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

by Donna Fletcher

  “It is good to see you, Minn, and I welcome your help,” Paine said.

  “I will go too,” Verity said, refusing to be left out of the search for her sister.

  “No!” Wrath and Paine cried out in unison, and Minn smiled.

  “Verity will go with you,” the King ordered, and Verity smiled.

  “She will be in our way and slow us down,” Paine protested.

  Wrath agreed with Paine. “Verity is not needed on this mission.”

  Minn chimed in, “They are right. Verity is not needed and would only be a hindrance rather than help.”

  “It is done. I will hear no more. Verity goes with you.” King Talon ordered. He looked around the room at all there. “Go and see to your tasks and continue preparation for the Northmen’s arrival, and, Broc, a word before you go. And the lot of you will stay,” he said to the four in front of him as he walked past them.

  Paine kept his voice low as he turned to Wrath. “You have your wife beside you. I want mine beside me.”

  “I will see that we both return to the stronghold with our wives by our sides,” Wrath assured him.

  “Is she a good wife?” Paine asked with a nod at Verity.

  “Since I know the both of you well, I take pity on the two women for being stuck with such poor excuses for husbands,” Minn said.

  Verity listened to what some would think was an insulting exchange of words between the three, but Verity heard differently. The three were friends who had been through troubling times together and had become stronger friends along the way. She envied them their friendship. And though her husband had said nothing to her about going with them, she could tell by the pinch of his brow that he was not pleased about it.

  “We can waste no more time. We must leave now,” Paine said as the King approached and Broc left the room.

  “Paine, you said that most of the warriors that attacked you were Picts,” the King said as he stopped in front of him. “Does that mean some appeared foreign to you?”

  Paine nodded. “Two had no body drawings. I looked to see but there were none. The others were from various tribes.”

  “If there is time, Verity will see if she recognizes them as Northmen.” King Talon turned to Wrath. “And perhaps she will be able to tell us something else while on the search.”

  That the King alluded to Verity’s visions annoyed Wrath. Searching for Hemera and Anin was no time for Verity to have a vision. He would have to make certain she remained close by. There was something else disturbing Wrath, but he needed Minn and Verity gone to speak his mind.

  Paine seemed to be of the same thought. “We have no more time to waste. “Minn, go and have the horses made ready.” He looked to Wrath.

  Wrath was about to tell Verity to make herself ready to leave when a sharp rap sounded at the door.

  Annoyed at being disturbed, the King called out sharply, “Who disturbs my meeting?”

  One of the guards outside the door responded, telling the King that one of their warriors had arrived with important news.

  The King bid him to enter.

  When Wrath saw that it was Corbin, the warrior he had sent to follow Vard, he was eager to hear what news he brought. And he saw that Verity was as well, her eyes brightening.

  The warrior bobbed his head after stopping in front of the King. “I followed Vard as Wrath bid me to do and he never went to the Raban Tribe, he went to join a small group of Picts camped in the woods. He remained there until a Drust warrior arrived and they all took their leave together. I followed for another day and they appeared to be headed north.”

  “Go feast and drink, Corbin. You have done well,” the King said.

  Wrath spoke after the warrior was gone. “Someone is amassing troops for an uprising.”

  Minn shook her head. “I would have never suspected Vard to be part of such a traitorous plan.”

  Verity addressed Paine. “Please tell me that this Bog who is with my sister and your wife can keep them safe.”

  “Bog is a wolf and he has saved me more than once from predators.”

  Verity stared at him, not knowing what to say. “How could a lone wolf protect two women?”

  “Bog has been protective of your sister since meeting her. He will keep her safe as well as Anin,” Paine assured her, then looked to the King. “We waste time.”

  “More than you know,” King Talon said. “Ulric and some of his Northmen will arrive here in a few sunrises.”

  “We leave now,” Paine ordered just as another hard rap sounded at the door.

  Before a response could be given, Gelhard rushed in and looked to Paine. “Your wolf has been heard.”

  While all rushed out of the High Chambers, the King silently gestured for Gelhard to remain behind.

  Bog’s lone wail sent shivers through everyone more than the bite of the frosty air, and Paine felt it more than anyone. The wolf was beckoning him, letting him know he was nearby and as soon as he left the stronghold, Paine followed the continuous wail through the woods.

  Minn was surprised that Verity kept pace with them, but then she herself would have run until there was no breath let in her if she could reunite with family.

  Verity ignored the ache in her legs and the pain that stung at her side as she hurried alongside her husband. He turned his head her way several times, though said nothing. He was keeping watch over her, knowing how important it was for her to finally get to her sister and see that she was safe.

  Tuahna. That was what she felt for him deep in her heart. It gripped tight and would not let go and she did not want it to. They were one and always would be. All she needed now was to be reunited with her sister and all would be well.

  She kept glancing about, searching, hoping she would see her sister. When two figures came into view a distance ahead, she almost stumbled, but Wrath’s hand shot out, grabbing hold of her arm and steadying her. It appeared as if one was trying to support the weight of the other as they stumbled along.

