The fire crackled softly in the hearth and served as the only sound in Erika's room. It was just after midday, but the weather was cold and gloomy enough that Erika had to keep the fireplace lit all day. Last night, there was snow for the first time.
The old secretary sat next to the fire with a steamy cup in her hands, watching her young assistant walking impatiently back and forth.
"You said he was on his way back?"
"Yes, for the fifth time Lara. I received his pigeon this morning."
Lara sighed. She walked to the window and stared at the horizon. Still nothing but grey sky and wet ground. She folded her arms on the windowsill.
It's been seven days.
A week ago, Erika roused Tarok from his room after she'd received a message by pigeon. One of Tarok allies in the region was besieged by a group of outlaws while escorting a caravan of traders. They managed to retreat to another fort two days away from here and had requested help.
"Do you really have to go?" murmured Lara as Tarok hastily put on his clothes. His men were already waiting for him outside. Tarok finished getting dressed and turned to Lara.
"Yes, I must help him. He's my closest friend. He had helped me more times than I want to admit. Northerners don't abandon each other, Lara."
"Can I come with you?"
"NO." Tarok cleared his throat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I can't. It's dangerous. I can't bear to put you in any kind of risk. You stay inside the fort and do whatever Erika tells you to do," said Tarok. He didn't raise his voice again, but his tone indicated that his demand was nonnegotiable.
Lara slumped on the edge of the bed, defeated. "This is so unfair. We've just got married. I didn't have a day with you yet and you have to leave already."
Tarok frowned. Lara hadn't cried, but she was very upset. Tarok sat next to Lara and hugged her. Lara melted in his embrace and returned the hug, feeling the warmth of his chest with her cheek.
"I promise I'll be back as soon as possible. I know this is hard for you; it is for me too." He pulled out of the hug and lifted her chin. "I have asked you to do this before, and I ask again: Can you be strong for me, Lara?"
Lara looked up at Tarok. "I will," Lara said. She didn't look as upset as before, but wariness appeared on her face.
"What if you get hurt?"
"I'm not worried, they're just a bunch of scruffy mountain thieves. They can't hurt me," assured Tarok. Seeing Lara not convinced, he added, "Look at me, Lara. Then look at my axe. Wouldn't you rather run away than stay and fight if you see me holding it and advancing towards you?"
Lara pondered for a few seconds before nodding. The worst thing that could happen to him was a few cuts, but Lara could patch him up with no problem now. Besides, minotaur healed fast. The thought soothed her stormy mind.
"And one more thing. Smile for me, Lara. I can't leave if the last thing I see from my wife is sadness."
Lara gazed at her lover's face and smiled. His request was too sweet not to comply. Smiling was not the only thing that she gave him though, as Lara leaned forward and kissed him. But before he could return the kiss, Lara ended it.
"If you want more, you have to come back to me."
"Can't I get even one more kiss?" asked Tarok. Lara shook her head firmly.
"Only when you return. So come back to me as soon as you can," said Lara with determination. It was one of the very few occasions in her life where Lara displayed resolute willpower.
Tarok gritted his teeth. He wrestled with himself mentally not to pull her in and claim that kiss. The fact that Lara was trying to be tough made Tarok find her even more charming. But he inhaled deeply and relented to her demand.
"Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can. And you should know that when I return, I want much more than just a kiss." The delicious threat made Lara's stomach fluttered.
"And you will come to see me as soon as you can?" asked Lara.
"I promised. And the day after I come back, I will announce our marriage to everyone. It should have happened today, but it seems fate is not kind to us."
"As long as I'm still your wife, I don't mind a little delay."
A loud bang on the door interrupted their conversation. Erika's voice told them that the men was anxious to leave.
"I should go," said Tarok. He went for a hug, which Lara didn't object. He sniffed her hair, taking in the scent of honeysuckle that he'd be sure to miss. Then Tarok stood up and walked out of the room. He closed the door while looking at Lara one last time. She smiled at him.
--***--
"Have patient, Lara," said Erika calmly. "He set off yesterday, and the trip takes two days, so if he came back here today, it wouldn't be until late at night." She sipped from the cup.
