His long hair was tied back at his nape and he’d discarded his vest. His boots and leather pants fit comfortably and his wrists and upper arms were sheathed in strong, metal bands. A sense of rightness and calm descended upon him. This was his destiny.
“Are you certain?” His brother stood by his side, ready to support him but Marc could see the concern in Jarek’s face. He loved and respected his brother, had watched his back and followed him into battle many times. Now it was Jarek’s turn to watch and wait while Marc fought.
“There is no other choice. Kathryn is mine.”
Jarek’s piercing brown eyes narrowed as he watched the gathering crowd. A dog barked in the distance and the murmur of the crowd grew louder. The clang of metal and the swish of blades being tested filled the air as several groups of men readied themselves and their champion to fight. “What about Christina?” It was a casual question but Marc sensed the turbulence underlying his brother’s words.
“Christina has always been yours.” This time when he said the words there was no emptiness in his heart, for Kathryn had filled it. Marc had gone to his two nephews earlier, giving them one final hug before they were sent off with Mara. He expected to win but he wanted to say goodbye just in case. The outcome of any fight was never one hundred percent certain.
Their conversation was cut short as Tienan strode up to them, Logan by his side.
Both men looked determined and Tienan appeared more than ready to fight even with the bandage wrapped around his shoulder. Looking at him, you’d never know that the man had been close to death just a day before. His powers of recovery were phenomenal. “We will fight beside you.”
Marc shook his head. “That is not the way it is done. Each family will chose a champion and I will fight them. However,” he continued as Tienan started to interrupt.
“I would value having you watch my back in case someone gets a bit overzealous and tries to interfere.”
Tienan’s eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. “That is hardly fair. Kathryn was ours to protect long before you knew her.”
That reminder made Marc scowl. The fact that they had a history with Kathryn left him unsettled. He could fight for her but she could still choose one of the other men. Or she might simply decide to return home. His fingers tightened around his sword hilt and he forced them to relax. Now was not the time to allow emotion to take over. That would only hinder him as he fought.
Mennoc Fairmount swaggered forward, his three brothers behind him. “Come and meet your death, Garen. We would be on our way with our new bride.” The crowd roared, some of them booing Mennoc, while others cheered him. His brother Enoc laughed, his blue eyes glittering with a combination of anger and lust.
Marc strode to the center of the clearing, confident that the fight would be fair. His brother was guarding his back, along with Tienan and Logan. As well, the Bakra brothers had pledged their support. The Fairmount brothers had brought a contingent of their own men with them, as had all the visiting families but the castle guard watched them carefully. Everything was ready.
Jarek raised his hand and the crowd subsided, growing quiet. “The tapestry has blessed this land once again by bringing a potential bride.” The crowd roared again.
Studying his opponent, Marc waited for his brother to dispense with the formalities so they could get on with it.
“This is a fight to see who might claim Kathryn Piedmont.” Again the crowd went wild at Jarek’s words. “But the choice ultimately belongs to her. The power of the tapestry will not be denied.” Men muttered but they all nodded. None could deny the power of the magic.
“She will stay,” Mennoc spat. “I will destroy the tapestry.”
“Foolish words from one who has never felt its power.” Marc raised his sword, ready to fight.
Mennoc’s eyes narrowed as he circled slowly to gain a better position from which to strike. They all knew that the tapestry had taken Marc to Kathryn. That was his best claim at the moment. That and the fact that Kathryn had allowed him into her bed.
Thoughts of Kathryn, naked and writhing beneath him, filled his mind. He swore that he could almost smell her fragrant skin, tinged with her arousal. His cock stirred and he shook himself to bring his attention back to the present. Daydreams at a time like this could well lead to his death. His opponent might not be the best of men but he was a damn good fighter. Marc tracked the other man’s every movement, shifting carefully and watching for an opening.
“Stop this!” Kathryn’s voice rang out. Marc started to glance her way and caught the flash of metal off to his left. Ducking, he rolled. The blade whooshed by his head, a sharp reminder to pay attention to the job at hand.
He attacked, driving Mennoc back toward the edge of the crowd that encircled them. The afternoon sun was bright, so Marc tried to keep it behind him lest it temporarily blind him. Mennoc was trying to do the same.
