Once they were atop the hill, the manor house came into view. He blinked twice to assure himself he wasn’t seeing things. There were at least four-hundred men guarding a manor he’d been promised was only protected by women. Even if he went back to camp to get his other knights, they would be hard-pressed to win the attack. He only had two hundred men with him in his entire army. Of course, his men were Norman, and therefor superior fighters, but they would still be outnumbered by two to one.
Roland pulled back on the reigns and stopped his horse, waiting for his two most trusted men to stop beside him. “Where did the army come from? We were assured there were no men left to guard the manor.” Roland looked from Charles to Hugh. “Did either of you hear there may be an army waiting for us here?”
Charles shook his head. “Not a word. How could they have gotten an army here so quickly?” He turned and stared at the manor. “That’s not a small army either. Why weren’t they helping their king?”
Hugh looked at the army as well. “Something’s not right here, Roland. I think there’s witchcraft at play.” Hugh had obviously heard the rumors of the three sister-witches as well.
Roland laughed. Hugh had been born a peasant, and was one of the few men who followed Roland who hadn’t been born a nobleman. His peasant upbringing was surely what made him believe it could be witchcraft. “I don’t believe in witchcraft. What I see in front of me is what I believe. Somehow, the women of that household were able to gather an army to defend them, so we must go and get the rest of our army.” He turned his horse and headed to the other side of the men following him. “We’ll get our army and return for my bride!”
Roland was strangely disappointed. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he hated warfare. He had only followed William because he so desperately wanted to have land of his own. As a second son, the castle he’d grown up in back in Normandy would go to his older brother. Roland loved his brother but had no desire to spend the rest of his life living in the man’s home and taking orders from him. No, he would return to this small manor house and take it, and the eldest sister, for his own.
He’d hoped to ride in peacefully and be able to woo the girl, while convincing her that marrying him would be the best thing for her, her family, and her home. Now, he would have to go into battle and possibly injure someone whom she loved. That wasn’t what he wanted at all. Foolish woman. She should accept what fate had given her. With him, she would have a strong husband who would replace her old manor home for a castle which would be strong and more easily defended. She would have peace and prosperity. He would be a good husband to her and give her children. What more could a woman want?
He shook his head slightly as he thought about it. Yes, he was a good man, and she should be honored he wanted to take her as his bride. He could take care of her for the rest of her life, while she bore sons for him. He would treat her with respect, and she would be content. She didn’t know it yet, but her fate was still tied up with him.
He would ride back to camp, and the entire army would rest for the night, but tomorrow, they would return with all his men. Then she would see that she was fated to be his wife and fall into his arms, happy to give up trying to live a man’s life and having to defend her home on her own. He would even remove the burden of her sisters from her and find men they could marry.
Yes, her life would be perfect as soon as he rode in and took over her home. She would no longer be under attack by any roving army that came along. He would remove the strain of having to think about everything she did. She would simply have to follow his orders and occupy his bed. Well, she must also bear him sons, of course. He needed many sons to build a legacy.
He smiled at that thought. He had heard rumors of the beauty of the three sisters. Of course, the same men who spoke of their beauty were the ones who called them witches, so obviously the men could be telling lies about their beauty as well. He recalled what one of the men had said about them.
“They are the three most beautiful ladies I have ever seen. If it weren’t for their witchcraft, men would be lined up trying to talk their father into marriage contracts. As it is, most of the men are afraid of them. I hear he has finally found a man to marry the eldest, but he’s as afraid of her as anyone else. Rumor has it he just wants the power that will come from inheriting the manor and having power over the witch.” The dark haired man had taken a huge drink of his ale before continuing his tale. “The only odd thing is with all the talk of witchcraft, you hear they attend mass every day. Well, they did when there were still men of God left roaming around. They’ve all locked themselves away in a monastery at the warning of Duke William’s men coming.”
Roland had tried to question the man about his future bride more, but he’d known little else. He wasn’t certain how much the man had to drink before he began talking, so he had listened to everything warily to begin with. The only part he wanted to believe was of the girl’s beauty.
He certainly liked the idea of marrying a beautiful girl to go with his land. He would have a life to be envied by all, and there would be no more reason to fight. He would have to go if Duke William called on him, of course, but the Duke had enough of an army left without Roland.
Chapter Two
Christiana and Marina stood whispering beside their sleeping sister. “She’s been asleep for three hours now,” Marina argued. “I need to heal her. Not completely, of course, for that would drain me too much, but I need to heal her enough so she can be awake and able to help us if the men return.”
Christiana thought about her sister’s words. Yes, they would need Eva if the army returned, but she needed her healing sleep as well. If the men were to return, and one of the servants was watching for them, ready to send a message to Christiana telepathically should they be seen, she could always be healed then. “If we hear they are coming, then you should heal her. I believe we need you both in top form in case they return. I don’t want your healing powers drained. What if one of us was injured somehow? If you’re already partially drained, and the men came back, one of us could die.”
