The Bravest of Them All

by Laurel O'Donnell

  Table of Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  The Legend of Kael and Aelwen

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Special Thank You

  About Laurel O'Donnell

  More Books by Laurel O'Donnell

  Table of Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  The Legend of Kael and Aelwen

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Special Thank You

  About Laurel O'Donnell

  More Books by Laurel O'Donnell

  The Bravest of Them All

  Laurel O'Donnell

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2017 Laurel O'Donnell

  All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems – except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews – without permission in writing from its author, Laurel O’Donnell.

  The characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.

  The Legend of Kael and Aelwen by Kathryn Le Veque

  Cornwall legend tells of an ancient King of Cornwall, named Cador, who ruled Cornwall before the time of King Arthur. Cador’s wife became pregnant and an oracle foretold of a daughter so beautiful that men would go to war over her.

  Cador, fearful of this daughter with the legendary beauty, had the infant whisked away the moment of her birth by a young page in the castle. The young page was instructed to take her far, far away and never let her return, so the boy took her to the caves of St. Agnes where he stayed with the girl until she grew into womanhood. Her name was Aelwen and the boy who raised her grew to love her. His name was Kael.

  Kael and Aelwen lived on the remote Cornwall coast, in the caves of St. Agnes, until one day Cador came for Aelwen. He wanted to marry her to an enemy to cement an alliance but Kael refused to let her go. In his anger, Cador murdered Kael and stole Aelwen away to be married to his enemy, but Aelwen refused to be married to him and ran away, back to the caves where Kael’s body still lay.

  Men were chasing after her, men who would take her back to the enemy to be married, so she did the only thing she could do – she slipped an iron blade between her ribs and into her heart, killing herself. She fell upon Kael, united in death with him. High tide washed into the cave, carrying the bodies of the lovers out to sea, lost forever to the waves. But a great stain of red upon the wall of the cave lingered, said to be the mingled blood of Kael and Aelwen.

  Legend says that if two lovers touch that stain, together, then they will fall madly in love for eternity, but they must touch of their own free will.

  Prologue

  1347

  England

  St. Agnes Caves

  “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Luke of Brackley announced as he carefully stepped into the dark cave, holding Melwyn’s hand. He thrust a torch forward to light their way. The flickering flames did little to illuminate the slick floor or wet walls. Still, he knew it was safe. He had searched the cave already. He would never bring his charges, Melwyn, and her little sister Nessa, into the cave without being certain. He was responsible for their safety; a task even at sixteen, he took seriously.

  Mel had insisted on coming to the cave. She said this was the only time they would be able to go because they would never be this far east again. She had told him some tale of two lovers who died in the cave and were washed away into the sea. The legend said whoever put their hands over the lovers’ bloody stain would affirm their love. She was convinced the legend was real.

  “I’m not afraid,” Mel said softly, but there was a hitch in her voice that told Luke otherwise.

  Luke stepped carefully over the damp ground, guiding Mel through the slick cave.

  “Wait for me, Mel!”

  Melwyn glanced back at the voice with a grimace on her young face. “Why did we have to bring her?”

  “Be nice, Mel,” Luke warned. He had promised lord Tristan, the girls’ father, that he would look after them while he watched a play at the amphitheater. Luke took a step back to light the way for Nessa.

  A young girl of eight summers entered the lighted circle. Her braided blonde hair was an imitation of Melwyn’s but Nessa’s was beginning to unravel. Wild strands poked out from the braids and one hung along the side of her face. Her fillet was askew and she lifted a hand to right it. Nessa trailed Melwyn everywhere, idolizing her. The girls even looked alike with the same nose and shaped eyes.

  Luke smiled at Nessa. He enjoyed her company. She was bright and curious.

  She stopped suddenly, staring at the ground. Luke thought there was a spider or other insect he would have to “rescue” her from. Suddenly, Nessa leapt into a small puddle, spraying water around her.

  Mel squealed and held her arms up to protect herself from the water. “My dress!”

  Luke chuckled softly and chastised Nessa, “Perchance you should be more careful.”

  “It is dark in here,” Nessa stated, ignoring him. “What happens if the torch goes out?”

  “It won’t,” Luke promised.

  “Do you think the tide will come in? The water probably fills this cave to the ceiling.”

  “It’s low tide. We’ll be safe.”

  “That’s what happened to the lovers’ bodies,” Melwyn explained. “The sea claimed them.”

  “People died in here?” Nessa asked.

  “You know they did. You know the legend.”

  Nessa looked around with wide eyes. “I didn’t know it was this cave. Where is the blood stain?”

  “It should be on the wall.” Luke walked to the side of the cave, holding the torch toward the wall. He strolled along the line of the wall, looking for the stain of blood the legend said was there. The walls were gray and smooth as if someone had carved them. But Luke knew the only artist to touch these walls was the sea. The torchlight fell over a wall with a small patch of deep red smeared along its surface. The dark wet stain ran down the side of the wall. Luke had to admit it did look like blood. He touched the dark area on the wall and looked at his fingers. His fingers were wet, but they were not stained red.

