Defender of Hearts

by Tanya Bird

  ‘And I’m sorry you’re stuck here with me.’

  ‘It’s not that. I’m just tired.’

  Her eyes moved over him. ‘Well, I won’t be long. Then you can go take a long nap.’

  ‘A nap, you think?’ He shook his head and went back to standing guard while she dug away in his peripheral vision. After a few minutes, she began to hum to herself, and his eyes were drawn to her once more. She was always a pretty thing to watch, but happy was hard to look away from.

  Straightening, Lyndal went to move to another part of the garden, but her heel slipped off the stepping stone. Astin could not get there in time. Down she went, her arm collecting the edge of the garden bed as she fell.

  He was pulling her to her feet a moment later, eyes moving over her. ‘You hurt?’

  She began laughing. Laughing.

  ‘Oh my goodness.’ She wiped at her eye. ‘My sisters are going to be so disappointed they missed that.’

  He noticed a tear in the sleeve of her dress and took hold of her elbow. ‘You’re bleeding.’

  ‘I am?’ She was still laughing as she inspected it. ‘It’s only a scratch.’

  Unbuttoning her sleeve, he slid it up her arm to see for himself. ‘It’s not a scratch.’ He pressed a hand over it to stop the bleeding. ‘Stop laughing.’

  That only made her laugh harder. ‘Stop. You’ll dirty your uniform.’

  He held tightly to her. ‘Blood goes with the job.’

  She took a few calming breaths. ‘That’s actually really sad.’ Then she burst out laughing again. ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.’

  He sat her on the edge of the garden bed, waiting a good five minutes for her to finish laughing. ‘You done?’ he asked when she finally fell silent.

  She let out an enormous breath and looked down at the bloodied hand covering her arm. ‘I think so.’ Her expression turned serious. ‘I think I really miss them.’

  He did not have to ask who she was talking about. He had witnessed the close relationship with her sisters first-hand.

  Reaching inside his cloak, he pulled out a ball of fabric.

  ‘You carry that around just in case?’ she asked.

  He began wrapping her arm. ‘You’d be surprised how often we need medical supplies.’

  ‘Would I though?’

  A smile flickered on his face. When he was done bandaging the arm, he said, ‘A few more weeks, and then you’ll be home with your sisters. They can laugh at you then.’

  Her expression softened. ‘Honestly, I thought you would be first to laugh.’

  ‘Not when it’s my job to return you to the castle in one piece.’ He pulled her to her feet by her good arm, keeping hold of her until he was sure she was steady.

  ‘In the meantime, I have Kendra to lecture me and you to boss me around.’

  His eyes moved between hers, and then he let go of her arm. ‘Time to go.’

  ‘But I’m not fin—’

  ‘You’re finished.’

  She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. ‘Can we at least go by the shop and see if anyone is there?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Why not?

  He looked heavenwards. ‘Because my orders are to escort you back to Eldon Castle when you’re done.’

  ‘But Queen Fayre doesn’t know I’m done.’

  He gestured for her to start walking. ‘There’s a flag parade going straight past the shop. Someone will see you.’

  ‘So?’ She did not move.

  ‘So the woman has a firm grasp on your future, and she’s expecting you to play by her rules.’

  ‘Would it kill you to speak kindly to me? You’re the closest thing I have to a friend right now.’

  His lungs stilled. ‘I know it might not seem like it, but this is me looking out for you. You need to keep Queen Fayre onside. She’s the only friend who matters right now. Trust me.’

  She stared at him for the longest time. ‘All right. I trust you.’

  Chapter 14

  Astin knocked on Kendra’s bedchamber door—for the third time. The royal carriage had already departed, and Kendra and Lyndal were supposed to be in the carriage behind it.

  Drawing a long breath, he called, ‘Breaking down the door in three, two—’

  The door swung open, and he was blinded by glinting jewels and bright yellow fabric.

  ‘Really, Fletcher,’ Kendra said. ‘Have you no patience? This is my chance to truly capture the king’s attention. I am hardly going to rush the process.’ She stepped past him and wandered to the other side of the corridor.

