A/N: Sorry, I really hoped to be back to daily updates about now. I am trying x x
Chapter 43
The following week was full of preparations, soldier drills and planning. Edward may not have told his wife in so many words that they were going to war, but his actions spoke loud and clear. There was going to be a great battle between the English and the Scots. A lot of blood would be shed and many lives would be lost, but in the end, who would be victorious?
Isabella had no idea and that thought terrified her. She knew that Edward would do everything within his power to keep her safe, but who was going to keep him safe and how could he possibly protect her from a hidden enemy when he is off fighting a war? Her attacker had never been found and that concerned her. It was completely possible that he was now miles away from the castle, but it was also possible that he still lurked within the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to attack. That very thought haunted her day and night, but she did her best to hide her fear. She didn't want to look weak to the clan or worry her husband. It was important that his mind wasn't preoccupied when he went into battle. That was the sort of thing that could end up getting him killed.
Nonetheless, Edward was worried about his wife. He had noticed how jittery she had become. She barely ate and spent most of the night tossing and turning in her sleep. She was scared. She hadn't been the same since she had been attacked or seen Collin's body. He wished he had been there to defend her and he wished he had ordered her not to follow him like that. He wanted to protect her from the cruelness of the world, but it would seem he was incapable of doing that. He had the feeling that he could surround his wife with a thousand men, and she would still get hurt. Danger seemed to follow her around. It was one of the reasons he had chosen to give her the knife and show her the passageway. He hoped that by giving her the tools to survive, she would do just that … Survive, for he had no idea what he would do without her in his life.
He watched her now, as she moved her food around, pretending to eat. She was starting to fade away before his very eyes. She had lost so much weight in the space of a week. "Ye need to eat," Edward sighed.
Isabella jumped at the sound of her husband's voice. She hadn't realised he had been watching her. He had been so deep in conversation with Jasper that she didn't think he would notice what she was or was not doing. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled, hoping he would accept her answer.
"Ye've barely ate in days, ye are wasting away. It needs tae stop."
Perhaps her husband saw more than she gave him credit for. "I am feeling a little under the weather," Isabella said, standing up. "I think I will go and lay down," she said, turning around and walking away, before her husband even gave her permission to leave.
"She willnae last the winter if she dinne eat," Jasper said, with a mouthful of stew.
Edward scowled at his captain. He didn't need to hear his opinion to know his wife wouldn't last if she didn't change her ways. It was high time he had a talk with her.