One year later.
The swishing of forest trees arose her from her slumber. She looked around her familiar environment and shook her head. She was absorbed in her thought, until the shrill cry of an infant pulled her out.
"Oh, Jessy" She whispered and picked the tiny bundle that was causing so much ruckus in her peaceful morning. The child gave her a gummy smile and she returned it.
"Let us go and give you a nice warm bath." She kissed the top of her head. She proceeded to warm up water for the child.
She bathed the child and wrapped her in the only good shawl she has. Poor Isabelle has not been able to enjoy frivolous things. She wanted to go back home but everything was ruined now. And she certainly does not want to go back when those barbarians were still there.
"Jessy darling," she cooed to her. She proceeded to bath herself too. She wore her day gown which consisted of simple linen in the colour of the sky like her eyes.
The day was like every other day. Silent, only the swishing of forest trees and the chirping of birds kept her company. She did not need to go out today for she has enough to eat and also Isabelle.
She watched as the day went by, sang to Jessy and stitched some fabrics for them. She also put wood in the earthen fireplace to keep them warm. It get really cold in the forests all the time.
Dusk is falling fast and she needed rest after an uneventful day but the loud beating of hooves beating against the earth drew her attention. It has been long since she heard something like this, nobody used this route. She had made sure of that when she ran one year ago. Maybe it was hunters lost or travellers heading home. Home, it felt foreign to her now.
"Eric, we ride at dawn." Lord Tristan yelled at his right hand man in the training yard.
"Aye," he replied simply.
He was bitter, of course he was. How could that delicate lass slip right out of his hold? He had thought he would not need force to get her to submit to him. Guess he was wrong after all. Should he ever get a hold of her, not even death can save her from his fury. And that is not a threat, 'tis a promise.
He wielded his sword excellently, grey eyes focused on the task at hand catching his opposition in vulnerable spots.
"Cousin, you are not fighting fair." Jamie groaned. Eric and Jamie were brothers and Tristan was their cousin. Their fathers were brothers.
"Thought you said all is fair in love and war." He countered.
"I can not figure out this one." He joked but he didn't laugh. He did not find it funny. "Oh, I forgot you broke your funny bone." That made him laugh.
"Aye, Cousin. Why not take this to the next level and let us know who broke their funny bone?" Jamie visibly swallowed. He knew his cousin was a brutal man. He made a fine man too, but he was younger than Tristan and Eric.
"We shall," he said, despite his fear. One of the greatest things he learned from Tristan was never cower in fear.
They mounted their horses and took of. There was no time to lag, they needed to get to England. Athena, ran. He fumed.
"We take the east." He ordered. "There are less hazards that way." They agreed.
The little cabin caught his attention. Smoke rose from the top of the small house. There must be inhabitants there, judging from the smoke.
"We could go there and ask for a drink." Eric suggested. They needed it, they have been riding for hours on end. Jamie and the other young lads gobbled all their water even after countless warnings. "Especially after Jamie drank like a fish." He snorted.
"Brother, don't be bitter." He quipped laughing. One stern look from Eric and he stopped.
"Aye," he agreed. "Wait here," he said and nudged his beast, making the large stallion trot froward gracefully.
He dismounted the animal and made his way towards the small abode. He knocked the wooden door gently and waited.
"Jessy, coming." He heard a sweet voice call before opening the door. It was feminine and strangely familiar. The door opened and he froze.
She froze.
It was like time stood still.
She batted her long eyelashes in disbelief and she wished, desperately prayed that it was just a figment of her imagination.
"Why, my lady, we meet again." He said, his voice crawling up her skin. It made her want to take to her heels. She looked down and curled her fists. The joy and the fit of anger he felt when her eyes met hers was not to be described. And the fear on her face was what he reveled in, as a smirk crawled his way up to his lips. You have no idea what is coming to you. He thought.
