The Beast of Renald (The Northern Knights)

by Amber Dane

  The body they found was unrecognizable. A man, his face….gone, burnt beyond recognition. But it was the hair that kept Darc’s gaze riveted.

  It was Raven’s….like his, the build…the clothes had burned away and fallen from the body as much as into the charred remains. A hollow feeling filled his chest and he did his best to ignore it.

  ‘My lord, here.’

  Darc swallowed, lifted his head and looked up. A young knight held Raven’s long sword in his hand. Darc still did not believe it, but the hair, now the sword.

  Had his brother been so crazed he let himself burn alive rather than come out to face him?

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Caroline watched Darc walk into the room, not only was he covered in blood and soot, but he smelled strongly of burnt wood. He went to the other side of the room and dismissed Melbert. Caroline waited, her aching body turned on the bench to follow him. She could not wait to tell him about Gan. He did not meet her gaze.

  She knew before the air in the room changed that something was wrong for Darc turned sharply toward the door, his body rigid and ready to do battle.

  Before she could open her mouth or turn to see what it was that had put such a dark scowl upon his face, something hard slammed into her.

  Caroline let out a cry as she fell to the stone floor as something crashed down right in front of her.

  Darc’s battle cry rent the air and the room exploded with the sounds of clashing steel and metal, cries of pain and gurgles of death.

  That and blood pounding in her ears nigh deafening; Caroline covered them to block the noise out for a moment, then dropped her hands.

  With her heart thudding she saw it was a trestle table Darc must have turned over and kicked in front of her to protect her.

  She panicked and shot to her feet.

  Angry fire shot through her veins at the scene before her.

  Gan, the traitorous bastard and three of Raven’s men surrounded her husband. Caroline knew the castle guards had to have heard his battle cry, but most of them probably were still out of doors. And she could not wait. She quickly looked about for a weapon. One of the thick legs on the table dangled, having broken in the fall and she hurriedly wriggled it free.

  Grasping the heavy wood with both hands she rounded the table ready to join him in battle. She paused but a moment over the two bodies that lay dead on the other side of the table. Mayhap he did not need her help after all. But she moved forward anyway. Darc now sparred with Gan and the remaining three.

  ‘Come Renald,’ Gan said in a pompous tone. ‘There are more of us. You cannot think to kill us all.’

  ‘Aye, Gan. I do. And I shall slit your throat last.’

  Gan’s laugh was nervous and unsure as he backed up and like the coward he was, shoved one of his comrades forward in front of him. The petrified man swung wildly at her husband and was quickly skewered in the belly by Darc’s blade. He fell like a log to the floor. Shivers shot down her spine at the frozen grimace on the man’s face.

  Caroline was not sure how she should come at Gan. She loathed the man. She never trusted him from the first time he’d put his hands on her. Why Darc had not cut ties with him sooner she did not know. But now, she wanted her piece of him.

  She heard the castle guards rushing in from outside into the corridor.

  Gan gave a wide eyed look of horror as his route of escape was blocked. Caroline knew now who the traitor had been who had allowed Cedric to walk freely about. As if he knew what she was thinking Gan’s eyes fell upon her and he grinned knowingly. He removed a familiar looking dagger from a sheath on his belt. Caroline’s breath stuck in her throat.

  She vaguely heard Darc’s order. ‘Caroline. Stay where you are.’

  He walked right at Gan and the man frantically tried to throw the dagger in her direction, but it fell to the floor with a clang as he tried to fend off her husband’s direct attack and began to swing, but it was futile.

  Darc’s blade swung once, a chilling whistling sound filled the room from its speed as it did what he'd promised. And Gan’s head hit the floor with a dull thud.

  Caroline recoiled as the blood spurted and she turned away from the gruesome sight. She heard the guards enter, then after a moment, Darc’s voice came at her back.

  ‘Caroline?’

  She turned back around and opened her eyes. The look on his face froze her to the spot. Murder was still in his eyes.

