by Denise Lynn
She stared up at him to see if he was serious, or teasing her. Unable to determine anything from his bland expression, she asked, ‘And how am I to do that? Would you like me to fawn over you? Press little kisses against your cheek? Shall I simper and blush prettily at every word that leaves your lips?’
‘It would be a start.’
‘You, my lord, have lost the ability to reason. Not one person here who witnessed our earlier conversation in this hall would believe for one heartbeat that I was besotted with King David’s Wolf.’
She raised her hand to tug at the fingers pressed tightly against her side. ‘Let me go.’
He guided her towards the high table, releasing her only when the King waved them over to join him.
Helping her on to a chair, he leaned down to whisper against her ear, ‘Only a fool would expect you to simper and fawn. I am no fool.’
She closed her eyes. He had not been serious. Would she ever learn how to judge his moods? Then she realised that it would make no difference since they would be living apart.
Elrik sat between her and King David. He looked at her and sighed before asking, ‘Now what has you sad?’
She forced a small smile to her lips. ‘Nothing. A moment’s lapse is all.’
His answering snort let her know that he didn’t believe her.
She reached past the trencher she shared with Elrik to pick up a goblet filled with wine and took a long sip. Unused to drinking wine that was not well watered, she swallowed hard, hoping she didn’t embarrass herself by choking.
After her third swallow, she set the goblet down. Elrik’s hard stare seemed to bore through her and, for once, she found she didn’t care.
Avelyn returned his stare, daring him to say anything. He didn’t utter a word, simply raised his brows before turning to talk to the King.
She finished off the remaining wine in the goblet and turned her attention to the trencher. Nothing looked appealing. But when a serving maid refilled her goblet, she leaned back in her chair, the goblet in her hand, and stared out at the others gathered in the hall.
The families with daughters of a marriageable age were easy to pick out. The parents talked with the men seated around them while, for the most part, the young ladies sulked. Avelyn didn’t blame them in the least. Their parents were acting as if the girls weren’t even there.
The older women on the hunt for a husband were even easier to spot. Nobody talked for them, they did it for themselves. One overly friendly woman made it a point to lean so close to the man she spoke with that her ample breasts rested on his arm. The man didn’t seem to mind and Avelyn idly wondered if the woman would be spending the night alone in her bed as she would.
A stranger sat down next to her. ‘My lady, I wanted to come and wish you good luck with your coming marriage.’
‘What an odd thing to say.’ She looked at him, trying not to frown.
He was young, closer to her age than Elrik’s. And from the unblemished skin on his face and hands, he was as yet untested by any battle. What good would he be in the face of danger?
‘Not odd at all.’ He took an ewer from a passing maid and poured himself a goblet full of wine before raising the vessel in her direction. ‘Would you care for some?’
She shook her head. ‘Thank you, no. I have yet to finish what I have.’
‘As I said, not odd. Is it not good manners to wish the new couple well?’ He leaned closer to add, ‘The bride especially.’
Avelyn found herself leaning back, towards Elrik as if instinctively seeking his protection. The young man wasn’t threatening her, but he made her uncomfortable enough to hope Elrik was paying attention.
Without a break in his conversation with King David, Elrik slung his arm over the back of her chair, his hand dangled near her ear, the heat of his fingertips brushing against her neck.
She knew it was his way of silently declaring his possession of her. Right now, she didn’t care. Because it was also his way of offering her the protection she’d sought.
At any other time, she would have made some excuse to walk away from this conversation and the young man who’d started it. But the knowledge that nothing and nobody was going to harm her this night gave her enough courage to ask the man, ‘Why especially the bride?’
He shrugged and took a long swallow of his wine. ‘In this case it should be obvious.’
What was he insinuating? ‘Not to me it isn’t.’
His glance briefly flew past her chair. She didn’t need to look to know that Samuel and Fulke had drawn closer.
‘While it is common for brides of standing to be sold to the highest-ranking noble, you are quite different, are you not?’
Did this fool realise he was putting his life in danger? Did he think Elrik was deaf? Or perhaps not listening? She knew full well he was paying very close attention by the way his fingers brushed against her neck every time the young man opened his mouth.
She turned slightly in her chair, not so much to face the man talking, but to press more of her body against Elrik. To her relief, he didn’t pull away, instead he lowered his arm from the back of the chair to rest across her shoulders.
‘Tell me, why am I so different?’
The man looked from Elrik’s hand caressing her shoulder, to her. ‘Do you not find it odd that someone who has only recently come to the court’s attention has been fed to the Wolves?’
He was baiting her. On purpose. Avelyn couldn’t have stopped herself from laughing had she tried. When she regained control of herself, she wiped the tears from her eyes and studied the man. ‘Who are you? Nobody with half a wit would speak so to me when I am obviously surrounded by those Wolves, unless they were known to the pack.’
Fulke stepped to the back of her chair. ‘My sister’s oldest son, Richard.’
The young man finished off his wine and set the goblet down with a sigh before he rose. ‘Uncle.’
Fulke cuffed him on the shoulder.
He looked beyond Fulke to nod. ‘Sir Samuel.’
Samuel grunted in reply.
