How long had this war waged between these two people and what was the cause? Before she could summon the courage to ask her stomach let out a low rumble, drawing Cian’s attention from his thoughts.
“I have kept you long enough. I will have Rurik escort you to the dining hall and get you some food.”
With a dip of his head, he turned striding past her to the open archway. For a moment he spoke to one of the guards in hushed tones. She held herself still as she struggled to make out what was being said. They must have considered that she’d listen in on them because they seemed to speak a different language. She was still no closer to getting answers on what was really going on and to make mattered worse, it appeared as if Cian wouldn’t help in her endeavour to get home.
“Lady Elena?” Turning toward the archway, she saw another gray skinned warrior watching her. His gaze watched her curiosity but was guarded like all the others. Flashing a smile, he stepped forward. “I am Rurik. I have been asked by Gu’an to escort you to the dining hall.”
“I’d rather wait for Kieran,” she stated taking a step back from him. “He said he’d be back to get me.”
Nodding, Rurik smiled kindly at her hesitance. “I understand; however Kieran is at a warriors meeting with the Li’r and may not return for some time. I wish only to obey my Gu’an orders and take you to get some food. I offer my protection in Kieran’s absence and promise that no harm will come to you.”
Parting her lips to decline his offer for the second time and inform him she needed no one’s protection, her traitorous stomach decided to growl once again. Heat rushed up into her face as Rurik smirked at the sound. He held an arm out to her in a silent offer of an escort.
“Come. Let me feed you and if you wish I shall answer any lingering questions you may have.” His gentle offer was too tempting to pass up. Wishing she could find the strength to quell her empty stomach, she reluctantly threaded her arm through his. Surely a simply meal couldn’t cause her any harm. With the comforting thought she returned his friendly smile as she walked beside him as she allowed him to guide her down the dark corridor.
* ~ * ~ *
Leaning against the cold stone at his back, Kieran crossed his arms over his chest as he listened to the sea of voices around him. Within the warrior’s chamber at the bowels of the stronghold, nearly a hundred warriors stood facing the Li’r as he paced back and forth with aggravation. From what he’d heard, the interrogation with the Kelithian prisoner from last eve did not go as the Li’r expected. It had been so long since their enemy was brave — or stupid enough to cross the Greenwood and onto their land.
“What have patrols turned up?” Arlen demanded, turning his scowling face on the group of warriors in charge of last night’s sky patrol near the borders of their lands.
“Other than the two the other night, there have been no other activity from the Kelithians,” Dajran answered lazily from beside Kieran.
“You obviously missed something! Two of them crossed the Greenwood and into our lands , to make matters worse they did so under our noses!”
“If I may, Li’r ?” A young warrior boldly spoke up. “Perhaps the two were working alone.” When there was no reaction on his commander’s face, he continued. “Kieran said himself that the two were after his sou’tali . Perhaps that was all they were after,” he stated, looking toward Kieran for support. Arlen also looked toward Kieran as the young warrior finished.
“What say you, Kieran?” Arlen’s rough voice asked. “Do you think this was just the actions of two?”
Pushing away from the wall he shook his head in denial. “It’s true that they said Zyaid wanted to meet her, but I doubt his motives are noble. Since these two failed. He could try again and not just for my sou’tali but everyone’s. What is unclear to me is
“I have kept you long enough. I will have Rurik escort you to the dining hall and get you some food.”
With a dip of his head, he turned striding past her to the open archway. For a moment he spoke to one of the guards in hushed tones. She held herself still as she struggled to make out what was being said. They must have considered that she’d listen in on them because they seemed to speak a different language. She was still no closer to getting answers on what was really going on and to make mattered worse, it appeared as if Cian wouldn’t help in her endeavour to get home.
“Lady Elena?” Turning toward the archway, she saw another gray skinned warrior watching her. His gaze watched her curiosity but was guarded like all the others. Flashing a smile, he stepped forward. “I am Rurik. I have been asked by Gu’an to escort you to the dining hall.”
“I’d rather wait for Kieran,” she stated taking a step back from him. “He said he’d be back to get me.”
Nodding, Rurik smiled kindly at her hesitance. “I understand; however Kieran is at a warriors meeting with the Li’r and may not return for some time. I wish only to obey my Gu’an orders and take you to get some food. I offer my protection in Kieran’s absence and promise that no harm will come to you.”
Parting her lips to decline his offer for the second time and inform him she needed no one’s protection, her traitorous stomach decided to growl once again. Heat rushed up into her face as Rurik smirked at the sound. He held an arm out to her in a silent offer of an escort.
“Come. Let me feed you and if you wish I shall answer any lingering questions you may have.” His gentle offer was too tempting to pass up. Wishing she could find the strength to quell her empty stomach, she reluctantly threaded her arm through his. Surely a simply meal couldn’t cause her any harm. With the comforting thought she returned his friendly smile as she walked beside him as she allowed him to guide her down the dark corridor.
* ~ * ~ *
Leaning against the cold stone at his back, Kieran crossed his arms over his chest as he listened to the sea of voices around him. Within the warrior’s chamber at the bowels of the stronghold, nearly a hundred warriors stood facing the Li’r as he paced back and forth with aggravation. From what he’d heard, the interrogation with the Kelithian prisoner from last eve did not go as the Li’r expected. It had been so long since their enemy was brave — or stupid enough to cross the Greenwood and onto their land.
“What have patrols turned up?” Arlen demanded, turning his scowling face on the group of warriors in charge of last night’s sky patrol near the borders of their lands.
“Other than the two the other night, there have been no other activity from the Kelithians,” Dajran answered lazily from beside Kieran.
“You obviously missed something! Two of them crossed the Greenwood and into our lands , to make matters worse they did so under our noses!”
“If I may, Li’r ?” A young warrior boldly spoke up. “Perhaps the two were working alone.” When there was no reaction on his commander’s face, he continued. “Kieran said himself that the two were after his sou’tali . Perhaps that was all they were after,” he stated, looking toward Kieran for support. Arlen also looked toward Kieran as the young warrior finished.
“What say you, Kieran?” Arlen’s rough voice asked. “Do you think this was just the actions of two?”
Pushing away from the wall he shook his head in denial. “It’s true that they said Zyaid wanted to meet her, but I doubt his motives are noble. Since these two failed. He could try again and not just for my sou’tali but everyone’s. What is unclear to me is
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