elderly guest. But, she also knew the anger she was in for had she not done Darina's bidding. Lord Patrick O'Malley's wife was no stranger to her. No, Darina had quite nearly grown up in her stable, she had been always underfoot, and she was a little trouble-maker to say the least in her adolescence. She was as close a thing to having a child that Moya would ever know and she loved Darina dearly. It was her very ripe condition that troubled her. She knew very well Vynae would never approve of her riding so close to the babe coming, and that made her all the more hesitant.
"Are ye sure ye can handle the steed," Moya asked, directing her question physically to Airard but looking right at Darina. He smiled at her as he unsteadily took hold of the lead, and somehow managed to raise himself to mount. Weak . He looked incredibly weak to Moya and she wondered what would become of the pitiful two if one of them should suffer a fall or worse. Darina was in no condition to help him and he was definitely in no condition to help her. God forbid she should go into labor.
"How long do ye plan to be gone, milady?" Moya inquired.
"As long as it takes, Moya," Darina chastised, gruffly for affect. She glared at her with a disapproving, rebellious frown but broke into a smirk once she caught Moya's eye. Not exactly used to her station as Lord's wife, Darina had a bit of 'entitled Lord's daughter' still coming out. "I don't expect to be gone more than say, three hours," she offered. Stepping on the stool, Darina grunted and raised herself on the mare, landing with a thud. The mare jerked and resettled her footing.
"Where may I say ye are a goin'?"
"Ye can't," Darina rebutted."If anaone should ask, we've gone for a walk, in the orchards. Darina grabbed the lead from Airard and set out of the paddock towards the open fields. The weather was good and the skies were clear, of that she was thankful. She just hoped the audience they sought was willing and would accommodate them. She didn't know how Airard knew about Covar, but the mention of his name was a confirmation of sorts. Perhaps now she would get the answers she sought about her son and their future. Her companion sought his audience for other, more pressing reasons she presumed.
F OURTEEN
O'Malley Territory - The Island of Women
They had rowed for hours against the rough, choppy waters and the Island was finally within sight. Braedyn estimated another hour or two at most and they would set down on the shore. Finding the abandoned dinghy was a blessing, until they realized how far they had to go and how little strength remained among them. Orla's hands were bleeding and Naelyn did her best to tend to them.
"Let's jest rest here a bit, the wind is in our favor," said Naelyn.
"Aye," Braedyn replied. "I ken ye are right. We can rest here awhile," he said looking over at a sleeping Orla and back up at the clear sky. "She is might nearly worn out I suppose," he whispered.
"Ye care verra much for her, I can see that," said Naelyn. "What do ye suppose she feels for ye?"
Braeden grinned a devilish grin and settled the oars at the bottom of the dinghy before reaching for the skin of water. He took a long, slow swig before handing it to Naelyn. "I ken she likes me," he sighed, "she may even more than like me, it's hard to tell sometimes," he added, sighing for emphasis.
The clouds above them grew dark, an ominous sign Naelyn thought to herself. Rocking back and forth in the choppy water, she stabilized herself with both hands, one against each side of the dinghy. Unable to let loose of her fear of water, Naelyn continued the small talk with Braedyn. Anything to take her mind off the awful water and their predicament and what it was she was going to tell her sister, Gemma.
Gemma knew she had been cared for and practically raised by Odetta and she had overlooked much of her past. No doubt, Gemma probably feared her dead since she didn't arrive in O'Malley territory with the
"Are ye sure ye can handle the steed," Moya asked, directing her question physically to Airard but looking right at Darina. He smiled at her as he unsteadily took hold of the lead, and somehow managed to raise himself to mount. Weak . He looked incredibly weak to Moya and she wondered what would become of the pitiful two if one of them should suffer a fall or worse. Darina was in no condition to help him and he was definitely in no condition to help her. God forbid she should go into labor.
"How long do ye plan to be gone, milady?" Moya inquired.
"As long as it takes, Moya," Darina chastised, gruffly for affect. She glared at her with a disapproving, rebellious frown but broke into a smirk once she caught Moya's eye. Not exactly used to her station as Lord's wife, Darina had a bit of 'entitled Lord's daughter' still coming out. "I don't expect to be gone more than say, three hours," she offered. Stepping on the stool, Darina grunted and raised herself on the mare, landing with a thud. The mare jerked and resettled her footing.
"Where may I say ye are a goin'?"
"Ye can't," Darina rebutted."If anaone should ask, we've gone for a walk, in the orchards. Darina grabbed the lead from Airard and set out of the paddock towards the open fields. The weather was good and the skies were clear, of that she was thankful. She just hoped the audience they sought was willing and would accommodate them. She didn't know how Airard knew about Covar, but the mention of his name was a confirmation of sorts. Perhaps now she would get the answers she sought about her son and their future. Her companion sought his audience for other, more pressing reasons she presumed.
F OURTEEN
O'Malley Territory - The Island of Women
They had rowed for hours against the rough, choppy waters and the Island was finally within sight. Braedyn estimated another hour or two at most and they would set down on the shore. Finding the abandoned dinghy was a blessing, until they realized how far they had to go and how little strength remained among them. Orla's hands were bleeding and Naelyn did her best to tend to them.
"Let's jest rest here a bit, the wind is in our favor," said Naelyn.
"Aye," Braedyn replied. "I ken ye are right. We can rest here awhile," he said looking over at a sleeping Orla and back up at the clear sky. "She is might nearly worn out I suppose," he whispered.
"Ye care verra much for her, I can see that," said Naelyn. "What do ye suppose she feels for ye?"
Braeden grinned a devilish grin and settled the oars at the bottom of the dinghy before reaching for the skin of water. He took a long, slow swig before handing it to Naelyn. "I ken she likes me," he sighed, "she may even more than like me, it's hard to tell sometimes," he added, sighing for emphasis.
The clouds above them grew dark, an ominous sign Naelyn thought to herself. Rocking back and forth in the choppy water, she stabilized herself with both hands, one against each side of the dinghy. Unable to let loose of her fear of water, Naelyn continued the small talk with Braedyn. Anything to take her mind off the awful water and their predicament and what it was she was going to tell her sister, Gemma.
Gemma knew she had been cared for and practically raised by Odetta and she had overlooked much of her past. No doubt, Gemma probably feared her dead since she didn't arrive in O'Malley territory with the
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