Defiant

by Jessica Trapp

  Montgomery held up a hand, halting Ivan’s progress. “If you speak the truth, Gwyneth, then how does the harlot know so much about you?”

  Gwyneth’s heart lurched. She struggled to maintain her composure as her mind raced for an answer or plausible explanation. She had no way of knowing what Irma had told him, so anything she said could show her dishonesty.

  She glanced at Irma, who was watching the happenings, fiddling with her skirt, and clearly debating if she should turn and run.

  Gwyneth gave her a pleading look.

  “Me lord,” Irma said, taking a deep breath and adjusting her yellow shawl, “me lady Gwyneth ‘as been a noble mother of mercy to the most wretched of souls. She brings apples and toys to the children and medicine and comfort to the elderly. All who know ‘er love ‘er as if she were Saint Mary ‘erself. She is the most kind’earted of beings, unsullied by the grief of this world or the places where such must walk to visit those under her care. Amy, Tatum, and Maude all would ‘ave died if it ‘ad not been for ‘er loving kindness and mercy. Now this child she brought potion to yester—”

  Gwyneth coughed. If Irma kept spinning tale after tale, trying to sound fancy, ‘twould be obvious that the two of them were making things up on the spot.

  Through lashes lowered to give the impression of modesty, she saw that Ivan was eating Irma’s words as if they were manna from heaven. Jared, on the other hand, looked furious. His eyes had darkened from green to nearly black and a tight tic formed in his jaw.

  “My lady,” Ivan breathed, “thou art as kind and gracious as thou art lovely to behold …” He turned to Montgomery. “I insist you do something, my lord.”

  Montgomery glowered at him. “I plan to do something. I plan to head home to Windrose. It is obvious the newlywed couple have a few issues to work out.”

  “You can’t just leave me here!” Gwyneth cried, her voice rising in pitch. She sought to escape from Jared’s arms, but he held her tight.

  “You got yourself into this,” said Montgomery with a shrug.

  “It seems my wife has no respect for authority.” Jared gave her a small shake as if to belabor the point.

  “If you can teach her aught, old friend, ‘twill be a blessing for us all,” Montgomery drawled. “Come, Ivan, leave them. If we go now, we can be home afore it is too late. My own wife was quite angry that I would not allow her to ride with us, and I must soothe and comfort her. ”

  Irked, Gwyneth pulled forward but was held in place by Jared’s arms. “My sister will be furious!”

  Montgomery shot her a look. “Bah. I’ll tell her that ‘tis clear that her nitwitted sister has rejected the husband we chose for her and picked a man from a brothel. Whatever you get from Jared, you deserve. Mayhap your new husband can teach you respect. ”

  “You can tell your wife that I will not harm Gwyneth so long as she obeys me,” Jared said. “Mayhap that will comfort her. “ Obey him!

  “Fair enough.” Montgomery pulled his horse’s reins to turn it toward Windrose. “'Tis all any man should expect of his wife.”

  Gwyneth gasped as her brother-in-law and his knights remounted and turned toward the trees. They couldn’t mean to just leave her here—bound to a falconer, her life in his hand. She knew Montgomery disliked her, but they were family!

  He motioned for Ivan to come with him. “Truly, Ivan, ‘tis done, they are wed, and she is not worth bloodying your sword over. “ Something had to be done!

  Ivan’s enormous blue sleeves poofed out like a frustrated bluejay. “Nay! She was my promised bride.”

  Jared guffawed. “We are married by her demand and here is proof of the consummation.” He waved the bloodied sheet like some sort of victory flag.

  “You beast! “ How could she have kissed him?

  “Silence, wife. This is between men.”

  “Men ever use women for their own purposes,” she hissed.

  “Come, Ivan.” Montgomery snapped the reins and his horse started walking into the forest.

  “I will send help,” Irma mouthed at Gwyneth. She wrenched free and took off running.

  “Irma!” Montgomery said but did not chase her.

  Jared began tugging Gwyneth back into the cave. “Go home, boy. The woman is mine already.”

  As if she were no more than chattel.

  Ivan hesitated. He glanced from Montgomery to Jared.

