Rosehaven (Medieval Song 5)

“To find Gwent and our men?”

“Aye, I have prayed myself numb. They have to be alive. They have to be. When we are all together again, then we will make plans.”

She did not demand to accompany him. In truth she was exhausted, the babe making her nearly dizzy with fatigue. “You will be home soon,” she said a short time later when she stood in the outer bailey, waiting for all the men to mount.

“Aye, as quickly as possible. Sir Alan will take care of Oxborough. If Richard de Luci tries treachery, he will not succeed. You will consider Oxborough under siege until I return.”

She nodded, stood on her tiptoes, and wrapped her arms about his neck. “Be careful, Severin.”

He brought her close, his breath warm against her hair. “We will get through this, Hastings. You will see.”

“I know,” she said, and kissed him. “I know,” she said again against his open mouth. She felt a shudder go through him and kissed him yet again.

He stepped back, his breathing quick and hard. He smiled down at her, his eyes dark and vibrant. “I have sent a man to Lord Graelam de Moreton in Cornwall. God knows how long it will take for him to come, or even if he is able to come.”

“He will come. Will you send a messenger to the king?”

Severin shook his head. “No, I don’t wish to take a chance on Edward’s whim. I want Richard de Luci killed before any learn that he is still alive. All will be as we believed it to be before the madman came back from the dead.”

“My lord,” Sir Alan said, striding up to Severin, who was now holding Hastings in the circle of his arms. “Our messengers to your other keeps are well on their way. Men will begin arriving within two days. I doubt we will need Graelam de Moreton.”

“I know,” Severin said, pulling Hastings against him once more, as he could not prevent himself from doing so. “It is just that I promised him. He told me if I did not and he heard that I was ever in grave danger, he would stake me out in the middle of a practice field and ride his warhorse over me.” He kissed Hastings’s nose, then grinned at Alan. “I believe him. I am not a fool.”

Hastings laughed. It felt wonderful to laugh, even for a moment.

“I must go. Take care of our babe and Alan will see to your safety.”

He slammed his fist into Sir Alan’s shoulder, all in good humor, and said something low to him that Hastings could not hear. Sir Alan nodded solemnly. Severin waved yet again to Hastings and strode to his warhorse. Hastings watched him leap gracefully astride.

“God be with you, my lord,” she called. He waved at her and was soon outside the massive Oxborough gates. She ran to the sturdy wooden ladder that led up to the ramparts. She watched him until he was gone from her sight.

When Alice came to her later, Hastings was on her knees beside a man whose belly was so shriveled he could only keep MacDear’s lightest broth down without vomiting. She looked up, her head cocked to one side. Alice looked utterly bewildered.

“I do not believe this, Hastings.”

“What is it?” She was on her feet in an instant. “What has happened?”

“We have a visitor. She has never come here. She has never left her cottage. All know she is a recluse. Yet she is here demanding to see you.”

Hastings turned to see the Healer walk briskly into the great hall. She was wearing shoe

s. Hastings’s own mouth dropped open at the sight of her.

The Healer waved everyone away, said nothing at all to anyone, and quickly knelt down beside a sick man. She continued silent, merely grunted at some of them, shook her head at one man who was already unconscious, and actually pinched another man’s wrist who just happened to grin up at her.

“Where is Alfred?” Hastings asked for want of anything better. She was as bewildered as Alice.

“My beauty is sleeping soundly in the sun. I left him a roasted chicken if he awakes and is hungry.”

“He is always hungry, Healer.”

“Aye, he deserves to be, not like these louts sprawled about in your great hall, Hastings. Well, I’ve done what I can for them. The man yon will die soon. I cannot help him. The others will survive with your care.”

“Healer, how did you know we needed you?”

Hastings stared at the Healer as the woman looked down at her long fingers, twisting the odd gold ring about on her finger, a magic ring perhaps, one older than England itself.

“Healer?”