Page 48 of Wolf Alliance

Isobel raised her brows.

“Aye and use the bow as well.”

“We can do that too while we’re here. So the question on everyone’s mind is are you going to mate the wolf?” Isobel asked.

Accalia liked that she was upfront about it. “I want to speak with the boys about it first.”

Isobel nodded sagely. “You have already won them over. They will love that you consider their feelings. I hope that when I am with child—or in our case bairns—I will be as good with my own as you are with Erik’s sons. They will be devoted to you always.”

“You will be successful with your own.” Accalia was sure of it because she had taken her family to safety against untold danger through stormy seas and with the threat of their new chief having them eliminated once he had killed the rest of her family. “I will tell the boys you will teach us all your amazing warrior skills.”

Then she hurried off to speak to the boys standing with a couple of nannies, looking mutinous, like everyone believed they were too young to participate in the exercise.

As soon as she headed for the boys, their expressions brightened, bordering on hopeful that she would spend time with them. “Go get your wooden swords and shields and spare wooden swords for three.”

Their eyes grew wide.

“A well-trained warrior woman will show you her special fighting skills. You should be honored. I am. And Bessetta will fight. Go, hurry. We are eager to show the men how impressive we are.”

The boys didn’t wait a second longer and raced off.

“See, that’s what I mean,” Isobel said. “I have never seen Erik’s boys so eager to do anything the two times I’ve met them. When you talk with them, they listen. I can take some lessons from you on child-rearing.”

Accalia didn’t believe it, but she loved Isobel’s praise. Maybe her da knew her better than she’d known herself.

The boys raced back outside with swords and shields and passed around the swords to each of the ladies then, still trying to catch their breaths, they waited to see what Accalia would say.

“All right, since Isobel is an expert on a different kind of swordsmanship, we’ll let her show us some of the movements.” Accalia swept her arm at her, giving her the go-ahead.

Isobel began to show them some of her sweeping sword movements, demonstrating her fancy footwork, illustrating how to use her shield to protect herself, and even how to use it as a weapon.

The boys and Accalia were impressed. Even Bessetta was watching with keen interest. Accalia wondered if anyone had asked Isobel to teach them to fight in her way.

Then Isobel took on Thorfinn and Bessetta fought against Hendrie. Accalia fought against Johnne while the men were having a splendid time showing off their skills and muscles, looking like they were in battle, not just sparring for practice.

At some point, the bailey grew quiet, and Accalia realized quite a few men had ceased fighting while they watched the women and the boys. She was glad the boys had been eager to fight with the women.

When the boys were tired of fighting, Accalia playfought against Isobel. She was much harder on Accalia than Thorfinn, naturally. But Accalia was glad for the challenge. Accalia was holding her own—barely—because she hadn’t been trained as a warrior woman from a very young age, but rather to run a household.

The weapons training she’d had was rudimentary at best. Her da had wanted her skilled with using thesgian dubhto protect herself, and to a lesser degree—a short sword. Archery had been more her idea, and she had loved practicing at it. But fighting against Isobel’s sound thrusts and decisive slashes, Accalia felt she was barely holding her own.

She wasn’t one to give up though and stubbornly faced the challenges head on. She could tell Isobel respected her for it as she gave her small smiles whenever Accalia looked like she was faltering but came back with renewed energy and even forced Isobel back a few times.

Isobel wasn’t about to give in and took the offensive, forcing Accalia back even more steps than she’d gained. At one point, Isobel struck Accalia with her shield in a frontal assault, catching her off-guard, and Accalia fell back on her arse.

Pronounced gasps rent the air as Isobel looked a wee bit worried that she had gone too far with her practice. Beathag laughed out loud though. Accalia ignored her.

Thorfinn and then his brothers raced to help Accalia. Before they reached her, Accalia was back on her feet, smiling at Isobel.

“You are as good a warrior as I thought you would be. Thanks be to thee for showing me some of your skills. I would love for you to show me more later.” Accalia knew when it was time to quit. She was so worn out, she wouldn’t make a good showing from now on, she figured.

“Thank you. I didna mean to knock you down with such force.”

“I was getting tired, but I hope to give a better presentation next time.”

“You did an excellent practice fight with me when you havena been trained in the art of war since you were little like I had been.”

“Thanks for telling me that. Would you like to go fishing as wolves?” Accalia thought of fishing at the shallower creek she had seen on her wolf run with Erik.

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