by Jody Hedlund
By the time we left the following morning, several knights offered to ride with us. Throughout the day, more continued to join us so that by eventide, we’d amassed a group of at least a dozen knights.
Christopher had borrowed a horse from our hosts, and all day I’d tried not to think about how much I missed his close presence behind me on Roland.
“Word of your bravery and generosity at Smithtide has spread,” Christopher said, as he took Tall John’s place next to me and allowed the manservant a chance to fall back.
Smithtide, I’d learned, was the coastal village where I’d defied Captain Theobald and paid for the soldiers’ food in gold.
“The people cannot stop speaking of you,” he continued. “You have won their hearts, just as I knew you would.”
“That was not my intention,” I replied. “I would have acted as I did with or without the praise of men.”
“I know that.” Christopher’s voice contained pride that did strange things to my heart. “You are a compassionate and fair woman. And that is why you will make a noble queen.”
I made the mistake at that moment of meeting his gaze. The golden brown was alight with his admiration and something else I couldn’t name but that made my pulse lurch. I didn’t trust myself to respond to him, so I nodded my thanks and stared ahead, unwilling for him to see that with only one look he could render me a quivering, lovesick girl once again.
Silently, I berated myself for thinking of him as anything other than my friend. He’d made clear his position, and his words from the night of his kiss still echoed in my mind. We will both have to make many sacrifices in the days and years to come for the greater good of Mercia and her people. Can you do that, Adelaide?
After the reverence and homage I’d received from the people we’d met and now those who rode with us, I was beginning to understand the significance of my role as the queen in a way I hadn’t heretofore grasped. The position was one of great responsibility, one the people esteemed, one I could not treat lightly.
When darkness fell, the knights in our group led us to another fortress belonging to an old nobleman, Lord Chambers of Chapelhill, who had once been a loyal supporter of King Francis. His son had been on King Francis’s council and had been among those slaughtered by King Ethelwulf, along with his wife and four out of five children. The youngest, a boy of four years at the time of the siege, hadn’t been among those slain. Somehow he’d disappeared, and no inquiries or searching over the years had led to any discoveries of what had become of him.
Lord Chambers fed us and offered us beds for the night. While I was anxious to continue our travels and find Mitchell, Christopher reminded me of our need to build alliances.
At the break of dawn, the lord provisioned us with an abundance of supplies. As I thanked him for his hospitality, one of his servants helped him down to his knees. He bowed before me, his gray head bent.
“My lord,” I said, feeling as though I ought to bow to him rather than the other way around. “I wish I could repay you for your kindness and generosity.”
The group of men riding with me waited a discreet distance away, already armed and mounted. Many had brought their squires, who carried additional weapons and armor. And now, Lord Chambers was sending half a dozen of his retainers, the knights he’d hired to form a private army of his own. While I drew hope from the growing following, we would still be outnumbered when we faced Captain Theobald’s elite guard.
“Your honored presence in my home has been payment enough.” He looked up at me, his wise old eyes filling with tears. “I would give you my wealth, my land, my very life to avenge my son’s death and see you on the throne in the place of the evil one.”
A familiar lump swelled in my throat. Lord Chambers’ story of sorrow and his pledge of loyalty were becoming all too familiar. So many had suffered under the rule of King Ethelwulf, and their tragic stories served only to strengthen my resolve to bring peace and justice to the land.
“I am most grateful for your support and loyalty,” I replied, motioning to the servant to help his master rise. “I only pray God will give me a discerning heart to govern the people and distinguish right from wrong.”
Since the incident at Smithtide, I’d started reciting King Solomon’s prayer for wisdom oft. At my verbalization of the ancient words, Lord Chambers began to tremble. His eyes widened and fixed upon me with such intensity I wondered if I’d been sacrilegious to utter the prayer aloud.
Lord Chambers pushed the servant’s offer of aid away and instead reached for my hand and kissed it. “Your Majesty, I believe you are the fulfillment of the age-old prophecy that foretells a young ruler filled with wisdom who will use the ancient treasure to rid the land of evil and usher in a time of peace like never before seen.”
