“Enough,” Lila said, “what’s wrong?”
Dawn’s smile faded and her shoulders sagged. She should have known better than to think she could hide anything from Lila, though his time...
Dawn shook her head.
“Don’t think you can keep anything from me. Tell me. We will talk and you will feel better.”
It was tempting to spew all her frustration and worries to Lila as she had done many times through the years, but it was different now. She could not take the chance. And so she shook her head again.
Lila reached out and placed her hand over Dawn’s. “We have shared everything. We have laughed and cried together. There isn’t anything you don’t know about me or I don’t know about you. The only reason I can think of you not telling me is to keep from placing me in a difficult position.”
Dawn’s smile was brief and her eyes teary when she nodded and squeezed her friend’s hand.
“It’s not fair. Life has improved for all except you.”
Dawn shook her head and scrunched her brow. With gestures Lila easily understood, she told her that life was not bad for her. That she had much to be grateful for and she was happy that the village and villagers were prospering.
“Cree ordered plaids to be weaved for all. He is having more spindles and distaffs made and he has appointed me to gather other weavers and oversee the project that will take the winter to complete. He wants to unify us as a clan.” Lila sighed. “I feel a traitor to you, Dawn. I am grateful that Cree is here and life has improved but I hate that you have been forced into a situation that has no...” She shook her head.
Happy ending, Dawn finished what her friend couldn’t. She suddenly felt confined, trapped, a prisoner more now than she ever had and the need to escape overpowered her. She stood abruptly and grabbed her cloak.
“Stay, Thomas will be awake soon and he so loves when you hold him.”
The last thing she wanted to do was hold a babe. She shook her head, slipped her cloak on, and hurried out of the cottage to bump into Old Mary.
“I’ve been looking for you,” the old woman said and slipped her arm around Dawn’s forcing her to follow along. “I owe you much.”
Dawn shook her head. She didn’t want to hear from anyone else how good life had become for them. She wanted to go back to her cottage, not her home, but a cottage Cree had forced on her and let her misery consume her.
The next thing Dawn knew they were turning up the path to her old cottage and she felt her heart catch. This was home to her; this was where she belonged. And she entered willingly as Old Mary urged her through the door.
Dawn stood, her heart thumping madly in her chest as she looked around to see a table and two chairs and a narrow bed with a fine stuffed mattress occupying the spot that her sleeping pallet once did.
“I have a fine cottage, right here in the village because of you,” Old Mary boasted and shoved her gently to the bed. “You should rest; you look tired and you will have a good rest here in your old home.”
The old woman was right, she felt drained, as if she hadn’t slept all night, but then she had only slept part of the night. And being here—being home—she felt a certain comfort.
Dawn stretched out on the bed and Old Mary reached out to stroke her forehead. “You were born very special, Dawn, you must always remember that.”
For a moment with her eyes drifting closed she thought it was her mum talking and telling her, as usual, how special she was and she slipped into a peaceful slumber.
~~~
It hadn’t taken much to get Seth to talk. Cree supposed it was because as he did he realized himself that whoever had hired him never expected him to return. Never expected to pay him the large sum that had been promised after the mission had been successfully completed since it was expected that the fools stupid enough to take on the task would, in the end, not survive. Seth had grown angrier the more he realized he had been duped, therefore, he became more talkative, more forthcoming. And it made him wiser to the fact that once Cree had what he needed from him, his life would be worthless.
Cree was not at all surprised by what Seth proposed when that time came.
“I can find the others for you and any more men that are sent.”
Cree stood, his arms folded across his chest, a scowl on his face, staring at the bloodied young man still tied to the post. He appeared to mean every word, though Cree still did not trust him. He did however intend to use him to find the others who had been sent to harm Dawn.
“I will pledge my fealty to you and serve you well if you let me.”
“It is easy to pledge fealty when you are about to die,” Cree said.
Seth paled. “A chance, just give me a chance to prove that I am true to my word.
Cree appeared to consider it, though his decision had already been made. Then he looked to Sloan. “Get him cleaned up, fed, and take him to the shack. Tomorrow he’s to go with the troop of warriors to find the other two.” Cree eyes fell on Seth whose relief was obvious. “You go back on your word and I will cut your tongue out and force it down your throat before I slowly kill you.”
Seth shuddered. “I will serve you well, my lord. I swear it”
“We will see, for you have not escaped death yet.” Cree walked away, Sloan following him. “Keep him locked in the shack with two guards on it at all times and send two extra men with the troop tomorrow, their sole mission to stay atop Seth.”
Sloan nodded. “You think he means to run or finish what he started.”
“I don’t think he’s a fool, especially after what he learned himself. And we have picked many a man up along the way that could not at first be trusted, but proved their worth.”
“More like they saw that you were a man of your word and that they were well compensated for fighting alongside you.” Sloan grinned. “Of course it didn’t hurt to see what you did to those who betrayed you and was the reason many believe you the devil.”
“Fear is a good comrade to send into battle before you. Now what of Rem?”
“He’s enjoying a good meal, I assume his last, while he waits for you in the Great Hall, though I have never known you to give a condemned man a last meal. Is there something I missed about Rem?”
