Anna began by telling the assembly of her husband’s duplicitous acts, carried out with the Nifolhadajans. She continued with a description of the great machines that Roger had used to destroy Chevring. Many crossed themselves upon hearing there were no survivors except the few children who had been discovered by Cellach. She thanked Cellach for his steadfast loyalty to her and to King Godwin. She offered a prayer that her sister had survived and was now safely ensconced at Whitmarsh, and that perhaps others from Chevring had also escaped. There was a moment of silence for those who had not.
When she spoke of the impending arrival of the enemy and their mordemurs, her voice lifted to stress her message. “The curtain wall is no match for these weapons, nor are our battlements. I entreat you to leave, please.”
Before she stepped down from her dais, she thanked her people for their compliance with her wishes and told them to see Cellach for instructions and supplies. She didn’t notice that Carrick had jumped up to take her place.
The irascible man cleared his throat with such volume that all present turned their eyes upon him. “I know most of you here,” Carrick called out to the crowd. “If I don’t, I’m assured that you at least know me.” There was some chuckling at this, and Lark noticed that Gilles, Will, Grainne, and Doreen were now standing below the man.
“First, let me say that was a fine speech, Lady Anna.” She nodded to him, but her face told Lark that she was worried about what was to come.
“No one here denies that you love us and only wish to see us safe. And I—we”—he swung his arm wide, indicating the people in the courtyard—“appreciate your concern, and love you more for it. However, with no disrespect intended, we think you must be daft.” A few people laughed nervously, others gasped at his audacity. Grainne and Doreen scowled up at him.
“Your pardon, my lady,” Carrick acknowledged, unfazed. “Stolweg is as much our home as it is yours. Thank you for your protection over the past three years. Don’t think we didn’t notice. But if you don’t mind, we’d just as soon stay and fight for our home.” He lifted his fist into the air and shouted. “And our lady!”
A great cheer rose up. “If you haven’t a weapon, see Cellach,” Carrick shouted above the din. “He’ll get you settled straight away.” And with that, his rebuttal was over.
All heads turned as a rider came through the main gate. He was one of Cellach’s men, Lark realized. Finding Anna, the man dismounted and bowed. She asked him what news.
“Perhaps we should go to the council room,” Lark suggested.
It seemed to take forever to reach the entrance of the castle. On the way, Anna was stopped again and again by her people. She knew them all by name and asked small details that she recalled from their lives. Each time, her thoughtfulness was met with an approving nod and, Lark thought, with reverence. A woman—Lia, he heard Anna say—approached holding a babe in her arms. She was crying with happiness, telling Anna that she had named her daughter Brianna, after her mistress. Anna hugged the woman and kissed the child, promising to visit with her later.
Lark finally acknowledged how much she truly cared for her people. And they, in turn, loved her. It was not reverence, it was loyalty. And a complete trust that she would save them all.
In the council room, he caught Anna’s eye, and, as the scout reported, Lark saw, for a brief moment, a passing shadow of uncertainty in her eyes. The news was not good. Over two hundred men were moving the mordemurs through the valley with the henge.
• • •
Anna frowned after hearing the report. So little time was left. “Cellach, when we are finished here, see that everyone is safely inside the curtain wall,” she ordered. “Then retract the bridge. Dismantle the mill’s causeway; we can rebuild it later. Be sure that Carrick supervises.”
“These men from Nifolhad will be suspicious when they find both crossings gone,” Anna predicted. “They’ll move the mordemurs to the southwest, just north of the bridge. Our position is most tenable from that location.” She pointed to the map spread on the table. Baldric confirmed her assumption.
“Cellach, describe again how the machines work?” she asked. “I want to know every detail.”
“I have gone over the plans a thousand times, m’lady. There is no way to damage them. Even sabotage is impossible,” Cellach explained. “All of the workings are underneath, protected by thick planks covered in hammered steel. Once the weapons are assembled, the main body is lowered to the ground. There exists at most two hands of clearance from the ground to the bottom of the side armor.”