My rebuttal rose swiftly. I wasn’t anyone special. Why would I be the fulfillment of an old prophecy?
As if sensing my denial, Lord Chambers spoke again before I could. “You have the humble heart of King Solomon himself. From what I have heard of your deeds, God has already granted you wisdom, and He will also bestow upon you untold treasure that will aid your quest to restore the land to peace and godliness.”
I started to shake my head, but Christopher’s touch at my elbow stopped me. As usual, he stood next to me, my personal guard and most trusted advisor. His eyes warned me to accept Lord Chambers’ blessing gracefully.
I hesitated, but then bowed my head to the old nobleman, acknowledging his words and thanking him at the same time.
With Lord Chambers’ blessing echoing in the morning air, I mounted and rode near the head of our assembly. Outwardly, I kept myself composed and tried to appear confident. But inwardly, I quavered at the responsibility of being the queen, the challenges that came with the role, and the question of whether I was worthy of such a task.
By midday, Christopher galloped ahead with another knight, the two of them acting as scouts. We were still in danger of an attack by Captain Theobald and his men. Thus, rather than being taken by surprise, Christopher decided to discover their whereabouts so that we might be able to plan a more secure route. I also asked him to do whatever he could to discover how Mitchell was faring.
As I waited for Christopher’s return, I prayed as I had the past several days that Mitchell was still alive and unharmed and that we could find and liberate him before it was too late. By the time Christopher and the other knight rejoined us, we’d stopped for the night, making camp in an open area where we would be able to see any approaching danger.
“Theobald is as crafty as a serpent.” Christopher took a trencher from the squire who’d helped to assemble a dinner of roasted pheasant and the rye bread Lord Chambers had sent with us. The darkness of the evening had already descended, and now light from the bonfire at the center of our camp illuminated the strong lines in his handsome face.
One of the younger knights, whose diminutive size reminded me of Mitchell, regarded Christopher with a look of both awe and fear. “Do you think the captain hopes to lure us close enough to the capital city so he can call upon reinforcements before battling us?”
“Theobald is playing a game of cat and mouse,” Christopher replied, avoiding my gaze as he had since he’d ridden into camp.
All day my mind had been conjuring images of him captured by Captain Theobald. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live with myself if I lost Christopher in addition to Mitchell. So at the sight of him riding toward us, I’d wanted to run to him and throw my arms around him as I had in the dungeons.
As much as I’d longed to hug Christopher and reassure myself of his well-being, I’d refrained, knowing the other men wouldn’t understand my relationship with him. They accepted his place as my most trusted advisor. But if I showed favoritism beyond that, even something as simple as a hug, I would surely cause undue gossip.
Christopher trained his sights upon the blazing fire. “I believe the captain hopes to lure in the queen so he can recapture her without a fight.”
“And how will he lure the queen?” another asked.
The muscles in Christopher’s jaw visibly flexed. Then he finally darted a glance at me. The stark sadness in his eyes pierced me. I stiffened ahead of the bad news he bore.
“Do not hold back, my lord,” I admonished. “You must share your news.”
He took a bite of the drumstick on his trencher and chewed but didn’t swallow. Finally, he turned to his fellow scout and nodded.
The man cleared his throat and then bowed his head at me. “Your Majesty, we saw Sir Mitchell.”
My stomach turned over in dread of what was to come. “And?”
“Captain Theobald is torturing him.”
“Then he is yet alive?”
The scout glanced at Christopher with uncertainty. But Christopher chewed slowly and stared blankly into the fire.
“I give you permission to speak honestly, sir,” I said.
He returned his attention to me. “Your Majesty, Sir Mitchell lives, but with what the captain is doing to him and the way he is suffering, he’d be better off dead.”
