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Knight's End (The Knight Trilogy)

Page 12

by Montgomery, Jami


  Aston nodded. “You’re welcome to stay with me until you figure out where you want to go,” he offered.

  “Thank you, Aston. I really appreciate it,” Jade replied, sitting up and moving closer to him. She wrapped one of the two blankets covering her around his shoulders, shielding him at least partially from the cold. She wrapped her own blanket tighter around herself as Aston pulled the rabbits from the flames and began cutting them up.

  After eating, Aston joined Jade under the blankets again, pulling her flush against his chest. She was so small; it was as if she were made to fit into his arms. Aston tucked her head under his chin again, loving the foreign feeling. In all his years as a knight, he’d never found a woman that touched his heart the way Jade did. She was kind, smart… beautiful. She was everything a man could hope for.

  He knew he couldn’t keep her. She was a princess, born with a duty to her country. He was no more than a soldier; right now he wasn’t even that. He would have to find a way to send her back to Adion once winter was through. For now, he just wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

  “If we had no winter, the spring would

  not be as pleasant: if we did not sometimes

  taste adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

  - Anne Bradstreet -

  Seventeen

  Jade was getting used to waking at dawn. She was even becoming better at tacking her horse. In the short amount of time she’d spent with Aston, she’d learned so much about herself and the world beyond the palace. She’d learned that someone could grow close to your heart in a single month. She’d found that the food you eat doesn’t just appear when you ring a bell; someone has to prepare it. Also, she’d learned that sunrise and sunset were the most beautiful times of the day, times that she’d always missed when she’d lived at the palace.

  If so much could change in such a short amount of time, what would an entire winter with Aston do to her?

  She finished packing her satchel and attached it to Edward’s saddle. Aston was covering their fire, hiding their tracks; Sterling was already tacked and ready to go.

  “Will we make it to Delgrab’s before nightfall?” she asked, finishing with Edward and tucking her hands into the sleeves of her blouse. Winter was just beginning, but already the air was too cold for her liking. She dreaded the day ahead, but if she knew she would have a warm fire and four walls around her by nightfall, she knew she could manage.

  “We should, as long as nothing holds us up,” the knight replied, looking over his shoulder at her before swinging into the saddle with practiced ease. Jade followed suit, mounting Edward, before the two exited the forest and returned to the main road. She found herself taking everything in; the trees were all gold, red, and brown. The thin patches of grass visible beneath the snow were withering away.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she said aloud, more to herself than as actual conversation.

  “It is, isn’t it?” Aston replied. He looked behind himself at Jade, slowing Sterling down so he could ride beside her. “Don’t you ever venture outside your palace?” he asked, raising a brow in surprise.

  She shook her head. “I used to ride Bella in the spring and summer, but winter was always such a busy time. We had King Roland’s ball and all of the servants took time away to see their families. I spent my winters inside, reading books in the library or helping Matilda sew in between lessons,” she answered.

  “Who’s Matilda? And you sew?” Aston asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

  Jade laughed. “She’s my maid. Well, she was. She said her mother taught her to sew, and when I was young, she helped me to learn. She made the majority of the dresses in my closet,” she replied, smiling. “I wish things were different. I wish my father would let me marry who I wanted so I could go home.”

  “That would be best,” Aston said, not meeting her eyes.

  Jade turned to the knight, but he kept his eyes trained on the road ahead, his mouth a firm line. Had she hurt his feelings, talking about home? “When we clear your name, you can go home too, Aston,” she said, hoping to make him feel better. If anything, it seemed to make him more distant.

  “Of course, Jade,” he stilted. They rode in silence for a while, Jade wondering what her knight was thinking about and wishing he would share a little bit more of himself in the time they had left together.

  **

  Richie entered Delgrab’s clearing shortly before dark. He jumped from his horse and raced to the door, pounding on the hard wood surface. Delgrab answered it, looking over the boy’s head in confusion before looking down.

