Tarass sat in a chair by the hearth staring at Snow sleeping, Thaw curled at her feet and his eyes opening now and again to look at him. The pup was keeping a cautious eye on him and he had to admire him for it.
He had been surprised at her response when he had told her he intended to kill the person who had killed his parents. She had told him she would do the same if it were her parents. She hadn’t asked anything more about it after that, and he hadn’t wanted to offer any more.
She had fallen asleep as they discussed the weather and what it would take to make it home, her head lolling to the side until it had finally settled on his shoulder. He had sat there with her resting comfortably against him and a slight snore coming from Thaw curled in her lap. He had listened to the wind whipping around the small cottage and the crackle of the fire in the hearth. He had felt more content than he had in years, and it had surprised him.
It hadn’t been until the fire had died down considerably that he reluctantly left the bed, lying Snow down on the lumpy mattress, while Thaw moved to curl at her feet, of course, after giving him a growl.
The fire was once again blazing and he felt sleep poking at him, but his thoughts weren’t ready to rest. There was far too much on his mind. It hadn’t been long after they’d first met that his da had left and not long after that his mum and he had taken their leave. His mum had told him they were going to join his da. He asked about their home and who would protect it and she had told him not to worry it rested in good hands until their return. He had wondered over his da’s departure and theirs as well. He had worried that it had something to do with his mum’s people. But each time he had asked her, he had gotten the same response. Everything was fine. He was not to worry.
He had been shocked when his da met up with them on their journey and even more surprised at where their journey had ended… his mum’s tribe. He had missed Scotland, and he had promised himself that someday he would return. He had thought it would be with his mum and da. He had sworn to himself and his mum’s tribe that he would revenge their death. And he would let nothing, absolutely nothing, stop him from doing just that.
His thoughts began to settle as sleep began to poke at him. He added more logs to the fire so the heat would stay strong until morning, then he snatched his furs off the table where he had laid them to dry and went and placed them over the cloak that covered Snow.
With no other choice, the ground too cold to sleep on, he stretched out on his side beside her.
Thaw lifted his head and went to growl.
“Quiet,” he ordered in a harsh whisper, “I keep her and you safe.”
Thaw gave a low growl, stretched himself to his feet with a yawn, and moved up to settle himself against Snow’s stomach.
Tarass thought that Thaw was lucky Snow would never marry, since no man would allow the dog in bed with him and his wife. The strange thought troubled him, recalling Snow’s words about wanting to fall in love and have a family. It was a shame, since he had no doubt Snow would make a wonderful mum.
Snow woke buried in warmth that she didn’t want to emerge from, and she didn’t. She remained snuggled under her fur-lined cloak. A noise close to the bed had her opening her eyes to see a shadow standing over her. She was ready to scream when she recalled where she was and who was with her.
“The snow stopped sometime last night, though the sky remains ominous. I’m going to have a look. We may be able to make it to my keep before the snow starts again. Get dressed while I’m gone. Your garments are dry and on the table and your hose are in your boots by the bed. Is there anything you need help with before I leave?”
“No,” she said, sitting up, “though if you could take Thaw with you, I would appreciate it. He probably needs to go out.”
“I can do that. I’ll be out front the whole time.”
“I also appreciate that,” she said, worried that he would wander off leaving her completely alone and vulnerable.
“Come on, Thaw, you’re coming with me,” he said with a wave to the pup.
Thaw didn’t move from Snow’s side. He actually leaned against her arm as if letting Tarass know he wasn’t going anywhere.
Snow looked down at the gray blob that was Thaw to her. “It’s all right, Thaw. You go with Tarass. I’ll be right here waiting for you.” She scooped him up, kissed him on the top of his head, and placed him on the earth floor. “Go with Tarass, I’ll be right here.”
Thaw looked to Snow than to Tarass.
“We’ll be right outside,” he said and wondered why he was even bothering to talk to the pup.
“Go now, Thaw,” Snow urged in a more commanding tone and the pup trotted over to Thaw growling all the way.
“I’ll knock before I enter,” Tarass said, then opened the door, a burst of cold air rushing in and the pup and he hurried out quickly.
