Gem of Gravane (The Northern Knights) (25 page)

A thick wooden and steel bracketed
pole of some sort stuck up behind his right shoulder, strapped to his back by
some type of black harness. Carved into the handle of it were deep grooves for a
large hand to fit. A chill slid over Danielle. Yet, she lifted her chin
and shifted her gaze from the intimidating weapon back to his.
She was surprised to see the handsome knight move his lips. A hint of a smile,
one had to squint to see, but it was there nonetheless and in his eyes. She
found herself warming to it and she smiled herself. His eyes changed and the
smile became more pronounced.

“Lord of Westlan, Rourke Thorsson
and his man Goran. May I present milady, the Baroness Danielle of Gravane.”
Balwain announced.

Both men greeted her in unison. The
one called Rourke Thorsson was the taller knight and he reminded her so much of
Aric. Except for the fact his long hair was blonde and he had the most vibrant
green eyes she’d ever seen. Those eyes sparkled as he smiled down at her.

Danielle said. “Milords. Welcome to
Gravane manor. I thank you for helping Balwain and seeing their route home
safely. Would you not care to stay the night for rest, food and drink?”

Balwain beamed, his expression
showed that he hoped the two knights would accept.  

“Although we would like to partake
in such a warm invite, milady, I fear we cannot. I am a few days late from my
own mission. But, perhaps another time.” Rourke smiled at her and Danielle knew
his words were true.  His man Goran looked as though he wished they could
still accept however.

“Milord, I am sorry. I hope this
unfortunate incident with my husband was not the cause for your delay.”

“Nay, milady.” His gaze slid
sideways for a brief second; if she’d blinked she would have missed it.

His man Goran stood with his hands
clasped behind his back and clearing his throat, he kept his gaze on Danielle
although she saw the defiance in the man’s gaze. The two men reminded her of
the silent interaction between her husband and Balwain. These two were very
close also.

Balwain cleared his throat over the
awkward second. 

Danielle tried again. “My husband,
when he wakes would be most pleased to find you still here and would wish to
thank you himself.” She itched to flee their sight to get back to Aric’s side.
She watched the blonde knight think her words over for quick a moment.

He shared a look with his man again
before he turned his green gaze back upon her. He was indeed as handsome as Aric. 

“I suppose one more day will not
change my mission. And it is Rourke, milady if you please. A hot meal and a
night of rest would give our weary bones a bit more vigor. Thank you,
milady.” 

Danielle felt her cheeks warm at
the look he gave her.  He was a charmer just like Aric. She was pleased
that he had accepted the invite. Aric would wish to speak to the man
himself.  His man Goran relaxed and smiled at her too.  Both men
bowed to her and Danielle found herself blushing further.

She saw a kind man behind that
fierce visage of Rourke’s countenance and something else she’d come to know in
her husband’s gaze. Deep secrets. But she clasped her hands in front of
her.  She could not stand here any longer.

“Balwain will show you where you
are to make yourselves more comfortable and if you will forgive me, I must now
tend to my husband.” 

“Of course.” Rourke nodded.

Balwain and the two giants quit the
hall. Danielle was already halfway up the stairs
.

Chapter 26

Danielle’s hands
shook as she cleaned away the last droplets of blood from Aric’s neck. He lay
still lost in another world with no signs of waking up. His only movement had
been a flinch here and there while she’d worked on the deep cut at the back of
his skull. She’d sighed with a moment of relief after it was cleansed and she
could see it better. The wound did not need to be cauterized nor was it as dire
as the amount of blood would have one think. Still, it was serious enough for
him to stay abed a few days. This she knew he would not like.

 Balwain had been right, the
fall he’d taken had split the back of his skull near his neck and she had to
shave off a lot of his hair. He would not be pleased with that either. But it
had to be done. 

The puncture on his leg was not
deep, but she packed it all the same to ward off infection. Edie assisted her
through it all.

But Danielle was still concerned.
She wished he’d wake.

Dipping the cloth back in the bowl
of boiled water and marigold, she wrung it free and laid it across his
forehead. She wiped the back of her hand across her own forehead before resting
both hands on her knees as she let out a hard breath and stared at his
face. 

