Autumn's Touch

by Elizabeth Rose

  The door to the undercroft opened. Autumn held her finger to her mouth to silence the children. She blew out the candle and then directed them to a far corner, wondering if the intruder could hear her heart beating loudly. The sound of light footsteps on the stairs was heard and then the person came right toward them. She grabbed the lid off a barrel of apples and held it up like a protective shield. She was about to bring it down on the intruder’s head when she heard a voice.

  “It’s me, Torkel. Enar, are ye down here?”

  “Torkel?” Autumn threw down the lid and pulled the boy into her arms, giving him a big hug. “How did you get here?”

  “I picked the lock,” said the boy proudly, holding up a thin piece of metal that looked a lot like one of Nairnie’s hair pins.

  Then the sound of the door opening again had them all hiding in silence. The light of a lone candle was seen lighting up the passageway as a person headed down the stairs into the undercroft. The sound of nails clicking on the stairs led her to believe a dog followed.

  “Lady Autumn, children, are ye down here?” Nairnie stopped and held a candle high in the air at the foot of the stairs. Bailey sat down at her feet, panting.

  “We’re here,” said Autumn, stepping out into the light. She rushed forward and hugged Nairnie, almost setting the old woman off balance and causing her to drop the candle.

  “Easy, lass,” Nairnie said, putting the candle down on a barrel. “This old woman’s heart canna take too much more today.”

  “Thank you, Nairnie. You were wonderful. Sir Oxley believed you. And when you spat at Benedict, it was a good touch. I almost believed it, too, until I saw you down on your knees and kissing Oxley’s feet. That, I knew would never really happen.”

  “It was all I could do no’ to bite him,” said Nairnie with a look of disgust on her face.

  “Thank you for having him send me to the tower,” said Autumn. “Plus, the part about having a vision of my brothers arriving was excellent, too.”

  “That part was true,” said Nairnie. “I saw them arrivin’ at Ravenscar Castle, but the bad part was that it wasna until daybreak.”

  Autumn suddenly felt doomed. “We need to think of a way to keep Oxley away from me tonight.”

  Bailey barked and jumped up on Torkel. The boy petted the dog and pulled a stalk of an herb out of the hound’s fur. Then he started scratching his arm.

  “I’m still all itchy,” complained the boy.

  “Me, too,” said Iona. Rab scratched at his leg as well. This was all too familiar to Autumn.

  “What is this?” she asked, not able to believe what she was seeing. The three children all had hives!

  Nairnie shook her head and looked at the stalk of the herb lying on the ground. She bent over and picked it up.

  “This is rue,” she said. “It looks like the hound has been rollin’ in it. It has an adverse reaction to a lot of people.”

  “Of course,” said Autumn excitedly, now realizing why Benedict had been so ill as well. “I didn’t even think of it, but rue can cause a rash as well as a fever. It never bothered me, so I didn’t give it a second thought. Were you children playing with the dog?”

  “We were,” said Torkel.

  “But so were Ishbel and Enar and they dinna have a rash,” said Rab.

  “It doesna affect me,” said Nairnie, twirling the rue between her fingers. “They must no’ be bothered by it, either.” She looked as if she were in deep thought. “I think, mayhap, it’s time I bring Bailey to Sir Oxley to sleep with him in his bed.” Her face lit up with a wide smile.

  “Nairnie,” said Autumn, understanding what she meant. “I think you have a great idea, and one that will hopefully keep Sir Oxley from wanting to take me as his wife.”

  Chapter 27

  Benedict banged on the bars of the cell that night, furious to be a prisoner in his own dungeon. Not to mention, Oxley’s mercenaries beat and kicked him before they threw him in here.

  “Damn it!” he shouted. “Let me out of here.” He reached down and itched his arm, groaning when he realized his rash had returned. And as if this weren’t bad enough, Oxley was about to bed Autumn.

  “Naaaaay!” He cried out at the thought of it, wanting to kill the man. Why hadn’t he seen this coming? Had he turned into such a weak warrior that he allowed himself to get into this situation in the first place?

