"You have my blessings my child." He got up and stiffly walked up to her to take her hand. "Come Aura, if it is time to go, you must leave. For if you miss your calling you may never get another chance. When G.o.d knocks we must be ready to answer."

Aura rose and gave him a hug. "I want you to know how grateful I am for your help. I doubt if I could have ever come to this conclusion on my own."

"Take these beads with you my child and when you have doubts, or need guidance, use them. Thorn shall show you how. Be strong my daughter, you travel in the light of G.o.d, it is not easy to follow in his path without sometimes becoming blinded by the brightness."

Aura thanked the priest one more time then left. After she was gone he turned to the cross in the room, and laying a hand on it, he spoke aloud, not sure if he spoke to himself or the icon.

"I can only begin to wonder at the strength of faith which the man she speaks of must have, to believe in what this woman has told me. Being only human as well, I can only wonder if her telling me this story is a test of my own faith. If it is I hope I am right, for I believe with all my heart that if you have granted this, then it is so." He walked to the door of the room and added. "I have never thought of the personal soul of man as a half of a complete ent.i.ty, with the other half belonging to a specific woman. Was that what we were being told when it was written that woman was made from the rib of a man?"

"Was G.o.d telling us that this meant her soul was a part of his?" If that were so, the Priest sighed sadly in his thoughtfulness, there were many souls out there searching for their other half, only to be doomed to disappointment. The soul would know what it searched for, but the body would not and people of this age did not have the faith it took to believe.

With this thought in mind the priest decided he would dedicate the rest of his life to researching the questions his meeting with Aura had brought to his attention. He feared the conclusions he might come up with, but if a mere girl could have faith enough to believe, considering that she had no religious background to fall back on, why should he question?

Perhaps she was but a ray of that light that he had spoken of earlier and the one meant to guide him. He would pray for guidance and the strength it would need to face this challenge, but later. For right now he was tired and needed a little nap.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Two miles from where they had started Vernon's retreating force narrowly missed being discovered by the second part of the advancing enemy. The force was headed for what they thought should have been a battlefront and would have been, if Thorn had not talked Vernon into a brief retreat. Thorn had ridden, with a handful of his captains, ahead of the retreating army and had seen the enemy leading his forces. The man in charge was due for a very big disappointment. The fighting he had hoped to join did not exist. After seeing them Thorn felt a lot better about his chances. He could now begin to make battle plans. He spurred his horse to rejoin Vernon for a conference.

Vernon was in no mood to talk to his warlord. He was on what he considered a forced retreat and he felt Thorn was to blame for it. He noticed Thorn riding fast towards him and growled as Thorn reigned in, to take his place by his side.

"Any other bright ideas Thorn?" Vernon snarled.

"We have sighted the other half of their forces, their leader rides with them. He is somewhat recognizable, being a blond giant of a man." Thorn reported.

"Really? Have you managed to draw council from him so we know what to do next?" Vernon openly accused from sheer temper.

"I think you better clarify that comment, Vernon." Thorn spoke in dangerously clipped tones. The coldness of his voice warned of the volatility of the anger beneath the calm surface. He did not deserve Vernon's ire.

"Do you need it spelled out Thorn?" Vernon sneered. "Every time you ride off, you come back with more news of the enemy. How much of a coincidence is this? Is this our enemy Thorn? Or is he mine alone?"

Thorn took a deep controlling breath before answering. "If he was not my enemy, I would not be riding next to you. I would ride beside him." Thorn wheeled his horse around, getting ready to leave. He feared what might happen if he continued to stay to hear many more insults. Vernon was not the only man whose control was hanging by a thread.

The insulting b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Vernon thought to himself, how dared he ride from me without permission. He felt a need to bring Thorn back into line. It would feel good to take the man down a peg or two. Thorn was taking too much on himself, a.s.suming too much power. For he was the Duke. He was the leader. He would show Thorn who held the power.

