Serena sat along side a stream quietly humming to herself as her fingers trailed in the bubbling water. Dark blonde lashes rimmed her closed eyes, her hair was plated into a single braid and trailed down her back to her waist. She wore a gown of purple velvet with gold thread embroidered in a basket weave pattern. She tilted her head to the left listening to the chattering squirrels and the birds singing in a tree nearby as they made their nest. The humming turned into softly sung words as she pulled her hand from the water and leaned back on her elbows. She turned her face up to the bright sun over head and sang to the heavens;
O list'n to the bird in the sky;
The sing o' their love;
List'n to the crickets;
Bring their love to me;
If you list'n you will hear;
The love from me...
The clomping of a horse's hooves near by made her stop singing and she turned her head toward the sound a smile gracing her features. She scrambled to her feet stumbling slightly before she flung herself in the direction of the horse trusting the rider to catch her unharmed.
"Nate! You have returned! What did they say? Can we preform for the lord?"
Nathaniel De Grey scrambled from his destrier his heart thumping hard in fear as he caught Serena in her arms and pulled her close. He glanced around the clearing near the stream a frown darkening his eyes. He lead her to a flat rock and seated her there, making sure she was firmly situated before releasing her arm.
"Where is Artemis and Sach?" He asked ignoring Serena's earlier question.
Serena waved a dismissive hand in the air, "Artemis took Sach into the forest hunting." Serena impatiently pushed a lock of golden hair that had escaped her braid behind her shoulder and leaned forward her face turned up toward Nathaniel's. "You did not answer my question Nate, can we preform at the keep for his lordship?"
Nathaniel's frown turned into a scowl at the answer to his question and emerald green eyes scanned the edge of the forest looking for any movement. It was obvious that he would have to speak with his brother about what it meant exactly to 'guard Serena'. His eyes drifted down to Serena's upturned face and he lowered his large frame into the grass before her rock.
"The Lord of the keep has granted us permission to sing for his daughters wedding three days hence," he replied curtly his eyes once more scanning the surrounding trees. He noticed Serena frowning and softened his tone, after all it wasn't Serena he was angry at. "The keep is a days hard travel from our current location. So when Artemis returns we should head out," he said rising to his feet.
Serena nodded her head and inhaled deeply from her nose, a tangy scent registered and she jumped to her feet. She reached out and placed her hands on Nathaniel's chest running her sensitive fingers over his tunic, "You have been injured. I can smell the blood on you," she said her fingers still searching.
Nathaniel caught her fingers before she could touch the bandage wrapped around his left shoulder, and brought them to his mouth kissing them gently before releasing them once more. "'tis naught but a scratch. I am going to pack our supplies you should just sit and be at peace until Artemis returns."
Serena frowned and lowered herself back onto the rock, she knew that he was hiding something from her but relented on pushing for an answer.
Nathaniel released a breath from his lungs as he moved around their small camp packing their supplies into their saddle bags and traveling chest. He picked up Serena's viol and brought it to her placing the bow in the fingers of her left hand and wrapping her right hand around the neck. He smiled when the instrument seemed to calm her for the moment and returned to his task. He picked up Artemis's lute and slung it over his shoulder as he moved toward the small cart that held their possessions that could not be carried on their saddles.
The soft sound of the wind rustling through the leaves brought him peace as he heard Serena begin to lovingly move the bow over the strings of her instrument. He was lifting the small travel trunk into the cart when sounds of laughter and a dog barking interrupted the peaceful melody. He turned to see his younger brother Artemis emerge from the forget a string of pheasant slung over his shoulder and a large wolf bounding around his ankles. Nathaniel narrowed his gaze on his brother as he leaned a hip against the side of the cart, folding his arms over his chest.
Artemis de Grey paused in his laughter at the wolf's antics and looked up to see his brother glaring at him from across the camp. He ruffled the animals ears and pointed in the direction of Serena who was oblivious to Nathaniel's ire. He moved toward his brother pushing a lock of his white blonde hair behind his shoulder and held up the birds he had caught.
"Brother, I see you have returned to us. I hope with good news," Artemis said eying the white bandage around Nathaniel's shoulder.
