by Barbara Bard
“Now then, let me grace my lady with the tale about the hunt today,” he began, relishing the telling of the tale.
“It was a glorious day and the fates were with us. First, we saw a fat pheasant and I thought to myself it would make a lovely addition to the dinner table. I drew my bow, set my aim, and the arrow flew true. It struck the bird directly in the heart, and it fell to the ground with its last breath. After this, we galloped through the forest until we came across a deer.
“I tried to be quiet, but one of my men exclaimed in shock. It was the biggest deer any of us had ever seen, but still, there needs to be some decorum. I had him taken back. He won't be going on a hunt with me ever again.
“Still, the chase was on and I was not going to let this deer get away. We spread out, chasing the deer. The horses' hooves thundered across the ground, our hearts beat fiercely. It was glorious. It's a shame that you women will never be able to experience the glory of the hunt-”
“You could always take us with you one day, brother,” Catherine said. Lord Flynn gave her a withering look, then continued with his story, not regarding her words as worthy of comment.
“As I was saying, the deer had a head start and was a strong, powerful beast. It was so fast we lost sight of it more than once, but we always managed to find its trail again.
“Although there were others with me I felt a strange sensation wash over me. It was as though I was the only one on the hunt, as though this deer was fated for me.
“I knew that I could catch it and kill it, that it would only be me. I encouraged my horse and broke away from the rest of the hunting party. I kept my eyes peeled, searching the forest for any sign of this great beast. For a moment there, I thought I had lost him completely, and then I heard the crack of a branch. I twisted around and saw the deer fleeing again.
“I chased him, for how long I do not know because time lost all meaning to me. Then, I finally came upon it. I drew my bow and my arrow flew true once again, lodging itself in the beast's neck.
“It carried on lumbering forward for a time, but eventually stumbled and sank to its knees. I alighted from my horse and finished him with my blade. He was worthy prey, and I am sure that his meat will taste good,” he said, beaming widely.
Catherine yawned. Sarah pretended that she was in awe of his prowess.
“You are such a wonderful hunter,” she said.
“Thank you, yes, well, it is a skill I inherited from Father really,” Lord Flynn said without a hint of modesty.
“Some men are simply born to be great warriors. I only hope I get the chance to prove myself one of these days. I imagine that hunting the Highlanders would be much like hunting this deer. They are but animals themselves of course, with little intelligence other than to feed and mate. In fact, the deer would probably pose more of a challenge,” he said, throwing back his head with a loud laugh.
Sarah smiled as well, laughing softly. There was something else she wanted to ask Lord Flynn, although it could prove to be risky. Meekly, she turned to him.
“Speaking of the Highlanders, my Lord, I was wondering if it would be possible to send a rescue party to try and see what happened to my handmaid. If she was carried off by a Highlander I would like to know what happened to her.”
“Isn't she wonderful?” Lord Flynn commented, smiling widely towards Catherine.
“That you would care so deeply for a mere servant. Unfortunately, my dear, I am sure that we all know her fate, even if we would not like to think of it. The Highlanders show no mercy when it comes to these matters. I do not believe there would be anything of her left to find even if we ventured into their territory. Besides, I do not think a mere servant is worth going to war over. No, there will be another cause, of that I am sure.”
“But she was close to me. I knew her all my life. It would please me greatly if something could be done,” Sarah said beseechingly.
The smile faded from Lord Flynn’s face.
“Do not press me, woman. I have already told you about my decision. I appreciate your kindness and compassion but do not forget they are just servants. They do not matter in the grand scheme of things. I would not send men into dangerous territory to search for a handmaiden, especially not when the likelihood is that she is dead.”
His words were bitter and they shot at her like daggers. Sarah stifled a sob and focused on eating her meal.
“Now my mood has been soured. Bring me meat! I wish to dine on my quarry,” Lord Flynn ordered.
Catherine and Sarah remained quiet. Sarah averted her eyes from his gaze, not wanting to provoke his wrath again. A servant came over and put a slice of meat on Lord Flynn's plate. He took a bite and murmured his delight, then gestured for meat to be placed on the women's plates.
Sarah wanted to pass for her appetite had disappeared, but she knew that doing so would only make him angrier at her. A huge slab of meat was placed on her plate. It was daunting, and the sight of it almost made her nauseous.
Lord Flynn seemed to be delighted at its taste. Sarah cut off a small morsel and placed it in her mouth, and she had to hide her disgust. The meat was tough and flavorless. Sarah coughed and sipped some water.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked. Sarah and Catherine glanced at each other, both getting the impression that they had the same opinion of the meat.
“It is incredibly tasty,” Sarah lied, “but I am afraid I ate too much bread with my broth and I am not sure I will be able to eat any more,” she said. Lord Flynn's face fell, and he gripped his fork tightly.
“You wouldn't be lying to me now, would you?” he said in a low, harsh voice.
“Of course not, my Lord.”