Marina listened to her sister and nodded at her words. “I just worry she has drained herself too much, and may sleep another ten hours or more.” Marina and Eva fought constantly, but the love they had for one another was never in question.
“It’s not yet suppertime. If she sleeps another ten hours, then she does. They won’t come back tonight. They’ll need time to gather more men. By tomorrow, she’ll be ready to stand with us again.” She didn’t wait for her youngest sister to agree, because all three of them knew Christiana was in charge while their father was away.
Christiana stroked Eva’s cheek once more, and sent an image of a rainbow to her sister. Eva smiled in her sleep, turning her head to burrow more completely into the pillows.
“We must let her sleep.” Christiana didn’t mention her own exhaustion. She’d kept up her mind link far longer than she should have to be ready for another battle herself. She should go to bed directly after dinner. Joan, their nurse since they were infants, sat with Marina as the two sisters hurried off. Joan knew what to do to care for her.
All three sisters had the same blond-haired green-eyed beauty of their mother. Their powers had come from her as well. She had no powers of her own, of course, but her mother had visions of the future. Though she’d died long before the triplets were born, she’d told her daughter of the three sisters' birth, and that each would have a special gift.
Hurrying down to the kitchen, they saw Cook, putting bread and cold meat on the table. Christiana had asked for something simple, so they could turn in early.
Christiana sat down with all of the servants and her sister. The servants had been taking meals with the family since her father had left. If they were going to fight for the family’s home alongside them, they were going to eat alongside them. She reached for her sister’s hand and held it as she said a quiet prayer over their meal.
“Thank you, Cook,” she said, smiling at the older woman w
ho had been cooking in their home since before her birth.
“I’m happy to help anyway I can. This is my home, too.” Cook had lived in the manor house all her life, her mother having been the cook there before her.
Christiana took a bite of the cold pheasant and chewed slowly. “I have a feeling the men will return with reinforcements tomorrow. Eva will need to rest, because we’ll need her to make her vision tomorrow even larger if she can.” She took a sip of the cider placed in front of her. “Would you mind taking a small plate to her room to be eaten as soon as she wakes? I’m afraid she’ll sleep so long she’ll be too weak to make it downstairs to eat.”
“I’ll do that right after supper.”
“Thank you, Cook.” Christiana looked around at the other servants and her sister. “Are all of you going to be ready to join us for what may be a bloody battle tomorrow? You don’t have to, of course. We’ll face them on our own.” Even as she asked she knew the other women would jump at the chance to help them.
Alyce, one of the maids, stared at Christiana in shock. “We couldn’t allow you to face them alone. We all call this home. We’ll all defend it to our last breath.”
“Thank you, Alyce.” Christiana knew from past experience the woman was the voice of all the servants. She took one last bite and stood. “I will say my goodnights now. I need to rest to be able to use my powers fully tomorrow as well. Goodnight, Marina.”
She nodded at her sister before leaving the room and climbing the stairs to her bedroom. She went into her room, closed the door quietly behind her, and collapsed onto her bed without even removing her garments. She’d been strong and alert for as long as she could manage. Tomorrow would be a difficult day, she knew, and sleep was the only thing that could possibly get her through it.
*****
Christiana looked at Eva nervously. She was still pale and tired from the previous day, but she was standing beside her with an arrow at the ready. The army was returning and had more than two hundred men now. They must be ready. “Your vision must be twice the size of yesterday’s. I know it’s a lot to ask, but we have no choice.”
Eva nodded, her face set. “I can do it.”
“They should be here in just a moment. Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Eva’s voice was as weak as she looked, but Christiana knew she would fight off the army with her dying breath.
All the servants were once again lined along the wall with them. Marina stood on the other side of Eva ready to heal her if necessary.
Christiana reached out to them telepathically. “Arrows at the ready. Eva, now!” Her own arrow was notched and her bowstring back.
They watched intently as the army topped the hill. It was much larger than they’d seen last time, but their own army had appeared an instant before the invaders. This time the men were ten deep and eighty across. The vision couldn’t be made larger and projected long enough. Eva didn’t have the strength for more.
The army paused for a moment as they saw the size of their army, but to everyone’s dismay, they came toward them. There was no backing down this time. “Hold your fire until they’re close enough. We’ll shoot for the three in front. They must be the leaders,” Christiana told the others. She said a silent prayer even as she waited with her bowstring taut.
They waited as the army drew closer. Eva couldn’t make the army below move. She simply didn’t have the strength. She needed to hold onto what she had and try to do no more.
When they were twenty yards in front of the “defending army”, Christiana gave the order. “Now!” She released her arrow at the same time the others shot theirs. Twelve arrows went straight for the three men in the front of the group. Her arrow grazed the thigh of the one in the middle, and she quickly notched the next.
The man in the middle ignored what must be a burning pain in his thigh and turned an arrow upward. He shot straight at them. Christiana heard a yelp from beside her before the vision disappeared. She dropped to her knees. They could lose the castle, but she couldn’t lose her sister. Her priorities were in one place and one place alone.
“Marina, help!”