Edie’s soft pat on her shoulder
barely penetrated her thoughts. “He will be well, milady. You’ve done what you
could. Come. You must eat or drink something.”

“Nay, Edie. I will be along in a
minute.  Please make sure our guests are served a hearty meal and their
comforts lack naught. I will be down to tell all that their lord fares well.”
Danielle blinked rapidly, her voice sounded as though it belonged to
another. 

“Aye, milady.” Edie nodded,
although her expression was one of protest. 

Still, she turned to the chamber
door just as a weary Balwain sauntered in. Touching his hand, Edie squeezed it
and went to pass him. He covered her hand with his own for a moment before
letting her go.

Danielle heard his boots cross the
floor to her. 

“Milady. You can remain here. I
will announce milord’s well-being. That is of course with your blessing.”

Danielle would have stood to hug
him but she knew that her knees would not hold her. Instead she turned and met
his gaze. “’Twould be most kind of you to do so, Balwain.” She said
softly. 

Balwain nodded as he stepped closer
to the bed and looked down into his lord’s face. 

Casting a look to his lady, he felt
her sorrow. She had been brave but now, he could see she was near her end and
needed a moment alone. What with him, and the servants in and out of the room,
she had worked diligently over his lord and friend till dusk. All the while
struggling to keep back her own feelings as she issued orders. Balwain closed
the chamber door leaving her alone.

The sound of the door closing was
like a bell going off inside Danielle’s head and she stood, only to have her
knees buckle and she leaned on the bed for support. It mattered not, for she
collapsed the rest of the way, taking Aric’s hand with her as she gave in to
the shock and grief she’d held in check the whole day. She sobbed right where she
fell, on the floor next to him. 

Something soft was tickling his
cheek and Aric suppressed the urge to smile and moved his hand to wipe it away,
but it escaped his touch to slide down over his throat to his chest. He grunted
and opened his eyes. It took a few moments for them to adjust to the darkness
and another moment to orient himself.  He felt Danielle’s warm body
pressed against his side, a lock of her hair fanned across his naked chest. He
was abed. 

A single taper illuminated the
room. 

He moved but an inch and sharp pain
exploded at the back of his neck. The pounding headache caused nausea to churn
within his belly. He tried to move again, turning his head when another shard
of white hot pain flashed through his skull. He closed his eyes and a guttural
groan escaped his lips.

“Aric!” Danielle’s sleepy cry above
him cut through his haze of pain. 

“Sw…Sweet, Danielle.”  He
managed to murmur, swallowing to loosen his tongue as he felt her hands on his
face for a brief moment. But before he could say another word, the pain took
him back under the swathe of darkness.

When next he woke, ‘twas to voices
and to a dull, throbbing headache. Aric had to shake his head to clear the
images he was seeing. The first figure he recognized easily as that of his
wife, the next, ah, Balwain. 

He must have made a sound for
Balwain’s shout caused Danielle to turn and rush over to the bed. He struggled
against the darkness as its fingers seized him again. With his last ebb of
strength, Aric trained his gaze on Danielle’s lovely and smiling face before
the darkness triumphed.

This time when he woke, it was to
semi-darkness and the sound of someone humming a light pleasant tune. He was
damn thirsty and turning his head, he was met with clarity and saw Danielle sewing
something seated on the bench near the hearth. Her body faced him, but her dark
head was down. 

He worked his tongue with a prayer
it functioned. “What must I do to get a droplet of water on my parched tongue,
milady?’

Her head shot up and Aric swore he
never saw a more beautiful sight as she flew over to him.  Her hair
unbound and loose flowed around her frame and she wore a white
shift.  

Danielle cried, “Aric!  You
are awake.”

Her warm hands cupped his face and
Aric smiled up at her, her grey-blue eyes filled with moisture. He felt a pang
in his chest and said soothingly, “You must be happy for I see your tears,
Danielle.”

“Aye, I am happy, Aric. Very happy
indeed.” She exclaimed as a fat tear formed and slipped down her cheek. “Do you
feel any pain?”

