Wild Is My Love

by Janelle Taylor

  Moran laughed and hugged her possessively. “I do not care who knows how I feel about you, Alysa, and I can hardly restrain my craving for you. The thought of being parted from you at this time is maddening. How I wish I could sweep you into my arms and carry you home with me. But there is much to be done before I can marry you and take you there. I pray it takes no more than a few months. If only you could visit me while I am getting settled, but that would be more improper than stealing kisses in this garden.”

  Moran captured her face and sealed his lips to hers. He kissed her hungrily and moaned with urgent desire. To him, she was more than a ravishing woman—she represented everything he wanted. He was determined to win her and all that accompanied her. He murmured against her ear, “Do you know how much I want you, little mouse? I am trembling like a virginal lad, and my head is spinning wildly. I think I would perish if I failed to win you. Please, Alysa, become mine soon.”

  Alysa rested her face against his chest. She could hear his heart pounding forcefully and his irregular breathing. She felt the tension and tremors in his body. His hands were stroking her back and his lips were brushing the top of her head. He was not lying and pretending; he was highly aroused by her!

  Moran lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, which were clouded by confusion, surprise, and a little panic. His glowed with hot desire and possessiveness, and believing she was an innocent, he assumed her reaction stemmed from virginal fears and modesty. “Do not be afraid, little mouse. When the time is right, I will teach you all you must know. I would never harm you.”

  Moments before, Alysa had sighted Isobail watching them from Alric’s window. Perhaps she could fool the woman into believing she was enchanted with Moran, and fool him too. If Moran and Isobail were misled, they might not have her watched so closely. When Moran’s mouth came down on hers again, Alysa slipped her arms around his waist, responded timidly then lowered her head demurely.

  She was glad when Moran led her back inside to say his farewells to everyone. Shortly afterwards she watched him mount, smile at her, then ride away with his heavy escort. She knew Isobail was still observing her, so she dreamily stared after the retreating prince, sighed lightly, and headed for her room.

  In her chamber Alysa hurriedly stripped to her kirtle and had Thisbe prepare her a bath. While she waited, she poured water from her ewer into a basin and washed her mouth, inside and outside. She had to scrub herself from head to toe, -for she felt soiled after Moran’s kisses and caresses.

  As Thisbe assisted her, the servant reproached, “You should not allow Sir Ahern to woo you just to help me and Teague. My love told me how you tricked Moran into getting us betrothed. I am so grateful, Alysa, and so happy. But it is dangerous to fool Moran.”

  Alysa smiled and patted Thisbe’s hand. “It is done now, and nothing can prevent your marriage. Someone should be happy during this horrid time.” Revealing all she dared to her trusted companion, she added, “If help does not come soon, as Baltair promised, I do not know what we shall do. I must tell Gavin the truth about who I am before he hears about your betrothal to Squire Teague, or he could misunderstand and vanish forever. I have to see him and my old teacher tomorrow.” Changing the subject quickly, she remarked, “I wonder how Father is feeling. Perhaps I should visit him.”

  “You cannot,” Thisbe replied. “I heard Isobail ordering a bath sent to Prince Alric’s chambers, for herself. She also ordered wine and a light meal for both of them. She plans to spend the night with him.”

  Alysa gaped at her servant. “Are you certain you heard right?”

  “There is no mistake, Alysa. Did you not see them snuggled together in the Great Hall? It looked to me as if they are planning to do more than sleep together” Thisbe said modestly.

  Alysa frowned, realizing she, too, had perceived the intimate aura surrounding them. She had not wanted to admit that Isobail was sinking her seductive talons into her father again. “At least Moran is gone!” she snapped irritably. “Now I understand the difference between lust and desire, and love and sex,” she said without thinking.

  “Do you love Gavin and want him?”

  Anguish filled Alysa’s eyes and voice. “If he is all I believe he is, then I shall fight to win him. I have to see him, Thisbe. He must tell me what he is doing and why. If only he had not tried to keep his return a secret from me…”

  The servant suggested, “Perhaps there is a good reason, Alysa. Do not doubt him or your love until you hear his explanation.”

