by AJ Searle
“You are not a very bright blacksmith are you?” Ula’s lips curled. “You make excuses rather than accept that people care for you, or respect you. Even a sniveling thief looked at you with admiration.”
Ronan shifted. “Because he thought I would kill him if he did not.”
Ula waved a finger in the air. “He was afraid of Keegan Yore. He was not afraid of you.” She smirked then. “And Fiona may be here to make certain that sword goes to Merisgale but when she did not know who you were, she was still drawn to you.”
“You knew about that?” Ronan felt slightly embarrassed.
“Keegan runs his mouth more than usual when he’s been drinking,” Ula told him as she stepped forward. “Let me look at your arm. The broth I gave you should have it healing quickly.”
“What exactly was that foul tasting mess you made me drink?” Ronan asked as she unwrapped his arm to peek at his wound. Strangely it did not hurt.
“Cow urine,” She answered.
“What?” Ronan’s stomach turned but Ula’s laughter settled it again. “Witch.”
“It was just water, herbs, and a bit of healing magic.” She cut her eyes up at him. “I wouldn’t have fed you urine unless you were dying.”
“Remind me not to die when you are close by.” Ronan wrinkled his nose. She rewrapped his arm.
“It is healing quickly.”
“It doesn’t hurt,” Ronan told her.
“A little spell to ease your suffering.” She shrugged. “I thought you would need it after that exchange between you and Fiona last night. You may not remember but if you hadn’t have been ill you would have needed both of your arms.”
Ronan frowned. “You should have healed me earlier then.”
“I tried. You would not drink the broth remember?” Ula looked at him and he grinned.
“And I wouldn’t have this morning if you hadn’t forced me.” He turned, waving her to walk with him back to the camp. “I want to trust you, Ula. Do not make me regret it.” She merely nodded.
“Will you and Fiona…” Ula’s mouth closed when Ronan slanted a gaze at her.
“Will we what?”
She chose her words carefully. “Will you finish what you started in Fullerk?”
Ronan turned his eyes forward. “No.”
Ula grunted. “She did stay at your side when you were groping at her last night.”
“I’m no good in relationships.” Ronan murmured, uncertain if he wanted to broach such a subject with this sorceress.
“Humph!” She sniffed indelicately. The sound made him smile as the stepped back into view of the camp.
“I suppose that grin means you’ve made up?” Keegan jibed.
“It does.” Ronan reached for Sorcha and swung atop her back. He held his hand down to Fiona. She stared at his fingers. Surely he didn’t mean for her to ride with him.
“I’ll take no chances. You were sent to protect the sword.” Ronan could see her thoughts flickering in her golden-flecked eyes. “The sword stays with me.” Fiona still hesitated a moment longer, then hesitantly took his hand and allowed him to swing her up behind him.
“You’ve ruined my horses.” Keegan growled. “Two weeks ago if you’d done that, she would have bucked both of you to the ground.”
“She likes me.” Ronan patted Sorcha’s neck. “And she’s not ruined. She’s just right.” Keegan grunted before turning his horse toward the road. One by one the others followed.
Arien soon took the lead, scouting for dangers ahead. Ronan watched him, noting the smile on the boy’s face. He felt important with a task that would benefit the group. And he was as brave as any soldier.
“Don’t you think it’s dangerous to let him do that?” Fiona asked lowly when the boy disappeared fromm view.
“Ahearn would protect him,” Ronan answered with confidence.
“That’s a lot of faith in a horse,” she said. “The boy is very young.”
“What do you do, Fiona, when you aren’t saving swords from the dark forces?” Keegan called back over his shoulder.
“What do you mean what do I do?”
Keegan allowed his horse to fall back and rode along side Ronan. “I mean where do you call home? What do you do there? Are you married? Do you have children?”
“No husband,” Ronan said without thinking.
“That’s right. No husband. No children,” Fiona answered. “I live in a place called Hovinda. And when I’m not doing work for Merisgale, I’m training.”