He reached up to wipe away her tear
and caress her cheek. “Nay. The hammer to my skull has blessed me with a
reprieve and departed.”

She did cry then, deep hearty sobs
as her head dropped to his chest. Her body shook hard with her sobs and he
soothed her with sweet words until she calmed and finally lifted her tear
stained face. 

He leaned up and kissed her
lightly, ignoring the pain throbbing in his neck. He’d not lied completely;
most of the pain was gone. But he’d not say anything to her. The dark circles
under her eyes worried him and he wanted them gone. He groaned when she moaned
against his mouth, he could taste her tears.

“Sweet Danielle. As much as I love
the taste of you any other time, I fear this time, I need water first.” He said
hoarsely. 

Hearing her small laugh warmed his
heart. 

“Oh! Of course, Aric.  Of
course.”  She hummed a little tune as she quickly climbed off the
bed.  His heart soared as her joyful humming lit a fire in his chest. He
watched her with his heart in his eyes as she poured the fresh water into a
cup. 

After she helped him swallow two
cups of water, she helped prop him up with pillows against his back and sat on
the bed next to him.

 Aric was pleased that she
held his hand in hers while her hungry eyes drank him in. He took the exquisite
vision of her in. Her large eyes were puffy and dark. She had been crying hard
and his heart twisted when he glimpsed her grief in the retelling of what had
happened. 

“And Thunder?  How does he
fare?” he asked her, some of the hoarseness lifted from his voice.

Her sniffles tore at him and he
stiffened, waiting. 

Her words came quietly. “I am
sorry, Aric. He went over with you and did not…there was naught they could do.”

Aric exhaled the painful breath
that he’d been holding and pulled her up against his chest. The memory of the
fall came rushing back to him.

 Thunder would be hard to
replace.

Danielle kissed his neck as he
trembled under her. She was so sorry that the beautiful beast had fallen to its
death. She knew he grieved for the great warhorse, but he would not say more.

After a moment longer of silence,
she could tell that his breathing was more relaxed and she said, “The men that
helped Balwain I am pleased to say, remained for they wanted to see how you
fared.”

“The
Dark Axe
is still here
on Gravane land?” 

The excitement in his tone pleased
Danielle and she was glad that she had asked the men to stay.   Then
she frowned, asking with a perplexed look upon her face.  "The Dark
Axe?  Nay, the men that helped Balwain are the ones that remained. The
Dark Axe did not come back with them.  Was he with them before your
fall?”   

She had heard of this
Dark Axe
. 
Everyone had. His name preceded him and was well known throughout
Northumberland.  She was glad this man was not with Rourke Thorsson. He
had the reputation of being one of the most vicious and savage Norman warriors
known. She must have spoken her thoughts aloud for Aric’s words pulled her back.

“Aye, Danielle. His name precedes
him.”

“It does indeed. He is not with
this lord and I fear I must admit I am glad of it. Rourke Thorsson does not
seem like the sort to want to be in the company of a man like
him
.” She
shivered with a nod that Aric was not sure if from relief or repulsion.

He watched her, smiling.  She
gave him an odd look. “What is so amusing?”

“Did you not say that Rourke
Thorsson is our guest?”

Narrowing her gaze at the gleam in
his eyes, she nodded.

“Do you not know who ‘tis that you
have invited to stay under your roof? Ah, Balwain failed to tell.” Aric could
barely contain himself with the look of horror that came over her face.

“Nay!  Do not jest about such
things, Aric!”   She pushed him back down as he moved to rise from
the bed. 

“I jest not. The Dark Axe
is
Rourke Thorsson, Lord of Westlan,” he told her firmly with mirth in his tone.

Danielle shook her head in
disbelief.  That could not be the same man of which those horrible battle
stories had been carried off the field about.  The man she had met
possessed a gentle smile. And she had even thought he’d reminded her of her
husband. Nay! He could not be the same man! 

“’Tis one in the same, Danielle.”
Aric let out a small chuckle.  She would never stop saying her thoughts
out loud and he found he was pleased that she had this quirk about her.