  When the hood fell off the one woman, Verity almost shouted out with joy. No hood could ever contain her sister’s red, wild curls that sprung out from around her head and fell well past her shoulders and down her back.

  “Anin!” Paine shouted and ran straight for the woman Hemera was supporting.

  Verity was so overjoyed to see her sister that it propelled her past Minn and Paine before her husband could stop her, but she was brought to an abrupt halt just before she reached Hemera by a large, black wolf who jumped in front of her snarling, warning her away.

  “Call Bog off, Paine,” Wrath shouted, familiar with Bog’s protective nature for those he deemed part of his pack.

  It was Hemera who the growling wolf responded to. “It is all right, Bog. Verity is good. She will keep us safe.”

  The wolf moved aside just as Paine hurried past them both to scoop his wife up in his arms.

  Verity paid them no heed. She hurried to Hemera and they flung their arms around each other, hugging tight, and letting happy tears fall. Talk would be saved for later when they were alone. At the moment, they wanted only to hold on to each other and not let go.

  Paine ignored the sisters’ reunion and looked at his wife, then at her slightly rounded stomach, then back at her. “The wee bairn?”

  “Is well,” she said with a soft smile. “It is my leg. I gave it a twist when walking, but thankfully Hemera was quick and prevented my fall and has been helping me ever since.”

  Wrath and Minn approached, turning their back to the couples as they kept a watchful eye all around them.

  “What happened? What kept Bog from responding to my summons?” Paine asked, pressing his wife close to him, needing to feel her warmth and smell deeply of the rich scent of pine in her hair that she had got last night from the sleeping pallet he had made out of pine branches for them.

  Anin kept her voice low. “We spotted two men and Hemera recognized them as Northmen. We hid, not knowing if there was more lurking about, possibly setting a trap, s
o we purposely kept our distance from you. I was relieved when you summoned Bog and I knew all was well. We took hasty steps to get to the stronghold and alert the King, thinking we would find you along the way. That is when I twisted my leg and Hemera was burdened with my weight.”

  “You are no burden and Hemera is a fit woman, though I owe her much for helping you.”

  “We should go,” Paine and Hemera said in unison.

  “Danger lurks about,” Hemera said with a shiver and took hold of Verity’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

  Wrath was pleased to see Tilden arrive, leading a troop of warriors. He made the decision not to take the chance and have his wife look at the dead Northmen. Instead, he saw them all escorted back to the stronghold, the warriors having circled them at Tilden’s command to keep them protected. The young warrior would make a fine addition to the King’s personal guard.

  Once past the stronghold gates, Paine took Anin to their dwelling to tend her leg, though Bethia was sure to arrive once she heard what happened.

  Wrath knew Verity would want time with her sister, but he also knew the King would not permit it until he spoke with both of them first. So he was surprised when Tilden told him that King Talon would speak with them later.

  He escorted his wife and her sister to their dwelling, their clasped hands remaining tight as if they feared they would lose each other if they let go. A pang of jealousy struck him. While he was pleased his wife was happy, he also realized that he would no longer have Verity to himself. He would have to share her with Hemera. And where would she stay? There was no room in his dwelling.

  Without letting go of her sister’s hand, Verity stretched her other hand out to him and he took it, locking his hand around hers tightly.

  “Could you give us some time to talk?” she asked, remnants of her tears still shining in her eyes.

  He hesitated, annoyed that she had not introduced him as her husband, but held his tongue and gave a sharp nod. “I will return later.”

  “Promise?” she whispered softly.

  Her whisper drifted around him like a longing only he could satisfy and chased away his annoyance. “Promise,” he murmured and kissed her hand. He looked past her to Hemera, and it struck him how different her features were from her sister’s. “Welcome home, Hemera.”

  She stared at him a moment before responding with only a nod.

  Wrath left them alone and walked toward the feasting house. He was relieved the hunt for Hemera had finally come to an end. It freed him to think on other things like questions some of the King’s remarks had stirred in him.

  Something was brewing and Wrath intended to find out what it was.

  He entered the feasting hall. It was empty and there was not one of the King’s personal guards in sight. Had the King left the feasting hall? He went to the High Council Chambers and found that empty as well.

  It was odd that the King would not be here. He should be waiting to hear from him and Paine and to speak with Hemera before anyone else did. Why was he not here?

  Wrath was about to leave when he heard a noise on the second floor. He did not hesitate, he hurried up the stairs and heard hushed voices coming from the small room a short distance from the King’s sleeping chambers. Worried the King might be in danger, he threw open the door.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Wrath stared at Vard standing not far from the King. Instinct would have had him jumping in front of the King to protect him, but something warned him against it.

  “You enter my private chambers without making yourself known?” the King demanded, a glint of anger flaring in his eyes.

  Wrath retaliated with a spark of anger of his own. “You leave me no choice when I find not one of your personal guards lurking about yet hear voices coming from your private chambers. You made me responsible for your safety and I will do whatever is necessary to do my duty, especially when you do something foolish like dismissing your personal guard.”

  Vard stepped back away from the pair as the King took a hasty step toward Wrath.

  “You are fortunate I call you friend,” the King said, stepping so close to Wrath that their bodies almost touched.

