“You didn’t come alone, did you?” Arran asked.
“I brought some of Wolf’s warriors with me. They visit with his other warriors while we visit,” Royden said. “And they will be staying except for the few that will return with me. When I received your message about Brynjar, I had Penn take a message to Learmonth, hoping it would reach Wolf. It did and he sent more warriors to help us. I see by the scowl that’s growing you’re not happy with that news.”
“I don’t like accepting help from our enemy.”
“Then stop thinking of Wolf as our enemy. He has a powerful foothold here now and holds a title. There is little we can do to change that and avenging a wrong won’t help us.”
“Still, there must be something we can do that will see him suffer at least some for what he did,” Arran argued.
“We’ll leave that to fate,” Royden said.
“Then I hope fate is a vengeful lass,” Arran said with a grin.
Royden laughed as well. “Now that I can agree on.”
Arran began to walk, his brother following along with him. “Before we sit and talk, I need to gather men for a search.”
“I heard your warriors talking. Is it true? Abbott Thomas never made it back to the monastery?” Royden asked.
“It’s true. Brother Noble brought the news and let me know the area around the monastery had been searched. Also Brother Noble found no sign of the Abbott on his journey here. I’m going to send some men in different directions so a larger swath of land can be covered.”
“Do you send some Brynjar’s way?”
Arran shook his head. “He wouldn’t be foolish enough to keep the Abbott at his camp. He’d have his men holding the Abbott someplace else.”
“He seeks vengeance whatever way he can for not getting what he came here for,” Royden said.
“I thought the same, but I also wonder if I think wrong. Is it too obvious? Is there more too these killings?” Arran questioned, the thought disturbing him.
“If not Brynjar, then who?” Royden asked.
“If only I could answer that,” Arran said as they continued walking.
“You don’t have to stay, Purity,” Brother Noble said, sitting under a pine tree, enjoying the food and drink she had brought him.
“I want to,” she said, stroking Princess stretched out beside her. “King!” she scolded, seeing him approach closer to Brother Noble.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let him get close,” Brother Noble assured her and swatted at the cat though he was a distance away.
King paid the leper no heed and drew closer.
“Away with you,” Brother Noble ordered and threw a small stick at the cat.
King wasn’t deterred by it and stretched out not far from the leper and proceeded to lick his paws.
“I do hope Abbott Thomas is found and he is well. I hate to think he was harmed,” Purity said
“I believe he would fall to an illness before he would a sword. Abbott Thomas was once a skilled warrior. He fought in many battles and saw victory in most. He continues to practice his sword skills at least four times a week. He says there are many unwise people who don’t listen or hear the power of God’s word, but they do know the power of a sword. His skill with a sword has saved the monastery twice from unscrupulous men.”
“What made him turn to the church?” she asked.
“He doesn’t say, but if one was to guess, the most likely reason was the killing became too much for him and he sought God’s forgiveness and the solace of the chur—” A cough interrupted the leper’s words. He reached for the skein of wine and drank.
“I have you talking too much,” Purity said, feeling guilty.
The leper shook his head. “No, I do enjoy the company. Tell me of you and Arran. Is the marriage a good one?”
Purity smiled. “It is a wonderful marriage. He is good to me and I love him so much.” Her cheeks blossomed red. “I confess, Brother Noble, I have loved him since first I saw him. I thought him so handsome. I never thought of a man’s smile as beautiful, but Arran’s smile is definitely beautiful. I remember how my heart beat so hard against my chest, I thought it would burst right out of me when he first smiled at me.” She sighed. “He was the first man to ever smile at me and it made me think that perhaps I wasn’t ugly after all.”
“You’re not ugly. You’re a fine looking woman and Arran is lucky to have you as his wife.”
Purity was surprised to hear how strongly the leper defended her. “After years of being told I was ugly or plain and that no one would want me, I began to believe it. Arran’s sister, Raven, had only begun to convince me otherwise when her clan was attacked. I do miss her and hope she returns home soon.”