by Leigh Bale
“You can be assured that I’ve given the order for my men to surrender Cynan to you.”
William’s brows rose. “Oh? Why would a convicted traitor order his men to honor the king he’s accused of betraying?”
The northern wind stirred dust around them. Ariana closed her eyes and began to pray. Opening her eyes, her gaze lifted to the gatehouse where Raulf stood in one of the towers. The drawbridge was down, the portcullis raised. Extremely vulnerable. It would be no difficult task for William to rush Wulfgar and gain entrance to the keep. Both William and Wulfgar must know this.
Tears filled her eyes when she considered what might happen next.
“I’ve never betrayed you,” Wulfgar insisted. “I returned to England so I might find a way to prove myself to you, nothing more.”
“And have you found proof?” The king’s tone was filled with a hopeful lilt.
Wulfgar shook his head. “I need more time. I have my own deductions, but no proof. Yet.”
William heaved a great sigh and his black stallion pawed the earth. “I can’t afford to give you time, Wulfgar. You’re too powerful for that kind of trust.”
“Will you free the princess?”
Ariana’s heart squeezed. Why would Wulfgar think of her when his own life was now in jeopardy? His thoughtfulness touched her like nothing else could.
“If I return Princess Ariana to her people, what will you offer me in exchange?” William asked.
There was a long pause and Wulfgar’s lips thinned.
“Myself.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ariana’s horse shifted beneath her and she clutched the edge of her saddle, the padding stiff beneath her fingers. Shivering as the wind blew across the battlefield, she felt her heart plummet.
Wulfgar had offered himself in exchange for her. The supreme sacrifice. His life for hers.
The thought terrified her.
“Do you understand what you’ve offered me?” William asked Wulfgar.
The two men sat still as stone, their horses swishing their tails. Heavy silence filled the air with only the sounds of the wind and the subtle shifting of armor.
“I understand,” Wulfgar said.
Ariana also understood. Wulfgar would be taken to Winchester and beheaded with Waltheof of Huntingdon. His life would be forfeit. Never again would he reign as lord of Glyndwr. Never again would Ariana see his tender smile or feel the warmth of his hand around hers.
“Wulfgar, don’t do this. I don’t need your help.” She choked back a sob. Tears ran down her cheeks and her body trembled with grief.
The king swiveled in his saddle to look at her, his lips pursed tight, his narrowed eyes boring into her like a hot dagger. She’d spoken out of turn, but she didn’t shrink from William’s sharp gaze.
The king’s eyes softened and he faced Wulfgar again. “Why would you offer your life for the princess, Wulfgar? You could have your freedom. Go wherever you like. Do what you want. Yet, you returned to Cynan and now offer your life in exchange for a mere woman. Why?”
“I love her.” Wulfgar answered without hesitation.
Ariana felt the weight of his gaze. In his eyes, she saw the truth of his words. He loved her, just as she loved him.
Ariana blinked and tears tumbled down her cheeks.
William snorted. “Bah! Love. It’ll be your downfall, Wulfgar. It causes much heartache, I’m afraid. Yet, it makes men stronger, too. It gives them a good cause to fight for.”
Wulfgar’s eyes hardened as he met the king’s gaze. “That’s my request, sire. In exchange for Princess Ariana’s freedom, I offer myself and Cynan to you.”
“Without a fight?” William’s brows lifted.
“Without a fight.”
William’s eyes narrowed and he spoke slowly. Ariana could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind, thinking. “I understand from Lord Carlinham that you have Prince Dafydd inside Cynan. You may choose between your princess and her brother. Which one will go free and which will you hand over to me?”
Ariana froze. She didn’t blink as she stared at Wulfgar.
Please, God. Not Dafydd. Not an innocent child.
Wulfgar met her gaze and she shook her head, mouthing the words over and over again. “Not Dafydd.”
Wulfgar’s eyes filled with regret. Ah, he didn’t want to make this decision, but he must.
Ariana’s heart thudded madly in her chest. Would King William kill her? The sacrifice would be worth it, as long as Dafydd was safe. Her people would have a second chance.