  Faith! He was her only hope. Firmly setting aside her guilt at using him without any plan of following through on marrying him either, she drew herself up to an imperious stature. She had to do this for the women who depended on her. “Ivan, he kidnapped me last night. You must help me.”

  Jared stiffened. “Careful, wife.”

  Montgomery rolled his eyes.

  “Please,” she said, gracefully licking her lips. “I can make you happy—”

  With a yell, as if her encouragement was all he needed, Ivan brandished his sword and charged forward.

  Chapter 14

  Gwyneth’s body lurched, pushed to one side as Jared crouched, dagger held in front of him in a defensive fighting stance.

  Ivan’s horse barreled toward them.

  “Mercy,” Gwyneth breathed as Ivan’s sword crashed down upon Jared, so close that she was unsure if he was trying to rescue her or kill them both.

  In a blur of motion, Jared stepped in front, shielding her with his body. He parried the blow as best he could with the dagger. His body rocked backward, but his arm held.

  Her eyes widened at the sheer strength of his limb. He faced Ivan, who was already swinging his sword in another attack.

  The unfairness of Ivan’s dueling tactic seemed at odds with his earlier words, which had been pretty and cordial and courtly. Crouching, she scrambled backward out of the way. Her back thumped on the damp wall. The sweat on the horse’s flank assailed her nostrils. The beast’s eyes rolled, and it seemed ready to panic, but ‘twas as if an uncontrolled battle lust had overtaken Ivan and he was heedless of his mount. No wonder the bards sang of his numerous victories on the tournament field. He had skill and innate quickness.

  “Mayhap you could make yourself a set of braies with that needle sword,” Ivan taunted as he plowed forward. Hooves thudded on the stone and the sword came down again.

  Jared fell this time, beaten back and now in the smaller section of the cave. The hawk fluttered her wings frantically and strained against the tether of her perch, then, with a snap, broke free and flew from the cave.

  Ivan leaped off his mount in a powerful movement that was at odds with his eccentric, prissy style of dress.

  His stallion, startled from being set free so quickly, tossed its head and brushed past her body, knocking her backward.

  Gwyneth took a step to catch her balance, but her slipper caught in the hem of her dress. Arms wheeling, she fell. A hoof landed near her hand, missing her by a thread’s width.

  “Gwyneth! Get back!”

  Not Ivan’s voice. Jared.

  Jared scrambled forward so that his own body squeezed between her and the horse.

  Ivan advanced recklessly, a menacing expression on his face. He seemed to have completely forgotten that she was present as he bore down on Jared.

  The cave walls closed in around her. The morning sun glinted off Ivan’s sword. Jared’s dark hair swirled as he quickly scooped up his staff from where it had fallen earlier.

  Heart thrumming, Gwyneth tried to find an opening so she could crawl from the cave.

  Ivan’s reckless fighting style was a sharp contrast to Jared’s unfailing patience. Mayhap she should have kept silent rather than encouraging Ivan.

  She slid back until she could go no farther.

  Ivan lunged.

  Jared’s staff came up this time for the parry. The wood creaked but held and Jared stepped to one side.

  Carrying both the dagger and staff, he rounded on Ivan and ran lightly backward.

  The move puzzled her because it temporarily put him at a disadvantage. Ivan wheeled a
round blindly, nearly whacking her in the head with his sword.

  Gwyneth jumped back, suddenly understanding that Jared’s move was to draw the battle away from her, to protect her.

  Guilt settled in her chest. She tried to shake it off, to think of the ladies in the prison she needed to save and all the reasons she must get rid of Jared, even lie or cheat to do so, but the unfairness, like the sharp stench of a bog, pricked her.

  She looked from one man to the other. Jared was calm, in control, but deadly intent gleamed in Ivan’s eyes. Dread coursed through her as she realized this would be no friendly tournament competition where the loser would come away with naught more than a few bruises and a chink out of his pride. Blood spill would be the outcome here.

  Jared might die.

  His death would be on her conscience forever, the same as if she had murdered him herself.

