“Yes, I’m afraid we are in a hurry. We have an audience with His Royal Highness.” With a quick nod in the woman’s direction, Aaron spun around and took Keira’s arm, dragging her up the stairs.
“Who was that?” Keira asked as she stumbled onto the grand landing. Aaron caught her before she fell and pulled her arm into the crook of his own, leading her at a more sedate pace up the next flight.
“That was Madame Pritchard.”
“Ah, yes. So I gathered.”
Aaron looked down and gave her a reluctant smile.
“Let’s just say this place is a piece of my past best left forgotten.”
“Aaron –”
“Forgotten.”
Keira looked at the set of his face and nodded.
“Very well,” she said.
At the top of the stairs was another passage, and once more Aaron led her without hesitation through a doorway into a small, square, windowless room. A closed doorway was on the opposite wall, while benches lined the wall on one side, and cushioned chairs lined the other. Aaron led Keira over to a chair where they sat down. There was only one other person seated on the chair side, and he glanced up at Aaron before returning to his reflections. The benches, however, were filled with people sitting silently. They were a ragtag mix of individuals, young and old, men and women, well dressed or shabby. Most of them ignored Keira and Aaron, but a few of them looked up, their gazes ranging from wary to hostile. There was a young woman directly opposite Keira that Keira smiled at, but the woman just stared at her vacantly before looking away. The door opposite the one they had entered opened, and a man stepped into the room. His expression was dispassionate as his gaze ranged over the people on the benches, but when he turned towards their side, his eyes stopped at Aaron.
“Aaron Drake.”
Aaron rose to his feet and bowed his head slightly.
“My Lord Chamberlain. Allow me to introduce my wife, the Lady Keira.” Aaron’s hand was on her shoulder, pressing her down when she would have stood. She nodded her head as the other man turned to her with a bow.
“Madame.” He turned back to Aaron.
“I will advise the prince of your presence.”
He disappeared through the door once more, but was back a moment later. “Come,” he said.
Aaron rose and held out his hand for Keira. She took it and rose to her feet, following the chamberlain into the next room. It was large and rectangular, with soaring, arched ceilings. The badge of each noble knight was carved into the ceiling, painted with bright hues, while the rest of the surface was covered in gold. Long narrow windows, made up of hundreds of small, square panes, ran down the length of one wall, and in the corner stood a massive gold clock, with a long pendulum that swayed hypnotically. Paintings taller than Keira were mounted on the walls, depicting pastoral and spiritual scenes, while at the far end were portraits of monarchs who had reigned before. In the middle of the room was a raised dais, covered with a purple canopy, while heavily embroidered drapes hung down the sides and back. Two chairs, elaborately carved and gilded with gold, stood on the platform. At least a dozen men stood in the room, huddled in pairs or small groups, whispering between themselves while on the dais, upon one of the chairs, sat another man with a heavy ermine fur draped over his shoulders and secured with a heavy chain from which hung a huge, glittering ruby. On his head he wore a thin circlet of gold. He was whispering behind his hand to a man at his side, and together they looked up as the chamberlain entered the room, Aaron and Keira on his heels.
“Master and Lady Drake,” the chamberlain said in a loud voice.
The prince nodded, then rose to his feet as Aaron bowed. At his side, Keira dropped a shallow curtsey.
“Your Highness,” Aaron said. He looked up as the prince made his way across the floor.
“Aaron!” The prince was a young man in his mid-twenties, with muddy brown hair that hung in curls to his shoulders. He was at least six inches shorter than Aaron, with a thin, lean face and a narrow frame. He clasped Aaron’s shoulders, and looked up into his face. “You look quite unchanged.” He glanced at Keira. “It must be this lovely wife of yours. Although I fear news of your arrival with a wife in tow has cast quite a pall over the women at court.” The prince turned and walked back to the dais, sitting himself down on his ornate throne, and with a glance at Keira, Aaron followed. Keira stood unsure for a moment, but when Aaron made a motion with his hand, she quickly followed.
It did not take the prince long to apprise Aaron of the situation with the black dragon.