  “Oy, Richie! What are you doing here, son?”

  “I found a letter that I wanted to give to Aston. He said I couldn’t go back to our clearing until he sent word for me. I thought maybe he would come here and you could give it to him.” Richie pulled the letter from his pocket and held it up for Delgrab to see.

  With a chuckle, Delgrab took the letter from Richie and put it in his back pocket, watching as the boy ran across the clearing and climbed back on his horse.

  “Tell Aston I say hi! Oh, and Lady Jade, too!” Richie called over his shoulder as he left. Shaking his head, Delgrab went back inside. Aston had done a good thing, taking that kid under his wing. It seemed even Richie knew how lucky he was.

  **

  Jade sighed a breath of relief when Delgrab’s cabin came into view. She pushed her heels into Edward’s sides, coaxing the horse into a run. Aston did the same, making a race out of it. He let Jade win, of course, but her laughter and smile were more than worth it.

  Delgrab and Alys came out of the cabin as soon as the horses neared it, both sporting heavy bags.

  Aston frowned. “Where are you two going?”

  “Alys and I are going to spend the winter at her parent’s home in Fridel,” Delgrab answered.

  “We thought you two might like somewhere private for the winter,” Alys added.

  Jade’s eyes widened. “You want us to stay here?” she asked Alys. The motherly woman nodded, a smile gracing her features. Jade smiled and turned to Aston. “Can we?”

  “You’re sure it’s okay?” he asked Delgrab. At his friend’s pointed look, Aston laughed. “I was just making sure,” he said.

  “You two have fun. Oh! Before I forget, Richie gave me this letter for you.” Delgrab reached in his pocket and pulled the letter out, handing it to the knight.

  Aston jumped down from Sterling. He grabbed his friend in a firm hug. “Thank you, Del. You have no idea how much this means to me,” he said, grateful he wasn’t going to have to keep his princess out in the cold all winter.

  “Thank you so much, Alys,” Jade said, jumping down from Edward hugging the woman.

  “We need to go if we plan to reach Fridel by nightfall, Alys,” Delgrab announced, taking his wife’s bag and heading into the forest. Alys gave Aston a quick hug before following her husband.

  Jade looked at the cabin, her eyes shining. An entire winter with Aston in a cabin? She could handle this. She hoped.

  Aston took Edward’s reins from Jade and took their horses to the stable in the back, leaving her to wander into the house.

  “The Rogue isn’t going to go after Talbot until winter is over,” Aston told her when he walked in.

  Jade turned to look at him. “How do you know that?” Aston held up the letter. “What does it say?”

  “King Roland’s wife is still going to host their winter ball. She said her husband would be dishonored if she stopped the tradition.”

  Jade’s eyes lit up. “Can we go?” she asked excitedly.

  Aston only looked at her. “You are a runaway princess and I am a traitor. I don’t think a winter ball full of royalty is the best place to go.”

  “King Roland makes everyone wear masks. It’s like a …. a masquerade! It would be perfect for us!”

  The knight shook his head. “I don’t know, Jade. It doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. Talbot, Donn, and your father will al
l be there. Surely someone would recognize us.”

  “Please, Aston! If someone recognizes us I’ll protect you… somehow. I really want to go,” she said, batting her eyes at him and pouting.

  With a sigh, he relented. “Okay, we can go. We don’t have anything to wear, though,” he said.

  Jade sat back for a moment before coming up with a solution. “I can sew! I’ll go into Fridel tomorrow and buy material and buttons and I will make us costumes!” she exclaimed.

  Laughing, Aston nodded at her. “Okay, okay, but I don’t wear red,” he said.

  Jade nodded and smiled, excited. She couldn’t wait to get her hands on some material! She had the perfect idea for their costumes.

  **

  Aston left Jade alone for a bit that night to hunt. She found firewood outside beside the cabin, stacked up against the wall. She brought a fair amount inside and started a fire in the hearth, placing more in the wood box under the make-shift stove. When Aston returned, she helped him cook for the first time.

