claim
to claim a space by the wall. Elaina was still sleeping, Kara watching her. Hen, silent for once, watched both while two of the guards ate quietly."You'll be going up to the guestroom on the next floor, soon as it's safe to move your sister. Want us to fetch your things up?"
Kara thought a moment, nodded.
Hen jumped up. "I'll go."
Harald took an absent-minded bite from a chunk of bread, leaned over the sleeping girl, put the back of his hand to her forehead. It was hot.
"Has she eaten, drunk anything?"
Kara shook her head. He put a little wine in a goblet, laid it near Elaina's head.
"Wakes while I'm gone, see if she'll take that. I'll try for broth up from the kitchen." He went out.
Elaina woke, slept, woke again; her sister spooned warm broth into her when she could. While she slept Harald checked over Kara's wound. He made her take some of the broth too, bread dipped in it. Before dinner he carried the sleeping girl carefully up the stairs in his arms, laid her on the bed. Hen brought the bowl of broth; Harald put it on the hearth, almost into the fireplace, spoke to Kara.
"She needs to stay warm too; that's why I moved the bed so close to the fire."
"I'll lie with her."
"Of course. Lie still if you can; she needs the sleep."
Kara got up to put another log on the fire, wincing a little, noticed Hen staring at the two longbows leaning up against the wall. She kneeled, warming her hands.
"Have you killed people?"
"Tried. Didn't stay around to see."
"I'll be in the next room, with Father. Anything you need, just call; I sleep light."
Kara nodded her thanks; they went out. Harald closed the door.
Two days later, Harald brought in a platter of food, Hen a pitcher of beer, both to the small table that someone had found and placed by the bed. Elaina spoke. "Harl, stay a minute please."
Hen hesitated, went out. Harald sat down on the hearth near the head of the bed, warming his hands at the coals.
"You've been very kind. Everyone has. I, we, hoped you could tell us things."
He waited.
"Yosef, your lord, he welcomed us, gave Kara bread and salt, that's three days. But he's the man of the North Province lord. North Province lord is the King's man."
Kara spoke. "King isn't exactly our friend, lately."
Harald let himself look up at the face above him for a moment. Not easily frightened or turned. The cheeks were unscarred, eyes clear, hair, washed clean by her sister