He had wanted so badly to make love with her last night, show her how much they truly loved each other. She had wanted to just as badly, but he had given her a choice and he would honor his word, no matter how difficult. He hoped with time her hurt would pass and she would see that their love had survived, had always been there and would never go away.
If not?
He pushed the painful thought from his mind. He would not visit it again. He was a warrior who had claimed victory in many battles. He would claim victory in this battle or die trying, but he would not—would not let Aliss go.
“We land soon?”
He turned to Aliss, her face pale and her body trembling.
He reached out and drew her into his arms, resting her face to his chest.
“I am not a good sailor.”
“The sea is not pleasant today even for a seasoned sailor,” he said, feeling her arms slip around his waist and hold on tight. He hugged her to him, wanting to ease her discomfort yet knowing only land beneath her feet could do that. “We will touch land soon.”
She moaned. “I am so grateful and jealous.”
He chuckled. “I heard your sister, as you bade each other good-bye this morning, tell you how much she enjoyed sailing.”
“And she is with child. It is not—” She pulled away from him.
Her face was deathly pale and he knew she was about to be sick. He grabbed her around the waist and hauled her to the side of the ship, gently bending her head over the side.
Waves rocked the ship and sea mist sprayed her face and dampened her garments but he held her firm. He did not intend to let the sea claim her. She belonged to him.
She fell into his arms when she finished, drained from her ordeal. He wrapped his arms around her and carried her to where Anna sat with a few other women. They moved to make space for her.
“I will be back to get her once we reach shore,” he told Anna. “Make her stay here. The landing will not be an easy one.”
Anna nodded, looking pallid herself.
“It will be over soon,” he assured Anna and looked over to Aliss, who had yet to open her eyes. “Keep watch on her.”
Rogan walked off, directing the men to make ready to land. He had hoped they would beat the swelling waves but they were rising fast. It was a tricky feat to land the ship in such hazardous conditions. Sometimes men were lost, ships damaged.
He yelled out instructions and the men obeyed knowing their lives depended on it.
The sea seemed impressed with their well-orchestrated maneuvers and the swells eased enough for the men to jump into the rough waters, ropes attached, and make preparations to get the ship on shore.
With time and effort, poles were made ready, the men took their places, and they heaved in unison to pull the ship onto the waiting poles and roll it onto shore away from the angry sea.
Rogan went directly to Aliss, who was sitting up, color still drained from her face. “Time to touch land.”
She reached out to him like a child who was being rescued and he grabbed her, scooping her up into his arms.
“You can rest on shore while everyone disembarks,” he said, walking to the side. With ease, he jumped off to land with a solid thud on the sand. That she had not flinched at his actions pleased him. Whether she believed it or not she trusted him, at least to a point.
He settled her on shore away from the frenzy of unloading a complete clan from two ships and warned her to stay put. Did he think she would?
He shook his head. She had not responded but once she began to feel better, he had no doubt she would pitch in and help. And damn if he did not admire her tenacity.
Rogan formed groups to see to the unloading. The women and children would rest while the men cut a path through the woods to the village, then the moving would begin, if they could beat the impending storm.
Rogan and his men were ready for the trek, while a few of the men had been designated to find game for tonight’s meal.
He was not surprised to see Aliss join his troop that would slash a path through the wilderness, a satchel slung over her shoulder and her healing basket on her arm.
“I suppose I cannot dissuade you from joining us,” he said, pride for his wife’s stamina beaming in his smile.
“Your observation is keen and allows us not to waste time,” Aliss said with a glance to the foreboding sky. “I would say we have little time before the storm hits.”
“Are you certain you do not wish to remain with the women and children and follow once the path is cleared? Our pace will be quick.”
“Then you will keep match with mine.”
The men around her laughed and Rogan signaled to begin the journey, with Aliss and he trailing behind several of the men whose swords swiftly saw to opening a pathway.