Chapter Fifteen

Alaric and Dyna arrived on Grant land by the end of the day.

"Ye check on yer brother," Dyna said. "I'll find out from the others how he fares. Rest up, fill yer belly and yer saddlebag while I go search for anyone to recruit."

Alaric nodded, nearly afraid to take the necessary steps to the healing chamber where he'd last seen his brother.

Dyna somehow sensed his hesitation, because she gave him another push. "Bloody hell, just go in, Alaric. I'm going to the tower to look for Derric and my father. I'm sure ye'll find yer sire in the hall."

Dyna strode off, and Alaric took a deep breath and headed for the great hall. He was pleased to see his mother and father both there, bickering as usual. His sire still had a splint on his leg to keep him from moving it around. The man wouldn't tolerate that for long.

"How much longer, Gracie? Surely I'm healing faster than most," his father was saying, as if he'd heard Alaric's thoughts.

"Yer aunt said at least a moon, Jamie. Perhaps two. 'Tis a bad break, and it will take longer to heal."

"I'm no' staying in the hall for a moon. Never."

"And if ye break yer leg again and start all over because ye disobeyed orders?"

"Ye are surely the pessimist today, Gracie Grant."

His mother threw her arms in the air. "Jamie, I love ye much and ye know it. But every day ye tell me all the things ye willnae do. I am no' the expert. I willnae tell ye to do anything different than Aunt Jennie instructed. I trust her judgment. Do ye no'?"

His father grumbled something he couldn't hear, but then his mother noticed Alaric had arrived. "Alaric! I'm pleased to see ye. But why are ye home so soon? Are ye hale?"

He moved forward to give his mother a swift hug and clasped his sire's shoulder, his fear of jostling him too strong to move any closer. "I'm well, Mama. Wenna was injured in a skirmish, so we turned back so she might be tended. I see Da is still testing yer patience. Da, is yer pain any better?"

"Aye, as long as I dinnae move it, it willnae hurt me. But a moon no' moving is a long time. I dinnae know if I can do it."

"Didnae Ysenda have some contraption so she could eventually get around with some help? It was after a few weeks, I think. Can ye no' ride on a horse with it? Mayhap ye'll be able to use that soon. How is Els?"

"Yer brother is better," his mother said, the smile on her face telling him that she was pleased with how things were progressing. "He's awakened. He isnae talking yet, but Aunt Jennie said that could take a while to return."

"What about the swelling? Is it down?"

"No' yet. It is much improved, though, so I'm hoping that when it goes completely away that mayhap his speech will return. Why do ye no' go visit with him?"

"Have ye anything I can eat to take with me?" He was suddenly starving. The few bites of oatcake he'd had early that morning had long since worn off.

"Aye, I see half a loaf of bread on the sideboard, and I think I see some cheese. I'll look for some meat for ye." She left at such a quick pace that Alaric suspected the poor woman was anxious to get away from his father.

His father sighed heavily once she left the great hall. "She tests my patience sometimes. And I'm no' a good patient."

"She has two of ye to worry about, no' just ye, Da. Ye know she has the biggest heart ever, and ye should know how sensitive she is."

"I know. And I know I'm a wee bit ornery, but I hate being so idle. I'll apologize to her. How long are ye home for?"

"Only one night, so I could see ye and Els and Dyna could find some more recruits to ride this patrol with us."

"She'll no' find many. Mayhap one or two. Go see yer brother. I know ye need to do that first."

His father waved him on, so he stepped to the sideboard, grabbed the bread and cheese before heading to the healing chamber.

He put a bit of the cheese with the bread and took a bite. His stomach was doing summersaults just from the thought of his brother awake. Stopping outside the door to the healing chamber, Alaric finished chewing before he opened the door just enough to peek around it.

Els was propped up in the bigger bed, mounds of pillows behind him, and Joya sat in a chair feeding their wee bairn, Seamus. She covered herself quickly as he stepped inside, but it wouldn't have mattered. Feeding a babe was the most natural thing in the world, in his opinion. And he only had eyes for his brother anyway.

His brother's gaze caught his.

"Els? Ye are awake!"

He'd never seen a more beautiful sight. The sparkle was back in his brother's gaze. His golden locks were a wavy mess, but he nodded to Alaric, and nothing could have pleased him more.

Alaric set his food on a table and pulled a stool over next to the bed. "Ye are hale again?"

His brother smiled and nodded again but said nothing. Alaric looked to Joya who explained, "He's awake and able to understand ye, but he's no' talking yet. And he's moving his hands and feet, but he is no' strong enough yet to walk."

"But he's awake, and that's the important part."

His brother smiled and nodded.

Unable to stop himself, Alaric reached to the back of Els's head. The bump was still there—smaller by far, but still there. As if reading his mind, Joya said, "We're hoping that when it's gone down completely, his words will return."

Els nodded, slowly touching his head with his hand, an effort for sure.

"It still pains ye?"

Els nodded.

"Aunt Jennie left a potion to help with his headaches so he can sleep," Joya said.

He finally had the chance to apologize, so he decided to do it now while it was just the two of them and Joya. "Els, I just want to offer my apologies for telling ye to go down the hill. I shouldn't have said aught…"

Els shook his head and his eyes darted back and forth furiously.

"What is it? I'm sorry ye got hurt because of me."

Els shook his head again and a loud groan came out as if he were trying to speak. Alaric looked to Joya to see what she made of this change in demeanor. "Joya?"

"I think he's trying to tell ye no' to apologize. Is that right, Els?"

Els nodded.

"'Tis no' yer fault, Alaric. Ye didnae make the rain come. Ye didnae hold a knife to Els's back and force him down the hill."

Els nodded and tears trickled down his cheeks.

That was too much for Alaric. He got up and left.

Joya called out after him. "Alaric?"

"Sorry, Joya. I have to go. I'll be back later. I'm sorry I upset him." Then he spun around one more time to look at his brother, his arms up in a gesture of helplessness. "I'm so sorry, Els!"

He hated seeing anyone cry, but especially his beloved brother. Nothing had ever upset him more than the tears in his brother's eyes.