  For all his sins against her, Jared had been forced into the marriage. He might not be totally innocent, but he did not deserve death.

  “Wait!” She lifted her hands trying to ward off the fight between them. Somehow she had to stop them.

  “Too late for that, lady wife.” Jared’s shoulders tightened. Overhead, the hawk circled, waiting, watching. “You have prompted yet another man into doing your bidding and now we will finish this.”

  “Aye!” Ivan echoed. “The victor claims the woman.”

  “Nay!” She scurried from the cave, ready to race between them. “Cease! I am not a prize to be fought over!”

  “Do not fear, my lady,” Ivan called, not even looking at her. “I will slay the beast for you and you will forever be rid of him. ”

  Montgomery and his knights formed a ring around them, preventing her from getting close. She pushed, but they closed the ring tighter so that she could not pass.

  “Stay where you are, lady wife, while I take care of this boy of yours! ”

  She elbowed Montgomery, but he did not budge.

  Jared and Ivan were now circling each other, both down in a fighting stance. Jared held his staff with two hands in front of his body and Ivan brandished his sword above his head. The engraved scales of the dragon that was carved into the wood were clearly visible.

  Large hands grasped her and hauled her out of the way. She squirmed, thinking for an instant that Jared was in two places at once, then realized that she was being rooted in place by Montgomery.

  “Best to obey your husband,” he said grimly. His eyes, a flashing cobalt blue, snapped with anger despite the dry tone of his voice. Splotches of mud splattered his tunic, proof that he had been out all night scouring the land looking for her.

  She struggled, trying to move forward, but he half dragged, half carried her several yards away. He was as tall as Jared, and just as impossible to control.

  “Leave be!”

  “Bah! You can watch the unfolding of your folly from here. Mayhap it will teach you a lesson in proper behavior and decorum.”

  Helpless, she trained her gaze back on the fight. Her heart pounded.

  Montgomery’s men laughed and cast bets.

  Jared and Ivan circled each other, each crouched, thighs flexed and their guard up.

  “I will win your hand from this barbarian, my lady,” Ivan called chivalrously. But he never looked at her, not even for an instant. ‘Twas as if his words were merely for show. Like his clothing. And inside he was of an altogether different nature.

  There was a sickening thunk, and Ivan crumpled to one side. The dagger stuck out of his shoulder and blood oozed from his tunic.

  One knight whistled and cheered from atop his horse, but another man had dismounted to get a closer look.

  “Heavens!” She squirmed, trying to get away from Montgomery.

  Jared leapt forward, both hands on his staff, one near the tail of the engraved dragon. He was quick and powerful, but unhurried: grace rather than force. He twisted the staff this way and that—up to his shoulder, down to his waist, from one side to the next.

  She’d never seen anything like it afore in her life. ‘Twas as if he moved by magic in some sort of strange exotic dance.

  The men circled each other. Attack. Counterattack. Attack. Counterattack.

  The sword and the staff came up, then at the very last second, when Gwyneth thought they would smash together, Jared twisted his torso and brought the end of the staff farthest away from Ivan in a quick arc. It caught Ivan’s hand in a hard whack and his sword dropped to the ground. Ivan yelped and dove for it, but Jared snatched the weapon from the ground.

  The men took in a collective breath. One gave a shout of approval. Gwyneth would have clutched her chest if she had been free to do so.

  Montgomery held her by the shoulders but paid no heed to what she was doing.

  Jared lunged toward Ivan, clearly the victor. He flashed her a look that sent a shiver down her spine.

  Nay! Nay! Nay!

  Jared’s dagger headed straight to Ivan’s chest. “Yield.”

  The points of Ivan’s shoes flopped; he tripped over his own feet and fell into the dirt. His outlandish clothing proved to be his downfall. He scrambled backward on his arse, redfaced and panting, toward the outer edge of the circle of men.

  Jared advanced, blade lifted.

  One of the men surrounding them laughed and gave a small clap. “Look at the young pup!”

  “A fool in foolish shoes!”

  “Beat by a man with a stick. ”

  “Never seen anybody move like that. ”

  Ivan shielded his face with his hands as Jared leapt atop him.

