“The news was worth the chance or the coins the news would bring him,” Rannock surmised.
“How is it not one soul knows anything about my parents’ departure from my da’s ancestral home. And how is it that not a single tribe has heard a word on those responsible for the attack on the Sandrik tribe where my mum and da lost their lives. It was a small, inconsequential tribe slaughtered for no reason.”
Rannock nodded. “You’re right. If another tribe wanted to conquer it, they wouldn’t have slaughtered everyone.”
“If my parents were the target, why kill the whole tribe? That has baffled me the most.”
“Maybe it wasn’t your parents the person was after.”
“I considered that, but the tribe had no enemies. They traded with all the other tribes and battled no one. The only thing different the day of the attack was my parents’ presence in the tribe.” Tarass stood. “Enough with thoughts that go nowhere. It’s time I joined my wife.”
Rannock also stood. “And time I see to the change in sentinels, that comes when least expected and leaves even the warriors wondering of their duties.”
“Lady Snow can join us,” a lad called out.
Snow recognized Roy’s voice, the lad she had helped with a snowball fight her last time here.
“No, we want her,” another lad shouted and it took a few minutes and an argument before it was decided which team got Lady Snow, memories of her last successful snowball fight having her in demand.
Nettle stepped back to keep a good watch on Lady Snow, but Thaw joined in, running and barking and letting Snow know where to aim snowballs. Complaints from the opposing team of the pup’s help got ignored by the winning team.
Snow laughed every time a snowball struck her and was thrilled when she heard someone yell, “She got me!”
Snowballs flew, Thaw continued barking, lads and lassies laughed and cried out with joy as snowballs flew, until…
Tarass suddenly appeared and snowballs were already in flight. They hit him in the chest and back one right after the other. He stood, not moving, the scowl on his face deepening.
Silence reigned, not even a breath was heard, and Thaw crept over to Snow to hide under her cloak.
Snow could see her husband’s outline, having grown familiar with it lately. She scooped up a handful of snow. “Be ready to protect me,” she said and ran toward her husband, Thaw reluctantly following and stopping with her when she was a short distance from Tarass. She didn’t hesitate, she threw the snowball, aiming for his chest.
It struck him directly in the face and gasps rang out in the cold air.
Tarass wiped the snow from his face slowly. “Now you’re going to get it,” he warned and ran straight at his wife.
Snow turned, Thaw turning with her and barking all the way as she ran and yelled out, “Get him! Get him!” When she caught no movement, she yelled. “Protect me! Protect me!”
Snowballs flew and Tarass swatted several away while his body took several hits, not that it stopped him. He kept going, picking up speed, and reached out to grab his wife.
They tumbled down on the snow together, Tarass protecting her from the fall as best he could and Snow laughing as she came to a rest on top of him.
Snow raised her hand and yelled, “We won! We got him!”
Her victory shout was met with dead silence, the lads and lassies realizing what they had done.
Tarass heard the silence and saw the fright on the lad and lassies’ faces. He got himself and Snow to their feet.
“Who is responsible for this?” Tarass demanded and all the children stared at him, though one lone lad stepped forward.
Snow saw the outline of the lad and spoke up before he could, keeping a smile on her face as she did. “It’s my fault. I insisted on joining them and encouraged them to protect me against you.”
Tarass’s voice carried out for all the children and the villagers who had begun to gather around to hear.
“I didn’t counter-command Lady Snow’s command since I wanted to see what you would do. You made me proud when you followed Lady Snow’s order to protect her. You all are brave warriors.”
“Yeah, we won!” Snow yelled, raising her arm in the air, and shouts and cheers joined her this time.
Tarass took his wife in his arms and hugged her. “You win their hearts from the youngest to the oldest.”
“I am glad since the clan finally feels like family to me,” she said and reached up to touch his face, the outline clear to her, and cringed when she felt it was wet. “I’m sorry. I was aiming for your chest.”
“I preferred you struck me higher than lower.”
Snow chuckled. “So am I, but,”—her hand went to rest on his chest— “I think we should go to our bedchamber and let me make sure not a single part of you suffered an injury or if you did, I would just have to kiss it and make it better.”