Wulfgar clenched his eyes closed and lowered his head for just a moment. He spoke without looking up, his voice raw with emotion. “Prince Dafydd will go free. But I beg you, sire. Please don’t harm the princess.”
Ariana wept silently. He’d done the right thing. It wasn’t Wulfgar’s fault. He’d tried his best and would even now lose his life.
Because of her.
It was too much to bear. To hear this proud Norman knight reduced to begging almost overwhelmed her. After all they’d been through together, Ariana could hardly believe this turn of events. Even when Wulfgar had been reduced to the status of slave, chained, starved and beaten, he’d never begged for anything. Now, he begged for Ariana’s life. His only desire had been to see himself restored as Earl of Glyndwr. To prove his innocence.
Once again, he’d lost everything.
The king’s shoulders stiffened as he gathered the reins in his fist. “Don’t harm her?” he thundered. “You know Prince Dafydd will one day grow into a man. He’ll conspire against me, Wulfgar. His men will fight me. Yet, you ask me to let both him and his sister live?”
“Aye, sire.” Wulfgar nodded, meeting the king’s gaze without flinching. “Though he’s young, Dafydd is an honest boy and I believe he’ll do good for his people and ours. If you kill the boy, the Welsh will fight even more. I don’t believe Dafydd will give you trouble in the future, but rather bring you peace and fortune.”
The king tilted his head. “Fortune? In what way?”
“We can establish trade with the Welsh. When their people are dependent upon trade, they’ll be more eager for peace. I’ve spoken to Prince Dafydd about this and he’s amenable. He’s agreed to meet with the Lord of Glyndwr to make plans.”
Edwin grinned at this news and Ariana almost reached over to slap him. After what Edwin had done, she couldn’t imagine Dafydd willingly meeting with the man about anything.
“All right,” the king acquiesced. “The prince will return to his people. Actually, I think he’ll serve me better as you say, though I’ll want him to give me his pledge of loyalty first.”
Wulfgar nodded, but he didn’t smile. “Dafydd has already agreed to this.”
“Good. The princess will stay with me for the time being. Don’t worry. I’ll guarantee her safety. I’ll plan a marriage for her. In return, you’ll relinquish Cynan and yourself to my will.”
Marriage? She looked at Edwin, her skin crawling. William had no right to force her to wed Carlinham or any man.
“Aye, sire.” Wulfgar’s voice sounded strained.
“Agreed,” roared the king and the horses jerked.
Edwin laughed and turned to speak in a low voice to Ariana. “You see? All your scheming did you no good. Wulfgar will be taken and beheaded. It looks as though I’ll have Glyndwr without a fight and you as my wife.”
“Never,” she hissed. Even if it meant spending eternity in hell, she’d kill herself first.
“Sire,” she called to the king, daring to speak out of turn once more. She must speak for her people.
He looked over his shoulder at her, his heavy brows lowered in a disapproving frown.
She licked her lips and hardened her will. “Prince Dafydd will agree to trade only if Wulfgar is Lord of Glyndwr. Our people will make no more treaties with Edwin of Carlinham. He can’t be trusted, not after what he’s done to my people. No matter what you ask, we won’t agree to treat with Lord Carlinham.”
&n
bsp; Edwin glowered at her. “Hush, you foolish woman.”
William’s mouth thinned. “Are the Welsh prepared to fight?”
She tensed, forcing herself to answer him bravely. “If you force us to it. You can see my men are here to fight even now, but we prefer peace.”
The king pursed his lips together in an irritated grimace. “I understand.”
Inclining his head, William indicated Ariana should be taken into the castle. Ariana was aghast. He said he understood, yet he wouldn’t heed her words.
Wulfgar would die. Edwin would continue as Lord of Glyndwr.
“No! Wulfgar!” She tried to jerk the reins away from the knight as her horse was led forward.
“It’s out of our hands, sweeting. All will be well. Do as you’re bid,” Wulfgar ordered gently.
