Heart of a Knight (A Medieval Romance Novella)

by Dana D'Angelo

  “Aye,” Bram touched the hilt of his sword, unable to meet Geoffrey’s eyes. “’Twas the only logical place to go as I am a landless knight.”

  “If you’re not here to arrest me, then what are you doing here?”

  Bram looked around him as if to make certain that he wasn’t being overheard. Still he dropped his voice just to be sure.

  “We were to escort Princess Lilia to the summer holding, to keep her safe from her uncle, Lord Richard. While we bedded down for the night, our entourage was attacked. Everyone perished except for me and Sir Coenred. ‘Twas fortunate that we were able to escape with the princess.”

  The boy woke up and rubbed at his eyes. “What’s happening?” When he saw Bram, he scrambled up. Standing in front of the pillory with his short legs spread wide and his fists in the air, he said, “You’re not taking Geoffrey anywhere. If you try, you’ll have to go through me first.”

  “Stand at ease, Eli,” Geoffrey said. “Sir Bram is a friend.”

  The boy lowered his fists, confusion clouding his young face. “A friend?” he asked in disbelief. Trusting that Geoffrey was telling him the truth, he relaxed his stance further.

  “Move over, boy. I am here to release your master.”

  Eli gave Bram a long, suspicious look, but he moved aside.

  Withdrawing his sword from his scabbard, Bram cut the thick cords with one clean stroke. The rope snaked to the ground, and the wooden planks became unhinged. Eli rushed over to Geoffrey, helping him out of his wooden prison.

  Geoffrey groaned with relief. Standing up, he shook his wrists and legs to allow the blood to circulate. Then with some effort, he brought his hands to his neck and bent it from side to side, releasing the tension there.

  When he finally worked the kinks out from his body, he took a step toward Bram. “’Tis good to see you again, brother.”

  Chapter 12

  “Do you think we’re safe from my uncle’s men, Sir Coenred?” Lilia asked, exhaustion in her voice. She took off her cloak and set it aside.

  A single candle burned in the middle of the table. The light scent of lavender floated in the air while the flame danced on the wick, casting the room in a warm glow.

  The princess ran her slender fingers through her dark hair. It was ruffled from travel, but it still had a glossy sheen to it. Indeed everything about the princess seemed polish and beautiful. In her presence, Karina felt like the lowest of serfs, even though she knew that she wore the finest quality tunic that she could afford.

  “You will be safe enough here, my princess. Treville is a large town with protective walls surrounding it. From what I gather, Lord Richard and his men have scattered throughout the kingdom. Somehow your lord uncle discovered our intentions to travel to Baltroham, and sent his men after us. ‘Tis fortunate that we killed many of the traitors in the skirmish, but the five remaining are intent on capturing you.”

  A chill ran through Karina’s spine as she heard Lord Richard’s name. She glanced over at Alays, who stared back at her, her eyebrows shot up in alarm and fear. Everyone knew that the king’s brother was ruthless; he had no qualms about killing innocent people. It was also no secret that he wanted to overthrow his brother from the throne. King Edward was a just and fair ruler, and the thought of his brother replacing him was truly a nightmare.

  “I imagine that there is a great reward for my capture,” Lilia said with a wry twist to her lips.

  “I would imagine so,” Coenred said, frowning. “But they will not be able to get to you, my princess. The gates of Treville should be fortified now, and ‘twould be impossible for the traitors to enter.”

  “Will my being here put the people in danger?” Lilia’s lips compressed into a thin line while she clasped her hands tightly in front of her. “I’m not certain ‘twas a good idea for us to seek refuge in this town.”

  “We will all be in danger, my princess — if your lord uncle unseats your father from the throne. Once Sir Bram arrives, we will discuss our options, and come up with a plan for your escape.”

  As if on cue, a soft knock sounded at the door. Karina watched as Coenred pulled the princess to his side and stood behind the door. He motioned for Alays to go to the entrance.

  “Who’s there?” Alays called out, her voice shaking.

