Chapter 11

11

E lvira could be obstinate sometimes. She didn't seem to be all that grateful for being rescued by him, although perhaps that was just because she was shaken. Yet again she had darted her hands towards him and taken him by surprisewhen she had reclaimed her dagger. Her fingers pressed against his stomach for a moment, and a strange sensation had rippled through his body. He had also been sobered by her words when he had chastised her for robbing the men who had taken her. He hadn't meant to make her feel guilty for getting some measure of revenge, he merely wanted to ensure that these men had no reason to come after her again. After what she said, though, he realized it didn't matter because she was always in danger, whether it be from these men or others. Even when he and Anne had been at their most desperate, they had always been able to blend in. He now realized it wasn't as simple as that for Elvira. She was different, and people treated her as such. Rory didn't know what to say or do about it, though. Perhaps there was nothing that could be done, although that didn't seem right at all.

Rory was relieved when they found the horse waiting for them. Rory clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. The horse responded by unfurling its limbs and rising to a standing position. Its dark mane was soft, and its eyes kind.

"I can walk beside ye while ye ride," Rory said, positioning himself to help Elvira mount the horse.

"Dinnae be silly. It would take us an age tae return if we dae that. I'd like tae get back before dawn," Elvira said. She placed her hand on Rory's shoulder and placed her foot into his latticed hands. He pushed her up, she swung her leg around, and then settled on the horse. Rory pulled himself up behind her, her back against his chest. They were so close that he could feel her spicy scent surrounding him, playing havoc with his senses. Her dark curls were lank with sweat. He glimpsed the slender curve of her neck and found himself losing all sense of time as he followed the trail along her shoulders. The horse stamped its hoof impatiently, shaking him from his trance. There was a tightness in his throat as he reached around her, his arms nestling around her waist as he took the reins. She did not seem perturbed by this closeness, yet to him, it was as though everything was spinning out of control in a dizzying haze. Elvira's back was straight. Her hands were placed on the horse's mane, balancing herself quietly. As the horse moved, they rocked back and forth. Elvira pressed against him in one moment, and then rolled forward in another. The tension in the air was palpable as they were thrown together like this, the storm of sensations gripping his heart.

The battle must have taken more out of him than he thought. And he had been hard at work in the forge all day. No wonder his head was hazy… at least that's what he told himself.

"Does my family know what happened to me?" she asked.

"I'm nae sure," he said after a moment. When she spoke, it was as though her voice called to him from a dream. "Torrin and Isla might hae told them. As soon as I realized what happened, I came tae find ye. I knew that the longer ye were out here, the worse it was gaeing tae be for ye," he said softly.

Elvira dipped her head. He couldn't quite see the expression on her face. All he could make out was her dainty nose and her soft cheek. There were moments when her skin seemed so inviting, although he quickly chastised himself for thoughts like these.

"I'm glad. I dinnae want them tae worry over naething."

"It's nae naething. This is serious. They deserve tae know sae they can protect themselves, and be more careful."

Elvira laughed, although there was no humor behind the gesture at all. "It's nae a question of being careful, Rory. Hae ye nae understood that yet? There is always gaeing tae be danger for people. It's just the way of the world."

"Then ye should tell someone…" he trailed away, already knowing the folly of his words.

"Aye, because it's serious ," she mocked him with her tone. "It's serious tae me, Rory, and tae my people. But it's nae serious enough tae others. Lairds care about their own people, but we dinnae fall intae that category. We are the others, belonging naewhere. It's just the way of the world, but I dinnae want Tereza and Ollie tae live like that while they are young. There's enough sorrow waiting for them in the future. I'd rather they get tae enjoy their youth."

"It still dinnae make it right. More should be done."

"Aye, but who is gaeing tae dae it? It's easy for people like ye Rory, people who hae a roof and sturdy walls around them. It must be easy tae forget that people suffer in the world."