With little time before he returned, Snow hurried out of bed with a wince, her side still painful, and into her dry hose, then her boots, surprised both were warm. She made her way carefully to the table, found her garments folded on top, though she didn’t rush to slip into them for fear of getting herself tangled up. She tempered her movements and got the garments on much easier than she had gotten them off.
A sigh fell from her lips when she finished, relieved she was no longer naked, no longer exposed to Tarass. It had been unnerving and humiliating, and she didn’t want anyone to ever know of it.
A bark came before the knock at the door and she turned to face it with a smile. Thaw came running in and sped right to her. She went to snatch him up.
“He’s wet from the snow and you’re dry and warm,” Tarass said.
Snow leaned down and patted Thaw. “Sit by the fire, Thaw, then I will give you a hug.”
Tarass shook his head as he watched the pup do as Snow told him. It was as if the pup understood her every word.
“The sky hints of more snow, but my keep is not far from here. The snow on the ground will slow us down some, but it shouldn’t take us long to reach it if we can keep a steady pace. How does your wound feel today?”
“It’s sore but not as bad as yesterday,” she said. “I’m ready to leave when you are.”
“As soon as I see to dousing the fire, we’ll go,” he said and hurried to see it done.
Snow slipped on her cloak and gloves and made her way to the door, Thaw following close by.
“Can you see me enough to follow behind me?” Tarass asked, watching her take cautious steps and stretching her hands in front of her as if making sure nothing blocked her way.
“You’re a gray shadow to me, but it is enough for me to follow as long as you remain in front of me,” she said with confidence, eager to do anything that would help get her home sooner.
“Stay close to Snow, Thaw,” he said after they stepped outside, then shook his head. Now he was talking to the pup as if he could understand his every word.
Snow realized soon enough why he wanted her trailing behind him. He made sure to clear somewhat of a path for her to follow. There was far too much snow for him to clear it enough to set a quick pace. It took time and effort to go only a short distance. At least it felt like a short distance. At the laborious rate they traveled, she thought it might have been wiser for them to remain at the cottage.
She didn’t give up, though, she kept going, her legs growing heavy with fatigue as she trudged through the snow. She didn’t dare take her eyes off the gray shadow that was Tarass. She feared being abandoned again. She stayed on his tail, taking step after endless step, while silently praying they would reach their destination soon.
A worry took hold when she noticed Tarass’s shadow had faded some. How had he gotten farther away from her? She rushed her step to catch up and felt her boot catch on something. She went flying forward so fast, she had no time to stop herself from toppling head first into the snow.
Tarass turned at the sound of the barking, shocked to see Snow’s face planted in the snow. He rushed to her. She was already struggling to stand when he reached her. With a firm grip on her arm, he got her to her feet and kept hold until she found firm footing.
“What happened?” he asked, wiping away the snow on her face.
She coughed and shook her head. “I’m not sure. I think I tripped over something.”
Thaw was still barking and digging furiously in the snow.
“Quiet, Thaw, all is well,” she ordered, but the pup didn’t listen.
The pup was not only disobeying Snow, he had stopped digging to look up at Tarass, then to the spot on the ground.
“I believe Thaw is angry at whatever it was you tripped over. I’ll assure him all is well. You stay right here. Don’t move.”
“He can be stubborn at times,” Snow said, dusting the snow off herself.
“I wonder where he gets that from?” Tarass said with a chuckle that quickly faded when he spotted what Thaw had revealed… an arm.
“What’s wrong?” Snow demanded. “Your laughter ended suddenly. Something is wrong.”
She might be blind but Tarass had learned quickly that she was astute to her surroundings. He didn’t for once think to keep it from her, not after the ordeal she’d been through.
He returned to her side and rested his hand on her arm. “It’s a dead body.”
Shock turned her silent. Though only briefly. “Who?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to remove the snow to reveal anymore of him and leave him vulnerable to the animals until I can get some men out here to dig him out.”
She nodded. “That would be wise.”
Though, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was the man who had grabbed her. If so, that would mean he had not waited around to make another attempt to grab her. Why then had he tried in the first place? Had she misunderstood his actions? Had he been trying to help her? She’d never know if it was him, since she couldn’t identify the man.
