Page 25 of An Arrow to the Heart

“With so many visitors to the village there’s too many unknowns.”

“How many extra folk were here yesterday?”

“Gods, I don’t even know Vie, we’ve had a full house so that’s sixteen with us. Then there’s the travelling caravans and the day traders. Not to mention the folk from the surrounding villages.”

“Ordinarily I wouldn’t even worry that anything bad would have befallen him for no one from Wyrmwind would hurt him. That much I’m certain of,” Sylvie said, cutting the cold meats, “but with the festival yesterday and there being so many unknown folk….. Not to mention what happened with the raiders only weeks ago, I just don’t know.” she said quietly, her voice close to breaking as she did her best to push such thoughts away.

Sylvie had spent the day at the Alehouse doing what she could. Reassuring Liselotte what little she could and helping Valeska prep the food for those out searching while Sera tended to the front of house services. Thankfully Lonan and Liselotte’s cousin Barbette had arrived back early in the evening providing much needed help. Barbette stayed with Liselotte whilst Lonan got to work making sure everyone was fed and watered as the trickle of searches descended upon the Alehouse.

Due to the deteriorating light and increasingly terrible weather conditions that had rolled in as evening drew in it wasn’t long before the folk who had been out searching had all arrived back. One pair after another, none with news of any use.

Worry hung in the air like a storm cloud, much reflected by the weather outside. Sheets of heavy rain had begun in the afternoon making the difficult task even more unbearable. It had by now been a full day since anyone had seen August. Liselotte had only calmed thanks to Sylvie’s calming herbs, although of course no one blamed the mother for her panic. What made the whole situation even more poignant was that August was Liselott’s only child, and her husband had passed years before so it was just the two of them. Sylvie had been pacing by the front doors, as though doing so would bring August home to them all. In the back of her mind she was also beginning to fret about Ardál. He and Ortolf were the only pair who hadn’t made their way back yet and even though she knew it was selfish of her she wanted to see him, needed to see him to know that he was alright.

Another two hours had passed and night had truly settled in, though the weather hadn’t relented and when Ortolf and Ardál finally made their way back into the Alehouse they were drenched.

Without August or news of him.

Sylvie closed her eyes heavily as her heart sank at the realisation that they too had not found him, a singular tear falling before she composed herself. Both males were drenched to the bone, Ardál looking worse. He was trembling slightly and Sylvie noticed the way he shifted on his weight, his knee undoubtedly causing him pain. She hurried towards him and slung a towel around him. Lonan did the same for Ortolf who, after the heavy silence of their return, finally said “We looked everywhere we could think of. But without the light and with the rain it became impossible. There’s no sign of him anywhere.”

“We’ll head straight back out at first light,” Ardál added between strained breaths, his lips trembling, Ortolf nodded his agreement.

“Okay, but let’s get you both inside, dried and fed for now,” Lonan said, his eyes soft as he rubbed Ortolf’s back vigorously with the towel.

Sylvie wrapped her arm around Ardál’s waist, not caring about the cold water that dripped from him, soaking her, as she led him through the kitchens and into the private residence of Valeska, Ortolf and Lonan that was attached to the building. Ardál brought his hand over hers in silent appreciation, his hand still trembling from the cold. Sylvie led him into the bathing chamber at the back of the residence.

“We need to get you out of those wet clothes,” she said as she turned on the taps to the bath, the small room filling with steam in an instant thanks to Ortolf’s sophisticated engineering. Something to do with a water cylinder permanently kept heated through the hearth. Sylvie didn’t understand the specifics of it but she’d never been so thankful for the complicated system. Ardál’s wet dark curls sent droplets down his cheeks and she couldn’t stop herself from tiptoeing her fingers over his face, he tensed beneath her gentle touch and his breath caught before he relaxed and he closed his eyes as he leaned into her warm touch. She took his crutch out of his hand, setting it against the wall and began to gently take off his saturated clothes and he let her until he was as naked as the day he was born.

Before allowing him into the tub she had him sit on its edge for her to check on his knee. She carefully unwrapped the linen bandages and he winced slightly. As she suspected, the knee was swollen from overuse.

“I’ll get some ointment for the swelling and wrap it up after you’ve bathed,” she said and he brought his hand to her face, tenderly caressing her cheeks and she leaned into his touch, as he had done to hers just moments before.

“Thank you,” he said.

“You know,” he paused for a briefly his gaze dipping to her body, “under other circumstances I’d be insisting you join me,” he said roughly, his eyes darting to the steaming hot water.

“Under other circumstances you’d already be under me,” she said as she helped him step into the tub and she could see it there beneath the exhaustion, the desire that lay there. The longing that possessed both of them.

“I’ll be sure to hold you to that,” he said, lowering himself into the tub, with a smirk, before he added, “maybe you could help me wash instead, there’s this spot over here that I can’t quite reach,” his grin growing.

“I recall you saying something similar to that not long after we met,” she said, swishing the water near his legs with a smile that reached her eyes.

He choked out a laugh then as he said, “you know exactly what I’d meant that day,” he paused as though reminiscing on the memory, smiling to himself, “you know for a split second I had actually thought that you had wanted to.”

“I did,” she chuckled heartily.

“You did not,” he said with wide eyes.

“I did,” she said again.

“Well, I know of a way you can make it up to me,” he said, his eyes meeting hers as she trailed a finger up out of the water, up his arm and into the silky hair of his beard, tilting his head up slightly.

“I’ll go find you some dry clothes, Lonan’s about your size I’d guess. Enjoy your soak,” she said, before planting a quick kiss on his lips.

Under other circumstances indeed.

CHAPTER TWENTY

-Sylvie-