"Go to him Thorn, I need the backing of loyal men. Not words from one such as you." Vernon's voice taunted the retreating figure.

A murmur went through the crowd of men. None could believe Vernon stupid enough to accuse Thorn of treason. It went beyond anything they believed possible, and they knew their leader was wrong. Vernon had no subject more loyal than Thorn. The last thing that was needed at this time, within the striking force of a ma.s.sive enemy army, was a dispute between the two most powerful leaders of their legion.

Vernon immediately regretted his hasty words, spoken in the heat of the moment. He would be dammed, however, if he would take them back.

Thorn continued to ride away from Vernon and his army. Edwin rode at his side, and their men at arms followed. He had been unjustly accused of treason and he refused to fight for any man who would believe him capable of such a deed. It did not matter if it meant that he might lose his own lands in battle. What mattered was that Vernon was one of his best friends, his Duke and his ally. Friends did not impugn your honor, and they did not curse your name. There were things a man could forgive and forget, things that mattered less than pride. This was not one of them. These were words of war. They were words that destroyed the very foundations of all they had built their relationship on.

Vernon watched Thorn's army as they gathered to follow their Lord and he saw red. How dared the man desert him when they were facing an enemy? How dare he ride off and leave without a second glance? He was the Duke. He was the ruler here, not Thorn.

"Traitor!" Vernon's voice rang with rage, as he gave voice to the insulting accusation he had more than hinted at earlier. Thorn continued to ride, ignoring Vernon's scream of outrage. Vernon drew his sword and ordered his remaining army to attack the deserting forces. They refused. They would rather face the wrath of their own leader than attack the Lord Thorn's army. The men who rode with the Lord Thorn were known for their fighting skills. No one doubted who the winner would be.

Vernon was beside himself with rage and he gave a yell of extreme frustration. He dug his spurs into his warhorse's sides and they thundered through his men, straight for Thorn, who turned just in time to meet his attack. Thorn disarmed the fuming Duke in short order, knocking him off of his horse and onto the ground. Vernon lay on the half frozen soil and yelled up at Thorn.

"Why do you hesitate? Finish it, you could rule it all."

"I know," Thorn answered bluntly. "I do not want your t.i.tle, I never have. I will never fight you again Vernon. We have a common enemy. We can face him together or you can stand alone, the decision is yours."

Vernon closed his eyes in silent surrender, as all the fight seemed to go out of him. He then admitted. "I know you never betrayed me Thorn. I am; however, a desperate man, especially after seeing how my own men react to you. You of all people should be able to understand what I mean."

"I know and I am no happier about it than you are." Thorn brushed the matter aside, allowing Vernon to save face. "Now that we have settled that I suggest we get down to work. We know where they are, and we are wasting time. They are moving towards what is supposed to be a battlefront. I suggest we follow them and give them a fight they will never forget. They will be disoriented, wondering where they lost us and what went wrong with their carefully laid out plans. They will not be ready for us. We will rest for the night then attack in the morning, they will not expect it."

"Well, in that case, if you will give me a hand up we will leave. You were the one that said we were wasting time unless I am mistaken." Vernon tossed Thorn a grin.

Thorn leaned over and offered Vernon his hand. Vernon took it and the ma.s.sive cheers of the combined forces resounded over the area. Minutes later they were following the trail of the enemy. They would not fight today, as the troops would be able to fight better when they were fresh, but at least they were unified once more. This day was almost over and to keep their location secret, they decided there would be no fires built in the night. Any food eaten would be done so cold. Thorn doubted if there would be very many men who would get much sleep. They would either be on watch, planning the upcoming day, or too nervous.

Vernon joined Thorn at his campsite and sat close to him after they settled. "Would you really have left me alone to fight these forces Thorn?" It was a question that bothered him.

Thorn looked at his friend for a moment, deciding if he should tell him the truth then decided it was for the best.

"Vernon, I would have let you lose the battle, if not the whole war. If you had lost I would have pledged allegiance to the new rule. The country needs peace Vernon. The lands are empty and the graves full. We need time to raise our families and repopulate the land. We have lost too many men to war."

