by Lynn Wood
“Oh, my dear, I’m so sorry.” It was Matilda who reached out a consoling hand and offered her expression of sympathy in a gentle voice.
“Thank you, your highness. I know it is possible Melissa might be dead, but in my heart I think she could still be alive. Nathan thinks it was just a dream.”
William, catching Nathan’s eye, steered the conversation back to the horse. “So my dear, you claim the black will not accept another rider.”
“It is not a claim, your highness, but the truth.”
She was aware of his skepticism at her response and sighed deeply. “You do not believe me.”
He smiled.
“I have no doubt some of your men will try to capture him and climb on his back. Men are very stupid that way. Especially because they witnessed me riding him.”
The king nodded, grinning.
“He will kill anyone who tries.”
“Indeed?”
Rhiann was aware of the laughter the king was trying to hide behind the bland expression he was regarding her with. “I can see you do not believe me, sire, but I assure you it is the truth. Then you will no doubt order Arden’s death and disaster will strike.”
“Disaster, wife?” Nathan struggled to suppress a chuckle at his wife’s dramatic turn of phrase.
“You may laugh Nathan, but I assure you it is the truth. And if you made good on your foolish threat to injure Arden, I cannot imagine what awful thing would have befallen you by now.”
Nathan could no longer contain his laughter. His wife was so sure of her foolish conclusions. Her voice fairly reeked with authority.
“You may laugh, husband, but look around and you will notice none of the Saxons among us are laughing. They remember what happened to Baron Patrick and his son and heir.”
Nathan did as she suggested and noticed his wife was correct. Some of the Saxon lords were allowed to retain their former positions under the new realm. They sat silently now, avoiding the scrutiny and questions being thrown in their direction.
William leaned towards Rhiann. “You must tell me the story of Baron Patrick, Rhiann. I have no wish for disaster to befall us.”
Rhiann sighed dramatically, as if sensing her story would serve only as a source of amusement to its listeners rather than a warning, but since she could not decline the king’s request, she would reluctantly share the story with him. “Baron Patrick’s son heard of the rumors surrounding the Salusian kings and made up his mind to ride one.”
“He decided he would ride Arden?” William clarified.
“No. Arden was not yet born then. It was his grandfather.”
“Who was the keeper of the stone at the time?”
“My grandmother.”
Nodding, the king gestured for Rhiann to continue with her story.
“The baron’s son tracked Aileen and found him. His men surrounded Aileen so he was unable to escape and the baron’s son could mount him. They put a rope around his neck and the baron’s son finally was able to gain his back, but before he even had the opportunity to brag about his accomplishment to his friends, he was thrown. His neck was broken. He died instantly.”
A heavy silence fell over the room as Rhiann stopped speaking. It was obvious everyone in the hall was listening intently to her account.
“And then disaster struck,” the king prodded Rhiann to continue.
“Yes, Baron Patrick was furious over his son’s death and determined to kill Aileen. So along with his men, he hunted Aileen. When they found him, they surrounded him and shot their arrows into him.”
“So Aileen was killed by the baron.”
Rhiann turned on the bench to respond to her husband’s comment. “Of course he was killed. He was just a horse, Nathan. He wasn’t magic.”
Nathan nodded seriously, swallowing his smile at the rebuke in his wife’s voice.
“What happened after Aileen was killed?”
“The Salusians came to bury Aileen and Baron Patrick no doubt intended to ride triumphantly back to his estates, but he never made it.”
“What happened to him?”
Rhiann rolled her eyes at the laughter her husband could barely contain in his voice, but replied honestly to his question. “He was thrown off his horse. His neck was broken.”
“You are joking.”
“Do you find my account amusing, husband?”
“No, merely difficult to believe.” Nathan made no attempt to disguise his laughter now. His wife’s obvious disgust with his lack of appreciation for her grossly exaggerated tale was evident in her expression.
“Then I will not share the rest of the story with you, for you would no doubt find that impossible to believe.”
William gestured for Nathan to get his laughter under control, and then pleaded with Rhiann to finish her tale. “Please my dear, you must finish your story.”
“All right, your highness.” She very deliberately shifted on the bench to present her back to her husband as she finished her tale. “Every man who put an arrow through Aileen was killed within a few months of Aileen’s murder.”
“Murder, wife? I didn’t know it was possible to murder a horse.”
Rhiann ignored her husband’s teasing remark and instead answered the king’s query about how the men died. “They all perished in different ways, sire. One was trampled by his horse, another speared in a jousting competition when his horse became unruly at the critical moment…well, you get the idea.”
Nathan could no longer restrain his laughter. He gripped his wife’s stiff shoulders and turned her to face him along the bench. “You’re implying, wife that the men’s horses took revenge for their riders’ part in Aileen’s death.”
“Believe what you will, husband, but my conscious is clear. I have given you and everyone else in the room fair warning of the consequences of injuring a Salusian king.”
He grinned at her dire warning.
“So none of the Salusians have ever attempted to ride Arden or his predecessors?”
“Of course not. They are not stupid, like…” Rhiann saw the warning look in her husband’s eyes and quickly inserted ‘other men’ for the ‘Normans’ that was on the tip of her tongue. Nathan’s expression told her he was aware of the substitution, then he changed the subject.
