“That’s not your decision,” Fasta said.
“It is my decision. I am the lady of the keep and you will address me properly and obey my commands or you will no longer serve this keep in any capacity,” Snow commanded, anger so strong in her voice that Thaw barked.
“Aye, my lady,” Fasta said after a moment of hesitation.
“Now apologize to Nettle for being so rude to her,” Snow ordered. She didn’t need to see Fasta’s face to know how angry her command had made her. She heard it in Nettle’s small gasp.
“I apologize, Nettle,” Fasta said quickly.
“A warning, Fasta,” Snow said before the woman could walk away. “If you retaliate against Nettle in any way because of this, you will rue the day.”
“Aye, my lady,” Fasta said and hurried off.
Nettle kept her voice low and an eye on Fasta’s retreating back as she spoke. “No one in the keep would miss her.”
“Fasta isn’t liked?” Snow asked, though wasn’t surprised to hear it.
“She thinks herself important, demeans others, and demands as if she’s lady of the keep. She believes Lord Tarass favors her bed and has tried to convince others that he’s shared it several times, but none believe her tales. They all know Lord Tarass has no interest in her. He pays her no special attention. She is a servant like all the other servants.” Nettle smiled. “Except me. Others have told me she’s jealous of my new and important position in the keep, and that she can’t dictate to me anymore.”
Snow was relieved to hear that, though it didn’t mean she wouldn’t bring it up to her husband. She wanted to hear his thoughts on Fasta.
“She can’t dictate to you anymore, Nettle,” Snow confirmed. “And if she causes you any grief, you are to tell me immediately.”
“I will, m’lady,” Nettle assured her.
“Now let’s enjoy the morning fare before it turns cold,” Snow said and Thaw stopped scoffing down his food, set by the hearth, long enough to bark in agreement.
“People are already looking to blame and you know what that means,” Rannock said as he stood with Tarass staring at the pool of blood held as if in a goblet of snow.
“Fear will reign and innocent people will suffer,” Tarass said, having seen it and the results of something worrisome left too long unexplained to fester and spread fear. “Besides taking count of the people, see if any animals are missing. This blood had to have come from somewhere.”
Rannock shook his head. “Why? Why the pools of blood? What do they mean?” He lowered his voice. “Could the tales be true? Are the dwarfs seeking knowledge?”
“Someone is seeking something and, whether dwarfs or human, they will pay for what’s been done here. Like the others, this had to have been done when no one was about, which means the person or persons had knowledge of our sentinels.”
Rannock’s eyes went wide. “You think someone in the clan is responsible?”
“It’s a possibility to consider.”
“But why would anyone in the clan do something like this?”
“I don’t know, but we need to keep the thought in mind and keep our eyes and ears alert,” Tarass said.
“If you want to know all that goes on in the clan just ask Nettle, she seems to know everything,” Rannock said with a disgruntled huff.
“What is it about that woman that annoys you?”
“She never stops talking and she constantly details things. She says who’s in the room, who they are, what they’re doing, and when she’s outside, she talks about the weather and who is around, and what bairn belongs to who, and she even details what the pup is sniffing at. It’s endless,” Rannock said and was surprised to see Tarass’s brow scrunched deep in thought as if he didn’t believe him. “It’s true, my lord.”
Tarass nodded. “It is and I’m annoyed I haven’t taken note of it myself.”
“What does it matter? The woman will never shut up.”
“No, she won’t and I don’t want her to.”
“Why not?” Rannock asked, thinking him crazy.
“That is why my wife favors her. Nettle’s details allow my wife to see what everyone else is seeing, and I’m grateful to her for that, since it’s something I should have been doing myself.”
“Oh, I never thought of that,” Rannock admitted. “Nettle helps Lady Snow to see the keep, imagine the people, and get to know them.”
“Nettle helps her to be part of the clan, something I have failed to do,” Tarass said even more annoyed for not realizing it.
“You’ve been wed but two days.”
“You know I don’t tolerate poor excuses,” Tarass said, “and neither should you. You should ask yourself why it’s so easy for you to speak to Nettle and no other woman. You never search or falter your words when you talk with her.”
“Argue is more like it,” Rannock grumbled.
“Why? Is it that you both avoid something?”