“Humor me, Cellach. I would like to know exactly what we are up against.”
Chapter Fifty-Three—Cellach Revealed
“What do you think?” Anna asked, as she, Baldric, and the guards studied a map of Aurelia. “Will they try to destroy Stolweg as they did Chevring? Or, do you think they will try to leave the keep intact?”
Lord Baldric rested his chin on steepled fingers to consider her questions. “’Tis the keep they are after. This fortress is too important an asset. No other territory is so strategically placed, save perhaps Whitmarsh. If they can control Stolweg, they can cut off the whole of the west from Godwin’s army. We must assume Ragallach to the northwest is under their control. With Chevring gone, only Sterland to the south stands, and Cathmara to the north.”
Anna gazed at Lark; he had told her that Sterland was held by his half brother. “Sterland will stand,” he asserted, his tone brooking no argument. “They’ll not allow this horde to cross to Morland and the southeastern smallholds.”
“What say you, Trian?” Baldric asked, for it was Cathmara whence the guard had come.
“My family can ward off Ragallach,” Trian affirmed. “Even with the mordemurs, the Nifolhadajans would not stand a chance. Cathmarans have never depended on walls and battlements for safety. The Nifolhadajans would be fools to try my father’s hand.” The other guards smirked at the mention of Trian’s father.
“Trian is the most civilized of his line,” Lark explained to Anna. “And the reason his family sent him to King Godwin.”
“So, it is to Stolweg they will come,” Baldric continued. “They’ll do as we suspect, Lady Anna. They’ll destroy a portion of the curtain wall to gain access to the castle. We’ll place your archers on the battlements.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent strategizing. Even with the help of Anna’s people, they would be outnumbered four to one. Most of Roger’s soldiers had fled and joined the Nifolhadian ranks. But Cellach had surprised Baldric, and Anna as well, when he called forward the men and women he’d been secretly training. Stolweg’s small band of fighters now numbered over seventy strong.
Baldric had just called for a break when a soldier from King Godwin arrived. Mud-splattered from his ride, he delivered more disheartening news: Godwin’s army would arrive too late to protect the keep from the weapons.
But no one knew what Anna had refrained from revealing. To save the keep, she intended to destroy the mordemurs. Success depended on the saboteur being small enough to slide under a six-to-eight-inch gap. And she would endanger none but herself. If caught, she could defend herself and, perchance, escape.
If Lark knew, he would never allow her to go. He was barely accepting that she would ride out with Baldric to meet the men from Nifolhad. As the meeting concluded, she worried that the price for her actions would prove too dear. But if she didn’t try to save her people from the mordemurs, what future would there be? When Doreen arrived with food, Anna excused herself and headed to the top of the battlements to think through her plan in peace.
• • •
Lark watched Anna leave the council room. On her way out, their eyes met. Something was bothering her. He was about to excuse himself to follow her when the messenger from King Godwin ran back into the room.
The man approached Lord Baldric and Lark. “M’lords, I have a letter for Lady Aubrianne. It’s from her sister, Lady Claire.”
Lark relieved the messen
ger of the note and raced out the door. Instinct told him where he would find Anna. Had he been in her place, he would have headed in the same direction. He climbed the stairs three at a time.
• • •
Cellach needed to talk to Lady Aubrianne, and in private. She was not in her chamber, so he returned to the armory. Over the last few weeks, he had finally admitted to himself that he loved her. With the impending conflict as catalyst, he had gathered enough courage to speak his heart. Had she gone to visit the stable or the children? She’d been overly thoughtful when he’d explained the details of his weapon, falling silent near the end of the meeting.
