Lady Fiona's Refuge (Ladies of Ardena Book 3)

by Rachel Skatvold

  His mouth dropped open in surprise, but didn’t have time to comprehend the significance of his words. The man’s body jolted and he wavered for a moment before falling to one side, eyes wide and vacant. A crimson-stained dagger dropped to the ground beside him.

  Airell’s face came into view as she knelt beside him—blonde hair mused and eyes red from crying—but unharmed. She gasped as her hand covered the wound in his abdomen. “Tiernay, you’re hurt!”

  He struggled to catch his breath while placing his hand over hers. “I’ll be fine…thanks to you. Here I was…trying to protect my queen…and you saved me instead.” He released a light chuckle and then winced from the effort.

  She caressed his cheek with her free hand. “Shh…please try to relax. Help is coming soon.”

  He nodded and allowed her to care for him while whispering a prayer of thanks to God for His protection and for giving him such a brave queen.

  By the time the guards arrived a few moments later, Airell had ripped strips of cloth from the sheets on the bed as makeshift bandages and placed a pillow under his head. It wasn’t until she ordered one of the guards to fetch the physician that he remembered the words of the intruder. He gasped and tried to sit up.

  Airell held him down. “Tiernay, you must lie still. Please, tell me what is troubling you, so I can help.”

  “We need to send guards to my sister’s chambers straight away!”

  “Why? Is Fiona in danger?”

  His head fell back against the pillow, suddenly dizzy as he drew in several labored breaths. “Those men were sent by Fergus…and I fear we were only a diversion. He intends to capture Fiona…and make her his bride.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Intruders

  Fiona had barely settled into her chair by the hearth to read from a book of poetry when a knock sounded on her door. At her approval a guard peeked in. “Your Majesty, the king has requested I accompany you to the lower levels of the castle for your safety.”

  Her heart leapt into her throat. “Why?”

  The guard stepped inside the door and she saw another close behind him waiting in the shadows. “Do not be afraid. This is simply a precaution. There were intruders apprehended on the castle grounds. His Majesty wishes to be sure you are safe. The rest of the royal family will meet you there.”

  Fiona hesitated for a few moments as the second guard stepped inside. She studied the men’s unfamiliar faces in the dim light as her heart pounded even harder. Why would her brother change out her guards without telling her? He knew she liked to meet them first since she was so apprehensive around men in the first place. “I do not believe I have seen either of you before. What are your names and where are my normal guards?”

  The first man made eye contact with the second one for a moment. Then he looked back at Fiona. “There was a rotation of guards tonight, Your Majesty. Please, we will explain along the way. Gather a few things you need quickly. We must make haste.”

  Fiona gulped and nodded in agreement, deciding to trust them. “I will collect my daughter first and then we will go.”

  The first guard shook his head. “No, I am certain her nurse would have already done that. You will see her downstairs.”

  Fiona crossed her arms, displaying a rare show of stubborn resistance. “I will check. The nursery is only a few doors away. I will not go without my daughter.” She turned for a moment to grab her wrap when two strong arms grabbed her from behind. Before she could scream, a large hand clamped over her mouth. She struggled, but the man’s grip around her upper body was too strong. The second man worked to tie her hands and feet together. Then the first man removed his hand from her mouth and she let out a brief cry before he gagged her with a cloth.

  She tried not to hyperventilate as the two large men carried her into the hallway, where her normal guards lay on the ground unconscious. Another man joined them who had been standing guard outside the door.

  As they journeyed through the dim passageways, her mind grasped for ways to escape, but it was no use. They had caught her by complete surprise. Perhaps she could have had a chance if she still had the small dagger usually hanging from her belt, but she had already changed out of her gown and into her night clothes.

  Soon the dry, cool air from the stone castle walls was replaced with a warm pelting rain from the outside as they carried her down the stone path toward the harbor. They journeyed for a while through the rain and then reached a small cave lit with torches.

  Fiona trembled with fear as lightning lit up the dark crevice and a small rowboat came into view. If they took her out to sea, she had little hope of being rescued. She struggled again and tried to scream in spite of the gag in her mouth, but it was no use. It only drained her strength and the men were too strong. With little effort on their part, they forced her into the wooden boat.

  “Calm down!” one of her captors shouted over the rain and thunder crashing around them. “We do not wish to harm you. King Fergus desires for you to be his queen. As long as you cooperate, no harm will come to you and after you are wed, your new husband will send for your daughter.”

  Fiona’s salty tears mixed with the rain dripping down her cheeks as his words confirmed her worst fear. This was Fergus’ doing. She could only cry out for God to save her now and she did fervently as the men readied the boat for departure.

  They started to push the boat into the water when a blur of wiry gray fur appeared in the cave. The sound of low growling and snapping teeth filled the cave as one of her captures fell to the ground with a large dog on top of him.

  A low, stern voice rumbled through the darkness. “If you value your life, release the princess this instant.”

  The throbbing pain in Leland’s head paled in comparison to his concern for Princess Fiona. After being knocked unconscious by the intruder in the courtyard, he came to shortly after and headed straight for the castle to check on the princess, but stopped short, hearing Artair’s bark. After locating his hound, he followed him to the cave.

