Gavin lifted a handful of brown hair and teased it beneath his nose as he inhaled its fragrance. Being the princess’s servant explained what he had noticed only moments ago: her speech and manner. No doubt she had learned them from the ranking members of the royal court. “I have no doubt you can obtain any dream you desire. You are very brave and wise for one so young and beautiful. Are all of the castle knights so blind that not one has demanded you for his wife? I am astounded that Prince Alric has allowed you to remain unwed, as surely many men must battle amongst themselves over you. I beg you, sweet Thisbe, say no man woos you earnestly.”
What would his father and people say if he brought this common servant to his castle and took her as his wife? he wondered. Could he make a servant the Queen of Cumbria? Being a servant in a castle was far different from ruling one. Whatever he decided later, this was not the time to consider such a wild idea. And if there could be no entwined future for them, he should not be enticing her falsely. Yet he wanted her desperately, as if he would be cursed if he could not have her.
Alysa observed the shadows clouding his eyes and creating a frown upon his face. For some reason he had drifted away from her and this place. To bring him back, she nudged his arm and replied, “Fret not, no man tempts me as you do, and no man has approached my father for my hand in betrothal. What of you, Gavin? Does no woman of any land await your return?”
Gavin realized he had spoken foolishly and too intimately. He had made it sound as if he were courting her or claiming her, and she was most agreeable. But he was in no position to make a commitment to her, or to any woman. For now, at least, he had to back away. The befuddled prince carelessly answered, “I have made no woman promises I cannot keep. My blood lusts for adventures and glory which cannot be sought by a wedded man. Until I have seen and done all I desire, I cannot think of settling down to a wife. If any woman awaits my return, she waits in vain. I can belong to no one until I have conquered my fate.” Gavin hoped she. would not be dismayed by his words, but it was necessary not to raise her expectations, not unless he claimed her as his own. He wondered and worried about being doomed to repeat his father’s tragic mistake of falling in love with the wrong woman, and of being forced to sacrifice her for his duty.
Alysa reflected on his words and actions during their three meetings. There was contradiction within them, she thought. She hoped Thisbe was right about her being a good judge of people, for she intended to enlighten Gavin to his confusion. “You are wise and generous to be so truthful with your numerous conquests.” She smiled radiantly and stroked his rough jawline as she added almost playfully, “But perhaps it would be kinder to them if you gave your warnings before they were enchanted by you. I am sure there are many maidens who await your return, even if they know it is futile. Is that why you halted our reckless behavior, to give me my warning? It was unnecessary, as I understand what a devilish rogue you are; that is why I find you so fascinating,” she teased. Her blue eyes danced with coquetry as she grinned at him.
Gavin was baffled by her light-hearted manner. He did not like to be led around in feminine circles. He had assumed that she knew little about using girlish wiles on him, but now feared he had been mistaken about her. “I halted,” he said, “because you had lost the will to reject me, even though you did not wish to surrender to me so soon. I am experienced in… such areas, and I could tell you are unskilled and unlearned about such matters.” He hoped she would concur with his implication. “It would be unfair to misguide you while your mind was dazed with unfamiliar emotions.”
Was she so green that she did not enthrall him as he utterly enthralled her? Alysa wondered. Yes, she admitted, she was ignorant in some areas about sex and love-making, but she was not stupid. She knew how to kiss and embrace, and the other parts should come to her instinctively. Shouldn’t they? she mused worriedly.
His words had stung, and she forgot she had provoked them. “You are most kind to protect my endangered honor,” Alysa said tartly. “How shall I reward you? I have no coin with me. Perhaps if we meet again, I shall be prepared to repay your good deed.” Her blue eyes glittered like colored ice, for he was denying her something she wanted fiercely: himself. He had made it seem as if he were available and enchanted; now he was telling her that he was not, that he only wanted to amuse himself with her until he moved on to his next adventure! How could he change so quickly? she fumed. As Thisbe had warned, she needed to see him in different situations before she could be sure of him.
