Realm of Knights

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  They headed to the table before someone else took it. Once Reid sat, she noticed all the patrons were men. Glancing at the staircase, she saw four scantily clad women lounging on the steps. “Is this a brothel?” she hissed.

  Scanning the room, Knox shrugged. “Seems like it.”

  Her face turned red.

  “Let’s go someplace else,” Harlan suggested.

  “Why?” Royce asked. “We’re four adult men. Where else would we go that wouldn’t look suspicious?”

  He had a point. And it wasn’t like they had to participate in the revelries. They were just here for the food.

  The serving wench set a pitcher of ale and four mugs on their table. “What can I get for you?” she asked, running a hand over Knox’s shoulder and down the front of his shirt.

  If someone touched Reid that way, they’d discover he was a she. Reid slouched in her chair, trying to be as small as possible and hoping no one noticed her.

  “We’ll each have a bowl of stew,” Knox said, ordering for them.

  Without a fireplace, the room was fairly dark. However, since so many people were packed inside, the air was hot and stuffy. Reid pulled the collar of her tunic away from her neck, trying to cool off.

  Knox poured them each a cup of ale. Wrapping her hands around her mug, Reid held it in front of herself, pretending to drink but not even taking a sip. A cloudy head wasn’t an option right now. Another group of soldiers entered the tavern, laughing boisterously and claiming the last empty table.

  A scantily clad woman sauntered over to Royce, reaching out to squeeze his thigh. “Care for something other than stew?” she asked in a breathy voice, batting her eyelashes.

  Reid should be able to pretend to be a man enjoying himself. After all, she’d spent her entire life living a lie. What was one more night? However, watching men swoon over women who sold their bodies made her want to vomit. In the kingdom of Marsden, the only jobs unmarried women were permitted to have were either at a brothel, as a wench at a tavern, or as a maid at an inn. Unable to take anymore, Reid shoved her chair away from the table. “I’m heading back.”

  “You can’t go by yourself,” Knox said. He finished his drink, then poured himself another one. “Sit. Once I’ve eaten, I’ll walk back with you.”

  She tried not to let his comment sting. If Knox still believed she was a man, she’d be able to return alone. However, since he’d found out she was a woman, he’d been treating her like she couldn’t take care of herself. Nothing had changed—she was still the same person she’d been before they’d left her father’s home. It irked her that her gender determined how people treated her. “No. Stay and enjoy yourself. I’m not feeling well, and I want to lie down.”

  Chuckling, Royce left the table. The woman who’d propositioned him led him up the stairs. Reid forced herself to look away.

  The serving wench returned, setting four bowls of stew on the table.

  After she left, Reid pushed her bowl over to Knox. “Please stay,” she said. “I’m a man, and I can walk by myself without an escort.”

  He hesitated a moment before nodding.

  Winding her way around the patrons, Reid headed for the door. When she stepped outside, cool air greeted her. Sucking in a deep breath, she started walking toward the outskirts of town. Nothing would ever be the same now that her friends knew the truth about her. And once she dropped the act and everyone realized she was a woman, all of her freedoms would be stripped away. She’d have to marry, then she’d be under the jurisdiction of her husband. Taking a ride by herself or walking into town alone wouldn’t be permitted. An escort would have to accompany her.

  “Reid,” a familiar voice called from behind her.

  She slowed until Harlan caught up. “You don’t think I’m capable of walking a mile by myself?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest in an effort to stay warm.

  “It’s not that. I didn’t want to be in there any longer.”

  Harlan had always been a man of strict principles, and Reid wondered if he’d left because of the prostitutes.

  “I’m sorry I lied to you,” she said. They exited the town, making their way along the dirt road leading to their camp. “My father never thought I’d have to keep up the ruse for so long.” She hoped she didn’t lose her friends because of this.

  They walked in silence for several minutes. It was dark, making it difficult to see their path.

  “I understand why you did it,” Harlan said. “Even if I don’t think it was right.”