“Who taught you to ride?”
“Michel. He’s a trained Salusian warrior, initiated into the ancient ways.”
“Ancient ways?”
“I cannot speak of such things. It is forbidden.”
“Rhiann …”
When his wife stubbornly refused to answer his question and sat mutely at his side as if prepared to remain so all night, he pursued another topic that had been on his mind lately. “Rhiann, who is your grandmother’s heir?”
If she was surprised by his abrupt change in topics, she gave no indication of discomfort. “With my mother and two older brothers dead, Michel.”
“Your brother’s dead, wife.”
“No, he is not!”
He let pass her vehement denial, but promised himself he would have that talk with her soon about challenging him in front of witnesses. “Fine, in the event Michel pre-deceases your grandmother, who would become her heir?”
“His son or daughter.”
Nathan held onto his temper with an effort. “And if he dies before fathering children?”
“Melissa.”
Nathan wanted to strangle his stubborn little wife. “And if your sister dies leaving no children?”
Rhiann shifted nervously in her seat and evaded giving him the confirmation he sought. He tried a different approach.
“Rhiann, why did Amele kneel at your feet?”
“What?” She lifted innocent eyes to his.
“Amele. Why did he kneel at your feet?”
He couldn’t wait to see how she tried to get out of this one. “He was just being polite.”
“Polite?” Nathan echoed mildly, knowing she was completely trapped now.
“Let us speak
of something else, husband. I am certain no one else wishes to hear such intimate details of my family history.”
There was a bark of laughter from across the table and husband and wife turned together towards the source. The stranger met Nathan’s long-suffering look with a ready grin, but directed his full attention in Rhiann’s direction. “Forgive me for contradicting you, my lady, but I for one find your family history quite fascinating.”
Rhiann’s eyes were drawn in the direction of the stranger, happy for the interruption of her husband’s intent questioning regardless of the source. She noticed his eyes were a dark, dark brown, almost black, like the eyes of the devil, she imagined fancifully except they were alight with laughter. She instinctively smiled back. He rose at her attention and bowed gallantly in her direction.
“I have not yet had the pleasure, my lady. Though I can certainly appreciate my friend’s reluctance to introduce me to his new wife.”
“You are a friend of my husband, my lord?” Rhiann turned curiously towards Nathan, who with seeming reluctance made the requested introduction.
“Rhiann, this is Baron Luke.”
“Luke, my wife, Rhiann.”
The stranger bowed again. Rhiann, smiling, nodded. “It is an honor to meet you, baron.”
“I assure you my lady, the honor is mine.” He sat back down on the bench and regarded Nathan curiously. “I cannot help but wonder why I was not invited to the nuptials. I thought your husband and I were close friends.”
“Oh, I can explain.” Rhiann interjected as Nathan made no attempt to reply to his friend’s remark. “I am certain my husband intended no insult. We were married quite suddenly. Nathan was stuck with me when the king decided to award him my father’s estates.”
Luke’s lips curved at Rhiann’s choice of words and Nathan’s long suffering look. “I cannot believe your husband agrees with your assessment of being stuck with you.”
“That is very kind of you, but alas it is quite true. Not that I was given much choice in the matter either.”
Luke’s grin flashed at Rhiann’s muttered remembered abuse tacked on in a whisper at the end of her explanation.
“Rhiann, I am quite sure Luke is not interested in the details of our marriage.”
Rhiann blushed at her husband’s rebuke and sent his friend an apologetic look.
“On the contrary, my friend. I am fascinated by your wife’s disclosures. My condolences on the loss of your father, my lady.”
“Thank you, baron.” Rhiann replied softly. Nathan sighed at her side, aware he had somehow managed to offend his wife’s tender feelings again. He sent a dark look across the table, blaming his friend for his interference.
Luke grinned in his direction, then turned his attention back to Rhiann. “Who was your father, if you don’t mind my curiosity?”
“No of course not. My father was the Duke of Weston.”
Luke repeated stunned. “Your father was the Duke of Weston?”
“You knew him, baron?”
“Of him, Lady Rhiann, but no I never had the pleasure of meeting him personally.”
She nodded, disappointed. Luke gave Nathan a considering look. “The king awarded your husband all of your father’s estates?”
Rhiann shrugged and turned to her husband for clarification. When Nathan seemed disinclined to respond Luke turned to William, who nodded smiling in his direction.
Luke, catching the confirmation, smiled again, his eyes fairly dancing with the laughter Rhiann found so delightful. “And have you informed your husband of the extent of the king’s generosity?”
Rhiann squirmed in her seat again. “Surely, baron, it is not for me to inform my husband of such things.”
“Rhiann…”
She was getting used to the warning tone of her husband’s voice. She turned back in his direction and actually had the affront to pat him on the hand. “Nathan, what could I possibly know of such things as lands and estates?”
She held his glance with an effort, then quickly dropped her gaze to the table when he asked, “Just as you know nothing of the rules surrounding thousand year old family heirlooms?”
“Thousand year old heirlooms?”
