Page 63 of Slippers and Thorns
“I was thinking about Helena,” he finally confessed.
“Axel’s sister?” Ella verified.
Nodding, he said, “We used to practice archery together when I came to visit them. She was really good, too. Couldn’t get enough time with her bow.” He gazed unseeing into the distance. “She’d tie her hair back to keep it out of the way, but she almost never had it styled like all the fancy ladies in the capital. Actually, if she wasn’t on the archery field, she usually just left it loose.” Realizing that he was rhapsodizing on an old sweetheart, he forced his train of thought away from details of her person. “She didn’t spend much time in Himmelsburg. Whenever I came to visit Axel, we always rode out to a castle in the country to see her. Reineggburg reminds me of it, I think,” he commented, tracing his eyes over the surroundings.
Ella seemed a little uncomfortable. Probably from all of his foolish remembrances. “What castle was it?” she asked, with a fair pass at polite interest.
Michael furrowed his brow. “I…don’t remember,” he admitted. “You’d think after all the time I spent there, it would be emblazoned in my mind, but it’s just…gone.”
“Hmm,” Ella murmured noncommittally, straightening one of her archery gauntlets and looking at it instead of him.
“Should we get started with your lesson, then?” Michael asked awkwardly.
“I suppose we should.” Finishing with her gauntlets, she strode over to the rack to get the bow she had been using. “I’ll try not to distract you too much with my styled hair.”
Grimacing, Michael followed.
CHAPTER 27
Ella
E
lla didn’t stay mad at Mike, of course. Admittedly, she was a bit irritated for most of the archery lesson, but she knew it was absurd to be jealous that her husband fondly remembered someone who wasn’t even alive anymore. After all, didn’t she fondly remember her father, whom she had loved very much?
Although it would be nice if he were a little less obviously enamored with Axel’s deceased sister. Odd that he couldn’t remember where she lived. And that it wasn’t in Himmelsburg.
More time passed. More archery lessons, more horseback riding. Another archery and sword tournament between Mike and their personal guardsmen, much to Ella’s amusement. Mike managed to beat Charlie at the sword the second time (he gloated for an hour afterwards), but everyone else placed about the same. They also spent a number of pleasant evenings in the small library, which possessed a surprising number of books that were still in decent shape once they received a thorough dusting.
More mornings snuggled up next to Mike. A little bit of time in the cozy spot next to his side on the sofa.
They had been at Reineggburg for a little over three weeks, Ella thought sadly as she trotted out the gate on Shadow. Mike had a cold and was buried in a book – a fascinating read on economic theory – and had opted to stay behind this time, so her only companions were Charlie and Jake. And their horses, of course. Technically, her maid Elizabeth should have come as well, but she’d gotten out of the habit of dragging the poor woman out in the cold when her husband’s presence had made the requirement unnecessary.
A little over three weeks meant only a few days left until they returned to Hartford. Three and a half weeks ago, she would have been desperate for the next few days to pass. She shook her head and sighed. While it was hard to know how many – if any – of the changes in their relationship would survive their return, she wouldn’t trade their time at Reineggburg for anything. She only wished she could be sure that Mike truly valued her as much as he seemed to when he had endless time. Some of her choices would be different if only she could be certain of that one fact.
Over to the left, a small leaf devil lifted off the ground as a light wind eddied through the trees. Ella pulled her cloak a little closer with one hand. Winter was well and truly on its way now, not just pretending as it had been when they left home. They might have the occasional pleasant day left before the cold weather settled in for the season, but today was not one of them.
Jake rode ahead of her on the narrow trail they were following, while Charlie brought up the rear. Both wore warm cloaks with the hoods down, the better to see their surroundings, and wool caps that covered their ears. Even though it would do unspeakable things to her hair, Ella envied them those caps. She had never been fond of hoods, but it was too cold today to have nothing on her head.
The trees were all bare now except for the occasional evergreen. Ella gazed through the tangled mass of branches at the dull sky overhead. The clouds were heavy; if she were lucky, they might get an early snowstorm that forced them to stay at Reineggburg for a few extra days. She shook her head at herself for the thought. It would be nice to steal a little longer with Mike, but more likely they would only get a light dusting or a few inches: enough to make the trip home uncomfortable from the extra chill or from muddy roads when the temperature subsequently rose and melted the snow.
As their path looped around the back of the castle, Jake abruptly drew his horse to a stop and turned his head towards the main building. Behind her, Charlie did the same.
“Charlie?” Ella asked hesitantly, pulling up as well. “What’s wrong?”
He didn’t respond. Didn’t even acknowledge that she’d spoken.
“Jake?” Her voice was quieter this time. What could have caught their attention like this?
When Jake didn’t look at her, either, she steered Shadow up beside him and tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder. “Jake?”
He didn’t stir. From here, she could see the somewhat vacant look in his eyes that she had observed multiple times before in the men around her at Reineggburg. Her heartbeat began to ratchet up.
She spun Shadow around and trotted back to Charlie. Jake had been unresponsive, but it had always worked with Mike, so it was worth another try. “Charlie?” she said again, reaching out to touch his arm.
Nothing. Still no reaction.
Suddenly, moving in unison as if in a training maneuver, each guard turned his horse’s head toward the castle and silently urged his mount into a trot. Without indicating she should follow or checking to see that she did.
