Faithful

by Carol Ashby

  She dropped her gaze. “Maybe.”

  Otto guided his horse between them. “With me and Galen working on it, we will.” He twisted in the saddle to face Galen. “I noticed something back there.”

  Galen’s head tipped. “What?”

  “Silanus talked with me, not just you. Is it because I’m Roman now?”

  Galen tightened his lips to stop the grin. “No. It’s because he can tell you’re a friendly man wanting to help him find a good horse.”

  He slapped Otto’s arm and nudged Astrelo into a trot. The days of Baldric needing him to negotiate all the prices were over.

  Hermunduri country, Day 69

  The flickering light from the campfire pushed the darkness back to the edge of the clearing, but nothing could push back Adela’s dread of tomorrow.

  Otto already slept in one of the tents. He’d be taking second watch. She should be sleeping, too, but she couldn’t. Fatigue dulled her thoughts and penetrated to her bones, but this last night with Galen was too precious to waste in sleep.

  She poked at the fire with a stick and watched the orange sparks fly upward and fade to black. Just like her life.

  What waited for her in her home village? She glanced at Galen as he sat across from her, staring into the fire. Then she focused once more on the shifting shades of yellow and orange in the coals under the burning logs. Life with him was filled with laughter and Latin and the love of a friend, but not the love of a man.

  Was there anything she could do or say to make him see how much he meant to her? That she never wanted to leave him?

  She left the stick in the coals long enough to catch fire, then beat it out on the rock Otto sat on during dinner.

  Otto. She glanced at his tent. He’d become a dear friend since they left Rome.

  She was glad they’d rescued him, but he’d changed something between her and Galen. Every time Otto tried to slip his horse between them, Galen let him. When Otto suggested they walk together, Galen found some reason to let them walk alone. Every time she tried to make Galen jealous by paying Otto more attention, he seemed to withdraw a little more.

  And then there was Gundahar’s child. She clenched her teeth to stop the quiver. Only Tiberius knew, but maybe Galen suspected and didn’t want her because of it.

  Or maybe he just didn’t want her.

  And tomorrow, when she stood before Father and told him the ugly truth, would he not want her as well?

  Galen kept his eyes focused on the flames. Each time he looked at Adela, the dagger of regret pushed deeper into his heart. Regret that this was their last night together. Regret that he was taking her back to her father. Regret that he was only a short Roman horse trader instead of a Germanic chieftain’s son from a wealthy family, like Otto. If he was, he could ask Adela’s father for her hand and take her home with him.

  Otto was the tall, proud chieftain’s son, afraid of nothing and no one, that she’d said she wanted. He was a much better man in the eyes of most fathers. He obviously liked her, and the attraction between them was growing every day. Otto would have to be blind not to see what a fine wife she’d make, and he’d be a good husband, too.

  Could he convince Otto to ask for her hand before they left her? Would a Hermunduri chieftain say yes if he did?

  And there was another problem. Adela was a believer now. What would happen if she was left there alone? Would the Hermunduri punish her for following the Way? Would she stand firm? She was so new to the faith; could she bear it when the pressure was on? With no one to encourage her, no one to guide her, no one to love her as a sister…and as a woman, like he already did.

  He lifted his eyes from the coals. Her jaw was clenched, and her eyes looked too moist.

  “Adela?” She raised her gaze from the fire to his face. “Are you all right?”

  When she relaxed her jaw to speak, he saw the quiver. “I’m afraid. I’ve been gone so long. Father must think I’m dead. What if he doesn’t want me anymore, like Gundahar said?”

  “Come over here.” He patted the log he sat on. “Let’s talk.”

  She walked around the fire and settled beside him. He took her hand and held it between both of his.

  “Don’t believe anything Gundahar said. He only wanted to hurt you. I’ll swear to your father I’ve protected you ever since Otto won you. It’s the truth, so he should believe me.”

