castle, and Ruth was all too happy to touch solid ground and move a little way apart from the other two, Samuel was waiting for them and hailed her arrival with a shout and a smile.
“Hello, Samuel,” she called warmly.
“And how are you this fine morning?”
“Never better,” she answered.
“Who have you brought with you?”
“This is my father, Jacob, Father, this is Samuel, He’s in charge of all the horses.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” her father said, his face breaking into a grin as he shook hands with Samuel.
“Likewise, You’ve raised quite a fine young woman here.”
“Thank you,” Jacob answered. “Though I can’t take all the credit; she’s got a strong will of her own.”
“So I noticed.”
“If you two are quite finished, I believe we have some horses to see to,” Ruth interrupted, blushing.
Her father beamed at her, and she could see thelove and pride in his eyes. It hadn’t been easy for him all these years, and it was good to know how he felt. She felt a warm glow inside as she set off between the two men.
William watched Ruth as she walked off with her father and Samuel. She was completely in her element talking with them. He turned with a heavy heart and walked inside.
He hadn’t slept for thinking of her, wondering and worrying about what he should do.
Since I’ve met her I have had no peace. No amount of meditation can calm my mind. No amount of logic can calm my heart. I feel my blood run hot within me, and I feel the call of the wolf though the moon dwindles nightly in the sky.
I feel as though I am losing all that I have struggled so hard to gain—my control my reason. In the end is she worth it, or will the cost in lives and blood be too much?
No, he was certain that Ruth was altogether worth it, even worth the blood of a hundred others. The question was, did he have the right to make that choice? The blood would be on his head alone. Did he have the right to condemn others so that he could live and love?
He didn’t think so, but when he was near her he knew that he would not be able to make the choice to turn away.
The wise path would move me away from her, away from she who holds sway over my heart and slays my logic with a single glance, reduces me to the level of the beasts with a single kiss.
Two children ran in front of him, and a third, chasing them, bumped into him. He barked at the frightened youngster and sent him scurrying away in tears. He stood for a moment, ashamed of himself. Still, something inside him whispered,
You are the lord of the castle, and he lives by your leave alone. You can bark if you wish; you can kill if it is your will
.
He winced in anguish, struggling against all that was dark in himself.
This is exactly why it is dangerous to have her around. Without her I have more control I am less dangerous
.
Without her, though, I am miserable, lost, and alone
. He paced the cold castle and bemoaned his fate.
With the help of her father and Samuel, Ruth finished by nightfall. Many of the horses were seldom used, and their shoes were still in good repair. No sooner would she finish checking one horse than another would be brought to her, so the work had proceeded quickly. She had pulled off dozens of shoes, filed down hooves, and put on new shoes. All of that had left no time for thoughts of William, for which she was grateful. The work had been hard but altogether satisfying. Still, at its completion, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She was slightly disappointed but not surprised when Samuel entered the castle and returned with a bag of gold and the announcement that he would be taking them home.
On the way the three of them chatted amicably, though Ruth’s mind was elsewhere. When at last she made it home, she tumbled onto her bed, fully clothed. Exhausted from her labors, she fell asleep.
She awoke late, and dressed in a clean skirt and blouse. After a moments hesitation she donned the red cloak. Her father was off already
“Hello, Samuel,” she called warmly.
“And how are you this fine morning?”
“Never better,” she answered.
“Who have you brought with you?”
“This is my father, Jacob, Father, this is Samuel, He’s in charge of all the horses.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” her father said, his face breaking into a grin as he shook hands with Samuel.
“Likewise, You’ve raised quite a fine young woman here.”
“Thank you,” Jacob answered. “Though I can’t take all the credit; she’s got a strong will of her own.”
“So I noticed.”
“If you two are quite finished, I believe we have some horses to see to,” Ruth interrupted, blushing.
Her father beamed at her, and she could see thelove and pride in his eyes. It hadn’t been easy for him all these years, and it was good to know how he felt. She felt a warm glow inside as she set off between the two men.
William watched Ruth as she walked off with her father and Samuel. She was completely in her element talking with them. He turned with a heavy heart and walked inside.
He hadn’t slept for thinking of her, wondering and worrying about what he should do.
Since I’ve met her I have had no peace. No amount of meditation can calm my mind. No amount of logic can calm my heart. I feel my blood run hot within me, and I feel the call of the wolf though the moon dwindles nightly in the sky.
I feel as though I am losing all that I have struggled so hard to gain—my control my reason. In the end is she worth it, or will the cost in lives and blood be too much?
No, he was certain that Ruth was altogether worth it, even worth the blood of a hundred others. The question was, did he have the right to make that choice? The blood would be on his head alone. Did he have the right to condemn others so that he could live and love?
He didn’t think so, but when he was near her he knew that he would not be able to make the choice to turn away.
The wise path would move me away from her, away from she who holds sway over my heart and slays my logic with a single glance, reduces me to the level of the beasts with a single kiss.
Two children ran in front of him, and a third, chasing them, bumped into him. He barked at the frightened youngster and sent him scurrying away in tears. He stood for a moment, ashamed of himself. Still, something inside him whispered,
You are the lord of the castle, and he lives by your leave alone. You can bark if you wish; you can kill if it is your will
.
He winced in anguish, struggling against all that was dark in himself.
This is exactly why it is dangerous to have her around. Without her I have more control I am less dangerous
.
Without her, though, I am miserable, lost, and alone
. He paced the cold castle and bemoaned his fate.
With the help of her father and Samuel, Ruth finished by nightfall. Many of the horses were seldom used, and their shoes were still in good repair. No sooner would she finish checking one horse than another would be brought to her, so the work had proceeded quickly. She had pulled off dozens of shoes, filed down hooves, and put on new shoes. All of that had left no time for thoughts of William, for which she was grateful. The work had been hard but altogether satisfying. Still, at its completion, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She was slightly disappointed but not surprised when Samuel entered the castle and returned with a bag of gold and the announcement that he would be taking them home.
On the way the three of them chatted amicably, though Ruth’s mind was elsewhere. When at last she made it home, she tumbled onto her bed, fully clothed. Exhausted from her labors, she fell asleep.
She awoke late, and dressed in a clean skirt and blouse. After a moments hesitation she donned the red cloak. Her father was off already
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