Page 9 of Highland Slayer
“Would ye rather be out in this storm?” Estevan said. “Think, Bully. We need shelter, and here we have it.”
He had a point. As if to emphasize it, thunder rolled overhead and shook the very walls. However, Kaladin wasn’t entirely in agreement. He wanted to be on the road to The Butcher’s, but he had to admit that the storm was fierce. With no other recourse, he started to move on his brother’s order. Unfortunately, that movement brought some of those armed women out of the shadows. They came toward him with weapons raised and Kaladin came to a halt. With frustration, he pointed to the door.
“I must see tae the horses,” he told them. “Will someone show me where I can bed them?”
The woman with the crossbow was by the door. She stepped forward, pushing her way through the group of women, facing the very tall, and very big, Scotsman.
“They are safe at the gatehouse,” she said, eyeing him as if both fearful and defiant at the same time. “When the rain stops, you may go to them.”
Kaladin was trying to be both polite and patient. “We dunna know when the rain will stop,” he said. “Those horses have been running since early this morning. They need food and proper rest, not simply standing at the gatehouse as we wait for the rain tae stop. Please let me tend tae them.”
The woman was hesitant. She was about to refuse again when Estevan put himself between the lady and his brother, his intense gaze fixed on the woman with the crossbow.
“Lady,” he said, his patience brittle, “those are expensive horses and they’re like members of the family, so ye’ll understand our need tae have them tended. If ye have an aversion tae my brother, then I’ll go. Ye can escort me. I want nothing more than tae bed them properly and give them some food. I’ll pay for the food, I swear it.”
The woman with the crossbow was gazing at him with big, blue eyes, slightly tilted upward at the outer corners. Her blonde hair was very long, and very straight, braided, but there were tendrils around her face. He got a better look at her here, in the weak light of the sanctuary, and he had to admit that she was a pretty thing. She was almost delicate looking, like she should be sitting in a palace somewhere with glass slippers on her feet and rubies in her hair. She didn’t look like a fearsome Templar nun, but he knew she could use that crossbow with skill he’d only seen in seasoned knights.
Perhaps if she had a warrior’s soul, she had a warrior’s compassion.
“Please?” he pressed. “I’ll leave all of my weapons here. I just want tae see tae our horses.”
She sighed sharply, lifting the wisps of hair around her mouth. “Very well,” she said. “Come with me.”
Estevan did. He followed her out of the sanctuary and into the driving rain, only they weren’t alone. There were at least six women following him, their swords and crossbows pointing right at his back. He was a big man, and strong, with enormous hands and power, but even he thought having all of these woman following him was a little ridiculous. Normally, he didn’t mind women following him, but this was different.
It was a different world altogether.
They found the horses in the gatehouse entry where they had left them. All of the animals were warhorses, seasoned and strong. Titan’s horse didn’t let anyone touch him but his master, but he was so exhausted that even he let Estevan gather his reins without a fuss. Estevan managed to gather three of them but struggled with the fourth. That had the woman with the crossbow stepping in to collect the last two. She began to lead them away from the gatehouse, out into the rainy bailey.
Estevan followed.
The stable for the abbey wasn’t very large. In fact, part of it was in an old outbuilding, and then a shelter with a sloping roof was attached to it. A cow, a calf, some goats, and several chickens were in a corner of the outbuilding portion, trying to stay warm, and the woman with the crossbow brought the two horses she was leading straight into the outbuilding. That unnerved the cow and the goats a little, and they pressed further into a corner as all five horses were finally brought in, crowded, but that couldn’t be helped. Once they were tied off, Estevan began removing the gear and saddles.
All the while, the woman with the crossbow watched. She watched him carefully remove the saddle of Rodion’s steed andset everything down against the wall of the stable before moving on to the next one. He was working methodically, quickly, but the horses were tired and hungry and restless, so she finally slung the crossbow over her shoulder and moved to the horse closest to her. Deftly, she untied the cinch and pulled the very heavy saddle off. Mimicking what Estevan was doing, she put it neatly against the wall before moving to the next horse.
Soon enough, all five horses were free of their saddles, but Estevan took the saddle blanket from his own horse and began rubbing the animals down. The woman with the crossbow abruptly departed, leaving him wondering why she’d left him alone when she was so suspicious of his movements, but he soon found out. When she returned, it was with a few other women carrying buckets of water and oats. Lots of oats, filled to the brim of the buckets. Soon enough, all of the horses were slurping water and munching on the grain.
“That is almost all the oats we have,” the woman with the crossbow said. “You will have to find us more, since your horses are eating our supply.”
Estevan was standing at the head of his own horse, watching the animal blow out puffs of oats and dust with his head shoved into the bucket like it was.
“We’ll go intae Dumfries in the morning and buy twice what ye’ve given us,” he said. “What else do ye need?”
She looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
He came away from the horse’s head. “Just what I said,” he said. “What more do ye need? Food? Meat? Drink? My mother will take a stick tae me if she knows I ate yer food and dinna replace it and then some. Therefore, tell me what more ye need and I’ll purchase it tomorrow.”
She regarded him a moment. Truthfully, Estevan found himself looking at her also. They were both studying one another, not quite suspiciously, more out of curiosity. Estevanwas quite curious about her, actually. His initial observation about her beauty was not wrong. Beneath the dirt, messy hair, and mannish clothing, she was exquisite. She was also tall, with long arms and legs. A little slender for his liking, but he was certain every ounce of her was strong from the way she’d handled that crossbow.
A unique woman, indeed.
“I will have to ask Mother Michael if we need anything more,” she finally said. “Your offer is generous.”
He shook his head. “I dunna think it is generous enough,” he said. “Ye’re giving us shelter from the storm. Ye dinna have tae, but ye showed mercy. We appreciate it.”
“We could not very well turn you away once the lightning threatened,” she said. “Are you finished with your horses now?”
He looked at the five snorting, crunching horses. “I think so,” he said. “But I’ll need tae check on them once they’ve finished eating tae make sure they’re settling down for the night.”
