“But that is a good thing, as thou canst plead thy case directly to the Crown.” When he turned and faced her, she noted the strain at the corners of his blue eyes. “Thou dost make too much of the Sovereign’s request. What does Sir Demetrius say on the matter?”
“I know not, as he remains a guest of the King.” Now she understood her husband’s concern, and fear blossomed in the pit of her belly. “And that is what troubles me, as thither is no reason to hold Demetrius, unless—”
“—Thou dost stand accused.” Trepidation grew in epic proportions, and she shivered as she pondered the possibilities. “Whither dost thou depart for London?”
“That is another interesting bit of information.” Heaving a sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck. “His Majesty and his forces art camped just south of Guildford, which does not bode well, and I cannot escape the belief, however misplaced, that the Brethren and I ride into a trap.”
“How soon must thou report?” In haste, she formed an imaginary list of items to complete before they commenced their journey.
“According to the King’s messenger, with all due expediency.” After claiming a quick kiss, Arucard strode into their bedchamber and doffed his robe. “Thus I travel, at once.”
Disappointed they would not finish what they started, Isolde followed in his wake. In quiet, they washed and garbed themselves for the day’s events, and while naught was spoken, much was conveyed in the occasional glance and brief touch. And then they came together for another tender kiss, which struck her as a subtle farewell, for some odd reason, and they emerged from their shared sanctuary. Thus her heart weighed heavy when she entered the kitchens, in search of Margery.
“How long dost thou expect to be gone?” The steward sampled a dish and wrinkled her nose. “Needs more salt.”
“That I know not.” Isolde selected various dried foods to be packed for the journey. “But I charge thee with the upkeep of Chichester Castle, in my absence.”
“Aye, my lady.” Snapping her fingers, Margery summoned the scullery maid. “Anne, prepare Lady Isolde’s trunk, and air the navy wool cotehardie and matching cloak.”
“Aye.” The young woman, boasting her usual dirty cheeks and disheveled appearance, curtseyed.
“Make sure thither is plenty of food, as the knights have large appetites, and we have an additional mouth to feed.” Despite Arucard’s anxiety, Isolde vowed it was all for naught, as the King would not act without cause; at least, that is what she kept telling herself. Given her husband was innocent, what had she to fear? “And stow the brewets, as they travel well, and I anticipate Sir Demetrius will be glad of them.”
“Doth my lady require anything else?” As she had on so many previous occasions, Margery smoothed a lock of hair from Isolde’s forehead. “Mayhap thou should rest until it is time to depart.”
“Nay, as thither is too much to be done, but I shall prepare Sir Arucard’s belongings.” And so Isolde returned to her chambers and organized her husband’s personal items with care. When he appeared, with a stranger in tow, she walked into the solar. “We art almost ready, my lord. And Margery bundles suitable sustenance for our party.”
“Thank ye, my lady. Allow me to present the King’s messenger and sergeant, Briarus.” Her husband stepped aside, and a young and handsome soldier bowed. “And I would ask a favor, which would aid our cause, if thou wilt but cooperate.”
“It is my great pleasure to meet thee, Lady Isolde.” With twinkling amber eyes and flaxen hair, the soldier cast a kind smile. “I have heard many complimentary things about ye.”
“Thank ye, Briarus. If ye would but make thy request, I am at thy service.” Curious, she set down her swaddled clothing. “What would thou have of me?”
“Forgive me, Isolde.” Something in her husband’s tone and countenance gave her pause, as he approached and rested his palms to her shoulders. “I have told Briarus of thy wounds suffered at the hands of thy father, but it would strengthen our argument if—”
“Wilt thou untie my laces?” Despite her embarrassment, she understood what he asked of her, so she gave Arucard her back, as she knew well his intentions, and she would not balk. In silence, he loosened her garment, and then she tugged on the ribbon of her chemise and shrugged free.
“Wait.” Arucard turned her to face him, drawing her arms about his waist, and she pressed her cheek to his chest as he inched her gown to her hips. “Canst thou see what violence the earl hath wrought upon my wife?”