  Alys’s kitchen was filled with fruits and vegetables, things she and Delgrab had picked and then left for Jade and Aston to use. Jade put carrots, potatoes, and rabbit meat into a large metal pot and set it to simmer, making stew for the night. Then she and Aston moved to the couch while dinner cooked.

  “Tell me more about yourself, Aston.”

  Aston looked over at her and shrugged. “There’s not much to tell.”

  “Come on, Aston. You didn’t come into the world the way you are now. You had to grow up somewhere.”

  “I grew up in Fridel. My father and baby sister still live there. I can’t imagine what they must think of me, knowing I’m a traitor,” the knight answered, turning away.

  Jade placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You aren’t a traitor, Aston. I plan on proving that.”

  He nodded at her before continuing. “I used to spend my summers out here, with Delgrab. His father owned this cabin before Delgrab did. He decided to move the family into town one winter but Delgrab wanted to stay here. He and I spent every day out in this forest, playing around and making up games like kids do.” Aston smiled as he remembered. “I always told Delgrab that I would be a real knight one day, but he never believed me.”

  “But you made it,” Jade said, loving his story. Her Aston had been a kid once, playful, with dreams. Now he was a proud man with a ruined reputation.

  “Even if you do prove to King Donn that I’m innocent, I won’t be a knight anymore,” Aston told her, as if reading her thoughts. His face turned somber as he continued. “It will be hard to convince everyone in Fridel that their prince is a coward. No one will want to believe it.”

  “I wouldn’t say Talbot is a coward,” Jade replied, taking his hand. “He was just more worried about ruining his own reputation than he was about yours.”

  “That sounds like a coward to me,” he told her, shifting slightly in his seat. He was too comfortable sitting there with Jade’s hand in his. He had to remember this was ending soon.

  Clearing his throat, Aston stood and went to the kitchen to check on dinner. An entire winter locked away in a cabin with his princess? What mess had he gotten himself into? Already her nearness was affecting him. He needed to distance himself from her, but that would be impossible in this small home. Aston knew he was falling for Jade, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to send her home to Adion, make her marry Duke Aeron’s son and go back to the life he had before.

  At the same time, he wanted to hold on to Jade and kill any man who looked at her with lust in his eyes. He wanted to make Jacob of Northsbury run home and never return.

  What am I going to do? he asked himself, looking over his shoulder at Jade. She was sitting on the couch, her favorite book in her lap. She glanced up and smiled at him, but Aston quickly turned away.

  It was going to be a long winter.

  **

  Talbot paced his room, glancing out his window every time he passed it. He half expected to see The Rogue Royal riding up at any moment; he knew his thought was ridiculous. He didn’t know what the Rogue looked like, and the murderer certainly didn’t go to the murder site in the middle of the day.

  Still, he couldn’t be immobile.

  The prince left his chambers and went to the throne room, hoping his father would be there. Luckily, he was. Talbot walked hesitantly up the red carpet, stopping in front of King Donn.

  “Any news, Father?”

  Donn looked up from the scroll he was reading, looking back down when he saw that it was Talbot bothering him. “What are you talking about, Talbot?” he asked, his voice a low drawl.

  Talbot flinched; his father was still angry. “Have you received word of The Rogue Royal?” the prince elaborated.

  Donn dropped the scroll into his lap and folded his hands over it. “The Rogue Royal is not killing anyone until after the winter season,” he announced.

  Talbot relaxed at his father’s words. He felt every bit of tension leave him. He bowed to his father and turned to leave.

  “Oh, Talbot,” King Donn added. He turned to his father. “King Roland’s ball has not been cancelled. I expect you to be well mannered once we arrive. Pity, poor Queen Eve has to see you there when you allowed her husband to die,” Donn said. He then waved Talbot off, dismissing him with a slight flick of his wrist.