  “Get in there,” growled the mercenary, hauling Nelek by the tunic and throwing him into the cell next to Benedict. Another man threw Sir Gawain into the cell on the other side of him. Then they left the dungeon.

  “Welcome to hell, men,” grumbled Benedict, plopping down on the musty, wooden bench, trying to think of a way out of this situation. “Nice of you to join me.”

  “We have Nairnie to thank for that,” grunted Sir Gawain.

  “What do you mean?” asked Benedict.

  “She told Sir Oxley he was going to need more warriors and that he could probably use experienced fighters like us when the bastard brothers show up.”

  “That’s right,” agreed Nelek. “She even gave Sir Oxley your dog!”

  “Bailey?” he said, knowing exactly which one he meant. Oxley had always had his eye on Bailey, although Benedict didn’t think the dog liked him.

  “I hope Bailey bites him,” he growled. “And don’t get your hopes up, because Autumn’s brothers are not coming.”

  “Nairnie said she had a vision,” said Nelek. “Her visions are never wrong.”

  “She also said she hated me and even spit at my feet and kissed Oxley’s boots.”

  “Ew,” said Nelek making a face.

  “It was all a lie to save me,” said Benedict. “Now I need to find a way out of this hellhole to save Autumn before Oxley takes her to my bed. I should never have trusted him. I should have killed him the day I took over as Lord of Ravenscar.”

  “You love Lady Autumn, don’t you?” asked Sir Gawain.

  “Aye, I do,” said Benedict nodding his head. “More than you’ll ever know.”

  * * *

  “I can’t let you do this, it’s too dangerous,” said Autumn, pacing the floor of the undercroft, not liking Nairnie’s latest plan. Autumn had stayed with the children throughout the night in the undercroft with Nairnie coming back to report the happenings to her. It seemed Oxley had been busy securing the castle and had not yet even thought of calling for Autumn. However, Nairnie told her he was happy with the dog. Bailey didn’t seem to like him much, but Oxley was determined to take everything of Benedict’s. He had been walking around with the dog under his arm most the night, not allowing it to run away from him.

  “It’ll be all right, lassie. I’ll distract Sir Oxley while ye and the children escape through the postern gate,” said Nairnie.

  “I’m not leaving Benedict,” said Autumn. “So, don’t even suggest it again.”

  “I’m no’ leavin’ him, either,” said Rab.

  “Nor I,” added Iona. The children’s rashes were getting worse. They were scratching like crazy. Autumn wished for her basket of healing herbs so she could help them. It was too dangerous to be spotted coming to the undercroft with a basket of herbs, so Nairnie hadn’t wanted to try to sneak it to her.

  “I want to help save Lord Ravenscar,” said Ishbel softly.

  “Me, too,” added Enar. “We like him.”

  Autumn noticed Torkel didn’t say a word. “How about you, Torkel?” she asked. “Do you want to help save Lord Ravenscar, too?”

  “I want to leave here. I hate it here,” he said, itching the side of his face. “I’m no’ goin’ to stay if I dinna have to.”

  “Stop it, lad, ye canna leave. It’s too dangerous out there,” said Nairnie. “Now, I have to go out there or Oxley will become suspicious.”

  “I’m going to go back to the tower in case a guard checks on me,” said Autumn. “I don’t want to alarm them until we have a solid plan. If we can stall until morning, then my brothers will be here and they will save us.”
<
br />   “I dinna need anyone to save me,” said Torkel. “I’m leavin’ now.” He ran for the stairs.

  “Nay, come back,” Autumn called out, starting to go after him, but Nairnie stopped her.

  “I’ll fetch him,” said Nairnie. “If ye go out there, ye’re goin’ to upset the whole apple cart before we have a chance to do anythin’ to help Benedict.”

  “You’re right,” said Autumn. “I’ll go back to the tower now. Children, stay here until you hear that it’s safe to come out of hiding.”

  “Lady Autumn, I dinna think it is wise for ye to go back to the tower. Stay here,” Nairnie begged her.