“He gives no thought to suffering or death. He is a desperate man and I want to know why.”
A few minutes later Cree and Sloan entered the Great Hall. Sloan joined Rem at the table while Cree stood.
Rem raised his tankard to Cree. “The devil is generous providing me with a fine meal before I die.”
“I’ve decided to delay your execution.”
“Why?” Rem demanded pounding his tankard down on the table. “I’ve told you all I know and all I’ve surmised from meeting the others. This is no fool who hired these men. He knows what he does and he is determined in what he wants and he wants the voiceless one dead.”
“You have no idea why?” Cree asked.
Rem shrugged. “Who knows why madmen kill innocents?”
“You tell me since you were about to kill an innocent.”
“A goodly sum tempts even the most honorable man,” Rem said.
“True honor is never tempted.”
“Honor does not fill an empty belly.”
“So you do this to feed yourself or your family?” Cree asked.
“I am alone and care for no one.”
“I have more questions for you but they can wait for another day.” Cree turned to leave.
“Going to rut with your whore?” Rem shouted and every servant in the room froze.
Cree swung around and Sloan jumped up.
“I wish I had had more time with her. I would have given her a good poke before I sliced her throat and watched her slowly bleed to death.
Cree lunged at the man his fist slamming into his face and knocking him to the ground.
“Take him outside. I want all to see what happens to someone who dares to speak to me that way,” Cree ordered.
Rem was
dragged outside, his arms tied tightly behind his back. People were already gathering, the servants having spread the news fast that one of the prisoners were being punished.
A block of wood was set up and Rem’s head smashed down on it. And all wondered if the man would have his head chopped off. Then two warriors forced a metal cage type device in his mouth and one took a pair of long metal tongs and grabbed hold of the man’s tongue. They all knew then what would happen. He would have his tongue cut out.
~~~
“Wake up, hurry, Dawn, wake up.”
Dawn opened her eyes, not sure where she was at first and then smiled realizing she was home. But what was Old Mary doing in her place? Then she remembered that this was no longer her home.
“Get up. Get up,” the old woman urged. “The devil is about to punish one of the prisoners and everyone is gathering to watch.”
Dawn had been forced to watch too many punishments. She did not want to see this one whether he deserved it or not.
But Old Mary forced her out of bed and shoved her cloak at her. “The devil is going to cut out the prisoner’s tongue.”
Dawn paled, dropped her cloak to the ground and without thought to her actions rushed out the door. Neil could barely keep up with her, she ran so fast. She saw the crowd gathered, heard Cree’s voice announce that no one will threaten anyone who belongs to him.
She froze when she heard whispers that he meant Dawn. That this man’s tongue was being cut out because of something he had said about her. She knew then it was the prisoner who had taken her into the woods to kill her, but it didn’t matter. If Cree wanted to punish him let him do it a different way, but cut out his tongue?
Dawn pushed her way through the crowd and as she burst through to the front she almost got sick at what she say and without hesitation she ran forward and threw herself over the man as Cree brought his blade down.
Chapter Thirty-one
Cree swung the blade away but he didn’t have enough time to avoid missing her completely and caught the edge of her shoulder. Blood immediately poured from the rip in her blouse and began to seep into the linen. He hurried to yank her off Rem and when he saw her pained expression he let out a roar that had the people running in fright.
“Finish this,” he ordered Sloan and went to scoop up Dawn and rush her to Elsa, but she slapped him away and began to gesture.
Cree was relieved when Lila appeared since he was having difficulty understanding Dawn. He was more concerned with the way her sleeve was getting soaked with blood.
“My lord,” Lila said respectfully.
“Tell me what she says,” he ordered anxiously.
Lila turned to Dawn. “My God, Dawn, your bleeding badly, you must go to the healer.”
Dawn shook her head.
Lila spoke as Dawn gestured. “She refuses to go anyway until you give her your word that you will not cut this man’s tongue out. If he needs to be punished—punish him—but she begs you not to cut his tongue out.”
Cree glared at Dawn furious that she stood here arguing with him when her wound needed tending. He was also furious that she had dared to interfere with his command. He understood why she had objected to the punishment, but her actions had left him in a difficult situation. It would be a sign of weakness if he showed mercy, showed that he allowed a woman to sway his decision. He could not let that happen.
He stepped toward her and her hands began gesturing again.
Lila was about to interpret when Cree said, “It matters not what she says; my word is law.” He then scooped her up into his arms and when she tried to struggle, he whispered in her ear, “Fight me and he’ll suffer for it.”
She stilled instantly and turned to look at the man. His head remained twisted to the side, his face plastered to the block by a booted-foot.
“Tongue, eyes, limb, take what you want and be done with it,” Rem said with a laugh that turned to a cough until he choked and could not stop.
Elsa suddenly appeared and looked from Dawn’s blood-soaked blouse to the choking man on the block. She turned to Cree. “Dawn needs immediate attention, my lord, and that man is about to choke to death. Do you wish his death to be that swift?”
