Elysia felt Saber’s hand at her lower back, nudging her out the door. “My cloak.”
“Bench,” he said, his voice a mere whisper.
In all that happened, she had not realized she had taken her cloak off. It lay on the bench at the table outside. Saber walked around her once they stepped outside and retrieved it, placing it over her shoulders and with a nod left her.
She did not want him to leave her. She would have preferred to stay with him rather than go see the chieftain. But Lendra was right. If the chieftain was feeling grateful, then she might just be able to avoid the demand to choose a husband. With a hopeful heart, she followed Lendra to the keep.
Elysia was startled by how many people stopped her to thank her for what she had done for Cybill. Others blessed her as Neil and Roanna had. Tears pooled in many peoples’ eyes as they spoke with her. They were genuinely grateful for what she had done and it touched her heart.
Lendra left her side as soon as they entered the Great Hall. It was no surprise to see Neil standing in front of the dais with Chieftain Emory.
He smiled when Elysia drew near. “Cybill naps safely, thanks to you.”
“I am glad I could help her,” Elysia said, uncomfortable with the continuous praise.
“Help her? You saved her life. If it were not for you, my wife would be wrapping our daughter for burial,” Neil said, fighting the tears glistening in his eyes.
Chieftain Emory patted his brother on the back. “Instead, we celebrate that little Cybill is alive and well, and give thanks to our skilled healer.”
A cheer went up in the hall.
It was useless to argue that she was no healer. No one would listen and that frightened her. What would happen when the time came, and she was sure it would come, when she failed to tend someone properly?
Chieftain Emory cleared his throat and the cheering ended, though whispers lingered.
Elysia spotted Bram then, he wore a teasing smile as he whispered in Lendra’s ear. Tavish stood with his arms crossed over his chest staring at her and Rory wore a scowl of gloom. She prayed that the chieftain would offer her good news and spare her marriage to any of the three men.
Chieftain Emory’s voice boomed in the Great Hall. “In appreciation for what you did for my niece, Elysia, I have an offer for you. I cannot free you of marriage, for it is my duty to see you kept safe after what your sister did for the clan. But I can offer you this… besides, the three warriors I have presented to you, you may instead choose a husband from any of the eligible men in the clan.”
Later Elysia would think how she let her foolish tongue speak without thinking, but at the moment, she gave no thought to it. Her response came without hesitation.
“I choose Saber as my husband.”
Chapter 6
Elysia woke the next morning determined to tell Chieftain Emory that she had spoken in haste and that she changed her mind. She did not know what had made her speak Saber’s name. It had rushed out of her before she could stop it. She had gotten nowhere after an endless night of debating with herself as to why she had chosen Saber when he had refused her proposal. The only conclusion she had reached was that she was wrong in forcing Saber into marriage when it was something she wished to avoid herself.
She raked her light brown hair thoroughly with a comb and pinned it up with two combs that struggled to hold the heavy strands and as usual several fell loose not long after she was done. After a quick wash to her face and calming herself with a chamomile brew, since her roiling stomach begged no breakfast, she reached for her cloak.
Chieftain Emory had ordered her to say nothing to Saber that he would speak with him and that had been when she had realized her mistake. It got even worse when she saw the joy her choice had brought to Chieftain Emory. He had actually beamed with delight and said he would see it done. Bram, Tavish, and Rory had not been as pleased, scowls on all three of their faces.
She had hoped to speak to Saber before he learned of it from anyone else and tell him she would see it made right. But when she had gone to his cottage later in the day, he hadn’t been there. She had waited as long as she could but with dusk settling, she had hurried home. All evening she had waited for a fierce pounding to sound at her door and an angry Saber to burst in. But it never came.
She had to make this right and choose someone else. Saber did not want her as his wife.