  Wrath planted his face near on top of the King’s. “You are fortunate to have me as a friend and one who speaks so honestly to you. Now I will take my leave and post two of your personal guard outside the door. And I warn you... do not dismiss them again. They have been trained to see only what you wish them to see.” He turned and went to the door.

  “Wrath!”

  His sharp command had Wrath turning around.

  “Stay. It is time for you to hear the truth,” the King ordered.

  ~~~

  A rap at the door sounded just as the sisters were about to sit on the sleeping pallet to talk.

  “Make yourself known,” Verity said as she went to the door.

  “It is Minn.”

  Verity hesitated for a moment, recalling what happened the last time she had opened the door for the woman.

  “I have brought a hot brew,” Minn said as if she instinctively knew what Verity was thinking.

  Verity opened the door.

  Minn handed her a flagon, a cloth wrapped around it and two vessels. “To warm up your sister.”

  Verity got the sense that it was more a peace offering than it was for her sister and she appreciated Minn’s effort in offering it. “I am grateful, Minn.”

  Minn nodded and walked off, Verity watching her go. Her heart went out to the woman. She had come close to never seeing her sister again and the possibility had filled her with dread. Minn lived with the pain of losing not only one member of her family, but her whole tribe every day and there was nothing that would change that.

  Verity shut the door and returned to her sister, filling the two tankards with an inviting scented brew.

  Hemera reached out eagerly for the tankard her sister handed her, wrapping her hands around it and sipping at the steamy brew.

  “Are you hungry?” Verity asked, silently admonishing herself for not thinking of asking sooner.

  Hemera shook her head, her flaming red curls bouncing as she did. Her eyes, bright green from her tears, searched the room with curiosity.

  Verity waited, not bothered by her sister’s silence. Hemera did not speak without thinking on her words first and rarely did she respond quickly to anyone. Some believed her slow, but Verity believed her sister wiser than most.

  “Is this your home now?” Hemera asked, turning to Verity.

  Verity nodded. “The King wed me to Wrath, though he left it to the both of us if we wished to commit or end the union once we found you and all was settled.” Hemera did not respond and feeling a sudden guilt stab at her, she said, “We can be safe here, have a home here, be free here. Wrath is a good man and the people generous.” She lowered her voice. “The King frightens me. His power overwhelms, but he will see us kept safe.”

  Hemera looked around again, saying as she did, “It is a fine home.” She turned to look directly at her sister. “There are Northmen here. “I saw them. They have come for us.”

  Verity shivered, Hemera’s words sounding as though she declared it so and nothing could change it.

  Hemera shook her head as if questioning her own words. “But how do Northmen walk on Pict soil without being discovered?”

  ~~~

  King Talon half sat on the edge of the narrow table in his private chambers, his arms folded across his chest, and looked to Wrath. “I knew there would be those who would continue to oppose the Unification of the Tribes even after it was settled. After Tarn and Bodu’s betrayal, I realized that opposition to the unification went much deeper than I had anticipated and I looked to those I had planted in various tribes to alert me to any suspicious behavior. Egot never grew lazy in ruling the Ancrum Tribe. When he discovered some of his tribe were speaking ill of their King, he went to Vard, the warrior I had planted there, and they formed a plan to discover who was behind it.” The King nodded to Vard
to speak.

  “I knew nothing about the attack on the Raban Tribe until you told me nor did Egot. We would have stopped it, if we knew. I made it known I was not pleased with Egot and his leadership. It was Menton, the warrior who had claimed he was too ill to join the hunting party who had begun to speak with me, extending his disappointment in Egot to the King as well. It was why I was so shocked when you told me of the attack. Not one of those warriors mentioned anything about disliking the King. These traitors hide themselves well, leaving only one exposed and it is his chore to search for others to join them.

  “Menton approached me and asked if I would be interested in speaking to others who not only felt as I did, but were willing to do something about it. I agreed and told Egot of it, keeping him apprised of what I learned in case something happened to me. Egot, in turn, informed the King. Egot purposely sent me to the Raban Tribe to apologize to see what Menton would do when he learned of it. Menton did not waste any time in telling me to go and speak with someone of importance. I was shocked to find it was a Northmen.”

  ~~~

  Verity would have preferred to speak to Hemera about anything but the Northmen. She was anxious to know what had happened to her after the storm had claimed their boat and deposited them on land. And she was curious about her time with the Wyse, but that was all insignificant to the Northmen being on Pict soil.

  Verity told her what she had been dreading to tell her. “Ulric and some of his warriors are here and have asked permission to speak with the King. It was granted and they will arrive here sooner than expected. But there is nothing for us to fear. We are Pict and Ulric has no rule over us here.”

  Hemera looked away and brought the vessel to her lips to sip at the brew once again.

  Verity rested her hand on her sister’s arm. “We are safe here.”

  Hemera shook her head as she turned to her sister. “No one is safe from Ulric.”

  ~~~

  “The Northmen are working with whoever it is who is attempting to overthrow the King,” Vard said.

  “You have no idea who it is?” Wrath asked.