Gavin stared at her, and she glared back. Their frosty looks fused and battled, but passion began to melt their icy resolves. Suddenly they both smiled then burst into merry laughter as they comprehended the ridiculous misunderstanding.
Gavin declared, “I desire you and you desire me, but this is unfamiliar ground for both of us and it must be traveled carefully. We are near strangers who must get to know each other. Yet we can make no promises to each other, as our lives do not match. Is it settled, my bewitching maiden, no more silly battles of words? For now, we do nothing more than learn about each other and this attraction. Agreed?”
Alysa watched him lift her hand and kiss the back” of it before turning it to kiss the palm. His eyes never left hers; thankfully, or he would have noticed she did not have the hands of a working servant. “Agreed,” she murmured. “The sun moves swiftly and I must return to the castle; but first, why have you not come to see Prince Alric about being hired as a fighter for him? And why did you vanish from the village?”
He had already prepared an answer for her, one which should sound reasonable and smart, and held bits of honesty. “I am a warrior for hire, sweet Thisbe, but I am a careful one. I cannot walk blindly into a situation that reeks of mysteries. Battlelines, enemies, and rewards must be explored. Before I approach your ruler, I must travel your land and study it closely. No amount of treasure or glory is worth risking my life rashly. I must learn who needs help and how much, and why. No matter how good and brave I can fight, if Prince Alric’s men cannot or will not do the same, I could be slain by their lack of skills. As for leaving the village, I thought it best. I am a stranger here, and in the confusion of the moment, I might have been mistaken for one of the raiders. Before I could reach Trojan and ride into the village, I heard the castle knights approaching. When I saw they could handle everything, I slipped away before I could be seen. By traveling around your land, your people will get to know me as a friend, and then it will be safe for me to ride openly. I am sure your prince would trust me more if I have already proven myself before we meet.”
“As you journey through my land, beware of Princess Isobail’s reach,” Alysa said. “She is known to be greedy, even though she pretends otherwise.” To test him, she casually added, “Some say she is the leader of the brigands and uses their raids for her own purposes.”
“Can such things be true? What could be her motive? Tell me all you suspect of her,” Gavin coaxed. This girl was brave and smart, but would she spy on Isobail and Alric for him? Would it be too dangerous for her?
Alysa shifted nervously at his questions, and was anxious to leave before she revealed something. Even if he was not one of Isobail’s men, later he might be tempted by the woman’s beauty. To protect herself and others, she replied, “I know little, for Princess Isobail keeps to her tower or to herself at the castle. I hear wild talk, but I cannot say what is or is not true. I should not spread rumors which could be false. Besides, it is dangerous to speak against our land’s regent. Perhaps you do not know: Prince Alric is very ill and remains confined to his chambers. It is Isobail who rules our land and people, and I fear for both under her control. I can say no more. If someone heard me, I would be whipped brutally. She has done this to others.”
Gavin clenched his teeth as he vowed, “If she dared to harm you, I would crush her with my bare hands. Do and say nothing where she is concerned. I will discover the truth for myself during my travels.”
Alysa smiled at his reply and concern for her
safety. “Isobail left the castle this morning, and she is not to return for nearly two weeks. Be careful if you cross her path.”
Plans filled Gavin’s head; he had to follow and observe Isobail, but he hated to be so far away from this girl. “I must leave this area for a while. Each time you come to the forest, check this place for a message from me,” he told her, pointing to a hole near the base of the tree nearby. “You will meet me again when I return, will you not?” he entreated.
“Yes, Gavin, I will await your message and meet you here again. And I will expect no promises from you. Nor must you expect or ask any from me. Is it agreed?” she demanded.
Gavin was intrigued and mystified, but he nodded. “If you have a message for me, I will look for it when I return. Stay safe and well, my sweet Thisbe.” His hand reached forward, clasped her neck, and pulled her head forward to seal their lips a final time.