The air was cool but a layer of perspiration coated his chest and arms as their blades met in a clash of steel and sparks. They battled on and the crowd cheered with each well-struck blow.
Marc’s sword slipped under Mennoc’s guard, drawing first blood from the other man’s neck. Swearing, Mennoc surged forward, renewing his attack with a ferocity that was astounding. Marc countered every move, every strike. The calmness that had enveloped him earlier remained, allowing his mind to be quick and his reflexes lightning-fast.
Kathryn. He was fighting for her and for the future he hoped they’d have together.
Whether here in Javara or back in her world, Marc was determined to be at her side for whatever time the gods granted them.
A scream ripped through the air. Kathryn! Marc swiveled around just in time to catch a glimpse of one of the Forrester brothers trying to abduct her. The crowd surged forward and Marc lost sight of her. Mennoc let out a roar and Marc flung himself to the side, hitting the ground and rolling back to his feet.
“Go to her!” he roared. Tienan and Logan were already moving toward her. Jarek hesitated and Marc met his brother’s gaze. “Go!” Jarek nodded and started to fight his way through the crowd.
He had to get to Kathryn and Mennoc Fairmount was in his way. Roaring a battle cry, Marc struck hard and fast, attacking his opponent. He drove Mennoc back, giving no ground and no quarter. He slipped under his guard, drawing blood again and again.
Mennoc continued to fall back.
The crowd was out of control, many enjoying the fight, while others sought to get to Kathryn. Glancing around, Marc found himself surrounded by Mennoc and his three brothers. He’d allowed himself to be drawn into a trap. He wouldn’t be surprised if the Forrester and Fairmount brothers had planned this little surprise, planning to fight amongst themselves for Kathryn once they’d killed him and spirited her away.
Marc attacked the youngest brother who was moving in on his left. Peteer was good but Marc was better. His blade bit into his opponent’s shoulder and Marc swooped in, knocking the sword from Peteer’s hand and grabbing it up in his left. With a blade in both hands, he swung around and headed for where he’d seen Kathryn last. He’d deal with the Fairmount Brothers after she was safe.
Sweat stung his eyes as he pushed his way through the crowd. He could hear her now, swearing and yelling as people gave way to his advance. Mennoc and his brothers would be close behind him. He didn’t have much time.
One of the Forrester brothers had his forearm wrapped around Kathryn’s chest, holding a blade to her throat. Jarek was currently beating back two of the Forrester’s men, while Tienan and Logan engaged the other brothers.
Any doubts Marc might have had about the abilities of Kathryn’s friends disappeared. The men fought like demons but with a cold, calculating skill that was brilliant to watch. They attacked, jumping high and bending their bodies at almost impossible angles to avoid counterattacks. They used their feet as well and Logan sent his opponent flying with a solid kick to the midsection.
Neither man showed any mercy. Within seconds, two of the
Forrester brothers were on the ground bleeding. Marc wasn’t sure if they were alive or not and didn’t care.
They’d touched Kathryn with intentions to kidnap and harm her.
He met Kathryn’s gaze and her eyes went behind him, widening in fear. He swung around, both swords raised. Heavy blades crashed along his as both Mennoc and Enoc attacked. The entire courtyard was one bloody melee, with skirmishes all around him.
A cacophony of angry voices and the sounds of blades clashing filled the air.
A far cry from the celebration of two days before.
One eye on Kathryn and the other on his opponents, he fought with everything he had. With a swift flick of his wrist, he sent Enoc’s blade flying and wounded him in his side. Enoc fell to his knees in the dirt, holding his side and Marc turned his attention to Mennoc.
He sensed Jarek come alongside him. “Go to Kathryn.” Marc didn’t hesitate but ducked away, knowing his brother would deal with Mennoc. The middle Forrester brother, Ormond, still held her tight in his grasp. Marc was sweating profusely now, as Logan and Tienan moved in closer, like wild animals getting ready to bring down their prey.
“Ormond!” The man jerked his head up, his fingers clutching the blade tighter.
