Madox escorted me along the roads of Lund as we ran our errands for the day, the mid-afternoon sun warm on my skin despite the cooling temperatures as autumn neared. I was not looking forward to winter, knowing it was going to be far colder here in the north than in Taurova, and I very much disliked the cold. I decided that I would have to stop at the Tailor’s to have a warmer coat made, smiling a little as I thought of taking Rhian with me for one of her own.
It had been a week since our conversation regarding Ben, and while I had been in Lund a few times, had not seen him once. Rhian always asked the moment I returned from Lund, and was always disappointed when I said I had not seen him. She remained true to her word, at least, not sneaking off to go in search of him. I was pleased that she was giving me her trust and some time to fulfill my part of the deal, though I wondered how long it would last?
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I found myself searching faces when I was in Lund, wondering as I went around every corner if he would be there. Having his face in my mind led me to see his features in many residents, pausing each time only to feel a mixture of relief and disappointment when it wasn’t him. After a week, I began to believe he really had left town. That would not have been the worst thing in the world, I decided. While it would have hurt Rhian, her being free of a man who managed to hold such influence over her made me feel better.
At least, it would have made me feel better if I could dismiss my unfulfilled promise. When I committed to doing something, I was driven to see it through. I wondered if my failure would push Rhian back to her rebellious ways? There wasn’t much to be done about it now, if he had left Lund, so I set to my errands and headed towards the grocery stalls to arrange for our weekly delivery while Madox ducked into the blacksmith’s shop.
I had barely stepped up to the stall when a tall man appeared next to me without so much as a sound, materializing at my side like he came out of thin air. My heart jumped up into my throat in my startlement, my strangled gasp drawing the eyes of the man and the grocer while I came to understand that it was not a phantom, but Ben. His unexpected presence next to me suddenly had me more flustered than I cared to admit. So he didn’t leave town after all...and now I have no idea what to say.
I turned towards him as my gaze swept upwards, now realizing just how tall he was. I had only ever seen him sitting, but now that he loomed over me, his height and broad, muscled shoulders were much more intimidating. His blue-grey eyes were already fixed on mine and he greeted me. “Good afternoon, Lady Carys.” He said, smoothly dipping his head more elegantly than I would have expected from a swordsman and servant, if his story was even true.
I cleared my throat in the hopes of regaining some measure of composure, though admittedly, my heart still thudded from the fright of his sudden and silent appearance next to me. His eyes holding mine was doing little to help calm the flustered hammering of my heart, and it was all I could do to pretend I was unfazed. Straightening my posture like the noblewoman I was, I returned the polite gesture. “Good afternoon, Ben.” I said cordially.
“I was wondering if I might have a word, Lady.” he said evenly, though he offered a brief smile to me as he continued. “I believe you and I may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I wanted to resolve whatever misunderstandings we might have.” My eyebrows lifted in surprise, not expecting such an up-front approach from the man like him.
He continued speaking as though he sensed no hesitation on my part, his eyes not leaving mine as he shifted to face me completely. “I know what you believe me to be, but please know that I was not inciting your sister to sneak out of the house. I meant what I said, about being concerned for her safety.” He actually looked and sounded genuine, much to my chagrin. He’s starting to make it difficult to dislike him.
My dubious nature wouldn’t be swayed so easily, however, and I repeated my statement. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m sure can you understand that we do not hire random men in which to place our trust and our lives. As I said a week ago, should we be in need of more guards, I will take your offer into more serious consideration.” I said firmly, meeting his gaze and studying him for a moment, noting the details of his face in the sunlight.
“However…” I added, almost like an afterthought though it wasn’t. “If you have a little bit of time, I wouldn’t mind hearing precisely what my sister was up to when you were struck with such concern for her. I have heard her side of the story, but I would like to hear yours, also.” A muscle in his cheek twitched, and I got the feeling he was trying to suppress a smirk. I couldn’t imagine what part of what I had just said was so amusing, though I decided not to ask.
He dipped his head, seeming willing to comply with my request as he murmured. “Of course, though I shall warn you, Lady Carys, I will not betray what she spoke to me in confidence. I am returning to the Silver Stag and have some time now, if you wish to join me. Your guard is welcome also.” He added, eyes flicking towards the blacksmith’s shop, and with the vaguely sarcastic tone in his voice, I had the feeling he was teasing me.
I hesitated to answer him, wondering what Rhian might have said to him about our family and our situation, though I gave a nod of affirmation as though what she might have said mattered little. “I will finish my business here and we will join you at The Stag shortly.” I glanced over towards the Blacksmith’s shop, expecting to see Madox emerge at any moment.
Ben smiled slightly, still managing to look serious despite the upturn to his lips. “I will see you both soon, then.” With that, he turned and strode up the hill towards the Inn, a grace to his steps to match his perfect posture, a stride that came from some sense of purpose that I didn’t understand.