  “Maybe, but it was three days from when Gundahar took me to when you started taking care of me. You can’t swear to what happened then.”

  “True, but your father will believe you. Remember how you ordered me to take you back and he’d pay me? You were sure he wanted you home then.”

  Her grip on his hand tightened. “But that was two months ago. Things can change.”

  “They can if you want them to. I know taking you back has been the plan since I met you, but you don’t have to stay. Not if you don’t want to. Tiberius told me not to leave you if it doesn’t seem safe, and I won’t.”

  And I hope you won’t want to. I’d never see you again. Never know if life was going well for you. Never know if you were happy. And that’s what I want for you, even if you aren’t with me.

  “Promise me you won’t?”

  “I promise, and I never break faith with a friend.” He pointed at Otto’s tent. “The proof is right there.” He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “Feel better?”

  “Some.” Her eyes still looked too moist. “But I don’t think I can sleep yet. Can we just sit here and watch the fire together?”

  “For as long as you want.”

  Adela slumped and rested her head against his shoulder. “Gratia tibi.”

  Her voice broke on the tibi, and another crack opened in his own heart.

  Chapter 46: No Longer Home

  Adela’s home village, Day 70

  Adela led their party through the maze of small cottages, sheds, and corrals. Her father’s house was the largest in the village and near the center, befitting his rank as chieftain. Quiet gasps and murmurs spread out behind them, like ripples from a rock tossed into a still lake at dawn.

  Each step of the horse stretched her nerves tighter. As she passed the last house before the large open space in front of Father’s house, her head snapped toward the garden between the corrals and house. There in the garden was Gunda.

  Relief surged through her, and the depth of it surprised her. She’d always thought Hildegard’s daughter an irritating pest, but she’d grieved when she though Gundahar had killed her.

  Gunda would have told Father what happened, and Hildegard should be grateful for Adela saving her daughter.

  Then Gunda looked up, and her hand shot to her mouth. Her eyes saucered, and she dashed into the house.

  Odd. That looked like fear, not delight, before she turned and ran. And why would she run, anyway?

  She slowed her horse, and Otto and Galen rode up on either side of her.

  Otto rested his hand on his gladius. “Did that seem strange to you?”

  “Gunda’s always been a cowardly little thing, but…yes, that was odd. The kidnappers tried to take her, too, but I drew them off so she could get away. She should be glad to see me.”

  Galen shifted his gladius where he could draw it quickly. “Stay close to us.”

  Her body stiffened, and her stomach churned. God, please don’t let me be sick. Not until after I talk with Father. Several deep breaths, and her stomach settled. Thank you, God. Now give me courage.

  Hildegard came through the doorway frowning, followed by her almost-grown son. Humbert always wore a dagger, but why did his hand rest on the handle?

  Adela dismounted and handed her reins to Galen. He tied them to Astrelo’s saddle, like he always had Otto’s reins, but he ran them under his leg so they wouldn’t slow him dismounting.

  Her pulse pounded in her ears as she walked toward the pair. Maybe they should just leave…but maybe they shouldn’t. Father would ne
ver understand.

  Hildegard braced her fists on her hips. “What are you doing here?”

  Adela raised her chin. Stupid question. “I’ve come home. Where is Father?”

  “At the council of chieftains enrolling your brother as his heir.” Hildegard’s lip twitched. “Three months ago, he’d planned to arrange your marriage at this council, too.” The twitch settled into a sneer. “That will never happen now.”

  Adela crossed her arms. “Now that I’m back, he can do it at the next one.”

  The sneer turned into a snort. “He won’t even try. You’ve been a slave, and Adalmar knows what that means.” Her eyebrow rose. “You’ve been gone two and a half months. Why so long?”

  “The kidnapper took Galen’s friend, and we had to go to Rome to free him. I came back as soon as I could.”

  Hildegard’s gaze raked Galen. “You traveled with a Roman for two months, and you want me to believe nothing happened? Everyone knows how they treat Germanic women, given half a chance. I bet you’ve given this one more than that, and I’ll tell Adalmar there’s no way you haven’t lain with him.”

