Felicity did not wake me at all last night because my troubling thoughts did not allow me to sleep for even a moment. While I watched my daughter sleep in her cradle and then wake up to feed, I thought of the words the warrior said to me, his accusations. His rage.

And I wondered where he slept last night, for he did not come to his bed chamber. He had not slept apart from me since he carried me into his bed chamber at Fernwick. But strangely, I did not believe he had sought another woman because he had promised me he would never again share his body with anyone but me.

When the sun began to peep over the horizon, I removed my sleeping gown and washed myself at the basin. I pulled on clean undergarments and a dark blue dress, somber enough for the occasion we faced today.

I idly ran a brush through my hair as I thought about Carrick's anger and him sentencing the camaspoza and Sir Alcarn to death without allowing my input. Although it was my father's responsibility to pass judgment in his region, my mother always provided input.

As if my thoughts had conjured him, the warrior opened the door to my room and stepped inside, his eyes searching for, and finding, first me, then Felicity. His hair appeared damp from his own morning ablutions, and again I wondered where he had slept last night.

"I missed our bed last night," he said to me. "The stables are nowhere near as comfortable."

Before I could speak, he continued.

"But I found it easier to be around the horses last night and had the thought that our lives would be easier if you acted as my horse does. My stallion does what I want, without question, and does not talk back to me. I say whoa, and he stops. I say gallop, and he runs. I say go, and he moves ahead. You are much different than my horse, Calissande, and have proven yourself to be still unbroken."

"Did...did you just compare me to your horse?"

He actually grinned at me. "That is for you to decide, my lady wife. I was merely making observations."

Somehow, I was back to the my honorific. But I was also seriously contemplating running him through with his own sword.

Regardless of being compared to his stallion, I knew I needed to apologize to the infuriating man, for my parents had taught me to always make amends when I was in the wrong, even if I had no liking for the task.

Drawing a deep breath, I plunged ahead. "My lord, I would apologize to you for questioning your honor in front of Sir Alcarn and her last night. It was wrong of me and I am sorry."

"A very pretty apology, Calissande. However, the apology needs to encompass questioning my honor at all, regardless of witnesses being present."

That brought my chin up. "I have apologized for what I need to."

"So you are not sorry for questioning my honor, only that you did so in front of witnesses?"

I thought a moment. "Yes."

His mouth was suddenly scowling, his brows were drawn down over his eyes, and his eyes were narrowed at me. "Calissande, having you question my honor is an insult I would kill a man for. And if he did it in front of others, his death would have been that much swifter.

"I am sorry for questioning your honor in front of others, and I am well aware I should not have done so. I realize that I should have waited until we were alone, but since I have apologized for my mistake, it is time for you to move on from it." I purposefully kept my tone light.

I would have said it was impossible for his face to turn angrier, but it did.

"You questioned the very essence of who I am, Calissande, the core of my reputation and my good name -- and you expect me to simply forget your words, your actions...and move on while your words are still burning in my gut?"

"Why, yes, warrior." I boldly -- ill-advisedly? -- took a few steps toward him. "You see, I have been learning from no other but you. You have told me on several occasions that it is time I move on from my hurt over your camaspoza; I assumed you lived your life the same way when someone has inflicted a hurt on you. If it has been apologized for, it is time to overlook the pain you suffered and continue on your merry way."

His mouth opened. Then it snapped shut. His eyes appeared distant, as if he was pondering a weighty matter before he returned his gaze to me.

"The matters are entirely different. One matter concerns my honor as a warrior; your matter is about hurt feelings."

"Are you saying that my matter is not as important as yours?" I questioned him, and he knew by the way my voice was rising that I was displeased.

He paused for a moment, a wary look in his eye. It is a wise man who could read the sky and know the signs of an impending storm.

"No?"

Hands on my hips, I continued. "Because one could say that what you did to me by having a camaspoza called into question my honor as your wife. So it is not simply feelings but honor we are discussing here, and if you tell me that your honor is more important than mine, I would have you know that because we are married, my honor is yours, and yours is mine, so we are on equal footing here, warrior. And even if it was just my feelings we were discussing, I would hope that, as my husband, my feelings would matter to you."

"They do matter, Calissande. That is why I have made the changes to our lives that I have made. That is why I am doing my best to make amends for the harm I did to you."

"And yet you keep telling me I should be over it. For months I cried alone in my room every night, knowing what you were doing with her, feeling that I had failed you because you had so blatantly turned to another. I had given you my heart, Carrick, and you did not care when you crushed it under your boot and humiliated me in so public a way in my own home."

"All I know is moving on, Calissande. I cannot go into battle if I am carrying my hurts and pains with me. I have learned to leave them behind so I can successfully wage war."

"I am not a warrior, Carrick. I am your wife. And while I acknowledge that you did not do anything to me out of malice -- merely out of tradition -- and that you are trying to correct the damage you unknowingly inflicted on me, the damage was nevertheless done. You may be ready for me to move on from it, but I am not. I still carry it with me here," and I placed my hand over my heart, "even though I wish I could forget."

I heard Felicity starting to stir in her cradle, and knew we had not much time left for this conversation.

The warrior seemed to sense that as well, for he took my hand in his and kissed my palm. "Calissande, I do not say it often for I sensed in your anger you would not welcome the words, but I want you to know that I love you. And I wish you could tell me that there is something tangible I could do to erase the pain I have caused you, but I know there is nothing I could do beyond what I have already done. That leaves time. And I will not stop trying to ease your pain, Calissande, nor will I stop trying to earn your trust; although I am an impatient man in many ways, I will give you the time that you require. I will no longer try to hurry you along with whatever you must do to forgive me, no matter how long it takes."

