Knight of Runes

by Ruth A. Casie

  Rebeka’s mind raced. I’ve been reading words and not seeing their meanings. She almost missed Arik’s next words.

  “You’ve gone through almost all the books and documents in my library. I don’t know what else there is for you to do. I hoped you would find something, anything to help us but I see you have not.”

  Rebeka felt the color drain from her face, leaving her cold. She clenched her fists. Was he dismissing her? Was he going to have her leave? Was she expendable? She stood still unable to move, unable to breathe.

  “I don’t think you fully know Letty’s abilities. It’s not something widely known.”

  “No, Arik, you’re correct.”

  He chuckled. “You must look from all angles to get the full view.”

  When she turned and looked at him, she didn’t see criticism but something else. She smiled back. “You’re right. I’m not necessarily a believer of the old ways. I need to go over the books again with an open mind.”

  “Yes, you should. Can you read them? Even the runes?”

  “Yes, I can. Well most of them. She writes in several different languages and uses symbols.”

  “Who taught you?” He had a wary look in his eyes. “They’re not widely known.”

  “My father taught me how to read the runes.”

  His veiled expression gave her no hint of his thoughts. She suspected he would be suspicious. How could she explain her knowledge without telling him she was from the future? Leticia’s runes were nothing like the ones she studied at the university but almost the same as the ones her father taught her, runes and silly chants. How could she explain that?

  Jeannie came into the room and went about setting trenchers on the table for the midday meal. Aubrey trailed behind her with linens, glancing up at her and Arik every few moments.

  “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work.” She was keen to return to the runes again.

  “Uncle Arik, did you ask her?” Aubrey bristled with anticipation.

  “No, I did not. We spoke of other things first.” He trailed off as Katherine, Logan and Skylar entered ready to begin their meal.

  “Ask her what?” asked Katherine.

  “Ask Rebeka to our table for the harvest festival,” Aubrey whispered to her.

  Katherine’s eyes flared. She put on a big smile but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Go ahead, just as you promised,” Aubrey coaxed her uncle.

  Rebeka looked from Aubrey to Arik. What was going on? What did he promise?

  “All right, Aubrey, be still.” Arik took Rebeka’s hand, gave a courtly bow and brought it up to his lips. He gently placed a kiss on her knuckles. “Please do me the honor of joining us at our table during the festival meal next week.” The formal invitation left Rebeka speechless.

  “Oh, Uncle Arik, how gallant you are. Wasn’t he, Rebeka?” Aubrey clapped her hands.

  Arik still held Rebeka’s hand. They were staring at each other. It wasn’t the kiss that set things in motion. It was staring into each other’s eyes when their defenses were down, no barriers, they could truly see into each other’s…soul. Rebeka was shaken, and so, she thought, was Arik.

  Arik leaned in close to her. “You’re supposed to tell me you’re honored at the invitation and you of course accept.”

  Rebeka reluctantly drew back her hand. Arik stood up straight. They both let loose a tense laugh.

  “Lord Arik.”

  He raised his eyebrow, making her smile.

  “I would be most honored to be your guest at the harvest festival.” She gave her acceptance with a deep and most graceful curtsy.

  “It will be wonderful,” Aubrey said, hugging them both. “You wait and see. No village has a harvest festival like ours. Wasn’t Uncle Arik gallant! He promised me he would be gallant and make you a perfect invitation.”

  “Come, Aubrey, Lord Arik, your meal awaits. You may go, Rebeka. I am certain you have much to do.”

  She smiled at Arik. She did have much to do.

  “Oh and, Rebeka,” Katherine continued, looking down her nose at her. “The harvest festival meal is attended by all the neighbors and other lords. You’ll have to wear something more…appropriate.” She smirked at the loose peasant dress Rebeka wore tied with an apron.

  Ah, the evil stepmother herself. Rebeka stifled a laugh. This was turning out to be a really bad fairy tale.

  “I wouldn’t want to embarrass Lord Arik or the family,” Rebeka said.

  “Yes, well you would fit in more at the villagers’ table outside,” Katherine smirked.

  “Katherine, you go too far! Enough of your sour attitude. If a dress is lacking give her one of yours.”