Her words made him feel small. He bowed his head in shame and felt his cheeks reddening. He hated to think about what Anne would have said at that moment. She had tried to do the same thing with him, protecting him from the reality of the world. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to do so for very long, as she needed his help. There was a time when she broke down in tears, apologizing to him profusely for being unable to give him the childhood he deserved. He hadn't been angry with her, nor had he resented her. He knew how hard she tried to keep them safe. Without her efforts, they never would have made anything of themselves. The same sentiment was present in Elvira as well, and he could not begrudge her for wanting to shield her siblings from the true nature of the world. However, it did make him want to change the subject, as there was something that had been playing on his mind.

"Why did those men take ye, Elvira?"

"I told ye before. Men are always taking my kind."

"Aye, but tae take ye from a village like that, with Torrin and Isla close by. It was a risk they dinnae need tae take. And, if ye forgive me for saying sae, ye are nae as badly harmed as I thought ye would be. Did they say what they were planning tae dae with ye?"

Elvira took a deep breath before she answered. "They were gaeing tae take me tae Laird McKovac. He hae been targeting Romani women for years, and I suppose his temper hae reached a point where it is nae gaeing tae abate. It is why our home was destroyed, why we hae tae flee, but we are never gaeing tae be able tae escape completely. And I'm worried about what's gaeing tae happen when Tereza grows up. If Laird McKovac is allowed tae continue tormenting us, then she will hae tae suffer as well."

Her voice grew small, and Rory was deep in thought. It was no wonder she had been so angry with him when she learned that he refused to defend the village from Laird McKovac. It was also clear that she had more intimate knowledge of the laird's capabilities as well. He had been wrong to dismiss her fears. He had been wrong in so many things, and he knew that saving her this once was not enough to make it up to her.

Rory had fallen into silence after she told him the truth. Elvira was tired as well, and let the motion of the horse sooth her. There were moments when she slumped against Rory. He was strong, sturdy, like the wall of a keep. The only difference was that he was warm as well. His arms never moved, constantly around her waist, holding her in position. She felt safe with him. This time there was no rebuking her truth, no calling her a liar or a thief, no harshness at all. He simply listened, and she hoped that he finally understood what she had been trying to tell him all this time.

The world passed by. Elvira found herself peering into the darkness, worried that more bandits were waiting for her. If people knew her location, they might come again and again. Was there any escape? Sometimes she wished she could fly away like a bird and find a nest somewhere high in the mountains that was far away from all of these terrible people who wanted to hurt them. At least then they could be safe, and Tereza and Ollie could grow up without having to fear the world around them. It was ironic, really, she thought. People were often afraid that the Romani had the ability to curse them, but the truth was that being a Romani often felt like a curse. They were the ones who were persecuted. They were the ones who were hounded for being different. They were spit on, beaten, and generally treated as though they did not deserve a place in this world. Was it ever going to end?

Perhaps it would, if people like Rory stood up for what was right. She regretted calling him a coward now. It did not seem to fit his character. No true coward would ever have been able to summon enough courage to embark on this journey. Even if he had managed to leave the tavern, his nature would have gotten the better of him and second thoughts would have driven him back. He could easily have said that he lost the trail in the darkness, or that there were too many men to fight, and thus it was prudent to make a retreat. Rory hadn't done any of these things. He had barreled towards her, as though there had been no other choice at all. He had placed himself in danger for her sake. There was no denying the valor of his actions.

But if this was his true character, why had he been so adamant in refusing to help defend the village in the first place? What had happened in his past to make him want to turn away from a conflict like this? If his heart was not as hard as she first suspected, then it meant that he was masking his true nature, but for what purpose? He was far more complicated than he seemed at first glance. Elvira wished she knew the right question that would unlock the secrets of his heart because she wanted to know what drove this man, this man who had turned her and her family away who had accused her of being a liar, and then who had come towards her like a tempest and defended her from her captors. For someone who always prided herself on knowing what to say, however, she found herself at a loss for words. She feared that saying the wrong thing would seal his lips. She needed to be patient, to gather her strength so that she could think clearly again.

"We're almost there," he murmured. His voice had that pleasing Highland burr, low and growling, as though something primal was hiding within his flesh. She almost didn't want the ride to end as being in such close proximity to him was like being next to a fire, such was the heat that radiated from his body. The horse trotted back and the village came into view as the pale light of dawn pushed back the darkness of the night.