"Why do we not just walk over to this man's army and offer them land then? It is what they have come for." Vernon sniffed in sarcasm then added. "Thorn, I do believe you are getting soft."

"Really? Did it feel like that a while back Vernon?" Thorn asked as he smiled back at his Duke.

"No," he replied with a grim frown. "It certainly did not, but honestly Thorn, you cannot be serious about what you have just said."

"I can and I am." Thorn admitted.

"In that case, what do you think of the man we are about to face in battle? What have you heard about him?"

"His name is Sillgrim and his men seek a home. A place to plant their crops, and no Vernon, I do not believe he would be satisfied to live under your rule the way he is. His men believe him to be a man amongst men, a gift from their G.o.ds. Anyone would be hard pressed to keep him in line with that kind of reputation. Unless you beat him in battle first, he will never serve. He would always be a danger. First, you have to show him his place, show him that he is no better or worse than the next man. Above all, you need to show him that here, you rule."

"Teaching him that lesson is something you could do." Vernon stated, giving Thorn credit he felt he deserved. Thorn, he reasoned, would have no trouble keeping the man in line.

"Just what are you getting at Vernon?" Thorn was half afraid he knew what Vernon was thinking. He hoped he was wrong.

"The lands to the North and South of you lay barren for no other reason that there is no Lord to oversee their development. The land is capable of supporting crops and people."

"I am not so sure I like the idea of living surrounded by an army of men whose sole reason for being here in the first place is to take our homes and land." Thorn frowned. Vernon had voiced the thoughts Thorn had feared. Vernon might be the ruler who gifted the position, but Thorn was the hammer he would use to make sure those he placed under his care would stay there.

"Suppose we teach them who rules here first then we can offer the survivors land in a gesture of good will. Maybe then we can live in peace for a while. In the meantime, I will go to pray for the return of your wife. You have no idea what an a.s.set Aura can be on the battlefield. I would have lost twice the men I did last year if she would not have been there. We miss her."

Thorn sighed and murmured. "Yes, Vernon, we definitely do miss her."

Thorn, in many ways, was quite surprised at just how much he still thought of Aura. His feelings for his wife were as strong as they had ever been. He had wondered once, if she never returned, whether he might have found her absence easier to deal with. He actually found it was getting harder.

He curled up in his blanket on the hard ground and reminisced. It had not been much more than a mile or so from where he had seen Aura for the first time. He smiled fondly as he remembered how she had been. She had surprised him with her openness and honesty, and had captivated him right from the start. All he needed to do was to close his eyes and she would come to life before him. Those memories were all he had for the moment and would have to sustain him.

Thorn could see her in memory, as she sat by the fire combing her hair. He remembered the feel of that hair against his skin. He loved how it would wind about him like silken cloth as they lay together. He stopped his musing, forcing his mind back to the present. This was no time to return in thought to what had been, not when tomorrow there was a battle to fight.

Wolf had padded off from his master's side earlier. He had felt a shift in the air and knew with an unerring instinct what it was. Aura had returned. She had come home and she was close by. The wolf was confused over what he should do with his discovery. She had left him to Thorn's care and he had a new master who needed him. Aura would have told him to go back to Thorn. The wolf knew and understood that. He also felt he should find a way to tell Thorn that she had returned. Thorn, however, was preoccupied with other matters. The wolf threw his head up and howled his indecision to the world. It was not only mankind who had choices that needed to be made.

The decision was made for the wolf as Thorn heard his howl and gave a quick and sharp whistle for him to return to his side. The wolf never hesitated as he raced to his master's side. He would try to make the man understand.

Thorn only laughed at the wolf as he ran into the camp, giving off excited little yips and doing all sorts of stunts to get him to follow his lead. He patted Wolf on the head and told him to settle down and to go to sleep. Thorn then crawled into his own blankets and followed his own advice. The wolf lay down beside him, setting his nose on his master's arm and sighed with a heavy heart as he did what he had been told.

