Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

" Y ou will eat and rest for a bit before you do anything else," Quint ordered after Shade informed him that she had no time to do either.

"If you were needed, you'd go do what you want without even giving your wife a thought," Dru said.

"Stay out of it, Dru," Nug warned.

"Why? Is the truth too difficult to hear?" Dru asked, sending a questioning look to Quint.

Quint wanted to strangle Dru for pointing out the truth.

"A wife obeys a husband, and a husband has a right to do as he pleases," Nug said.

"Why should I obey a man when he can dismiss me so easily?" Dru argued.

"It is the way of things," Nug said as if the matter was settled.

"And how would you like it if you had to obey me," Dru challenged.

"Lord, help the man stuck marrying you," Nug said, shaking his head.

Dru's small fist pounded the table. "I will never let a man rule me."

Nug laughed. "What man would want to?"

Dru turned angry eyes on Nug. "There is no man worthy of marrying me." She grabbed an oat cake from the bowl on the table and shook it at Quint. "You've got a good woman. Don't be a fool and treat her badly." She hurried off the bench and out of the room.

"She's a menace," Nug said.

"Dru is a young woman with no one to protect her who is trying to survive on her own. I think she is brave and strong, and I agree with her. There isn't a man worthy of a woman of such courage."

Quint handed his wife an oat cake. "Eat it as we go to wherever it is you are needed."

Shade smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek, then took a swallow of cider and grabbed another oat cake to take along with her before hurrying off.

Quint dropped a heavy hand on Nug's shoulder after standing to follow his wife. "Next time don't help. Dru's tongue is quicker and sharper than yours."

Shade had forgotten to grab her cloak, and she wished that she had when she stepped outside. The air was chillier since her arrival, reminding her that autumn was full upon them. She was about to turn to retrieve her cloak when a cloak was draped over her shoulders and arms circled her.

"What would you do without me?" Quint asked, hugging her and planting a kiss on her cheek.

His hug eased as she turned around in his arms. "I wouldn't want to find out." She kissed his lips, wondering how the man known as The Monk could be so thoughtful to her. She also wondered if love was as strong of a healing power as not only her grandmother claimed it to be but Brother Emmett as well. She was beginning to think they were both right.

"I wouldn't either," he said after a last brush of his lips across hers.

She stepped out of his embrace and hooked her arm around his to continue down the stairs. "I am so glad you paid heed to Dru's wise words."

"And what words of hers were wise?"

Shade chuckled. "All of them."

Quint almost groaned aloud when they hadn't gotten very far into the village before he spotted a line of men, bruised and with multiple bloody bandages covering them, had already formed and the end of it, or the beginning, led to a cottage.

He brought his wife to an abrupt halt. "You cannot tend to all of them today. You will exhaust yourself and be no good to anyone."

One quick glance at the line told Shade what she needed to do. "I will treat the more immediate in need and leave the rest until tomorrow." She stepped closer to him. "This might be the perfect time for you to talk to some of the men and see if they have any information that may help you."

"A good thought, wife," he said, thinking it would also let him keep watch over his wife. "One thing before you are gone from me for some time. Did Chieftain Rylan speak with you at all."

"He didn't wake while I was with him, though Ula assures me he does wake at times."

"Nug hopes to speak with him when he does wake, and I would like to be there as well."

This was the opportunity she hoped for, and she asked, "Do you know Chieftain Ryland?"

"Not well, I only exchanged a few words with him once, but I prefer firsthand knowledge of what is said instead of having the conversation repeated to me. It always loses something in the retelling."

"You should let Nug know that you wish to be there when the chieftain wakes."

"I will make him aware of it."

"And I will let you know when Chieftain Ryland is able to speak with Nug," Shade said, feeling guilty that in a way she spoke the truth while also avoiding it.

They continued to the cottage, most of those waiting in line calling out their thanks and appreciation for her help before she even tended to them.

Shade hurried to an older warrior who two men were fighting to keep on his feet. "Please sit him under that tree." She pointed to a large oak near the cottage.

"I'll take him," Quint offered, seeing the two men struggle, their own wounds causing them pain. With his shoulder beneath the man's arm and his arm around his waist he got him to the tree quickly.

