Harran stayed not on the order of his going. They could hear his running feet as they hammered down the stairs and the stentorian voice of Aiskeep’s master-at-arms as he bellowed orders. Both Ciara and Aisling were examining the motionless girl. Ciara looked up at her husband.
“Exhaustion mainly. Some exposure. We can heal the frostbite. Aisling can give her sufficient strength to speak briefly. But after that the child will have to stay here and be abed for a few days.”
“Do it!” Aisling complied, reaching within to summon her healing power. He watched as the white patches faded to a healthy pink.
The eyelids fluttered, and at once he was on his knees, holding Jar-ria’s hand. “Speak, lass. What is the danger to your kin? What aid can we give?”
“Bandits came, Lord. Mebbe a dozen of them. They could not force the house. They said they were desperate.” The garth-girl spoke in short panting gasps. “They said they would destroy all our firewood if’n we didn’t let them in. M’father said they’d destroy us for sure if’n we did. Better to keep them out an’ mebbe live. They burned the winter wood we had stacked outside, all ’a it. When we still wouldn’t open the door they rode away. After that we used the wood careful. Not enough left. House got awful cold, an’ the little ones was crying.”
She looked up, her face desperate. “Twas night, but there was moonlight enough. I rid all night usin’ our plow horses. I pray I ain’t ruined them, but m’ dad said I should ride. If I didn’t make it’t would be a quick painless death. If’n I got here at least I’d live to claim the garth and mebbe you’d help us.” Her hands clutched at his. “Lord Trovagh, please, they’s dying?”
He looked down at her, his eyes gentle. “I have already given the word. Men and wagons assemble. My grandson and granddaughter will ride to the aid of Elmsgarth.” Tears began to drip down her face, and he brushed them aside with a forefinger. “Child, child. You spoke the truth. Jontar’s House has ever looked to Aiskeep, as Aiskeep has looked to your kin. When Ciara and I were less than your age Jontar fought beside us against bandits. We won then; we shall win now. Go with the Lady Ciara and sleep, knowing all you could do you did.”
Keelan scooped her up as she slumped. Ciara led the way while Aisling went running to bring word of Elmsgarth’s danger to Har-ran. He grunted.
“Firewood. Yes, but that weighs. A wagon of it shall go first, not too heavily laden and with food also. After that my men will ride each with two axes. In this cold ax heads can shatter if used too long or carelessly. Elmsgarth has dead trees still unused as firewood along its stream. We can cut those onsite and haul the wood.” He studied her.
“Who else rides with us?”
Aisling grinned. “Who else? Keelan and I, of course. My grandmother will be tucking Jarria into bed right now, but she’ll be sorting medicines as soon as she’s done that.”
Harran chuckled. “And complaining about not being able to go too, I daresay.”
Aisling grinned in agreement. “I’ll leave it to you. Kee and I’ll be down soon and ready to ride.”
She was gone in a rush as Harran looked after her. She was a good lass, and he thought that after a poor start her brother too was shaping up as a lord to follow. He bawled orders for Keelan’s and Aisling’s horses to be saddled. At home both rode Torgian mounts, which would deal well with the snow. He saw the horses led out and seized their reins from the stable boy, just as two figures came running toward him. At the door behind them stood Ciara. He could hear her indignant muttering from where he waited, holding the reins of the stamping mounts. He grinned. As he’d thought, his lady wasn’t pleased others were having adventures without her.
His men piled into the wagons. The first team threw their weight against their collars, and the wood-laden wagon rolled. Old Hannion ran up panting to hand Aisling a small parcel. The gates opened, Keelan and Aisling cantered up to head the line, and the rescue party moved out, through the gates, along the winding road.
The snow had mostly halted for several days, but now the sky was leaden again. It had always been difficult to reach Elmsgarth in winter. This winter it could be impossible; yet they had to try. The lives of nine people depended on it. Aiskeep had never yet let its people down. This should not be the first time. The wagons rolled on down the rutted icy road as the first flurries of snow began to fall again from a slowly darkening sky.
XV
On horses it was normally only a few hours ride to Elmsgarth, but with the drifted snow, the freezing temperature, and two wagons, it would take every minute until darkness and maybe longer. Aisling and her brother left the ordering of the mission to Harran. They ranged out along the road ahead. Their mounts helped to break a trail, and they watched for problems that might slow the procession.
Harran knew winter. For any garth it was one of the great enemies. The bitter cold taxed the endurance of the strongest as cold sapped their strength. The snowdrifts swiftly exhausted those who fought them. And here they fought not only snow and the cold but also time. But he had a trick or two up his sleeve. He’d taken double teams for each wagon. Then there were the two riders and the axmen with all the keep’s spare shovels in the second wagon. Oh, yes. His lord was relying on him, and the lives of a family depended on his skills. Harran did not intend to fail either keep or garth.
For the first hour they plodded on. The men who rode the wagon were beginning to shiver. Then Aisling came riding back, her face serious.
“Drift across the road, not high but long.”
Harran grinned happily as he turned to his men. “All right, lads. Here’s where you earn your pay. Let’s look at this drift.” A mile far-ther on they found it. Keelan, who had climbed it on foot to investigate the extent of the piled snow, was just returning to his waiting mount.
“It isn’t a bad one. Too deep for the wagons as it is, but we can either cut or tramp a path quite easily. Which do you think, Harran?”
Harran dropped from the wagon and studied the drift in turn. “Tramp it, I reckon.” He waved, and the men climbed down to join him. Aisling had climbed the first wagon and was ready to drive. With her far lighter weight she’d be of most use doing that. Keelan took the second wagon seat after hitching both their saddle horses to the rear of his wagon. Harran’s men linked arms in rows of three. They marched forward tramping the snow into a path.
Step by step they advanced again until they reached the clearer section of road, then they returned. Their breath stood like smoke plumes in the air. They warmed as they worked. It took no great length of time before Aisling could set her wagon in motion. She allowed the beasts to take their own time. They’d be careful. All she had to do was keep them in motion and on the tramped-down path. This she did until a call signaled Keelan that it was safe to follow.
It took several minutes after that for the men to climb back into the wagon. Harran took the opportunity to change the teams, the led teams coming up to replace the original ones. Aisling had taken her mount and disappeared around a bend ahead. Keelan followed to find her several miles later. He halted in dismay.
“Gunnora, preserve us. How in Hades did Jarria get over that?”
“She didn’t. I’d say that she went off the road here and cut across country, which we can’t do with the wagons.” Aisling surveyed the drift. It was as high as her own head, and while she suspected it did not extend far it would be a massive weight of snow to move. Keelan looked at her.
“Could you do anything? The wagons are a fair way behind us. Harran was changing the teams when I followed you.”