She stopped fighting, her soul filled with defeat. Surely there must be something they could do. It wasn’t too late. Not while they had breath in their bodies.
Wulfgar raised his hand and dropped the white flag. It signaled the warriors standing guard along the castle walls, who laid down their weapons.
The portcullis rattled as Raulf opened the castle to William. A lump rose in Ariana’s throat and she trembled with fear. All was forfeit, except Dafydd’s life. Both she and Cynan were in the hands of the English king and Wulfgar would be killed.
The situation couldn’t get much worse.
Raulf left the ramparts and appeared minutes later at the gatehouse where he welcomed King William into Cynan. Inside the bailey, Evan and the other Welshmen were allowed to take Dafydd and leave Cynan.
Evan bid her farewell, his voice filled with hope. “Jenkin wouldn’t want us to leave you here. We’ll fight to get you back, princess.”
She shook her head, knowing it was futile. She couldn’t bear to see her men killed. “No, take Dafydd home. King William won’t harm me. You must return to our people. Keep them safe.”
“I’ll guard Dafydd with my life,” Evan vowed.
And what would become of her? Would she ever see her homeland again?
Hugging Dafydd tight, she bid him farewell as a lump formed in her throat.
“I won’t leave you, Ariana. I won’t,” the boy cried as Evan pulled him away. “Let me go. Ariana!”
She put her hands over her ears to muffle the sound of his voice. It took supreme effort not to melt into a puddle of tears. Evan picked the boy up and carried him to a horse. The boy fought Evan and his shrill cries filled the air. She watched him stoically and finally lifted a hand to bid him and her men farewell.
Standing in the yard, the king turned his back, ignoring the scene.
“Such a touching sight.” Edwin chuckled with delight.
Ariana blinked tears from her eyes and wiped her nose. Why had God abandoned her? She’d been so certain He would stand beside her. She’d kept her faith. She didn’t fight for wealth or position, but for the well being of her loved ones. Surely God would justify her in this mission. Surely He would help her.
But He hadn’t. He’d forsaken her and she felt almost hopeless. Almost. Until Wulfgar died, she hoped to sway King William to change his mind.
Raulf and Wulfgar’s other knights were taken prisoner. No doubt they also would be executed for supporting Wulfgar’s cause. Yet they surrendered their weapons without a fight.
“Why?” King William asked when Raulf handed him his double-headed battle-ax.
Raulf met the king’s gaze without flinching. “Wulfgar demanded that we honor our oath to you, sire. Never have we betrayed you.”
Edwin snorted, but William frowned thoughtfully.
Chapter Sixteen
“Get in there,” a guard ordered as he shoved Wulfgar into a cell in the dungeon.
The same cell with the secret passage.
With his hands bound in front of him, Wulfgar stepped into the dank room, ducking his head as he passed through the threshold. Three guards surrounded him, brandishing swords. One guard held a lighted torch. With Wulfgar inside, the guards stepped out, slammed the iron door closed, and locked it.
Darkness engulfed Wulfgar, with only the dim light from the small window above to invade his dreary world.
He knew Raulf and his other knights had been placed in another cell. The king had warned the guards to keep Wulfgar separate from his men, so they wouldn’t plot an escape.
If the king only knew.
Lifting his head, Wulfgar peered through the shadows, wondering what they’d done with Vachel. He stared at the wall above, his gaze shifting to the smooth stone where the key to the door was hidden. It’d be so simple to free his men and flee. All he had to do was open the cell doors. Then, he could lift the iron grille and go through the oubliette, swim through the moat, and gain his freedom.
No. He would stay and face his king. Never would he abandon Ariana to save his own life.
Strange how he’d fought so hard to gain his freedom, to prove his innocence to his king and have his lands and titles restored. And now, none of that seemed to matter. Not while Ariana was in danger. His only desire was to see her returned to her people. To know she was safe.
The king would wed her to one of his barons. It was what Wulfgar would do if he were king.
His blood ran cold when he thought of another man touching her. What if the king wed her to Edwin?