“Training for what?” Keegan asked, curiosity edging his voice.
“For the work I will do for Merisgale.”
Ronan turned to look over his shoulder at her. “That’s not much of a life.”
She looked at him pointedly. “As opposed to the life of an unmarried blacksmith and apprentice?”
“Good point.” Ronan faced forward again. It had been a good many years since he had any life outside of smithing.
“No suitors? Boyfriends? Lovers?” Keegan pressed and Ronan slanted him a curious look.
“I have no time for it,” Fiona said sharply.
“Serpentines are excellent gardeners,” Ula offered suddenly, joining the conversation without being invited. “Hovinda has the best soil for herb growing I’ve ever seen.”
Ronan felt Fiona stiffen behind him. “Yes, we are and it does.”
“What do you grow in your garden?” Ronan asked, attempting to ease the tension between Fiona and Ula. He didnt like it, especially since Ula had offered him the truth of what was between them.
“I grow vegetables. Some grow herbs. Others harvest larger crops.”
“Profitable.” Keegan nodded.
“I bought some gullberries from a Serpentine in Fullerk once that were the best I’d ever used. They were picked at exactly the right time. Too soon and they would have been sour. Too late and they would have rotted before I could use them.” Ula continued, “As it happened, they were perfect and I was able to save someone’s life with them.”
“That should have been quite a change for you,” Fiona said then her words snapped off when Ronan reined the horse. He could not let this continue or it would grow worse. If it weren’t stopped now, eventually there would be another episode to deal with like the one before. And there might not be Sledgers about to put an end to their fighting again.
“Ride ahead,” He told Keegan and Ula.
“Let it go,” Ula murmured but Ronan just looked at her, waiting for her to do as he wished. She sighed and continued on. Ronan did not dismount.
“We were ambushed by centaurs. One of them was going to kill Arien. She saved him. She held my hand when we crossed the River Blanch. And I believe she was fighting the Sledgers right alongside the both of us.” Ronan kept his voice low and non-threatening. “I understand your pain, Fiona, but she does not deserve to suffer because of it. She suffers enough with the memory of what she had to do.”
“You were not there,” Fiona argued. “My grandmother was a good woman. She never hurt anyone. She would not.”
“No I wasn’t there. And you were just a child. Your memory is of a child’s point of view. Have you done nothing yourself at one time or another that would frighten someone so young? Would they understand your motives?” Ronan shook his head. “And no one is without flaw or weaknesses.”
Fiona said nothing so he continued. “I have doubted Ula many times. She is hard to understand. But her actions have told me that she means to only do what is right.”
“I shouldn’t have been made to see it.”
Ronan turned then so he could see her. “No, you shouldn’t have. She told me that it was your grandmother that made the choice of having you witness what happened.” Fiona’s eyes lowered and he saw a tear roll down her cheek. “So she has hurt you by making that choice.”
“It is easier to hate someone you don’t know than it is someone you love,” she whispered.
“You are not a child anymore, Fiona,” Ronan said softly. “And s
he is older and haunted daily by what she has done. Let her live with the punishments she sentences herself. She does not need yours atop that.”
He touched her knee, gave it a squeeze. “You do not have to like her. You can hate her if you wish. All I ask is that you be civil and as a favor to me, do not be cruel to her.”
“Why do you think I would do you any favors?” She blinked back any other tears she might have had, forced her pain away.
“Because you are still here and have not slapped me yet.” He smiled. “And because you took care of me when I was ill.” Fiona met his gaze, and then slowly inclined her head.
“That was easy enough. Perhaps I should ask for that kiss as well.” He was joking with her and he was relieved when she rolled her eyes and smiled. “No? I suppose it would be pressing my luck.” He faced forward and urged Sorcha forward.
* * *
“We are stopping?” Keegan called back.
“I need to stretch my legs.” Ronan answered. He ran a hand over his face, letting his fingers slide over the stubble that had begun to stick out roughly from his jaw.
