The Reward of Anavrea

by Rachel Rossano

  The doors on the far side of the room opened and Liam walked in, head held high, hands bound before him, and looking whole. His eyes sought her out. Scanning her face and form as if to reassure himself she was whole, he then turned to face Klian.

  “Leave us,” Klian bellowed at the jailer, who quickly retreated out the door.

  ~~~~~~

  Other than the split lip and the outline of fingers on her jaw, she looked uninjured. The mask was in place over her features, schooled to indifference with a hint of scorn. However, Liam’s relief was short lived. Her eyes told a different story. The strange mixture of emotions in their depths begged Liam to probe deeper, but there were other more pressing concerns. He turned to face Klian.

  “You are bound and determined to start a war.”

  “Oh, no,” Klian exclaimed as he turned away. “Don’t you ever stop acting like a high and mighty lord? I have your lover at my mercy. Aren’t you going to plead for her life, or at least her innocence?” Klian swaggered over to where Jayne stood, straight and silent. Reaching out with his eyes on Liam, he touched Jayne’s cheek. She flinched away closing her eyes. Liam took a deep breath and struggled to soothe the anger rising within his chest.

  “What do you want from me?” Liam demanded.

  “I told you before. Your title, your lands, and her, your woman, are mine.”

  “I have already explained to you that you cannot have any of it.”

  “Oh?” Klian raised his eyebrows. Then grabbing Jayne’s arm, he swung her into his arms. Jayne struggled against him as best she could with hands bound behind her. “Watch me.” He moved to kiss her.

  Jayne turned into a mad woman, thrashing about within his grasp, jamming her forehead against his chin and then finally managing to connect her head with his nose.

  Klian threw her aside with a derogative exclamation. “You will pay for that.” Lifting a hand, he struck her across the face.

  This time Liam did not stem the anger. Leaping forward while Klian’s back was still turned, he roared. Klian whipped around to find Liam only a short distance away. Klian’s hand went for the knife at his belt, but Liam was faster. Bringing up his bound hands, fisted together, they connected with Klian’s jaw. The crack was satisfying. Klian stumbled back, but he didn’t fall.

  Liam used his opponent’s momentary disorientation as an opportunity to step between him and Jayne.

  “You will not touch her again,” Liam declared. “She doesn’t want your touch, never has and never will.”

  “We shall see.” Klian shook his head as if to clear it and grinned. “Let us assess the situation. One man, bound, against one man.” He drew his knife. “... armed. So, Jayne, who do you think will win?” He looked beyond Liam to Jayne, but Liam did not let himself be distracted. He kept his gaze on Klian.

  “Be careful,” Jayne whispered.

  “Stand back,” Liam ordered.

  “Yes, stand back, my dear.” Klian laughed. “Lord Tremain wouldn’t want to get his blood on you.” Easing into a fighting stance, he beckoned to Liam. “What are you waiting for, boy? My surrender?”

  ~~~~~~

  Jayne stepped back. Now that Liam was here, she wished he wasn’t. She knew how Klian fought, dirty. Liam, with military training, would not be ready for that. While they circled each other, she looked around for something use as a weapon.

  The instant she turned away, Liam moved. She was certain he lunged first, but by the time she had looked back they were apart again. Klian appeared shaken and Liam confident.

  “You are a mad man,” Klian declared.

  “Do you wish to relent?”

  “No.” Klian steeled himself. “I am only warning you that your recklessness might get you killed.”

  “Ah, but as you said before, my death will profit you nothing. In fact, considering I have kept the king abreast of the situation, my death would be very inconvenient.”

  Klian lunged. Liam stepped aside and Klian scrambled back to a safe distance.

  “What will the king do? It will be your word against mine and you will not be here to contest my rendition of events.”

  “Ah, but King Ireic is a close friend of mine.”

  Just when Jayne thought they would continue circling forever, a deep voiced horn sounded through the walls. Klian looked toward the sound, and Liam took advantage of his distraction. Kicking the weapon from Klian’s fingers, he lunged. Within moments he pinned Klian to the floor, kneeling on top of him with the rough rope binding his hands pressing against the worm's throat.