And when the day’s council had adjourned, she’d excused herself. His mind struck upon the idea that she was on the battlements. He turned and made his way up the stairs, arriving just in time to see a dark figure grab Lady Aubrianne from behind. Not knowing if she was in danger, he drew his sword. But she didn’t react in fear to the man standing so close behind her. To his surprise, she melted into his embrace, for surely that was what it was. In that moment, Cellach realized he was too late. His hand stayed, his sword pulled only midway from its scabbard. Knowing there was no chance to retreat unnoticed, he stepped forward.
• • •
It had been the unmistakable hiss of metal skimming leather that demanded Lark’s attention. He pushed Anna to the side and turned to face the threat, and his heart recognized a rival. Cellach was quick to mask his emotions, but Lark recognized that the man was in love, and with a woman who would never return the sentiment. Anna’s heart belonged to Lark.
Cellach coughed nervously, and slid his sword home. “I guess we are both out to protect Lady Aubrianne.” His tone was light, but Lark could hear the unspoken regret.
Anna stepped forward. “What brings you here, good friend?” she asked.
“You, my lady. If I could have a moment of your time…”
“Of course,” Anna answered. Lark stepped to the wall, but not so far that he could not hear what was being discussed.
“Lady Aubrianne, after this is over, I would like to take my leave of Stolweg. I have family to the southeast that I have not seen in years.”
“Take as long as you need, Cellach. If you—”
“I’m sorry, Lady Aubrianne,” he interrupted. “I was not clear. I wish to—that is, I do not plan on returning to Stolweg. I will stay until all is organized, and we are sure of your safety and the safety of your people. I’m sorry, but this is something I must do.”
Lark gave them a sidelong glance. Anna had taken Cellach’s hands in her own. “You need never explain your reasons to me, Cellach,” she said. “You’ve done so much for me already. You once kept me strong when I wanted to die. And you have given me the children, and with them, hope. I would not have made it to this day without you.”
“You did it on your own, m’lady,” he replied, pulling his hands from hers.
“You know that isn’t true, Cellach. After Roger…I needed to feel that I wasn’t defenseless. You reminded me of the strength I possess. I will be forever grateful.”
Lark winced at that word, grateful. It was probably the last word that Cellach wanted to hear. “I hope you’ll reconsider,” she told her friend, “but if your mind is set, go where your heart leads. We will miss you. I will miss you.”
Cellach bowed and bade her good night. Lark walked back with him to the door leading to the stairs. Before stepping through it, Cellach reeled on him, his cheeks ruddy with anger. “I’m holding you accountable for her well-being,” he warned. “Her life, and her heart. I wonder, though, if you are man enough to accept her, secure enough to let her do what she will do.”
“Of course I accept her,” Lark scoffed.
“All of her,” Cellach asserted. “She will do things for others. Impossible things. She will not hesitate to sacrifice herself for those she loves.” He stared unhappily at Anna as she gazed into the night. “She loves you, that much is clear. But I think in the end, you’ll hurt her. You’ll hurt her because you are not strong enough for her.”
“Stronger than you, I think,” Lark growled. “I would not have left her to the abuse of her husband.” He regretted his words immediately.
“I’ll leave you now. But let me give you one piece of advice, m’lord. Trust her completely, or be prepared to lose her.” And with those parting words, Cellach was gone.
Lark returned to Anna, weighing Cellach’s admonition. When she looked at him, there were tears in her eyes. “I will miss him terribly, Lark.” Lark heard the pain of loss in her words. “Still, I suppose it is for the best, knowing how he feels about me.”
Lark had thought Anna unaware of Cellach’s regard. “How does he feel about you, Anna?”
“He holds so much guilt in his heart,” she said. “When we sparred in the hills and woods, I would see fleeting looks of pain in his face. He has never forgiven himself for not protecting me from Roger. I refused his aid over and over. In my heart, I always knew that he would want to leave Stolweg one day. That is why I did not try harder to persuade him to remain.”
Lark put his arm around her and pulled her closer to his side. “Argh, I’m such a fool,” he cried, “I came to find you and completely forgot the reason why.” He reached into his tunic and extracted the letter. “Anna, it’s a message. From your sister!”
