A Winter's Knight

by Fiona Neal

  “Do not count me out yet.” He put his arms around her.

  “I am not counting you out. I am just so terrified.”

  He was afraid, but he could not show her his fear.

  “Alice, I could use a little encouragement at this time.”

  “Yes, of course, you can. I am being a silly wife. Please forgive me.”

  “There is nothing to forgive, love. I appreciate the fact that you are afraid I shall be hurt...or worse. Nevertheless, I do believe I am a competent combatant.”

  “Yes, of course, you are,” she said.

  He arms tightened around her, and he kissed her. And then he said, “Let us go, my love, or maybe you should stay here and rest.”

  “I could never rest, Edmund, when you are in danger. I shall come, but I will stay out of sight.”

  “All right,” he said. He took her hand and then put his arm around her waist, as the walked to the battlement.

  Lord De Winter was already there and greeted them with a nod.

  Alice sat, staying out sight behind the wall.

  Edmund then saw Camden riding toward the wall with two other horsemen.

  Camden and his men were dressed in mail, ready for combat, but his horse was clothed in a white and red caparison. Of what he could see of the mount beneath the colorful cover, the animal was black and, of course, it was a destrier—a mount trained for combat.

  Camden reached the edge of the moat and yelled across the water. “I wish to meet you in hand-to-hand combat. It will be a fight to the death. The winner of that contest will take this castle.”

  The challenge came as no surprise to Edmund, but he heard Alice's sharp intake of breath. Still, he did not turn. Instead, he replied to Camden, “When do you wish to engaged in this contest?”

  “Now,” Camden replied in an arrogant tone.

  “And where do you wish to fight?” Edmund queried.

  “Here on the plain,” Camden said.

  “Very well,” Edmund replied, “I accept your challenge.”

  He moved back and murmured to Alice, “I must go, my love.”

  Tears in the lovely green eyes, she replied, “Then go with God and all my hopes and prayers. I love you, Edmund.”

  “And I love you, my dearest one.”

  It took some time to get from the battlements and to walk to get his horse and ride to where Camden and his men waited. By then, a huge group of spectators had gathered, for news of the meeting between Edmund and Camden had traveled fast.

  This one battle was supposed to decide who would get De Winter Castle. But Alice knew her grandfather would then challenge Camden. He would not so easily relinquish his lands.

  The drummers sounded their instruments slowly, rhythmically, and most ominously. On horseback and carrying a truncheon, a knight came forward and stated the rules of the combat. “If there is any foul play, the archers will strike you down.” The knight gestured toward the group of bowmen.

  Edmund's stomach clenched with nerves, but he was accustomed to that sensation. It happened each and every time he entered combat. This time his symptoms became more severe because the odds were high he could die, He would never see the child his beloved wife was carrying.

  “What is your weapon of choice?” the knight on horseback asked of Lord Camden.

  “I choose the mace and chain,” Lord Camden replied.

  “And what is your choice?” the knight inquired of Sir Edmund.

  “I select the battle ax,” Edmund replied.

  “Let Almighty God defend the right,” the knight commanded.

  The crowd repeated, “Let Almighty God defend the right.”

  “Take your places,” the knight instructed the combatants.

  Edmund and Camden went to their to the center of the combat area and the knight on horseback dropped his truncheon.

  Their caparisoned destriers responding to their riders, Camden smashed his mace against Edmund's shield. Edmund did the same with his ax against Camden's shield. The battle continued with neither man making much headway.

  The noise of the weapons bashing against the shields was deafening, but for a while it was a game of deflecting strikes.

  For some reason, Edmund's horse shied, and the unexpected move of the animal cause him to fall. This was serious, for now Camden had the advantage—a tremendous advantage.

  The rogue charged at Edmund, who had just stood, and Camden bashed his shield with the mace. Edmund went down again, but the constant blows were taking their told. The shock of the strikes was almost impossible to sustain.

  Edmund knew that he had to resist or Camden would win. The evil lord had the advantage. He got up, but Camden's mace hit Edmund's shield and this time bashed the protective gear away. Edmund had just his ax, his quickness, and his wits to protect him.

  Camden came in for the kill and swung the mace, but Edmund held up his ax and felt the chain of the mace curl around the stout oaken handle. He then pulled Camden from his mount. When Camden struck the ground, Edmund buried his ax in Camden's chest, breaking his ribs and separating the vile heart into two pieces.

  Camden would not rise from the ground, the blood gushing out and stain of red widening on his mail shirt.

  Edmund threw down his ax and looked for his wife. He also saw that Lord De Winter was gone.

  Where were they?

  Fear flashed through him. Something terrible must have happened for them to leave while he was fighting for his life.

  * * * *

  “Edmund, where is Edmund,” Alice cried as she came to consciousness.

  “Calm yourself, Alice,” her grandfather reassured her. “Edmund is hale and hearty. He killed our enemy. Camden Castle is now free of the tyrant forever.”

  “God be praised,” she said quietly.