He looked at me and picked up one of my curls that fell over my shoulder. "I wish I were as good with my lady wife as I was with engaging the enemy in battle, but my strengths are fighting to the death, not fighting for love. But I am trying for you."

Carrick pressed a hungry kiss to my lips. "For no other woman would I change my ways like I have for you, my Calissande. I find I am even rethinking having a large family if I have to wait a year after each child before I can be inside you again."

Oh, goodness. I kept forgetting that I had told him that particular tale when I was angry with him. I was eventually going to have to confess --

A knock on our door had Carrick straightening away from me.

"Ask me for a boon, my lady wife. Quickly."

Not knowing what he meant, I thought of the high esteem in which he held his horse for its ability to obey and did as he asked. One time would not hurt, nor would it a habit make.

"I would like a boon, my lord."

"I shall grant you one, then." Then to the person knocking at the door, he raised his voice. "Enter."

Henrill entered the room with a slight bow, Mrs. Keystone and Jannip entering behind him to watch Felicity. I had fed her just before I got up for the day, so she should not be hungry yet.

"It is time, my lord, my lady. The villagers have gathered in the courtyard, and Alcarn and the camaspoza are ready to be brought forward when you give the order."

"I betrayed my liege lord," Alcarn said not too much later in a booming voice to the crowd. "My lord Carrington trusted me to safely deliver the camaspoza back to the training center for him, and during the journey there, I asked her to open herself to me, and soon after, she found herself carrying my child. Let me be clear: that babe is mine and not Lord Carrington's. I betrayed his trust while my lord behaved with honor and according to protocols. I did not. To Lord Carrington, to Lady Carrington, my deepest apologies for the betrayal, for the upset this has caused you. I humbly beg your forgiveness."

I stood beside my husband, his arms crossed over his bare chest, only his hide pants on, tucked into his tall boots. In that our traditions were the same. The lack of a shirt on the lord's back was meant to convey contempt for those about to be executed or punished. Carrick did not acknowledge Sir Alcarn's plea for forgiveness, and I didn't dare. I knew Alcarn was a good man who had made a grave mistake. Glancing up at the warrior, I could not help but compare the two men. Both warriors had made mistakes, but one man was about to lose his life for his.

As planned, the camaspoza spoke next and I could feel her resentment in every word. "The babe is Sir Alcarn's. He is not Lord Carrington's. Sir Alcarn forced himself on me every night of our journey and did not heed my protests!"

A shocked rumbling went up from the crowd, and the camaspoza threw Alcarn a look. The poor man looked horrified. "My lord, I swear I did not," he said, his voice low and angry. "She lies."

I was missing something. Why would the camaspoza say that she was forced against her will when she had said nothing of the sort yesterday?

"You know very well that a camaspoza claiming she was taken against her will prevents a death sentence," the warrior spoke to the crowd, but also to her. She nodded, her face triumphant.

"And that is true," the warrior said slowly, loudly. "But it does not negate the death sentence for the crime of claiming that her son is my heir. By making such a claim, she was, in effect, trying to steal my wealth from my own heirs since under our king's law, the oldest son, be he bastard or legitimate, inherits the nobleman's wealth."

Her face lost the triumphant expression, clearly not having known the information Carrick had just explained, but it suddenly made sense to me as to why she felt that claiming her son was the warrior's would be of any benefit. Apparently, in the warrior's kingdom, a bastard son could inherit if he were the oldest. This was unheard of in my kingdom, and I once again was shocked at his kingdom's odd customs and traditions.

"So the death sentence for both of them still stands," Carrick exclaimed to the crowd.

"No!" the camaspoza shouted.

"You will kneel," Henrill, who had been standing behind the warrior, commanded the camaspoza.

Surprisingly, she did as asked while weeping.

Carrick withdrew his sword from its scabbard, the highly polished steel gleaming brightly in the morning sun.

He drew the heavy sword up, ready to deliver the blow that would remove her head from her neck. The crowd was silent.

And then Carrick lowered his sword and once again addressed the crowd.

"My lady wife asked me for a boon just this morning, and because I honor her above all others, because my love for her rules my heart, I will grant leniency to Alcarn and the camaspoza. They will marry and provide a family for their babe, and will head north to Giljan before the day is over, to live out their remaining years, never to leave that kingdom."

"Thank you, my lord, my lady," Alcarn said, so much relief in his voice that I felt my eyes well up with tears. I was also fighting tears over what Carrick had said about me to the crowd. Never had I heard a warrior make such a confession publicly. It simply was not done. He had basically admitted that I ruled him, and that was a huge statement to make to all those present. I knew it would be gossiped about for days.

"You cannot kill me because you know the babe is really yours!"

The shouting from her snapped me from my reverie. What was she doing? She had just walked away from an execution with her life ahead of her.

"You cannot kill me because you have feelings for me!" she shouted again at Carrick.

Alcarn tried to stop her. "Quiet, you foolish woman! Do not say another word!"

She ignored him, intent on Carrick. "I know you liked fucking me every night. I know --"

The heavy sword rose and fell, a mere blur as it flashed with astonishing speed, and the camaspoza was no more.

Carrick addressed the crowd, angry and covered in blood. "Be it known that I do not tolerate liars, nor those who would question my honor. She had been granted a reprieve and instead of welcoming it, she spat upon it and forfeited her life. There is no more to see here; I give you my leave to return to your homes."

He next addressed Henrill. "Take my lady wife back to the keep. I need to have words with Alcarn and make arrangements for him to leave."

With a nod at Alcarn to join him, the two men walked off, and Henrill escorted me back to the keep. I was silent, as my thoughts were trying to catch up to what had just taken place.