Raven’s Rise

by Cole, Elizabeth

  She closed her eyes, trying to get her breathing back to normal. “I’m better now…what’s your name?”

  “Ulmar,” he said.

  “Very well, Ulmar. We can go on.”

  The man-at-arms looked rather uncertain, but he nodded and turned to keep walking. “Follow me. It’s not far.”

  They went a bit slower through the woods, but Angelet thought they’d reach Goswin soon, and instead Ulmar just kept walking. She also expected to hear voices—boys shouting, perhaps. Or running to see when help would come.

  “Where is he?” she asked.

  “Not far. Almost there.” Ulmar slowed his pace to let her catch up, then took her by the elbow. “Just a little further.”

  Something made her hesitate, and she stopped in her tracks. “This is too far.”

  Ulmar’s grip tightened. “Sorry, my lady.”

  She tried to pull away, but there wasn’t much she could do against a guard twice her size. “Let me go,” she said. Her heart sped up, and she could feel the pricks of pain in her chest from the exertion.

  “Can’t do that, my lady.” Ulmar’s voice was still soft. “Orders.”

  “Whose orders? Where’s Goswin?”

  “He’s got him,” Ulmar said. “Lord Ernald. So you see, my lady, the boy does need you. Ernald will hurt him if you don’t arrive soon.”

  Angelet swallowed, tasting a metallic bitterness in her mouth as her limbs shook in fear. She took a deeper breath, then tried to run. She had to get back to Cleobury.

  She made it about twenty paces. And only that far because Ulmar stumbled on a tree root for a moment. But he gained on her immediately, and she screamed when he grabbed her by the arm.

  Ulmar jerked her toward him, swinging her body to his and muffling her mouth with a big hand. “Don’t scream, my lady. Won’t do a bit of good. You’re too far from the manor and no one will hear.”

  She struggled for a moment, but already her lungs protested. She slumped in defeat.

  The big man removed his hand, and she gasped several times.

  “Scream again and I’ll have to do something about it,” he warned her.

  “Let me go.”

  “Can’t. And there’s still the matter of the boy. You don’t want him to suffer.”

  “Where is he?”

  “Close.” Ulmar took her by the elbow once more, this time making it clear that she’d be stupid to try to get free. Angelet stumbled along beside him, furious with herself for getting into this mess. She should have known something was wrong! She should have told someone, or insisted on more people joining them. But she had been so worried about Goswin.

  A moment later, they entered a clearing, where several horses were tethered at one side, and people gathered on the other.

  One of them turned at their arrival. “Oh, there she is. The elusive Angelet!”

  Angelet took in the sight of Ernald, who appeared incredibly satisfied with himself. Next to him stood none other than Bethany, who clearly survived the attack to the cortège—and was probably never even in danger. The way she hovered possessively close to Ernald suggested that she was his lover. So that was the reason Bethany volunteered to join Angelet on the journey. Ernald must have told her to.

  She noticed another man dressed as a soldier, who held a bound and gagged Goswin. Angelet saw the fear in the boy’s eyes, and understood exactly how he felt.

  Ernald circled Angelet like a wolf around a sheep.

  “You’re looking well, sister,” he said. “Despite all that’s befallen you since your departure from Dryton. And I know about everything you’ve done because I’ve been tracking you for weeks now.”

  Considering Bethany had obviously been passing on information to him during the first part of the journey, that news was not surprising. Still, she knew Ernald wanted to be dramatic, so she indulged him. He’d tell her more that way, since Ernald adored the sound of his own voice.

  “How did you find me here?” she asked.

  “Silly girl, it was simple. One of my hired men saw you flee from the site of the original attack. Your champion, dressed in black armor, riding a black horse. You in your fine gown and jewels, with your lovely blonde tresses, riding a white horse. That’s a remarkable looking pair. It was not hard to follow the trail once we found someone who had seen you.” Ernald’s grin widened. “Where the hell did you plan to go, though? I never could tell.”

  “We were riding for Wareham,” she said, deliberately avoiding mention of Henry.