  Now he stood, soaking wet from the rain, holding the tip of his sword against the throat of one of Fiona’s kidnappers. “Step away from the boat and drop your weapons,” he demanded from the second man and nodded toward the third beneath Artair—the dog’s teeth trained on his throat, awaiting Leland’s command. “If you try anything foolish, your companions will be dead within moments.”

  The second man obeyed, stepping backward with his hands out so Leland could see them. “You will not win this fight. King Fergus always manages to obtain what he desires one way or another.”

  Leland scoffed. “The princess is not his for the taking. Now, step out of the water, slowly.”

  He did as Leland asked and soon both men were standing a few feet apart on the sandy shore in the cave with their hands up. Artair still had the third man pinned on the ground.

  While still eying the three men, Leland stepped toward the boat and gently removed the gag from Fiona’s mouth, looking into her eyes for a moment. “Are you all right, Your Majesty?”

  Fiona nodded, but her face looked pasty white in the dim light from the nearby torch. “Aye, Milord. Thank you.” Her eyes darted to the right and grew wide. “Watch out!”

  Leland looked back up just in time to see the first man throwing a dagger. It stabbed into his right arm and he groaned in pain while pulling the blade out.

  Artair whined, seeing his owner wounded and loosened his grip on the second man, allowing just enough time for him to escape. However, the dog wasn’t giving up that easily. He lunged at the man and then chased him out of the cave, teeth bared like a wolf after its prey.

  Meanwhile, Leland switched his sword to his left hand and smiled while charging toward the remaining two men with a loud battle cry. They didn’t know the secret he kept concealed from most people because of superstition. Now being left-handed would work to his advantage.

  He clashed swords with the first man, managing to knock the weapon from his hand within a few swings. Then, wi
th a swift kick to the gut, his opponent fell to the rocky shore, unconscious, evening up the odds.

  The second man rushed into position. He was larger and more experienced with the sword. Leland fought with all his might—dodging and ducking beneath his swings, but it didn’t take long before the wound in his arm drained his strength. Leland managed to relieve the man of his weapon eventually. Then his opponent lunged forward, the momentum from his body sending them both plummeting to the sandy shore, grappling for the remaining sword.

  The man rolled on top of Leland, pinning him to the ground and clamping his large hands around his throat. He gasped for a few ragged breaths, but it was no use. The man’s vice grip restricted the air to his lungs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the dagger that stabbed into him earlier, gleaming in the faint light. Leland reached for the handle of the weapon with a trembling hand. By some miracle his fingertips barely gripped it. Mustering all the strength remaining within him, he made the fatal jab. The man let out a pained sigh and then his body fell on top of him, his hand growing loose on Leland’s neck.

  After coughing and drawing in a few breaths of precious air, he rolled the dead body off of him and sat up. His world spun and blurred for a moment, but remembering Fiona was still restrained in the boat, spurred him to keep moving. He crawled across the beach until reaching the boat and found the princess.

  She cowered before making out his face in the dim light. “I-Is is over?”

  “Aye, there is nothing to fear now,” he rasped and carefully cut the restraints around her hands and feet. “Are you injured at all?”

  She shook her head. “I do not believe so, Milord, but you are.”

  Leland glanced at the wound in his upper arm. “It will mend.”

  Her brow furrowed as he helped her step out of the boat. “And your forehead is bleeding as well.”

  “Aye,” he agreed with a shake of his head and sat down on the wet sand as dizziness swept over him. “There is no reason to fret over my well-being, Your Highness. The physician will treat my wounds in the infirmary.”

  Artair returned a few moments later and sat next to Leland in the sand, looking at his wounded arm and whining. He patted the dog to reassure him he was all right.

  Fiona glanced out the opening of the cave as lightning flashed and the wind howled. “‘Tis not safe in this weather and your wounds need attention.” She removed her wrap and used a discarded dagger on the shore to tear the thin fabric into strips. She wadded up a large strip and had him hold it over the wound on his forehead. Then she wrapped his arm and tied the knot over the wounded area to stop the bleeding. “There, that will have to do until we make it back.”

  He gripped her hand before she had a chance to turn away. “Thank you. I am in your debt.”

  The faint chuckle she released sounded like music to his soul. “You are in my debt? Milord, I believe you hit your head harder than you think! Tending to your wounds is the least I can do after you risked your life to rescue me from those men.”

  “I would give my last breath to protect you and Clare.”

  She stopped and stared into his eyes in wonder. “How could you promise something like that to someone you barely know?”

  Leland paused for a moment, uncertain how to answer her question. Then he responded in the only proper way he could. “Ever since my cousin asked me to take you to Dóchas Village safely, I have felt it is my duty to protect you…and now little Clare has worked her way into my heart. What was it you said about us earlier?”

  She grinned. “She has you wrapped around her little finger.”

  He nodded. “Aye. ‘Tis true. She is such a treasure. I cannot bear the thought of harm coming to her.”

