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Knights of Honor Books 1-10: A Medieval Romance Series Bundle

Page 60

by Alexa Aston


  “We’ll ride out within the hour. I’ll gather my weapons and return here.”

  Michael left Hammond, his heart beating fast. With each step he took, he prayed that they would find Elysande before she reached Lord Ingram’s estate.

  He arrived downstairs just as Houdart came in with the man he’d requested to see. Michael introduced himself to his captain, a capable looking knight named Imbert. He briefly explained the situation.

  “I would like to call the soldiers of Sandbourne together and speak to them.”

  “I’ll assemble them now, my lord,” Imbert told him. “Give me ten minutes and they’ll be gathered in the training yard.” He gave a nod and exited the room.

  Michael had a thousand questions, but he knew Hammond had no answers. He made good use of the time by pulling the available maps from the solar. Michael then contemplated different routes that led north to Rudland, Lord Ingram’s estate. He rolled the parchments up and turned them over to Hammond’s care. Signaling his friend that it was time to go, they made their way outside. As Michael approached, he saw the yard filled with soldiers of varying ages.

  He climbed the stairs of a wooden platform that had been erected six feet from the ground. He assumed the elevated space allowed Imbert to observe the men as they trained and offer them advice on improving their skills. It now allowed him to see all those who’d gathered.

  “I’ve come today to call you to action,” he said, his voice carrying across the training yard. “Most of you don’t know me. If you did, you only knew the boy of long ago—and he no longer exists. I’ve been gone from Sandbourne for many years. In that time, I trained to be a knight and proved my worth to Sir Lovel and Lord Geoffrey, the noblemen I served under.”

  Michael studied the gathered men. “I hope to prove to you that I am a good lord and an even better leader now that I’ve inherited the title of Earl of Sandbourne.”

  Michael paused to assess the effect his words had upon the men before he continued. “I need to ride out now because love has touched my heart. If you love or have loved, you know how fortunate you are.” He saw several of the men shake their heads in agreement, a wistful look on their faces.

  “God has favored me. He’s given me the opportunity of a second chance. The woman I love—the woman I wish to make your future countess—has been taken against her will. I ride now because her life depends upon it.” He swallowed. “Mine, as well. For I am nothing without her.”

  Michael studied the soldiers before him. “I hope to create something that has been lost at Sandbourne. I wish it to be a happy place. A place of hope. One where everyone feels safe and knows that he or she is valued. I need Lady Elysande by my side if I’m to accomplish this.”

  Michael paused and looked over his gathered men. “So I ask you, as the men who serve Sandbourne—myself and all those within its walls and living on these lands—will you ride with me and restore to me my one true love so that we may become the place I always envisioned that Sandbourne could be?”

  A rousing cheer went up amongst the men. Michael’s heartbeat picked up several notches. He never imagined that his words would draw such a reaction. He found resolution and pride in the responses of the men. At that moment, he knew that he had the support that he had desired. Michael hoped they would be in time to save her.

  Because in saving Elysande, he would save himself.

  He couldn’t take every man present with him. Of the two hundred, he instructed Sir Imbert to keep half at Sandbourne. His chief responsibility was to keep his people from harm. He asked his captain to remain behind and take charge of the castle and all its lands while he was away. Michael’s father had made Imbert head of his guard for a reason. Michael would have to trust the earl’s instincts in this matter.

  The remaining men, along with Sir Charles, would come with him as they rode north. He hoped they would find one of the de Montfort parties and unite with them in a show of strength.

  Michael prayed they would locate Elysande and rescue her before she found herself inside the walls of Rudland.

  *

  Michael watched the approaching rider wave as he drew near. He hoped the scout had good news. They’d spent two fruitless days on the road north. No one had seen anyone resembling Elysande. There had been no sighting of the soldiers who had abducted her. Since they didn’t have a description of the men involved, the Sandbourne soldiers were looking for anyone who appeared out of the norm. None had been identified, thus far.

  “My lord!”