  “I can see the dock from the tower window and will know when my brothers arrive,” said Autumn. “I’ll bolt the door and push the furniture against it and pray that Oxley won’t show up until after they get here. When I see my brothers, I’ll come back to the undercroft. We can think of a way to sneak out and open the gate to let them in.”

  “I’ll see if I can find any of the guards who might still be loyal to Benedict to help open the gate when the time comes,” offered Nairnie.

  Autumn made her way back up the secret passageway, pushing open the trap door and slipping into the darkened room. She had just closed the trap door and stood up when the door to the room slammed open. A guard with a torch entered, followed by two mercenaries.

  “Stay away,” she said, backing toward the wall.

  “Lord Ravenscar has ordered us to bring you to the solar anon,” said one of the men.

  “He has?” she asked, at first thinking they meant Benedict. Then catching her mistake and knowing they were referring to Oxley, she backed away again. “I’ll not go with you.”

  “Take her,” said the guard. The two mercenaries grabbed her by the arms and pulled her along with them. They walked quickly and she almost fell twice. They didn’t stop until they got to the door of Benedict’s solar. The guard rapped upon the thick wood.

  “What is it?” came the angry voice of Oxley. She heard Bailey barking from inside the room. “Quiet, mutt,” snapped Oxley.

  “We brought the girl as you requested, my lord,” said the man.

  “Ah, good. Send her in and stand guard at the other side of the door. I don’t want to be disturbed when I couple with her.”

  The guard opened the door, pushed her inside, and then closed the door behind her.

  “Come here, Lady Autumn,” said Oxley. “We have a little matter to take care of and I can wait no longer.”

  She looked up and held back a scream as she saw Oxley, stark naked, lying on Benedict’s bed with Bailey trapped in his arms.

  * * *

  Benedict tried for the third time to break down the door of the cell with the broken bench in his hand. Only one guard was watching over the dungeon. If he could manage to get out, he could take him easily.

  “Stop the banging,” shouted the guard from the other room.

  “It’s no use, my lord,” said Nelek, shaking the bars of his cell as well. “We have no weapons and these bars are too strong.”

  “I’ve got to get out of here,” said Benedict. “I won’t let Oxley have her.”

  There was knocking on the outside door to the guardroom and the mercenary that stayed watch called out. “Who is it?”

  “I’ve brought ye food from the kitchen,” came the muffled voice of a young boy.

  “Good. I’m starved.” Benedict heard the guard open the door.

  “Here, catch,” said the child. Benedict recognized the sound of his pack of dogs whining and barking and heard the mercenary shouting.

  “Nay, get away,” he said, followed by the thump of his body as he hit the ground.

  “Who’s there?” Benedict called out.

  The pitter-patter of little feet could be heard and also the jingle of keys. “Lord Ravenscar, it’s me.”

  “Torkel? What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “Lettin’ ye out of the dungeon.” Torkel pulled out a ring of keys and handed them through the bars.

  “You risked your life to help me escape?” Benedict knew which key was for each cell. He unlocked his cell door and then quickly did the same for the others.

  “Ye cared about me when I was sick,” said the boy. “No one has ever done that before.” He handed Benedict a dagger from under his tunic. “I pilfered this from one of the guards.”

  Benedict chuckled and took the weapon.

  “Here’s a few more,” said Torkel, handing a dagger to Nelek and one to Sir Gawain as well.

  “Remind me never to scold you again for stealing,” said Benedict, reaching down and ruffling the boy’s hair. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  He stopped in the guardroom and chuckled again. Torkel had thrown a leg of mutton from the larder at the guard. Benedict’s dogs were hungry as always and fighting over it. The mercenary was at the bottom of the pile.

  “Good job,” he said, talking to Torkel as well as the dogs.

  “Nay,” said the mercenary, grabbing his dagger and stabbing one dog and then another.

  “Nay!” shouted Benedict. “No one hurts my hounds!” He dove atop the guard, killing him before the man even had a chance to reach for his sword. He then took the mercenary’s sword for himself and proceeded to hand the man’s two daggers to Nelek and Sir Gawain. He quickly checked his dogs’ wounds, realizing they weren’t that severe. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for you right now,” he said, running his hand over Jack’s head and then the head of his wolfhound, Goliath. “I have to find Lady Autumn.”