  And there it was. He didn’t care whether she’d lied because her father had forced her to or if she’d done it for noble reasons—either way, she’d lied. And that was something he couldn’t understand. For Harlan, everything was black and white.

  “Regardless, I’m sorry and hope we can still be friends.” The camp came into view, so Reid slowed her pace to give them a few more minutes alone.

  “I feel stupid for not seeing it earlier,” he admitted. “I should have known.”

  “Maybe if we hadn’t grown up together, it would have been more obvious,” she suggested.

  “I actually thought you were a…what’s the right word? A feminine male?”

  She snorted, wondering if most people back home thought of her that way. Oh well, none of it mattered now. Once this mission was over, she’d return home and sort everything out. Her father’s land would be permanently deeded to the family, and she’d be able to be herself—whoever that was.

  They entered the camp, heading toward their supplies. After situating her bedroll, Reid stretched out under a blanket and tried to get comfortable. A few minutes later, Harlan started snoring softly. Surrounded by so many people, she longed for a moment alone. Propping herself up, she glanced about. Several fires blazed with laughing men sitting around them. No one would notice if she took a walk.

  Slowly getting to her feet, Reid kept her head down and strolled toward the forest about a quarter of a mile away, eager for a few minutes of solitude. When she reached the trees, she made sure to keep the camp within sight, not wanting to get lost. Spotting a fallen tree, Reid went over and climbed on the trunk. She sat facing away from the camp, calm immediately filling her. An owl hooted in the distance, a soft breeze rustled the leaves, and the heady scent of pine filled her lungs.

  “What are you doing out here all alone?”

  Reid jumped, startled she wasn’t alone. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw someone leaning against a tree not far away. “Prince Ackley?” The man had the same body shape as him. However, she couldn’t be sure.

  “The one and only,” he replied sardonically. Pushing away from the tree, he came over and jumped on the trunk, sitting a few feet away from her.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “I believe I asked you first,” he said.

  “I wanted a few minutes to myself.” Through the canopy of trees, she could see the stars starting to appear in the sky.

  “We’re close to the border,” he said.

  “I know.” They were due to arrive the day after tomorrow. “You still haven’t answered my question,” she said. “What are you doing here?” Had he also been wandering alone in the forest?

  “I was sent to fetch you.”

  She peered sidelong at him. “The prince of Marsden has been sent to fetch me?” A laugh escaped her lips. “You can’t be serious.”

  Under the moonlight, she could make out a small smile on his lips. “I am the third-born son. You’d be surprised at the things my brothers make me do.” Sighing, he slid off the trunk. “Let’s go. You need to get back to camp. It’s not safe for you to be out here alone.”

  Anger rose within her. “Not you, too.” She jumped off the trunk. “I’m thankful I was raised as a boy so I wasn’t treated like a frail thing my entire life. This is ridiculous.” Without meaning to, she pointed her finger at him.

  Ackley raised his eyebrows. “This has nothing to do with you being a man or a woman.”

  “
Then why can’t I sit here by myself?”

  He pushed her hand down so she wasn’t pointing at him any longer. “I am simply carrying out my brother’s orders,” he reminded her. “However, if I had to guess, it would be because we are close to the border and there have been reports of raids during the night.”

  “Raids?” In Ellington? She couldn’t imagine her father standing for that. Surely if he’d known his people were behaving in such a manner, he would have done something about it. Not only that, but she also would have heard about it.

  “Yes. Small groups from Axian have been coming into Ellington, Cartr, and Bridger. We’re not sure what they want. They could be testing our defenses, spying, or simply raiding villages for supplies. Their motives are not clear.”

  Why hadn’t she heard anything about this before now? Did her father know and purposefully keep her in the dark about it? A shiver ran through her. Whether it was from the chilly night air or from the realization she’d been raised as her father’s heir while he’d still managed to treat her as a female incapable of handling troubling situations, she didn’t know.

