Heartwood Read Free

until they met the mountains behind.
    Chonrad watched Procella run her fingers lovingly along the stone walls as she descended the steps.
    â€œDid you work in the Porta before you went into the Exercitus?” he asked.
    â€œYes. I was one of the Custodes and spent a lot of time here. I organised the Watch and looked after maintenance of the defences.”
    â€œSo what made you join the Exercitus?”
    She looked over her shoulder at him. “You are very inquisitive.”
    â€œI am interested.”
    She sighed. “I spent some time training the young Militis at one of the camps in Laxony – they do not come to Heartwood until they reach the age of eighteen. Then I did my service in the Exercitus. All Militis do this; we spend a year away from Heartwood out on Isenbard’s Wall, patrolling the borders. The atmosphere between Laxony and Wulfengar was not as good then as it is now, and we were called on constantly to deal with raids and put down rebellions.”
    â€œI should think you were in your element there.”
    She laughed. “I did enjoy it, I must admit. I rose through the ranks and got to know Valens, who was Dux at the time – I think you know him.”
    Chonrad did indeed know the mighty Valens. A huge knight, incredibly brave and fearless in battle, Valens had made it his business to know the lords of all the lands in Laxony, and most especially those near to the Wall. Chonrad had met him on several occasions, and had been disappointed when he heard Valens was retiring to Heartwood after an injury. Though he had heard much about her, and admired her, Chonrad had yet to learn whether Procella was a worthy successor.
    â€œDo you enjoy being Dux?” he asked.
    â€œSomeone has to do it.”
    He laughed. “That is not an answer.”
    â€œIt is all you are going to get.” She seemed flustered by his Questions.
    â€œI am irritating you.” Was it because she did not intimidate him, as he imagined she did most people?
    â€œNot at all. It is just… It is a long time since I have discussed my feelings with anybody. My life is a busy one and does not leave much time for analysing and the discussion of one’s emotions.”
    â€œI can understand that.”
    She shot him a glance over her shoulder. “And you unnerve me.”
    â€œWhy?”
    She ran her gaze down him, her eyes alight with something he realised with surprise was interest. “You are an attractive knight. You must be used to making women flustered.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “I am afraid I have little experience in that area.”
    She stopped so suddenly he bumped into her, and she turned and looked up at him curiously. “Truly?”
    â€œWell, I do not think of myself as ugly.” He knew he was tall and broad-shouldered, with strong features under his light brown beard. “But I am afraid I have not spent a lot of time entertaining. The sword has been my constant companion, not the rose.”
    â€œYou were married; presumably your wife fell in love with you?”
    He thought about his wife. Memories of her stirred up feelings of duty and responsibility rather than affection. He had been sad when she died, but although he had worn a white tunic for the obligatory year, in his heart his mourning had passed long before that. “Minna was a difficult woman, and ours was a marriage of convenience. I am not sure love ever came into it at all.”
    Procella said nothing, but her dark eyes studied him curiously. Perhaps she thought all marriages involved falling in love. The reality, in his experience, was very different.
    They reached the bottom of the stairs and turned into the large room that served as offices for the Watch where they co-ordinated the changing of the guard and the rota for the day. “On your feet!” she barked at the Custos who lounged in his chair, playing idly with a couple of dice. “Have you made your rounds