Druid's Bane

by Phillip Henderson

  Faith grabbed her arm as she went to walk on. “No you don’t. Don’t you dare let this man go. Not again.”

  “What would you have me do?”

  “Pursue him. Wed him. I know how he affects you, and the gods know he must be a great deal more affected to have your affections in return. I also know you would not have given yourself away if he wasn’t genuinely in love with you and of good character.”

  “It’s more complicated than that.”

  “How? You command your own hand. You can wed whom you please. And if you father is behind this, then its because he has your best interest at heart.”

  “James’ employment keeps him in Lunwraith and Noren. And like I said, he’s stopped writing. And besides, it’s the principle … I am supposed to be free to choose whom I marry, if I marry at all.”

  “And it is your choice; him or this protector. So how much do you love him?”

  Danielle drew up and turned to face her friend with an exasperated sigh. “A lot… more than a lot. Truth be told, when we’re together I wish none of this existed, and I know how selfish that sounds. And when we are not, I miss him horribly. And it’s getting worse.”

  “Then you know what to do. Marry him. You’ll have him at your side and you’ll be free of this protector. And the Gods know, you might actually be happy for a change,” Faith added with a grin.

  “Oh, like you and Michael. He tells me you’re fighting like cats and dogs.”

  Faith’s little smile grew lascivious. “Yes, and he’s wilder in bed because of it.”

  “Gods, I don’t want to hear what my brother and you get up to.”

  “Then promise me you won’t let this man go.”

  “I don’t intend to. But why would he not write?”

  “Your father has been censoring your mail.”

  Danielle gapped at Faith, inwardly bristling. This was another violation. “You know this for sure?”

  “Everyone knows except you and Bastion.”

  “And you have said nothing?”

  “I wasn’t feeling very charitable toward you until now. So, will James be at the Lunwraithian celebrations?”

  “Gods, I hope so.”

  “Good, you can introduce us at long last. I have a right to meet the man who is bedding my best friend. Just promise me that you won’t bite Mr. Sydney’s head off in the meantime? He seems like an alright sort and it’s not his fault he’s got caught up in the middle of this.”

  What Faith was arguing was actually making sense, and knowing there was a valid reason why there had been no letters from James, Danielle was feeling a great deal better.

  “I loathe the position, not the man,” she said, blithely, skipping ahead.

  “So I finally get to meet your precious James?”

  She flashed her friend a naught smile. “Maybe, assuming we leave his chambers.”

  Faith laughed and then ran passed saying, “I’ll tell your brothers.”

  “You dare!” Danielle bolted after her friend, putting a flock of sheep to flight ahead of them. By the time they scurried over the stonewall on the other side of the paddock; Danielle had taken the lead but was too tired to run any farther. Faith leaped on her back, and they both fell into the long grass, laughing and giggling as if the years since childhood had fled.

  “Danielle, promise you’ll be kind to this protector until you can sort out your plans with James,” Faith said, trying to hold a straight face as they wrestled. Danielle relented as Faith pinned her down.

  “Fine, I promise. I’ll try not to hurt him, but only because you’re making me. But I don’t regret circulating that rumour, and I intend to continue doing so.” She frowned thinking of something. “What if James doesn’t wish to marry me?”

  “Are you mad? You are the most eligible woman on the continent, nay in the world. He’ll not refuse you.”

  “But he never talks about it, marriage I mean.”

  “Dee, you’re the only daughter to the High King of Arkaelyon, he can’t ask for your hand.”

  “But even in private he avoids the subject.”

  Faith sat back, straddling her. “And you have talked to him about it?”

  “Well, not exactly…”

  Faith laughed. “Then you must make the first move.”

  “I guess. I’ll talk to Father and Joseph when there is opportunity.” Danielle grinned wickedly, and tried to dislodge her friend and wrestle her onto her back, but before she could manage it Joseph called to them both. Turning her head, she looked through the grass and spotted two riders on the other side of a row of old pines. They were coming down the track by the high stonewall that surrounded the manor house and its gardens.

  “Is everything all right?” Father Joseph called out.

  “We’re fine, thank you,” Danielle replied, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment as she quickly got to her feet and began to brush her dress off, Faith doing the same beside her.

  “I thought you said they were in the library,” Danielle whispered to her friend.

  “They were when I left to get you.” Faith picked a piece of straw from Danielle’s hair. “And remember, you promised to be civil.”

  “I only promised I’d try,” Danielle corrected as she walked toward the approaching riders. To her amusement, they stopped several hundred yards away, and Joseph leaned over to say something to the young gentleman before geeing his horse forward and and coming toward them alone. Danielle frowned at the man left behind. He was wearing a hat and riding coat but even so he looked oddly familiar.

  “I told you he was cute,” Faith said, jabbing Danielle’s arm with her elbow.

  The man glanced in her direction and Danielle stopped suddenly, her thoughts reeling with confusion. “My God, it’s James,”

  “What?” Faith said.

  “James, my James. James Cornwell.”

  Faith looked at her, her mouth agape, then she fell to laughing.