  “’Tis Geoffrey,” answered a low, urgent voice. “Open up.”

  The tension visibly melted from Alays’ shoulders and she fumbled with the wooden barricade. The door squeaked open and Geoffrey slipped in, followed by Bram. Before Karina could ask about Eli, Geoffrey was already explaining that the boy was outside, acting as a look-out.

  The younger knight immediately went over to Coenred, and began to speak in low tones. Meanwhile Geoffrey walked unsteadily toward the princess, and with some difficulty, he executed a bow. “Sir Bram has told me what has happened, my princess. You have my assistance, if you require it.”

  Lilia looked at Geoffrey, surprised at his intense sincerity. “I am honored by your show of loyalty, Goodman. What is your name?”

  “Geoffrey de Servian,” he said.

  “Servian,” Lilia murmured. She searched his countenance, studying it carefully. You remind me of a knight I know from the royal courts.” She twisted her lips to one side as she tried to recall the name. Then she gave him a triumphant smile. “’Tis Sir Edgar de Servian that I know.”

  “Sir Edgar is my brother,” he said, offering her a polite smile.

  “Geoffrey and I trained together, my princess,” Bram interrupted as he broke away from Coenred and approached them. “He has excellent qualities and —”

  “I didn’t know Geoffrey is a knight —” Alays broke in, now seeing him with new eyes.

  “Nay, I’m not a knight,” he said shortly.

  An awkward silence filled the room.

  Geoffrey’s face hardened into a mask, and it didn’t appear as if he wanted to continue the discussion.

  Lilia coughed delicately in her hand, breaking the silence. “It matters not whether you are a knight. What matters is your loyalty to me. We need to find a way out of this dilemma, as I do not want to be imprisoned by my lord uncle.” She gave a small shiver. “I fear that he aims to hurt my father by holding me ransom.”

  “These men will stop at nothing to capture the princess,” Coenred confirmed. The seriousness of his tone caused another heavy silence to hang in the air.

  Geoffrey shifted onto his good leg. “We cannot let these men harm you, my princess.”

  “But what can we do?” Lilia asked.

  “We need to get the outlaws out of Treville,” Geoffrey said.

  All eyes turned to him, hope and interest reflected on their faces.

  “But where?” Bram asked.

  Karina brought over a jug of ale while Alays began to set empty cups on the table. But everyone was too preoccupied with the discussion to take notice of them. She could hear the fear in the princess’ voice. Alays paused, staring wide-eyed at them, the trepidation apparent in her face. Absently, Karina’s eyes settled on the empty cups on the table, and then realizing her duty, she began to immediately pour the drink into the tankards.

  Geoffrey watched as she filled his cup, but she made sure to avoid his gaze. She was aware of his background, so she shouldn’t be surprised to discover that he had impeccable courtly manners as well. He seemed as comfortable around the princess as he was around the horses.

  “’Tis best that we lure them deep into the forest,” Geoffrey said.

  “You would dare to go into the forest?” Alays gasped, forgetting that she was not supposed to be part of the discussion. “’Tis said the green demon lurks in these woods. If you venture too far in, you may never come back alive.”

  “If these men are as ruthless as Sir Coenred suggests, we must do all we can to protect the princess, and the people of this town.” Geoffrey hesitated, and gave Alays a considering look. “Even if it means that we must confront the so-called green demon.”

  Karina looked at G
eoffrey in disbelief, and unable to help herself, she burst out, “You would care for the welfare of the townspeople?” She didn’t have to reiterate the damage that they caused in the short time he lived in Treville.

  “The townspeople don’t know the truth,” he said, shaking his head, his demeanor calm.

  “How do you propose that we lure the traitors?” Bram cut in. “And if we manage to lead them into the forest, where would we take them? They would not be satisfied with being led aimlessly through the woods.”

  “You can take them to the old woodcutter’s cottage,” Alays offered. All eyes fixed on her, and she shrank back as if she suddenly realized that once again, she had spoken out of turn. “I — I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “Tell us more about this cottage,” Geoffrey said.