  “Ah, yes. You’d get aboard a ship and sail back to your family!” He laughed.

  “Why does that sound so funny to you?” she asked. “It’s not as if I ever could call the Yarboroughs family. After Hubert died, I was forgotten.”

  “Hardly forgotten, Angelet.” Ernald put a finger on her throat. “I thought about you quite often.”

  “All the more reason for me to return to my own family,” she said, jerking away.

  He chuckled again. “Ah, yes. One small hurdle for that course, Angelet. You have no family in Anjou.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean the d’Hivers are no more. Both your parents are dead now, your brother is who the hell knows where. A rival has taken your lands by force… You have no allies, and no home to go back to.”

  Her heart quailed, but she kept a brave face. “I don’t believe you. These are lies to hurt me.”

  He shrugged. “You may think that if you like. But did you never wonder why no one came to claim you? Why Otto could keep you in his grip as he did? Why your mother or father never wrote to you? Never asked after you?”

  “Otto kept letters from me,” she guessed, uncertainly. “Or stopped messengers from speaking with me.”

  “A few, early on. But then there were no more letters. Because there were no more d’Hivers to write them.”

  “I don’t believe you,” she repeated, except this time her voice shook.

  “Oh, it’s true. Otto was just waiting for the right opportunity to unload you, since you long outserved your purpose as the vessel for the heir. Hence the nunnery.”

  “That was a compromise,” she said. “I would be allowed visits from my son, and that abbey is known for healing. My affliction could be cured there.”

  He chuckled. “Basingwerke is not known for its healing or its infirmary. It’s known for its visionaries. Both men and women touched by God with divine visions that they shout out or mumble or ramble on. You’ll embroider yours, I suppose. The abbot doesn’t seek to cure anyone’s suffering. He collects people like you, and then profits from the spectacle of the visions. Whether they’re beautiful or terrible or prophetic…it doesn’t matter. People come to watch.”

  “The abbot permits that?”

  “He encourages it! If your sufferings are dramatic enough, you’ll be locked up in an anchorite’s cell, or chained to the wall, and there people will come and gawk as you go through your ordeal. They call it a pilgrimage, like visiting a shrine of a saint. But they leave…you don’t. You remain there on display until you die, or you bring in no more money. See, the gawkers pay the abbey in coin for your care…a donation, which the abbot keeps for himself.”

  “That cannot be true.”

  “As if you’d know, woman. Otto told you nothing of the place. He didn’t allow you to visit first, or decide for yourself.”

  Angelet swallowed nervously. “What do you care if I end up in a nunnery or run off alone. I don't know why anyone in your family cares what happens to me!”

  Ernald leaned in, his mouth right by her ear. “Because you are family, little lamb.”

  She shivered at the feel of his breath on her skin. “Get away from me. This isn’t seemly.”

  He straightened up, saying, “Neither is riding around half the country with only a nameless bastard of a soldier for company. You’re no better than a common slut.”

  “Then why bother with me? Just let me go.”

  “Ah, no, I still have some business wi
th you, Angelet. First, after your behavior, you’ve dishonored the family name, which is intolerable. Second, there’s the matter of your missing dowry. Third, I intend to discover exactly how depraved your nighttime activities have been, by testing you myself, starting tonight.”

  “You will not,” Angelet retorted. Her words were echoed strangely, and she realized someone else said the same words.

  Bethany stood aghast, staring at both Angelet and Ernald. She had also spoken. Now she added, “My lord, you can’t. Not her. Not after she’s given herself to that man. She doesn’t deserve you!”

  All at once, many things became clear to Angelet. Bethany’s often rude behavior, her cutting remarks. The maid wasn’t just a casual lover. She truly loved Ernald. No wonder she’d hated Angelet for so long. Angelet felt sick.

  But Ernald just said, “Silence, lamb. No woman orders me.”

  Bethany looked as if she was going to retort, but then clenched her fists and bowed her head. “Yes, my lord.”

  “Good girl. Don’t worry about what transpires between Angelet and me. She’ll be dealt with soon enough.”