  “Ew. The cave is bleeding!” Nessa cried.

  Luke wiped his hand on his doublet. “It’s just iron.” He was certain it was. He had learned of iron’s coloring in one of his lectures from Master Hugh. He continued searching the wall.

  “There!” Mel called.

  He stopped and stepped back, moving the torch about to search the wall. Finally, the light fell over a large red stain. Mel had told him the story, but he didn’t believe it. A story about two lovers who died in this very cave. And about a blood stain that appeared on the wall near the very spot where they had died.

  “It looks like a rabbit,” Nessa said.

  Luke grinned. Leave it to Nessa to see a rabbit. He supposed he could see the rabbit if he squinted his eyes. Almost.

  Mel grabbed his hand and pulled him to th
e stain. She pressed her hand to the red wall and looked at him. “This is it.”

  Luke hesitated. He stared down into Mel’s eyes. Lovely smoky blue eyes. She was so young, only thirteen summers. Compared to his sixteen, she was a babe. Still, she had professed her love of him. What was he to do? He glanced at the wall. It wasn’t that she was ugly. She had beautiful blonde hair and smooth skin. He just... didn’t believe the legend was real. “Maybe this isn’t the right stain.”

  “It is,” Mel insisted. “I know it is.”

  Luke hesitated.

  “Don’t you love me?” Mel asked.

  “Of course,” he replied. “But this...” He shook his head and looked back at her. It seemed silly. A childish legend.

  “Put your hand on it. Then nothing will come between us.”

  He looked at the stain again.

  “We will always be in love,” Mel said. “Just like the two lovers who died here.”

  He didn’t believe the legend. It was as simple as that, but because Mel wanted him to he put his hand on the wall. Time stopped for a moment. He didn’t know what he expected, a bolt of lightning to fill the cave, mystical music. But nothing happened. He took his hand from the cold wall.

  Mel squealed and threw her arms around his neck. “It’s done! We’ll love each other forever!”

  Luke nodded and took her hand. “We’d better get back. It’s late as it is.”

  Mel nodded and they walked back toward the entrance of the cave. It wasn’t until they emerged into the moonlight that Luke realized Nessa wasn’t with them. “Stay here. I’ll go back for her.” He returned to the cave. “Ness?”

  Beyond the light, the darkness was complete, an impenetrable barrier. Anxiety churned in his stomach. “Nessa?” he called. He moved into the cave, sweeping the torch about to search for her. Had she fallen and hit her head? Was she hurt and unable to answer? The torchlight washed over her small form as she sat at the bottom of one of the walls. Relief swept him. “What are you doing? You scared me.” He squatted before her.

  Her head was lowered and she picked at her green dress. “Who am I supposed to love?”

  Luke’s heart twisted for her. It was still a game to her, always trying to keep up with her sister. She had no idea what true love was. “There’s lots of men out there whose heart you will break.”

  Nessa shook her head; another lock of her gold hair came free from the fillet. “I will never come back here. How can I put my hand on the blood?”

  Luke tucked the lock of wild hair behind her wrapped braid. “You don’t have to do that to know a man loves you.”

  “You did it with Mel.”

  Luke sighed softly. He did do it with Mel, but only because she insisted. He thought the entire affair most ridiculous. But Nessa only wanted to do what Mel had done. He stood. “Fine.” He glanced at the wall she sat beneath, sweeping the torch above their heads, searching. He found a stain, a different one than he and Mel had touched, but it didn’t matter. He placed his hand on it.

  Nessa cocked her head to the side in confusion.

  “Go ahead,” he urged. “Put your hand on the wall.”

  Nessa tucked her hand against her chest. “Oh, no! I couldn’t! You and Mel did it already!”

  “I love you as much as I love Mel,” Luke proclaimed.

  Nessa stared up at him in doubt.

  Luke leaned toward her with his hand on the wall. “We don’t have to tell Mel. It will be our secret.”

  Nessa chewed on her lower lip lightly. Then, tentatively, she placed her hand against the stain on the wall.

  They stood that way for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes.

  Then, Nessa giggled and pulled her hand from the wall. “It tickles!”

  Tickles? Luke looked at the wall. That was a strange reaction.

  “That’s gross!” Nessa wiped her hand on her dress. “Do you really think that’s blood?”

  Luke led the way out of the cave as Nessa skipped beside him. “Probably not. It’s what you want it to be, I suppose.”

  “What do you want it to be?”

  “It’s not for me to say. It’s not my legend. Mel says it’s blood, then it’s blood.”

  Nessa nodded. “I think Mel is right. She is always right.”

  Luke grinned at the child as she hurried to catch up with her sister.

  Chapter One

  1357 – Ten Years Later

  Tiverton, England

  Nessa stopped on the way home from the village to smell widow Dorothy’s bread. She managed to slip five shillings to Dorothy for a half piece of bread. She hid it behind her as she hurried to catch up with the guards and Mel. She shoved a piece of bread into her mouth. It was delicious! She had paid for the bread, not so much because she was hungry, but because she knew Dorothy was having a hard time. Still, the bread was fresh and good and Nessa was happy to help Dorothy.