  “Now your child can be born in peace and prosperity,” Lord De Winter related.

  “Yes, but where is my husband, Grandfather?”

  “I am here,” Edmund said, hurrying to her and kneeling by her bed.

  “Oh, Edmund, thank you for delivering us of that vile person.” Alice caressed his face and then they kissed.

  “But why are you here, Alice,” Edmund asked. “Is something wrong with you or our child.”

  “No, we are well.”

  “She fainted when you fell the second time,” Lord De Winter explained.

  “Oh, Edmund, I am sorry. I was so afraid, and then I fainted.”

  “Yes, dear lady, you tend to faint. You fainted when I gave you the message about your family dying, and you fainted from the cold on the way here. You also did the same when that rogue attack you and your grandfather” He smiled. “I suppose I should be accustomed to that, but I promise I will try to get used to it.”

  “You are a good man, Edmund,” she said.

  “I am glad you and the babe are well,” her husband said.

  “I shall leave you,” Lord De Winter said. “I shall ask that another Te Deum be sung.”

  Her Grandfather left, and Alice sat up and kissed her husband passionately, and then she murmured, “Well done, Edmund. I am so happy you are safe, and I am proud of you.”

  “When my destrier unseated me, I thought my live was over, but I guess God has more for me to do.”

  “Yes, you must be a father to our child.”

  “Oh, Alice, I wish I had more money, so I could be a better father.”

  His obsession with money again!

  Alice wanted to chide him, but she knew that would not change his mind. Instead, she said, I think a knight of your character and demeanor will make a great father. When the Lord wants you to have money, he will give it to you. Besides, we have enough funds.”

  “But they are your funds, Alice.”

  “Yes,” she replied, tamping down her annoyance. But chiding him would not help.

  Her husband felt as if she had more power than he did. Edmund did not say that, but that was how he felt. How could she change that sentiment?

  “I should be than
king God that I lived through that fight with Camden,” he said.

  “Yes, some prayers of thank would be in order,” she agreed.

  “I think I shall bathe the sweat of battle off of me, dress, and go to chapel and give thanks.”

  “That is an excellent idea, my love.”

  He gave her a kiss, rose, and went into his bedchamber, which he used just for dressing. He entered it, leaving the door open. In a while, she heard the servants enter and the sounds of water splashing.

  Alice smiled, but her smile faded. Edmund would wash his body, but his soul still would suffer from feelings of inferiority. Why? Many knights were landless. Edmund was accomplished in so many ways.

  Furthermore, he had become the embodiment of her dream—the kind of man she loved to cuddle with on a cold winter knight. Yes, Edmund was her winter's knight, and he would always be that for her.

  Still, he was so much more. Edmund had just defeated a most horrible man. Yet

  he was more concerned for her and the babe than for himself.

  What could she do to let him know that he was everything a knight should be? In fact, he was everything a man should be.

  Perhaps she should tell him that his lack of fund did not matter. Yes, she would do that soon. But would that help?

  She had no idea. Still, she felt his dissatisfaction would grow, unless there was a way Edmund could find peace at being the poor husband of a rich wife.

  * * * *

  Edmund knelt in the chapel, thanking God for sparing his life. When that destrier had unseated him, he thought he would be killed, but suddenly all movement seemed to slow. He almost knew what Camden would do before he did it. And when that evil man lifted his mace, Edmund saw his chance and took it.

  Now, he thanked God for letting him live and anticipate the birth of his child. He would love the babe with all his heart whether it would be a girl or a boy.

  He hoped the little one would have red hair like his beloved Alice...his Alice.

  If only he had the money to buy her something worthy. Yes, he wanted more money, but not for himself. He wanted the funds to do good things for his wife and coming child.

  With the gold, he could give them all the comforts in the world.

  But Alice already had all the comforts in the world. But she had willingly given them up. She was ready to become a nun and renounce the world.

  For the very first time, he realized Alice did not care about money or riches. Or...was that because she always had luxury?

  Yet, in the convent, she did not seem to have enjoyed a luxurious life. Her clothes were quite plain. He had eaten the convent food, too. It was palatable and nutritious, but it was not the delicious fare of the castle.

  He must admit that his wife did not care about the luxuries of life.

  Perhaps Alice was right. If God wanted him to have riches, He would have given them to Edmund. He must accept his fate, which, when he thought about it, was not so bad. He had a lovely wife, who was carrying his child, a fine job, he was young, strong, and he had defeated a tyrant and a murderer.

  I should not ask for more. But Edmund couldn't help it. He wanted more

  Chapter Twelve

  The next four months concluded with the reaping of the bounteous crops and the repair of the battered wall. Lord De Winter also added more arrow loops to the new wall, and Godwin found a man from the Holy Land who had the formula of Greek fire.

  The young man was also proving a diligent worker, and Edmund was relying on him more and more.

  Alice was walking in the garden area within the garden walls. She had been advised not to stray far from the castle in the last two months of her pregnancy.