Marina dropped down beside her and placed her hands over the arrow in her sister’s shoulder. “You must pull it out, so I can heal her!” Marina commanded quickly.
Christiana said a silent prayer before grasping the shaft of the arrow and pulling it from her sister’s shoulder. Eva was quiet and still.
Quickly, Marina placed her hands over the open wound and closed her eyes, concentrating all her power into her hands. Within seconds, Eva’s eyes opened. Marina kept working until Eva pushed her hands away. “No. Save your power. I’ll live.”
Christiana put her face in her hands for a moment, wishing she had the luxury of giving way to tears, but knowing she had to stay strong for the servants and her sisters. She could hear footsteps from the house. They were almost upon them.
She looked up to see three huge men come through the door. Two were blond with blue eyes, and the third was dark. They were all looked to be equally powerful. She said a silent prayer as she rose to her feet to face the men in front of her.
*****
Roland ignored the burning pain in his thigh as he, Hugh and Charles stormed through the manor. The women were on the outside wall. How dare they shoot at him? He was their master!
He forced the fading army from his mind. How they’d been able to conjure up a full army of men was something he wasn’t even going to contemplate at the moment. For now, he was going to go meet his wife, and make her understand she was his.
They ran up the stairs and to the door leading to the wall defense. What he saw when he went through the door surprised him. There were ten servants standing with bows and arrows, but none had their arrows notched. They were all looking at the three ladies kneeling on the floor.
The lady in the middle had blood stains on her dress, and there was a visible hole his arrow had gone through, yet the bloodstained arrow was on the floor beside them and there was no wound. He wanted to tear her dress from her shoulder to find the wound, but knew that would be a mistake. Instead, he strode onto the wall and waved to the servants. Instantly Charles and Hugh removed the bows and arrows from the women’s hands.
He stood over the three kneeling ladies and sheathed his sword. They were no longer holding their weapons and he had nothing to fear from them. He watched as one of the three stood before him, her eyes meeting his. “Which one of you is the eldest? Christina, I believe?”
The sister on her feet stared at him unflinchingly. “I’m Christiana.”
His gaze went over her from head to toe as if assessing property. “I’m Roland Nobilis. You are my betrothed by the order of Duke William. We will marry tomorrow.” His eyes met the green of the bold beauty in front of him. Now she would run to him, thank him for being willing to marry someone reputed to be a witch, and be pleased she would no longer have to try to defend herself. He waited.
“I do not recognize Duke William as having authority over me or my sisters. I’m already betrothed. Go back to Normandy.” She folded her arms over her chest as if she actually expected him to do as she commanded.
He stared at her in shock. She should be pleased he was here, and yet she acted as if he had no right to be. She acted as if she didn’t care he was here to protect her and marry her. “Duke William will be crowned King of England. You must accept his authority.” His voice was that of an older man instructing a young child in the ways of the world.
She shook her head. “No. There will be a Saxon king as there always has been. I will not marry you.” She folded her arms over her chest in a gesture of defiance. No matter what he said, she knew England would return to Saxon rule quickly.
He moved toward her, towering over her slight frame. “You have been promised to me by the future King of England. You will marry me, and you will do it tomorrow.” He turned to the servants who stood gaping at him. “You will prepare a feast for our wedding supper tomorrow evening.” Hi
s voice was stern and brooked no argument.
He turned to his men. “Charles, have the men set up camp outside. Only the two of you will live inside the manor with me. I can trust the two of you not to hurt the women here. We will begin building my castle two days hence after my wedding ceremony.” He looked down at Christiana who was still glaring at him before turning toward Hugh. “Hugh? Help the injured woman to her room. Take the other sister with you.” He didn’t watch to see if his orders were carried out. He knew they would be.
The servants ran from the wall to go begin preparing for the feast, obviously knowing they must obey the huge man in front of them. Charles strode out to deal with the army, and Hugh scooped the injured sister into his arms. The third sister looked back and forth between Roland and Christiana, and must have decided Roland was the more powerful of the two, because she followed Hugh and her injured sister.
Roland stood alone with his future bride, a stubborn but beautiful woman. She was everything he had hoped for physically. Her hair was a long blond mane he wanted to feel against his skin. Her breasts were full and her waist was slim. Her hips appeared wide enough that she could birth his sons with ease. Altogether, she was exactly what he needed in a wife, and once she was tamed, she would see that too. His mouth curled up in appreciation. She would keep his bed very warm at night, indeed.
She started to walk around him, but he stopped her with his words. “Where do you think to go?” Did she not realize he wasn’t finished giving her his instructions?
“I need to make sure my sister is okay.” By her voice he could only assume that she didn’t care whether he was finished with her or not. Even as a second son he was used to having his every order obeyed without question. Who did she think she was to disobey him this way?
“Not yet. For now, you need to make sure your husband is okay. It was your arrow that wounded me, wasn’t it?” His finger pointed to the blood still pouring from the wound on his thigh.
Conquered (Thrice Blessed Book 1) Page 2