  A strangled sound came from Klian’s throat, as he clutched at Liam’s hands.

  “Not this time,” Liam said. “Blackness will come, and then maybe death. Consider your works, Klian, they shall be weighed before God.” Klian flopped and scrambled weakly for a moment and fell still.

  “Is he dead?” Jayne asked. She wasn’t sure if she hoped he was or not. Though he might not terrorize her anymore, she didn’t want to be the reason for his death or his blood being on Liam’s hands.

  “No.” Liam groaned. “Now, where did his knife fall?”

  “Over here.” She pointed to it with her foot. She couldn’t pick it up without contorting herself. He rose and crossed to scoop the blade from the floor. “What did that horn mean?”

  “I wager that Braxton is assaulting the gates even as we speak, demanding my release.”

  “But how...” she asked as he approached.

  “Turn around,” he ordered as he adjusted his grip on the blade. “The first priority is freeing ourselves.”

  She turned and offered him her back. With a quick succession of rasping cuts, her hands were free.

  “Now me,” he said. She turned, rubbing her wrists, to find him holding the knife toward her. “I can do it myself, but you will manage it faster,” he explained without meeting her eyes.

  Liam’s bonds took longer than hers, but soon they joined the small heap on the carpet. Then before she could ask him what to do with the knife, he caught her face between his hands. Drawing it up so she was meeting his gaze, he asked, “How did he hurt you?”

  Dark blue eyes searched hers as if reading her soul. Something about the urgency in his seeking spoke to her heart. He cared. It mattered to him. She had never been important to anyone unless they wanted to use her or needed her. A flicker of emotion, powerful and encompassing, passed through his expression. His thumb stroked her cheek, and then just as suddenly as the emotion appeared, it was gone. He dropped his hands. She lowered her face, unsettled by the strength of her heart’s response to the fact he cared.

  “We need to get out of here.” He muttered and moved off toward the door. She shakily set the knife down on a nearby table.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jayne was quivering like a leaf. Under the pretext of guiding her through the darkened corridor beyond the door, Liam enfolded her hand in his. She clung to it as if it were the only steady thing in reach. That one simple gesture almost undid him. He wanted to hold her close, comfort and reassure her that everything would be well. He would never, as long as he lived, allow Klian to touch her again. Only by reminding himself that if he didn’t get them moving they would be in trouble did he force his thoughts to the problem at hand—getting out of the castle.

  If the horn had been a signal that someone was at the gate as he thought, Liam hoped it was Braxton. Knowing his friend, Liam was certain he had gathered a small host and come looking for them. If Braxton gained entrance to the keep and Liam and Jayne reached him, there was a chance that they could walk out of the keep with him.

  Liam led Jayne through the corridors, playing a tense game of hide and scramble with various servants. The vargars were similarly built, but not completely the same. After a few wrong turns, they reached the great hall. Finding a side door, Liam prayed that it wouldn’t be guarded.

  Keeping Jayne behind him, Liam eased the door open just far enough to see into the large room.

  “I demand to see Lord Klian.” Brax
ton’s voice rang out, echoing among the smoke darkened rafters. Klian’s steward stood firmly in the center the room.

  “Lord Klian is indisposed.”

  “He shall be disposed to come down if you inform him that King Ireic Theodoric is standing in his hall demanding to meet with him,” Braxton informed the steward. “Send him the message.” Looking dutifully impressed, the steward bowed and excused himself to obey.

  Liam frowned. The king was here? Pushing harder on the door he eased it farther open so he could see the rest of the company. Four men stood at attention around a tall man with dark hair. There was no crown on his head, but the authority that defined every line of his stance declared his kingship. Yes, that was Ireic.

  A hand rested on his arm as Jayne leaned forward to see past him. “Is it him?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  He nodded. “That is the king. Though I have no idea why he is here.”

  Fear flickered across her features, and she stepped back into the shadows. Liam recognized the signs. She hovered on the edge of panic.

  “Come,” he said.

