Heart of a Knight (A Medieval Romance Novella)
Page 12
“I was not feeling well.” Karina felt him studying her and she bravely raised her eyes to meet his. “I gather that you’ve come for your things.” Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. And unable to prevent it, a tear escaped from the corner of her eye and trailed down her cheek. Embarrassed, she wiped at it with the back of her hand. “Forgive me,” she said, forcing a tremulous smile to her lips. “I’m truly happy for you —”
“But?”
How could she tell him that she would miss his companionship, his strength, his presence? She lived five years without a man. And since his arrival, her life had started to look more positive. Now the prospect of life without him seemed so dreary. She wanted to tell him all of these things, but instead, she said, “I will need to find another stable master to replace you.” An acrid taste formed at the back of her throat and she swallowed painfully.
Geoffrey walked closer into the light, and the soft candlelight reflected off of his handsome face.
He was here to say farewell.
She pressed her lips together to stop them from trembling. But while she did that, another tear escaped from the corner of her eye and then another. And before long, a long stream of hot, salty tears streaked down her cheeks.
“Don’t cry, Karina.” Geoffrey bent down in front of her and tilted up her face. Even with her face puffy and filled with unhappiness, he thought she was beautiful. He traced two thumbs along her cheeks, wiping away at the dampness. “I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured.
“Not going anywhere?” she repeated as if the meaning of his words had not fully registered inside her brain. She gulped hard and really looked at him. “Are you telling me that you’re not leaving Treville? But — but what about that knight that you told me about — the one that caused you harm?” Disbelief reflected in her sodalite-colored eyes. “Were you not seeking him all these years?”
“Pyers means nothing to me now. At one time, I wanted to exact revenge on that bastard. He reduced me to a cripple after all. But for the first time, I no longer care about what occurred on that contest field long ago. True, the accident happened — I cannot change that — but I no longer want the past to haunt me.”
“But what about Princess Lilia?”
“The princess has more than enough men at Baltroham.” He shrugged. “She doesn’t need me.” His eyes softened and he cupped her cheek. “I, on the other hand, need you,” he murmured. “I just didn’t know it until I met you.” He reached for her hand, watching as his fingers laced through hers. “I’m a knight now, yet I’m the same man. And there’s something else.”
He looked up and held her gaze.
“Something else?” she whispered.
“Aye,” he said softly. “This something is more precious than anything that I have ever encountered.” He rubbed a callused thumb back and forth over the fleshy part of her palm. “You make me feel like an able-bodied man, invincible and strong. Without you, I fear that I am a mere shadow.”
His words caused Karina’s eyes to widen in surprise.
He chuckled at her reaction. Then taking a deep breath, he continued, “Karina,” he tightened the grip on her hand, “I want to be with you forever, to love you, and to have children with you.”
“Oh,” she said, the air rushing from her lungs.
Overcome with emotion, she leaned in and embraced him. Her unexpected gesture made his heart soar.
Finally, she broke away and gazed up at him, her eyes shimmering with happiness. “I love you too, Geoffrey.”
“Then will you agree to marry me?”
“Aye!” she cried.
“’Tis settled then,” he smiled broadly. “We shall be married at Baltroham.”
When Karina’s brow furrowed slightly, a quiet laugh rumbled in his chest. “I’ve already asked Princess Lilia to host our wedding at the palace. By the time the banns are announced and the wedding underway, we can make enough candles, and have them displayed throughout the great hall.” He waved his hand in the air as if he imagined all the candles flickering in the large chamber. “When the ceremony is finished, the noble guests will enter the great hall. The first thing they’ll see and smell will be your candles.” He lifted a finger and caressed her soft cheek. “With this kind of exposure, I have no doubt that your business will flourish.”
“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?” she asked, her lips curving into a warm, loving smile.
“Not everything,” he said, shaking his head. His eyes followed along as his finger slid down to her jaw. Tilting her chin up, he focused his gaze on her luscious lips. “This, I’ve only thought of now.”
He then dipped his head and captured her lips, kissing her with all the love and devotion that he carried deep within his heart. In answer, Karina kissed him back, setting free her own buried passion. And at long last, their two separate hearts entwined and merged, forever becoming one.
To My Readers…
Thank you for purchasing this book. If you enjoyed this story, I would be most grateful if you would take a few seconds to write a review for it, and to spread the word about it to your friends.
Many thanks,
Dana D’Angelo
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Acknowledgments
As always, thank you to my husband and kids. Your love and support is worth its weight in gold, silver and everything precious.
About the Author
Dana is the only girl from a family of nine children. As a teenager, there was a constant battle for the T.V. remote, which she lost, so she was forced to find her amusement in books. A friend got her into romances, and soon she discovered the historical kind. She read as many as ten romance novels per week, spending hours with her nose pressed between the pages, skipping meals and cutting out sleep. Life, it seems, wasn’t as exciting or interesting as in the Medieval or Regency eras.
It wasn’t until she was married with two young kids that she decided to take a stab at writing her own historical romance novels.
She is intrigued with the idea of writing romantic stories that could bring hours of enjoyment to readers, help them escape from reality, and perhaps remind them how sweet love is and should be. These are the things that she enjoys as a reader, and these are the things that she wants to give back as a writer.
Dana lives in a city east of Toronto, Canada. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s dining at local restaurants with her husband and kids and enjoying the spectacular foods of the world.
Website: www.dana-dangelo.com
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