  Seeing that the fight was finished, Montgomery let go of her and moved closer to his men.

  Wheeling on her heels, Gwyneth slid a few steps away, hoping to sneak to the horses before anyone saw her. She had to reach Irma, get to the brothel, and come up with a plan. The past two days had been a disaster. She slid two more steps. Then two more. No one looked her direction. Twigs snapped but the men were so intense on the drama between Jared and Ivan they paid no attention to her.

  Her legs quivered, but she willed herself to be patient, to not walk too quickly.

  The squire’s horse, a medium-sized mare, was close to her. His attention was fixed on the fight. She closed the distance, her mind racing with hope, latched onto the mare’s neck, and swung quickly atop its back.

  Not daring to glance back, she walked the horse through the forest—slowly at first, and then, as she was more and more assured that she wasn’t being followed, urged the horse faster. She had no clear idea of where she was heading. Her heart beat so hard it pounded in her ears as she raced for freedom.

  Within a few moments, she entered the edges of the city. Early morning sun beat down on the closed shutters of houses and shops. Only a few people were moving about—a tinker toting his wares, a cart filled with hay, a few walkers, a carpenter with a bag of tools, but mostly the streets were quiet. Still no sight of Jared. Ha! Surely she could hide somewhere within and then pick her way back to Windrose—find Irma and her sister. She had been attacked before because she had not hidden herself very well, but this time she would be more cautious. Somehow she would find a way out of this situation.

  “Gwyneth! Wife!” Jared’s voice boomed behind her.

  Heavens!

  She sped her mount into a gallop, passing the cart of hay. Hooves thudded on the cobblestones. Cold prickles went up and down her legs.

  She glanced behind her. Jared raced toward her on Montgomery’s steed. Even from this distance, the fury coming off of him was palpable. Determination shone in his eyes.

  Oh, sweet saints.

  “Hurry! Hurry! “ She urged the mare, kicking its flanks frantically with her heels.

  Jared was on her within seconds, his large hands reaching across her body, grabbing for her reins.

  “Nay!”

  He drew her horse up short and with one hand he dragged her from her mount.

  She squirmed and kicked. “Get away! ”

  “Cease, girl. You�
�ll make both—”

  She screamed as she saw the ground speed upward. At the last moment, Jared twisted his body so that she was cushioned. His back thumped hard against the ground and breath fled her lungs as she landed against him.

  She scrambled to her feet, intending to run, but he snatched her wrist afore she could take a step. Yanking her in his wake, he snatched the reins of both of the horses.

  “Help!”

  The tinker turned her direction.

  “Silence, wife! “ Jared’s chest heaved in great panting breaths.

  The man looked back and forth at the two of them.

  Jared gave the man a furious glare. “Pardon, sir. My wife is in need of discipline. Just move along.”

  “Your wife, you say?”

  “Aye.”

  “The marriage was forced—” Gwyneth started, but before she could explain, Montgomery clattered down the cobbled street on the third horse and pulled up short.

  The tinker snatched his cap from his head and gave a polite nod. “Lord Montgomery.”

  “G’day,” Montgomery said. “Just move along. These two have just been wed and have a few issues to work out. ”

  The man nodded.

  Gwyneth smarted.

  As far as men were concerned, a husband had every right to expect his wife to be in subjection to him.

  “Sorry to bother you, sir,” Jared said cheerfully. His lips turned upward into a jaunty smile. “I’ll just take care of my wife now.”

  “Nay!” she said, but the man nodded at Jared and James. How bloody unfair!

  “Looks like you’ve got enough trouble.” The tinker snatched the handles of his cart and began pushing it down the road. Pans and knives and silver hair-combs jangled.

  Legs apart, hands on hips, Montgomery faced Jared. “Jared, I fully release Gwyneth to your care. Best of luck with the training. Consider my stallion a wedding gift. I will take the other horse back to my men.”

  Gwyneth gasped. “You can’t just leave me here with him.""Sure, I can.” Montgomery handed the reins of his own horse to Jared. He took the reins of the horse that she had ridden in her escape attempt and rode away.