The cool air teased her flesh, and she shivered. On display for a stranger, she fought tears of humiliation but relaxed, when her knight kissed her temple. “I pray thou art satisfied, sir.”
“By Christ’s blood, that is not how I would describe what I have just witnessed.” Briarus cleared his throat. “I beg thy pardon, Lady Isolde. Prithee, know it was not my purpose to shame thee, as thou art without blame.”
“Thou art brave, my lady.” Once Arucard righted her gown, he framed her jaw. “I am so proud of thee.”
“Praise, indeed.” Just like that, he relieved a burden she had long carried as a defect.
“Sir Arucard, everything is in order, per thy charge.” Pellier loomed in the hall. “Shall I collect thy trunk?”
“Aye.” He nodded. “If thou wilt permit me a moment in private with my wife, I would make my farewells.”
“What—wait.” Panic crushed her in its invisible clutch, as Briarus and Pellier made a hasty exit. “But I journey with thee. Wherefore would thou bid farewell?”
“Isolde, the battlefield is no place for a woman and most especially my wife.” Arucard ushered her to the table, sat on the bench, and then pulled her into his lap, and she dreaded his next words. “Even now, thou mayest carry our babe, and I will not risk thy most precious life.”
“Didst thou not promise to defend me? Thou must take me with thee.” Now she wept openly, and she suppressed none of her misery at the prospect of his withdrawal without her. “How canst thou protect me if we art apart? Art thou not my champion?”
“But thou hast no need of me, if thou dost remain at Chichester Castle.” As she sobbed, he hugged her tight and rocked, to and fro, in a gentle rhythm. “Thou art safe within these walls, my honey flower. And with thee secure hither, I can focus on the task, convince His Majesty of thy father’s guilt, and establish thy innocence.”
“And thou cannot do so if I am with thee?” she inquired in a small voice. “As I cannot bear to be separated from thee. Hast thou not proclaimed we art stronger together?”
“Somehow, I knew thee would make this difficult.” Arucard tipped her chin and brought her gaze to his. “Sweet Isolde, if I am to gain thy independence from thy father and his schemes, I must ride without distractions, and thy very presence captivates me, such that I can concentrate on little but thy alluring body. Pray, wilt thou remain hither, for me, so I might do my duty? Wilt thou cooperate because I ask it of thee? And the sooner I succeed in my endeavor, to our mutual benefit, the sooner I will venture home to thy cherished embrace.”
“Thou dost make it quite impossible to deny thee.” She sniffed, even as he dried her face. “Yet I will obey, as I pledged to do so before the archbishop, but I am not happy, as I believe naught good can come of our estrangement, however brief, and I beg thee to reconsider.” In desperation, she grasped his tunic. “Arucard, I beseech ye, do not leave me, as I dread what might happen in thy absence.”
“God’s bones, woman, art thou blind?” When he barked, she flinched, and he groaned. “How can I make thee understand my position?” Then he sighed, speared his fingers in the hair at her nape, and held her tight. “At dawn, I force myself from our bed, as I would not relinquish ye, and I count the hours until we retire, and I lie between thy sumptuous thighs. When thou art not at my side, I wonder whither art thou, and I search for thee until I find ye. And even after I claim thy enchanting blossom, my first thought is how I desire thee again. The simple fact is I care for thee—too much, and all I want to do is make
love to thee, when thou art near.”
“Oh, my lord.” Stunned by his admission, however graceless, her heart rejoiced, and she collapsed against him. “I care for thee, too.”
“If that is true, then do as I say, and stay hither, whither I am assured of thy wellbeing.” Cradling her head, he nuzzled her neck and then suckled her earlobe. “And upon my return, I would have thy promise to welcome me in the courtyard, wearing naught but thy arresting smile, a cloak, and thy slippers, as I would have thee naked and in our bed with the least amount of impediments.”
Then he kissed her—hard.
Hand in hand, with nary a word spoken between them, they walked to the courtyard; whither they shared a final hug, and something within her fractured in that instant. “I bid ye an unadventurous and boring journey, my lord.” Then she perched on her toes and whispered, “Prithee, come back to me. Remember, thou art my champion.”