“Give me a moment to leave a marker so he can be found when I return for him,” Tarass said and with a command in his voice, shouted, “Thaw, stay by Snow.”
The pup hurried to her side to sit and lean against her leg.
After a bit of a search, Tarass uncovered a substantial rock. It took some effort to lift and place in front of the dead man’s exposed arm, then he covered the arm with a good amount of snow. He had noticed that Snow tried to follow his movements, not always successfully.
He couldn’t imagine living with such a debilitating affliction. He couldn’t live constantly dependent on someone for the simplest need. It would make him insane. How she managed to remain strong was remarkable.
“All done,” he said as he approached her.
“How far are we from your home?” she asked.
“Not far. There’s a small rise up ahead—”
“And your home sits just beyond,” Snow said excited to discover they were close.
“You remember from your only visit there?”
“I accompanied Sorrell when she visited with Twilla, the old woman who occupied your keep in your absence. Sorrell made sure to stir my memory of different places so I wouldn’t forget what the surrounding area looked like. Though, she did mention that your keep had fallen into disrepair after being abandoned for several years.”
“It has seen much improvement since my return. You’ll see for yourself—” He caught his words to late.
“Hopefully, one day I will,” she said. “We should go. I look forward to food and a warm bed tonight.”
“I will make certain you get both. Stay close,” he said as he walked around her.
Snow turned around and settled what sight she had on the gray shadow in front of her.
“Ready?” Tarass asked.
“Ready and eager,” she said with a light laugh.
“We go,” he said and started walking, marveling at her light humor in a difficult situation.
It wasn’t long before they reached the rise. The slog up it wasn’t easy and Tarass made sure to keep hold of Snow’s arm. He stopped at the top, giving her time for her labored breathing to calm.
“Not far now and it’s a good thing since it’s starting to snow again,” he said. “It’s a light snow but it was a light snow that started this all.”
“We should go,” she said, her breath still labored, and Thaw agreed with a bark.
The distance wasn’t far but the snow on the ground made the trek seem endless.
After a while Snow began to make out other gray shadows and the bigger they grew the more difficult it became to see Tarass.
When he was about to meld with the other shadows, she called out to him, “Tarass!”
His hand was on her arm instantly. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re beginning to blend with gray shadows that draw near.”
“We are almost at the village and the keep is not far away,” he said and his hand moved down along her arm to take her hand. “Hold tight to my hand.”
She closed her hand around his and Thaw gave a bark.
“Keep up, Thaw,” Tarass ordered and the pup grumbled and growled as he followed along.
Snow was surprised when they were met with an endless round of greetings as they entered the village. She thought most of the villagers would be inside, out of the cold.
“Tell me this is your bride and not just a woman to warm your bed for the winter?” a man called out with robust laughter.
Thaw planted himself in front of Snow as soon as Tarass stopped and let out a warning growl as the thick-chested man approached.
“This wisp of an animal will not make much of a meal,” the man said.
Snow gasped, her hand falling away from Tarass to reach down and snatch Thaw up in her arms. “You will not dare touch my pup,” she threatened.
Tarass shook his head. “Rannock, meet Snow of the Clan Macardle.”
“The blind Macardle sister?” Rannock asked with a scrunch of his nose. “What is she doing with you?”
“I came across her in the snowstorm,” Tarass said and continued before his friend could ask more questions. “I’ll explain later. Right now, we need food and shelter from the cold that has burrowed into our bones. She’ll be staying with us until I can return her home safely. I also need Runa. Snow was injured in a fall.”
“I’ll bring Runa to the keep,” Rannock said and he took the wolf’s headdress that Tarass handed him.
Snow turned her head toward Tarass. “You will command him not to harm Thaw.”
“Rannock jests. He will not harm Thaw.”
“I would never harm a creature who carries the name of our great god Thor,” Rannock said.
Snow didn’t correct him. It was better that Rannock thought Thaw was named after a god. The barbarians here would then surely leave the pup alone. Though, she did wonder if Tarass thought the same of Thaw.
She didn’t take a chance, though, she held onto the pup.
The warmth of the Great Hall was most welcoming as was the bench Tarass set her on.
“Lord Tarass, welcome home,” a woman’s voice called out.