  “Events have turned out better than we could have imagined,” she said. “We could have been killed by Camden, but we survived, and thanks to you, my love, the menacing man is dead.”

  “Yes, and now we are looking forward to having a child.” He smiled.

  “Oh, yes.” She nodded, noticing how the autumn sun shone on his blonde hair. I feel so optimistic.” She stopped suddenly and bent over.

  “Alice, what is wrong?”

  “I felt a strong pain, my love. Perhaps the babe is coming. It is due this month.”

  He swept her up in his arms and carried her to their suite. As he placed her on the bed, he said, “I think I shall call the midwife,”

  “Yes, that would be a good thing.”

  Edmund called the servants to stay with her, especially her lady's maid. He then hurried out of the room.

  Alice felt no pain for the next quarter hour, but then another agonizing spasm gripped her as the midwife came in.

  The midwife pulled back the covers and said, “We have a while to wait.”

  Alice realized that. She had helped some of the women who worked the fields in the monastery who were not nuns. Childbirth was often a long and painful process.

  She also wished she could have Edmund as her side, but men were barred from the birthing room.

  Alice reached for her rosary, and when she was finished, she felt another wrenching pain. She said nothing, but her intake of breath alerted the midwife, and the old woman turned.

  “You will be fine, Lady Alice,” the midwife said.

  Alice prayed that the woman was right. Many young woman died giving birth, but she felt that all outcomes were in God's hands, and she took comfort in that.

  She labored hard and the pains became more frequent and stronger. Finally in the wee hours of the morning, her baby boy was born. He was chubby, healthy, and he was squalling, when the midwife held him up.

  Alice's heart overflowed with love. He was the most beautiful babe she had ever seen. Usually, they were red and scrawny, but this baby was lovely and pink.

  “Let me hold him,” Alice said.

  “The child need to be washed first.”

  “Do that after,” Alice answered. “I want to hold my babe.”

  The midwife relented and placed the infant in a warm cover and put the baby in Alice's arms. The infant ceasing crying.

  “Please send someone for Sir Edmund and Lord De Winter,” Alice said.

  The midwife sent one of the servants with a message. The babe opened his mouth, and Alice put him to her breast and he fed eagerly and then fell asleep.

  Minutes later, Edmund and Lord De Winter rushed in the room.

  “Look at him. He is just beautiful and healthy,” Alice said, smiling.

  Edmund just beamed with joy and pride.

  “I've never seen such a beautiful baby...with the exception of you, my dear,” Lord De Winter said.

  “What shall we name him, Edmund?”

  “I don't know. Uh, what do you think about Richard.”

  “Richard, it is,” she said.

  * * * *

  Alice was thrilled when Edith, who was now expecting a baby, and Sir Alec came to little Richard's baptism. Both she and Edmund were amazed when the king also came.

  The celebration went on for days and finally the king asked to see Edmund, Alice, and Lord De Winter alone in her grandfather's chambers.

  “I have pondered long and hard about what I should do with Camden's Castle and lands, but I have finally made a decision,” King Stephen said. “I have heard of your valor, or your bravery when your sister was in Camden's hands. Still, you refused to kill the Lady Alice, Sir Edmund. You are a man of principal. Therefore, you shall become Lord of Camden's Castle, but I wish to remove that name. You will now be called Lord Ashford and so will the castle and lands.

  “Come here and kneel,” the king commanded.

  A stunned Edmund did as the king asked. Stephen then tapped the sword on each of Edmund's shoulders and said, “Arise Edmund, Lord Ashford.”

  Edmund stood, looking overwhelmed and joyous. “Thank you, your highness. Thank you very much. This is an immense honor I did not expect.”

  “You deserve it, Lord Ashford,” the king said. “You are a man or honor and valor. I thank you for all you have done for your
country. Now, though, I must go. The affairs of state weigh heavily.” The king departed, leaving written documentation of Edmund's new title and property.

  “So now that you are a wealthy man, what have you to say, Lord Ashford?” Alice asked and smiled.

  “I really don't know, but our heir, Richard, will one day be a very wealthy person.”

  “Yes, he shall,” Alice said.

  “But you were always wealthy in grace and dignity, my lord Ashford. You just didn't realize it,” Lord De Winter said.

  “I think you are right, Grandfather,” Alice agreed.

  “I shall leave you for the moment,” Lord De Winter announced. “I suppose you will soon want to live at Ashford, so I must ponder on naming another captain of the guards.”

  “I think I should like to divide my time between here and Ashford Hall, my lord,” Edmund said. “Therefore, you need not make a hasty decision.”

  “I think you are right.” Lord De Winter smiled and left them.

  “You told me that if God wanted me to be wealth, he would give me wealth. He did,” Edmund said, gathering her into his arms.

  “Yes, and I am happy you received the honor, my love. You earn it, but you also deserved it,” she said.

  “I love you, Alice.”

  “And I love you, Edmund,” she said before he kissed her.

  The End

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