Unbroken (Unarmed Trilogy #2)

He should have shielded her from what was happening outside, but it was too late. Tamzin's scream would echo in the back of Will's mind for the rest of his existence.

She nearly collapsed to the ground as he swept in and cradled her in his arms as she watched the Johansson men burn in the large pyre. Their yells of pain and anguish were muffled as they began to choke on the thick puffs of dark smoke. The Thurston soldiers stood around and watched with glee in their eyes, and the rescued people sat on the side and ate what was left of their dinner.

"What is wrong with you?" Isabelle barked uncharacteristically as she forced Tamzin to her feet. "Take her back into your tent. She's with child!"

Will could have told her not to speak to him like that; that he was a future King and should be shown respect, but Tamzin's muffled cries in his armor made his tongue feel heavy and his eyes burn. Will pressed her form into his side and half carried and dragged her back to their tent.

The inside of the tent was warm, but the flames were dying in the hearth as Will placed Tamzin onto the bed, which was filled with furs and pillows. He watched Tamzin for a moment as she rolled to her side and cried into the furs. Her skin was pale from the cold and her eyes were swollen from crying as her hair splayed out against the pillow. If she wasn't crying, Will would have thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world. He wondered how he could have not loved her from the moment he met her? The men that burned outside were the reminder that she was a good person and she may not understand, but Will knew those men deserved their punishment.

Quietly, he kicked off his boots, and in his armor, he crawled into bed next to her. Will's armor wasn't remotely comfortable, but Tamzin didn't brush him away as he wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his forearm over her belly. She had stopped crying, but she breathed heavily as her nose was congested. As he pressed a kiss to her hair, Will could literally feel her head throb from her cries.

"I want to go home," Tamzin whimpered as she reached up and wiped her nose. "Everything hurts."

He didn't respond to her and only tightened his arm around her body. With gentle kisses to her neck and hair, he felt Tamzin relax into the furs before she was asleep again. Will untangled himself from her body and sat up as slowly as possible, to try and stop the clang from waking Tamzin. As he stood from the bed, Isabelle and her handmaiden entered the tent. Will pressed a finger to his lips.

"My handmaiden will pack up your clothes and everything you need right now. Your father has organized one thousand men to follow you and Tamzin to Roth Territory. Her father has no idea you are coming, nor does he know what has happened. With Douglas Johansson believing she has his grandchild in her belly, Tamzin needs to be among her immediate family when she has your child," Isabelle said as she looked to the sleeping Princess on the bed. "You know she will be like you, now. The reasons why you say you can't sleep in your letters; she will have similar memories."

"That may not be true," Will said as he watched Isabelle's handmaiden swiftly fold and pack his clothes into his trunk. "My father never talked to me about what I had done when I was a child and what it was like to take a life. Her family is very different. I am very different."

"I hope for her and your sake that it is true," Isabelle said as she wrapped her cloak tighter around her body. "My men have cleared the path for your father and your people to return up North under my protection. The roads are not safe like they used to be. Crime has become widespread because of the dissension between the North and South. Thieves aren't likely to attack one thousand men, but it's worth noting," Isabelle said as she reached for the furs and placed them over Tamzin. "The men are packing the wagons as we speak."

"Thank you, Aunt Isabelle. Thank you for everything," Will replied solemnly as he watched her handmaiden finish packing what was absolutely necessary. Absentmindedly, he began to fidget with his wedding ring before a calm hand touched his.

"It's a three day journey. You and I both know it is the safest place for her to be right now," Isabelle smiled softly.

"You think I should bring her further south. You think I should bring Tamzin to your father." Will's statement drew a deep breath from Isabelle, who then sighed.

"Bradford Territory is a small territory, but my father built the highest walls of any of the territories. No one has ever tried to breach them, and I don't think anyone will suspect that you will go there," Isabelle explained before her eyes rested on Tamzin's sleeping figure. "If I had to guess, you are probably heir to Bradford as well, considering my brother..."

"I thought my mother was your only sibling?" Will asked as he turned to face Isabelle with a puzzled expression. "Father has never said anything about another uncle."

"Well, uncles haven't exactly been a great addition to your family so far," Isabelle laughed lightly as she placed her hand on her crown. "My father doesn't think your uncle is fit to be King, and as Bradford is a very southern territory..."

"You can't inherit it," Will interrupted. "I'm the oldest male grandchild. Your brother must have done something terrible to be stripped of his rightful title."

"My brother is what the South calls "odd," but he just loves differently, is all. He's like you, actually. He's very studious, but since he lost his title, he drinks like a fish and enjoys parties. I don't think he misses being future King at all," Isabelle said as she placed her hand on Will's cheek. "Your mother was my best friend, as well as my sister. I wish everyday I hadn't been so angry with your father after she died and been the mother you needed. The truth is that, in our family, it is very hard to find love. Don't be that way with the babe in her belly." Isabelle nodded to Tamzin's stomach.

"What was my mother like?" Will asked with slight tears in his eyes. Today had been the worst day of his life and the talk of his mother only made him feel more hopeless. Aunt Isabelle was right; he had needed a mother, but no one could look past their own anger or pride to secure that for him.