At Giselde’s hut Gavin related his plan to follow Isobail to observe her actions. He let the gray-haired woman know where he was camped, and where he would camp whenever he was in this area. Giselde told him about Earnon’s alleged dream about the village attack, and both decided it was too strange to be true.
“I will return soon, Giselde,” Gavin said. “Listen and watch well, but take no risks. We must be careful while we gather our proof. If something should happen to either of us, or I cannot get near your hut, where can we leave a secret message for the other?”
Giselde thought for a moment, then said, “I know a spot. I will walk a distance with you and show you.”
Near the stagnant pond where she gathered certain plants, Giselde halted and knelt. Turning over a large rock near its edge, she said, “We can leave messages here in case of trouble.”
Gavin agreed, and they talked a while longer. He mentioned he had met a girl named Thisbe near the village, who worked at the castle, and he wondered if the old woman knew her. Gavin had decided that perhaps it was the mystery surrounding Thisbe that intrigued him and kept the irresistible creature on his mind so much. Once he knew more about her, surely he could conquer this curious obsession for her.
Gavin’s words surprised the old woman. If her binding spell had worked, the young prince should not be inflamed by any other woman, so Gavin’s obvious interest in Alysa’s servant caused Giselde to question her skills. Perhaps she had made a mistake during the incantation, or carelessly added the wrong item to her mixture. After Gavin left, she decided she would repeat the binding spell, sear the images of Gavin and Alysa into each other’s mind until neither could think of nor desire another.
Giselde warned, “You must stay away from Thisbe. She is my granddaughter’s handmaiden. Alysa is with her at most times, for they are close friends. If you are exposed, it could be dangerous for my granddaughter to be seen near you. Thisbe is sweet and lovely, but it would be foolish to have her gather information at the castle, if that is what you had in mind. We have no need of her help; I have spies at the castle, trusted knights named Piaras and Beag.”
Giselde explained who the men were and how they were helping her. “Thisbe is Sir Piaras’s daughter, but she does not know her father works secretly with me against our rulers. Besides, Thisbe’s heart has been captured by Squire Teague, son of Lord Orin.”
Gavin said, “I think not, Giselde, for her eyes lingered upon me too long for a woman in love with another.”
Giselde frowned. “You are wrong about her, Prince Gavin. She is smitten with Squire Teague, and he with her. My granddaughter has spoken of their love many times, for Thisbe confides in her. They wait for Squire Teague to be knighted soon, then they will request to marry. Until Prince Alric gets well, they closely guard their feelings for fear Isobail will bind them in marriage to others. Trust me, Prince Gavin, for I know my words are true.”
Gavin did not like what he was hearing, thinking, or feeling. He could not help but suspect that if Giselde was right, Thisbe was not whom she had appeared to be. He recalled the strange words she had spoken to him at their first parting: “You are my enemy, sir, for I have seen you in my dream… I will make certain you are slain.” He had not asked her about her meaning. Perhaps she saw her attraction to him as a threat to her wedding a knight who would one day become a lord, quite a catch for a servant.
Giselde felt there were certain things she should keep secret from Gavin, and so she said nothing about Alysa’s suspicions of Alric’s poisoning and what Alysa was planning to do about it. Too, she did not want Gavin to know she had tricked Alysa to keep Alric disabled. She tugged his arm and coaxed, “Do not worry over such matters when there is so much work to do. Forget Thisbe; I tell you she is intent on another, and not suitable for a prince. You must choose your woman wisely, for you will be king one day.”
Gavin shielded his warring emotions from Giselde. He smiled and nodded. “You are right. There are countless women from which to choose, with more rank and beauty than a common servant. I will return to your hut in two weeks or such.” He made sure that his tone was convincing, but as he walked away, he plotted how he would gather the truth about Thisbe, the beautiful, seductive woman from the forest.
Soon after Gavin left her, Giselde gathered items for the binding spell, but added additional ingredients to make the potion stronger. “When next you sleep, you will each other’s mind and inflame each other’s passions; you will be entwined forever,” she murmured, then smiled.