“Is anything wrong?” Keegan circled his horse around as Ronan walked away from the horse and Fiona. Ronan didn’t like the way Keegan scrutinized his face.
Ronan shook his head. “No. Just sore and need a moment to think.” The others took advantage of the break, each dismounting to either relieve themselves or to stretch their own limbs. When he looked back at the horseman, he found Keegan’s eyes still narrowed on his face.
“Something is wrong. You look as if you are ready to bite off the head of a small rodent.” Keegan swung to the ground and fell into step beside Ronan. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing.” The last thing Ronan wanted was more embarrassment. “Weariness has made me grumpy.” He made a production of stretching his arms and legs, hoping Keegan would just leave him alone. No such luck.
“It’s that woman, isn’t it?” Keegan pinpointed the problem immediately and it ground on Ronan’s nerves.
“What?”
Keegan shrugged his large shoulders. “A beautiful woman riding with you. No telling how long since you’ve had one in your bed.” He grunted, glancing back at the others as he lowered his voice, “The boy is right. By taking on the responsibility of delivering the sword, it makes you one of the king’s guards. And there are some privileges that come with the title. She could not reject you if you sought companionship with her.”
“Did you just suggest I rape the woman?” Ronan stopped and faced Keegan.
“I suggest no such thing. But a woman thinks up reasons to deny herself. She’d have no room for that.” Keegan appeared insulted and Ronan frowned “Of course. I know what you meant. I’m not in the best of moods.” Ronan tried to make up for his words.
“So you look to pick a fight with me?” Keegan’s feathers were not smoothed by Ronan’s attempt.
“I suppose I was. You seem the most promising for the job.” Ronan suddenly chuckled. “And you are right. It is the woman that has me this way. Perhaps she should ride with you.”
Keegan shook his head and held up his hands. “No thank you. You are more patient than I. I filled myself in Fullerk and I would become ill tempered.
We’ll reach the Jobi Mountains tomorrow. The horses will need to stop for rest. Lots of caves in the foothills we will be traveling through,” Keegan suggested and Ronan laughed.
“You mean for me to drag her off into a hole like a beast?” He laughed again and Keegan grinned, eyes slanting in Fiona’s direction.
“She doesn’t strike me as someone completely opposed to beastly activities.” The horseman turned and headed away from him. Ronan didn’t stand there too long contemplating exactly what she might be opposed to. Instead he walked back to his horse and checked the pack.
“I didn’t think that you might not be comfortable sitting behind me. If you would rather lead the horse, I don’t mind swapping places with you,” He said when Fiona stretched her legs.
“I don’t usually ride. I walk.” She admitted, rubbing the inside of thighs with her palms. He wanted to do that for her. That realization made him look away.
“I didn’t ride myself until I started this trek.” Ronan gave Sorcha’s flank a pat. “I’m getting better and this old girl is pretty patient. She doesn’t require much from me and usually goes the way she is supposed to without being told.”
“They are beautiful animals.” Fiona smiled, reaching to touch Sorcha’s coat. “Keegan Yore has raised some fine horses.”
“He has and I am grateful that he allowed us use of them. I can’t imagine trying to walk this long way.” He glanced at her. “How long did it take you to walk it?”
“I was given a lift a time or two from farmers with wagons and such so it took me very little time to get from Merisgale to Fullerk.” She smiled when he cupped his hands so he could help hoist her back atop the animal. She stepped into his hands and swung her leg over the horse’s back gracefully. Ronan mounted behind her.
“There is a village just past the foothills of Jobi. I can obtain another horse there.” Fiona offered.
“Is Jobi as large as Fullerk?” Ronan asked.
“No, it is just a small place. A few farmers and their families, a small tavern, and a school,” Fiona answered. “Thatched roofs and sod walls.”
“Sounds lovely,” Ronan said sarcastically and she chuckled.
“They are a simple but good people. It shall not be so bad,” Fiona offered. “It can’t be much different than your own home.”
