He had seen Dawn as soon as they had entered the village. She had stood tall and proud, even if she hadn’t realized it. She had a regal poise to her and though she wasn’t beautiful, there was something about her that drew the eye and made it linger. He had had plans to seek her out after the attack on the village but was spared the delay when Colum had chosen her to tend him.
When he had discovered that she had no voice, he had admired her all the more. Dawn was special in so many ways and he wanted her in his life now and forever.
The thought jolted him and he bolted out of the chair and refilled his tankard.
Forever was a long time and he had never thought that way about a woman… until Dawn. He did not want to think about life without her. The closer they became the closer he wanted to become. There was something about her that… soothed his soul.
He felt a comfort with her that he had not known in a long time. A comfort he thought never to know again.
Love.
Damn that word refused to leave him alone and he refused to give it credence. He couldn’t. He didn’t want to hurt Dawn and in the end if he allowed himself to love her, he’d only hurt her and that he could not bear to do.
A knock sounded at the door and he reluctantly bid the person to enter.
Sloan closed the door behind him and stopped halfway across the room and stared at Cree. He looked about to say something but Cree’s scowl darkened and he wisely made no comment. Instead he walked over to the table and poured himself a tankard of ale and joined Cree in a drink.
Another knock sounded and Cree sent Sloan a murderous look. He would have preferred to have been left alone for a while, though the only place he had undisturbed time was at Dawn’s cottage.
Sloan ignored Cree and walked over to open the door.
Cree was surprised to see Elsa.
“My lord,” she said with a bob of her head. “I thought you would want to know about the prisoner.”
“Is he well enough for me to kill him?” Cree asked without a shred of remorse.
“It would be merciful of you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Rem is ill and dying. His death will not be pleasant; he will suffer.”
Cree turned to Sloan. “That was why he took this job; he knew it would end in his death. And once captured he baited me so that I would see that he would die fast and end his suffering. Now the bastard can suffer until he dies, a much more fitting punishment.”
“As a healer I cannot see him suffer—”
“Then don’t watch.”
“May I at least tend him on occasion?”
“No,” Cree snapped. “He will pay for what he has done or planned on doing to Dawn.”
“I have not known Dawn long but from what I do know of her, she would not want to see this man suffer.”
“It isn’t her choice and has Dawn suddenly become some angel of mercy who will save everyone from the devil?”
Elsa quickly bowed her head and kept silent.
“I’m glad I didn’t kill him yet. Now he will get what he deserves,” Cree said and with a wave of his hand was about to dismiss Elsa when he stopped. “Is there any reason you know why Dawn would refuse to drink the brew that would ease her pain?”
Elsa cast a quick glance to Sloan and then down at the floor.
“Sloan, leave us,” Cree ordered.
Sloan hurried out the door.
“What is it?” Cree asked.
“Dawn came to me and we talked about preventing conception.”
Cree didn’t know why but her words disturbed him, though he said nothing.
“I explained that there was a plant that would help prevent a babe from taking root, though I warned her that if she was already with child, it could very well abort the babe. I told her that the choice was hers.”
“Her response?”
She never answered me, though by not answering her response was clear… she would not dare threaten the life of a babe that might already be growing inside her.”
“So she worries that the brew you fixed for her could be the one you had spoken of and would harm a babe that might already being growing inside her. And she would suffer the pain rather than take the chance of causing harm to the babe.”
“I assume so,” Elsa said.
Cree’s scowl deepened.
Elsa shook her head. “I gave her no such brew, my lord. I told her that the choice was hers.”
Cree dismissed her with a brief wave of his hand and returned to the chair in front of the hearth. So she would protect a babe of theirs that she may carry even to the point of pain, unsure if the brew would harm the unborn babe. Dawn certainly was a brave one and the thought that she would suffer for their child made him more aware of what a loving and faithful person she was.