  He swore under his breath and turned back to the room, ready to drag Lyndal from it, then froze when he found her standing in the doorway. She wore an off-the-shoulder gown the colour of the sky as the sun sinks below the horizon. It was a colour he remembered from his youth. Pink and orange, all at once. The bodice moulded to her waist, embroidered with silver thread that resembled light reflecting off the water. The skirt fell in a way that drew his eye all the way down.

  ‘I had planned to wear something else,’ Lyndal said, looking down at the dress. ‘But the queen sent this to my bedchamber, no doubt fearing I would embarrass her in my common clothes.’

  Thank God she was talking, because Astin had lost his ability to speak. A single glance had siphoned the air from his lungs. She was the ultimate offering to Belenus. If the sun did not break through the clouds the moment she stepped outside, then he would fall down from shock.

  ‘You hate it,’ she said. ‘It’s too much, isn’t it?’ She waited for him to respond.

  ‘You look…’ He just had to pick a word. One more word. Any word would do at that point. ‘Ready.’

  Her eyebrows rose slightly. ‘I look… ready?’

  ‘Ready to leave.’

  Something resembling disappointment passed over her face. ‘Good. I am ready to leave.’ She ran a hand over her neat hair, which was pulled back and tucked at the neck. Then she touched a finger to the corner of her painted mouth. ‘Let’s go.’

  He gestured for her to walk ahead, then immediately regretted it when he saw her from behind. The dress was cut low, her shoulders and upper back on display. And whatever soap she had washed with that morning lingered in his path, causing his body to soldier up in all the wrong ways.

  He was really going to have to pull himself together in order to do his job.

  After loading the women into the waiting carriage, they made their way to the gate, Astin following on foot. The portcullis rose on their approach, and the party passed beneath the archway into the farming borough, following the road all the way to the square located in the centre of the borough.

  Celebrations were well underway by the time they arrived. Soggy red banners hung high above the crowd, the festive music competing with the buzz of conversation and laughter. Some were already dancing while others took advantage of the break in the rain, sitting with plates of black bread and oil balanced on their laps. A queue for ale ran adjacent with the crowd of farmers and merchants. The nobility were gathered in a separate section enclosed by heavy red rope.

  A young merchant man approached the carriage as it rolled to a stop, a wide grin on his face as he eyed Lyndal. ‘My, my. Haven’t we moved up in the world?’

  Astin stepped in front of the man. ‘That’s far enough.’

  ‘It’s quite all right,’ Lyndal said, a hand landing on Astin’s arm. ‘Egbert is an old friend.’

  ‘Don’t you mean jilted lover?’ he retorted.

  Astin stiffened.

  ‘Ignore him,’ Lyndal said.

  ‘Oh, I remember you,’ Kendra said, stepping up beside her cousin. ‘You are that belt maker who came to the house last year and asked for Lyndal’s hand.’ She looked to Astin. ‘Father thought she could do much better.’

  Egbert frowned. ‘Ouch.’

  ‘And now you’re happily married,’ Lyndal said. ‘How is your wife?’

  Astin continued to watch him.


  ‘She’s good. You should come for a dance later, for old times’ sake.’

  Kendra laughed. ‘That is hardly appropriate.’

  ‘Let’s see how the day progresses,’ she said, her tone apologetic.

  Kendra threaded her arm through Lyndal’s and began dragging her towards the nobility.

  ‘If you see my sisters,’ Lyndal called over her shoulder, ‘will you tell them I’m here?’

  Egbert gave her a wave before joining the ale queue. Astin threw a warning stare at him, then followed the women.

  ‘It is very important that we position ourselves in sight of the king,’ Kendra whispered to her cousin. But Lyndal was barely listening, her head turned in the direction of the dancing merchants.

  Astin had seen her dance at the festival the year before. Her dress might not have been as impressive, but her smile always drew plenty of attention. He had watched her from across the rope, partly because Harlan had asked him to keep an eye on the Suttone sisters, but also because she was hard to look away from.