  He took the table leg from her and said, ‘I should have killed him on that day long ago at Halvard’s. Are you alright?’

  She could only nod. Then she remembered the dagger. ‘Where is it?’

  She sidestepped him, but his body stopped her. Caroline jumped back when the warm blood from battle on him wet her clothes.

  ‘I have it. Go to your chamber. I will speak with you after this is cleaned up.’

  She stood immobile for a moment till his bloody hand reached out for her. She took a step back. ‘Aye.’ She muttered.

  On her tingling bare feet, Caroline walked around him and out of the room. Darc stared after her worried. Spotting Melbert he said. ‘Assist my lady to her chamber.’

  Melbert did as bade. Darc looked down at Gan’s head and told a nearby knight on his way out of the room. ‘Place it on a spike outside the wall.’

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Dawn brought a cold torrential downpour and sent its chilly tentacles throughout the castle. Caroline kept to her chambers most of the day. She had not seen Darc since he’d lopped off Gan’s head yestereve and a part of her was glad as a part of her was angry still.

  The events of the past sennight finally were wreaking havoc on her emotions. What she had shoved aside was forcing her to face things. Sadness weighed heavy upon her and she was glad Mildred and Laur kept Kelbie away for most of the day.

  She did not want him to see her like this.

  He had not understood her absence and the only tears he had shed were over the fact that she had not kissed him goodbye. She had found herself close to tears in explaining her reason. She had gone off to visit a friend.

  His sadness disappeared immediately and he was just glad she was back now. Seeing him smile had made her feel a little better and Caroline was glad he was too young to truly understand much of anything other than being the little boy he should.

  Darc on the other hand. She still seethed that he had not come for her nor had he come to her about her well-being. Like the clouds in the sky, doubt clouded her thoughts for the remainder of the afternoon.

  Caroline fretted over Darc’s ever increasing dark mood. He had barely said more than a few words to her since the death of Raven and nothing of substance. He had started to look gaunt in the face and the dark circles under his eyes worried her. She believed he grieved for the brother he had once loved, at some point in their lives. Despite his despicable crimes she knew it could not have been easy for him to end his brother’s life.

  And he was not long enough in her presence to question him on it as he did not eat in the hall and had stopped coming to it in the fortnight since it had happened.

  At first he seemed sad, then angry. He was pleasant enough to the castlefolk, Laur, Mildred and others and Kelbie. But not her. Caroline did not want to think she was paranoid, but his anger did seem directed only at her. The looks he shot her chilled her to the bone.

  She had wanted to tell him about her ordeal, share it with him to get it out of her system and to talk about the babe. His avoidance was not only evident to her, but to all. His avoidance of her had gone on long enough. She would see the end of it tonight

  Darc found her first as she made her way from the hall and demanded she join him in the room off the hall.

  ‘The dagger Gan had. Is that the one?’ he asked her.

  He need not explain further for Caroline knew what he referred to. ‘Aye,’ she said around the lump in her throat. ‘Twas the jeweled dagger used to kill her father. ‘Where is it?’ she asked him.

  ‘I have i
t someplace safe. Why did you use the blade on the guard out there?’

  ‘He-He helped in my taking with Gan. ‘Tis one of the things I tried to tell you.’

  The muscle in his jaw flexed as he nodded. ‘His head will join Gan’s on a post.’

  Caroline just stared at him. His eyes blazed with anger and his strained tone bespoke he was hiding something. She walked to him and he turned away. She fumed. She had been right. Something was terribly amiss. His anger was directed at her.

  ‘Darc,’ she started. ‘Why did you not come for me?’ her question burst from her lips.

  Darc understood her anger. To give her his reasoning behind his actions he knew would not soothe the hurt feelings he read so laid bare on her flushed face. So he did not try.

  ‘Sit down, Caroline.’ He commanded.