At the first signs of the breaking of dawn Thorn was up. His orders were the first thing other members of the camp heard. He had them prepare, in as silent a way as possible for the fight, before forming a battle line. As the sun peeped over the horizon they attacked.

The first part of the battle was over very quickly. Enemy soldiers scrambled for their weapons. They were still half asleep when Thorn's forces swooped down on them. The waking enemy was quickly cut-down by the advancing forces under Vernon's command. Thorn led the second wave of the attack. Vernon's forces came at the encampment from the East and South. Thorn and Edwin led their men out of the North and West. They gave no warning that they were coming, no mercy to the enemy, when they roared into the battle screaming the name of their leaders.

The enemy forces were stunned, but it did not stop them from forming a defense and setting up a counter attack. The leader bellowed orders at his fighting forces as he jumped onto his warhorse to join the battle. He fought with an axe in one hand and a sword in the other, slashing and stabbing as he moved. He used no shield to impede his attack. His focus was centered on what he was doing, which was causing as much destruction as possible.

Thorn had never seen anyone cause as much carnage as the man they called Sillgrim. Nothing seemed to stop him. No wonder his men had thought of him as they had. Thorn gave a roaring battle cry and turned his stallion to head him off. Someone had to stop him or they could still lose this battle. Sillgrim screamed at Thorn as he answered his challenge. Wolf ran at the side of his master's warhorse, defending them both against anyone who dared to get close. The three warriors charged and clashed.

Recognizing a warrior of equal, if not superior strength and ability, Sillgrim struck at Thorn with his axe first. It was his greatest weapon, the one he had the most effect with. It struck Thorn's shield with enough force to shatter bone and stuck solid in the Oak barrier. Sillgrim had not expected that, but he knew enough to let it go as Thorn swung his sword at his arm. It was either let go or lose the arm. He went to swing his sword in defense and the wolf jumped to sink his teeth into the jugular of his horse.

The stallion panicked at the attack as the wolf's teeth sunk deep. This was not something he had been trained to deal with. Instinct took over the great animal as he reared, seeking to break free of the wolf's hold on him. Sillgrim went flying through the air. The horse's hooves came down hard as wolf and warhorse fought their own battle. The wolf was fast and knew to keep out of the way of the slashing hooves as the horse attempted to stomp him. Blood flowed freely from both animals as the wolf continued to fight to bring down his enemy. The horse slipped in the blood that collected beneath him. There was no room to maneuver, no room to fight. They were hemmed in from all sides. The horse was quick to get back on his feet, quick to go back on the attack. He had been trained for battle. He reared once more as Wolf sunk his teeth into his neck again. This time they went down together. The great warhorse landed atop the wolf. Neither got up.

Thorn did not stop to watch the battle between Wolf and the horse. He saw Sillgrim as he flew from the back of the horse and moved in for the kill. He managed to swing his sword twice more at Sillgrim, before turning his attention to another combatant. He rode off into battle knowing that his enemy had been badly wounded, though he had no idea to the degree. What he did know was that his sword was needed elsewhere. Sillgrim laid in the b.l.o.o.d.y mud of the battle, unable to move, his life's blood flowing from the deep cuts from Thorn's blade. He spared a moment to look at the scenes around him and knew his battle had been lost.

Sillgrim's horse had managed to trample the wolf. He remembered the sharp yelp that had distracted him. He doubted if the other warrior had heard and if he had, he had not taken any notice. Others had fallen all around him; some still lived, most did not. Some men were complete, some were not, and he decided that all battlefields were the same. Nothing changed, except this time he was on the ground pouring his life into the mud. It was all right. It was a good way to die. A warrior's death was an honorable way to end a life.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

"Leave nothing to draw you back," Aura mentally reviewed her instructions as she finished putting the last of her belongings into a backpack. Her stepfather noticed her activity as he walked past the open door of her room, and stopped.

