‘All right...’ She pursed her lips, considering her prize. ‘Another story.’
‘Really?’ He looked pleased. ‘You enjoyed my story before?’
‘It passed the time.’
‘Ah... Well then, I’m glad I could help. Now do we have a challenge?’
‘We do.’ She nodded and flexed her fingers. ‘I’ll go first.’
They played for several minutes, keeping a tally with marks on the ground, Sissa leading at first, then Danr, until it all came down to the final round.
‘And the Norseman wins!’ Danr whooped in celebration as he beat her by two twigs.
‘All right.’ She chewed on her bottom lip, suddenly anxious about what she’d agreed to. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘Mmm.’ He scratched his chin thoughtfully, prolonging the moment. ‘Your roundhouse, it’s not built in a style I recognise. Did you build it?’
Was that it? She almost sagged with relief at the question, glad it wasn’t anything more personal.
‘No, it’s an old Pictish design. It was here when I came, though I’ve made repairs over the years.’
‘So it was empty when you found it?’
‘No.’ She hesitated briefly. ‘I was found. You aren’t the only one who was rescued from the forest.’
‘You were rescued?’ He sounded intrigued. ‘What happened?’
She shook her head. ‘You’ve had your question.’
‘But it led to another one. Do I need to challenge you again?’
‘No.’ She yawned. ‘I’m too tired.’
‘Then you leave me no choice but to make it up.’ He sat down on the tree stump, drumming his fingers on his knees until he snapped them together abruptly. ‘I’ve got it. You were found by a powerful sorceress who bound you to silence. The spell could only be broken by the arrival of a hand—’
‘Handsome warrior?’ she finished for him. ‘Do all your stories involve handsome warriors?’
‘Not all...’ he gave his lopsided grin ‘...but most of them, yes.’
‘Stars!’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Stop doing that!’
‘What? I thought you said you liked my stories.’
‘I said they passed the time, but I meant stop smiling like that.’
He quirked an eyebrow. ‘You want me to stop smiling?’
‘No, just stop smiling like that. It looks as if you’re trying to persuade me to do something.’
‘I am. I want you to tell me who found you in the forest.’
‘Just smile normally. Be yourself.’
He blinked as if the idea were new to him, then looked her straight in the eye and curved his lips. ‘Like this?’
‘Much better.’ She nodded with approval.
‘Good enough for you to tell me who found you?’