Rhiann turned back in Luke’s direction, and quickly shook her head in a signal she would prefer he not pursue the topic further.
He grinned back at her then turned his attention to her husband. “You are not by chance referring to the Salusian stone are you?”
“You know of the Salusian stone?” Nathan inquired incredulous.
“Yes, of course?”
“Of course,” Nathan echoed mockingly.
Luke chuckled. “Forgive me, I forget myself. I spend so much of my time at my family’s northern estates I am considerably more familiar with the tribal legends than most of my acquaintances.”
“Is that so?”
Luke was distracted from answering his friend’s question by the sight of the stone nestled against Rhiann’s breasts. Nathan tried to contain his annoyance at the sight of where Luke’s gaze rested. Luke, becoming aware of his friend’s growing annoyance quickly lifted his gaze. “Forgive me, Lady Rhiann, but is it possible the stone around your neck is the Salusian stone?”
“Yes.” Rhiann lifted the chain over her head. “Would you like to examine it more closely?”
Nathan was surprised when Luke refused her offer. “No, thank you. I had not heard of your grandmother’s death. Forgive me.”
“My grandmother is not dead, my lord.”
“But…” Confused, Luke’s glance swung from Rhiann to Nathan.
When his wife seemed disinclined to explain away the source of Luke’s confusion, Nathan offered, “It is a lengthy story better left for another time.”
Nodding, Luke changed the topic. “My lady, I could not help but notice you believe your brother and sister are still alive.”
Rhiann nodded. “I hope so anyway.”
“Perhaps we have more in common than either of us realized.”
“I do not understand.”
“I made the trip to Saxony to search for my older brother. His ship was lost in the crossing and he has not been heard from since.”
“A Norman ship, my lord?” Rhiann inquired hopefully.
“Yes. It was last reported there was some malfunction with the ship and it was blown north in the storm.”
“North? You will begin your search for him north?”
“Yes that is my intent.” Luke was confused by Rhiann’s enthusiasm over his planned route. He watched Rhiann nudge her husband in the side. Nathan ignored her. She nudged harder. Luke exchanged a questioning, amused look with the king.
Rhiann turned back to him. “Perhaps my lord, as long as you are searching north for your brother, you might make inquiries as well about my sister and brother.”
“I would be happy to.” He offered immediately. Too late he caught Nathan’s discouraging look.
Rhiann was thrilled. “Thank you, baron, that is so generous of you. I know exactly where you should begin your search.”
“I would certainly be happy for your suggestions, my lady.”
“Stoney Point,” Rhiann announced smiling. “That is near my husband’s new estate at Heaven’s Crest.”
“I see.” He lifted an enquiring glance in Nathan’s direction, noticing Rhiann appeared to be struggling to keep her eyes open. After announcing where he should begin his search, she turned in her husband’s arms, wrapped her own around his waist, rested her head against his chest, and promptly fell asleep.
“I can see you are annoyed with me, Nathan, but I have no idea why. Congratulations, by the way on your good fortune in acquiring the Weston estates, and more particularly in acquiring the duke’s lovely daughter for your wife.”
“Thank you.”
“I almost regret I was sent on this fool’s errand for my father and was unable to attend your nuptials.”
“It is just as well for us both. I would have hated to have to kill you over h
er.”
Luke laughed and lifted his ale in a mock salute in Nathan’s direction. “To your good health and many blessed sons and daughters.”
Nathan lifted his own glass and together, the two men downed theirs. “So what has your bride confided to you about the Salusian stone?”
“As much as she just explained to you about Stoney Point.”
Laughter shook his friend’s shoulders. “I hope you realize your good fortune, my friend, and I am referring to your wife, not her father’s estates.”
“Something else you seem to know more about than I would have expected.”
“I always consider myself well informed, but I think Nathan, you are so dazzled by your new wife you are remarkably ill-informed about the extent of your good fortune.”
“True enough. Perhaps you would care to enlighten me on what you know about the duke and the Salusian stone since by the time my wife gets around to explaining herself I shall likely be too old and feeble to do anything about either.”
William was enjoying the exchange between his two favored barons when he noticed his wife was struggling to keep her own eyes open. As much as he wished to hear the remainder of Nathan and Luke’s exchange he took pity on his wife. “Come my dear, we will wait until tomorrow to learn more about the legends surrounding thousand year old stones and magic stallions.”
The entire assembly rose as the king and queen took their leave. As soon as William and Matilda disappeared from the hall, Nathan nodded in his friend’s direction and excused himself as well. He was already half way to the stairs when Luke’s laughing protest reached him.
“Nathan, I thought you wished to probe my deep well of information and intellect to learn more about the legends of the Salusian stallions and stone.”
Nathan paused and turned to face his friend, his wife cuddled close in his arms. “Another time, perhaps. I have more interesting plans for the remainder of the evening than hearing even your scintillating discourse about ancient legends and tribal customs.”
The outburst of laughter from around the hall was loud enough to cause Rhiann to stir in her husband’s arms. Nathan tucked her closer into the warmth of his embrace, nodded in Luke’s direction, and then carried his sleeping wife the rest of the way to the warmth and privacy of his rooms.