Images of a hundred different torture methods rolled through my mind, and every single technique made my stomach roil. Which one was the captain administering to Mitchell? I stifled a shudder, but the thought of Mitchell’s agony only drove a painful spike into my heart.
“So Captain Theobald believes I still care enough about Mitchell that I will attempt to set him free?” Despite my arguing and fighting with Mitchell in front of Captain Theobald, he’d obviously seen through the turmoil to the deep bond we shared.
“We believe so,” the scout continued. “He leaves Sir Mitchell just outside of camp like bait. We’ve concluded that rather than seeking after you, he hopes to draw you to him instead.”
It was a clever plan. The captain had learned very quickly I had a tender and merciful heart for those who suffered, and now he was using it against me. I had no doubt he would ensnare anyone who walked into the trap he’d set around Mitchell. Then he’d torture them, too, until I finally gave myself over to him.
“How many hours’ ride ahead are they?” My mind was already spinning with a plan.
“We cannot attempt the rescue.” Christopher spoke in a flat voice.
“Is there a way to end Sir Mitchell’s suffering and evade capture?” someone else asked.
“We shall not even consider such an option,” I retorted as I bent to retrieve my saddlebag so I could begin packing it.
“I would have done it already if I could have found the right angle for my arrow,” Christopher said without meeting my gaze. “But Captain Theobald is too intelligent to allow us to kill the quarry.”
“’Tis fortunate you were not able to kill him.” I straightened and glared at Christopher. “For I shall not abide murdering. We shall take him alive.”
“If you saw the way he suffered, you would have pity on him.”
“I shall have compassion on him by saving his life, not taking it.”
At my sharp exchange with Christopher, the other men drew silent so that suddenly the crackling of the fire seemed louder. No one dared to look at either Christopher or me. Instead, they focused on their boots or the flames.
“How many hours’ ride ahead are they?” I asked again.
Christopher didn’t respond.
His fellow scout waited a moment, his eyes imploring Christopher. When no answer was forthcoming, the scout bowed his head. “Your Majesty, we can easily reach the enemy camp by dawn.”
“Then let us prepare to leave.” I folded a tunic and shoved it into my saddlebag. “Captain Theobald may hope to trap us. But what he will not expect is that we shall come after him with a trap of our own.”
Chapter
20
Adelaide
The darkness of predawn obscured our view of Captain Theobald’s camp and Mitchell. The sky was turning a faint pink in the east above the sea, and we would need to put into action our plans just as soon as we had enough light to see the enemy positions.
We crouched low on our bellies, hiding behind gorse and tall grass. The morning dew and the breeze cooled my face after the long night and contained the hint of damp sand and seaweed.
Next to me, I could hear Christopher’s breathing. His shoulder brushed mine as he leaned into me. “I do not like the plan, Adelaide. You are taking too great a risk.”
“I shall not change my mind,” I replied. We had gone over every alternative as we’d ridden. And the safest option for everyone involved was for me to be the one to sneak to the edge of the camp.
Of course, Captain Theobald’s soldiers would be ready. His sentries likely knew we were there. However, they’d be expecting our entire company to attack rather than me approaching alone. And they certainly wouldn’t harm me like they might Christopher or any of the other knights. Captain Theobald was under orders from King Ethelwulf to bring me to Delsworth alive. I was counting on that command to save my life. And Mitchell’s.
“Adelaide, I beg of you.” Christopher’s whispered plea was warm against my ear. Something in his tone made me hesitate. When he bent closer, so that his nose brushed my cheek, I sucked in a breath.
I had no doubt he heard my intake, for in the next moment, he let his lips graze the same spot on my cheek. The touch was as light as a dewdrop, and yet it sent a shiver of pleasure up my spine.
He pulled back slightly so that once again only his warm breath touched me. “I cannot bear the thought of losing you.”
I closed my eyes against his admission and the power it held over me. From his tone, I sensed the depth of his emotions. From his breath against my cheek, I sensed his desire. In this moment before battle, would he finally allow himself to care about me?
