Page 27 of Torin and His Oath
Back on the horse, Torin was stiff and less comfortable behind me. I assumed he was upset. I quietly asked, “Do you think they would have found me... if you hadn’t?”
“Aye, I believe they were close.”
“You’re not just saying that so you’re not responsible?”
His chest rose against my back, steady and heavy. “I am fully responsible. If I had seen that ye were the princess that first day, I should hae gone elsewhere, tae draw attention away from ye. Or carted ye away tae safety at once.”
“Would you have?” I asked softly. “I think if you’d known I was the princess on the first day, you would have done exactly what you did on the last, set yourself up as my guard. No matterwhat,I’d have been found, and we would have been kidnapped anyway.”
The horse plodded on, slow and steady, swaying as we passed through an ancient forest nestled in a narrow valley between peaks. The air smelled of pine and clean wind.
I said, “So even though you think you’re responsible, if you hadn’t been there... who knows what would have happened to me? I can’t even imagine what would have happened if those men had grabbed me one afternoon when everyone I knew was at work. If I’d been carried into the past with no clue about time travel—” My throat tightened. “You would never find me. I’d be all alone. Lost forever.”
Torin breathed out long and heavy. “Are ye sayin’ ye forgive me? Dost ye forgive yer servant, Torin, for drawin’ the scoundrels tae yer land?”
“No, not really. I can’t forgive you for upending my life, Torin. Maybe you’re not fully responsible, but you’re the only person here for me to blame.”
He stiffened behind me again.
“But I’m just upset. I feel like I might die here. I’m hungry, I’m uncomfortable, and scared…” I gave a weak chuckle. “I just, maybe if I got a meal, I could be nicer.”
“Food would greatly enhance our situation for the better.”
I nodded. “Exactly, I guess what I’m saying is... I can’t even think about forgiving you, until I get fed. I’m in a crappy mood.”
“I agree, we will eat and then we will discuss.”
We were quiet for a time,then I asked, “We need to lighten the mood, get my mind off my hunger. You said you would have carted me away — how do you mean? Where would you have taken me?”
“Aye, Princess, I would hae thrown ye over m’shoulder and carried ye tae a hidden tower.”
“Ah, the whole ‘throwing over the shoulder’ move. You said that’s what you’d do to a girl you wanted to marry. Would you want to marry me?”
He chuckled. “I canna answer it, Princess. Twould be an affront for yer humble servant tae lay claim tae ye. Ye are well above me.”
“But you’d still have thrown me over your shoulder?”
“Aye. Because ye wouldna listen.”
I laughed. “How do you know I wouldn’t listen?”
“Would ye hae?”
“Unlikely. What would you have said?”
“I would hae told ye plain:Princess, ye are a princess, and ye must come with me tae a strong castle for yer own safety.”
“I wouldneverhave listened.”
“Aye,” he said matter-of-factly, “that is why I would throw ye over m’shoulder and carry ye off, sometimes tis how it must be done.”
I arched my brow. “This is very interesting. It’s inappropriate to tell me you’d want to marry me, but it’s somehow acceptable to haul me off like a sack of grain?”
He laughed, low and warm. “I suppose it does sound as if I am takin’ liberties. But ye ken, Princess, I always ken what is best for yer protection. If we must go, ye must listen.”
I huffed and haughtily raised my chin. “If I’m a Princess, I’m not sure Ihaveto listen to anyone. Least of all my so-called ‘humble servant.’”
“Aye,” he said dryly, guiding our horse around a widening ditch. “Therein lies the trouble.”