  Ackley started walking back toward camp. “You coming?” he called over his shoulder.

  Jogging, she caught up to him.

  “You need to rejoin Harlan. Remain with him. Understood?”

  Ducking under a low-hanging branch, she asked, “You know who Harlan is?”

  When they reached the edge of the forest, Ackley paused. “I know a great many things. Now go before you get me in trouble for taking so long.” He remained there, watching her.

  Reid nodded and headed to camp, going directly to her bedroll next to Harlan. Her friend was still fast asleep, having no idea she’d even left. Knox and Royce hadn’t returned yet. Not wanting to think about what they were up to, Reid crawled under her blanket. Movement caught her attention, and she glanced toward the edge of camp. She saw the shadow of someone passing by who looked a lot like Prince Gordon. However, she couldn’t be sure in the dark. Sighing, she closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come.

  Riding a warhorse on a dirt road with five hundred soldiers following close behind was not a pleasant experience. Even though Reid was at the front, she managed to inhale more dirt than air due to the gusty wind. Many of the soldiers had wrapped fabric around their faces to help. Thankfully, they would arrive at their destination tomorrow.

  Around midday, word was sent back through the troops that there was a small lake up ahead. Gordon wanted to stop so everyone could wash the road dust from their bodies. Then he wanted to travel a mile east, away from the road, to make camp for the night.

  Until they reached the lake and everyone started removing their clothing, Reid hadn’t considered the logistics of bathing with five hundred men. For some reason, she’d assumed they would bathe in their undergarments. Now she realized how naïve and ill-conceived the notion was.

  Royce and Knox stripped, then rushed into the water.

  There were naked men everywhere. Looking up at the sky, Reid turned away, wondering what to do. If she didn’t remove all her clothing, she’d stand out. People would question her.

  “Come on,” Harlan whispered so no one could overhear him. “Let’s see if we can find something more private for you.”

  She followed him. A prickly sensation brushed across her skin, and she glanced to the right. Gordon stood about twenty feet away, not looking in her direction. He removed his tunic and undershirt. The muscles on his back flexed from his movements, mesmerizing her. Her face warmed.

  That was when she noticed Ackley standing to Gordon’s left, his eyes on her. He gave her a curt nod, as if giving her permission to leave the safety of the soldiers so long as she had Harlan with her. She inclined her head, knowing Ackley would make sure the group didn’t leave without her.

  “There’s a trickle of a creek here,” Harlan said. “But it’s nowhere near enough to rinse off. Let’s follow it a little farther to see if it deepens.”

  Reid didn’t respond. The image of Gordon was seared in her mind. Maybe it was just the fact he was a man she hadn’t grown up with. But so was Ackley, and she didn’t have these feelings around him.

  “I think this is the best we’re going to find,” Harlan said, dropping his bag on the ground.

  Reid removed her bag, examining the narrow creek. “It doesn’t look deep enough to stand in.”

  “At least it’s something.”

  Sitting, she took off her boots and socks, dunking her feet in the cool water. A sigh escaped her. If only she could bathe in the lake like everyone else.

  Harlan removed his socks and boots, sitting next to her and dipping his feet in the creek. “This actually makes me feel worse,” he muttered. “Now I realize how dirty the rest of me is.”

  “You can go back to the lake,” she said. “That way, you can bathe while you have the chance.”

  “I’d rather stay with you.”

  Reid side-eyed her friend as he splashed water on his calves. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  She enjoyed the companionship—especially when it felt like friendship instead of him doing this on some misguided notion he needed to protect her. Reid knelt and leaned over the creek, splashing as much water on her face as she could. It took a few tries to get all the dirt off. When she finished, she felt immensely better. “We should get back.”

  “Let’s wait five more minutes just to be sure everyone is dressed.”

  “Good idea.” She’d already seen more than she’d bargained for.