“Because you know that lying is the greatest sin. A husband must have loyalty from his wife. There can be no secrets between us. If I am unable to trust you...” he said, standing up, pacing around the table towards her. Sarah suddenly felt vulnerable. She looked towards Catherine.
“I poured my heart and soul into that hunt. I chased that deer through the forest, endangering myself and my horse. I was out there bringing home this food for you, and you dare to tell me that you won't put in the effort to eat it because you've filled up on bread? Now that is no way for a wife to treat her husband. I require you to appreciate the things I do, which means that you must eat this meat,” he said.
Sarah pressed her lips together, wondering how she was going to get through this. The thought of having another mouthful of meat filled her with nausea. She had only just managed to force the first piece down, and the meat was as big as the plate. In fact, she had never seen a slab of meat as big as this one.
“I...I will try,” she said.
“That is not good enough,” Lord Flynn said. “You must enjoy the fruits of my labor!” he snarled, snatching the cutlery from her hands and cutting up her meat for her.
He skewered a piece on the end of the fork and proceeded to force it into her mouth. Sarah felt the meat being pushed inside her and almost gagged at the sensation of having it thrust inside her.
“Now eat it and enjoy it!” he barked. Sarah chewed dutifully, hating every minute of it. Tears welled up in her eyes and she coughed, choking on the heavy, dry meat.
Lord Flynn stood there with another chunk of meat poised on the end of the fork, ready to be given to Sarah again. The thought of having yet another piece of meat inside her was abhorrent and her stomach began to groan.
“Harold, I hate to say this, but the meat is rather tough,” Catherine said.
Lord Flynn glared at her. The fork dropped from his hand and clattered against the plate. Lord Flynn began to move around the table when Sarah felt a hacking cough rise through her. Sarah's entire body trembled and convulsed, trying to keep her lips tight together, but she expelled the chewed chunk of meat onto the plate.
Lord Flynn glared at her, aghast that she would dare to spit out some of the meat he had hunted, but it was so dry and unpalatable that she could not even fake enjoyment of the food. Embarr
assed, she fled with red cheeks out of the dining hall, humiliated, with tears streaming down her face.
Lord Flynn returned to his table and banged his fist on the table twice to signal that he wants to make an announcement. The whole room went quiet immediately.
“We will be going to war with the Highlanders,” he announced. “And my bride will be going with me.” He turned to look at Sarah. “I want her to see what I am like while I am destroying my enemies.”
The hall went up in noise. Immediately, excitement filled the room at the mention of war.
Sarah ran through the palace with tears streaming down her cheeks. Ignoring the servants as they stared in amazement at her, she pushed her way out of the doors into the cool night. All she wanted was to be free, to be away from that horrid, mean man.
The thought of him thrusting that meat into her mouth as though she was some kind of spoiled child filled her heart with hatred and disgust. How could she ever bear a lifetime of living with a man like that?
It only made her more convinced that she had to escape as soon as possible. If Lord Flynn happened to discover the lie he would show no mercy towards her at all. It was as though she had seen his true face at that dinner. He was petty and horrible.
As she ran into the gardens Sarah grew tired and her pace slowed. Looking back, she was pleased to see that nobody was following her. Sadly she had left Catherine to deal with Lord Flynn's anger, and Sarah hoped that he had not unleashed it upon her.
The air was cool and sweet. The fragrance of the flowers around her filled the air, and she began to make her way back to the fountain where she and Catherine had been sitting earlier.
It was entirely peaceful, aside from her fretful sobs. Sarah was tempted to find a way to flee and run into the woods. At that moment she would have taken her chances in the wild rather than consign herself to a life with Lord Flynn.
The thing that troubled her most was the way he had looked at her, as though she was nothing but a servant to him. He had no respect for her own needs, he only wanted her to feed his ego and tell him how wonderful he was. That was not the kind of man Sarah had always dreamed of marrying. The man of her dreams was kind, patient, and tender.
Sarah walked this way and that, taking lefts and rights as she made her way through the gardens. She wasn't thinking particularly clearly, and thus wasn't paying attention to where she was going. It came as a surprise, therefore, when she found herself standing at the stables rather than the fountain, which had been her intended destination.
Lanterns hung around the stables, casting them in an amber glow. The horses whinnied a little, and their hooves clomped against the ground. The smell of straw and mud greeted Sarah, but they were welcome smells, familiar smells, and they reminded her of a simpler life. She walked up to one of the horses and reached out her hand, stroking its face. The horse bowed its head to her, allowing her to pet it.
“Go gentle with her, she's pretty tired,” someone said behind her. She turned, startled, and then a wide smile spread across her face.
“George!” she exclaimed, running up to him, flinging her arms around his neck. He patted her on the back, but she would not let go.
“Sarah. I wasn't expecting to see you down here. Are you well?”
“I suppose I am,” Sarah sighed, “although not as well as I could have been.” She moved back to the horse, continuing to pet it.