  Angelet closed her eyes. That did not sound promising. She had to get away from Ernald. “You tracked me for weeks just to punish me?” she asked.

  “No. I tracked you for weeks because what I wanted to retrieve from your cortège wasn’t there. What happened to the gold, Angelet?”

  She blinked in confusion. “Surely Bethany told you. The thieves—your thieves—dropped the chest and we all saw it. There was no gold.”

  “Yes, everyone saw it. No one liked it.” Ernald’s eyes narrowed. “Those men almost turned on me afterward. They thought I lied to them, but I managed to convince them you were at fault.”

  “But I wasn’t!”

  “Otto gave the key to you. You had half the men-at-arms dancing to your tune. You must have used them to sneak the gold out of the chest. How’d you do it? A little night by night? Or one bold move? Where’d you hide it all?”

  “Nowhere! For the last time, I didn’t open that chest at all. Whoever stole the gold did it without using my key, and without my knowledge.”

  He raised a hand, about to strike her across the face. “Don’t lie to me, Angelet.”

  She watched his hand, certain that whatever she said, it would result in pain. But she wasn’t going to be made into a thief. “I had nothing to do with the gold going missing,” she said, very slowly.

  Ernald’s arm jerked, but he stayed his hand for the moment. She saw the calculation in his eyes. “Perhaps it wasn’t you. That knight could have done it, maybe by stealing the key after he enjoyed you.”

  “Stop it.”

  “If it was him,” Ernald went on, ignoring her, “then I’ll need to chat with him. And keeping you close will make that easier.” He looked to Ulmar. “Now that we have her, it’s time to ride to meet the others. When we get there, take her to the stone hut and make sure she stays locked up inside. I have to consider my options.”

  The way Ernald smiled at Angelet made her grow cold.

  Chapter 30

  Rafe was still overwhelmed by the news he’d received the day before, and he wanted to tell everyone he’d ever met. In particular, he wanted to hear more of what Angelet had to say. He knew that he couldn’t court Angelet, much as he wanted to, until his status was known more generally. Still, he could talk to her. After hearing that she was awake and working in the orchard he decided to find her, but he was intercepted by Alric.

  “Well?” the other man asked bluntly. “What was the news? Rainald can be an oyster when he wants—won’t let a word slip about his plans.”

  “He told me about my family,” Rafe said.

  The surprise on Alric’s face was completely authentic. “Your family?”

  So Rafe shared the story once more. He’d tell it for the rest of life and not tire of it. Alric sat back in amazement and listened to it all. At the end, he said, “That’s a marvel. A tragedy for your parents, but still a marvel. That you should have gone so long without knowing, just because of all the obstacles fate put in the way.”

  “Better late than never.”

  “Who else knows?”

  “So far, I only told Angelet.”

  “Ah.” Alric crossed his arms, and looked intolerably smug.

  “What’s the ah for?”

  “The woman you insisted was just a client was the first person you told. Interesting.”

  “Well…” Rafe didn’t have an answer. “Yes. I did. But it doesn’t mean anything.”

  “No? My mistake. Come, you need to tell Cecily what’s happened.”

  So Rafe was dragged along to tell Cecily. Then Rainald joined them, and talk turned to the more legal ramifications of Rafe’s new status. Rafe was jolted when servants brought in some food for a midday meal—he’d got lost amid the swirl of discussion about what he should do next.

  Alric thought he should petition the king for the privileges that had been his father’s. Cecily suggested he travel to find his mother’s people. Rainald also offered a few ideas for Rafe to take advantage of his legacy. Rafe nodded and listened to them all, but the only thing he could think of was the fact that he was now elevated to a station just high enough so he could ask Angelet to marry him without being rejected out of hand. Granted, she’d still want to speak to her family and he’d need to prove himself worthy of them. And they still needed to get her son back to her. Would Angelet’s being married again actually help with that? Possibly.

