Page 40 of To Love

“Is that a bell?”

“It is.”

They sprang into action, both he and Elara bolting from the bed. He donned his shirt while fetching her clothing. Elara had no time to consider all that happened, to be aroused by Alden’s hands as they aided her in dressing.

“Fire?” he asked.

“Aye,” she said. “That bell has rung just once before, a chimney fire that was contained in the kitchen.”

“Go,” she added, aware that Alden needed to get out before being seen coming from the corridor that led to her chamber. “I will follow.”

“No,” he said as Elara fetched a pair of shoes, not wishing to spend time lacing her boots. “I am not leaving until you are safely out of this chamber.”

If it were not for the dangers of smoke, this chamber would be safe enough. Much of the castle would be, in fact, as it was mostly made of stone.

“Alden, go,” she said, putting on her second shoe.

He did not move.

Stubborn man.

Finishing quickly, Elara ran into the antechamber to fetch her key. Alden followed, and finally, seemed ready to leave. But first, he kissed her, and damned if Elara did not care that Blackwood, or part of it, might be on fire. She wanted to stay here, in this chamber, with this man, but of course, could not.

“Be safe,” he said, breaking apart from her. “Go, now.”

Not waiting to watch him leave or fix the tapestry behind him, Elara did just that. As she raced down the spiral staircase, she began to hear shouts of “fire” and “hurry.” Praying Alden would not be seen, she followed the others down to the ground level and out into the courtyard. Immediately, she smelled and saw the smoke at the same time.

“The stables,” she cried, racing toward the massive stables where more than a hundred mounts were housed.

It was one of the first provisions made at the castle when it was procured. After falling into disrepair, the last surviving relative of the Blackwood family producing no heirs, the castle had gone uninhabited for many years. Stories of it being haunted kept most away until its strategic position, and lack of an owner with enough coin to restore it, made it the perfect training grounds for their purpose. The combined funds of many nobles sympathetic to Empress Matilda’s cause, including Lords Ashford and Bennington, the only two noblemen living in the region, made repairs, expanded the stables, and added additional guard barracks that could be used by recruits.

Unfortunately, in the mayhem, Elara could not get near the stables. She was forced to watch, along with many of the others, as buckets of water were carried through the crowd. She could hear Lord Stirling’s voice, asking for a path to be cleared, but she could not see him.

A sickening sound of horses’ neighs and the sight of thick black smoke rising in the sky made Elara fear the worst. Stirling, and others, continued to shout as recruits crowded around the area, making it difficult for anyone to get by. A bright orange and red glow illuminated the night sky, one that, at any other time, would be awe-inspiring.

It was only when the crowd finally began to part that she saw him. Alden was as magnificent as the flames were terrifying. Larger than any other man around him, he pushed through the crowd, shouting as some of the others tried to do. “Move back,” he said, forcing the recruits and servants alike away from the area.

Their eyes met.

His relief, at seeing her safe no doubt, was as evident as his determination to see the water buckets made their way to the stables. With his aid, and another of the recruits almost equally as large as Alden, they managed to push back some of the crowd.

Elara watched as a line formed and buckets made their way from one person to the next. She jumped into the line, as did many others upon seeing it, and it quickly extended from the well all the way down to the stables.

Behind her, she assumed the horses were being evacuated, and Elara prayed none were injured. Later, after seeing cart after cart make its way down the hill, she realized the stored wooden tanks of water must have been tapped, the carts filled with barrels of more water than they could possibly carry.

It was much later, as the flames disappeared and the smoke began to clear, that it became apparent the buckets were no longer needed. The fire was out, the damage uncertain. Elara no longer saw Alden, or any of the instructors, but the crowd had thinned, and she was able to make her way toward the stables. There, she spotted Eamon talking to Gareth.

“Sir Eamon,” she said, rushing up to him. “What do you know?”

“We lost more than one mount; others have suffered burns and smoke inhalation. An assessment is being conducted now. I was telling Gareth, it seems the south stable has collapsed, but we were able to contain the fire to it alone. An assessment will be needed on the morrow to determine whether the heat caused any cracks on the newer stables, which are made of stone.”

Elara asked the question that had been foremost on her mind, aside from the safety of the horses, since the bell first rang. “What was the fire’s cause?”

“Unknown, but my thoughts were much the same as yours. Pardon, my lady. Gareth.” Eamon hustled away, though Elara could not see where the swordmaster was headed.

Gareth nodded to a clearing on the edge of the crowd. Elara lifted her gown and joined him.

“He said more than one. Do we know how many?”