The Barbarian

by Jessie Rose Case

It took far too long to get to the top.

  Why wasn’t a sentry up here on point anyway?... Where was the warning fire in place either.... No brier lit to keep a sentry warm.

  His natural instincts for defence coming to the fore but that wasn’t important now. He ignored his concerns concentrating on getting where he needed to be.

  Coming out at the top of stairs at an open archway he found the top of the tower larger than he’d expected and missed her on his first sweep across the tower parapet.

  On his second, he recognised the shape covered in snow and frost against the wall, it was likely they’d been looking out at a coming threat. Him. He’d been right and his gut twisted.

  Him….

  Anger burst from him as he charged across the floor to reach her.

  He’d been the cause of this…. Uncertainty and fear assaulted him.

  His reputation might cost him this alliance and the females death. He couldn’t allow that to happen.

  Gently, trying not to change her position, he picked the female up, she was frozen and unsure if she were still alive. Her body frozen in position.

  Did she fear him so much?

  He knew the answer and for once, he didn’t relish his reputation.

  Holding back his anger, he moved as fast as he dared holding his precious cargo going back down the stairs, giving orders for wine and food to be taken to her room and asking directions.

  Finally finding it, he was satisfied the fire was roaring and directed the chair to be moved in front of it, not too close. He sat with her grabbing the blankets held out to him, telling the maids to support her limbs and start to rub the female’s arms, hands and legs. He vigorously rubbed at her hair, head and her front and back.

  It would be lucky indeed if she did not lose something. Another growl surfaced and the women stepped back.

  “Get back to work. Hurry with that water. Cool water from the supply not hot it will scold her.”

  Other females rushed in and out doing his bidding. The sisters came rushing in. Both in tears.

  “We should have looked there, Olivia.” The little one said. Brute stood behind her.

  “Yes, we should have. Sir, we can help her now.”

  Eldron whipped his face around towards them. Their stupidity may have cost her her life.

  “No. I will.” He told them harsher than he’d intended but he wasn’t about to let the female go. Their foolishness didn’t have a place in this life.

  His responses were in overload and didn’t dare analyse his intensions too closely, all his focus was needed on the female in his arms. He peeled the now slightly warmed cloth from her face and hair. Her scent gently drifted in the air.

  He lifted the frozen cape from around her. Her scent hitting him centre mass.

  Honey and sweet herbs. He wrapped her once more in warm blankets and rubbed more vigorously with the help of the maids. Someone went to remove her boots.

  “Don’t.” He told them. “Her feet will be frozen you could cause damage.”

  Several females whimpered and took sharp intakes of breath.

  “My men and I have seen this many times. Helping can cause more damage if not done right. Keep rubbing her hands, arms and legs to bring life back into them. Wrap her boots in hot blankets.” He told them.

  Before long the tub was nearly full. They continued to rub at her bringing a little colour back into her body. The blueish grey starting to clear from her skin.

  “Close the bloody door and build up that fire,” he barked. The female staff jumped to it. His men took up sentinel positions. Galron and Brute gently pulling the Lords females of this house to one side and ushering them to the bed seat.

  His anxiety was building. He knew his fears for her were mounting and getting the better of him, but he couldn’t prevent it. What came next was the most dangerous part of all, he and his men knew it. When she went into the water.

  “Eldron have a care.” Makas came forward in warning. Eldron whipped his head to look at him and snarled unable to stop himself.

  “I love you like a brother Makas but come nearer her and I won’t be responsible for my actions, I am barely in control.”

  Makas took a step back and gave a slow nod. “She needs the heat My Lord.”

  “Don’t you think I know that!” He pointed to a maid as he exploded.

  “Remove my boots, brias (trousers) and stockings,” he carefully removed his jacket and several layers of clothing while still holding on to her. There were several female gasps from the other side of the room, the sisters. He ignored them while stripping then gently, he picked the female up once more.

  “Stop you cannot do that. Our Lord would not allow this.” The elder of the Lord children stood and told him. Olivia…. Galron held her back. The younger one was weeping. Ava….. She went to move as well and Brute caught her arm and stopped her.

  “There is no Lord here but me and I will do what is needed.”

  Eldron held her gently to him.

  If she died on his watch…. No. He would not allow that to happen.

  “Remove the heated blankets from her boots.” They did as he asked, then he stepped into the water. It felt very cold to him, but he knew she would feel it like a furnace.

  More shocked gasps came to him that he ignored. Even cold, he knew it would be more than her skin could take. Slowly, he slid them both down into the water a little at a time. Her cries as the water touched her skin were instinctive and hard to hear but he kept going. Her body simply reacting to the change of temperature. She wasn’t awake but clearly alive.

  He thanked whatever gods were listening, but this was far from over and he knew it.

  The shock of the water temperature alone could kill her, as well as a number of illnesses brought on by the cold. It would be a battle of wills from this point forward and strength and he hoped she was up to it.