“You know you cannot hurt her.” He kept his voice low and steady, not wanting to upset the delicate balance of the situation.
Anger and despair filled Ormond’s eyes. “She belongs with us, not with you. Your family already has a bride, a tapestry bride.”
“I know you long for a woman but this is not the way. Can you not see you are hurting her, frightening her?” Ormond glanced down at Kathryn, who appeared more angry than scared. Her nails dug into her captor’s forearm and her eyes blazed with fury.
He licked his lips. “She would like it with us. Forrester Castle is a beautiful place.”
“That is her choice to make, Ormond. Release her.” Marc lowered his weapons and strode toward them. Dropping the sword in his left hand, he reached out to Kathryn.
“Release her.”
Ormond’s knife eased from Kathryn’s neck and it was then she struck. She jerked her elbow quickly, sending it into her captor’s solar plexus. Turning in one fluid motion, she tore out of his grip and kicked him in the back of the knee. As Ormond crumpled to the ground, Marc grabbed Kathryn, yanking her against his chest.
She was shaking uncontrollably. He didn’t know if it was from fear or anger or a combination of both. Most likely the latter.
Jarek’s voice filled the courtyard. “Enough.” All around, the fighting stopped and men cautiously lowered their weapons. “This challenge was not met honorably. The Fairmounts and the Forresters have cheated and dishonored their family names and their homes. They are disqualified from competition and must leave. Now.”
Marc heard several grunts of approval around him. Ormond and his men gathered his two wounded brothers and they hurried off toward the stables, followed by a contingent of Garen men. The Forrester brothers were being herded away by loyal Bakra men.
“What about the rest of us?” Abrah Dannon, a tall, dark-haired warrior stepped forward, his brother Heroc by his side. The Dannon brothers were good men, liked and respected by all.
Marc moved through the crowd with Kathryn tucked beneath his arm. Tienan and Logan flanked them as they moved up the stairs to stand beside Jarek. “I will meet all challengers.”
Abrah nodded, satisfied by the reply.
“No.” The word was little more than a whisper from Kathryn. He glanced down, noting her hands were fisted by her sides. When she raised her head, her green eyes were flashing with anger.
“No.” Her voice was louder as she stepped from beneath his arm, leaving him feeling bereft. Some of her hair had come loose from her braid, creating a red halo around her face as the sun shone through it.
She glared at Abrah. “What gives you the right to challenge for me?”
“It is the law of the tapestry. It has always been thus,” he countered, taking a step closer.
“The law of the tapestry,” Kathryn repeated slowly, as if tasting and digesting his words.
Marc stood solidly beside her, ready to protect and support her. He wanted this done so he could take her away from all the carnage around them. They needed time alone to talk. Marc was very afraid that this incident had set the death knell to her remaining here with him.
No matter. He would go with her to her world if that’s what it took and if she would have him. Resolved, he held his sword at his side, his eyes tracking all those around them. He would protect Kathryn and stay by her side until his dying breath.
Kathryn stared at the tall dark-haired man in front of her, unable to quite believe her ears. “The law,” she said again, licking her dry lips.
The man nodded.
“The law certainly did not help this day, did it?” She didn’t wait for a reply but swiveled so she was staring out over the courtyard. All the men watched her with lust in their eyes. Several were wounded and almost all were bloodstained.
“You cannot judge us all by the actions of a few men.” She turned back to the man who stood just beyond her. “Who are you?”
“Abrah Dannon,” he replied, his voice low and even. There was a calmness that seemed to surround the man but underlying it, Kathryn felt a swell of determination.
“Well Abrah Dannon, I can do as I please.” She turned aside and faced the crowd once again. It was almost eerie how quiet they were now, considering the anguished cries and acts of anger of only moments before.
She started to sway and locked her knees to keep from falling and disgracing herself. The last thing she wanted was to appear weak in front of these men. She had to appear strong and confident at all costs if what she was about to do would have a hope in hell of working.
Marc’s strong arm came around her waist and she felt his powerful chest against her back. She didn’t even question how she knew it was Marc. She recognized his touch, his scent, his very essence. She was glad for his support and comfort and drew strength from him.