CHAPTER 20
I handed my weekly list of groceries to the vendor who smiled, nodding cheerfully at the list as she reassured me the crates could be picked up the next day. Madox exited the shop and headed directly for me, coming up behind me with a frown as his eyes swept up the road in the direction Ben had gone. “Who were you talking to?” he questioned me, his brown eyes narrowing a little. I was relieved to know he had been watching us from inside the shop, though admittedly, I felt relatively safe in the middle of the market in the middle of the day.
“That was the man that Rhian has been sneaking out to meet.” I told him as I lifted my hand in farewell to the grocer, turning to face Madox in time to watch his frown deepen. “His name is Ben, and I agreed to speak with him when we are finished here.” I explained, though added a moment later. “He was adamant that he had not been encouraging Rhian to sneak out to meet him, and I feel like I should hear his side of the story. I did promise Rhian that I would at least have a conversation or two with him.”
Madox grimaced and reluctantly nodded, though his voice was stiff in his reply. “As you wish, Lady Carys.” He motioned for me to lead the way, so I did. The gentle climb up the hill towards the Stag suddenly felt a little steeper as we made our way following Ben’s footsteps.
When we entered the tavern, Ben was waiting at the counter, standing straighter than most men with eyes trained on the door. Once we stepped inside, he turned to the barkeep. “Redding, an ale for me, and then whatever the Lady and her guard would like.” He said, sliding a few coins across the polished wood as Madox and I approached. Madox simply shook his head and waved a dismissive hand. “Nothing for me, thanks.” He grunted, looking around the room to note our surroundings.
I looked from Ben to Redding and ordered, unsure how I felt about Ben paying, “My usual red wine, please.” Redding grinned and nodded, “Comin’ right up, M’Lady.” Two moments later, a mug of ale and a goblet of wine were set down, but before I had a chance to lift a finger to take it, Ben whisked both from the counter and headed for a table along the wall, clearly expecting that we would follow. He set the goblet down on one side, taking the other side for himself and settled in on the bench, his eyes doing a sweep of the room before settling on me.
Madox eyed the table’s location as th
ough deciding whether or not it was safe enough, then Ben, and to my surprise, choosing not to sit. Instead, he took up place off to the side, leaning slightly against the wall. He was far enough to give us some measure of privacy but still close enough to come to my immediate aid, should I need it.
“I remained in Soruk only another night or two after our last conversation, slowly making my way north, staying a few nights in each town or village as is my custom. My road took me west next, then south when I arrived in Lund a couple of weeks ago.” Ben began without needing any prompting from me. “It was my first night in Lund when I saw her sitting alone. She was well dressed and so young, and so I kept an eye on her from where I was. It did not take long to realize who she was, as the rumors of a noble family from Taurova circle easily here. I saw her again the next night, then the next. Then one night she approached me and we talked, though I thought it best not to mention that I knew who she was. It was the usual small talk, then she mentioned that she had been sneaking out because her family was too strict.” A muscle in his jaw twitched as he eyed me for a moment. “Understandable, considering her abduction, and I told her they were right to insist on it for her safety. That was when she told me her guards were too busy to take her and too few in number.”
My brows lifted at that, knowing it was a lie, but there were so many surprises in what he said that I wasn’t sure where to start clarifying. My expression shifted several times as I tried to wrap my mind around my sister’s behavior, feeling very much like he was speaking of someone else entirely. “So...she approached you, not the other way around?” I could barely fathom such an idea, as Rhian had always been so shy and timid, and I couldn’t recollect a time when she had approached someone she didn’t know already. Perhaps she is coming out of her shell more than I thought. She has changed in so many other ways, why not this way also?
He gave a simple nod and continued, fingers wrapping around his mug to lift it from the table, though he held it mid-air as he spoke. “She was already garnering attention from those who would seek to rob her, or worse…” He hesitated a moment, a hard look flickering over his features before he finished. “I thought it better to keep her in conversation than let her sit alone. But as I said, I was not encouraging her to sneak away, that was her own choice. I recommended that she not disobey her family’s wishes.”
I nodded slowly, taking a sip of my wine as I considered this. It certainly sounded plausible, particularly with Rhian’s behavior changing so much these last few months. I wanted to know what else she told him, though instead, I found myself asking. “Are you naturally this protective of people that you do not know?” My eyes found his, though there was no surprise in his eyes at my question.
“I suppose it depends on who the stranger is, Lady Carys.” He murmured, subtly gesturing with a hand around the room. “A beautiful young girl in a bawdy tavern? A girl whom I know to have been abducted? A girl who I know to be your sister? Yes, I am protective of such innocence.” He frowned, finally taking a sip of his ale. “She stands out far too much. As you do, for that matter.” He used his mug to gesture towards my attire, my eyes turning downward. I had to admit, my dress was prettier than anything these Lund-folk wore, despite my efforts to dress down.
“I will take that into advisement.” I murmured wryly, studying him intently again. If he noticed my perusal, he gave no indication, nor did he seem at all bothered by it. “Did she really try to get you to go somewhere alone?” I asked, hoping Brynmor had made that part up, or misunderstood the situation. If she had tried, that would mean a whole new level of Rhian stupidity and I sorely hoped she wasn’t that idiotic.