  Fiona nodded, but her smile faded. “We are blessed to have you as our brave and selfless protector, Leland of Kiely. Thank you for your kindness.” She looked away from him, glancing toward the opening of the cave again as the storm quieted outside. “We should take this opportunity to return to the castle. I’m sure my family is worried and I am anxious to see Clare is safe.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Plans and Pledges

  Fiona struggled to stop shivering in the night breeze, while journeying back to the castle with Leland by her side. The night had turned colder after the rain and she no longer had her wrap after tearing it into bandages for her rescuer’s wounds.

  When they reached the courtyard, Fiona and Leland were met by the castle guards. They led her to the royal chambers at once, explaining an attack had been carried out against the king and queen as well. Her heart pounded as she entered and saw the royal physician and Airell next to her brother’s bed. Then she relaxed, noticing her mother holding Clare.

  She rushed forward and held her daughter close, breathing in the scent of rosewater from her curls. “Thank you,” she whispered to her mother quickly before turning toward the bed.

  Her brother looked pale, but smiled at her with happy tears in his eyes. “I am relieved to see you safe from harm, Sister. I have to say, I feared the worst.”

  Fiona approached and held his hand, careful to be gentle because of his injury. “Oh, Tiernay. Fergus wanted them to capture me all along. I’m so sorry you were hurt because of this.”

  He winced, but continued smiling. “‘Tis nothing serious. The physician says it was only a superficial wound. With a few days’ rest, I’ll be feeling better.”

  “Praise the Lord!”

  He nodded. “Aye, He was watching over all of us. Now, tell me, how did you escape those men?”

  “‘Twas the Earl of Kiely. He fought them off and brought me back here.”

  Tiernay turned his head to look at her rescuer still standing by the door. “Leland, my friend. Please, come closer.” He obeyed and bowed before the king. “Thank you for returning my sister to me. I am forever in your debt. She is very special to me. You will be rewarded for your bravery.”

  Leland shook his head. “That is not necessary. ‘Twas an honor and privilege to be of service to your family, Your Majesty.” His slight waver told Fiona he was hurting more than he let on. He bid everyone goodnight and then left the room, saying his physician would tend to his wounds.

  Soon after, she left with her mother and went to her chambers for the night. They settled into chairs across from each other by the glowing hearth. Fiona cuddled Clare close, never more relieved to hold her daughter in her arms.

  After several minutes of silence, her mother reached for her hand. “I’m so glad Leland was there tonight.”

  Fiona blinked back a few tears and nodded. “I know. Things could have gone very differently tonight. ‘Tis clear God sent him here for a special reason.” She gazed at the flames, deep in thought.

  “You care for him, don’t you?”

  She blushed and started to shake her head, but her mother’s look stopped her. “I cannot deny, the time we spent in the forest near Dóchas created a bond between us. However, ‘tis foolish to continue entertaining these feelings when nothing will ever come of them. Why torture myself over something I’ll never obtain?”

  Fiona’s mother gave her a knowing smile. “His station does not have to be an obstacle. Your brother has noticed the way you light up around him, too. He told me himself, he only longs for your happiness. If you wish it, Tiernay could give Leland a higher title and lands, especially after all he risked to return you to us this night.”

  She refused to meet her mother’s gaze, fearing what she was implying. Did she wish to marry again? Fiona couldn’t imagine finding a better man than Leland, but would it be selfish of her to wed him when she couldn’t be the wife he deserved? The thought of sleeping in the same room with a man—even someone wonderful like Leland—terrified her. Would she see Cadman’s face and remember his cruelty when she heard Leland breathing or stirring during the night? She had nightmares about Cadman often—felt the strike of his hand across her cheek and heard his harsh words. She still had the remnants of his abuse forever scarred between her shoulder blades.<
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  “No, mother,” Fiona finally replied. “Leland does not feel for me in that way. He only acted out of obligation to Tiernay to protect us. He loves Clare like an uncle would, but what man in his right mind would want to marry me and all the worries I carry? I would only be a burden for him.”

  Fiona’s mother reached for her hand. “Oh, my daughter, Leland is an honorable man. He would never see you as a burden.”

  She gazed at the flames as a heavy weight pressed down on her soul. “Aye, perhaps not at first...but I would. ‘Tis why a marriage between us would only cause heartache.”

  Leland rested in his temporary chambers for two days, like Niall the Physician suggested, even though he felt it might drive him mad. There was ugly purple bruising around his neck, his head and shoulder throbbed and dizziness plagued him at times, but by the third day the pain subsided. Artair never left his side, save the times Niall came to take the dog for a walk outside. Leland was grateful for the company.

  That morning he had sent Niall and a company of six men to travel toward Kiely to scout around the lowlands for any dangers headed for their people there. He would be traveling back soon and after the attack by Fergus’ men, he didn’t want to run into any surprises.

  After breakfast, a servant knocked on the door and told him King Tiernay requested his presence in his study. He dressed and prepared for the meeting, relieved to be leaving his chambers for the first time since the evening of the attack. Donning a clean shirt proved the hardest to do with his right arm injured, yet he managed without causing himself too much discomfort.

  When Leland entered the study, he found King Tiernay sitting at his desk, looking over some documents and maps. He still looked pale, but strong. “Thank you for meeting with me. I trust you are faring well after your injuries?”