Chapter 32: Chapter Eleven

EGIL

Egil stood down by the pier, staring back at where he’d run into Ada. It had been such a strange interaction. She was obviously upset, but why did she need his sword?

He scanned the boatyard again to see if Cayden was there. Scratching his beard, he wondered if he should go see if Ada was all right. If anything were to happen to her, Cayden would undoubtedly kill him.

Egil started back up the path to Cayden’s farm when he observed him forcefully open the door to the storage house. He was visibly angry and cursing to himself.

Egil tried to catch up to him but froze in his tracks when he saw Tenna appear at the door.

“Oh, Cayden, what have you done?” Egil whispered. It all made sense. Ada had seen whatever happened in that hut. Knowing Ada’s stubbornness, especially now being with child, Egil needed to tell Cayden.

He looked up the pathway, but Cayden had disappeared from the road. Egil hastily made his way to find him.

Egil searched the stables and the great hall without any luck. He moved on to Cayden’s house, where goats were crowded around the front of the small yard.

“Cayden! Are you here?” Egil yelled several times.

“Who is there?” Cayden’s voice responded from inside the house.

“Egil,” he answered, and walked into the cottage. Cayden stood by the fire, slipping on a fresh pair of clothes. Egil trod carefully; he had known his friend many years and could tell something was wrong.

“Well?” Cayden’s voice was sharp. Egil nervously cleared his throat. How was he to tell his friend about Ada without sounding judgmental?

“There’s no easy way to say what I am about to say.”

“Then just spit it out, Egil.”

“I was on my way to the boatyard when I spotted Ada on the path. I didn’t understand what she was doing at first, but now I know she was peering through the door of the storage house.

“When I came upon her, I must have startled her.” Cayden’s face was becoming increasingly agitated, his cheeks ruddy with emotion. Egil clenched his hands into fists, then relaxed them again.

“Cayden, she was very upset and demanded my sword. She took off, and I tried to look for you by the boats.”

Cayden picked up the bowl on the edge of the table and threw it as hard as he could against the side of the cottage.

“When did you see her? How long ago?” he barked.

“Not too long ago, but long enough for her to do something stupid.”

Before Egil could even finish his sentence, Cayden began layering up. Dusk would be here soon, and he needed to find Ada before it started raining again.

It was so cold outside; he hoped she had at least dressed appropriately. Egil stepped forward. “I’ll help you find her.”

Cayden paused for a second, then continued gathering his things. “Send a slave to stay here at the house and go search the town. If she has left, she wouldn’t have made it that far.”

Ten minutes later, Cayden’s horse galloped through the meadow that led to the woods. He knew Ada was out here. She was so headstrong. What was she thinking, just leaving without talking to him?

He was so angry with the entire situation—he should have dealt with Tenna that day in the hall. All of this could have been avoided.

Snow began falling, slowly at first, but the farther he rode, the heavier it became. As he neared the woods, he started shouting Ada’s name.

“Ada… Ada!” he called out, searching the area, but there was no response. He rode around for several more minutes when all of a sudden, a horse appeared out of nowhere.

Grabbing the reins, he recognized one of Muireann’s horses, but where was the horse’s saddle? More importantly, where was the horse’s rider?

ADA

The sun was beginning to set and I could feel the chill of the winter night settling in. This was one of the more foolish decisions I had made.

Why did I leave without food, clothes, or shelter? All I had was this horse and Egil’s sword.

Even if I wished to bury my pride and return to Dundalk, I was so disoriented in the forest, I would never find my way back.

I held my belly and thought about how heightened my emotions had been during the past few months.

“Oh, what did I do?” I said aloud. My bottom lip started to quiver. Everything happened so quickly. I was so angry that my mind had gone straight to fleeing, as it had with Lugh.

I didn’t have a plan for where I was going, but at least this time I had remembered a weapon. All I could think about was Cayden’s betrayal.

This was my way of feeling in control, but I was far from being in control. I felt helpless as the bitter wind cut through my cloak. I was going to die out here. My child was going to die out here.

My body was shivering from the cold, so I slowly got off the horse and unstrapped the saddle. There was a thick wool blanket under it. I was sorry the horse would be cold, but this was a matter of survival.

I went to place the saddle back onto the horse when he reared up on his hind legs before galloping off into the night. I grabbed the blanket and trailed after it, but my efforts were useless.

The woods were growing darker and darker, and I couldn’t even see where he had gone. Covering myself with the blanket, I sat down to rest, thinking about what I should do next.

I could at least try to walk back toward Dundalk. If anything, I hoped to cross paths with another traveler.

The snow was beginning to break through the trees, and I didn’t know how long I had been sitting there under the warm blanket.

It was time for me to start moving, because my body was starting to feel fatigued and hungry. That was when I heard a distant sound, someone yelling.

I stood up and moved closer to the sound. In the stillness of the forest, it was easy to make out his yell. “Cayden,” I shouted back, running in the direction of his voice.

There he was, leading his horse toward me. I’d never been so happy to see him. He jumped down from the horse, wrapping me in his arms.

“Oh, Ada. I was so scared something had happened to you. I would never have forgiven myself if it had,” he said, kissing me all over. “Why would you leave like that? Without even talking to me?”

Suddenly, I remembered my reason for leaving. I could feel my body shift from feeling completely happy to completely distraught. He’d kissed that other woman, betraying me, betraying our child.

“If I was not so cold and hungry right now, I would punch you in the face,” I said, pulling away from him.

“Ada, I am so sorry. Egil told me everything. It’s not what you think.”

“I don’t care what you have to say. I will go back with you to Dundalk, but mark my words, I will be leaving tomorrow. Once I have properly prepared.”

Cayden reached for my hand, but I turned away. “Please, Ada. Listen to me.”

“I know what I saw. I refuse to stay here just as your ~woman~ and take care of your children while you go off and ride whomever you wish.”

“What do you mean, my ~woman~?”

We were right back where we started, in the woods, alone, with me holding Egil’s sword up toward him. “It has become clear you will never marry me.”

“Am I supposed to wait around until you tire of me? I have already lived like that. I will not willingly do so again.”

“Is that what you truly think of me?” Cayden looked hurt by my words.

“That is what ~you~ have led me to believe. What am I supposed to think? After Weylin attacked me, you barely spoke a word to me. It’s like you are unsure about us.

“And then, on top of that, I see you and that woman ~alone~, kissing each other.” He stood back, thinking.

It looked like he was about to speak when he placed his hand over my mouth and pushed my back against a tree. We stood absolutely still there for a moment.

I didn’t hear anything until Cayden suddenly pulled out his sword and began fighting a dark figure.

“Ada, take the horse and go,” he shouted to me.