"You have all her best qualities. She was unfailingly smart, determined, and brave. But she was young and weak. Your father paints this pretty picture of them being in love, but Nicola left behind a very different life. It was a very hard adjustment when she and I moved up to the Northern Territories. Our entire lives were watched and judged until we moved up here. I don't think your father quite understood that going from no freedom to complete freedom can be quite scary," Isabelle said as she turned from him and to the dying embers in the fire pit. “She never understood how well she had it up here.”

"I wish I knew her, even a little," Will frowned as he sat down at the edge of the bed, next to Tamzin's feet. "Do you think she ever loved my father?"

"As you know, love develops when it is allowed to grow. I imagine your mother loved your father out of duty, but she was angry when she left Bradford. She was in love with a Lord there, but truthfully, when you get to know your father, it can be difficult to love him. I bear no ill will against your father, but he is not kind. You're not the same way. You're certainly rough around the edges, but you want to be good to people. I do know, for sure, that she loved you. It is impossible for a mother not to love her child," Isabelle smiled before she sat down on the bed next to him.

"You think I should go to Bradford?" Will asked as his hand drifted out to touch Tamzin's feet underneath the furs. "Tamzin will be safest there?"

"I think you should go to Roth, because she needs to heal and it will be good for her to see her family again. However, it is unwise to linger there for more than a month. You may have had an impressive victory against the Johanssons, but the Southern numbers are much larger than the North's. You should also petition Turner to take a number of his archers. Your men may be the best in hand to hand combat, but the Roths destroy everyone with their arrows."

"And how far is Bradford from Roth?" Will interrupted as he fixed his eyes on the flames.

"Less than two days, I believe. The truce between Bradford and Thurston is still in place and my father will let you in his gates. You will see that further south, all the territories are significantly wealthier and he will be able to accommodate all the troops with no problem. The major difference, however, is that the South loves to pat itself on the back with lavish parties and tournaments while their populations grows too rapidly and they pay too much tax. If you do end up invading the South, the population may join you," Isabelle laughed before she wiped her cheek. "Your Uncle in Bradford will certainly welcome you. He longs to move up North."

"And my wife and child? Most people would agree we are a package deal, but nothing is certain with Southerners," Will said with exasperation before he pulled on his hair. "Is your father traditional?"

"You have nothing to worry about because you're a man and they can do no wrong," Isabelle replied sarcastically before she looked at her nephew seriously. "They're my family but I can't say that they have treated me with the respect I deserved. My father isn't a violent man, so he will be irritated that a war has started and he will probably blame Tamzin because every problem in this world can be blamed on a woman."

"But I have no choice," Will said breathlessly as his eyes drifted to Tamzin's bare feet. "If I could go home, I would."

"I know, Will. But everything will be okay. Go talk to your men, sweetheart. I will look after Tamzin until it is time for you to leave," Isabelle said before she kissed his forehead, like he were a child.

"Thank you, Aunt Isabelle." Will felt himself frown before he stood up and adjusted his armor. With another look at Tamzin, Will walked through the leather straps and back into the cold of the outskirts of his territory. His men were still in the midst of packing when he saw Garrett, and he was not alone.

One of the girls that followed his army from fight to fight was talking to him frantically and Will shuddered as she grabbed his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. Will felt his mind go into overload as he tried to sort through what was happening. His territory was gone, his wife was safe and thankfully his child in her womb was safe as well, but her best friend was gone and only she knew what else she had suffered through.

His own lecherous best friend had lied about his chastity during their journey, and now Tamzin would have to deal with the knowledge that Garrett had impregnated another woman only days after marrying Kendall.

Will had his suspicions; he couldn't lie and say that he didn't notice the girl always in the vicinity of Garrett's tent or when Will was awake early in the morning, saw her sneaking out of Garrett's tent. It would devastate Tamzin to know that Garrett had never, for a second, been loyal to Kendall and with her state, Will could not risk it. In the back of his mind, he also knew that he did not want the two most important people in his life to hate each other.

Will stalked forward and with swift steps, he stood next to Garrett, while the girl's eyes widened when she saw Will.

"Your Grace," she stuttered before she curtsied. "I was thanking Lord Mason for protecting me during..."

"I know you're with child. You didn't do much to hide telling him this public setting. You're lucky my wife wasn't with me to see it as well," Will interrupted before he turned his hard gaze to his best friend. "Did you just want to sleep with Kendall? Did you love her for a second?"

"She's dead now. What does it matter?" Garrett replied almost coldly as he looked sullenly to the girl.

"It will matter to Tamzin. She is in enough pain..."

"And I'm not?" Garrett asked as he focused his blue eyes on Will's hut. "I cared for Kendall. She was a sweet girl and I suppose I did have feelings for her..."

"But not enough feelings to keep your cock in your breeches," Will growled before he looked at the girl. "How far along are you?"

"I believe two months, Your Majesty," the girl sputtered as she looked nervously to Garrett. "I didn't know he had a wife."

"I have no wife any longer," Garrett said as he took the girl's hand. "Will, this is Seraphina. Seraphina, this is my best friend, Will, though he doesn't act like it now."