  “I don’t see what’s so amusing.”

  “Come on, Dee, this is good news. Your lover as protector, it couldn’t be more convenient. Maybe you won’t have to marry if you don’t wish to.”

  “And you knew nothing about this?”

  “I swear on my life.”

  “I wonder how much they’re paying him,” Danielle muttered.

  “That’s ridiculous. More likely Joseph is trying to make this as easy as possible for you. He saw how much you and James are in love, and realising the man was more than capable of protecting you, he thought him the best possible choice.”

  “And his name? Sydney?”

  Faith frowned a little at that. “Sure, that is a little odd.”

  Danielle felt played for a fool as she went forward to meet Joseph.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Joseph said as he drew his horse to a halt and dismounted stiffly.

  Danielle took his arm to steady him.

  He offered her an understanding smile. “You, my dear. You do look much better than when last I saw you.”

  Danielle was more than a little annoyed by all this. But she could never be cross with Joseph for very long, and she hugged him—though her attention remained in James’ direction. How had this been arranged, and why had James not told her—surely if he truly loved her he would have? Gods, how much did father know about their affair?

  “Not exactly the welcome I expected,” Joseph said, looking at her curiously as they separated.

  “Nor the one you deserve. Keeping me in the dark was unspeakably mean, Joseph. And what’s this I hear? Father has been censoring my mail? And then this nonsense”—she cocked her chin in James direction—“What is going on? Was this planned from the beginning? How much are you paying him to bed me?”

  “A man in love has no want of money, least you want to insult him,” Joseph said in reply. “As for keeping you in the dark, we had to make you rest somehow. Besides, none of this would have been necessary had you used your head seven weeks ago and forfeited your place in the final of t
he tournament. And I think it’s best you remember who has been picking up most of your duties and responsibilities in your absence. That said you’ll be pleased to know that as of today you are officially back in the know. Which means, in short, that I have a great number of things to talk to you about.”

  Danielle bit back her temper and nodded stiffly. “Well I’m pleased to hear as much. But what about him?” she said grudgingly.

  Joseph looked pained. “I won’t lie to you, your meeting two years ago was not chance, though James rescuing you from the river wasn’t exactly as we planned.”

  “What a goat I must look, falling in love with a man my father had secretly appointed to protect me. It’s a wonder you can all keep a straight face.”

  “You’re smarter than that, Danielle. You know the young gentleman’s sentiments towards you are as genuine as yours are for him. That was clear the night of the banquet in Lunwraith after he pulled you from the river, and we know you have been writing to each other ever since and seeing each other regularly. Though you will be pleased to know, I made sure your letters were not opened and read and your father is ignorant of how far your romance has advanced. And I would think that you should be pleased that we selected a man to be your protector who you are fond of—more than fond of, and whom your father likes, and there are certain other things that endear him to us as well. Now, afternoon tea will be ready in the garden in an hour. But before we get down to business, I think you and James might want some time alone. Perhaps a walk in the garden?”

  “James. Is that his real name?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Sydney?”

  “Yes, he’s a Sydney.”

  “How’s that possible? There are no Sydneys left in Arkaelyon since Wyatt’s death and Faith informs me that there is no James Sydney in Corenbald?”

  “We’ll talk about that later. For now you need only know that James’ warrant as protector gives him absolute authority to do whatever he deems necessary to protect you. So you’d best watch yourself.”

  Danielle was struggling to remain composed she was so hurt and angry. “Faith, your riding boots please, and, Joseph, I’ll need your gloves.”

  Joseph frowned, but complied, pulling off his gloves. “Danielle, I know you’re not pleased about how this was done, but it will go easier if you just accept it. He loves you and you love him.”

  Danielle ignored the comment and continued to glare in James’ direction, her hand out waiting for his gloves.

  “Perhaps you should change into something more fitting and do your hair,” Faith said with a grin, as she slipped off her boots.

  Danielle didn’t rise to the bait.

  Joseph was beginning to grin, too, and she shook her head at them. “Will you two stop.”

  “You promised me you’d pursue him relentlessly.”

  “One can only hope,” Joseph said, the comment making Faith burst out laughing.

  Danielle slipped on the gloves and boots, put a foot in a stirrup and swung up onto Joseph’s horse before secured her skirts under her so they would not fly up as she rode. Then, shaking her head at her friends, she brought the horse around. “You two are abominable.” She really wasn’t in the mood to be made fun of.

  “Tea in the garden in an hour—don’t forget!” Joseph shouted after her.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  With the natural poise of one born to the saddle, Danielle rode over to where James sat waiting on his mount.

  “You’re finding all this amusing too, I imagine?”

  The dower expression on his handsome beardless face suggested otherwise, but who was to know the truth any more. “I’m told all of this was arranged from the beginning. Were you employed to steal my heart and my chastity, or was that a bonus you secured on your own?”

  That wounded him deeply, she could see that, and part of her was pleased for it.

  “You know that wasn’t the case.”

  “Why could you not tell me what was afoot? I thought we trusted each other?”