  He just wished he could feel more certain about Angelet’s response. She’d seemed a little strange the previous night, especially with the suggestion that—how had she put it?—he’d resent any choice that wasn’t his own. Why had she said that? She’d meant that if their relationship became common knowledge, marriage would be the quickest path to restoring reputations. But why would Angelet think he’d resent her for it? Even with his parentage known, Rafe would still be the one ascending in rank by wedding her, a truly well-born woman. Perhaps she just hadn't been thinking clearly when she spoke. After all, Rafe had done his best to keep her mind occupied elsewhere.

  “Rafe?”

  “What?” He looked up to see the others watching him. It was Cecily who’d asked him a question. “Yes?”

  “Did you want to send word to Luc? To help you craft a petition for the king. You know Luc has the most experience at court—he’ll know just what to say.”

  “I need to speak to Angelet,” he said, not quite following.

  Cecily glanced at Alric, then they both smiled knowingly. Cecily said, “Perhaps that’s best. I’ll ask for her to come here.”

  She called for a servant, then gave the order. They sat waiting. Rafe tried to ignore Alric and Cecily’s smug expressions, which was difficult, since they sat directly across from him. Rainald, in the large, padded seat close to the fire, hummed to himself, then said, “That was the song they played at my wedding feast! Never forgot it.”

  Rafe rolled his eyes. So he was beset on all sides. “You did tell the servants to bring her here, didn’t you?”

  Cecily nodded, but then looked to the door. “I do wonder what’s keeping her. It’s been long enough.”

  But Angelet did not come. Another quarter hour passed. Rafe stood up. “Something’s wrong.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Cecily rose to her feet. “She’s probably just freshening up. I’ll go to her room and see.”

  Cecily left, but Rafe didn’t sit back down. Alric watched him pace. “Aren’t you overreacting? What could possibly happen inside the walls?”

  “She could have had another seizure, like the one she was suffering from when she came here.”

  “Then we’d have heard about it,” Alric said. “Someone would have come to Cecily immediately.”

  Rafe was just about to admit he was right when he heard footsteps. He turned to the door, grateful Angelet wouldn’t hear his worrying.

  But it was only Cecily who came in, her brows drawn. “No one’
s seen Angelet,” she said. “Not since this morning.”

  “She was in the orchard,” Rafe said.

  “I’ve just sent someone to look. Perhaps she walked to a different place, to sit under shade or…”

  A maid hurried in. “My lady, she’s not in the orchard, but her sewing was under an apple tree. She wouldn’t have simply left it there. She was very careful of her work.”

  Rafe’s fists balled up. “Something’s wrong,” he repeated, more vehemently.

  Alric put a hand up. “Let’s not jump at shadows. She must have seen something, or been needed.”

  “Find Goswin,” Rafe instructed the maid. “He might know what happened.”

  The maid nodded and hurried out.

  By then, Rafe wasn’t going to sit back down until he knew what was going on. He told Cecily to summon him with any news, then he left the room, followed by Alric. They encountered Octavian almost immediately.

  The younger knight didn’t look unduly worried when Rafe explained the situation, but he said, “First things first. She’s likely somewhere within the walls, but I’ll go ask the gatehouse if she’s left. Then we can focus the search inside.” He turned and walked briskly toward the gatehouse.

  “So it’s a search now,” Rafe muttered.

  “Just a term,” Alric said. “She’ll be under a tree somewhere, and she’ll laugh at all the fuss over nothing.”

  But the fuss was not over nothing. Another servant said that Goswin couldn’t be located either. Rafe grimaced. “Jesu, I never thought I’d miss seeing that boy’s face.”

  Then Octavian returned with one of the gatehouse guards.

  “Listen to this man’s report,” the knight said, then gestured to the guard to speak.

  “My lords,” the guard began nervously. “The lady who’s a guest here…she walked outside of the walls this morning.”

  “When?” Rafe demanded.

  “Um. About mid-morning. She was with one of the men-at-arms.”

  “Who?” Alric asked. “I’ll have him summoned.”

  “I don’t know, my lord. Peter? No, Peter’s not so tall. Gunter, maybe…” The guard looked confused.