Chapter 9

We spent the rest of the evening making plans. If we took a month to prepare for the trip and a week to travel there, then we would arrive at the start of the Yule season. The castle would be too caught up in its festivities to pay much attention to a straggling band of travelers seeking shelter from the winter storms, and the long nights around the Solstice would aid our escape.

Lord Reinard served as my interpreter to Sharp, though he frequently changed my statements to serve his own purpose. Sometimes he omitted them all together – such as my request to have Sharp sing Elise and myself together.

"What?" Lord Reinard cried out, then brought up his hands to sign. "I thought you had already married Elise."

I replied, "Our spirits are joined, yes, but we have had no chance to stand with a Bard."

His gestures grew curt. "You must have a proper Christian ceremony, one with worth before the eyes of God. I’ll send for a Silent Monk, one who is a priest, and have you blessed properly."
Elise would pluck out my eyes and feed them to the blackbirds, if I suggested that. "We are Heathens, and a Singing would be more appropriate than a Christian wedding."

His hand clenched twice. "You will be married by a Christian Priest, or not at all. And if you are not married, then Elise will not sleep with you, but with the other women servants."

I ceded to him with a short nod. Stolen love is sweeter, anyway.

Watching us, Sharp asked, "What was that about?"

"Oh, just a discussion of how many horses we should take with us," my noble lord replied.