  Her eyes focused on Otto, and her eyebrows rose in appreciation. Then the sneer returned. “And a month with this one? He’d be impossible to resist, if you even tried.”

  “These men are only my friends who’ve helped me get home. We’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “Friends? Young men are never just friends. You’ve lain with both of them. Two in one night or did they trade you back and forth?”

  Adela stepped toward her, fists clenched. “That’s a filthy lie.”

  Hildegard tipped her head to look down her nose. “It doesn’t matter if it is. I only have to tell my brother to warn the other chieftains that you’re unfit to marry their sons. First a slave, then two months with a Roman. The shame of that is so great your father will have to cast you out, no matter how he feels about doing it.” The sneer blossomed into a grin. “He’ll never put you ahead of me again.”

  Humbert drew his knife and felt the sharpened edge. “I should kill her now. That’s the punishment for a woman like her who’ll lie with any man. Her father might blame you if he has to do it himself.”

  Adela recoiled as she drew her own dagger. She heard thuds behind her as Otto and Galen slid from their horses. Before Humbert took another step, she spun and ran to Otto. He shoved her behind him.

  His gladius made tight arcs as he flexed his wrist. “If anyone tries to touch her, you’ll get a taste of gladiator steel.”

  Humbert froze. When he glanced at Hildegard, she called him back with a flip of her fingers.

  Adela jumped when Galen’s left arm wrapped around her shoulders.

  His right hand held his gladius, ready for an attack. “Get on your horse. We’re leaving.”

  Her gaze swept the men and women standing around them. She’d once called them kinsmen and friends, but their faces showed nothing more than curiosity, hostility, or amusement.

  Galen kept his arm around her as they backed up to the horses. She untied her reins and mounted as he stood guard. Then he mounted himself.

  A feral chuckle accompanied Hildegard’s smirk. “Yes, leave with your Roman, and never come back.”

  Galen led Otto’s horse to him. As soon as Otto settled into his saddle, Adela leaned sideways and spat.

  “These are men of honor, worth ten of you or your children, but a snake like you can’t recognize honor when she sees it.”

  She straightened in the saddle and raised her chin. “You’re not what Father should want, and I pity him. But if you truly are what he wants, he deserves you.”

  She reined away from Hildegard. Then she drove her heels into her horse’s ribs and trotted past the corrals and staring eyes into the forest.

  As the trees closed around them, she kept her back straight and her chin high. Tears trickled down her cheeks, but she didn’t try to flick them away. Someone might be watching, and she couldn’t let them tell Hildegard they’d seen her cry.

  Adela had circled the village and paralleled the road for almost a mile to be sure no one was chasing them before they left the sheltering trees. When they were back on the road, Galen came up beside her.

  “I’m sorry about what happened back there.”

  She nodded without speaking. It had taken half a mile for her tears to dry. Words might unplug the barrel she’d crammed her emotions into and almost sealed.

  “It might have gone differently if I hadn’t been along looking so Roman.”

  The concern in his eyes made her risk it. “That wasn’t the problem. She hated me before I was kidnapped. Nothing you did made that worse. Even before Gundahar, I’d been counting the weeks until I could marry and get away from her. I’d have left Father then, anyway. This just made it quicker.”

  His normal slight smile returned. “Remember, there’s almost always some good that comes with the bad. You won’t see your father again, but you’re coming back with us. Tiberius never wanted you to leave. You’ll be very welcome among the Vangiones.” He glanced at Otto. “You’ll have no trouble finding a good man to marry there.”

  “Tiberius has been kinder to me than Father ever was. I would have missed him.” She managed a fleeting smile.

  Tribe and family were gone, and no young man would want her when the baby began to show. But Tiberius was a dear friend; she wouldn’t be alone. Thank you for that, God. And for Galen and Otto.