“And thou art my honey flower,” he replied in a low tone. “And I miss thee already.”
As a cold wind penetrated her cotehardie, she shuddered, and he released her. Without so much as a backward glance, he mounted his destrier, grasped the reins, and charged the main gatehouse and the barbican. In that second, Isolde realized thither was naught sadder than the ever-growing distance as a loved one rode away.
It dawned on her then that she loved her husband.
Breaking into a run, she called after him, but he navigated the first bridge, and the soldiers drew the traverse. So she rushed the garrison, flew up the stone steps, and hurried along the top of the curtain wall to the northwest tower. From the crenellated rooftop, she stood as a sentry until she could no longer distinguish her husband’s traveling party. Shielding her eyes from the pelting raindrops, she sent him well wishes for a safe and prosperous journey.
For some reason Isolde could not fathom, she could not escape the nagging suspicion that all was not as it appeared, but she prayed her fears were unfounded and her knight would survive. With one last survey of the landscape, she closed her eyes and sent him an oath, as a shield against danger, on the chilly fall breeze, and willed him to hear her. “Arucard, I love thee.”
#
After two days on the road, and as many sleepless nights, Arucard exited his tent and admired the pale watercolors that streaked the morrow sky. Isolde favored dawn, and often they rose from their bed, naked and wrapped only in a blanket, to stand before the east facing windows of the solar and delight in the sunrise. In that moment, he wondered if she shared the view, and he ached for her.
He missed her soft and inviting body splayed beneath his, her warmth as she cuddled to his side, and her cries of bliss as he pleasured her. He yearned for the reassurance of her steady heartbeat, the rush of her breath to his flesh, and the enchantment of her tender touch.
Despite years of service, battles, and hardship, he realized he had known no true suffering until he left his wife in Chichester. Invested with quiet and unassuming strength, Isolde had become indispensable, a significant part of his existence, and he relied on her sage opinions for guidance. Her absence, marked by palpable emptiness, rendered him at a loss, as a ship adrift without an anchor, and he struggled with uncharacteristic and unappreciated doubt.
Without her, to his frustration, he questioned everything.
“So how long hast thou been in love with thy wife?”
Arucard snapped to attention, and Briarus grinned. His first instinct was to deny the soldier’s assertion. Instead, he scanned the dew-covered meadow and pondered the possibility, which neither troubled nor frightened him. “How dost thou know I am thus afflicted, as our acquaintance is new?”
“I suspected as much when thou didst hold thy lady, as thou displayed her wounds, and thou were gentle.” Slapping his thigh, Briarus snickered. “But it was thy apology for thy actions that convinced me of thy engaged affection, given no man expresses regret for what must be done unless his heart is fixed.”
“All right.” Well, that seemed simple enough.
“Hast thou naught more to say on the subject?” Mouth agape, the sergeant blinked. “As most men cower in terror at the prospect.”
“What have I to fear?” He scoffed at the mere thought. “My wife is the kindest and most compassionate chatelaine, and she cares for me, which she stated prior to my departure. Indeed, I am fortunate the King chose Isolde for my bride.”
“His Majesty did so in hopes of fostering better relations with the earl of Rochester.” Shifting his weight, Briarus compressed his lips. “It is doubtful the Sovereign possessed any knowledge of the violence inflicted upon Lady Isolde or their less than propitious kinship, else he may have selected another.”
“Still, I am grateful for Isolde, and I would explain the circumstances surrounding the burgage plots to the Crown’s satisfaction.” Yawning, Arucard rubbed the back of his neck. “And I would have the earl and de Mravec arrested and tried for their crimes against England.”
“Arucard, I must warn thee, as I have come to discern thou art honorable.” The soldier squared his shoulders. “Thither art an untold number of schemes poisoning our lands, and His Majesty receives information from various sources, which makes it difficult to trust anyone. Thou would do well to prepare thy position with concern for details and appreciable facts.”
“Thank ye, Briarus.” How he wished he had brought Isolde with him, as she would have manifested irrefutable evidence of her father’s evil deeds. “But His Majesty will see that my cause is right and good.”