  She was shaking her head in disagreement. ‘Nay.’ And continued her pacing in front of him, her face reddening more and more with her temper. ‘The humiliation down there in front of everyone was barely tolerable. And for you to think so little of it…Thanks be to the saints for Mildred and Laur and their good sense at keeping Kelbie away so he did not witness my shame in the bailey.’

  ‘You are well entitled to your anger. But it is now over. Talking more of it will only make it worse. You are safely back here now and with Kelbie. Is that not what is important in the end?’

  She stopped and stared at him, eyes wide with a look as though he’d gone mad. Darc shrugged and clasped his hands behind his back. His hardened expression did not soften at her incredulous look.

  ‘Tis not over. Being held by Raven in that cell…Oh, there is so much wrong here, Darc.’

  ‘What do you want from me, Caroline? To ask you what he did to you in those three days? Ask you if he fed you well? I can see your body has not suffered so much in that regard nor has your temper.’

  She flew at him and he waited for her to strike him, but she did not.

  Her wide eyes burned into his. ‘I dare not think you would ask after my well-being, husband. That would be asking too much of you.’ She spat sarcastically. ‘You fool! Of course ‘tis what I want. But I see now ‘twill never come from you.’

  ‘I need not ask what I already know well enough. I did not come here to argue with you.’

  She gave him a befuddled look and sniffed. ‘I do not understand. Then why have you come?’

  ‘Did my brother touch you?’

  Caroline recoiled, her cheeks flaming. ‘So the truth of it comes out. Now I know what this burr has been in your side. You have chosen to believe your brother’s lies. That is why you do not wish for me to talk of it.’

  He remained silent for a beat. Caroline walked across the room and his words followed her.

  ‘He had you for over three days, Caroline. A simple aye or nay would do justly. Am I not entitled to that?’

  His insult cut her deeply and she was glad she had put some distance betwixt them for she would have slapped him. ‘You have the bollocks of an ox.’

  He grunted out an oath under his breath but she heard it. She yelled at him. ‘There is no win with you. I do not know how much more of this I can take.’

  He approached her and backed now into a corner by trestle and wall she moved to go around him, but he reached out and swung her back around.

  ‘He did have at you, then? Caroline, the sooner you stop denying it, the sooner we might be able to get past this.’

  She read the lie clearly in his clear eyes. Tears of disappointment rolled down her cheeks.

  ‘Have at me? I am not an animal! Think you I wanted to go with that madman?’ she cursed him and snatched her arm out of his grip. He winced, yet reached for her again.

  Caroline backed away and held her hands up, palms facing him to ward him off. ‘Please. Do not. Your touch will only be a lie like your words and make it worse. How can you believe your brother’s lies?’ she said the last more to herself than to him and with her shoulders slumped, she walked around him toward the door.

  ‘He had you for three days. Ample time for more than a little tryst.’

  Caroline whirled on him, her fury making her shake as she balled her fists at her sides, glaring at him.

  ‘Aye, three whole rotten days I prayed every moment to be rescued from that filthy godforsaken hole of stench. Prayed that you, my knight in shining armor would come. We both know how well that turned out. But, nay. Nay! He did not touch me. He only did it in front of you to make a show of his lies. He never had any intent to rape me. He did what he did to get at you. I told you what he told me. Is that not enough for you? He wanted this to happen.’

  ‘This what?’

  “This! This madness!’ She waved her hands at him as she threw them up in exasperation. ‘He said you were no different than he.’

  She had not even completed her sentence before his hands wrapped around her neck. His action surprised her and Caroline’s eyes went wide. He loosened his fingers, but did not remove them. His steely blue eyes blazing. He looked for a moment as crazed as his brother had and she told him so. ‘I am nothing like him!’

  She thrust his hand away but he blocked her path. ‘Had you let me finish you would have known I told him he was mistaken and that you could never be like him. Do you aim to make that an untruth with your recent behavior of late?’

  ‘Never say I am like him ever again.’