  ‘Smile,’ Kendra sang, nudging Lyndal in the ribs. ‘Queen Fayre is looking in our direction.’

  The queen mother might have been looking in their direction, but her eyes were on Lyndal.

  ‘Behave,’ Astin told the women. ‘No one’s to leave this area without telling me.’

  Lyndal turned with a look of surprise. ‘Are you not going to follow at our heel?’

  ‘Do I look like a dog?’

  She tilted her head. ‘Is that a trick question?’

  His eyes fell to her smart mouth. ‘Behave.’

  She lifted her shoulders in an adorable shrug before she was dragged off once more.

  He watched from the rope boundary as they made their way over to Queen Fayre. After a few minutes of conversation, the queen mother slipped her arm through Lyndal’s and led her away. She introduced her to Lady Petula, whose body language did not match the pleasantries coming from her mouth. The Lady of Sulgrave House was looking Lyndal up and down as though she were a mangy dog.

  Appearing lost, Kendra eventually went in search of her parents. The three of them stood speaking in hushed voices, eyes drifting in the direction of the king, who was surrounded by bodyguards.

  Astin turned his attention back to Queen Fayre and Lyndal, only to find that Lyndal was no longer there. His eyes darted between faces, searching for her. When he did not find her, he moved into the crowd, slipping discreetly between the guests. He eventually spotted her at the rope barrier, dress hitched up and one leg already over. All the defenders were looking in the other direction, because they were focused on keeping people out, not in.

  Astin reached her in a few paces, and she jumped when he stepped up next to her. She let go of the skirt of her gown, but it did not fall to the ground as it should have, because she was straddling the rope.

  ‘So my one instruction wasn’t clear?’ he asked.

  Lyndal awkwardly stepped back over the rope and fixed her dress. ‘I do hope you’re keeping an eye on Lady Kendra. Lord Thomas will never forgive you should anything happen to her on your watch.’

  He crossed his arms in front of him. ‘And do you suppose your sisters would forgive me if anything happened to you on my watch?’

  ‘God, no. You’d be drawn and quartered before you could utter the words “It was all her fault.”’ She gave him a playful smile.

  He glanced in the direction of the peasants. ‘Do you even know where they are? Or were you just planning on wandering aimlessly about?’

  ‘They’ll be easy enough to find.’ She looked out. ‘Eda will be the one with the bulky dress, due to all the weapons she’s concealing, and Blake will be hovering nearby, ensuring the day doesn’t end with our sister locked in the tower—again.’

  It was tempting to let her go. She was in no real danger with her own people, certainly not with her sisters around, but orders were orders. ‘You know I can’t let you wander off. Your safety’s not open for negotiation.’

  ‘I know this is hard for you to understand, but I miss my family.’

  He leaned away. ‘Why do you assume I don’t understand?’

  ‘Because you’re estranged from yours.’

  ‘So I can’t miss them? Is that the logic?’

  She watched him a moment. ‘All right. Tell me what happened. Give me a reason to stay on this side of the rope. I’m guessing your father passed away given there’s a stepfather involved.’

  He guided her back from the rope. ‘Are you fishing for a tragic story in hope of humanising me?’

  ‘Oh, please. It’ll take a lot more than a sad family story to do that.’ Her eyes returned to the peasants, searching for her sisters among them.

  He let out a resigned breath, then said, ‘My father died from pneumonia when I was eight, and my mother remarried shortly after. We didn’t get along.’

  Her eyes went to him. ‘So you just left the farming life behind you and became a defender?’

  ‘The defender part was accidental. I met Harlan down at the port one day. He convinced his father to let me train with him. The warden offered me a bed at the barracks. I suspect it was more about keeping Harlan company than my skills at the time. Anyway, it seemed like a better alternative than sleeping on the street.’

  ‘So you stayed, and you became the great defender who stands before me now.’ When he did not respond, she said, ‘Your stepfather must be a special breed of man to have you fleeing your own home.’

  Astin met her gaze. ‘Like I said, we didn’t get along.’

  ‘Does he get along with the rest of your family?’

  He squinted in the direction of the dancers as a new song struck up. ‘I think the women in my family are more forgiving than me.’