We’d been too busy and too surrounded by others to converse privately over the past few days of traveling. But from time to time, I’d sensed him watching me and wanting to say more. Had he changed his mind about us?
I remained rigid and unmoving, although his nearness beckoned me closer. Deep inside, I had to admit that if he but gave me the slightest indication of a change of heart, I’d put aside my reservations. Even now, I wanted nothing more than to turn my head and burrow my face into his neck.
“Mercia cannot lose you,” he said softly.
At his statement, a draft of chilled air slapped me, and I stiffened. What was he saying? What had his kiss just now meant? I’d assumed he was admitting he cared for me as a woman. But was he thinking of me as the queen? Was he concerned only about the greater good of Mercia?
Apparently, I was fooling myself into believing Christopher could ever love me for who I was as a person. He loved me for what I could do for Mercia. As the queen. He was single-minded in his determination to see the wrongs in Mercia made right. I couldn’t fault him for that. It was one of the qualities I loved about him.
Nevertheless, my disappointment stung. For a brief instant, I’d allowed myself to hope again for more when he hadn’t meant to give me hope. I couldn’t forget his words from the night of our kiss: There can never be anything between us.
I shifted to put distance between us and at the same time focused on the rear of the camp. Captain Theobald had situated Mitchell two dozen paces outside the ring of horses and tents. The scout had informed us the captain had stretched Mitchell out and secured him to a log that was towed at the rear of the entourage whenever they moved.
Of course, the ride would have been bumpy and painful, especially since the log rolled around. But surely Christopher and his fellow scout had exaggerated the severity of Mitchell’s condition.
I’d sneak in, cut his bindings loose, and then drag him as far away as I could before I was caught. Most of our forces would then rush to defend me, which would draw out Captain Theobald’s men. Once they were engaged, Christopher and another skilled bowman would begin taking out the soldiers one by one while those of us in the melee engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
I’d issued Tall John with the task of aiding Mitch
ell the final distance to safety. Even now the faithful manservant waited expectantly on my opposite side, having heard Christopher’s impassioned declarations but wisely saying nothing.
The battle would indeed be difficult since we were outnumbered. But with Christopher and the other bowman shooting quickly, hopefully we wouldn’t be at a disadvantage for long. They just needed enough light at dawn to sight their targets, but not enough that the elite guards would be able to locate their positions.
Not only would we free Mitchell, but we’d also show King Ethelwulf we were a strong force, would not cower, and would fight for the throne.
“I am sorry, Adelaide.” Christopher bent close to me again. “I did not mean to hurt you—”
“Your Majesty,” I prompted in a tight whisper. “I desire that you address me as Your Majesty henceforth.”
“Very well,” he said hesitantly. “Your Majesty.”
Guilt swiftly panged in my conscience, but I silenced it with anger. If he planned to treat me like his queen and only his queen, I’d allow him to do so.
I glanced at the glowing horizon, then to Captain Theobald’s camp, still quiet with slumber, although I suspected very few soldiers were sleeping but laid in wait for us just as we did for them.
“It is time,” I said.
“Do not leave in anger,” he said hoarsely. “Please.”
“I shall give you what you have asked for, Christopher,” I whispered. “A queen who will make Mercia great again.”
With that, I crawled forward on my belly, using my elbows to propel me.
His hissed whisper urged me to stop. I moved quicker, fighting back my frustration and the sense of loss in knowing that Christopher would never be more than my counselor and loyal subject.
As I drew nearer to the camp, I glimpsed the log attached to the back of a cart. In the faint light, I could see it was suspended at a slight angle, likely to keep Mitchell from being crushed altogether but not enough to prevent scrapes and knocks as he was dragged along.
My stomach twisted at the thought of Mitchell’s suffering during the past days of traveling. He’d done it for me, to set me free. If not for his actions, I’d already be in Delsworth married to Prince Ethelrex, abdicating my family’s right to the throne, and leaving the people of Mercia to the subjugation of King Ethelwulf and his descendants forever.