“Perchance it is, but I have seen many right and good men die by the executioner’s ax, at His Majesty’s command.” Briarus chucked Arucard’s arm. “I would hate to see that happen to thee, as I believe thee to be a loyal servant of the Crown.”
“What dost thou know? Am I riding into a trap?” In that instant, a chill of unease traipsed his spine, and he mulled so many outcomes, none of which inspired confidence. At once, he pondered Isolde. What would happen to her if he failed? “Wherefore hath His Majesty held Demetrius? Is my friend a prisoner?”
“I know naught of Demetrius, except he remains in the royal encampment.” Thunder rumbled from the south, and Briarus and Arucard turned to discover a storm approaching. “But only the King holds all the cards in a dangerous game, Sir Arucard. Thou would do well to guard thyself and thy friends.”
ARUCARD
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A sennight had passed since Arucard’s departure, and Isolde immersed herself in the daily activities associated with running the castle. Unafraid of hard drudgery and a little dirt or, in the case of the clogged drain in the garrison, a lot of foul-smelling muck, she rolled up her sleeves and joined the household staff in their chores.
“Lady Isolde, how many times must I remind thee, thou art no scullery maid?” With hands on hips, Margery shook her head and frowned. “Wherefore art thou scrubbing the buttery floor, when it is Anne’s responsibility?”
“Because she hath failed to remove the mold in the back corner, and I would get it clean.” Of course, Isolde welcomed the arduous toil, as it kept her mind from wandering. “And I have naught else to do, as Arucard is gone.”
And that brought her full circle, from the desolation of their massive bed, which seemed empty without her husband, to the brief respite found in onerous labors, to the recollection that at the end of her grind, she would retire alone. On the thought, she sat on her heels and rested her chin to her chest.
“Oh, my lady, do not cry.” Margery knelt and placed an arm about Isolde’s shoulders. “I am sure everything is fine, and Sir Arucard hath been too busy to send word of the situation.”
The simple statement, intended to offer solace, only inspired more anxiety, and she grasped Margery’s sleeve. “Dost thou think he is injured—or worse?”
“My lady, calm thyself.” The steward stood and brought Isolde upright. “Sir Arucard performs the King’s bidding, and he will write thee when he has time. Until then, thou shalt not work thy fingers to the bone, as hi
s lordship will not be pleased upon his return.”
“Whenever that may be, as I know naught of his homecoming.” Wiping her hands on her apron, she mulled the condition of the pantry, as she had yet to organize the contents. Then she yawned. “Mayhap I should take a nap, as I am rather tired, but I find it difficult to sleep without Arucard at my side.”
“Then I shall make thee a nice pot of tea, to help thee relax.” As they entered the kitchen, Isolde noted the spilt flour and scattered herbs on the table, but Margery steered for the door to the great hall. “Leave it, as one of the girls will clean the mess.”
“But I may as well do it, while hither I am and able.” After locating a cloth, Isolde wiped the numerous food preparation sites, while Margery set a pot of water to boil. “And how fares thy association with Pellier?”
“Thou dost know of that?” The steward blushed, and Isolde laughed. “Ah, he is a foul little man.” Then Margery smiled. “Oh, very well. I find him quite entertaining, and I might even be convinced to marry him if he did not irritate me so much.”
“What art thou carping about now, woman?” Speak of the devil, and Isolde bit her tongue. “And thou hadst no complaints in thy chamber, when I stoked the flames in thy hearth.” When Isolde gasped in shock, he sketched a proper bow. “Sorry for my indiscretion, my lady.”
“No apologies necessary, Pellier.” To Margery, Isolde said, “And I believe I will take that nap.”
“Beg thy pardon, Lady Isolde, but I require thy assistance.” The marshalsea scratched his cheek and shuffled his feet. “A matter of some urgency requires thy right and good judgment.”
“Have I been remiss in my duties?” She searched her mind but could seize upon naught she had overlooked. “Regardless, I am at thy service, Pellier.”
“It is not serious, my lady.” He ushered her into the great hall, whither a young maid and a soldier from the garrison waited. “If thou wilt take thy place on the dais, thy approval or disapproval is needed, but first thy servants must plead their cause.”
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