He then nodded to her, saying, ‘My lady, I do wish you well.’
He turned his attention to Elrik. ‘My lord.’
Elrik asked, ‘What are you doing so far from Roul Isle?’
‘King David requested the presence of Edan, Rory or someone who could act in their stead. Since they seem to have recently received a royal order for more ships, they sent me. Little did I know it would be to witness your marriage.’
Elrik glanced at the King before bringing his attention back to the conversation. ‘Yes. A surprising turn of events to some of us.’
Richard looked back at her. ‘I apologise, my lady. I couldn’t possibly resist teasing the newest Wolf. Although I didn’t expect you to catch on so quickly.’
‘It didn’t take a great deal of thought to realise you were insulting not me, but my husband-to-be and his men, yet not one of them showed any concern.’
Elrik laughed and patted her shoulder before withdrawing his arm. The loss of his warmth left her cold and strangely disappointed.
After Richard took his leave to drag his uncle and Samuel off for a more private conversation, Avelyn turned back around on her chair to face the table. Not knowing what to do with herself, she picked up her goblet and finished off the wine.
‘Are you going to eat?’
She once again surveyed the food on the trencher. ‘No. I am not hungry.’
‘I could have Fulke and Samuel find you something that might appeal to you more.’
She laughed softly and shook her head. ‘I doubt King David would appreciate them emptying the castle of food just to find me the right apple, or hunk of bread.’
‘Avelyn, you have not eaten since this morning.’
‘I will not starve by missing one day of food.’
‘Perhaps not. But there is no reason for you to do so any more.’
She placed a hand on his forearm. ‘I know that. And I appreciate your concern. But I am truly not hungry in the least.’
‘If you change your mind, let me know.’
‘I will.’ She leaned closer and lowered her voice. ‘Why is everyone staring at us?’
‘They have been.’
‘I know. But I’ve done nothing to draw attention to myself.’
King David leaned forward to join their conversation. ‘I wouldn’t say you’ve done nothing. First off you sought protection instinctively from a man most people fear. Like a wolf in the wild you went straight to the pack leader for protection and he offered it without hesitation. You do realise every eye was upon you when you leaned against your betrothed, don’t you?’
She shook her head. Actually, she’d been too focused on Richard to notice the others.
‘Then, you burst forth with a very unladylike laugh that Elrik here found amusing when he should have been aghast at your indecent action.’
‘Indecent?’
‘Lady Avelyn, you are at court. Have you not noticed it is a very solemn event?’
She looked down at the table.
Elrik leaned over to whisper, ‘He is teasing you.’
‘Oh.’
With a pointed look, King David drew her attention to her hand resting on Elrik’s arm. ‘And here you are now, blithely petting a wolf as if it were an everyday occurrence.’
She looked at her hand and noticed that he was right. She was absently stroking her fingertips in circles on his forearm.
Avelyn lowered her arm and placed her hand in her lap. ‘So, if I just sit here and do nothing, say nothing, will they turn their attention to another for amusement?’
‘It isn’t for amusement.’ King David shook his head. ‘It is curiosity, and you will find it every day, everywhere you go for a very long time, Lady Avelyn. No matter what you do, or don’t do, people will wonder who this woman is with enough bravery to become the Wolf’s wife. They will study you, watch you and they will wonder how one so small and seemingly weak ended up in this terrible position.’
What nobody truly understood was that she didn’t find the idea of marrying Elrik terrible. It didn’t require a great deal of bravery. What was going to take a strength of character that she didn’t possess would be living without him—living alone.
Avelyn swallowed hard against the cry of denial threatening to escape, then looked at Elrik. ‘I find myself needing to seek my bed.’
He nodded and rose to lead her from the Great Hall.
* * *
Outside the door to her chamber, she paused to look up at him. Uncertain what to say, she asked, ‘I will see you in the morning?’
‘Yes.’
She nodded. Of course she would see him in the morning; they were to be wed at first light.
He touched her cheek. ‘Avelyn, do not make this hard for yourself.’
‘Hard for myself? You are the one who has made this hard. And then on top of knowing that I am expected to live without the husband I am to wed, I learn that for some reason I do not understand he apparently expects me to betray him in some manner.’ She looked away a moment, then clenched her hands at her side and stared up at him. ‘This is hard only because of you.’
‘Avelyn...’ His words trailed off and he looked down at her silently.
Unwilling to continue this one-sided conversation, she pushed open the door to her chamber, and whispered, ‘Goodnight, Elrik.’
Once inside, Avelyn gasped for breath. The only thing she had ever hoped for was to not be alone.
She threw herself across the bed and closed her eyes against the heaviness of her heart. Why did it have to be this way?
Chapter Nine
Morning came far too quickly.
Avelyn had spent the night sitting on a cushioned chair near the window, staring at the sky. She’d prayed for morning not to arrive. She had hoped for some miracle that would keep the sun from rising.
But as the stars faded one by one in the ever-lightening sky, she knew her useless prayers and hopes had been in vain.
It was a sorry state of affairs—unlike most women, she was going to marry a man she wished to wed. Yet, how many of those other women went to their marriage ceremony knowing there would be no wedding night, no husband to truly make her his wife?