  “But...”

  “No buts. This is our way out. Come.” Not waiting for her to agree, he pushed the door open and pulled her with him as he stepped into the great hall.

  “My lord king,” he said, pausing in his approach to bow. Ireic turned at the sound and greeted him with a brief smile.

  “Lord Tremain, why do I find you here? I have come in search of Lord Klian on a matter of back taxes. Why aren’t you at Ashwyn Vargar preparing for my arrival?”

  “I did not know you were coming, Your Majesty.”

  “Ah, right,” Ireic winked and said in a low voice, “That is because my trip was unexpected.”

  “My liege,” Braxton interrupted. “May I interject that this isn’t the time or place for pleasantries.”

  “You are right.” Turning to Liam, Ireic’s brow furrowed, “I take it you are the reason Klian is indisposed.”

  “I am, my king,” Liam admitted. “Jayne and I left him incapacitated on his bed chamber floor.”

  Ireic eyebrows rose. “Then a swift departure without waiting for Klian’s appearance would be in order?”

  “Preferable, sire.”

  Turning to Braxton, Ireic nodded.

  Braxton cornered one servant milling near the wall and informed him that unexpected business had called the king away. However, he would return another day to discuss the problem of the unpaid revenues.

  Meanwhile, the king’s company walked toward the exit. Without prompting, the king’s personal guard included Liam and Jayne in their circle.

  Although, Liam expected that this would have encouraged Jayne, her hand shook in his as she pressed close to his side. He tried to soothe her with a gentle squeeze, but she didn’t respond.

  On the strength of the king’s name and a host of at least a hundred men waiting in the courtyard just inside the vargar walls, Braxton reclaimed Liam’s men and horses that were held. Within the hour they were riding out beneath the portcullis and to freedom once more.

  With Jayne’s slender form in the saddle with him, Liam offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Kurios for His provision. Without His intervention Liam was certain he would have lost Jayne. He didn’t want to dwell on the possibility. He slipped his arm around her to reassure himself that she was indeed safe.

  ~~~~~~

  The King of Anavrea was riding next to her. Jayne shrank back against Liam in fear. She eyed the king carefully as he bantered with Braxton and occasionally spoke to Liam. Men with power were dangerous. Though she was grateful that his power had freed them from Klian’s clutches, she was still afraid that he would turn out like her father, only worse. She was afraid for Liam. What if the king found out about the crops?

  “What is wrong?” Liam’s voice whispered in her ear. “You are tenser than I have seen you in a long time. It is over. Klian can’t touch you. Relax.” His arm slipped around her waist as his breath tickled her cheek. She tensed even more.

  “Jayne I am not going to hurt you.”

  “I know,” she replied. He drew back slightly, straightening in the saddle. He was puzzled, and there was nothing she could do about it. It wasn’t as if she could voice her concerns right here a few feet from the king and in ear shot of all of his personal guard. She shivered again.

  “Lord Klian will not take this without a fight,” Liam informed the king. “He will see this as a personal attack upon his authority.”

  Ireic nodded. His dark brown eyes were thoughtful as he took in the way Liam’s arm was around her waist. “I still have unfinished business with Lord Klian. If he comes to demand compensation, it will make my task easier. As I told Braxton, Klian hasn’t paid his taxes into the royal treasury for years.”

  The king met Jayne’s eyes. A glance took in her face, expression, and Liam’s protective arm in a moment and then turned away. “But first, you need to fill me in on what is going on here. Your letters, though detailed, appear to be missing some crucial points.”

  “What have I missed?”

  “Plenty,” the king replied. “Like the identity of the young woman in your arms and how she fits into the picture. Is this perhaps the lady you mentioned?”

  “My apologies, Your Majesty. I have sorely neglected my manners. My king, may I introduce Lady Jayne Alain. Lady Jayne, this is King Ireic Theodoric.”

  Jayne dipped her head, which was the best she could do while riding a horse. King Ireic, to her astonishment, inclined his head toward her.

  “I am pleased to meet you, my lady. I have heard of you from Liam’s letters, but I see he has left much out, such as your beauty and courage.” He smiled. “My wife will be happy to know that you are safe. She has worried about your welfare since Liam first mentioned you in his letters.”

  “How is the queen?” Liam asked.

  Ireic smiled. “You can ask her yourself when we reach the vargar. When I left her she had all the servants running about fulfilling her wishes.”

  Jayne frowned. The vargar wasn’t prepared to entertain royalty. Her thoughts filled with the tasks that needed to be done just to ready the rooms. The great hall needed a change of rushes and the best chambers were full of stale air. The extra mouths would take more out of the already meager stores and... A gentle squeeze of Liam’s hand on hers brought her thoughts to him.

  “Stop worrying so,” he whispered in her ear. The horse misstepped and Liam’s mouth brushed her ear. “Ireic is a friend.”

  “I am concerned about the stores,” she replied.

  “His men will help.”

  She didn’t share his confidence that the king’s trained warriors would humble themselves to field work. Glancing over at the tall straight forms of the personal guard, she couldn’t picture them swinging scythes.

  Just as she was about to contradict him, they emerged from the tree line and into the dimming daylight. The clouds hid the setting sun. The fields lay in murky shadows on either side of the trail. Out among the drying grain, shadowy men attempted to load the wagons one last time before the darkness of night settled in earnest over the fields.

  “It looks like it will rain tonight,” Liam commented.

  Jayne’s stomach sank. Please don’t let it rain, Kurios, she prayed, but deep in her heart, she was skeptical that He heard. Give us another day.