  “She was in the tower,” said Torkel. “On my way here I saw some guards takin’ her to yer solar.”

  “Was Oxley with them?”

  “Nay,” said the boy.

  “That means he’s already waiting for her in my bed. I wish we had more men on our side right now.”

  “Nairnie said she had a vision of the bastards comin’ to help,” Torkel told him.

  “I wish that were true.” Benedict suddenly felt like he wanted to crawl out of his skin. His body started itching, like when he’d been ill. He looked down to see his arm breaking out in hives. “Not again,” he groaned.

  “The rash is from the rue,” Torkel told him. “See, I have it, too. Lady Autumn said we got it from Bailey rollin’ around the herb garden.”

  “Really,” he said, glad to finally know what ailed him. “Nelek, you and Sir Gawain try to sneak away to the stable and prepare a cart and horse. Torkel, see if you can round up the orphans, Nairnie, and whoever else is in hiding and bring them to the stable. After I get Autumn, I’ll go up to the battlements myself and open the gate.”

  “It’ll never work,” said Sir Gawain. “There are too many of them, my lord.”

  “Then pray for a miracle because I am fresh out of ideas.”

  Benedict made his way to his solar, hiding in the shadows and taking out a mercenary or two along the way in silence, stopping a few times to scratch himself. The itching was becoming unbearable, and he couldn’t let it get in the way of killing Oxley and taking back his castle. He had to get to Autumn before Oxley had his way with her. He would never be able to forgive himself if he didn’t get there in time.

  He looked out into the courtyard to see dead bodies spewed about, and a good two-dozen of Oxley’s men pacing back and forth anxiously. Thunder rumbled and lightning sporadically lit up the sky, letting him see several of his disloyal men atop the wall walk. Perhaps, it would be his best chance to try to convince them to change sides.

  He sneaked down the corridor and came up behind the guard at the door who was on his knees trying to peek through the keyhole.

  “See anything that interests you?” he asked.

  The man jumped up and reached for his sword, but Benedict stabbed him and threw him to the side before he could strike back. Then with one mighty kick, he broke down the door and rushed into the chamber. Autumn was struggling with a naked Oxley who had managed to rip her bodice in the process. Bailey was running ar
ound in circles, barking like crazy.

  “Get your filthy hands off of my wife!” he shouted.

  “Benedict!” Autumn cried out, so happy to see her husband. She’d been fighting Oxley who was trying his hardest to bed her. Oxley let go of her and picked up his sword. Autumn took advantage of the situation to run out of the way of the battle that was about to begin.

  “You will die for what you’ve done,” growled Benedict.

  “How did you escape the dungeon? And where is my guard?” Oxley’s sword clashed with Benedict’s. Autumn backed up against the wall to stay out of the way. Oxley didn’t care that he was naked and with a rash. He fought anyway. The trick had worked and, because of the dog, Oxley was starting to itch. Welts were popping up all over his body.

  “You underestimated me, Oxley,” said Benedict.

  “No, I didn’t,” spat Oxley. “You are not Ravenscar and will never live up to his name.”

  “I see you’ve got the same illness that took Ravenscar’s life,” said Benedict, nodding at Oxley. Oxley glanced at his body and a look of horror came over him.

  “Nay,” shouted the man, becoming very upset.

  “That’s right,” said Autumn. “He died from it and now you will, too.”

  “But you’ve got the same thing,” shouted Oxley to Benedict. “You’ll die along with me.”

  “No, I won’t,” he said, swiping at Oxley who ducked out of the way. “I am stronger than Ravenscar and won’t live up to his name because I intend to change the image he’s created. However, the fact remains I am now Ravenscar and always will be. You are just a despicable man that I wish I had killed years ago.” With that, Benedict lunged forward with the final blow that took Oxley’s life.

  Autumn ran to Benedict, falling into his arms and burying her head against his chest.

  “Did he hurt you, my little fae?” asked Benedict, kissing her on the head. “I am so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

  “He didn’t violate me, Benedict. And you protected me better than anyone could. I love you.”