  “As long as there is hope, I will cling to it.”

  Piaras went to report to Giselde, and the old woman was staggered by the new facts. The moment Piaras left, she hurried to the rock by the pond and left a message for Gavin to come to her swiftly. Things were worse. Someone was playing with Alric’s life, because she knew her herbs would not have healed him so quickly or caused such a reaction. As for Alysa, at least she’ was safe from Moran for a while. Giselde vowed to do anything to halt such a forbidden union, even slay Moran…

  Isobail and Trahern were let out the south gate in the outer bailey by one of their trusted men, who would remain on duty until their return. Dressed in dark colors and riding dark steeds, the night cloaked them quickly. As they rode, Isobail told Trahern that Alric was under Earnon’s spell again and it was safe for him to sneak to her chamber tonight. As planned, Ceit had drugged Guinn so the bard would sleep soundly all night. But, of course, Isobail did not tell one lover about the other.

  During their meeting with Skane, the brigand leader claimed that the raid on Isobail’s retinue was a mistake by his new man, Gavin Hawk. He laughed and said not to be angry with the eager bandit, as his raid served to remove suspicion from Trahern and possibly from her.

  Isobail and Trahern knew he was lying, and it galled them. When Isobail demanded to know why the brigands were raiding Calum’s land, Skane shrugged. Then Isobail ordered him to stay away from Land’s End, where her son was now ruling.

  “You leave us few areas to feed on,” Skane complained sullenly.

  “It should appear as if I am responsible for making the lands under my control safe again,” Isobail replied, “as I told you before. I cannot let you raid foolhardily. This land will soon be mine, and I do not want it in ruins. I have paid you well in coins and jewels. What you take from others is an added reward.”

  “I need more, Isobail. I have many men to feed and supply. If they grow restless, I will be unable to hold them together.”

  “If you are the leader you claim to be, you can hold your men. Tell me, Skane, are you losing your power and control while mine grow stronger each day? My men trust me and obey me. They do not grow restless or make extra demands. If you cannot obey me, our bargain is over. Consider my words, then meet with me again Tuesday night.”

  On the way back to the castle, Isobail said, “The meeting planned for Tuesday night will keep Gavin Hawk in the area. Meet with him as you have planned. If he agrees to take over for us, he is to meet with Skane and kill him.” She wished Gavin had been present tonight, then warned herself not to ache for him so feverishly, as she must not betray her desire to Trahern. Then she praised the sheriff to disarm him, saying, “When Baltair returns, I shall have him removed. That was clever of you to handle him. I will reward you in my bed tonight.”

  Alysa could not sleep. She threw the cover aside, walked to the window and noticed a rider gingerly prodding a horse along the narrow space between the castle and the precipitous bank to the river wall. As the rider glanced up, the dark hood slipped, revealing white-blond hair. The woman quickly covered her head, but Alysa had recognized Isobail. She went to another window, stared at the south gate, and saw a guard furtively make his way back to his quarters. Alysa had not seen Trahern pass by moments before, scouting ahead to be sure Isobail would not be seen. While watching the traitorous guard, she missed seeing Isobail and Trahern slip across the inner ward. She wondered where her stepmother had been alone, and whom she had met…

&nbs
p; Gavin waited until dark before heading for Giselde’s hut, and had meanwhile concealed himself at the edge of the forest to observe the castle. There had been many comings and goings at the castle today, but none had been his Thisbe, and he needed to see her and explain about the raid and his lack of contact. He had seen Isobail return, and Prince Moran leave with a heavy guard.

  Just before heading to Giselde’s, he had spied two riders sneaking from the castle and followed them. He managed to get close enough to overhear Isobail’s words to Trahern. All was going better than Gavin had expected. He had tied Isobail to the brigands, and it was time to expose her to King Bardwyn. Tomorrow he would send Keegan with another message. Tonight he would check the tree for one. Certain he was not followed, Gavin rode to the tree, even though he doubted his love could have sneaked here since he checked it before the raid.