Shade squatted down beside the man.

"Here is some water."

Quint took the bucket from the older woman, her shoulders sagging from more than just its weight and her eyes held far too much exhaustion. It concerned him that if he did not look out for his wife, she would look the same soon.

"I'm Ena, the clan healer. I cannot tell you how pleased and relieved I am that you are here. We will talk after you have tended to George."

"I look forward to it and I suggest you rest until then," Shade said.

Ena smiled and though tired, the beauty she had once been shined through. "I would if they didn't need me." She glanced at the long line and hurried off.

Shade washed the blood off George's head wound. She didn't need to look within, though she did, to see the wound was minor and would cause him no problem. It was what else she saw that worried her.

"When was the last time you ate, George?"

"Yesterday, I think."

"And slept?" Shade asked.

"I don't want to sleep. I am back in the battle when I sleep."

Shade glanced at the men waiting to see her and saw the same exhaustion on them.

"You walked home after battle," Quint said. "You must be exhausted."

"Lord Torrance had men waiting in the woods for us. We hadn't recovered from the battle when we were faced with another battle. It was never-ending nearly all the way home."

"He needs food and rest," Quint said and nodded at the line of men. "Many of them probably do as well. I'll find Nug and get the Great Hall set up for them to eat and rest."

"I can take the message to Nug."

Quint turned to see a slightly cleaner and less odorous Dru. "You've cleaned up some."

"One of Chieftain Ryland's rules for allowing me to stay here. I'll get the message to Nug."

"Tell him, plenty of food needs to be made ready and an area for men to rest," Quint said.

"Aye, I'll see it done, and return with any message he may have," Dru said and took off.

"I am going to speak with Ena, then quickly look over the men. In the meantime, can you speak with them and determine which ones may require only food and rest?"

"Aye, I can do that," Quint said. "And I will see that George is helped to the keep."

Shade smiled. "I knew I could count on you."

"Always," Quint said.

"You are in good hands with Quint," Shade said, resting a gentle hand on George's shoulder before she stood.

"Bless you, mistress, bless you," George said teary-eyed and when Shade hurried off, he looked to Quint. "You're a blessed man to have a woman to love you so much that you can see it in her smile and in her eyes when she looks at you."

Quint recalled Brother Emmett talking about being blessed, something foreign to him, something he never thought he'd know, but seeing it through George's eyes he realized that he was blessed to have Shade love him. His only fear was of losing her love when she witnessed more of The Monk's rage and what he would do to get his revenge.

Shade had little time to speak with Ena with so many men to tend to. She had agreed with Shade when she explained that she would give each man a quick look and send those in need of food and rest to the keep, have those not in immediate need wait, and see to the ones in urgent need first. They each saw to tending to a man, to be able to get through the long line more quickly. It was watching Ena and suggesting an alternative to what the woman prescribed that she realized that while Ena was a good healer, she had not strived to enhance her healing knowledge. Whereas Shade never wanted to stop learning, improving, and gaining new knowledge.

Word must have been passed among those still waiting in line since the men Ena tended to soon began to turn to Shade to ask her what she thought. Shade was relieved that Ena did not seem to mind and began to do the same herself.

Quint appeared at the open door announcing, "Time for a brew and a brief rest."

Shade and Ena did not argue.

Shade was surprised and pleased to see how well her husband had everything in hand. Men no longer stood in line waiting. They sat drinking a brew from a cauldron that had been set up, Dru providing refills to any who raised their tankard. And women were passing out bread, cheese, and oat cakes to those who waited. What surprised Shade the most though, was the smiles, talk, and laughter that permeated the area. Gone was the look of despair replaced by hope.

Quint handed his wife a tankard of hot cider and walked a distance away from the others there. "I had Dru go to Ula and let her know what was going on and Nug is checking on her often to see if she needs you to return. She says to tell you that the chieftain rests comfortably and she is following your instructions, and he is only slightly warm to the touch."

Shade sighed. "I am glad all goes well and impressed with all that you have accomplished." She lowered her voice. "Did you find out anything from the men?"