  “Oh, Uncle Arik, I can give Rebeka one of mine,” offered Skylar. “Jeannie can alter it without—” She didn’t get to finish her sentence.

  “No. Katherine will give her a dress,” Arik ordered. “Won’t you, cousin?” Arik spoke with a definite clipped tone, his face red with anger.

  The warm room instantly turned ice cold.

  “Yes, Lord Arik, as you wish.” Katherine glared at Rebeka.

  “Thank you again, Lord Arik, for the invitation and Lady Katherine for the offer of the dress. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get back to my research.”

  Rebeka left the room. Long strides took her quickly to the cottage. She couldn’t get out of there fast enough. The look on Katherine’s face following Arik’s rebuke had sparked a moment of pity for the woman, but it was clear to Rebeka that she would pay for that. She needed to get away from Katherine and her toxic attitude, and Arik and his…She stopped midthought. She would think about Arik later, along with the kiss he placed so delicately on her knuckles. Her hand still tingled. She didn’t recognize this Arik nor did she know how to respond to him, although her body certainly did.

  “Rebeka, I was coming to see you.” Skylar entered the Manor kitchen, a bundle in her arms as Rebeka returned from her morning “walk” with a basket of harvested herbs for Jeannie.

  “Cousin Katherine asked, well maybe not asked more like ordered, me to bring you this dress. She said you could keep it.”

  “Dress, what dress?” Rebeka teased.

  “The dress you are wearing to the harvest festival,” Skylar told her, a sense of panic in her voice.

  “Oh, I almost forgot.” Rebeka smiled. Even Jeannie smiled. No she hadn’t forgotten at all. For the last week, Rebeka had noticed the village abuzz with activity. Everyone was involved in the planning or building and she hadn’t been able to see or talk to anyone without hearing what they were doing for the festival.

  Everyone was planning what they would bring, donate and wear. Even Rebeka.

  “Everyone seems to have a task,” said Rebeka.

  “Oh, yes. Uncle Logan is in charge of the making the stalls and tables for the games and contests. Jeannie and I manage the food and decorating. Aubrey, well she is in charge of the children’s games,” said Skylar.

  Katherine, on the other hand, appeared to do nothing. “Does Katherine participate?” she asked.

  “Only hosting with Uncle Arik. She thinks the festival is a great expense and wasted on the villagers.”

  It didn’t surprise her. Katherine was not beloved by the villagers.

  “So, you didn’t forget about this, then?” Skylar smiled as she unfolded the dress, but her face turned to shock at the condition of the brown material. She turned to Rebeka, outraged.

  “You can’t wear this! Cousin Katherine knows you can’t wear this to the festival. It’s no more than a rag!”

  Rebeka and Jeannie examined it. The quality of the material was good and the shape wasn’t bad, though it would need to be taken in. But someone had slashed the bodice of the gown, the sleeves were held on by a thread and the skirt was spotted and dirty. “Jeannie, it’s hopeless,” Rebeka gasped.

  “No, m’lady, more of a challenge. Anything you wear will look wonderful. Wait you’ll see.”

  “Jeannie, there’re only two days before the festival a
nd with all you have to do, I can’t ask you…” Rebeka was disappointed, but did not want to show it.

  “Ah, m’lady, it won’t take long. You’ll see. I’ll come by the cottage after the midday meal. After all Lord Arik has asked you to attend. I won’t let him or you down.”

  Rebeka walked up the path to Elfrida’s cottage with a basket of herbs. It was a beautiful afternoon, and she noticed the new thatching on the roof. She heard the snap of the freshly washed laundry rustling in the wind. Inside she could smell baking bread and the pungent scent of the cheese sitting on the table. She wasn’t the only one looking in on Elfrida.

  Elfrida stories were a wonderful source of information. Rebeka hoped to corroborate the older woman’s stories with documents in the library and Leticia’s journal. Elfrida seemed to enjoy the company and the new audience.

  “That old Doward must be afraid I’ll steal his business.” She tapped Rebeka’s hand and laughed, pleased with her remark. She shifted a bit in her chair to get comfortable. “Today I’ll tell you about Letty,” she said, a satisfied smile on her face.