Lucky for Lara, Erika was wrong. In late afternoon, Tarok and his men as well as some other soldiers came clamoring back with a new wagon loaded with goods. Lara later learned that the merchants were so grateful for the rescue that they doubled the pay in the form of goods. Tarok was riding on that wagon, and sitting next to him was a bald, stocky man with a long beard. He was so big that Lara was sure Tarok was the only one bigger than him, except for his belly, he won on that count. The bald man talked and laughed loudly while Tarok, holding the reins, occasionally nodded or chuckled.
"That was Eustace, Tarok's closest friend and ally. He's a northerner, like Tarok. They have known each other since Tarok assumed leadership of his band. Looks like Eustace and his men comes back with Tarok," said Erika to Lara. Both women were watching from the top of the watchtower. Lara and Erika had rushed to get up there the moment they heard a guard shouted Tarok's arrival.
The wagons, packed with valuable goods, rolled into the courtyard amid cheers from the fort's garrison. The men didn't unload the wagons, however; they just left it in the courtyard. Several of them immediately went into the fort's cellar and brought out barrels of wine and ale. Outside the fort a giant fire was lit. It seemed that a celebration was in order. This annoyed Erika since they were taking stuff out of the stockpile and not telling her. The old woman promptly stormed down the step. Lara stayed behind. She wanted to run down and meet Tarok, but Erika advised her to stay out of sight until Tarok came to see her in private, since Tarok's men and the newly arrived guests didn't know that she was his wife yet. Being with Tarok before proper announcement could complicate things.
While Tarok was away, Lara followed Erika around the camp, and in the process, she made acquaintances with a few soldiers guarding the fort. Their general impression about her was that Lara served as Erika's assistant or maidservant and, of course, Tarok's slave, so they left her alone. From the few chats she had with them, Lara found they were rough, hardy men, but behaved cordially in front of her.
As people filed out of the gate to the campfire outside, Tarok suddenly glanced at the watchtower, looking up at Lara's direction. She waved at him, but he looked away immediately when his fat companion caught his attention again with a punch on the shoulder. Then he laughed. His stories seemed to always end with him laughing. The jovial big man had not left Tarok's side for even a second since they got off the cart. They joined the men outside, who was calling for their leaders.
Lara retracted her hand to her chest. She wondered if he saw her. Probably not. But Lara could have sworn he did look at her for a second. As her mind wandered, an unpleasantness started spreading inside Lara. She hurried downstairs as the wind was making her shiver. As she walked, Lara found herself alone. The fort was empty: everyone had come outside to join the victory feast. With nothing to do, she walked to Erika's room and sat there. The scene at the tower kept playing in her head despite her effort to push it away. She couldn't help but feeling more and more alone as she remembered Tarok looking away.
What's happening?
After thirty minutes of sitting in silence, Lara decided to head to the cellar. The sun had set, making the usually dark and damp room even more dingy. Lara watched Erika walking around the cellar, doing an inventory check. The only light source was the torch on Erika's hand and a couple others at the entrance. Lara sat on an empty barrel, her back against the wall. She heard Erika complaining about having to restock the store "just when winter has come". In the poorly lit room, the old woman couldn't see the worried expression on Lara's face.
Eventually five soldiers, already quite drunk, come down to carry off two more barrels of ale. They insisted that Erika join the party because Eustace "miss the old gal" and he "demand a rematch of that drinking game". Erika rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and refused, but when one man proposed carrying her out end-to-end like they did with the barrels, she sighed and relented. The men left the cellar cheering and laughing with Erika.
Alone again, Lara grabbed a piece of bread and a slice of cheese for dinner. Her hand was shaking as she put food in her mouth, she forced herself to swallow despite not feeling hungry. Her ears were numb to the sound of revelries outside, which was probably why she didn't hear the sound of footsteps until Tarok swung the door open and stepped inside.
"Lara," exclaimed Tarok. His face brightened under the torchlight, and he walked briskly to her. Lara jumped to her feet when she heard him called. Tarok approached her but stopped two feet away from his wife. He saw her grimace, which killed his gleeful mood.
"Is something wrong?" he asked. Lara stood by her spot. The cold reception from his wife left Tarok confounded. "Don't you miss me?" he asked when he saw her avoiding his eyes.