He looked back to me, brow furrowing in concern. “Yes, it was getting noisy and she suggested that we go speak privately in the back rooms, though your other guard has a knack for timing.” He grunted before saying. “Your guard was hauling her out of here by the scruff of her neck before I had a chance to respond. She has not suggested it again.” He reassured me, seeming to understand my concern. I nodded slowly, taking another longer sip this time.
I didn’t get a chance to ask any further questions, the heavy front door of the Stag opening to have Rhian swooping through it, followed closely by a grumpy Brynmor. Her face lit up when she saw Ben and I sitting together, heading straight to our table with a gleam in her eyes. “Ben! Hello!” She blushed and smiled as she took a seat next to me though her eyes never left Ben. “I haven’t seen you in awhile, did you go out of town?” She pried less than gently and Ben smiled slightly at her, greeting her with a slight dip of his head.
“Good day, Lady Rhian, and no, I was still in the area. Our paths simply did not cross.” He said easily, his matter-of-fact tone producing a slight look of disappointment on Rhian’s face, as though she had hoped he had been gone and that was the reason she had not seen him. It would sting less than the idea that he had been avoiding her, or not going out of his way to seek her out. Rhian looked between the two of us and put another smile on. “I see you two are speaking. I apologize for interrupting your very important conversation.” She gave me a pointed look as though trying to remind me of my promise.
Brynmor leaned against the wall next to Madox and he let out a snort. “You were more than happy to interrupt, Rhi. Don’t lie.” Rhian shot him a glare before crisply saying. “I would like a cider, Bryn.” He arched his brow at her, undaunted by her command, but slowly smirked, giving her his exaggerated compliance as he lifted off the wall and give her a bow. “Of course, Lady Rhian, I live to serve.” He spun around and sauntered over to the counter, greeting the barkeep.
Ben’s eyes narrowed a little when Brynmor snorted, lacking the same humor that our guard had. Grey-blue irises followed Bryn all the way to the counter before Ben spoke to Rhian. “I apologize that we cannot speak further tonight, but I must see to some business.” He rose from the table, leaving his ale only half finished and I suspected he had no errands, he just thought it better not to be here.
I nodded to Ben, not consciously acknowledging (or understanding) the faint flash of disappointment I felt. I still had questions to ask, but Rhian’s untimely arrival put an end to that conversation. The questions could wait until our next conversation, however, so I smiled and dipped my head to him as I said farewell. “Thank you for the wine, Ben. Have a pleasant evening.”
Rhian’s disappointment was etched into her face, her bottom lip protruding in a pout as she mumbled. “But I just got here.” She muttered with a petulant tone, frowning at Ben. “And I haven’t seen you in over a week, can’t you stay for awhile longer?” I turned to give Rhian a look, perplexed by her apparent familiarity with Ben, though my eyes quickly returned to the man for any hints that his familiarity with her was equaled.
He gave her a stiff shake of his head and murmured, “Apologies, Lady Rhian. I must go.” His eyes turned briefly to Brynmor at the bar, narrowing slightly before he turned to lower his head to me politely. “Lady Carys.” Our eyes met for a moment and I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling like I had a giant light illuminating me. I nodded faintly. “Goodnight.” I murmured to him, and in only a few long strides in that graceful gait, he was at the door and gone.
Rhian turned an accusatory scowl to me, clearly placing the blame for his swift departure entirely at my feet. “What did you say to him that made him leave?” She demanded as Brynmor and Madox came to sit down with us, settling in across from us though my sister’s swift change in mood made them shift in growing discomfort. Madox grunted, his mouth moving like he was about to retort, but must have thought better of it and clamped his lips shut, choosing to look around as though searching for someone.
I frowned at Rhian, annoyed that her first assumption was that I had done something to drive him off. “We were discussing you, Rhian. He was telling me about your behavior while sneaking out to meet him.” I informed her, keeping my tone casual though with enough warning lacing the edges of my words to get my point across.
Her accusing expression became pin
ched and she shifted uncomfortably on the bench. “Oh?” She feigned innocence, a look that I knew well as I had done that same thing often enough in my own adolescence. She began a studious inspection of her fingernails as though somehow, avoiding my gaze might help in avoiding the lecture that was sure to follow.
“Yes, Rhi. He told me that you approached him, and you were trying to get him alone in the back rooms.” I gave her a condemning look. “Are you completely lacking in all forms of sense, Rhi? Your familiarity with him is greater than it should be, and regardless of the man’s apparent protective nature, luring older men into the back rooms to be alone is something that decent ladies don’t do.” I huffed deeply, my exasperation with her behavior was nearing its boiling over point. I took a long sip of my wine, draining the glass before I felt like I could look at her without snapping.
Rhian got defensive and nearly as angry as I. “It was too loud out here and we could hardly hear each other talking! It wasn’t because I was going to seduce him, Carys. Gods!” She threw her hands up into the air before shaking her head, more thoughts pouring through her mind and her eyes narrowed into slits. “You probably told him all sorts of awful things about me and now he doesn’t like me anymore. You did, didn’t you?” She looked furious, but sounded like she was ready to burst into tears.
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