  Men of honor and true friends. She glanced at Galen as he rode close enough to touch. If only he wanted to be more.

  The hoofbeats of a cantering horse echoed behind them. Galen placed his hand on his sword and turned in his saddle.

  “Who is that?”

  Adela twisted to see, and her breath caught. “Hildegard’s daughter.”

  “The one you rescued?”

  “Yes.”

  Otto drew his sword and turned his horse to face her.

  She slowed to a walk before she reached him. “I don’t want to hurt Adela. I only want to talk.”

  Otto didn’t take his eyes from her. “Adela, do you want to talk to her?

  Adela reined in. “Let her pass.”

  Gunda guided her horse to Adela’s side. “I’m so sorry for what happened back there.” She swept a tear from her cheek. “It was all my fault.” Another tear swept, and a sniff followed.

  Adela’s lips tightened. “No, it wasn’t. It was that weasel you call mother who told your brother to attack. I saw her call him off.”

  Gunda’s hand covered her mouth, and it looked like a cloudburst was coming. “Not for that. For everything else.”

  Adela’s brow furrowed. “Everything else?”

  “I lured you out to the strawberry patch. Mother hates you because you were too important to your father.” Gunda swallowed hard. “She hired the kidnappers and told me to take you where they were waiting.” She closed her eyes and dropped her head. “I was too afraid of her not to obey.” When she raised her head again, she stared past Adela. “And then when you tried so hard to protect me, even when I was betraying you…”

  Gunda’s voice broke as tears flooded down her cheeks. “It’s all my fault, and I’m so sorry. I should have been braver and said no. But she said I’d be sorry if I didn’t do it.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “She broke my arm the last time, and she promised something worse if I didn’t help.”

  Adela closed her eyes to stop the world spinning. Gunda’s sobs faded into the distance. Her shoulders slumped…and then she felt Galen’s hand gripping her arm, steadying her, like always.

  Galen, her protector. Always ready with a joke or a song or some funny Latin saying. She opened her eyes and found his smile gone as concern flooded his eyes.

  Galen, the man she never would have met if Gunda hadn’t feared her mother too much to disobey. And maybe he still might come to love her like she loved him.

  “Gunda.” Gunda’s head dropped lower. “Gunda, lo
ok at me.” She raised her eyes faster than she lifted her head.

  “You were right to fear her. I don’t blame you for that. All things considered, what just happened isn’t bad. Something better waits for me back inside the Empire.” Adela pulled a deep breath. “I forgive you.”

  She glanced at Galen. His smile declared how proud he was of her. It was the hardest thing she’d ever said, but for the most part, she meant it.

  Gunda bit her trembling lip. “You forgive me?”

  “Yes. But it’s not enough for you to be sorry. You need to do something about it. Not for me, but for you.”

  “For me?” Gunda’s eyes widened.

  “Yes. You can’t let her hurt you again. When Father gets back from the council, I want you to go to him and tell him everything that you did and why. Tell him everything that just happened. And tell him I’m going to be fine. I have friends who will welcome me, and I’ll have a good life with them.

  “Tell him I’m asking one last thing of him as my father. I want him to protect you from her now and free you from her forever. You’re a chieftain’s granddaughter. Father can find you a good husband.” She looked at Otto and smiled. “There are chieftain’s sons who are very good men and will make fine husbands. Tell him I want him to find you one, just like he’d planned to do for me.”

  “But Mother might―”

  “Forget your mother. Go back and don’t tell her we talked. Try to act as if nothing’s changed. Then, when Father gets back, go to him right away. Promise me you will. That’s the only way you can make up for betraying me. Find your freedom, like I have.”

  Gunda cradled her cheeks in both hands. Then a slow smile formed. She straightened in the saddle. “I promise.”

  Adela managed a smile that looked genuine, and Gunda brightened. “I promise, Adela.”

  “Good. Now go home, but circle the compound so it doesn’t look like you took the road. A few more days, and you can be free.”