  Michael held a hand up to cease their forward progress as the scout brought his horse next to Tempest.

  “Up ahead. ’Tis Lord Geoffrey and a band of his men. They are but two leagues ahead and will wait for us.”

  “Then we ride to join them.” He signaled the men to continue and set a rapid pace.

  A short time later, his troops caught up to the de Montfort contingent. Michael rode straightaway to Geoffrey, who stood near Sir Gilbert, the captain of the guard at Kinwick. He dismounted and joined them.

  “Michael.” Geoffrey gave him a curt nod. “I was surprised when your rider told me of your presence. I would not have—”

  “Circumstances have changed, my lord,” he interjected before Geoffrey could continue. “I found myself betrothed when I reached Sandbourne, as Hammond told me you discovered yourself in the king’s missive. But the lady didn’t wish to marry and instead broke the contract. Lady Albreda wished to join a convent and I helped her in that desire. That freed me to join in the search for Elysande.”

  Geoffrey gave him a grim smile and placed a hand upon his shoulder. “Then I’m more than satisfied that you’re able to aid in our hunt for my niece.” He reached into a pouch hanging from Mystery’s saddle and pulled out a rolled parchment. “Here is the king’s missive. I’ve brought it to show Lord Ingram that King Edward did not favor his pursuit of Elysande and that the king requested she come to court.”

  He handed it to Michael. “But I’ll give it to you for safekeeping now. In it, the king states he would have given his blessing to your union with Elysande if not for your betrothal.”

  Hope sprang within Michael’s heart. “And so, when we find her, this will be proof that she should come with us.”

  Geoffrey nodded. “But we must find her first. And better out on the road than within the walls of Rudland. If ’tis a fight on our hands, I’d prefer it to be in the open.”

  “I agree,” Michael said. “Have you learned anything in your travels north? We’ve quizzed villagers and farmers these past two days and have discovered nothing helpful.”

  The nobleman shook his head. “Nay. We’ve stopped along the way and spoken with many people. No one has seen any group of soldiers, much less those traveling in the presence of a noblewoman.”

  Gilbert added, “All we’ve heard is the usual village gossip. A cow died giving birth to a calf in one village. A cart and two farmers turned up missing in another. A local priest got a young girl with child. And several bags of feed disappeared from a stack. Nothing that has helped in our search or given us any indication how many men are involved in Lady Elysande’s abduction. That is why we’ve continued to push north toward Lord Ingram’s place.”

  Michael listened to his words and then held a finger up. “Wait,” he said, a connection forming in his mind. “We’ve all been looking for soldiers. On horseback, with a noblewoman.”

  Both Geoffrey and Gilbert nodded in agreement.

  “They must realize we wouldn’t let Elysande slip away without a fight. They would know that we’d search for them. Ask others if they’d been seen by anyone along the way. What if they abandoned riding on horseback and hid her in the back of a cart? The stolen cart that you mentioned, Sir Gilbert. They could have ditched their armor or even placed it in the wagon itself, along with Elysande. We would never think to look for them this way.”

  “But why would they do that?” Gilbert asked, playing Devil’s advocate. “’Twould take them far longer to arri
ve at their destination than by horseback.”

  “Because we would have ridden right past them,” Geoffrey declared. “Not given them a second thought. They would be invisible to us. We’ve stopped a few travelers on the road, but we only asked cursory questions of them.”

  “I agree,” Michael said. “It would be a clever ruse. But that means we’ve ridden more quickly. They must still be behind us. That’s why no villagers have spotted them. They’ve disguised their identities.” He paused. “I also think that there can’t be many of them. If they’ve hung about Kinwick waiting for an opportunity to spirit Elysande away, I’m guessing there’s no more than a handful. If that.”

  He summoned Hammond over and explained their line of thought. “Because we can’t be certain—and since you know what Lady Elysande looks like—you should be sent ahead in case they’ve slipped past either of our groups.” Michael looked to Geoffrey. “Is that agreeable with you, my lord?”