“What you all seem to have failed to remember is that I can leave here if I choose.
No matter where you take me, the tapestry will find me.”
“How can you be sure?” some man shouted from the crowd.
“It has always been thus,” Marc countered. “You know that, Asher.” The crowd grumbled. Kathryn squared her shoulders. “I know because I am a direct descendent of the sorceress who created the tapestry.” The crowd let out a roar of disbelief and several men surged forward. Marc tightened his hold, raising his sword in front of her. Logan, Tienan, Jarek and a host of other men stepped forward. Even the man who’d questioned her earlier, Abrah Dannon, stepped up beside Jarek to protect her. This could easily fall into another bloody melee, this one even worse than the first.
“Stop!” she yelled, raising her hands as she did so. The men immediately subsided and she could see the fear in some of their eyes. Did they think she had the powers of her ancestor the sorceress?
Heart pounding, she reached into her pocket and drew out the leather journal, holding it high in the air. “This diary came with me when the tapestry brought me. It tells of the creation of the tapestry, as well as the tales of all the tapestry brides that it has brought.” She paused for dramatic effect. “It ends with me.” The heat of the sun beat down upon her head. Even though the air was cool, sweat beaded on her forehead, rolling down her temple. She could feel the heavy thud of Marc’s heart against her back, he was pressed there so tightly.
Several men shuffled their feet, their fingers caressing the hilts of their swords but no one stepped forward. The air was charged with expectation. Kathryn could almost feel the electricity snapping in the wind that surrounded her.
“Hear me and hear me well.” Clasping the journal in both hands, she held it out to the crowd, turning slowly so all could see. “There was more in the back of the book. A gift to me from the sorceress herself. I know the secret of the tapestry.�
�� She felt Marc’s jerk of surprise but he never moved from his position behind her.
“Give me that book,” one man roared.
“It will do you no good,” she countered. “I have torn out those pages and burned them.”
“It is lost,” Abrah breathed.
“No,” she shook her head, glancing his way. “It is not lost. I remember it all word for word. And even if I could not, what woman would want to remain here given the display you all put on this afternoon? Men wounded, some almost mortally and for what? You cannot make me feel what is not there. The tapestry is alive and has an intellect all its own. It brings women from other places to Javara, women who have the chance at thriving and being happy here. But it brings the women to where they are supposed to be.”
She let them chew on that fact for a moment. The fight seemed to go out of them and many of them lowered their swords, some even sheathing them. Marc eased his sword back to his side but she sensed he was still poised and ready to use it. “When did you find this?” he whispered in her ear.
She sensed the hurt underlying his words and she felt an overwhelming need to assure him that she wasn’t keeping things from him. Although why she should feel that way, she wasn’t quite sure. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling. “Just before Christina came and got me,” she whispered back, under her breath.
His fingers shifted, tightening against her belly. Immediately, heat shot between her thighs and she closed her eyes, swallowing heavily. Now was not the time or the place but that didn’t seem to matter. When it came to Marc, her body had a mind of its own.
The quicker this was done, the sooner she could retire to her room. She felt dusty and lightheaded. She’d hardly eaten anything these past two days. That coupled with the emotional overload and the physical strain of the afternoon, it was a wonder she was still on her feet.
Clearing her throat, she continued to address the crowd. “If a woman is brought to a particular family, then that is where she was meant to be. Taking her elsewhere will only ensure that she leaves. If there is a chance she will stay, then she needs to stay with the family she was brought to and given the chance to know those men.” She tried to think of a way to help them understand more fully the challenge these women faced. “Imagine if your sisters or daughters were ripped from all they knew and deposited in a strange world. Furthermore, they were told that they had to sleep with men they’d never met and pick a husband. Plus, this all had to happen in three days, and if they couldn’t make a decision, the tapestry would do it for them.” Several of the men in front of her appeared more thoughtful. “Think if you were ripped from all that you know and sent to a world where everything was different.” Marc shifted behind her and she felt the rumble of his voice against her back as he began to speak. “You all know that the tapestry took me from here.” Once again the crowd rumbled and many of the men nodded.
Threads of Destiny t-4 Page 11