Snow couldn’t help but hear in her voice how pleased the woman was over his arrival.
Tarass returned the greeting. “It is good to be home, Fasta. I need food and a hot drink to warm us and a room made ready for our guest. This is Snow of the Clan Macardle and she will be staying here until I can return her home.”
“The blind Macardle sister?” Fasta asked.
“Aye and I will also need someone to assist her while she is our guest, since it will be impossible for her to maneuver her way around the keep on her own,” Tarass said.
Snow wondered how they were familiar with her name when she hadn’t been here since Tarass’s return home. Though, perhaps, he had voiced his annoyance with her to his clan. A thought she disliked, but she also disliked when things were decided for her and in front of her as if she wasn’t there or she had no say in the matter. But she wasn’t home with family. She was at the mercy of the man she had verbally battled with on more than one occasion. And he was right about her making her way around his keep. She would hold her tongue unless, of course, there came a time she couldn’t.
“I will see to everything, my lord, and will you want a bath prepared for you later?” Fasta asked.
Snow thought her question sounded more like an invitation and she couldn’t help but think that Fasta and Tarass were more than lord and servant. Though, his direct and abrupt response squashed the thought.
“I’ll let you know later, Fasta,” Tarass said.
Snow had placed Thaw on the floor after she had sat and she looked around for the gray blur as she shed her cloak. It was quickly snatched off her and out of her hands.
“I’ll see that you get clean, dry garments, and have your cloak taken to your room,” Tarass said. “Thaw sleeps by the hearth.” He took her hand and pointed it in the direction where the pup was curled up. “You are both safe. Do not worry.”
“I appreciate your generosity, Lord Tarass,” she said, relieved to see Thaw content.
He much preferred when she called him Tarass, but it was better she addressed him properly in front of others, so tongues wouldn’t wag.
“I will get you home as soon as possible,” he said and stepped aside as servants appeared with food and drink.
Snow’s stomach grumbled at the delicious scents and Thaw gave a bark.
“I need food for Thaw,” Snow was quick to say.
“He does not fend for himself?”
Snow recognized Fasta’s voice. “No, I give him food from the kitchen in the morning and the evening.”
“Dogs find their own food,” Fasta said, though sounded as if she admonished.
“You will see that the pup eats as Snow says. He is our guest as well,” Tarass ordered.
Snow caught the reprimand in Tarass’s tone and she worried the woman might hurt Thaw. “I can share my portion with Thaw.”
“Thaw will have his own food,” Tarass commanded with such authority that he had Fasta apologizing.
“Forgive me, my lord, I am unaccustomed to the ways of this land.”
Snow spoke up. “I would feel more comfortable giving Thaw some of my food.”
“Do you suggest I would harm your dog?” Fasta accused.
“I don’t know you or your ways and I will not take a chance with anyone harming my pup,” Snow said defensively.
“Enough!” Tarass commanded. “No one will harm Thaw. He will be fed according to Snow’s directions.”
“As you say, my lord,” Fasta said. obedience in her voice.
Snow remained silent, since Tarass’s orders were clear.
“Bring food and drink now,” Tarass demanded sharply.
Snow heard the woman scurry off.
“I will return shortly. You’re safe here,” Tarass said.
Snow listened as his footfalls faded away and she sat alone, or at least she believed herself alone. She had never been inside the keep when she had had her sight so she had no memory of it. Her one visit here when she was young had been in the summer and she and her sister had been left outside to occupy themselves.
Fear welled up inside her with such unfamiliar surroundings and not being around family or friends. There was no one here to rely on and Fasta was not someone she would trust. A shiver ran through her even though the fire’s warmth surrounded her. She turned to the one who never failed to bring her comfort.
Before she could call Thaw to her, his nose was nudging its way under her hand on her lap. She scooped him up and hugged him tight, placing her face next to his.
“I need you now more than ever,” she whispered and the pup licked her face and cuddled against her, letting her know he would not leave her side.
His closeness helped, but it didn’t alleviate her fears. How could it when she was stuck here with the Lord of Fire? A man who had made it clear that obedience was expected above all else.
Fear ran a shiver through her and she jumped when a wool shawl fell around her shoulders.