“It is terrorizing my people and causing great distress in my city,” he said. “When the royal archers were unable to subdue the creature, I offered all knights of the realm a reward if they could kill it. But ten have already lost their lives, and the zeal and bravery of my remaining knights has fled. What am I to do, Aaron? Is there any way to subdue this monster?”
“There is always a way,” Aaron answered slowly, “but more lives may be forfeited before this beast is defeated.”
“And how will you defeat it? Surely you do not mean to engage this beast.”
“We will fight fire with fire. A dragon with a dragon.”
“Is that possible? Without bringing further devastation to my people. And where will you find such a dragon?”
“It is possible. And rest assured, Your Highness, that I can find a dragon willing and able to defeat this black beast.” He paused as the prince slowly nodded. “Do you know where the dragon has made its lair?”
“No. Somewhere beyond the city.”
“Very well. I will find and kill this dragon.”
“I know you will, Aaron. I know you would give your life for the love of your prince.” Keira glanced over at Aaron, but he nodded solemnly, and she returned her eyes to the man on the throne. He had leaned back in his seat and was looking at Aaron affectionately. “I am hosting a small soiree this evening, Aaron. Why don’t you and your lovely wife,” he flicked a finger in Keira’s direction, “join me.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” said Aaron. “We would be honored.” He bowed his head, then with a quick glance at Keira, stepped backwards a pace before turning around and grabbing her hand, and heading towards the door. Keira heard a sudden burst of laughter from one of the huddles of men as Aaron’s grip on her hand tightened, and then they were out of the room. Keira could feel the tension in Aaron as he marched her along the long passage.
“I should never have allowed you to come here,” he said. “I had forgotten what it was like.”
“What are you talking about, Aaron? It seems fine to me.” But shaking his head, Aaron led her towards the stairs.
“Let’s go home,” he said.
Chapter 28
Anna was frustrated. Being in the city was not nearly as much fun as she thought it would be. Before Aaron and Keira had gone to court, leaving her behind, Aaron had strictly forbidden her from leaving the house unattended. At least at Storbrook she had the freedom of the estate, but a house in the city meant there wasn’t even a garden to walk in.
She fell onto her bed in a huff. It had been difficult to sleep last night as well. She had been in a strange bed, and things just didn’t seem the same. The memory of Max brushing her hair crept into her thoughts, but she pushed it away.
A soft knock sounded on her door, and Anna looked up to see Hannah enter the room. “There’s a gentleman downstairs waiting on you,” she said.
“A gentleman?” Anna said in confusion.
“Master Max,” Hannah clarified.
“Master Max?” Anna jumped off the bed and smoothed down her hair, hurrying out of the room. She paused at the top of the stairs, then slowly descended the narrow staircase that led to the ground floor. Max turned to look at her as she entered the hall, his face breaking into a smile.
“Max,” she said, “what are you doing here? Aaron isn’t here.”
“It isn’t Aaron I came to see,” he said.
“It isn’t?”
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“No, I came to see you.”
“Oh. Why? Perhaps I don’t want to see you.”
“Well, in that case, I’ll just take my leave.” Max swept her a low bow, and turned towards the door. Anna watched him as he strode away, her lower lip caught between her teeth, then called out.
“Wait. Why did you come to see me?”
Max paused and turned to face her again. “There’s a jousting tournament later today, and I wondered if you would like to go watch, but since you seem to have an aversion to my company –”
“I didn’t say that!”
“You didn’t? I thought that’s what you meant, but I must have misunderstood.” He took a step towards her. “Mistress Anna, would you give me the pleasure of accompanying me to a joust this afternoon?”
Anna glanced down, debating the alternatives. Going out with Max, who, she reminded herself, was arrogant and rude, or staying at Drake House alone.
“I’ll come with you,” she said. “Just wait while I get my cloak.”
Anna stepped onto the street a few minutes later with Max one step behind, and ignored the proffered arm.
“Which way?” she asked Max. He gestured down the street.