“I have a roof,” Ronan growled. “And a mind to think with”
“Yes, you were very clever to make a fake sword for the centaur,” Fiona agreed, nodding so her hair brushed Ronan’s cheek
“Are there lonely women in Jobi?” he asked and she laughed this time.
“Most are children or are married.” Fiona glanced over her shoulder at him. “It is good to hear you are revived enough to think of such things after being so weakened last night.”
“Ula cast a spell where I would feel no pain. It works. I’ve nearly forgotten about the injury,” Ronan told her. “It is better than having her smearing cow urine all over the wound which I believe would be the alternative.”
Fiona’s lips curled before she faced forward. “She was worried about you last night.”
Ronan’s brow rose. Her words were spoken softly as if she felt some tenderness for the sorceress when not long ago he had to tell her not to be cruel. Perhaps he’d only spoken what she already knew in her heart. Perhaps he’d actually helped her let go of her pain.
“Most likely afraid she wouldn’t have a chance to wave her rat foot at me again,” He chuckled lowly.
Nine
Ronan’s eyes swept over the green foothills and then to the crystalline lake that nestled in the dip that the hills made against one another. To the north, the sun slipped down casting ribbons of blue, red, and orange across the fading afternoon sky. It was breathtaking.
“We stop now. The horses need to revive themselves,” Keegan said. “They’ve been pushing nonstop for days. We’ll set up camp here.” Ronan smiled with approval of their campsite. Surrounded by so much beauty, he felt pure and his worries fled with the setting sun. There was peace to be found in this place.
“How long will they need?” Ronan slid down from the horse, then reached up to lift Fiona to the ground as well.
“A couple of days and they will be ready to go again.”
“A couple of days?” Ronan repeated, releasing Fiona’s waist once she was standing on her own feet and turned, staring at the horseman. They could not afford a couple of days. By then the centaur could catch up with them and he did not look forward to meeting with Bryan again.
“They have not slept since we left your cottage,” Keegan explained. “They can go for many days but need to stop to collect their strength at some point.” Ronan glanced at the horses then sighed and nodded. He didn’t like the delay but Keega
n was right. They couldn’t keep pushing the animals or they would be no good to them anyway.
“At least from here we have a clear view of the road for miles.” Ula nodded in the direction from which they’d traveled as if to offer some ease to the worries Ronan might have felt. “No chance of that centaur sneaking up on us.” Ronan followed her gaze, noting that it was a very good place to stop.
“Not on my guard,” Arien piped, eyes awaiting Ronan’s nod of approval. Ronan gave it to him without even thinking about it. Arien beamed at his response.
“You shall make him so that he will think he is the guard rather than you,” Ula warned. “He has already put himself in danger because of you.”
“Why don’t you get to finding us something to eat? I’m famished.” Ronan looked to Ula and she slanted a smile. Arien wasn’t the only one who enjoyed having a task to perform. She seemed to enjoy his approval as much as his apprentice.
“You shall grow soft,” Ula accused softly but ambled toward the light wooded area that scattered across the hillside to their north. He knew she would bring back something and cook it so it was a meal prepared well enough for a king.
“I’ll collect the wood for our fire.” Keegan was already striding away and Arien found a boulder to perch on so he could keep watch on the road. Ronan realized immediately, as if by some secret, silent communication, they were all giving him room in the event he wished to share a few moments alone with Fiona. It embarrassed him slightly to have them all so at ease with the situation when he felt everything but.
“What should I do?” Fiona faced Ronan, eyes reflecting eagerness to be useful. He could think of several things she would be useful in doing but she did not appear to have guessed what the others had done. He reached up and retrieved the leather wrapped sword and the sheath from Sorcha’s back. He tied the sheath onto his belt and then unwrapped the sword. He couldn’t leave it here. He felt it was too dangerous to leave it anywhere out of his sight after what Ula had revealed about the weapon. He drove it into the sheath and then turned.
