Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen

CAYDEN

Cayden sat at the table with his brother Sayer, the two of them engrossed in conversation. Sayer was updating his brother on all that was transpiring within the town.

Cayden could not help but look over toward Ada whenever he heard the sound of her laughter.

Even though he mostly saw the back of her head, every once in a while, he would catch her head turning toward one of his friends. She was beaming.

He loved seeing her so happy, the opposite of what he had witnessed here just a week ago.

“And how are things with Ada, brother? Have you lain with her yet?” Sayer asked.

“Is that honestly all you think about, Sayer?”

“Well, I’m just wondering. You have talked about her half of the night and stared in her direction the other half. You cannot tell me nothing has gone on between you two.”

“Yes, we have become close. But I’m her teacher and nothing more.”

“Cayden, I am your brother. I can see you care for her. Why have you not made advances toward her?”

Cayden wondered if he should keep denying his feelings, but Sayer was right. If he could not trust his brother, then who could he trust?

“She is very beautiful and quick-witted. I fear that, for the first time ever with a woman, I do not know where her affections lie.”

“Ah, I see… You are worried she will make a fool of you.”

“I am not! I would just rather know if she has feelings for me before I make another advance.”

“You have too much pride, Cayden. Many men have already expressed interest in her to our father. If you do not want her, he will be forced to marry her to another.”

“What would you have me do? I do not wish to force her hand.”

“Then see how she reacts to another woman showing interest in you.”

Sayer signaled for one of the women standing by to come over. She was a short, petite woman with long black hair, native to Kilcoran.

“My brother is sore from his travels. Rub his shoulders.”

ADA

My eyes could not look away from the whore with Cayden. With the benches emptier now that the meal was over, I had moved to the other side of the table since Caxton had left his spot.

He had become otherwise occupied with one of the townswomen.

“Ada, are you annoyed by the attention Cayden receives from that woman?” Egil asked, catching my glance, which caused Gosta and Padriac both to turn around and look.

“I am not.”

“Jealously does not look good on you,” Padriac said teasingly.

“I am not jealous. I just wonder if that is the type of woman Cayden usually fancies.”

“Ada, do not worry about her. Her features cannot compare. If you like Cayden, then you should tell him,” Padriac said flatly. He was never one to dance around the subject. “Do you care for him?”

I had grown comfortable with these men. We had crossed the line between stranger and companion. If I trusted them with my life, why not my heart too?

It did bother me that this woman was now sitting in Cayden’s lap…a great deal. If I could not find out how Cayden felt about me from his own mouth, I knew his friends would tell me something.

“I do care for him. Very much, I’m afraid,” I finally answered, feeling embarrassed as the words left my mouth. While I was nervous about their responses, it had been cathartic for me to finally say it aloud.

“Then what is stopping you from going over there and claiming your man?” Gosta asked.

“Pride. I hoped to know what his intentions were for us before taking that step.”

“Well, I think his intentions are obvious.” Gosta grabbed my cup of ale and took a sip. “Please do us all a favor and lie with him. He would be a much more agreeable man.”

I rolled my eyes at him, continuing, “But I worry that is all he wants from me. What if ~I~ wish for more?”

“That is something only Cayden can answer,” Padriac said before anyone could ruin the moment for his friend.

“You are a good match for him. We can all agree on that. So, enough questions, let us finish these cups and devise a plan to help young Ada out.”

***

The ale was taking effect and my head felt a bit woozy. Laughter came with ease and I almost fell off of the bench from hearing all their wild suggestions.

“This woman is all show. It must have been Sayer’s doing,” Egil said, bringing back another round of ales.

“How do you know?” I asked, pushing the cup away. I would not be able to ride my horse home if I had another one.

“Cayden never wastes his time with town prostitutes.”

“That is true,” Padriac added. “I think what you need to do is fight fire with fire.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is using this woman to make you jealous. We should see if a man with ~you~ will make ~him~ jealous.”

I could not help but giggle at this suggestion. It seemed like the perfect idea. I looked around at each of them.

“Would one of you do the honors?” I asked. They exchanged looks with each other.

“And risk Cayden’s wrath? I think not.”

“Please, it would only be for a moment. One of you would just have to sit next to me…put your arm around me…maybe whisper something in my ear.

“Then we will leave the hall together and I will wait for him by the horses.”

“That does sound like a very amusing plan. When was the last time we got to play a trick on Cayden like this?” Padriac laughed.

“It should be Gosta. Of all of us, he is the one whose mind lies the most beneath his belt. Cayden would be worried.”

Gosta punched Padriac in the arm. “I cannot disagree, it is true! I love women! Let us get this done, then, so I can find my own to enjoy the night with instead of you asses.”

“Padriac and Egil, leave the table for a moment so Ada may make her way to this side of the bench… Look at her face, it will give the plan away if he sees her.”

The men rose and left the table for a moment. He was right, I could not help but smile and giggle. Without looking in Cayden’s direction, I got up and sat down next to Gosta.

We cheered our ales together and pretended to share a few words.

“Okay, pretend I’m telling you how bonny of a maiden you are right now,” he said. “I’m going to put my arm around your waist and pull your body closer to me.”

His hand rested a little lower than my waist, and with one motion, he drew me as close as he could. Padriac and Egil both returned.

We could not help but roar with laughter, which only seemed to agitate Cayden more.

“Is he looking?” Gosta asked them.

“I have not seen that look since the battle when his favorite horse was killed.”

“Really?” I asked with excitement.

“Yes. Gosta, whisper something else in her ear,” Egil suggested. Gosta pushed my hair back and pretended to say something to me. His beard tickled my neck and I genuinely giggled once more.

With the courage of the ale, I raised my hand and placed it on Gosta’s cheek for a moment. Even Gosta seemed to like the way this plan was unfolding.

“Yes, Cayden is not even responding to Sayer now or even trying to hide his glances this way. Oh, and now Sayer is looking over too.

“He’s going to kill you, Gosta. He really is going to kill you. You two better leave before he loses his temper,” Padriac warned us.

Gosta stood up and nodded for us to leave. With his help, I clumsily rose from my seat, falling into his arms. With his arm around my waist for support, we said our farewells to the other two at the table.

Gosta moved his hand to my lower back and escorted me out of the hall to where our horses stood.

“I’m going to wait around the corner and make sure no other man approaches. We shall see what destiny awaits you,” Gosta said before disappearing.

I had not thought about the possibility of Cayden not following. What if it had all gone too far? What if this had pushed him further away from me and into the arms of that woman?