  Harlan gave her a playful shove. “I keep replaying all my childhood memories with you, thinking about how badly I embarrassed myself over the years.” He shook his head. “I still can’t believe you’re a girl. Well, a woman now.” He yanked his boots on and started lacing them.

  Reid did the same. “Thank you for still being my friend.”

  “Friends are rare. I’d rather not lose one over something so stupid. Don’t you agree?”

  “I agree.”

  The sun had only just set when they stopped to set up camp. This was the first night they would sleep under the canopy of the forest and not out in the open. While Reid situated her bedroll, several dozen fires sprang up as men began to prepare the evening supper.

  “I’ll go and get our ration,” Royce said.

  It was a good thing he didn’t ask Reid to cook their food since she was a woman. She would have punched him in the face if he’d been stupid enough to suggest it. Royce returned a short while later carrying four wooden bowls of soup. He handed each of them one, and they plopped down to eat their supper.

  Since Reid was a lord and the duke’s son, most of the soldiers kept their distance. Her father’s officers who accompanied them worked with Gordon to ensure things ran smoothly. There honestly wasn’t much for her to do.

  A man approached, halting a few feet away from Reid. “Lord Reid, the prince desires a word with you.” He wore a black tunic similar to Ackley’s, so he was probably part of the royal party. She was pretty sure he wasn’t one of her father’s soldiers.

  Setting her bowl aside, she stood.

  Knox jumped to his feet, wiping his hands on his pants. “I’ll go with you.”

  The man looked at Knox for the first time. “You have not been summoned.”

  Knox shrugged. “I can still go with Lord Reid.”

  The man reared his head in disbelief.

  Reid’s face went flaming red. Knox was treating her like a woman.

  Harlan hit Knox’s leg, making it buckle. “Sit down.”

  “Fine.” Scowling, Knox grabbed his bowl and resumed eating. “Duke Ellington ordered me to come along for a reason,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food.

  Eager to be away from Knox, Reid turned and left. The man who’d summoned her took a few large steps until he was in front, leading the way through the camp. He paused before an oversized tent. Two men stood at attention outside the entrance, each with a sword strapped to his waist.

/>   “Inform His Highness that Lord Reid is here,” her escort said.

  The man on the right opened the flap. “His Highness said for Lord Reid to enter when he arrived.” He motioned for her to go in.

  She hesitated a second before entering the tent. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. A dozen or so candles burned low, providing enough light for Reid to see the ground was covered with a couple of rugs. Several blankets and pillows were piled in the corner. Opposite it, there was a dozen or so sheets of paper and a handful of maps scattered about.

  Ackley was nowhere to be seen. Since they were going to reach the Gast River tomorrow, he probably wanted to reveal what he needed Reid for. Mumbling came from outside the tent. As Reid turned toward the entrance, Gordon strode through it and paused. Not expecting to see him in such an intimate setting, she swallowed, suddenly nervous. “You wanted to speak with me?” She clasped her shaking hands behind her back.

  Stepping farther into the tent, he nodded. “Have a seat.” He pointed at the low table in the center of the area.

  Reid sat, unable to fathom why Gordon wanted to speak with her.

  He went over to his bag, which was next to his pillows, and pulled out a shirt. With his back to Reid, he pulled off his tunic, tossed it on the ground, and put on the clean one. He ran his hands through his hair before turning to face her. His cheeks were slightly flushed, as if he’d been sparring.

  Sitting quietly, she waited for him to speak.

  The tent flap opened. A man entered, carrying two plates of food. He set the plates on the low table, bowed, and left.

  Gordon sat across from Reid, picked up a carrot, and ate it.

  She studied the boiled potatoes, carrots, and some sort of meat.

  “Duck,” Gordon said. “I thought you’d be hungry.”

  The food certainly looked better than the bland soup she’d been eating. Picking up the meat, she took a bite.

  “Thank you for coming. I wanted a chance to talk with you before we arrive at the Gast River.”

  Reid was under the impression she was there because Ackley had use for her. She didn’t think Gordon cared about her one way or another.