Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen

ADA

When we were almost to the farm, I began to yell for Padriac as loudly as I could. Cayden was making his way to the stable when Padriac came out of the house.

He seemed confused by the situation. Cayden was completely filled with rage by this point and I was still naked, holding my dress against the front of my body. He approached us with caution.

“Stop him, please!”

“What is the matter?” Padriac asked. Cayden went about placing a saddle on his horse.

“He is being foolish,” I said. This seemed to ignite something inside of Cayden. He came over to me and turned me around for Padriac to see.

“This! This is what my cousin has done to my wo—my property,” Cayden shouted, and pushed me into Padriac. He went back to securing his saddle. Padriac awkwardly and gently ushered me out of the way.

“Ada is right. You are being foolish.” Padriac protectively stepped between us. He spoke loudly: “If you ride into the hall this angry, you will look thoughtless and weak.

“They believed her to be a slave. Trust me. You are not thinking clearly.”

Cayden paused and looked over at his oldest friend. I could not read his face, because he still appeared enraged. I was scared he would draw his dagger and kill Padriac right then.

Instead, he threw the saddle as hard as he could at the post, pacing back and forth for a few seconds.

“Tonight, we will ride into town together and eat with my father. I wish to know what punishment he has bestowed on Weylin.”

“Then that is what we will do.”

Padriac put his arm around Cayden and they walked away from the stable together. Was I just property to Cayden, or had he stopped himself from saying something else?

I stood there, bewildered by the entire situation, pretending to congratulate myself for intervening. Padriac must have said something amusing, because I could hear Cayden laugh as they disappeared into the house.

I pulled a blanket from one of the saddlebags to put around me and headed back to the river to finish my bath.

CAYDEN

“I’m leaving Egil and Gosta here with you until I return,” Cayden said to Ada that afternoon. He had found her sitting on a hill two fields over from the house overlooking the river.

Ada had finished her chores early that day while the men were still ill from drinking so much ale the night before. None wished to practice fighting with her, or each other.

Ada turned around at the sound of his voice. She was even more beautiful in this light, her hair glowing almost like fire. Cayden examined her face, clean from the dirt of the dungeon.

He had not realized the fullness of her lips against her pale skin, or the little freckles that danced upon her cheeks. In that moment, Cayden had forgotten what he had even said to her until Ada spoke.

“I will be fine by myself, if they wish to go.”

“I do not trust my cousin.”

“You think he would still try to sell me with you here?”

“I do not know, but I also do not wish to find out.”

“All right then. When will you return?”

“Not too late, I don’t want the men to miss out on their own enjoyment because of me.”

Ada turned back to face the river. It was hard for him to leave her sitting there alone. She seemed to be thinking deeply about something and went about humming another somber tune.

Cayden wondered if he should ask her about it but decided it would be best to leave her in peace.

***

The three men dismounted from their horses upon arriving at the hall. Sayer was outside and happy to greet his little brother.

The two of them hugged, scuffling a little. Of all the children, Sayer took after his father the most. He was a Dane inside and out, no one could dispute it.

“It is good to see you, brother. We miss you here.”

“It is good to be here. Where is Father?”

“He is inside and will be pleased to see you.” Sayer patted Padriac and Caxton on the back, greeting them as well. “Where are the rest of our friends?”

“On the farm with Ada.”

“Oh, the temptress has a name, does she?”

“She has always had a name, brother.”

“Names mean nothing when you have your pick of women to ride,” he joked to his younger brother. “And how is she?”

“It is not like that, Sayer. She’s learning to fight and wishes to join us.”

“Has Cayden, the great Viking warrior, fallen in love?”

Cayden looked around to check no one else could hear their conversation. As brothers often did, Sayer knew exactly what things to say to agitate his sibling.

Cayden’s demeanor changed as he looked his brother in the eye.

“I do not love her.”

“It is obvious you care for her deeply. Rankin was the first to point that out to Father.” Sayer saw that Cayden was bothered by this statement. He looked off into the distance, slightly worried.

In a protective way, Sayer pulled him to the side. “You’ll have to marry and breed little Vikings at some point. If you like her, then admit it. Don’t be so proud, Cayden.”

“I am not proud.” Sayer laughed, for Cayden was not only known for his sword-skill, but also for his arrogance.

Leading them to the table where his father, uncle, and cousin sat, Sayer said, “Then we shall see how the humble Cayden acts tonight.”

Cayden sat silently for most of their meal, only speaking when necessary. Every time he heard his cousin or uncle speak, he felt his muscles tighten.

It took every ounce of self-control not to punch his ass of a cousin in the face. After their stomachs were satisfied, the drinking continued.

Cayden remembered he’d promised to return to the mill to relieve his two friends, but his father would be upset if he left too soon, seeing that much of his time had been spent at the farm.

The women from the town and others who had traveled with them provided pleasure for men able to pay. One of them approached Cayden and began to rub his shoulders.

He waved her away, also dismissing the other men around them so he and his father might speak in private. Sayer remained at the table with them.

“I wish to know how Weylin was punished, father.”

“This again, Cayden? He was punished and that is the end of it,” Barra responded dismissively. Cayden was frustrated by his father’s answer and finished drinking his cup of ale.

“Cayden tells me Ada wishes to become a warrior,” Sayer added. Cayden looked daggers at his brother.

“The young woman I met yesterday?” Barra asked.

“I would not say warrior exactly, but yes, I am going to teach her to fight.”

“And why are you wasting your time doing that?”

“A just question, father,” Sayer said, enjoying his brother’s embarrassment.

“Ada is strong, and it will do her well to learn some sword-skill if she is to remain with us.”

Barra and Sayer both seemed to stop their kidding with Cayden. Their thoughts probably shifted to Kyra, who had been in a situation similar to that of Ada’s own mother, Willow.

Barra leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard.

“If you still feel as you do now, bring her to the hall next week. In the meantime, I will make it clear to the men here that she is to be treated as one of us.”