"My lord," she gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes. Tristan, here? She wanted to laugh at her ill luck. She clutched her baby tighter and Tristan's eyes flickered to the little one, if he was shocked he didn't let it show. How did they find out about her?
"You are correct, lass." He smirked. "Look what we have here," he yelled over his shoulder drawing the attention of his men. "The lady Athena is here." Audible gasps reverberated through the forest. She has a child. He quickly recovered from the shock of seeing her with child. That was no concern of his, but a noble lady with a child out of wedlock has never been heard of.
It took her a while to get her head in one piece. She was supposed to bolt as soon as she saw him but she didn't and now it seemed too late. She clutched her own child to her bosom and stepped back a bit.
She was going to run again and he could sense it. The look on her face told him how much she wanted to make a run for it but not this time. Oh no, Athena not this time. She took a step back and he took another step forward menacingly.
She took another step back and he took another forward. She missed a step and fell on her rump. She still held Jessy close and made sure the fall didn't affect her. Tears of humiliation brimmed in her bright blue eyes. He actually laughed at her. He was laughing so much.
He bent and looked her in the eye. A tear fell on his hand and he flicked it away. "This is nothing compared to how much you're going to cry when I am done with you, milady." He promised. The venom in his tone was cold and rueful. It made her regret running away and more importantly made her wish she had just ignored the knock.
She stood up and looked down, the storm brewing in his icy eyes would be too much to bear now.
He called over his shoulder to the men. "We head back to the keep, the lady just not get away this time." She took a step back and he grabbed her hand.
"Not this time, lady Athena." He gritted out making her stiff.
"Please just leave me alone," she begged, "pretend this never happened." She cried. I shouldn't have been home alone today of all days. She thought.
He threw his head back in humourless laugh. "I wish I could, milady. I wanted you to pretend I was never at your keep a year ago." Her bottom lip quivered as tears spilled down her face. "Save your tears, my lady." He tsked, "now is not the time to shed tears." It was not an advice, tis was simply the truth.
Eric appeared and jerked away upon seeing her with a child. Oh the lady is really full of surprises.
"Let us go, dusk is falling fast." Tristan groaned impatiently.
"Must we leave with the lady?" Eric asked.
"Of course, she has troubled us enough. Lead her to the horses."
"I'll come with you." Duncan said.
No, Duncan. She said. I'll come to see you with Isabelle very soon, I promise. With tears in her eyes, she waved goodbye to him.
Someone had led Athena out and her child of course. Eric and Tristan joined the men and climbed on his stallion.
"The lady rides with me." He ordered and pulled her arm, hoisting her on the stallion, making her yelp. To his surprise, she didn't attempt to fight or run. She did not even protest.
They have been riding for a long time now, the sun was slowly setting. Her baby was crying and she can not even feed her.
"Jessy," she cooed softly. "Please hold on, mama will feed you soon." She wanted to ask if they would stop for a moment but her shattered pride would not let her. There is no harm in trying but Tristan would probably laugh one of those humourless skin crawling laughs.
"Stop," he barked and made his horse stop too. He jumped down and helped her. "We take shelter here for the night."
She was grateful for the stop and she started to feed the baby from her bottle. She surprisingly finished her entire bottle at once. She was hungry too but in the haste and the shock of meeting Tristan again, she forgot about herself. She didn't think that Duncan would allow her to take the child.
I trust you with her, Isabella would have too. Please take care of my babe. He had said. She felt sick lying to herself but she had no choice.
"Eric, give the lady the pheasant."
"But she can not.."
"Do not argue with me, give the lady the pheasant, she will pluck it."
"But I have no idea what to do with it." She whispered to herself.
"So you tell me that you have not done this before?" She nodded slowly. "How did you survive the wild then?" And before she answered, he scoffed. "Oh I forgot you had help, Duncan was there." She ignored his jab.
A lone tear rolled down her eyes which she quickly wiped away. Tristan caught it but didn't say anything.