  Chapter 13

  The princess slept in the bedchamber while Karina lay on the floor of the common room with everyone else. The fire in the hearth was put out long ago, and while the still embers sizzled, the sound was drowned out by the deep breathing and snores that encircled her.

  Hours later, she finally fell into a light sleep, but she woke up immediately when she heard movement near the front of the room. Pushing herself to a seated position, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. From the dim light that broke through the shutters, Karina saw the shadowy figures of Geoffrey and the two royal guards. The three men spoke quietly while the guards put on their suit of chain mail.

  Geoffrey glanced in her direction as if he sensed that she had awakened. He made his way over, and crouched down. “’Tis early yet, and you should sleep, Karina,” he said, his voice low. “You won’t be much use to Princess Lilia if you’re too tired to serve her.”

  Karina had no answer to that. But with the danger looming foremost in her mind, it was impossible for her to go back to sleep.

  “What do you plan to do?” she whispered, unable to keep the tremor from her voice. “I was not privy to your discussion, and —”

  “’Tis far safer for you and the princess if you remain ignorant of our plan.”

  She caught his arm. “Please, I want to help you.”

  “Nay,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m not the one that needs help. ‘Tis the princess that needs it.”

  A horse whinnied in the distance, and he swiveled his head in the direction of the noise. “’Tis too late. They’re here.” Muttering a curse, he pulled her up from the ground. “Get the princess —”

  “I am here,” a soft voice said from behind them. Lilia moved to stand among them. Her lovely eyes were wide with alarm.

  “We need to get you to safety, my princess,” he said in a clipped tone. “We thought that there was enough time to allow you to sleep a little while longer.”

  “I could not sleep,” she said, waving her hand to dismiss his words. “’Tis difficult to rest when your lord uncle has sent his men to abduct you.”

  A brief sympathetic expression crossed over Geoffrey’s countenance “The traitors will arrive soon to check each home and try to locate you. ‘Tis best if you stay out of sight.” He put a hand on Karina’s back, drawing her forward. “Karina here will take you to the stable, as they will unlikely search for you there.”

  Without any further prompting, Karina went around to the bench and grabbed the cloak that laid there. She then walked to the cooking area and took a block of cheese, some of the bread that Alays had baked the night before, and a flask of ale. Stuffing the items into a basket, she quickly went over to the princess. “Princess Lilia, your cloak.”

  The princess took the garment from Karina’s hand. Meanwhile shouts rang out from the direction of the town square.

  “What do you plan to do, Goodman?” Lilia asked.

  Geoffrey opened his mouth to respond, but Bram came over. “There is no time to explain, princess,” he said, interrupting them. “Please, you must go with the woman.”

  The princess seemed perturbed that she didn’t get the answer she sought, but she knew it wasn’t the time to argue with the knight. The men had discussed their strategy amongst themselves, and had intended to keep their plan a secret.

  “Lead the way, mistress,” Lilia said, her tone brisk.

  Karina opened the door a crack to make certain that the coast was clear. Seeing no one on the street, she gestured for the princess to follow her to the back of the house. If someone searched for the king’s daughter, he would never think to find her in the stable.

  Pushing open the stable door, she allowed Lilia to pass. The odor of hay and horses filled her nostrils. The smell was strongest when the stable doors were shut for the night.

  “Thank you for taking me into your home. Mistress…?”

  “Karina.” She didn’t know whether she should say more. Instead, she closed the stable door firmly behind them.

  “This is quite the inconvenience to you, I am sure,” Lilia said, surveying the small stable.

  “’Tis no inconvenience, my princess,” she said quickly. “You’ll be safe here. They would never think to find a princess hiding among the animals.”

  “’Tis fortunate that we came across you when we did. You and your husband are very helpful.”

  “Geoffrey is not my husband,” Karina said.

  “Oh. I thought…” her voice trailed off as she saw a blush rising to Karina’s cheeks.

  “Geoffrey is my stable master,” Karina explained awkwardly. “My husband is dead.”

