It was the third time Hector had asked the coachman to slow down.With every jolt of the carriage, Maysie moaned in pain. Her face became blotchy even more; she pursed her lips and closed her eyes tightly.As the carriage slowed down, Skye's heart raised heartbeats as her concern about Maysie's fate started to fill out her heart.One thing only troubled her mind, her entire being- to get there before it was too late.Now the carriage was moving slow, excruciatingly slowly, but what mattered was that Maysie seemed calmer, her face had relaxed. She wasn't in pain anymore.Once again, Skye caressed Maysie's face."Hold on Maysie." She whispered and gently pressed a moistened cloth on her lips. Maysie's lips moved, but no sound came out.Skye looked at Talisha."Maybe she's trying to say something," Talisha surmised.Skye focused her gaze on her and shook her head. “No, Maysie, don't get tired. Don't talk." She stroked her hair.Maysie's lips moved again. "S-sk-ey" was just a whisper tha
The next day late in the afternoon, Hector's two men returned from the King's castle, where they had gone to deliver the message Hector had written to him.As soon as Hector saw them, he rose from the shade of the apple tree where he was sitting and approached them."Well?" he asked them.The men gave him a broad smile."The king gave us an answer - an order as he called it. He didn't seal it because he wants you to read it too before handing it over," the man told him as he got off the horse. He opened the leather pouch on his saddle and took out a rolled-up papyrus. "Here it is. This is the King's decision,” he said to Hector, handing it to him.Hector took it in his hands and opened it. He read it quickly and smiled.After what he had read, he immediately forgot the sleepless night he had spent."Where are the carriages and carts?" he asked them."They're on the road, they're on the way. We just moved faster to inform you. The carriages and carts will not come here to the village,
When Skye finished reading she took a deep breath and looked at him."Can such a thing be done?" he asked him showing the scroll she was holding."For the king to say so, it can be done," he answered her calmly. "What is your opinion, though?" he asked her.Skye rolled up the papyrus carefully and held out her hand to return it to him. Hector reached out to grab it, and for a fleeting moment, his fingers accidentally touched hers.Hector was close enough to hear her small, sharp intake of breath. Skye lowered her gaze and fixed it on the ground.He smiled seeing her cheekbones having a sudden flush of a pale pink color.Although his touch was fleeting on her fingers she felt their warmth like a wave washing over her. The heat had gathered mostly in her face which felt it burning. When the heat from her face receded, she felt safe and looked up to face him."You asked my opinion, right?" she asked, looking him straight in the eyes.Hector nodded. "Yes, I did.""Since it's the king's or
Hector knocked on the door and waited patiently.The door opened, and one of the maids appeared in the opening. Her eyebrows rose at seeing all these men on the doorstep."How can I help?" she asked. Her voice tremored.The bottom of her skirt was wet, and in her hands, she was holding a wet cloth that she was mopping the living room floor with when the door knocked, and she went to open it."I want to speak to Lord Malcolm." Hector answered. "Can you call him?"The maid swallowed hard, clutching the wet garment in her hands. She looked behind her anxiously, but there was no one to be seen."Um… I- I'm not sure if he's here," she responded.Hector looked at her and narrowed his eyes. What did she mean she was not sure? Was she trying to cover for him?“How come you're not sure if he's here or not? Are you covering for him?" he asked bluntly, leaning darkly toward her.The maid took a step back, and her face paled. Her breaths became rapid."Come on, Hector, stop it, you're scaring her
The door slammed, drawing the attention of the men who, up until that moment, were commenting on everything that had happened in the castle, while at the same time, they were busy tending to the horses. All eyes were on her, and Skye wasn't used to that. She had never wished to attract attention, especially from men. And now six heads had turned to look at her, freezing her in place. She looked at them, forcing herself to smile. Hector's heart slammed at the sight of her and he felt his legs melting. Oh my God! That flush that crept across her cheeks, made his heart bloom like a rose, as her cheeks had bloomed now. An irresistible force drove him across the stone path that led to the door of the house and near to her. Approaching her, he placed his hands behind his back and held them tightly, fighting the urge to reach for her. Skye watched him come towards her. His eyes never left hers, not for a moment, and Skye couldn't take hers from his, it was as if a magnetic force had lock
The sun had risen in all its shape and brightness. The women in the house were already awake, and Talisha was helping Delma prepare breakfast for everyone.Skye was sitting at the table with a mug of hot tea in front of her.She couldn't drink it hot, so she braided her hair until it cooled down a bit. She had parted her hair in the middle and brought it to the front right and left of her head, using a small old hand mirror attached to a wooden box. She had watched Maysie make them so many times that she had learned how to do it herself."They are very beautiful," Maysie told her when Skye had finished, and she had taken the mirror to look at them closely, turning her head a little to the side right and left.She turned her eyes to her. "I had a good teacher," she replied, and Maysie laughed."Breakfast is almost ready," Delma announced. “I need one last ingredient. Skye?” addressed to her."Can you please go to the herb garden and get me marjoram and mint?"Skye looked at her. "Do yo
Delma walked to the end of the path and looked around to see if the men had returned, but no one was there.She continued to the apple orchard, wondering what her next move would be. She couldn't decide if she would go near Hector or not. She didn't know what she would face. What if he slept naked? Although it was something that ruled it out, it crossed her mind that she might not find him in a decent state, and they would both be in an awkward position. No, she didn't want that. Mainly for Hector than for herself.So she decided what to do so there would be no problem.She moved a little further and began to call him. “Hector, Hector. Where are you?"She called him a few more times until she got a response."Just a minute, I'm coming." Hector answered.Delma smiled and shook her head. She decided not to tell him anything about Skye so as not to disappoint him.She saw him approaching her, laden with his bedding."What happened?" he asked."Were you still asleep?"Hector nodded. "I r
They had finished eating, and Delma was clearing the table. “Until Talisha and I clean up, why don't you three go outside for a walk? Maysie needs to start walking, but not on her own yet. "It's such a lovely day today, I am sure you will enjoy it." They agreed and went out for a walk. "Hold me by the waist for support, Maysie." Hector urged her. Maysie obeyed, though she didn't feel comfortable with that at first. Her hesitation lasted until she wrapped her arm around his waist and realized Hector was right. She felt safer using her shaky legs. A stitch of jealousy shot through Skye's heart, and she closed her eyes tightly for a moment. Is it possible that she was jealous of Maysie? She took Maysie's free hand and squeezed it in hers. No, she wasn't jealous of Maysie, but Maysie's arm enveloped Hector's waist. She took a deep breath and wished it was her hand around his waist. She bit her lower lip. What was she thinking? That was foolish of her, as Hector had no desire for he