"Aura?" He knocked on the empty door casing before entering her room. "Are you going somewhere?" He looked about and noticed the emptiness of the room.

She gave him a wide-eyed stare and started to answer. "I," she hesitated then decided to tell him the truth. "It has come Father, the time to return. If at all possible I do not intend to come back this time."

"You are sure that this is what you want?" He had thought she was happy with her studies, he had thought she would be with them forever. She had been studying so hard and her professors were more than a little impressed with her potential. She had everything to look forward to here.

Aura nodded and answered with resolution. "I miss him father, I love him."

Her stepfather nodded. He understood, just as he knew that anything he could say at this time would be a waste of breath, but he had to try.

"You do know what you face for a lifestyle in that time and age Aura? A child every year, left at the whim of your Lord and master? Nor are living conditions what you are used to."

"I know all of that, but perhaps it will be a little different for me, not all women are so fertile as to conceive on a continuous basis. As for the conditions, I know about them too, father. I lived back there three years, remember?"

"You should take a measure of preventatives with you, for your own safety." He advised.

"I take only what is mine father. I want nothing more. I can think of nothing important here anymore."

He sighed as he gave in, recognizing a lost cause when he saw one. "Do you need a ride to your cave?"

"I would appreciate it, thank you. I had thought I would have to walk, I only have a packsack and Sid to take, so it would not have been too bad."

"Yes, I know. What you have is very little, but despite our neglect, I hope you remember us."

Aura put a hand over his arm and spoke lowly. "I will never forget you father."

He covered her hand with his and a.s.sured her. "Nor I you Aura."

With that she threw her arms about him and gave him a goodbye hug. As she drew away she turned to face her mother, who was looking at her daughter in disgust. Before her mother could say anything to her, Aura went to her and also gave her a big hug. "I was going to stop in to say goodbye to you also mother. I will never forget you."

Aura's mother frowned at her in irritation as she replied: "You are being absurd Aura. You talk as if you are never coming back home."

Aura replied. "I am not and it is time for me to leave. Goodbye mother." She picked up her luggage and with quick brisk steps she left the house. Her step father followed close at her heels.

Aura's mother did not even move from where she stood. She could not believe that this was happening. She had bore Aura, raised her, and now her daughter was leaving. She thought of Aura as a stranger. She knew nothing about her. She had no idea where she was going and what was even worse, she didn't seem to care. There was, however, a strange, cold, empty spot in her heart, where her daughter used to be. Why did she feel as if she had just buried her own child? She walked to the telephone and called one of the girls. They would have a nice little chat, and she would feel better. The girls always made her feel so much better.

The trip to the cave was made in silence. Everything that had to be said had been said, or perhaps it was that neither knew what to say to the other anymore. It had been a long day already and it was barely three in the afternoon. The jeep came to a halt just short of the ruins and Aura smiled her thanks to her stepfather. She then climbed out, and taking the last of her packages with her, she walked over to the hole in the top of the cave. She hoped everything went according to plan.

Aura looked at the small a.s.sortment of packages that symbolized her lifetime acc.u.mulation of possessions and smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt. It looked like one of her stepsisters about to take a trip, albeit a long one. Well, so was she, the only difference was that she was not coming back. She said her final goodbyes to her stepfather then watched him drive away, before lowering herself into the semi darkness of the cave.

"Thorn," Aura gave a breathless whisper to the elements about her. "Take care of yourself and please be there for me. I think I would die if something happened to you before I arrived. Remember, I love you and have come from afar in order to be your wife."

She covered herself with one of the feather quilts. Eventually she fell asleep. Would she wake up here, where she had started, or would she wake at home with Thorn? She felt Sid move in his sack and smiled. Well at least she was not alone. Nor was Sid the little snake he had held a year ago. He had done a lot of changing and growing. Well, she reflected, so had she.