  ‘Your bellow will not work on me this time, husband. I can bellow back just as well.’ And she did. ‘I will not bother to answer you if you continue to accuse me of your brother. I warned you of this with Cedric.’

  ‘Cedric was not my brother. I know firsthand my brother’s tendencies to work his magic on a female.’

  ‘I am not Adelay, Darc.’

  He made a sound of disgust and went to the door. He slammed it and Caroline was left with her thoughts of how could everything have gone so wrong? How could she help this man?

  She sought the safety of her chamber and was still trembling when the heavy door shut behind her. She waited until her breath evened out and she spotted Mildred asleep on the chair near the bed and Kelbie lost deep in slumber, snug beneath the furs on the bed.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Darc was breathing as heavily as his mount when he dismounted near the great doors. He did not stop walking until his long strides had him standing in front of his wife’s door.

  Her scent filled his nostrils. And with a curse he marched down the hall to his own chamber. There he flung off his clothes and tried to focus his thoughts elsewhere but they refused to cooperate.

  Kicking a stool across the room he paced as the emotions and his thoughts took a toll on him. His treatment of her was downright deplorable and he berated himself for it.

  Yet, the image of her in Raven’s arms, under his care for three full days was still too fresh in his mind. Even though his brother might now lay dead- try as he might, Darc could not will the feelings away.

  Her wide eyes had pleaded with him in wanting to tell him of what had happened. He knew she deserved an explanation. Telling her to not speak of it was how he dealt with things. How he had dealt with everything before her. He just acted and got things done with no explanation needed. Like on the battlefield, order and strategy. But this field betwixt them was not the same. It was not good. Her crestfallen look had ripped him wide open.

  Still the hurt he had caused her was not comparable to what she and Raven had done to him. His brother’s last words ate at him day and night.

  Whether it happened or not, the mere thought of their possible passionate tryst had destroyed something inside him. He would never know the real truth.

  The very idea of Raven’s hands on her flesh had burned into his brain. Festered inside him like a pus-filled boil.

  Darc stepped his naked frame into the bath that sat chilled near the hearth. As he picked up the sliver of soap, the memory of her helping him with his bath came to him. He groaned and closed his eyes to the image.

  ‘You think to deny
me?’ Darc asked coldly and waited. Her sullen look ate at him, but her scent lured him and shot down to his loins. He had gone and dragged her to his chamber after his bath. She had said little but squeaked out a moan when he slammed the chamber door behind them. He was breathing heavy and had removed the cloth around his waist. She was looking at him like she had the first time he had brought her here.

  ‘Nay, I will not deny what you obviously will only take.’ She replied. There was a hint of anger under her hurt tone, but Darc ignored it. She had her demons. He had his and tonight that was his aim, to ease his own.

  ‘Do you need help to undress?’ he threw at her sarcastically.

  ‘Nay.’

  ‘Then make haste.’

  When she was naked and on the bed he was on her like a starved wolf.

  He wanted to drive all memories of his brother out from her between her thighs, her mind, and body. Wanted to brand her as his once again and rid her of whatever Raven might have done to her and rid himself of his demons. Darc did not meet her gaze, he could not. The stiffness of her body sent him a warning he should stop, but he could not. Soon after he caressed her more, he felt her relax somewhat beneath him. She whimpered when he entered her and he closed his eyes to the sound.

  Then he softened a bit when she moved beneath him, her trembling hips meeting his. Her ivory thighs wrapped around his waist and he could not stop the groan that left him. Against her neck he whispered in a torn voice that surprised him just as it angered him. ‘Caroline.’

  He expected angry words from her, but she spoke none. And he wished she had instead of what she did mutter next against his ear. ‘My handsome, Darc. I love you.’

  He thrust harder and ignored the words that sent a feeling to his heart he did not want to feel. He focused to bring her quickly to release so he could find his own pleasure and silence the beast of desire which raged within him. Her sob-filled cry of completion filled the room and he withdrew and rolled away from her.