  ~~~~~~

  Night had claimed the sky when they finally rode beneath the gates into Ashwyn Vargar. Liam noted with interest the increased number of unfamiliar faces. Men came out to greet them dressed in the king’s colors of green and gold.

  “You were expecting trouble,” Liam commented to Ireic as they approached the stables.

  Ireic responded with a frown as he dismounted. “I have ignored Klian and other lords in this area for too long. When he died, Lord Alain owed the treasury a year’s dues in gold.”

  Liam’s heart sank. He was planning on asking for a year’s pardon for this coming tax season because of the harvest and th
e many other problems he foresaw before them. However, if the title already was a year behind, it would take even longer for him to recover.

  “Don’t look so stricken, you two,” Ireic said, reaching up to catch the halter of Liam’s horse. “I forgave all debts before I awarded the title to you, Liam. I wasn’t about to saddle you with an indebted title. That would hardly be a reward, would it?”

  Liam let out a small sigh of relief. “Thank you, sire.”

  Ireic raised a hand to wave the thanks aside. “It was done long ago. Now you should get Lady Jayne something to eat. She looks positively ill.”

  Liam tightened his hold on Jayne. He could not see her face, but her cold and shaking hands confirmed Ireic’s observation.

  “Let me help you, my lady,” Ireic offered.

  Liam felt Jayne’s instinctive reaction as she leaned back into him. Though he liked her moving closer, he was doubly aware that she needed to get over her fear of Ireic. He leaned forward so that his mouth was close to her ear.

  “He won’t hurt you, Jayne. If you don’t let him help you, he might take great offense.”

  With obvious reluctance, she offered the king her hand and let Ireic lift her from the horse. Liam quickly dismounted.

  As Liam handed the reins to the stable hand, Jayne stepped closer to him. Ireic demonstrated his skill as a diplomat and tactfully ignored Jayne’s obvious aversion to him. Instead, he greeted his Captain of the Guard and introduced Liam and Jayne as they walked toward the keep. The following slew of introductions and discussions of who was quartering where brought them up the great wide steps to the main entrance.

  Throughout, Liam remained conscious of Jayne’s silent, nervous presence at his right elbow. When they reached the doors, Liam slipped his arm briefly about Jayne’s waist as he guided her into toward the great hall.

  “As the highest ranking noblewoman below the queen, your attendance is required at dinner. So, though I will allow you slip off to change and refresh yourself, I expect to see you later at dinner, sitting next to the queen.” He felt her stiffen. “If you don’t the king will notice and ask.”