"I have been too busy to ask, but I have listened and?—"

"Made friends who will be only too glad to speak with you when given the chance."

"Acquaintances who will fear me when they learn who I am."

"Or not," she said with trust he would be proven wrong. "So, what have you learned from listening?"

"That it is almost definite the fellow Asher that Nug had told me about sounds like the man I'm looking for and the one possibly hunting me."

"This day has proven quite satisfying," Shade said, after finishing the last of her cider.

"If you didn't look so tired, I would say the day's end would prove much more satisfying," he said with a brush of his cheek against hers.

"A perfect time for a quick one," she whispered.

"Don't tempt me, wife, when you need sleep more than?—"

Shade interrupted him with a whisper, "Never will I need sleep more than I need you."

Quint silently cursed Dru when she cried out, "Rest time is up, back to healing."

Shade looked at the many men still left. "Dru is right. Time to get back to work." With a quick kiss to his cheek, she hurried off.

"One of these days, Dru," Quint warned when she walked over to him smiling.

"I saw that look and I know what it means. Shade has no time to dilly-dally. Besides, what is it they say about the heart? It surges when separated. Wait, maybe that's passion that surges when delayed."

"So, help me, Dru," Quint snarled, and she ran off laughing.

Night was quickly falling when the last man was seen to, and Shade had just given Ena a small crock of salve to ease the pain in her swollen hands when shouts were heard. People were rushing around when Shade and Ena stepped out of the cottage. It wasn't until she heard the wheels of a cart that Shade hurried forward toward the sound.

"Oh, Lord, please, Lord, no, not my Liam," a young woman round with child cried out in fear.

Quint along with other men were helping men out of the cart when Shade reached it to see a young man, blood soaking his left shirtsleeve, and a blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his right leg.

"Get me in the cart, Quint," Shade ordered, knowing her husband would have her in the cart faster than she could climb in herself.

Quint's hands gripped her waist, and he hoisted her into the cart.

A quick look and touch told her what she needed to know, and she shut her eyes briefly at what she saw and what it meant. Then she focused on her husband when she opened them. "I need a room away from others where I can be provided with a lot of light."

"The chieftain's solar," Nug said, his breathing labored from running to join them after hearing the news, and the young pregnant woman hurried into his arms. Nug looked at Shade. "Liam is my brother."

"Mercenaries and more wounded," a young warrior called out rushing toward them and stopped suddenly, bending over, his hands braced on his thighs while catching his breath.

Attention was turned to the young warrior while several men worked to get Liam out of the cart and to the keep.

"Where, Heath?" Nug asked as he hurried to the warrior.

Heath raised his head. "Where the path bends." He straightened up and took a deep breath before speaking. "I stayed back to keep watch. There are four mercenaries not far from four of our wounded warriors who couldn't keep pace with the cart. The mercenaries will catch them soon if we don't go help them."

Nug ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. "Our warriors are exhausted and some too wounded to fight."

"I'll fight," Heath said.

"We'll gather what men we can," Nug said and turned to look at Quint.

Before he could ask, Quint said, "I will not leave my wife unprotected when more mercenaries may be in the area."

Many of the wounded stepped forward ready to fight again. While plans were discussed among them, Quint took his wife by the arm and hurried her to the keep, walking past the men cautiously transporting, as Shade instructed, the injured Liam.

Shade issued orders once in the keep and while people rushed about to see them done, she and Quint went to the solar for a moment of privacy.

She knew what he planned to do but asked anyway. "You're going, aren't you?"

"Aye, but no one is to know, and you will not leave the keep while I'm gone."

"I will be too busy working on Liam to go anyplace, and you, husband, better come back to me," she said with a poke at his chest.

"I will always come back to you, Shade. Besides, there are only four of them and they will never see me coming."

People began to enter the room to move things about.

Shade moved to a corner of the room with her husband and laid her hand on his chest as she rested her cheek against his and whispered, "I love you."

He whispered back, "The reason I will always return to you."

"Shade!" Ena cried out frantically and Shade turned to see Liam being laid on the table. She hurried to the table and turned one last glance at her husband, but he was already gone. She got busy tending to Liam, praying that both he and her husband would survive the night.