Free Debra Kay Leland by From Whence Came A Stranger... Page A
Authors: From Whence Came A Stranger...
determined. But remember, that the older ye get, the less men shall want ye—and if Egan has placed a claim on ye, then no other shall dare seek thy hand…”
She blushed and picked up her basket of eggs trying to avoid the weight of his words. “All well and good for me then, aye? I shall not marry at all then and be too old for the likes of him or anyone else!”
He somehow managed a smile at her smug words as he watched her turn towards the house. She was a bonny lass; and it would be hard to keep the men away. He wished she would find one to her liking and be well and wed before Egan or any other could stop her; but for today he could only wait and hope that all would be well…
A s the week passed, the late autumn sun made the fields golden with unharvested grain; it was slow work for the three men, but soon they had enough stored in the barn to see them and their livestock through the cold winter ahead.
William straightened and drew his arm over his sweaty forehead as he spoke, “Tomorrow we shall go the village as usual, but this time we shall not barter. We shall leave the grain for the villagers in hopes that our kindness shall yield us a goodly name among them —and perhaps even purchase a little help.”
Phillip looked at his friend and nodded silently hardly listening as he watched him rub the side of his head again without realizing he had done so. He worried at the sight, knowing what it meant—that soon another headache would take him…
William slumped against the doorway of the barn and held his head tightly. The pain pounding with every heartbeat, he looked out the door hoping to see his companions; but he was alone, and he knew that soon the pain would wrestle his very conscious thoughts from him. He let himself slide down the door; holding his head as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly, his jaw clenched against wave after wave of torment, till darkness overtook him yet again…
“Phillip! Good God, help me!” The red haired man jumped from the cart and rushed to the barn where Thomas knelt holding his friend in his arms. “Help me get him in the house!”
The two picked the tall man up and carried him to his bed; removing his shoes and belt carefully before they covered him up. Thomas slumped down on the stool beside him , his head in his hands. “Good God, how can this be happening to him?!” He looked up at his friend’s ashen color and blue tinged lips and shook his head slowly and whispered, “I—I fear it shall take his very life from him…!”
Phillip nodded slowly. “…As—as do I… But for his sake we must never speak it! Let—let him live out his life in peace, Thomas… Let him live without worry that death itself, stalks his very breathe…”
The taller man looked up into eyes that merely reflected his own worry before he slumped forward again. “ Aye, for his sake, I shall not speak of it but with ye. But, Phillip, if he suffers…”
The other man fought against tears that threatened to overtake him. “He—he is our friend, a knight, and the son of an Earl… We shall not let him suffer. I—I know of herbs that shall deaden the pain. He shall not suffer, I give ye my word…”
The two took turns through the long night’s vigil, till come morning they noticed the thing release their friend yet again; his color returned, his harsh breathes had eased, and his body once more relaxed and only then did they know that he was yet destined to live another day.
William woke in the morning in his bed and frowned; he remembered being in the barn, though it was the last thing he remembered before the pain gripped him drawing him into darkness like it always did. He sat up and smiled at his worried friends as if nothing had happened, though he knew full well it had. “Do not look so worried, Phillip. It was only a headache; ye act like a mother hen watching over her chicks.”
Phillip glanced at
She blushed and picked up her basket of eggs trying to avoid the weight of his words. “All well and good for me then, aye? I shall not marry at all then and be too old for the likes of him or anyone else!”
He somehow managed a smile at her smug words as he watched her turn towards the house. She was a bonny lass; and it would be hard to keep the men away. He wished she would find one to her liking and be well and wed before Egan or any other could stop her; but for today he could only wait and hope that all would be well…
A s the week passed, the late autumn sun made the fields golden with unharvested grain; it was slow work for the three men, but soon they had enough stored in the barn to see them and their livestock through the cold winter ahead.
William straightened and drew his arm over his sweaty forehead as he spoke, “Tomorrow we shall go the village as usual, but this time we shall not barter. We shall leave the grain for the villagers in hopes that our kindness shall yield us a goodly name among them —and perhaps even purchase a little help.”
Phillip looked at his friend and nodded silently hardly listening as he watched him rub the side of his head again without realizing he had done so. He worried at the sight, knowing what it meant—that soon another headache would take him…
William slumped against the doorway of the barn and held his head tightly. The pain pounding with every heartbeat, he looked out the door hoping to see his companions; but he was alone, and he knew that soon the pain would wrestle his very conscious thoughts from him. He let himself slide down the door; holding his head as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly, his jaw clenched against wave after wave of torment, till darkness overtook him yet again…
“Phillip! Good God, help me!” The red haired man jumped from the cart and rushed to the barn where Thomas knelt holding his friend in his arms. “Help me get him in the house!”
The two picked the tall man up and carried him to his bed; removing his shoes and belt carefully before they covered him up. Thomas slumped down on the stool beside him , his head in his hands. “Good God, how can this be happening to him?!” He looked up at his friend’s ashen color and blue tinged lips and shook his head slowly and whispered, “I—I fear it shall take his very life from him…!”
Phillip nodded slowly. “…As—as do I… But for his sake we must never speak it! Let—let him live out his life in peace, Thomas… Let him live without worry that death itself, stalks his very breathe…”
The taller man looked up into eyes that merely reflected his own worry before he slumped forward again. “ Aye, for his sake, I shall not speak of it but with ye. But, Phillip, if he suffers…”
The other man fought against tears that threatened to overtake him. “He—he is our friend, a knight, and the son of an Earl… We shall not let him suffer. I—I know of herbs that shall deaden the pain. He shall not suffer, I give ye my word…”
The two took turns through the long night’s vigil, till come morning they noticed the thing release their friend yet again; his color returned, his harsh breathes had eased, and his body once more relaxed and only then did they know that he was yet destined to live another day.
William woke in the morning in his bed and frowned; he remembered being in the barn, though it was the last thing he remembered before the pain gripped him drawing him into darkness like it always did. He sat up and smiled at his worried friends as if nothing had happened, though he knew full well it had. “Do not look so worried, Phillip. It was only a headache; ye act like a mother hen watching over her chicks.”
Phillip glanced at