  Finally almost below the water, he laid his legs out and sat. Once settled he looked over to the people standing on the other side of the room while he held the female to him completely submerged in the water up to her neck. Her hair still frozen to her face in places.

  “This will take time.” He told the distraught sisters.

  “I will need cool water removed and replaced by heated water over a period of time. It will be a slow process. Have a chain set up. We will add to the water in the time it takes to get to the kitchens and back over and over again until her body is warm again. We will gradually raise her body temperature over several hours. I will need warm soup too and healing broth.”

  The female staff rushed to do his bidding.

  “Can you save her Lord?” Asked the smaller of her sisters. Ava…. They each had similar features to the one in his arms. The words were choked with heartache.

  Gently tipping the head of the female in his arms onto his chest he spoke to her.

  “I do not know little one.” He told her softly.

  “I am not a child.” She chided.

  He looked at her more closely. “How old are you?”

  “I am 17 years my Lord.”

  “17 And still at home unwed, no child?” Brute only had eyes for her.

  She looked embarrassed. He looked to the older of the two. They both stilled.

  Prey facing an enemy. He knew the look well and for once hated seeing it in their faces.

  “And you?” he asked gently.

  “20 My Lord.”

  “And not married, no child either?”

  “No my Lord. We have lived quiet lives and our father has wanted us to find our own way.”

  He looked down on the female laying against him. “And this one?”

  “Our elder sister my Lord. She is also unmarried by choice.”

  Eldron snorted, his attention once more on the female in his arms. Rubbing her hands and arms with his own hands. It was more likely that their father was saving the girls for bigger prizes, but he didn’t tell them that.

  “You know your father made contracts?”
>
  They both flinched. He saw the movement from the corner of his eye.

  “We do,” said the older. Olivia…. “There is little choice now, our lives must change if our people are to survive what’s coming. We understand that.”

  He nodded his attention fully on the female in his arms. A maid approached with an empty bucket, the maid behind her with a full one.

  “If you please sir.”

  “Slowly.” He told them and nodded, as one pulled the water out, the other one stepped forward to replace it. He immediately felt its warmth reach him.

  “Good keep it coming.” They bobbed and left.

  The door burst open and the Knight he’d met in the courtyard with the Friar ran in. His men closed the door behind them.

  “What in God’s name is going on here?” The Knight asked. Both stopped by the fire taking in the fact that he was holding the maiden in his arms in a tub of water.

  Eldron ignored him. He’d failed to protect her. Eldron wouldn’t. The Friar came closer.

  “How bad is she?” He reached out to touch her forehead and frowned. He cared for the child.

  “Bad enough Friar, I wasn’t sure, but I think I reached her in time. If she’s strong, she might survive. The water will aid in retaining body warmth quicker and more thoroughly than in blankets alone. I will move her to the bed and warming pans once she has taken some soup and her temperature has risen and held.”

  “I have healing herbs to make a tea. I will go now and get them.” The Friar turned to leave. Pulling on the Knight to go with him. “He is doing all he can and a better job then we could.” The Friar told him. “We can only pray now, and we are not needed here. If he wanted to kill them all they would already be dead.”

  “I cannot leave them in his care.” The Knight bristled.

  Eldron snorted. “They were in your care and she nearly died.” The Knight pulled himself up and looked coolly at him. Eldron paid him no mind. He’d spoken the truth.

  “The child is safe with me.”

  “She is hardly a child!” The Knight retorted.

  Eldron took his gaze from the female in his arms and looked up coolly at the knight.

  “Until I say otherwise, a child she remains and under my protection.” He then looked at the other two siblings. “They all are and I will kill any man who tries to harm them.”

  The Knight took a step forward. He was a brave man. Eldron would give him that.

  “My Lord will not be happy about this.”

  Eldrons eyes flared, he kept his voice low and threatening.

  “Then your Lord should be here. I could take this castle with a handful of men. Your Lord saw fit to leave it with few to defend it, even though his children were within its walls. I do not care what he will be happy with. He should be thanking me he has children to come home to and a castle still standing!”

  His voice had risen with the length of his statement. Only the murmurings of the female in his arms cooled his anger.

  He took several deep breaths.

  “All is well child. We understand each other. There is no cause to upset yourself,” he whispered to her brushing her hair from her face.

  The Friar came back with the herbs and told a maid to make the tea. He slowly stepped forward and touched her forehead again. Eldron gripped the side of the tub. He didn’t like another male touching her. Priest or not.

  “She is still very cold. There is still a way to go.” He ushered out all those that didn’t need to be there. His men refusing to leave until Eldron told them to guard outside.

  The Knight left too. None too happy.

  “He loves the child as well as the others.” The Friar told him. “He argued for a full complement of men to be left behind but her father wouldn’t have it. He feels guilty and is a good man.”

