my ways,” Odo insisted. “This wedding must not take place yet. You must wait.”
“We have waited long enough. Fiona and I will wed in three days time.”
“What of your father?” Odo asked of Fiona. “Do you not want him present at your wedding?”
“He will be. He arrives late tomorrow or early the next day in time for the ceremony and celebration, and he brings the cleric who will wed us.”
Tarr slapped Odo on the back and shoved a tankard of ale at him. “We celebrate the joining of powerful clans. We will deal with the other matter the day after the celebration.”
Odo accepted the ale, but his taut expression belied his words. “To my niece and her future husband Tarr of Hellewyk, may you know only happiness.”
They all drank to the toast and when done, Odo was quick to excuse himself, explaining that he had to inform his men they would not be leaving just yet.
“He is not pleased with the news,” Fiona said after she, Tarr, and Raynor took their seats at the table on the dais.
“He is a man of action,” Raynor said. “It disturbs him to sit by and do nothing when trouble brews. He was the one who organized the search parties after your abduction. Father was distraught and mother”—he shook his head—“she insisted on going with Odo to search. He promised mother that he would be relentless in his pursuit and find you girls.”
“He must have been upset returning empty-handed,” Tarr said.
“Upset? He was furious. He had no choice but to rest the horses and the men; they were exhausted and could not continue. He kept a vicious pace for months until finally father ordered him to cease. Odo argued but father made him see reason. It was not that he wanted the search to end completely, but it would be wiser to plan a steady, continuous search alternating men.”
“How long did that go on?” Fiona asked.
“It never stopped. Different areas were searched.”
“I do not understand how the twins were not found,” Tarr said. “The area where they resided was only a week or two journey from your home. Odo must have covered that area.”
“He did but no twin babes were seen.”
“Did he consult with Giann on locating us?” Fiona asked.
“I am sure he did. He trusted her word.”
“I was thinking earlier,” Fiona said, “that no one would benefit from our disappearance, and that it cannot be determined it was a vengeful act. What if our abduction was planned to protect us until we could return prepared?”
Raynor shook his head. “But for what reason? Prepared for what?”
“We, Aliss and I would be the reason and prepared for what I am not sure.”
“Are you suggesting that this was planned before your birth?” Tarr asked.
“Yes, and it is because of you I thought of this.”
“How?” He shook his head, realization dawning. “Your father. He taught you to defend and survive.”
“And mother taught Aliss to heal should either of us need it.”
“You mean that you and Aliss were purposely placed with the couple who raised you?” Raynor asked.
“It makes sense when you add all the pieces together,” Fiona explained. “You tell us that Shona the slave who abducted us loved and cared for us. She would not want to see us harmed and she would want us to survive.”
“Or know the reason you both needed to survive,” Tarr said.
Raynor shook his head. “You are confusing me yet I see where this makes sense, and how it all points to Giann.”
“She would be the one who would have known the twins’ fate,” Tarr said.
“And the reason why it was necessary for us to survive and one day return.”
“Then you think she enlisted the aid of Shona?” Raynor asked.
“She would need someone she could trust with the twins,” Tarr said. “Someone who would protect them even at a risk to her own life.”
“Shona would have done that,” Raynor confirmed. “Then they would need someone to teach the twins.”
“Enter Peter and Eleanor, the couple who took us,” Fiona said. “Who I am sure must have known Giann.”
“Why this elaborate plan?” Raynor asked. “Why not just tell my parents and”—His abrupt silence had him looking from Fiona to Tarr. “She did not trust my parents.”
“Not necessarily,” Fiona said. “She may not have thought them capable of protecting us.”
“Mother and father would have died protecting you both.”
Fiona shook her head slowly. “I do not think that was to be their fate. Perhaps Giann protected more than Aliss and me.”