  ‘Forgiving of what?’

  The memory of a belt slicing his back had him rolling one shoulder. ‘Story time’s over.’

  Lyndal’s face filled with pity. ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘For what?’ The question came out more agitated than he intended.

  ‘I’m a merchant. I know suffering when I see it.’

  When he met her eyes again, his rigid shoulders fell a little.

  ‘There you are,’ Queen Fayre said, stepping in between them.

  Astin had been so caught up in conversation he had forgotten that he was responsible for two women. His eyes went to Kendra, who was thankfully still with her parents.

  ‘The king requires a dance partner,’ Queen Fayre said. ‘I think you might be the perfect partner for him on this day.’

  Lyndal appeared horrified by the idea. ‘You want me to dance with the king?’

  ‘There is no dancing in this area, as you know, so who better to help the king navigate the common space than a woman who has danced in it every year.’

  Astin glanced over his shoulder at the merchants. ‘That’s not a good idea. Parading him in front of drunk merchants will invite trouble.’

  The queen mother looked at him. ‘Hiding behind a rope is not going to solve the problem, Fletcher. My son has bridges to mend.’

  While that was true, Astin did not want Lyndal anywhere near those broken bridges.

  Lyndal cleared her throat. ‘Perhaps Lady Kendra might be a more suitable partner.’

  ‘If I wanted Lady Kendra, I would have asked Lady Kendra.’ Fayre’s tone was impatient.

  Lyndal looked to Astin as though expecting him to do something—something other than follow orders.

  ‘Wait here,’ Queen Fayre said. ‘I shall tell him you are ready.’ Then she wandered off to whisper in her son’s ear.

  ‘My uncle is going to kill me,’ Lyndal told Astin, her hands opening and closing at her sides. ‘He’ll read this as an act of war against his daughter.’

  Every hair on Astin’s body was now standing on end. ‘He’ll have to get through me first.’

  A hush fell over the nobility crowd as the king made his way over to Lyndal. He stopped in front of her, looking inconvenienced by the whole thing, the
n extended one hand.

  Lyndal stared at that hand for a moment before reaching up to take it. The rope was pulled back, letting the pair enter the main area of the festival. People stopped talking, stopped dancing, stopped mid-pour of an ale to watch the pair strolling hand in hand towards them. The music faded to silence, and people began moving out of their way, never looking from the strange sight. The king never ventured to that side of the rope during the festival—and he certainly did not do so with a merchant at his side.

  Astin followed so closely on Lyndal’s heel that he was certain she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. His eyes jumped between faces and down to the hands stuffed in pockets. Every one of his senses was working together to keep her safe as she strolled alongside a moving target.

  The pair stopped in the middle of the dance floor, and the peasants slowly formed a circle behind the defenders, who stood with their hands on the hilts of their weapons.

  ‘Something cheerful,’ the queen mother called to the musicians as she strolled into the open space to watch.

  The lute player nodded and said something to the others. The music began just as Lord Thomas stepped up to the edge of the circle with an expression close to disgust. Kendra and her mother appeared a moment later, looking from the king and Lyndal to each other with confusion.

  Every muscle in Astin’s body was like carved stone as Borin raised one arm and pressed it to Lyndal’s. They circled one another, prompting the peasants to push up on their toes for a better view. Astin made his way around the edge of the circle, knowing any attack on the king would put Lyndal in danger. But he soon realised that was not his main concern. The approving smile on the queen mother’s face was the most alarming sight of all. She was not only looking at the dancing couple but at everyone watching them. Wary expressions had turned to curiosity. Some of the women were even smiling. A merchant girl dancing with a king was not something they had ever witnessed before.

  Astin stopped walking, eyes back on Lyndal. That hair. That dress. Those painted lips. She was straight out of a fairy tale told to children.

  A realisation hit him.

  It was all part of one of Queen Fayre’s plans. It was the reason she sent that dress to Lyndal’s bedchamber. It was all a clever charade. The question was, how far could it move the dial? What exactly was the queen mother’s endgame?