“That's Lord Flynn's horse. He took her out hunting today. She came back tired. I think he ran her to the limit.”
“Yes, I suppose he did,” Sarah said.
“What's it like, living in the palace?” he asked, a little hesitancy in his voice.
“Oh George, it's just awful. Every day I have to watch what I say and how I act so that I don't give myself away. Then I feel guilty because I'm deceiving everyone around me, especially Catherine, who has been so lovely to me and all she wants is someone to be a good friend. But how can I be a good friend when I am continually lying to her? Then there is Lord Flynn. At first, I thought he might be a kind man and show me mercy, but I see now that he has a vicious cruel streak.”
George said nothing, only caressed Sarah's arms soothingly. Sarah was grateful for the opportunity to talk, however.
“He wouldn't even send out a search party for Rosemary.”
“You told him about Rosemary?”
“Not exactly. Just that my handmaiden had been taken away by a Highlander.”
“No, they won't return,” George said. “Lord Flynn had them banished.”
“The same fate awaits me,” Sarah groaned.
“I'm so sorry, Sarah. I thought that I made the right decision by lying to those guards. I didn't realize it would lead to such hardship for you,” he said.
Sarah sniffed. “You did what you thought was right at the moment. I do not blame you, George. If you were sure that they were going to cause us harm, then you made the right choice.”
“I was sure, unfortunately, but I fear I have only delayed the inevitable. And I have only prolonged your suffering.”
“Is there any chance for my escape?” Sarah asked, with concern etched on her face. Her eyes glistened silver.
“I do not know. If you were to escape you would need to find passage away from this region. I cannot imagine that Lord Flynn would take the loss of his bride easily. He would hunt you down.”
“And I know how much he likes hunting,” Sarah groaned, placing her head in her heads. I am just a simple handmaiden. I never asked for this life.”
“I wish I could help you, Sarah. Perhaps there is a way, if I planned it just right, that I could find a horse and send you on your way. It would be risky, and there would be no guarantee that it would work.”
“But it may be my only chance,” she said, resigning herself to her fate. “All I know is that I cannot stay here. If it gets to my wedding day I will surely be found out, and Lord Flynn will bring the full force of his wrath upon me.”
“Indeed. Lord Brambly will see that you are not his daughter.”
“So this is where you've been hiding,” Lord Flynn sneered. He came out of the shadows. The amber light from the lanterns flickered nearby. Sarah gasped, instantly removed her hands from around George's neck, and sat on the bench. George stood up and bowed to his liege.
“Lord Flynn, it is a pleasure to have you here in the stables,” George said.
Sarah was stunned into silence, wondering how long Lord Flynn had been standing there for. If he had heard too much then all of their plans were for nothing.
“I see I am not the only one enjoying pleasure,” he said, his gaze moving between Sarah and George carefully. Sarah felt under intense scrutiny and chewed her lower lip. “So, this is where you ran to,” he added, turning to Sarah.
“I am sorry for my behavior. I was simply overwhelmed. I have never been treated in such a way before,” she said.
“It seems as though you have more to apologize for than I first thought.”
Lord Flynn snarled, looking at the two of them with narrowed eyes. Sarah placed her hands in her lap and cast her gaze to the floor, not wanting to cause any more undue stress or to provoke Lord Flynn in any other way possible. She avoided looking at George, although she could feel the tension bristling within him.
George was an honorable man, and to know that she was being treated in this way by Lord Flynn would make him angry. In another life perhaps she and George would have ended up making a family. If he hadn't been forced to lie about her identity.
Would she ever know happiness?
“Return to your bedchamber. I have words for you,” he said and waited for her to turn and leave.
Sarah had only taken a few steps when she heard Lord Flynn tell George to get on his knees. Sarah looked back to see Lord Flynn pull out a riding whip. He walked around behind George and pulled up the man's tunic. Then the air cracked as the whip slashed against George's back. The still, peaceful night air was shattered by George's cries of agony. His eyes clamped shu
t and his neck jerked backward as the pain lanced through him. Again and again, Lord Flynn brought the whip down, slashing George's skin. Sarah turned away in shock and ran back to her chambers, not wanting to witness any more.
She closed the door behind herself and threw herself on the bed, wishing that she could slip away in the night and disappear. For a brief moment, she felt hope and actually believed that George could have saved her. He'd saved her once after all, why not a second time? But then Lord Flynn had arrived. That man was maddening, always in the wrong place at the wrong time. And soon he would be coming for her. Would she get the whip as well, or would a far terrible fate be in store for her? Sarah trembled, staring at the door, waiting as each moment passed, bringing her closer to her doom.
Footsteps began to approach. Sarah's throat tightened and the color drained from her face. A small whimper escaped her lips as the door opened and Lord Flynn stood there, looking terrible. His entire body was rigid. His fists were clenched beside him, and his face was the picture of cruelty. His eyes were cold and harsh, and each step was deliberate. Even the air seemed to grow colder around Sarah, and she could not move.