She rose slowly, trying to stretch the stiffness from her body before once again donning the dark blue gown she’d worn yesterday. She ran a comb through the tangles in her hair and left it to hang about her shoulders.
Her gaze fell on a tunic still spread out on the end of the bed. Had circumstances been different, she might have gladly donned the elaborate gown. But this ceremony was nothing she wanted to celebrate. She clenched her jaw to hold back a curse at what was to come, vowing not to cry. Not to shed a single tear.
Lost in her own world of loss and despair, the loud pounding at her door startled her. Avelyn wiped her cheeks dry and shook out her tunic before calling, ‘Enter.’
The door opened to reveal Elrik standing in the doorway. He had changed into a dark blue, near-black surcoat that matched the colour of the overgown she still wore. Surprised, Avelyn glanced up at his face. And while the wolf-like glare still marred his features, something was different in his eyes. They lacked the coldness that had been evident yesterday.
He said nothing, simply glanced at the tunic spread across the bed, to her and then, as if against his will, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly before he hardened the line of his lips and offered her his arm.
Avelyn frowned, wishing she knew him better and wishing more that she was able to read his thoughts the way he could hers. When he extended his arm, she placed a hand on his forearm, willing to let him lead her to the ceremony that would join them as husband and wife, and end their contact with each other.
Somehow, she had to find a way to accept what she’d been given. She knew that eventually she would discover a way past this pain of rejection to seek out her own future and whatever it would bring. Her train of thought brought her an unexpected sense of peace and she found the tightness in her chest and the tenseness of her shoulders finally relaxing.
Elrik must have sensed it, too, because he glanced down at her before escorting her across the Great Hall to a narrow passageway that led to the King’s private chapel.
To her relief, Samuel and Fulke were present. They’d both donned black with silver-trimmed tabards over their armour. She was thankful for the sense of security that would have been missing had they not been in attendance. Along with Richard and the woman who’d led her to the chamber yesterday, King David and his priest were the only other people there.
Without any further discussion, the priest asked, ‘Who gives this woman?’
Both Samuel and Fulke stepped forward at the same time, gaining a frown from Elrik. When he remained silent, they stated in unison, ‘We do.’
The King and his priest exchanged a brief look before the priest nodded his acceptance of their declaration.
The remainder of the ceremony was just as brief, Elrik took her as his wife and she accepted him as her husband. But when it came time for the priest to bless the rings, she reached for the pouch hanging around her neck and gasped in dismay. The only thought she’d given to a wedding ring was her grandmother’s ring that she’d always wanted her husband to place on to her finger, mistakenly thinking it’d been a wedding ring. Not once had she given any thought to a ring for him.
Elrik reached out and dropped two golden bands in the priest’s palm for the blessing. Avelyn lowered her arm and couldn’t help but wonder if those rings had belonged to him and his former wife. But when he slipped the ring on her finger, he whispered, ‘They were my parents’ rings.’
She stared at the plain gol
d band now adorning the finger on her left hand. It should have bound them together, but it felt more like a yoke of possession than anything else. A sad reminder of what she would never have.
With an effort, Avelyn swallowed those thoughts, refusing to dwell on what she could not change.
When the ceremony ended with him placing a quick kiss on her forehead, Elrik signed some documents which he then handed to the King. In return, King David handed him two rolled-up documents. Elrik quickly scanned both, before rerolling them and handing one to Richard and another to her, stating, ‘This is for my brothers. See that you give it to them upon their arrival.’
She was surprised to hear that his brothers would still be arriving. ‘I thought Richard was here in their stead.’
‘For the ceremony only. Rory and Edan will arrive soon to escort you to Roul Isle.’
‘Oh.’ She didn’t bother trying to hide the sadness in her voice. Why? Who would care?
With a heavy sigh, he frowned at King David. ‘Enough.’
Elrik took her hand and led her from the chapel down the narrow corridor to the far end. He traversed the distance with such purpose that she nearly had to run to keep up with him.
Once at the end of the hallway, he spun her around and backed her into a small alcove. ‘Avelyn, there is little time, so listen to me.’
Her back pressed against the hard, cold stone in a corner of the alcove, she tipped her head to look up at him, but not enough light broke the darkness to enable her to clearly see his face.
The palm of his hand was warm where it rested against the side of her neck, his fingers gentle where they softly stroked her skin. But she knew his touch could contradict his mood and wanted desperately to see if his eyes glinted with anger, or his lips flattened with rage.
He pulled her close to him, enveloping her in his embrace, crushing the document he’d just given her between them. His breath rushed against her cheek. ‘Avelyn, I am not angry with you. Nor am I angry about marrying you.’
She gasped softly at his admission. ‘But—’
‘Hush.’ He kissed her words away until she relaxed against his chest. ‘I am angry only that there is no time for us. We should have wed later, after all was settled and we would have had the leisure of time to get to know each other as husband and wife. That is all I discussed with the King—waiting. There was no discussion about not marrying you. I simply wanted to wait. But now, I must leave, there is no choice. I cannot naysay the Empress, or her husband, not even for my new wife.’