Wulfgar clenched his hands with fury. He’d kill Carlinham if he laid one finger on Ariana. Any other man would be preferable to Edwin.
Wulfgar hardened his jaw. Even locked in a cell, he was still determined to find a way to convince the king of his innocence. It was the only way to save Ariana.
The hollow sound of voices reached his ears and the flicker of light permeated his cell as someone came down the stairs.
“Open the door.”
The unmistakable rasp of King William’s voice was followed by the clinking of the key as a guard inserted it into the lock. The door groaned as the guard pushed it open and King William stepped into the cell. Three guards followed him, hanging lighted flares from iron rings in the walls.
“Leave us,” William ordered, fingering the hilt of his sword.
Although Wulfgar’s hands were chained, he was still dangerous. But the king was also a formidable master of arms. The guards were used to obeying William and they left without hesitation, closing the door behind them.
Wulfgar stood still while the king circled him, looking him up and down. Finally, William faced him once more and leaned near. “Why? Why did you return, Wulfgar?”
“You knew I would, sire. You also know my reasons.”
William clenched his jaw. “I gave you life instead of death. Why are you forcing me to kill you?”
Wulfgar met his gaze. “Life as a slave is death.”
Blowing out a harsh breath, William moved to the other side of the cell, just beneath the small window. His gaze never wavered from Wulfgar, nor did he turn his back. “Do you know how I’ve cared for you, Wulfgar? Do you know how much I loved your father? He was one of my best friends and advisors. He gave his life for my cause.”
A lump lodged in Wulfgar’s chest. “I loved him, too.”
A hoarse laugh slipped from William’s throat. “Then why have you betrayed his memory with treason?”
“I have never betrayed you.”
“How can I believe you? You were gathering an army, Wulfgar. You met with Lord Huntingdon on numerous occasions. He testified it was you who conspired with him. The evidence was damming against you.”
“He lied.”
William’s tensed shoulders relaxed. “I gave you a chance at life and you’ve returned. Imagine my surprise when a half-starved Welshman came to Winchester and asked for gold in return for telling me you’d returned. He saw you at Lake Elan with the princess. I could hardly believe it. Yet, it was true. I find you here at Cynan, gathering another army to come against me.”
Wulfgar shook his head. “Nay, sire, I went to Alnwick and met with Huntingdon at his request. He asked fo
r my aid against Malcolm Caennmore, to hold the Scottish border. That was why I had gathered a large army, nothing more.”
“Hmm.” The king folded his arms and cupped his chin with one beefy hand. “There are many things I don’t understand, Wulfgar. You were convicted of treason, yet you returned to English soil at peril of your life. You set about helping Princess Ariana recover her brother and took your castle back through cunning. Your men reported to me that you immediately set about restoring order to Cynan, cleaning up the mess Carlinham had made of the place. Your men are loyal to you. They love you. That’s a sign of a good leader. The people of the town would welcome you back. They gave your men all their silver to purchase you at the slave auction, though I understand it wasn’t enough. All of this makes me wonder. Are these the actions of a true traitor?”
Wulfgar remained silent. It’d do no good to plead his innocence again. The king must make up his own mind.
“You’re too powerful for me to ignore the evidence against you,” the king continued.
The two men stared at each other for several moments. Wulfgar held his breath, praying for a miracle. Ariana had said God loved all His children and answered their prayers. Wulfgar needed the Lord’s help now more than ever. He needed God to hear his plea.
The king locked his jaw. “Guards!”
A clinking sounded and a guard opened the door. William stepped out of the cell, then turned to look once more at Wulfgar. “I’ll get to the bottom of this conspiracy once and for all.”
And then he was gone.
* * *
After the king left him, Wulfgar slumped against the stone wall, his mind filled with unease. There was nothing left for him to do but wait.
And hope.
The king had left the lighted flares for him and he was relieved. The darkness of his cell only added to the gloominess weighting his heart.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs again. Wulfgar came to his feet and stood in the center of the room, waiting.
“You’re certain King William gave you the order?” the guard named Robert asked.