  “I see.” Lilia placed a delicate hand over her mouth, her discomfort obvious. Then as if she wanted to change the subject, she said, “Sir Bram tells me that your stable master has a knight’s training. ‘Tis surprising to find a man of his caliber in your town.”

  “I’ve just come to understand this myself,” she confessed. “Geoffrey came to me for work, although he didn’t reveal his history. However since he’s worked here, he has been incredibly useful to us. We don’t know how we survived without him.”

  Interest reflected in Lilia’s eyes. “He seems like a clever man.”

  “Aye, he is very shrewd.” Karina nodded eagerly.

  “I am not surprised. A knight’s training requires strength and skill with weapons, but resourcefulness is a rare thing.”

  Even though the compliment wasn’t directed at her, Karina felt her heart swell with pride. At a different time, she might have enjoyed discussing Geoffrey’s merits, but she was all too aware of the danger that lurked a short distance away.

  “’Tis best that you hide over there, my princess,” she said, indicating to the row of large wooden barrels and a stack of hay. She set the basket down and began to maneuver a barrel so Lilia could squeeze behind it. “You should be safer here than in the house. This basket of food and ale will tide you over for now. When the danger passes, I will come back for you.” She curtsied and made a move to leave.

  “Mistress,” Lilia said, stopping her. “Thank you,” her eyes filled with gratitude, “I will not forget this.”

  Karina was about to respond when she heard footsteps just outside the stable. A streak of fear coursed through her veins as she gestured for Lilia to duck behind the barrel. Her only task was to take the princess to a safe place. She couldn’t allow Lilia to be captured the moment she was entrusted in her care.

  Glancing frantically around her, she spotted a pitch fork leaning next to a straw filled cart. She ran to pick it up and began to toss the straw into the nearby stall. All she needed was to convince the person outside that she was doing work in the stable. She prayed to God that she was able to successfully fool the interloper.

  Chapter 14

  “Ma dame?” a voice hissed.

  “Eli,” Karina muttered under her breath. Dropping the pitch fork onto the ground, she placed her hands to her heart, willing for it to slow down its erratic beating.

  Eli hurried into the stable.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “A man in the town square is demanding that everyone come out of their homes.” He look
ed nervously around just to make sure that no one was eavesdropping on them. Then in a voice that sounded older than his years, he continued, “There are five men on horses. And they appear fierce enough to destroy this town looking for the — someone. I don’t think that they mean to leave this place untouched. Everyone has gone to the town square, and Geoffrey says that you should be there as well.”

  Geoffrey was right. If she didn’t show up at the square, someone was bound to take notice. And if that happened, unwanted attention would be directed at her.

  They left the stable and quickly arrived at the town square. One rider was at the forefront, addressing the people, while four other riders lined up behind him. There was no mistaking who the leader was. But even though he had control of his men, he seemed rough, and lacked the luster of a true knight.

  “Where is the princess?” the man roared. The horse under him moved irritably as if it too was waiting impatiently for answers. The rider jerked at the reins to still its movements. Meanwhile the horse reared back and snorted in protest before settling down.

  “I know she’s here,” he continued, slowly scanning the fearful faces. “If you don’t tell me where she is, I’ll burn down this entire town.”

  The townspeople huddled together, watching the riders with distress and confusion.

  “We don’t know what you’re talking about!” a man shouted.

  The leader whipped his head around as Warin stepped out from the crowd.

  “The princess is not in Treville,” Warin continued. He shoved his sleeping cap from his forehead, and turned his most intimidating stare on the strangers. In any normal circumstance, this look was enough to cause men to scurry out of his way, but this time it had no effect. In fact, the comment seemed to enrage the outlaw even more. But Warin didn’t appear to notice. The guild master had dark shadows under his eyes, as if he was still in mourning. He brought a hand down to the front of his tunic and tugged at it. “’Tis just after sunrise, and you drag us out of our beds. We don’t even know who you are, and your claim that we’re hiding the princess is outrageous.”