“And I, you, my lord.”
Hereward stepped away and proceeded toward his horse.
When they were finally ready to leave, the king handed his writ to Gareth, pounding him on the back with a warning to see to Tanon’s protection. Then he flung open the carriage door and snatched Tanon up in an embrace that seized the wind from her lungs.
“Please your king and find happiness with your husband,ma belle.”
Tanon held on to him but didn’t weep. She pledged to do her very best. She looked over his shoulder at her mother. She waved, wiped her eyes, and then put on the bravest face she could muster as her carriage rolled away from her family.
Chapter Twelve
They rode northuntil nightfall and made camp in a hollowed clearing encompassed by dense forest.
Tanon had some difficulty adapting to her surroundings. Whenever she’d traveled with her family, they slept at an inn, in beds, with walls shielding them from the forest creatures. She knew she had nothing to fear. She wasn’t alone, after all. Hereward was here with her. And Gareth stayed close when he went off to speak privately with Madoc. Still, sleeping in the woods was quite new to her. She doubted she would get an ounce of sleep tonight, what with her senses heightened by the echoing sounds of the wilderness surrounding her.
With Cian’s help, she and Rebecca unpacked the food Brynna had prepared for the journey while Hereward built a small fire to keep them warm. Tomas and Alwyn scouted the surroundings, and the rest of the men spread out their pallets, claiming their places for the night.
“You’re very thoughtful,” Tanon acknowledged when Cian pulled a hidden dagger from his boot, cleaned it, and began cutting the cheese into neat slices. She studied a soft curl dangling over his forehead, reflecting the light from Hereward’s fire. “You certainly don’t look like a warrior.”
He chuckled and glanced up at her from his work. “I’ve killed over seventy Norm—” He stopped and grimaced, realizing too late what he’d just said. He went back to cutting without another word.
“None with that dagger, I hope.” Tanon tried to disguise the horror in her voice and make light of the conversation, seeing how uncomfortable it obviously made him.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” he murmured quietly. “I only fight when there’s no other choice.” When he lifted his face to look at her fully, Tanon’s expression couldn’t help but soften at his boyish expression.
“How old are you, Cian?” she asked him.
“I’m ten and six.” His posture straightened and the glint of pride in his eyes revealed the warrior within.
For the first time, Tanon saw his resemblance to Madoc. She turned to where Cian’s brother stood with Gareth closer to the darkness of the trees. She smiled when she caught Madoc’s eye. His coal gaze lingered on her briefly, hard and detached before he looked away. She didn’t like him and decided to have a talk with Gareth about him later.
“I feel as if there are a hundred eyes watching me.” Rebecca hugged herself and squeezed her eyes shut when an owl hooted somewhere above her.
“I’ll be on watch tonight. You have naught to fear.” From over the flames, Hereward’s promise rolled off his tongue with such conviction, Rebecca opened her eyes to look at him.
“Who will be with you?”
“Who will be with me?” Hereward repeated with astonishment lifting his rusty brows. She knew him well enough to know he needed no help in defending those he chose to protect. “Woman, you sting my pride like a viper.”
“Honorable men don’t carry pride.” Rebecca replied curtly.
“They do when they fight like me,” he huffed with all the arrogance of a Celtic king. With his mane of deep vermilion and his cloak fashioned of wolf skin draping his broad shoulders, Hereward looked like one. “We’re on the outside of the walls now, lady. Your comely blue eyes might begin to see things a bit more differently.”
Rebecca turned away from the meaning in his eyes and began pulling fruit, bread, and dried meat out of another sack.
“He’s quite handsome, Rebecca,” Tanon whispered while she laid the pretty butterfly-embroidered serviettes her mother had given her down on the grass.
“Hush. I’ve no interest in that Saxon.”
“You’re Saxon as well,” Tanon reminded her while she arranged places in a large circle in the grass for each man to eat. “I daresay, he stares at you often.” Tanon ignored Rebecca’s mild oath and commissioned Cian to set each morsel of food atop each serviette.
“If we’re required to eat off the floor, it can at least look pleasing.”
Kneeling beside her, Cian gazed down at her hair illuminated by the firelight. “Aye, ’tis pleasing, indeed.” His voice sounded deeper, a bit rattled. It made Tanon look up at him. When she did, the firelight spread over her face. Cian sighed, and then went barreling to the left, thanks to a hefty shove from Gareth. Madoc chuckled as Gareth folded his legs and sat down beside his wife.
“That was a very thoughtless thing to do to poor Cian.” Tanon admonished Gareth, then turned to Madoc while he took his place at the blanket. She offered the first in command a serene smile, even though she would have preferred to give him a good glare. If there was one thing she truly didn’t like, it was laughing at someone else’s expense. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh.”
Madoc glanced at her, then looked down at his food. His bread and cheese were flanked neatly on both sides by two slices of dried meat. He looked at the other settings. They were all the same.