  “I can’t believe you made me come to this village,” Melwyn complained. “It’s so boring!”

  Nessa glanced at her sister. “These are your people, Mel. You should get to know them.”

  “What do I care about these peasants?” She pointed to the small girl running away down the dirt street behind them. “Look at them. Dirty and disgusting.”

  “They work hard.”

  “You think they would clean up before speaking with their ladies. I would give them a shilling to bathe before talking to me.”

  “You should make that public knowledge and more villagers would do it.” Nessa smiled. She hooked her arm through Mel’s. “Thank you for coming with me.” She held up a small cloth-wrapped package. “These herbs are important.”

  “So is my time. I could have…” Mel spotted one of the guards looking at her. She smiled coyly and pulled her arm free of Nessa’s before hurrying to the young guard’s side.

  Nessa sighed. She lost her sister to a handsome smile again. She trailed the group of guards and Mel down the street. The sun shone warmly on her face and Nessa decided there was no better day to go into the village. She had begged Mel to accompany her, wanting her sister’s company. She loved being with Mel. But it had been a while since they had gotten time alone. She had thought a trip into the village would be exactly what she needed to speak with Mel quietly and catch up with all her gossip. But as she watched the way the guards tried to position themselves close to Mel, Nessa realized she would have a better chance getting close to Mel if she were a man. She mentally shrugged and shoved a piece of bread into her mouth.

  “The most treasured beauty is the kind that comes from inside.”

  Nessa looked up to see the oldest guard, Sir Percy, taking up stride beside her. He was a kind man, with a face full of sun-browned wrinkles. She smiled at him. “Perchance.” She looked back at Mel as a strand of her hair blew free of one of her plaits. She puffed it from her eyes. “But just once it would be nice if my hair remained in the plait.”

  Sir Percy grinned. “One cannot cage beauty.”

  Nessa harrumphed. “But one can tame it.”

  “Your beauty is different from lady Melwyn’s.”

  Nessa shook her head. She wasn’t beautiful. She never had been. She had learned long ago that she would never be like Mel, but that didn’t stop her from hoping and imagining. “Why aren’t you up there with Mel?”

  Sir Percy looked at Mel and all the men around her. “I’ve learned through the years to cherish good conversation.” He jerked a chin at the guards. “Those young lads have no idea what they are missing. They are vying for the attention of the wrong sister.”

  Nessa rolled her eyes. Sir Percy always said things like that. It was kind, but she didn’t believe him. She broke off a piece of the bread and held it out to him. “You don’t need flattery to gain you a piece of bread.”

  Percy took the bread with a chuckle. “But it helps.” He took a bite. “Have I ever told you the story about how I almost got my hand cut off for returning a loaf of bread?”

  Nessa grinned. “Many ti
mes.”

  “Then you won’t mind hearing it one more --” Suddenly, there was a thunk and Percy stopped moving.

  Nessa looked at him. His expression was that of startlement, his mouth open in surprise, his brow furrowed slightly in confusion. She cocked her head. “Are you all right?” The piece of bread fell from his hand and he toppled forward, an arrow shaft protruding from his back. Nessa inhaled to call to Mel, but around her the forest erupted in action. Men charged from the trees and bushes at the side of the road, brandishing swords. Nessa ducked as they swarmed by her to attack the guards. She looked for her sister. Their guards had been caught unaware and two were already down in the face of the unexpected attack. These fallen guards were men she knew. She pushed the thought aside in her frantic search for her sister. Two guards were engaged in sword fight with two unknown men. Her gaze swept past them, searching. Fear engulfed her, fear for Mel’s safety. Where was she? And then the other remaining guard blocked a strike and stepped aside. Nessa spotted Mel on the ground behind them.

  She quickly skirted the combatants to run to her sister’s side. She grasped her hands and pulled Mel to her feet before starting toward their home. A large man stepped before them, the tip of his sword pointed at them, the steel coated with blood. Mel whimpered softly. Nessa stared at the man. There was something familiar in the cold glint in his black eyes. She knew this man! Urien.

  Fear engulfed Nessa. She clutched Mel’s hands, and backed away from him.

  There came a gurgle and silence descended around them. Nessa looked over her shoulder to see all their guards lay dead on the road. Horrified, she looked back at Urien.

  He stepped by them and nodded to one of his men in gratitude. Then, he turned to the girls. His gaze moved over them, from one sister to the next. “Mel?” he called.

  Mel’s grasp on Nessa’s arm tightened in panic. They both remained silent.

  Urien scowled. “Which one of you is Mel?”

  Dread clawed at Nessa. What did he want with Mel? She glanced at her sister, meeting her gaze. Mel clasped her lips tightly, her eyes wide with fear.

  “I asked which one of you is Mel?” Urien demanded in a fierce voice.