the dwelling.

  ~~~

  Verity looked over the aged warrior who grumbled that he needed no attention, he would be fine. Verity did not agree. The arm wound should have been seared immediately. Now it would need cleaning and searing and his skin was already hot to the touch.

  “Let me be. I will be fine. It is nothing more than a scratch.”

  “Hush, Muir,” a woman as round as she was short said. “The mighty warrior’s wife knows what she does.”

  “I need no fussing over me, Alvar,” Muir said with a scolding tongue to his wife.

  “You may not listen to your wife, Muir, but you will listen to me,” Cora warned, “or I will see that you feel more pain than you care to. Now let Verity tend your wound.”

  Muir grumbled, but did not argue with the healer.

  “May I show you what can prove helpful when tending such a wound?” Verity asked of Cora.

  Cora nodded and watched her every move, helping when necessary.

  The door opened and a cold wind whipped in.

  “Shut that door you fool,” Cora shouted without looking and continued helping Verity.

  When Verity was finally finished, Muir surviving the ordeal better than his wife who had cringed more than her husband, she stretched the ache from her back, turning as she did. She stopped, startled that Wrath stood leaning against the closed door.

  “The King commands your presence,” he said, “though he would want you to finish tending the injured warrior first.”

  “I can see to what else needs doing,” Cora offered and ushered Verity over to her husband. “Verity has been a great help to me. I am grateful to have learned much from her. She would make a good healer.”

  “Aye, she would,” Alvar agreed, “and grateful I am as well for her patience with my husband.”

  No one other than Hemera had ever expressed gratitude to her for anything she had done until now in this village. “That is kind of you to say, Cora and Alvar.”

  “It is the truth.” Cora gave a nod. “Now be off if you, you don’t want to keep the King waiting.”

  Once outside, Wrath took her hand, and Verity wondered if it was to make certain she remained by his side or was it a natural gesture when he was with her?

  “You will be more careful with your tongue in front of the King,” he said.

  She had been right, he had been angry with her for speaking as she did. “I meant no disrespect.”

  “I did not think you did, and I would not see you suffer for misspeaking, even to the King.”

  He would defend her against the King? The thought startled her and made her realize how correct her visions had been. Wrath would keep her safe no matter what.

  “I will do as you say.”

  Wrath laughed. “I would like to believe that.”

  His laughter and teasing words brought a smile to her face. “I will do my best.”

  He stopped abruptly and she felt her insides flutter when his hand reached up to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. It seemed not only a natural gesture, one he did often, but an intimate one as well.

  “I do not know what the King wants with you, but I do know that he has ordered us to continue to search for your sister on our way to the Ancrum Tribe.”

  Her smile burst wider and she squeezed his hand tight, she was so happy. “I am most grateful.” They would find Hemera. She had seen it in her vision. She asked quickly, “The King’s warriors travel with us.”

  “A small troop,” Wrath confirmed.

  “We will find Hemera.”

  Verity sounded so confident, as if it was already done, that Wrath believed her. They would find Hemera and he hoped when they did, Verity and her sister would be more forthcoming about their escape.

  They continued to the dwelling to find the King sitting on the sleeping pallet, though he stood when they entered. Verity stepped closer to Wrath. Never had she seen a man whose presence consumed a room with such power as the King’s did.

  King Talon looked to Wrath and though he did not say a word, Wrath spoke as if he answered a question. “I am sorry for the delay, my King. Verity was tending another injured warrior.”

  “Does he fare well?” the King asked, his head turning toward Verity.

  “I have hope for him, my King.”

  “I will speak with Harran and then speak with the injured, but first—” He waved them forward. Once in front of him, he ordered, “Hold out your joined hands.”

  Wrath glared at him. “What is this, Talon?”

  Verity was shocked that he should refer to the King so disrespectfully. Did he not tell her to watch her tongue? She was even more shocked when the King did not reprimand him.

  “It is a decision that will keep all concerned safe, for now,” the King said. “Now hold out your hands.”

  Wrath raised their joined hands, though he did not look happy about it.

  The King placed his hand over theirs. “I join you two as one until such a time one may want it undone.”

  Shock turned Verity speechless.

  The King looked to her. “For now, this must be. Once all is settled, you or Wrath can see it undone. But for now, you are husband and wife.”

  “Wrath, come with me,” the King ordered and walked to the door and turned. “Go where you please in the village, Verity, but know you are bound to Wrath as he is to you.”