Aura felt a cool breeze from the side of the cave as she woke from a dream and knew immediately that she was home. It was early evening and she could hear the sounds of spring all about her. She looked about and noted that all her belongings had come with her and she smiled. Thorn, she decided with a deep feeling of satisfaction, was in for a huge surprise, for she had brought some interesting things. Some things would leave him scratching his head in wonder. She liked that idea. She liked making him think about her.

She walked outside for a while and spent some time gathering dead wood. She would need fire for warmth. She could not let Sid get too cold either. After she returned to her cave she made her fire, took Sid out and spent some time with him, before retiring. Tomorrow she would start looking for Thorn.

She woke to the faint sound of a ma.s.sive battle and became immediately alert. If there was a war going on she could be sure Thorn would be in the thick of it. She grabbed the bag filled with medical supplies and started off for the field, where the noise was the loudest. She did not travel very fast, fearing that if she arrived too soon she could find herself close to the center of the fighting, or even worse, be discovered and captured by the enemy.

There was the smell of the dead and the dying everywhere and as always, Aura wondered how the human body could smell, so foul, so quickly. She had become used to such smells from her days in medical school and now just moved about, marking corpses for removal as she had the last time there had been a battle. Subconsciously she listened for the sounds of Thorn's horse riding up behind her as she worked. She heard nothing. She supposed he was busy fighting where the battle still raged.

There were so many dead; row after row of men hacked to death with few still living to be cared for. Some were too far-gone to be helped. Even medicine performed in perfect conditions could not have helped some of these men as they breathed their last breath.

The men had either bled to death, or died quick. Those, Aura decided, were the lucky ones. The unlucky ones were like the one before her. She had cauterized his arm then sewn up the stump and bandaged it. He would be missing the limb the rest of his life and would probably not thank her for his life, if he did manage to live. It was not a period of history to favor any person with a missing limb.

Sillgrim watched Aura as she flitted from person to person, stopping where she was needed to care for some poor suffering soul. There were others who did the same. They were all recognizable as doctors. There were others, less savory characters roaming around, stealing bits and pieces from the corpses. Aura was different from all of them. He closed his eyes to rest for a few moments while he waited for her attention. He was sure it would be her who would tend him. He lay in her path and if she did see to his wounds as he hoped, he would get his chance to quiz her.

His turn came sooner than he had thought it would. He heard her approach, although she seemed to move stealthily enough, from a distance. He opened his eyes as he continued to monitor her progress. He watched as she marked more of the men who had died in battle and as she leaned over him he asked, in a pain-racked voice.

"Who are you, and why are you here? One such as you does not belong in a place such as this."

"All who know me call me Aura." She replied in a language similar to his. Her accent sounded strange. He moved slightly as she began to examine him and she took him to task over it. "I would really appreciate it if you would keep still. You have been very seriously injured in several places. I am going to have to inflict still more pain on you before I can help you."

"You could do me no harm." The man scoffed. "You are nothing but a girl."

Aura gave a small smile of amus.e.m.e.nt, but remained silent as she threaded her needles, pulled some medication out of her bag and began to tend to his injuries. The man had been very lucky she decided as she treated him. In several places he had come very close to having some major artery, or organ severed or punctured. No mortal wounds had resulted, although he had lost a great deal of blood and would need a lot of time and attention to heal properly. She finished the primary care needed to help him then, looking into his still inquisitive gaze, smiled. He was a strong man. He had not whimpered or yelled once. She patted his shoulder and rose to leave. She had hundreds more to see to.

"Will I see you again Aura?" He interrupted her progress.

Aura was evasive in her reply, not sure if she would remember him amongst the crowd of faces she had catered to during this day, although she would never forget his strength. He reminded her a bit of Thorn and she wondered if her husband was safe and well, as it had been a vicious battle.

"Perhaps, probably. Your injuries, although they are serious, are not mortal. I would suggest you get some sleep though. I will make a special point of coming back to see how you are doing later."

"The name is Sillgrim, should you need it for anything." He told her.