“She’s alive,” Anna breathed. She tore open the seal and scanned the letter. Then she read it again, this time aloud.
Dearest Sister Anna,
I have just received word that you are alive and in the best of hands, with one of the King’s most trusted guards.
I am well but cannot yet speak of my grief over the loss of Mother, Father, and our people. I will honor them by remaining strong. I know you are doing the same and would not have me do otherwise. I have always tried to be like you, and hope, in at least this, that Mother and Father would be proud.
Anna, Mother returned to be with Father. Their love was so great that she could not bear him standing alone against the men who had threatened us every day.
The messenger waits as I write. I have heard that King Godwin’s army is amarch. My faith is such that I know we will survive the coming trials to meet again. I cannot explain whence this knowledge comes, I only know it to be true. Perhaps it is my faith in you.
Yours in love and hope,
Claire
Post Scriptum: By now you know of Chevring’s destruction. I was not the only survivor, dear sister, a small consolation to be sure. Pieter is with me.
Unable to contain her happiness, Anna spun around the open battlement, arms outstretched in sheer joy. Her prayers had been answered. She was smiling, and growing dizzy. She crashed into Lark’s chest in one last twirl. He held her tightly while she caught her breath and balance, and his deep laughter at her happiness sounded like a dream.
The wind had picked up, and when they felt the first few splats of rain, they ignored the weather until it grew stronger, forcing them to race foolishly back to the dark alcove. Lark reached for her, and she gave herself up to his embrace, savoring her joy.
• • •
Later, alone in her chamber, Anna went over what she would need to do the next day. Her plan depended on the Nifolhadajans’ ignorance of Roger’s death. They would first see that the bridge had been drawn back and then move to the mill’s causeway, by now dismantled.
Thereafter, they would give in to their suspicions, and the situation would escalate. Anna and Baldric had already decided that the best way to gain time would be to ignore them. As a precaution, their captain would be sure to order the mordemurs constructed and put in place. Cellach had assured Anna that it would take at least eight hours to ready the weapons. With luck, the task wouldn’t be completed until late in the evening. Sure to be overconfident, the force from Nifolhad would rest before beginning the barrage the next morning.
She was tired and rested her head against the back of the couch, basking in the warmth of the fire. Before long, she drif
ted off to sleep, only to wake and find Lark kneeling over her. He was frowning at her.
“You didn’t hear me enter,” he pointed out.
“I may need to adjust the hinges on my door again,” she replied, her eyes twinkling. But his face was serious. “Lark, I didn’t intend to fall asleep. I just nodded off for a moment.”
“Promise me you’ll take more care.”
“You have my word,” she told him.
He sat next to her and took her in his arms. His voice was barely audible as he whispered, “I couldn’t survive if I lost you. You take so many risks. Today, in the courtyard, you were surrounded by so many people. Any one of them could have been loyal to Roger.”
Anna pushed him back from her. “Look under the cushion, Lark,” she ordered. “Go ahead, look.” He did, and found her dagger hidden there. “Gilles, Carrick, and the others, they were with me in the courtyard. I was aware of the danger, but what would you have had me do?”
“Stay in your chamber with the door barred whenever we are forced to part,” he suggested. “If I could, I would lock you away where no danger could find you.” Anna could see he meant every word even though she knew the reasonable part of his brain was telling him it was a foolish wish. “Why are you smiling at me, Anna?”
“I would accept such a cage, but only if you were locked away with me. And that can never be, can it?” She took his hand in hers. “Lark, there will always be risks. And danger. I will always put those I love ahead of myself if it means that I can save them. That includes you,” she added when his eyes darkened. “If it meant saving your life, I would throw myself—”
“Stop, Anna. I already know it to be true. I do not need to hear it spoken.”
Anna sighed, knowing the next evening would test Lark’s love for her. She turned away lest he see some hint of her plans.
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