“Since the joust doesn’t start for another few hours, I thought we could go via the marketplace.” Anna nodded and set off in the direction he indicated. As they walked, she could hear the sounds of the market growing closer, and soon she could see the slanted slate roof of the tall stone market cross rising from the center of a large square. At least, Anna guessed it must be a large square, but it was so packed with merchants and hawkers selling their wares that it was difficult to tell. In every direction, stalls and tables were vying for space, even disappearing into the alleys that fanned out from the central square. Wheels of cheese and aromatic spices, nuts, herbs, and pickled vegetables all added color and aroma to an otherwise gray day. And it seemed as though the entire population of the city had congregated in this one square, because as far as Anna could see, crowds of people were pushing and shoving each other.
“Stay close to me, and watch your purse,” Max whispered in her ear, and when he pulled her hand through his arm, she didn’t protest. Pushing his way into the crowd, Max led her through the throng, leading her past the different stalls. He bought some roasted nuts from a hawker, holding the hot treats in his hand without a wince, and waited patiently when she stopped at a table spread with fox and rabbit pelts. The textures were soft and inviting, and she ran her hand through them with pleasure. By the time they had reached the other side of the market, Anna felt like everything that could possibly be sold in the world was collected within the square mile of the market.
The opposite side of the market square bordered the church yard where wide stairs led up to enormous, arched wooden doors. The doors were closed, but the stairs before the church were a hive of activity as a troupe of mummers re-enacted the martyrdom of an archbishop, murdered within his own cathedral, to a delighted crowd. Max and Anna stood and watched for a few minutes, but another form of entertainment caught Anna’s eye, and she turned to see a man standing on his hands, balanced on a pair of swords. She gasped when it seemed that he would lose his balance, then breathed a sigh of relief when he nimbly somersaulted onto his feet, the swords still in his hands.
“Come along,” said Max. “We have some time before the joust, so let’s get something to eat.” He pointed to a tavern which could be seen near the church, and led her away from the noise and crowds. The door to the tavern was low, with stairs leading down as soon as the threshold was crossed. Max had to duck his head to avoid the low ceiling beams, blackened with age and smoke, as he led her to a table beside a leaded window. A long bar ran the length of the tavern, and Max waved his hand in the air, gaining the attention of a short, balding man wearing a leather apron.
“Wine, my good friend, and a plate of your best venison for the lady and myself.” He turned back to Anna. “This establishment is renowned for its roast venison, and John does not water down the wine.”
The tavern buzzed softly with the sound of people conversing, tankards hitting the table and logs falling in the fireplace, but after the cacophony of the market place, it was a haven of tranquility. Anna tugged at the ties at her throat and shrugged her cloak onto the bench behind her with a sigh.
“There are so many people,” she said to Max. “And is there anything you cannot buy in the city?”
Max shrugged. “Probably not. Did you enjoy the play?”
“It was wonderful! There must be a lot of troupes that come to the city.”
“Troupes like that don’t leave the city. They perform every day wherever they can find an audience. In fact, you could probably find a dozen such plays on any one day.”
“It is so wonderful here,” Anna said, her eyes shining. “How can you ever bear to leave?”
“I didn’t have much choice when it came to spending Christmastide at Storbrook. When Aaron summons you, you go. But as it turned out, I’m glad I went.”
“You are? But why? If the city is so wonderful in the middle of winter, it surely must be even more wonderful on feast days.” Max leaned forward, his gaze capturing hers as he answered slowly.
“That is true. But you weren’t in the city, Anna. You were at Storbrook.” Anna’s forehead creased in confusion.
“Me?” The confusion cleared and she pulled back in a huff. “Can you not be serious for once?” She glanced out the window, then back at Max, startled to see him watching her intently.
“I am being serious,” he said softly. Anna stared at him for a moment as a flush crept into her cheeks. For a fleeting moment she was tempted to believe him, but it passed as soon as a buxom serving maid slammed their plates and cups down on the table, sloshing wine onto the waxed surface and glaring in Max’s direction. Max held Anna’s gaze for a moment longer before turning to the woman with a wry grin.