  Verity turned to Wrath, still unable to speak.

  “We will talk when I return, wife.”

  The two men left Verity staring at the closed door. Wrath had not wanted this joining and she had been given no choice. It was not a true joining and she could not let it become one. She would not mate with him. She would find Hemera, then she would have this joining undone.

  Her insides churned at the thought.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Wrath knew better than to question the King on his decision to join Verity and him. He did, however, intend to question Talon his friend, when time permitted. And now was not the time, since Harran approached them as soon as they had left the dwelling.

  Harran offered his dwelling to the King while he was in the village and Wrath was not surprised when he turned him down. He told Harran that he would camp with his warriors. Harran attempted to argue, but the King continued to refuse. Pride and support for their King grew stronger as tongues r
apidly spread the word that the King was one of them and would sleep on the cold ground as his warriors did. The Raban Tribe was also pleased that the King took time to visit with the injured and how kind he was when Neva yanked at his cloak and held her arms out to him to pick her up.

  When he hoisted her up, she giggled and said, “You reach the heavens.” She stretched her small arms up, her tiny hands reaching out. “I can touch them.” Then she proceeded to tell him how Verity tended her wound and how Wrath taught her to be brave.

  “I like you,” Neva said. “You are nice.” She laid her head on his shoulder, as if intending to stay there.

  Deryn hurried to apologize and take her daughter from the King.

  “Stay brave, Neva,” the King said as he handed the little lass to her mum and she gave him a big smile.

  Soon after, the King and Wrath sat at the campsite on a long log that had been provided as a bench in front of a large fire pit.

  “On the morrow I will see to settling things here and on the next sunrise, we will both take our leave and you will see to your duties and I will return home. I will leave a sufficient troop here and you will take ten warriors with you. We can talk more on the morrow. You should go to your wife now and talk with her.”

  “Was it truly necessary to join us?” Wrath asked what he wanted to ask since the moment Talon had joined them. “You gave me no choice.”

  “And the situation gave me no choice. You pledged your fealty to me when I became King, though it was unnecessary since our friendship was stronger than any pledge you gave. While I may have made you responsible for Verity, joining you both makes you responsible in a different way as it does for her. As news spreads about the mighty Wrath having a wife, there is not a tribe that will offer her shelter if she chose to run off again. There is no place for her to turn, but to you.” The King turned a grin on Wrath. “Besides, you made the decision easy.”

  “How so?”

  “You care for her whether you want to admit or not. You protect her from me without realizing it, you are there to catch her when an attack strikes her and she collapses, and there are times you look ready to ravish her. This time, I grant you as husband and wife, will let you see if that caring goes deeper than you know. And do not bother to argue with me over it. You know it is true, so see it done and be grateful for a way out of it, if it should prove differently. I gave Paine and Anin no such choice. They are joined for life.”

  “And they want to be. I never saw two people that fit together more perfectly.”

  “They are a rare couple. Now go to your wife. We did leave her speechless and I am sure she has many questions for you,” —the King’s grin widened— “unless, of course, you prefer to give her a good poke.”

  Wrath stood glaring, and realizing his action and that the King still sat, he went to sit.

  “Go, my friend,” the King said with a dismissive wave of his hand, “though do be cautious of spilling your seed in her, for I will not release either of you if she carries your bairn.”

  Wrath walked to the dwelling, his thoughts heavy. A spark of anger had flared in him when he had realized what the King intended. Then surprisingly he had felt a sense of relief. Verity’s fate was in his hands now. No one could take that from him, unless—Verity had their joining undone. At the moment, that would not happen. The King would not grant her request until this matter was settled. By then her fate would be hers to decide. Or would it?

  He opened the dwelling door and shook his head. It was empty again. This time he understood why. If her thoughts were as heavy as his, she would want to get away from them. That meant she went to find something to keep her busy.

  Most everyone was inside their dwellings to escape the cold, evening air. It nipped at the face, though it mattered little to Wrath. He had survived bitter cold and days as well as when the sun seemed as hot as a fire pit.

  When he left the King’s camp area, the warriors had already built three lean-tos and had three fire pits burning strongly. They too knew how to survive the elements with little suffering. They would stay warm and sleep well tonight, as would he wrapped around Verity. He intended to do only that—sleep—unless, of course, she thought otherwise. If she was inclined to join with him, he would not deny her. He would welcome it. Though, he was reminded of the King’s warning not to deposit his seed in her. Theirs was a temporary joining and he would not have her take her leave with his child growing inside her.