  At first Gavin was confused by the bunch of dying wildflowers he found in the tree hole. Then he realized it must have been the only way his love could let him know she had been here. But when? he asked himself testing the stems to see how long ago the flowers had been plucked. He reasoned she had stopped here while Moran was chasing him. But she had been with Teague!

  Gavin paced and fretted unnaturally. Why did everyone think those two were in love? How could she love Teague then yield to him? She had to be terribly confused after seeing him yesterday. He berated himself for not having a scrap of paper or writing instrument so he could leave a message for her. Thinking quickly, he found a rock and used his knife to etch on the smoother surface, “Trust me, my love.”

  He placed the rock inside the hole. He instantly reached to retrieve it to add the day and time, but it was gone. His hand roamed the dark and damp area to find that the hole had decayed further and was filling up with rotting trash. As he tried to recover it, his fingers touched and withdrew a leather pouch. He opened it, and was astonished by its contents. From the message, he learned she had placed it there before his return. She had found it missing, but no message from him, he thought, and then after seeing him during the raid yesterday…

  For safekeeping, Gavin stuffed the leather pouch back into the hole, since he did not want Skane finding it on him. After placing several rocks atop it, he covered the newly decayed area with more concealing trash. Afterwards, he placed the rock with his message on the firm setting. What must she be thinking and feeling? he wondered. Hopefully she would return soon and find his urgent words.

  Gavin was in for a bigger surprise at Giselde’s hut. The old woman related all she had learned since seeing him last, except the news of Thisbe’s betrothal. Gavin told her all he had seen and done, including his meeting with Moran, and the old woman clenched her teeth in anger.

  “I do not mean to vex you, Giselde, but I had to know about Thisbe. Yet the more I hear, the more confused I become,” he admitted. “How can she trust me when she must believe that I deceive her?” he murmured, then related being seen by her during the raid and his more recent discovery of the jewels and note she had left him.

  Giselde, having been told these same details by Alysa just yesterday, had prepared for this moment of truth. “When Piaras visited me today,” she said, “he told me of the betrothal of his daughter to Squire Teague.”

  “It cannot be!” The Cumbrian prince stormed to the hearth and leaned against it, staring into the small fire. “How could she yield to me if she loves him?”

  That was what Giselde had to know—the depth of their commitment. “Come, Prince Gavin Crisdean,” she called to him. “Look at these and tell me which is your Thisbe.” Giselde had sketched the figures of two women, then used juice from plants to color their eyes and heads.

  Gavin sullenly approached the table and glanced at both, his eyes settling on the haunting image of Alysa. His finger traced the line of her jaw, as it had in reality. He stared into the blue eyes which could not see him, looked at the pink lips which could not kiss him, and the soft smile upon them. The picture was so realistic that he could almost feel her warmth and hear her laughter. He remembered what it was like to hold her, to make love to her. She was such a joy to be with, day or night. “You are very good, Giselde,” he said. “You have captured her perfectly. Is she not exquisite? Yet, she possesses more than physical beauty.”

  “This explains everything, yet nothing,” Giselde remarked mysteriously. “This is Thisbe, daughter of Piaras and love of Squire Teague,” she said, pointing to the other girl’s image. “This girl,” she murmured with affection, “is Princess Alysa Malvern, my granddaughter.”

  “You must be mistaken!” Gavin gasped, then knew she was not, for it explained much.

  “This girl is not in love with Teague,” Giselde said. “This girl is in love with a mysterious warrior named Gavin Hawk.”

  She could tell that Gavin was too excited to speak. She murmured, “You are both nobles, Prince Gavin. She is not out of your reach, nor you out of hers, as you both feared.”

  “She told you about us? Why did you say nothing?” he demanded.

  The old woman spoke quickly, “Nay, she has not spoken of such things. Why I do not know. She has never kept secrets from me before. I guessed the truth that time you described her and spoke of her horse. Only Alysa rides Calliope, and Thisbe does not ride at all. And as you can see, Thisbe is not overly pretty, as you described her to me, and has brown eyes. You spoke of your love’s beautiful blue eyes. The more you spoke about your love, the more I was certain it was Alysa.”