“Molly. Your service is impeccable, as usual.” Molly leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she drew closer to Max. Her breasts strained against the dull blue fabric of her gown, threatening to overflow it as she slowly ran a finger down the side of her neck, curling a brown strand of hair around her finger.
“Why, Master Max, you know I am ’appy to provide whatever service you require.” Anna turned to look out the window as the color flared in her cheeks.
“Thank you Molly,” she heard Max say, “As I have told you before, I require no other services from you.” Out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw Molly pull herself up with a huff before turning on her heel and marching away.
“I’m sorry, Anna,” Max said.
“Really, Max,” said Anna as she turned to look at him, “It is no concern of mine if you choose to associate with every wench in every tavern or bawdy house across the city.”
“Oh?” he said. “Then you wouldn’t want to know that I have never associated with any wench from any bawdy house?”
“No,” she said, with an airy wave of her hand, “no concern of mine.” But when she turned away, she smiled to herself, glad of his words.
The venison turned out to be as good as Max had promised. Served with parsnips and bread, it was covered in a rich gravy that was as good as the meat itself. Washed down with a glass of wine, it was a most appetizing meal.
It was not far from the tavern to the jousting arena, and as they left the establishment and started walking, the brightly colored tents where the jousters prepared themselves for the competition ahead soon came into view. Raised platforms ran along the length of the arena on either side, but while one side had open benches, the other had cushioned chairs beneath a covered canopy. In the center stood a platform raised above the rest, where the guests of honor would sit. It was to the covered side that Max led Anna, squeezing past the people already in their seats.
“Have you ever seen a joust?” Max asked as they sat down. Anna shook her head. “The aim is to unseat your opponent,” he explained. He pointed to a rope that ran
the length of the field. “The knights will face each other across the rope, each holding a lance. The victor proceeds to the next round.”
“But they don’t kill each other, do they?”
“No, the tips are capped. But a man could still die falling off his horse.” Anna shuddered.
A movement on the raised platform caught Anna’s eye, and she turned to see a middle-aged man mount the stairs with a young woman trailing behind him.
“Who’s that?” she asked Max. Max turned to look at the newcomers.
“Duke Farrand and his daughter, the Lady Isobel. The duke is the tournament sponsor.”
Anna nodded, taking in the young woman. Lady Isobel, who looked similar in age to Anna, was beautifully dressed in a gown studded with jewels. Her long, yellow hair was flowing loosely down her back, but was pulled away from her face with a hair net that covered the crown of her head. In her hand she held a white handkerchief trimmed in lace, initials embroidered in the corner. Anna was still looking at the woman when a trumpet sounded the start of the tournament.
“These are unknown knights,” Max whispered as the first two jousters entered the arena. “The knights who have earned honors and awards will come out later.” Each man was dressed in armor that covered his chest, arms, and legs, and carried a helmet under his arm. Neither man looked above the age of twenty.
“Why would they enter a joust?” Anna whispered to Max.
“Fame, glory, and prize money,” he replied.
The two men clanked over to the raised platform and gave a stiff bow to the duke and his daughter. Lady Isobel smiled at each of them, then leaned back in her seat as they moved away to opposite ends of the field. They mounted their horses, which were draped in brightly colored cloth. Anna watched as the knights pulled their lances close to their bodies.
A flag was dropped and the men charged down the field, their lances lowered and turned toward their charging opponent in the other lane. It was over in a few seconds when the man closest to Anna and Max hit his opponent squarely on the chest with his blunted lance, the tip ringing loudly against the heavy metal armor. The blow knocked the man off balance, and despite his attempts to keep his seat, the charging pace of his mount rendered his efforts useless and he fell to the ground with a clang. His foot remained caught in the stirrup, and he was dragged across the ground, his armor bouncing and scraping over the hardened dirt, until someone finally caught the bridle and brought the horse to a halt. Two pages ran onto the field, and lifting the fallen man onto their shoulders, dragged him from the arena into a tent beyond. The victor marched over to the platform again, and received the congratulations of the duke while Lady Isobel once more bestowed a smile.
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