  He tapped on Etta’s door and was not offended when she barely opened it. No one wished to lose the precious heat inside.

  Etta smiled upon seeing Wrath. “Bless your wife. She left a while ago after checking on Rand. He does well. She is pleased and I continue to be grateful.”

  “I am pleased for you. Did Verity say where she was going?”

  “No, though I saw her walk toward Muir’s dwelling.”

  Wrath was met with a similar greeting and more praise for his wife. Though, it had been a short time that he had begun to refer to Verity as his wife, it seemed natural, as if he was accustomed to it and even more so now that she actually was his wife.

  He spotted her when he turned away from Muir’s cottage. She was headed toward him, her head down, her hood covering it, and her arms keeping her cloak wrapped tightly around her. She was cold and it would not take him long to warm her. It was a foolish thought since it aroused him. He pushed it from his mind and took strong steps toward her.

  Her head shot up, no doubt hearing his footfalls, and she stopped abruptly.

  Wrath did not. He went straight to her and scooped her up in his arms, tucking her close against him to let his warmth settle around her. “You are too thin to brave this cold.”

  He spoke with concern, so she took no offense to his words. “I have braved worse.”

  “You are my wife. I will not see you suffer needlessly.”

  “I am your wife for a short time only,” she reminded.

  “Until that time, you are my wife and you will do well to remember it.”

  She kept silent until after they entered the dwelling. “I see no purpose in our union.”

  “The King does.” Wrath slipped off his cloak to hang on the peg and went to the fire pit to stoke the flames and add more wood.

  What did she say to that? Once again she was reminded that the King’s word was law and she had no choice but to obey.

  The flames ate hungrily at the fresh wood and Wrath turned to her. “You do have a choice in this, Verity. The King left it for us to decide. You are not bound to me forever. It can be undone.” He walked over to her and raised his hand slowly to run his finger down the side of her face and rest it beneath her chin. “But know this, once we couple and I leave my seed inside you, you are mine forever.”

  Verity felt her breath catch and words were lost to her. He did not speak of caring for her, it was more a warning. Or was he giving her a choice? But the King had already given her one. So why offer her another that would bind them together forever?

  The words rushed from her lips. “I do not want to be bound to you forever.” It was not what she meant, but she did not have the courage to tell him that she wanted them bound together because they cared for each other, because their hearts were one, because she wanted to hear him whisper the deepest of affections to her... tuahna. It was a word spoken so deep from the heart that few had the courage to speak it, let alone feel it.

  He brought his lips slowly to hers and kissed her gently, lingering on them with a tempting tenderness. With a slight brush of his lips over hers, he ended the kiss, leaving her lips aching and her body wanting.

  “I am here if you want me. I can settle nicely inside you and satisfy you beyond measure.” He smiled. “Only if you want me to, but nothing will stop me from kissing you.”

  Verity could not step away from him fast enough, afraid he would kiss her again and her resolve would weaken. He refused to let her go, being yanked back into his arms. His lips were on hers before she could protest and by t
hen she did not want to. His kiss took command like the mighty warrior he was, settling for nothing less than victory.

  He stirred her senses until her thoughts were so muddled that she could do nothing but fall limp against him and savor the kiss. Never had she felt as if she belonged anywhere, but at this moment she knew she belonged right where she was... in his arms.

  She was careful not to surrender to him even though he overpowered her and took charge of her senses until she found herself aching for more. It would be easy to surrender her will completely to him, to join with him as husband and wife would, and to have him spill into her and create a new life. But that was not meant to be.

  Her heart ached as she eased away from him, reluctant to end their kiss, reluctant to put distance between them, but knowing it was necessary.

  “The choice is yours, Verity,” he said, “know, though, you are my wife and I will kiss and touch you as I please.” What was he thinking? He did not know or he did not want to admit that something inside him did not want to let her go. He got furious at the thought of them separating. He could not deny that feelings for her had been stirring in him. Talon had seen it. Had others?

  Strange as it seemed, he also felt that she already belonged to him and there was no choice in the matter, and yet he wanted it to be her choice to stay.

  Verity did not respond. She did not know how to respond and she had Hemera to think about. No other thoughts could take precedence over Hemera until she saw her safe.

  Verity said words she did not mean. “There can be nothing between you and me.”

  Wrath smiled. “You deny what already exists?”

  She refused to acknowledge his question, for it would prove him right. She snatched one of the blankets from the sleeping pallet and was about to spread it on the ground near the fire pit when he yanked it out of her hand.