  “Hammond can take several of my men with him,” Geoffrey said. “You and I can combine our forces and head in the opposite direction. I think the road we took from Kinwick to this point would be their most likely route.”

  “Then let us ride, gentleman,” Michael proclaimed. He prayed that he was right and they would soon find his beloved. He swung into the saddle. With a kick of his heels, Tempest took off at a gallop.

  Chapter 21

  Elysande ached all over from being jolted for so long. Each day proved the same. Lord Ingram’s men placed her in the cart on her back. They bound her wrists with leather ties and her ankles with rope and tied a gag tightly in place to muffle any sound she might make. Then goods and sacks of grain were packed all around her and blankets thrown on top of her. At first, she thought she might smother under their weight. Instead, the blankets and the summer heat left her sweaty and weak by the end of each day, parched from lack of water.

  Every night, Folc and Ernis would stop in the woods, driving the cart off the road. Elysande would be given her only meal of the day. She ate whatever the two men provided in order to keep up her strength. Then Ernis would walk her further into the woods to allow her to take care of her needs. It was the only time he removed the restraints from her ankles. Her hands were always left bound. She found it terribly embarrassing, attending to such personal business in front of him as she squatted near the ground. He turned his head slightly—but never long enough for her to reach for the blade in her boot and have enough time to cut through the ties surrounding her wrists. She would clean herself with a few nearby leaves, and then Ernis would march her back to where they camped. He would refasten her restraints and she would be propped up against a tree or tilted to the ground for sleep.

  She realized how careful the two men were. They didn’t want to give her any chance to escape from them. Elysande said little and when she did, she tried to sound empty-headed, though she didn’t think she fooled them. The soldiers had been tasked with a mission and they desperately wanted to succeed.

  She, too, was reaching a point of desperation. The farther north they traveled, the less likely was the chance that her uncle and his men would find her before they arrived at Rudland. Elysande assumed that Uncle Geoffrey would have figured out that she’d been taken by men from Lord Ingram, but with her totally hidden from view and Folc and Ernis now dressed as common workers? The de Montfort search party could have easily ridden past the rickety cart without giving it a second thought.

  The vehicle slowed. She could feel it moving off the main path. The jostling increased with the uneven terrain. Within minutes, it stopped. She heard the usual noises that occurred with each night’s stop. The fire being built. Someone rummaging in the cart for a pot to retrieve water for boiling whatever small game they would catch. She lay there for a long time as they completed these rituals. Finally, the heavy blankets came off her. Elysande blinked and saw that night had fallen.

  Folc grabbed her ankles and pulled her toward him till her legs dangled awkwardly from the back of the cart. He pulled her to a standing position and then lifted her by the waist and carried her near the fire before he set her back against a tree stump. Untying the confining gag, his eyes narrowed in unspoken words. She knew he warned her not to make a sound and to speak only when spoken to.

  They ate in silence, which suited her. Each time they stopped, Elysande studied her surroundings. If given the chance, she would make a run for it. She wanted to be as familiar as possible with everything around them.

  Tonight, they dined upon a small rabbit which hadn’t had much meat on its bones. Eating proved awkward with her wrists tied together, her palms facing one another, but she had managed to learn how to do so. She often dropped her food into her lap. Her cotehardie now revealed many greasy stains. After so long on the road, sweating under the blankets, she longed for clean clothes and a hot bath. She’d even asked to rinse her face and hands in a stream the first time they stopped, but Folc had rejected the idea. She chuckled inwardly. Mayhap Lord Ingram would be so appalled by her smell and appearance that he would not want her, after all.

  The two men had almost finished eating, so Elysande knew she better hurry. When they were through, that meant she was, too—whether she had food left or not. She quickly downed the last few bites and waited patiently to relieve herself. As usual, Ernis was given this task. Folc was the one in charge and Ernis—though not stupid—simply followed any orders given to him.

  He came over now and loosened the ties from her ankles. Elysande was thankful the small dagger wedged inside her boot did not stick out. She prayed this was the night she would be able to use it and escape from Lord Ingram’s men.

