Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
It was hours later that they finally stopped for the night. Leora had to admit that her husband was well organized. He sent men ahead of them to hunt and set up camp so that food was ready to eat and campfires were ready to keep the chilly night at bay.
Leora was exhausted from the long day, and she ate little, more interested in sleep than food. She stretched out on the blanket on the ground provided for her and secured her cloak around her. The heat of the campfire drifted over her, and it was not long before she fell asleep.
Noble watched his wife from where he sat talking with Penn. He did not like that she barely ate or that she looked like she would topple over from exhaustion at any moment. He was glad when she finally laid down and fell asleep. She would need her strength since he intended to hurry their pace tomorrow so they could reach Clan Skirling sooner than planned.
“What else have you to tell me, Penn?” Noble asked, the message having been clear when he mentioned Ross. There was more to tell but not in front of others. It was the way of the Gallowglass warriors to speak in a code of sorts that only they understood.
“Ross has a message for you from Lord Slayer. It is imperative that you hear it before you arrive at Clan Skirling. Do you think this could be it, sir?” Penn asked, hope in his voice. “Could Lord Slayer be offering us a permanent home, a clan of our own?”
“It is a possibility, Penn, but we will still serve him, serve the Gallowglass.”
“Will we?” Penn shrugged. “Ross seems as tired as many of us who have fought for so many years. Do not think I would not fight for the Highlands. I will always do that. It is just that I would rather fight more often to protect a wife and gaggle of bairns than fight others’ senseless battles.”
Noble understood, he had been feeling the same lately, more so since he had accepted the marriage proposal Slayer had put forth. He would not mind hearing the laughter of children rather than the sounds of battle.
“If not Clan Skirling, then another clan,” Noble said.
Penn nodded. “I hope sooner than later.”
“Get some sleep, Penn, tomorrow will come fast enough as will a faster pace,” Noble said and left the warrior to stretch out and sleep like all the others except those who guarded the camp.
His eyes remained on his wife as he circled the camp. He slept little, always had. He had always been too eager to start the day, learn something new, accomplish several tasks, talk with those knowledgeable. His mum had warned him that he would burn out one day and collapse. He disliked it when she would force him to sit, just sit and do nothing. She had insisted it was good for him to be still for even a short while. To him it had been pure torture. Even now his mind was going with endless things that would need immediate attention once he arrived at Clan Skirling.
He stopped walking, seeing that his wife had turned restless, her body jumping in her sleep as if startled and he wondered if she was suffering a nightmare. He walked toward her, her restlessness growing. He had nearly reached her when she suddenly sat up, breathing heavily, her eyes wide with fright and scanning the camp as if she did not know where she was.
He hurried to her side just as her eyes found him and her hand rushed out to him. He locked his hand with hers, her grip strong. He lowered himself down beside her and instinctively wrapped her in his arms.
“Don’t let go. Please don’t let go,” she pleaded in desperation that had her grip growing stronger.
“Never will I let go of you, wife, you have my word on it,” he assured her, locking his hand tighter with hers, and after a few moments her body fell limp against his.
He realized she was asleep or perhaps she had never woken from her nightmare. He kept hold of her as he lowered them both down on the blanket and remained there with her, though he had not planned to sleep just yet. He had given his wife his word and his word was his honor. He would not break it. He would not let go of her… not ever.
CHAPTER 4
Leora was not surprised when her husband deemed her fit enough to ride her horse the next morning. She expected it since she believed he would set a faster pace and the added weight of two people would not help the horse or the pace. She did not mind. She was as eager as he was to reach their destination. It brought her that much closer to Sky.