  “Yet you kept silent to me. Why?” “

  “Because I feared for both of you. I feared you would tell her our plan and allow her to help us. I do not want her endangered, and there are things I cannot reveal to her at the present. I would have to tell her terrible things about her father. There are many reasons she must not know about you and me at this time. Yet one day, Prince Gavin, you can tell her the truth and claim her.”

  “How can she love me? She thinks I am nothing, beneath her! She has lied to me, deceived me.”

  “No doubt for some of the same reasons that you have lied to her and deceived her,” Giselde retorted. “How could you love her when you thought she was a servant beneath you? You would have chosen your duty over her, as she felt she must do. Yea, she thinks you are out of her reach, but because of the role you are playing. Even if that were not so, you have no doubt told her you cannot marry her.”

  Gavin considered those painful words, and recalled several talks between him and… Alysa. “You are right. We were both trapped by a love we thought was impossible.”

  “If I know Alysa, she is troubled by her guile, and she will confess it soon. Even then you must not reveal yourself to her. If you love her, Prince Gavin, then protect her until this terror is conquered. We are too near our victory; please hold your tongue a while longer.”

  “If you did not feel you could trust me completely, you would not have ended my torment by telling me who she is. Now I understand why she is so special; Alysa Malvern is a rare creature.”

  Suddenly Gavin realized that Moran had been talking about his love last night. Fury consumed him. “I will slay Moran if he touches her!”

  “Piaras told me of the ceremony this afternoon,” Giselde replied. “But now Moran has left for Land’s End, so Alysa is safe from him for a time.”

  Gavin met Giselde’s gentle gaze and pleaded, “If she comes to you and tells you of a wandering warrior, please speak of me favorably. Help me hold her love and trust until I can reveal myself.”

  “Your hearts and bodies are already joined, and one day your lives will be too. But only if you do nothing to endanger either of you.”

  Moving aside some jewels, coins, and other valuables, Giselde showed Gavin the secret compartment in a chest. She retrieved the amethyst ring and told Gavin, “If anything happens to me, take this ring to Alysa and tell her about me. If you hold your silence until King Bardwyn arrives, she will wear it when she marries you. I wore it with Rurik, Catriona wore it with Alric, and Alysa will wear
it with you. The runes told me this the day you arrived, before you met Alysa. When you spoke of your love for Thisbe, I was confused, for the runes never lie. But the runes warn of destruction and death if you claim her as Prince Crisdean before Evil is defeated. I warn you, Gavin, believe such things or she will suffer.”

  Seventeen

  While carefully scanning her surroundings, Alysa slipped through the woods. She was relieved that she had convinced Princess Isobail to let her go riding, but Isobail had insisted on an escort of seven men. Anticipating such a requirement, Alysa had asked Squire Teague to select a group he could trust. When they came near her destination, she claimed to be ill from too much feasting and excitement yesterday, and said she needed privacy. The men had dismounted to await her return.

  Alysa stood at the tree several moments before reaching inside the hole. Baffled, she withdrew the large rock. The scratchings seized her eye, and she read them eagerly, noticing the date and time.

  Last night, after he found my flowers, and after he knew I saw him at the raid, and after he might have heard of Thisbe’s betrothal, she thought.

  “Trust me!” she said aloud. “Is that all you have to say to me?” What about his actions? Alysa thought. And his secrecy? What about the jewels and money? Her groping fingers did not find the pouch. What did this mean? Did Isobail meet with Gavin last night? Were the two of them plotting against her? “Of course!” she shrieked as an idea came to mind.

  How clever her wicked stepmother was! Moran’s courting her was a disguise to disarm her to cast suspicion away from Isobail and Moran when she disappeared! Isobail did not want the real heir to remain! Alysa laughed almost wildly. “I wonder if you know how taken your son is with me,” she said to herself. “I wonder if he will allow you to send me into barbaric captivity, when he can have me and the throne if he defies you…”