  “You think I did not wanted to?”

  “Yet you did not.”

  He shook his head. “Dee, I am sorry. Truly I am. I did not want it this way. But please, if you let me explain.”

  “To what purpose? For how will I know that you speak the truth?” Danielle drew her horse up next to his. She felt very much like slapping him. “I gave you my heart in the belief that I had yours in return. But the truth is you couldn’t even furnish me with your real name.”

  “I was sworn to secrecy. There are things you don’t know—.”

  “Clearly!” Danielle said, cutting him off. “Yet, if you loved me, James, your loyalty would have been mine and mine alone; you would have told me.”

  Danielle fell silent and looked away at the fields as Faith and Joseph walked by.

  When it was safe to talk again without being overheard, James said, “You have every right to be angry and hurt, but despite the deception, you know I love you and believe it or not all of this was done with your best interests in mind.”

  “My best interests? Hardly. You are an animal of my father’s making. And a paid one at that and you know what that makes me.”

  “You are wrong, Dee. When I pulled you out of the river; the banquet that night when we danced until our feet ached. That kiss in the garden the following evening. The horse ride we took together on your last day in Lunwraith. The secret letters we wrote each other. That magical night in your chambers when you returned to Lunwraith two months later. Dee, all of it took place before I was offered the role as your protector. I was only approached when we meet in Amthenium during one of the tri-monthly meeting of the Assembly of realms. Your father’s inner council thought that if it proved necessary that you be given a protector it would go easier if he was a friend.”

  She nodded, realizing she had been perhaps a little hard on him. “How much does my father know about us?”

  “That we are fond of each other, certainly.”

  “And intimate?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  She felt relieved to hear as much. She was quiet for a few minutes, thinking it all through before saying, “I should be pleased.” She gave a little laugh as she blinked away the tears forming in her eyes. “But I don’t know who you really are. Do I?”

  “You know me better than anyone alive.”

  She gave him her full attention, looking for any hint of ruse and reeled off what she knew about him. “So you are a spy for the Lunwraith court. Your father is Lord Cornwell and your Mother the eldest daughter of a family of the lower Lunwraithian gentry, the Fraytons of Northwitch I think you said? And you are the eldest of five siblings?”

  She stopped as regret clouded his face and he looked away.

  That was the expression she had hoped not to see on his face and its presence hurt her immensely. “So you did lie to me on that first night.”

  “In those matters, yes.” He shook his head and looked at her, his hazel eyes earnest. “But you can not honestly believe that the last two years has been a lie?”

  His look dared her to deny all they had shared together, which they both knew she could not. Not honestly at least.

  “I don’t know what I am supposed to think, James. You say you love me, but you intentionally misled me from the first day we met, and then these past two months, when I needed you the most, you stopped replying to my letter. Why?”

  He blinked at her, bewildered. “What? No. I have written you every day since the tourney, and would have come to you immediately, except your father forbad it.”

  She could see no deceit in his face and his explanation did confirmed what she already suspected was the case with his letters. She felt a little better hearing this.

  “Dee, ask me what you will, and I’ll answer you straight. Please.”

  She sighed, wondering where to begin. “Your family and occupation?”

  “I’m the only son of a peasant born blacksmith. My parents were indentured
to Lord Summerset. They were killed the year the summer crusades to Amthenium were broken and Summerset was invaded and occupied by the Vafusolum horde for a few weeks. A knight under General Hendrix’s command rescued me from the arms of my dying mother. She asked him to take me, and he did. He adopted me and educated me as a gentleman.”

  “And your real name?”

  “My parent’s names were Jon and Anna Featherstone. You can check the Summerset populous records. They lived in a small village on Summerset’s most eastern estate. A place called ….”

  “Hallowfields,” Danielle said. She knew the area for its wine production.

  “Yes.”

  “And your lord? Your benefactor. His real name?”

  James looked down at his hands and then back at her, his broad shoulders rising a little she notices. “Lord Sydney.”

  Danielle bit back the anger that surged through her. “Is that some sort of cruel jest?” She asked, her voice low and taut with anger.

  “I know how it sounds. But it is the truth.”

  “I think you forget who you are talking to, James. I know every name on the roster of men present at the Battle of Summerset and there was only one Sydney under General Hendrix’s command at the time and he along with his squire was murdered shortly after the signing of the Amthenium Treaty. So if Sir Wyatt Sydney had adopted you, I would know.”

  “I know, I know. But it isn’t a fabrication.”

  “No, sir, you do not know. Because if you spoke the truth you would be wearing Wyatt’s lord ring, which I know you do not, and you would be the master of the Sydney Estate in Renwick and you would have been present when we buried your father and my first protector on the hill behind the estate. And I wouldn’t be the only one who visits those graves.”

  Danielle stopped as James drew his sword and held it out for her to see.

  “You know this weapon.”

  She glanced at it and knew it for Wyatt’s. These memory were bitter sweet and she bit down hard to stop the tears from coming again. “All that proves is that you are a thief and a liar. How can you be so cruel! They were like family to me. Tell me the truth!”