Wintra was stunned at how easily the lies spilled from Owen’s lips. What a fool she had been to believe anything this man had told her. And she was angry that these three men stood here discussing her fate as if she was nothing more than mere chattel to be bargained over.
“Please give me a chance to speak with Wintra alone,” Owen begged.
“No,” Torr said as if his word was final.
“You have no say in this,” Owen said with a self-satisfied smirk. “Cree decides his sister’s fate.”
“No one decides my fate but me,” Wintra snapped not able to listen to them discuss her as if she was not there. She took a step away from the three of them. “This is my life,” –she tapped her chest— “I will decide what I want.”
“Do not be foolish, my dear,” Owen said as if speaking to a child. “Men know what is best for women.”
A commotion at the door to the Great Hall prevented Wintra from spewing forth what she truly thought of Owen. Warriors hurried out of the way of a large warrior who appeared to be carrying the body of a limp woman in his arms.
Cree rushed forward to take the woman. He hugged her close, his eyes anxious with worry, though Wintra doubted many could tell just how very concerned he was. He concealed his feelings well, though not from her. She could tell how he felt with just one glance.
“What happened, Elwin?” Cree demanded.
“She was visiting with Lila and discovered your sister had arrived, and so she hurried through the village eager to meet Wintra. When her pace slowed, I realized something was wrong, and she turned to me, her face so pale, it frightened me. I caught her before she could hit the snowy ground.”
“Get Elsa,” Cree barked and Elwin jumped, turned, and hurried off.
Cree carried Dawn over to the large fireplace and sat on one of the benches closest to the fire. She was pale and so limp in his arms that he feared what may have happened to her and their babe. He ran a tender hand over her cheek as he whispered, “Return to me now, Dawn, before I lose my temper.”
Wintra watched, upset for her brother, for evidently it was Dawn, the woman he loved, who he held in his arms, and his obvious pain tore at her heart. She turned to Torr and was surprised to see how upset he was as well, then she realized that Dawn was his sister, so naturally he would be concerned for her. She wished she could help the two men she loved the most but felt helpless to do so. Then a sudden thought came to her. “The snow. Would it not help her?”
“Good idea,” Torr said and ordered a servant to hurry and get a bucket of snow.
Wintra noticed how everyone in the hall seemed concerned for the couple, their eyes steady upon them. All except Owen and his men, they huddled together whispering.
Wintra moved to stand where she could keep an eye on her brother as well as Owen.
Torr took the snow-filled bucket from the servant when she returned and knelt beside Dawn. “I used snow on your sister when she fainted and it helped.”
Cree nodded, though said, “Dawn fainted, no doubt due to our babe, but why did my sister faint?”
Torr rubbed snow over his sister’s face as he explained. “She took a tumble done a hill and rolled into a dead man.”
“We need to talk.”
“That we do,” Torr agreed.
Dawn began to stir just as warriors cleared a path to Dawn for a short, round woman.
“She fainted, Elsa, though she is coming around,” Cree said as the woman came to a stop behind Torr.
Elsa placed her hand on Torr’s shoulder. “Keep rubbing her face with snow.” She then reached into the pouch that hung from a knotted belt at her full waist. She pulled out a couple of sprigs of dried leaves and waved them beneath Dawn’s nose.
Wintra stepped closer, curious as to what plant she had used. A hand tightened so hard around her arm that she winced with pain.
“A moment to speak with you,” Owen whispered in her ear, pinching her arm harder and forcing her to take a step back. “I would not refuse my request or you will take a chance of seeing those you love suffer.”
While fear prickled her skin, Wintra felt a modicum of safety here in the Great Hall with everyone around, especially Torr and her brother. And besides, she wanted to let Owen know what she truly thought of him, so she stepped back away with him behind the dais.
“I have plans, Wintra, and I am not going to let you upset them. You will tell your brother that you wish to wed me or as I have said those you love will suffer greatly.”