Bryon knew he was being taken care. He did not know how long he had been here. He could feel himself getting stronger and he had been staying awake for longer periods. But never long enough to actually see who was taking care of him. They spoke his language for he had heard someone talking as he went in and out of the darkness. Today he had got a glimpse of a woman before he slept again he remembered her hair but from where? It was red as the evening sky after the sun had set and it set the sky on fire.
He caught a glimpse of a woman. Was that in his mind or was she really here? He called out her name, “ Katelynn.”
The woman who sat on one side of him looked at the elder woman on the other side of the room.
“ Mother,” said the younger of the two, “ Could he be calling for Christine‟s Katelynn?
They are about the same age and we know there was someone else with him. We also know that this man was hit from behind, because of the wound to the back of his head and he was laying face down. Could Katelynn have been with him and she herself in danger or worse?”
“I do not know my child but we must send for Christine now. If Katelynn was with this man she must get here right away and help find her,” said the older woman. “ Tell your father he must send someone for her now, it is time for him to put all else aside. Richard has been good to Christine and she is happy. This is for the life of his grand daughter.” Margaret looked at her daughter Elizabeth and said, “ If Katelynn was with him any hopes of her to be alive or in her right mind is very few. The young man has been here for eight days now.”
It took very little time to get an errand boy to take the message to Christine. He would be there within two days and would return immediately with her.
Things were still not in focus to Bryon his vision was still blurred. His head still ached if he tried to stay awake for to long. But he could feel himself getting stronger. He still had not seen who was taking care of him.
But he kept seeing the woman with the red hair. And he would see her in his dreams. He would call out her name over and over. But while he lay awake he could not speak. He had tried and it seemed as though no words would come.
The men had left Eric alone in the cave for two days now. He was very thirsty and hungry.
He was starting to believe the men were not coming back. He had been working the rope that tied his hand behind his back. The rope was not as tight as it was when they had first tied it. A little more wiggling and he may be able to get them loose enough to get his hands free. Then he would get out of here and go see if he could find Bryon. But he knew it would be to late. He had seen the blood coming from the back of his head.
Eric continued to work with the rope that tied his hands he felt it give more just a little longer and he would be free. He felt the rope give more and he started trying to pull his right hand free. He felt the blood running from the cuts the rope had made from him working so hard to get loose. The blood was making his wrist and hands slick. Maybe this would help him pull his hands free and he began to try harder. Then he felt his right hand slipping through the rope.
He was just about free. His heart was racing he was going to be able to get out of this and try and make things right. He knew he had made a very big mistake. Bryon had become his friend and he knew he truly loved Katelynn.
His right hand was free! Now, he must get out of this cave before they came back and find Bryon if he could. He would then go to the village and tell Richard what had happened. He just hope he was not too late .It would take him a few days to get back to the village he did not have a horse and would have to be very careful traveling just in case the three men came back to cave and saw he was gone. He was sure they would come looking for him.
He found the spot where the three men had came upon them. Bryon was not there his horse was gone also. But this did not surprise Eric. The horse had probably started wondering to find water. And had just continued to wonder around. Maybe it had started back for the village. He knew of horses that would do this. If their riders had gotten knocked off the horse, or the horse had reared and knocked off the rider they would head back for their home. He had hoped that this was the case, if so then the men of the village would be out looking for them.
Eric had know way of knowing that Bryon and his horse had been found by some women of Glen More. This was William‟s village, Katelynn‟s grandfather a days ride from this spot. They had been there digging the root of the thistle mint also. The healing powers of the root were well known and most people of this region came here to harvest the root in early mid summer.
“He may have been found and was being helped by one of the villages in this area. But he must start making his way back to the village,” he thought. “ And what would he say to Katelynn.”
He thought a moment longer, “ How about the truth? And hope she would forgive him.” Chapter Eleven
Katelynn knew that Eric and Bryon should have been back by now. She had been watching for them. Someone from the other end of the village was waving their arms and saying something but she could not make out what it was. Several of the villagers were running out of their huts and looking up from whatever task they were doing.
She began to run to see what all the commotion was about. Could it be Bryon and Eric returning? As she approached she saw several horses without their riders and recognized one of the horses. It was Eric‟s horse! Where was Eric and if Eric was here where was Bryon? She made her way through the crowd that had gathered. Then she saw it was not Eric or Bryon but Charles. How did he come about having Eric‟s horse? She heard a woman wailing she saw it was Eric‟s mother. His father was trying to hold her.
Katelynn wanted to get closer she wanted to hear what had happened. She heard Charles telling Eric‟s father they had found the horse wondering along the road on their way back. And thought it maybe had gotten away from its owner. So they had brought it back with them to the village. Eric‟s mother began to wail louder.
Katelynn knew this could only mean something terrible had happened. But where were Bryon and Eric now. Had they been ambushed? Were they injured or had something worse happened? Were they even still alive?
Katelynn looked at Charles with tears in her eyes and asked, “Where did you find Eric‟s horse?”
“About a days ride to the north of here. He was heading in this direction,” replied Charles.
“Was there anyone else around? Did you see another horse?” Asked Katelynn.
“No,” replied Charles. “ But we did not look. I never thought there was a reason too.” Richard had made his way to where the crowd had gathered.
“Father,” Katelynn said. “You must get some men of the village together and go look for them.”
“Don‟t worry Katelynn we will find them,” her father told her.
Charles knew now that what stood between him and Katelynn was Bryon. And he would make sure that Bryon did not make it back.
“My men and I will help,” Charles said. “The more men we have looking the better the chances you will have of finding them.”
Richard agreed and asked for any man who wanted to join the search to be at his hut by mid morning. When Richard walked out of his hut at mid morning there were about twenty men waiting to help with the search. Those that had horses split into two groups. One group would ride to the left of the men walking and the other to the right. This would cover more ground.
Richard had promised Katelynn he would do everything in his power to make sure they searched until there was nothing more they could do. But Richard did not believe they would find Eric or Bryon.