Nathaniel raised a brow and nodded, "Indeed I have. We have been granted permission to play at the keep for the wedding of the lords daughter." He watched as Artemis laid the birds into the card then slung an arm around the younger mans shoulder catching him in a head lock.
"However I was not happy to return to camp, and see Serena unprotected. I specifically remember giving you orders not to leave her side." He said in a growling voice as he tightened his hold on his brothers neck.
Artemis struggled to free himself from his brothers hold and ducked under his arm laughing and holding up his hands in a peace filled gesture. "Nate, I assure you I was gone naught more than a handful of minutes. Sach had grown restless and Serena assured me that she would be fine whilst we were hunting."
Nathaniel stared into the face of his beloved brother and let out a sigh knowing that he would not win the argument no matter how in the right he was. He pushed away from the cart and gave his brother a hard look, " Bare in mind that I do not want Serena left alone at any time. You could of waited for my return to hunt."
Artemis just laughed as he pulled a loaf of hard bread from one of the bags in the cart breaking it in half and moving toward Serena. Nathaniel shook his head wincing at the pain in his shoulder and made his way toward the pair, he reached down patting Sach on the head and settled himself before the fire.
"After we have eaten we will have to leave, it is a hard days travel to the keep as I was telling Serena while you were gone." He said and slide the strap to Artemis's lute from his shoulder passing it to his brother and accepting a piece of bread in return.
"'Tis Lord de Tournay's keep?" Artemis asked strumming a couple notes from the well polished instrument.
"Aye, and I am sure we will be well accommodated. His only daughter is to be married that day, and leaves for the highlands with her new lord. Who is to say when father and daughter shall see each other again, or if it shall happen." Nathaniel said before taking a large bite out of the chunk of bread.
Serena nibbled on her bread listening to the brothers converse as she ran gentle fingers over Sach's head and opened her eyes staring sightlessly ahead of her, she rarely opened her eyes since she could not see. Often they would water for no reason when open. She was able to move as well as any of the others with Sach by her side and Nathaniel and Artemis to clear her surroundings in unfamiliar places. She heard Nathaniel's words and smiled serenely her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Perhaps I shall sing some love ballads for the bride, and tell some tails of her fathers accomplishments. To tide her over in her travels to the north," she said standing and dusting the breadcrumbs from her skirt. She lifted two fingers to her mouth and let out a shrill whistle, from the other side of the cart her mare trotted over nuzzling her neck and snuffling at her hair. Serena hugged the mare then turned sightless blue eyes to her two companions, "I suggest we ride out. If I remember from our last time in this area, there is an inn half a days ride."
Nathaniel stood as well brushing the crumbs from his hands and picking up Serena's viol wrapping it in a soft cloth before tying it to the back of her saddle. "We should reach the inn by two hours after dark if we press hard." He confirmed lacing his hands together to form a step for Serena to mount her mare.
Serena settled into her saddle arranging her skirts around her legs and grasped the reins Nathaniel held for her with a thankful smile. Artemis picked up his lute by the neck and moved toward the cart placing it behind the seat before climbing into the drivers seat and picking up the reins bringing the plow horse into the line of their small caravan. Sach moved ahead of Serena's mare so that he could lead the other animal and waited patiently for Nathaniel to mount his destrier.
Once mounted on his war horse, Nathaniel nudged his heels to the animals flanks and their party merged into the well used road and headed south on the lane. He allowed a mild discomfort to pass over him at the jarring to his shoulder, before pushing the pain from his mind and keeping wary eyes on the forest edging the road. The clop of Serena's mares hooves had him turning his head to the side, noticing that once again her startling blue eyes were hidden behind closed lids and twin crescents of golden lashes.
"You must tell me about Lord de Tournay so that I may sing stories of his bravery for his guests and daughter." Serena said her head turned into the wind to catch the surrounding sounds. "As well as her Lord husband, I am sure he is a fierce warrior."
Nathaniel settled back into his saddle, and began to tell Serena all he knew of Lord de Tournay and his accomplishments. He glanced behind him to see Artemis swaying along with the card a long piece of hay between his teeth and some ungodly floppy hat pulled low over his brow. He focused again on Serena as he continued with his explanations, though he admitted in the end that he knew little of the man that would be come de Tournay's son-in-law.