Chapter 12 #2
“That’s right,” said Shaw, glad she hadn’t told the children that he commanded she be by his side everywhere he went from now on and that’s why she wasn’t staying behind. He pulled himself up into the driver’s seat of the wagon and took the reins of the horse. “Everyone in, please.”
“I want to sit in front between ye and Spring.” Colina eagerly ran over to climb into the driver’s seat with Shaw.
“Nay. Ye’ll ride in back,” he told her. “Spring will be up front with me.”
“What about Donel?” asked Spring, hoping Shaw would make his eldest son come with them.
“I told ye, I’m no’ goin’ as long as ye’re there.” Donel crossed his arms over his chest, acting just as stubborn as his father.
“Shaw,” she whispered, looking up at her husband.
“What?” he asked, fidgeting with the reins.
She didn’t say anything, just stood there and waited for Shaw to take control of his son the way he’d taken control of her. Finally, Shaw looked over to her and shook his head.
“Donel, get into the cart and stop yer complainin’,” Shaw told him.
When Donel didn’t budge, Spring stepped in to help.
“Dinna ye want to learn from yer faither how to make yer own bow and arrows?” she asked the boy.
“I’ll show him how to do it after I learn,” said Leith, popping his head up over the side of the wagon.
Donel’s face reddened. Even though he was quite a few years older than his younger brother, he always needed to have and know more than Leith.
“I’ll come with ye only if I get to sit in front. Alone with my faither.” Donel nodded, seeming satisfied by his demand. She wanted to reprimand him, but that would get them nowhere. So, she tried another approach instead.
“It’s all right with me.” Spring climbed into the back of the wagon with the youngsters instead of sitting with Shaw.
“Wait,” called out the old woman named Nairnie, shuffling across the courtyard with a large covered basket over her arm. “Take this,” she said, handing the basket to Spring.
“What is it?” asked Colina, peeking under the cloth.
“I’ve packed up some food in case ye get hungry,” said the old woman. “There’s enough for all of ye to eat just in case ye are gone all day.”
“Thank ye,” said Spring with a nod of her head. Donel climbed to the bench and settled himself next to his father. Without a word from Shaw, he headed out of the castle and toward the woods.
“I’m glad ye’re comin’ with us to the woods,” said Colina, hugging Spring’s arm. “I really like ye, Spring. I’m happy ye’re our new mathair.”
“So am I,” added Leith. “I’ve never seen a lass who can fight the men the way ye do. I feel safe around ye.”
“Well, I’m no’ so sure Donel likes havin’ me around.” She looked over her shoulder as the wagon bumped and squeaked as they headed down the hill. Donel was watching her, but looked in the other direction as soon as their eyes met.
“Donel was mathair’s favorite,” announced Colina.
“Colina, that’s no’ true,” said Shaw, talking without turning around. “Yer mathair loved every one of ye the same.”
“How about ye, Spring? Which one of us is yer favorite?” asked Leith with wide eyes. “I ken it’s no’ Donel. Is it me?”
“Nay, it’s me,” said Colina, holding tighter to Spring’s arm.
“I dinna have favorites,” she said.
“Didna ye have a favorite brathair?” asked Colina. “Or were they too bad to love?”
Spring thought of her brothers and sadness enveloped her heart.
They weren’t bad. Not really. They just grew up being trained as warriors, just as she had.
Although Egil and Bodil teased her a lot through the years, they also used to tell her that they didn’t want to raid, pillage, and fight.
They just did it so their father wouldn’t get angry and hurt them.
She knew exactly how they felt because she felt that way, too.
Being at Edinvale Castle, she was starting to feel a weight lifted from her shoulders lately.
But now, with all this talk about the children liking her, as well as the talk about their deceased mother, it brought new feelings to the surface.
What were the children going to say about her once she betrayed them and left forever?
And what if Shaw died in the attack on the castle, fighting her clan?
A shiver went up her spine and she pushed the terrible thought from her mind.
She shook her head, not wanting to think about the consequences.
Her hand slid into her pocket and her fingers curled around the wooden toy she clutched as she worried.
She removed it from her pocket and held it up to her heart.
Her heart ached and she wished things could be different in the end.
Why couldn’t their clans really be in an alliance instead of her marriage being part of a heinous plan?
If so, she wouldn’t have to deceive anyone.
Shaw wouldn’t hate her and she’d also not anger her father.
Why couldn’t everyone end up being happy?
“What’s that?” asked Colina, spying the amulet in her hand.
“It’s nothin’.” She closed her fingers around it.
“Can I see it?” Colina tried to open Spring’s fingers.
“Let me see it, too,” said Leith.
“I guess so.” She opened her hand and showed it to them.
“What’s it for?” asked Leith.
“I just like to hold it when I’m worried. I’ve done it ever since I was a child. It helps calm me.”
“Where did ye get it?” asked Leith.
“I dinna ken,” she answered. “I’ve always had it for as long as I can remember.”
“It’s a nice toy,” said Colina.
“It’s no’ a toy, it’s a pawn from a chess set, ye fools,” said Donel from the front of the cart.
“Chess?” she asked, taking a closer look at the hand-carved piece.
She knew of the game of chess, but had never learned to play it.
No one in her clan had. None of the Gunns had a chess set, which surprised Spring since they’d stolen many things through the years.
“Aye, I suppose it is,” she said, twirling the piece around in her fingers, taking a better look at it.
Besides the teeth marks she’d put into the carved wood when she was a baby, there was only one other marking on the bottom.
It looked to be letters or perhaps a word; she wasn’t sure.
No one in her clan except for Fergus knew how to read or write, and she’d never wanted to share her special piece by showing it to him.
Reading was a skill usually reserved for lords and ladies, not warriors like her.
“What’s goin’ on back there?” Shaw turned his head to look. She quickly slipped the piece back into her pocket.
“We’re just talkin’,” she said, not wanting Shaw to know about her secret worry amulet. Part of her felt embarrassed by it. Not to mention, she felt inferior because she couldn’t read or write. She never wanted Shaw or any of the children to know it.