With a signal from Cree, Rem was yanked to his feet and dragged away as Cree hurried Dawn to her cottage, it being the closest place.
“Sit her in a chair,” Elsa ordered following them inside.
“Shouldn’t she be in bed?” Cree asked.
“Not yet, now leave me to do my work.”
“No!”
Elsa’s eyes rounded at his sharp retort and she wisely nodded, “As you wish, my lord.”
He helped her remove Dawn’s blouse, his eyes narrowing when he saw that blood not only covered her shoulder and arm but her lovely breast as well.
“It is worse than it appears,” Elsa assured him after a quick perusal.
“It must pain her,” Cree said and then shook his head. He was doing what everyone did to her, talking as if she wasn’t there or could not hear. He hunched down in front of her and was about to ask if she was in pain, though didn’t bother, her eyes answered for her. He stood. “She’s in pain do something.”
He hunched down again when he felt her hand slip around his and he squeezed it lightly. “Elsa will take care of you, she will stop the pain, and you will be fine.”
She blinked and scrunched her face when Elsa touched her shoulder and she quickly laid her head on Cree’s shoulder, gripping his hand more firmly.
“Do something for her,” Cree demanded.
“I am doing all I can and the wound is minor. Her pain comes from the blow to her bone where the blade struck it. I have tended many such wounds and the abrasion will heal long before the soreness leaves her shoulder.”
“What about the bleeding?” Cree asked seeing that blood still dripped down her arm. “Does the wound need to be seared with a hot iron?”
“Am I the healer or are you?”
Cree sent Elsa a scathing look.
“I am sorry, my lord, but I need to focus on Dawn, not your endless questions.”
“That you do, but watch your tongue with me, Elsa.”
“Again my apologies, my lord.”
Dawn had enough of their bickering. She threw her head back, slipped her hand out of Cree’s and waved it from one to the other and then brought her hand to an abrupt halt in the middle.
“I believe she’s heard enough from the both of us,” Cree said.
Dawn nodded and then dropped her head against Cree’s chest.
Elsa worked in silence after that, Cree remaining hunched in front of Dawn, his hand firmly wrapped around hers.
“It is as I first thought,” Elsa said after a while. “It is not as bad as it seems and the bleeding has stopped. I will apply a poultice of herbs to help the wound heal and I have something that will help ease the pain a bit. First let me clean the blood away.”
“I’ll take care of it from here,” Cree said.
Elsa looked ready to protest, but when she met his intense eyes, she simply nodded. “As you wish, my lord. I will leave the wrapping for you and will set water to heat along with the brew.”
She hurried to complete the few tasks before gathering the bloodied cloths and with a quick bob of her head she said, “I will return on the morn, though if you should need me...”
“I will summon you,” Cree assured her. “And, Elsa, go tend the prisoner.”
As soon as the door closed behind Elsa, Cree went to work. He had seen his share of blood on the battlefield, had tended many of his own warriors when necessary so tending Dawn was no chore. He was relieved that the wound had been minor, though he was still angry that she had interfered with his decree.
The blood had dried in a few spots so it took a bit of scrubbing to remove it. When it came to her breast, he held it gently as he wiped it clean going over it twice to make certain not a spot remained. He wanted no taste of blood to linger there, for when his mouth settled on her nipple he di
d not wish to be reminded that he had been the cause of her pain.
He applied the poultice to the wound and then wrapped clean cloth around her shoulder tying a strip around it to keep it in place. Then he poured the brew that Elsa had left in a tankard and handed it to Dawn.
She shook her head.
He scowled and took hold of her chin. “You will drink this, it will ease the pain.”
She clamped her mouth closed, again shook her head, and gently pushed the tankard away.
He did not understand her reluctance to take it but he would not force her, she’d been through enough. He sat it on the table. “It is there if you want it.”
She nodded.
He left her a moment to fetch her night dress from the other room. He helped her to stand and when his hands went to her waist band, her hand stilled his. She tapped her naked chest.
“No, you will not do it yourself; I will do it.” He brushed her hand away and slipped her skirt down over her hips. She shivered and he quickly got her nightgown over her head and gently helped her get her arms in the soft wool sleeves.
Her brow scrunched and he winced aloud for her when he eased her wounded arm in the sleeve. He had her sit again as he gathered her skirt from around her feet and placed it on the back of a chair. Then he gently removed her boots.
“You should wear your wool stockings; it grows colder.” He looked up at her. “You are to stay abed until Elsa says otherwise.”
Dawn stared at him, a pressing question on her mind. She had not given thought to her actions and had blatantly interfered with his ruling. It was cause for severe punishment and she wondered how he would punish her. She was afraid to ask, though she was afraid not to ask. If she didn’t, she would not know a moment’s peace until she found out.
“Something troubles you?”
She nodded.
He lifted her gently in his arms and carried her to the bed in the other room and rested her back against the pillows to sit. He tucked the blanket up and around her waist before he asked, “Tell me what troubles you.”
He sat beside her waiting, his hand resting on her thigh, his dark eyes intense.
Highlander Unchained (Highlander Trilogy 1) Page 25