  Ernis gripped her elbow firmly and led her away from the camp. Elysande waited for him to look away before she lifted her skirts as best she could. She had never experienced humiliation before—and she would never forget this feeling. She finished her business and looked about for some fallen leaves. She found a few several feet away. A thought suddenly came to her.

  She deliberately tripped as she stepped toward the bunch. As she fell, she curled into a ball and brushed her skirts aside. Elysande slipped her fingers inside her boot and, though it was tight, she was able to pull her dagger out.

  In the meantime, Ernis cackled at her clumsiness. He bent to right her. Elysande thrust the dagger into his side and pulled up, feeling the skin tear.

  She would never forget the look of astonishment on his face. He dropped his hands from her elbows and clutched the hilt of the knife jammed into his side. She put her bound hands atop his and yanked up again. His eyes bulged as he fell away from her, moaning. As the soldier dropped to the ground, the dagger came out of him and remained in her hands.

  Then silence. Ernis did not move. Oh, Blessed Jesu. She’d killed him.

  She couldn’t waste time crying. Or even thinking. Escape loomed in her mind. She would ask God’s forgiveness later. Now, she must flee.

  Without a backward glance, Elysande skirted the woods, giving their camp a wide berth. She came to the road they must have been on. In the distance, she heard Folc calling out. Then a shrill bellow pierced the quiet of the night. Elysande knew Folc had discovered his comrade’s body.

  Elysande darted across the road. She dared not stay on it or she’d be easily seen and recaptured. Instead, she headed deep into the woods on the other side and then began making her way parallel to the road. Though she still carried the dagger, she had no time to stop and free her hands. That would have to wait until later.

  She didn’t run. She knew not to exhaust herself. Rather, she kept a brisk, steady pace as she weaved through the woods, listening to see if Folc gave chase. Elysande knew he would. She was too valuable a prize for him to lose, especially after all the time he’d invested. She wondered if he’d double back on foot and abandon the cart to search for her on horseback, hoping to chase her down. At this point, darkness was her only friend. She had no way to measure time to know how long she’d been gone. More than anything, she needed to find some
where to hide. It would be easy to spot her once daylight came.

  A loud thrashing behind her caused her heart to race. Folc was catching up to her. Elysande stopped in her tracks, looking around for a place to hide. A thick, fallen log lay several feet in front of her, with another log crossing on top of it. Quickly, she threw her leg high and climbed over them. She crouched low and then slipped under the tree trunks as far as she could.

  Just in time.

  She heard the horse as it crashed through the dense forest. Folc swore loudly, his hollered threats sending a chill down her spine. Then the hooves approached. Elysande held her breath. She couldn’t give her position away. Suddenly in the dirt in front of her, the horse landed, having jumped the logs. Folc rode further and then pulled up on the reins. He twirled in a circle, looking carefully at the surrounding woods. She could see his profile in the moonlight, the hook of his nose, the jutting chin. She squeezed her eyes shut and willed him to ride away.

  And he did.

  Elysande stayed rooted to her hiding place. She would remain here for a little while. If Folc backtracked this way, she didn’t want to risk running into him.

  Her fingers ached. She lifted her hands, which still clutched the blade so tightly that it took time for her to loosen her grasp on it. She maneuvered the knife toward her and let it slip down some before she began to saw carefully through the leather ties. Sweat dripped from her brow as she concentrated on her task. Finally, she cut through one of the strands enough to where she could pull and weaken it. The dagger sliced through the last bit. Her numb fingers went cold and then began stinging as if she’d fallen onto a bed of needles. Elysande rotated her wrists and opened and shut her fingers, stretching them until she had full feeling in them again.

  Returning the dagger to her boot, she looked out into the dark. At least her hands and feet were now free for the first time in days.

  *

  Her body jumped. Elysande’s eyes flashed open. She scanned the area before her. Faint light filtered through the thick trees. In her exhaustion, she must have fallen asleep.

 

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