  Eldron huffed. He understood that the Knight wouldn’t have had a real say in the matter, but it still it didn’t sit well with him. The maids came in with more buckets and repeated the process as before. The Friar handed him the cooled tea.

  “Try to get a cup down her four times a day it should help.” The maid placed stew on the table next to him. “I will be back in a few hours,” the Friar told him and left.

  Finally, for a few moments he was alone with the female. Holding her to him.

  His fear of losing her was more than just about an alliance. Nothing had felt so right. He lifted her chin slowly and placed the cup at her lips. A little more colour was coming back to the blueness. Her scent surrounded him.

  Even in almost death, she called to him.

  ***

  Eleanor stirred. Shudders went through her. A voice talked soothingly to her. Ripples around her made her think of the lake in summer, only the water was warm like a bath, not like the cool of the lake. Another voice spoke quietly nearby. Her mouth was opened, her chin lifted, and a little warm broth was poured in. She instinctively swallowed and she was given more. Warmth poured in from nearby and she moved towards it.

  “Make it hotter, she’s seeking its warmth now. Get me a shift to put her in. These clothes and boots need to come off, they are dragging her down.”

  An argument over his statement started up but was halted by the deep harsh vice behind her. He was in control here and would take no further argument. It was comforting.

  The male voice turned soothing once more. She felt herself lifted by gentle but strong hands while the voices of other gentle hands, those of the women, did their work taking her heavy robes and boots from her. She tried to help but her mind wouldn’t surface enough.

  In the back of it she knew she’d not been naked, her undergarments remained intact. Suddenly free of the heavy woollen garments her body felt lighter and the warmth far better. She sighed as she sunk back down into it and nuzzled into the warmth at her back, it was warmer than the water surrounding her.

  What was she doing in water?....

  The hand brushed her hair calming her. More liquid entered her mouth and she swallowed several times, the warmth hit her stomach feeling good, seeping through her body as it pulled her under into sleep once more.

  ***

  “She seemed to be waking.” One of the maids spoke aloud, then realised what she’d done and shocked, she backed away.

  “It was a response to the movement around her and the warmth nothing more. More water.”

  “Yes sir.”

  ~~~~

  It had been hours and the water temperature continued to rise. He fed her the tea and broth alternately until her skin held the same temperature as the water and when he lifted her arm out of it, tested it again to see if it retained its heat.

  His body ached from the position he’d been keeping for those long hours.

  His skin had long gone into the prune stage. He rubbed at his own hands and arms to get feeling back into them, circling his feet under the water to keep his blood flowing in them.

  He tested keeping her arm out of the water once more and this time it held its temperature at last. It was time.

  “Prepare the bed. Plenty of bed pans to heat it. Bring the screen to the fire. Lots of warm blankets, dry clothes and ensure her hair is dry and wrapped before she goes into the bed. Ladies, are you ready?”

  They bobbed. “Yes sir.”

  “Gentleman, an arm each please and avert your eyes.” Makas and Galron came forward standing behind him.

  “Ladies, take her once clear of the water wrap her and take her behind the screen. Strip, dry and redress her quickly. On three.”

  “One, two, three.”

  The female was lifted clear of the water. As she exited, the ladies came forward wrapping her body and was aided to get her behind the screen and into the chair holding her between them. Eldron let out the breath he was unaware he was holding bending both legs to his chest, lifting both his arms he moved to get the blood flowing while flexing his hands.

  “Do you need assistance Sire?” Makas was right by his side. He nodded. His legs were asleep. Makas leant in an
d pulled him up bodily from the tub. Eldron held on to the side and moved both legs getting the blood moving once more. After a few minutes he felt strong enough to step over the tub edge and stand on the floor.

  Walking to the other side of the screen in front of the fire knowing the female was being cared for on the other side, he stripped quickly out of his clothing, standing naked and unabashed, stretching his limbs before the great hearth while drying off and redressing quickly, vigorously rubbing at his hair. Throwing the garments to one side knowing someone would care for them.

  He was passed heated wine by Makas and he thanked him, drinking heartily handing it back for more, then slumped in the chair that had been provided rubbing the blood back into his legs. He’d lost all sense of time and worked at his shoulder muscles.

  “How long?” He asked wearily.

  “Half a day. You saved her life.”

  He was too tired to shrug or even agree and leaned back in his chair.

  “We’ll see. Is the bed warmed and ready?”

  “Yes Lord.” A female told him.

  “Good. She needs to be in it as soon as possible.” He rubbed at his eyes tiredly. It had been a long day.

  They brought him some food and he partaked while the women worked. It seemed to take forever before the women asked for assistance to place the female in bed.

  He stopped them, asking for the screen to be removed then checked she looked dry and felt her hair. Giving his approval he watched as they moved her from the fire to the bed and settled her once more. Her skin was no longer pale but had a healthier glow. He was relieved to see it. They gave her more tea and broth and wrapped her in more blankets and furs.