  “Imagine how disappointed he would be if he knew you let Duke Aeron die, too,” he whispered to himself as he went back to his room. He had the entire winter to think of a plan to save his life. He swore to himself, and to the Powers above, that, if he lived, he would right every wrong he’d ever created in his life.

  “People don’t notice whether its winter

  or summer when they’re happy.”

  - Anton Chekhov -

  Eighteen

  Jade went to town alone the next morning. Aston didn’t want to risk someone recognizing him and Jade didn’t blame him. She wrapped herself in a cloak she found in Alys’s closet and took Edward into town.

  She had never been to Fridel. The princess found herself taking everything in, loving the smells of bread baking and the sounds of children laughing. Even though it was early, the town was full of life. Every shop was open, though their doors were closed to keep out the winter chill. The last leaves were falling from surrounding trees; Edward’s hooves made crunching noises against the street.

  Jade stopped at the first dress shop she came to, tying Edward to the post outside before going into the small building. As she entered, she pulled the cloak’s hood from her head, shaking her hair. The room was filled with material. It was a seamstress’s dream. Red, blue, green and brown; the colors smiled down at her from the shelves, begging to be bought.

  A plump, little woman came from a back room, smiling at Jade as she neared. “Good morning, dear. Can I help you with something?”

  “I need material for a dress and a suit,” Jade answered, browsing the shelves. She stopped at a green silk so smooth, it glistened in the dim light from the windows. “This one,” she told the woman, who quickly came and took it off the shelf, bringing it to a small table at the front of the room.

  Jade continued browsing. She needed something Aston would like. She found red silk and considered, a smile on her face, before moving on. She motioned for the woman to help her, hoping she would have a suggestion.

  “I need outfits for a ball,” Jade told the woman. “What should my prince wear?”

  The woman looked at her selection for a moment before looking at Jade. “Why not match?” she asked.

  Jade smiled. “That’s a grand idea!” she exclaimed. She moved to the buttons next, grabbing silver for herself and gold for Aston. She also chose some white silk for accents on their costumes, as well as thread and several needles. “I’m also going to need two masks,” she told the woman.

  Smiling, the little woman went to her back room, disappearing from Jade’s view. When she came back, she had two ornate masks in her hands. “Those are perfect!” Jade
gushed, taking them from the woman.

  “Anything else, child?”

  “No, thank you. This is all,” Jade answered, watching as the woman cut her material according to the measurements Jade gave her. When her material was cut and folded, Jade tucked the masks away inside the wrapped silk to protect them on the ride home. She gave the woman the money she asked for, as well as a little extra, before leaving with her purchases. She tucked the material and masks into the satchel she’d brought with her before climbing back on Edward and going further into town.

  Several people eyed her as she rode past. Undoubtedly, they knew her to be a stranger. Shrugging, Jade continued. She recognized Richard following along after a tall, plump woman and she waved to him as well. He smiled his gap toothed smile and waved back before hurrying to catch up with the woman. Jade laughed as he left. Something about this town made her feel so at peace.

  A bag full of seasonal fruits and vegetables later, Jade entered the forest, heading toward the cabin. She made sure no one was following her before she reached the clearing, not wanting to bring anyone home to Aston.

  “How was your trip?” Aston asked her as she entered the clearing. His shirt was slung over his shoulder, his bare chest gleaming with sweat. He’d been chopping firewood, Jade guessed. Delgrab’s axe was imbedded in a tree trunk, a pile of wood on the ground beside it. Jade tried to keep her gaze from Aston’s exposed muscles, but she feared she failed when she saw his knowing smile.

  “It was fine,” she answered as her cheeks flared. She handed Edward’s reins over to Aston and took her satchel inside. She heard Aston’s laugh following her until she closed the door. Shaking her head, Jade went to the room she’d chosen for their winter stay. Aston was staying in Delgrab and Alys’s room, but Jade didn’t want to stay with him just yet. They’d slept on the same pallet in the woods, but sharing a bed was different, more intimate. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

 

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