- I want to go with you! - she said.
- Aideen, I think you'd better stay here. - said Bruce. - It can be very dangerous for you to go there.
- Nonsense! - she said insisting. - Alistair taught me how to use the sword and I'm excellent at handling daggers.
Taking a deep breath, I went to her and hugged her.
- Bruce is right! - said calming Aideen. - You've been having weakness crises, I don't want you to fall in the middle of the forest all of a sudden. I need you to stay here where it's safe.
- But, uh...
- Aideen, please don't insist! - said staring at his gaze softly. - I'll be more relaxed if I know you're safe.
Aideen grumbled, but she gave in. I turned to face Bruce.
- Take the letters to be delivered like I asked. I want you to stay here with Aideen while I get Annabel.
- It's okay! It's okay! - he nodded.
That night, I lay next to Aideen and held her tight as she cried. Knowing that Annabel was his half-sister and that she was actually the daughter of a king was not as painful as finding out that her favorite sister was dead. I promised I'd bring Annabel with me when I got back. She had a limited number of men who protected Dunhill and wanted to leave them to protect her while she was away. I'd only take two or three soldiers with me. It would make Ravenna pay too much for that betrayal. When Aideen's sobs stopped and she kissed me, I felt that she would need me much more than I imagined. The next morning I left, leaving the woman I loved so much, with her heart pinched and anguished, but with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Chapter 18
Aideen
I woke up feeling a little sick. I was having a terrible nausea that had lasted for hours. I couldn't even drink the tea Elaine had made for me. I decided to lie down to see if it would relieve me, but the longing for vomit only increased. The little he ate, put out and was having a little vertigo. I was still shocked by all the revelations made by Bruce about my mother and sad to know that Aila was dead. Maybe that was making me sick. I closed my eyes with strength and tears started rolling over my face again. To know that I was the daughter of a mighty king, who did not even know about my existence, left me with my stomach wrapped. There was still the fact that it was generated by an ambitious and Machiavellian woman who used me all this time. They ruined my life for two years in the name of power. I felt a deep hatred for having passed my whole cloister believing that everything had been my fault. I never thought I'd get a little peace. I always believed I'd live in hell forever. Thanks to Alistair, I could see things differently. It was as if God had sent an angel to heal me.
Alistair had promised to go to Inverness to pick up Annabel, because she was afraid my mother would use her to get Roy to come after me. Now that I knew he was not my uncle, it was even easier to hate him. I wanted him to suffer from the blows I got when I tried to run away from him and the pain I felt. Death was too little for that miserable man and my mother. I didn't want Alistair to get hurt, so I made him promise to take Bruce with him, but he chose to take only a few soldiers. I heard the door open and lifted my eyes to see Bruce just putting his head in the gap.
- Good morning! - he said with a smile. - I knocked, but since there was no answer, I thought I was in trouble.
- No problem at all. - I answered. - Come in, please!
Bruce nodded and then walked in. He frowned as he approached the bed. I haven't seen Bruce since he got back from Inverness.
- You don't look so good! - he frowned. - You're pale!
- I'm a little sick.
Bruce sat on a chair in front of the bed. He was dressed in black from head to toe. The short hair was messy, as if the wind had blown hard.
- I came to find out how you're feeling, because I promised Alistair I'd take care of you. Especially after yesterday.
- I can't say I'm happy. - he said, making a face. - I don't know how to digest all that. I'm still pretty confused.
Bruce sighed by passing his hand over his head.
- I don't even know what it's like to have a mother like Ravenna. - he sighed. - When my parents died, my aunt raised me like a son. I've never been treated like the orphan cousin, but as the youngest son. Alec, Cora and Alistair have always been like brothers to me. I wouldn't know what to do without Alec or Alistair. They helped me a lot to overcome the loss of my parents and then we supported ourselves to overcome the loss of Cora.
- I suppose so. - I whispered. - I think the same of my sisters. If it hadn't been for Annabel, maybe I wouldn't have put up with that long of darkness.
- Yes, your sister seems very brave and zealous. - he smiled.
- She is. - I smiled. - You saw her when you were at Inverness.
- Thank God, no! - he said, making a
