- So what? - Bree asked hopefully. - Is Aileen all right?
- Yeah. Bruce found her and took her to a village. - I explained, delivering the letter into his hands. - Looks like the blizzard got them there, which is pretty good since Bruce is hurt.
- Oh, thank God! - she whispered.
Bree sighed, smiling with relief and hugged me. Closing my eyes I concentrated on the perfume of flowers that exhaled from her hair. My instincts said I should kiss her and take her right there, after all, we're married. My sense of knighthood reminded me of my promise, so I walked away delicately.
- Yes, thank God! - I repeated your words. - We should leave now to make the most of daylight. I'll try to get us to one of the villages along the trail.
- Something wrong? - she asked.
- Definitely not! - I answered in a dry tone.
Bree stared at me with a frown. I felt that she had something in mind to tell me, but she restrained herself and just nodded. In silence, Bree went to the horse and took the reins. She kept the letter in one of her boots. Uncomfortable with her attitude, which did not match her usual behavior, I walked towards her to help her ride the animal. He was extremely big for a woman, even if he was as tall as Bree.
- Let me help you! - he said, holding his heel to give him more balance. - Lean on my shoulder.
- Alec, you don't have to be nice to me just because we got married. - she replied. - That's a business, remember? I'm not your real wife.
- All right! All right! - he said in an ironic way. - Still, I'm a gentleman, and there's nothing to stop me from being gentle. Even if I have to help an ogra.
- I'm not an ogre! - she said between her teeth in a harsh way. - You're stupid!
I laughed loudly, so I walked up to my horse and took his reins. Instead of riding, I walked to the horse she was on and tied the reins of mine in her cell.
- What do you think you're doing? - she asked when she saw me riding in the saddle behind her.
- The road is long and we'll need as many horses as we can get. We can't take the others who are here, so I thought I'd take turns with our animals.
- Did you think? - I just nodded. - All right! All right! In this case, I'll guide you.
- Do you know the way? - I asked in an arrogant tone. She snitched in denial with her head. - That's what I thought.
Laughing loud again, I beat the reins so the horse could follow. Bree grumbled about something I didn't understand. I kept laughing, but in silence. I looked through the trees when a glow lit up between the leaves. The light indicated the beginning of dawn. It was winter, but there are days when we have the privilege of being graced by some solar rays.
We left in silence for most of the way, stopping only to rest the horses and take turns. Bree paid attention to everything around him and as I expected, we did not have the misfortune to meet anyone. The trail was narrow and stretched along a forest. The road to Dunhill was faster because it was a straight line. Nobody risked getting on that trail. The path offered dangers because of the very closed forest, but others were just legends invented to protect routes of ancient pirates.
- Alec? - Bree called after we got back on the road. I'd already gone from horseback riding and soon we'd have to make another stop. - You think they really were English soldiers?
- Not at all! - I responded vehemently. - I believe it's more of a Roy or Ravenna plan. Since they can't make a deal with Phillipe, he must want to try to forge attacks so that the focus of the war turns to England.
- And that's not good! - she whispered.
- No, but my brother's not that dumb. I'm sure you've been suspicious of Roy's plans. - he said shaking his head. - Bruce was also suspicious, so he informed Alistair.
- But if it was Brice, I would have ordered an attack on London. - Bree concluded.
I just nodded. My father was a very intelligent and rational man, but when it came to the safety of his people, Brice MacCalister became a very impatient person. Maybe that's why he decided it was time to retire from the throne and crowned my brother.
I made a face when I felt the fine rain begin to fall. It was already the end of the day and I knew that the first village was near.
- What are you doing? What are you doing? - Bree asked when I stopped at a clearing.
- The rain will squeeze. We'll have to make a stop for a while and I thought this would be the perfect place.
- To wait for the rain to pass?
- No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- No?
Bree looked at me confusingly, but got off the horse anyway. She tied the reins to one of the trees