On her return to the castle, Alysa met with Leitis in the storeroom and gave her the herbs from Giselde. “Make certain Father gets only the food and drink you have prepared with these healing herbs. I will allow him to get better before I try to see him again. At present, his head is too woolly to hear me and understand his danger.”
Leitis said, “Isobail’s man, the servant who usually feeds Prince Alric, was called to his wife’s side after she gave birth to a son, so I was able to prepare and serve your father his noon meal myself. Tonight I will add these herbs to his soup and wine.”
The women talked and planned while Leitis concealed the pouch, then went their separate ways.
Guinn watched the ailing Prince Alric intently as he sang for him. The ruler appeared better this evening. While Guinn sang, he inwardly fumed. Were he not afraid of discovery, he would take the pillow and smother his sickly rival.
Guinn did not think he could bear the loss of his lover which was sure to happen if Prince Alric were to recover and demand his wife’s return to his sleeping chamber. But if he were to kill the prince, he knew he would be under immediate suspicion. Guinn forced himself to quiet his envy and dreamed about making love to Isobail while he played his lyre for the cuckolded prince. When he knew Alric was dozing peacefully, the bard slipped from the oppressive room. He rubbed his protesting stomach, and realized he had skipped the noon meal while composing a new lovesong for Isobail. He decided, as soon as he put away his lyre and bathed, to go to the kitchen to eat.
Leitis was frightened as she exchanged the dishes on Alric’s tray while the servant fetched fresh bread from the bakery below the kitchen. With shaking hands she placed the ones the man had prepared on a corner table. After the servant left with the tray, she would discard them. The servant returned with the delicious smelling bread and took the tray to Prince Alric. To make certain the man could not add anything to the food, Leitis followed the servant and observed his actions closely. Since the guard was not on duty outside the prince’s chambers, she followed him into the outer room and watched the servant’s movements until Alric was eating the food she herself had prepared. Quietly the stout woman returned to the kitchen, pleased with her cunning and delighted that Prince Alric had the strength to feed himself tonight.
“What are you doing?” Leitis asked the bard who was eagerly devouring the possibly tainted food. “Those are mine.”
In a nasty mood, Guinn scowled, and snapped, “Fetch yourself others, old woman; I was starving.”
There was nothing the servant could do except allow the sullen poet to eat his fill. Lei
tis realized one good thing about the accident: if Guinn took ill, that would tell her that Alysa’s suspicions were right.
Alysa stripped off her garments and eagerly stepped into the tub of fragrant water prepared by Thisbe. She laughed softly as she recalled how Thisbe always teased her about taking too many baths for good health and propriety, but she loved taking a short one to awaken her body each morning, and she loved relaxing in a long one after a sweaty ride or a hard day. Alysa closed her eyes and bathed leisurely. How she wished Gavin did not have to travel now.
She bolted upright in the tub and wondered how she could slip away from the castle for a few days to follow him, to discover along with him what was happening in her land. But she would have to do so without exposing her identity. She thought of a few plans, and immediately dismissed them as implausible. Feeling frustrated, Alysa dried herself and slipped into a worn but soft gown. She eased between covers upon which she had placed fragrant drops of scent. With great effort she relaxed and succumbed to sleep…
Alysa shifted in the large tub to allow room for Gavin to join her. She sighed contentedly as he began to bathe her slowly and sensuously. She was lost in his green eyes and the tingly sensations that warmed her body at his touch. The scent of countless wildflowers filled her nostrils as she floated dreamily in the silky water and her trembling body responded eagerly to his tantalizing caresses.
Gavin bent forward and touched his lips to hers, and they shared a blazing moment of feverish passion. He pulled her across his lap while his mouth lavished attention on her face and neck and his hands roved her inviting flesh. His body ached for hers, yet he continued his leisurely love play.
‘Alysa stroked Gavin’s sleek frame with gentle hands. Her fingers played in his bronze locks and she pressed her naked body to his. As if starving for him, she drew his head toward hers and feasted ravenously on his mouth.
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