  Rebeka brought a chair closer to Elfrida. The old woman took her hand.

  “Letty was three years younger than Arik. Her big brother watched over her worse than her old nanny.” She shook her head. Obviously some private thought tickled her. “Well, she married Sir Radulf and had the two girls. How Radulf fussed over them, a big warrior like him. He loved those girls but not nearly as much as he loved Letty. Autumn Chase rang with his booming voice and laughter.”

  Autumn Chase? “Sir Stuart’s home?”

  Shaken out of her daydream, Elfrida blinked and, with a heavy sigh, focused on Rebeka. “Radulf was Stuart’s older brother, gone now these ten years, taken by the fever. Those were frightening times and not only because of the fever. It’s when the lightning started.”

  Rebeka’s heartbeat quickened at the mention of the lightning. Eager for answers, she squeezed the woman’s hand, encouraging her to continue.

  “The lightning came out of nowhere.”

  “No rain?”

  “Not at all. No clouds in the sky, only the sun.”

  Rebeka’s brows wrinkled as she thought. If it was dry lightning, the rain evaporated before reaching the ground, there would be clouds. Lightning from a cloudless sky?

  Elfrida gave her a sideways glance and took a deep breath. “Very few have seen the bright flash of blue lightning. The only time anyone knows the lightning has hit is when they see smoke from the burning meadow. No one has ever seen it strike, except Letty. She saw it strike once.”

  Rebeka sat up quickly, pulling her hand away from Elfrida. She wanted to bolt for her cottage and Leticia’s diaries but forced herself to stay calm.

  “Enough about the weather for now. Have you heard about the festival?”

  “Will you be going?” Actually, Rebeka wanted to hear more about the lightning, but she knew better. She got up and made them both a cup of tea.

  “Of course I will. I make the syllabub. It’s Aubrey’s favorite.”

  “It’s mine, too,” said Rebeka

  “What will you do for the festival?”

  “I’ve made some herb sachets for everyone and some fragrant lavender oil. I hope the villagers like them.”

  “How could they not with you their favorite citizen?”

  “Favorite citizen?” Rebeka had made an effort not to get involved with the villagers. Between the fear of changing history and leaving soon, she decided it was best that way

  “Yes. When they come here for a visit, the talk is all about you. Your herbs and how young Aubrey has at last come alive again since her mother’s passing. If your coming here only accomplished that, your travel was worth it. I feared for her. Everyone feared for her.”

  “I did nothing but make myself available to her. She’s a bright and loving child.” Rebeka wanted to change the subject. “What parts of the festival do you like the best?”

  “I like all of it, everybody having fun, eating, the bonfire and singing at the end. Yes, I like it all.”

  Rebeka gave Elfrida her tea and sat on the second most comfortable chair not far from her.

  “Arik has asked me to the family table. Aubrey made a special request. She asked him to formally invite me. Kiss on the knuckles and formal speech and all. She was so excited.”

  “You’re excited too.” Elfrida finished her tea and set the cup down.

  “This is the first harvest festival I’m going to and everyone in the village is working so hard and in such good spirits. You can’t help but be excited.”

  “You should be, especially around the bonfire. There’s magic in the air around the bonfire.” Elfrida sat back, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Rebeka was used to the old woman dozing while she visited. She quietly left her sleeping. She would stop by again tomorrow before the festival.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Arik took a bag of winnowed wheat from Alfred.

  “That’s the last one, m’lord.”

  He heaved it onto the pile of bags in the barn. The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance. He stretched his back, looked out the barn door and gave a worried look at the clear sky. “It’s a better harvest than I expected. We’re more fortunate than Easton. The weather killed much of their crops. We’ll have to decide how much we can set aside for them.”

  “It’s good it hasn’t rained here. We can begin milling the wheat once everyone’s head clears after today’s festival.” Alfred mopped his face with a rag. The two men left the barn.

  “Yes. Everyone worked hard. They have good cause to celebrate today.”

  “Aubrey told everyone how this festival will be fit for the king himself. Well, if there is nothing else, m’lord, I will be going.” Alfred left for the village.

  Arik crossed the drive. He had to admit he was looking forward to the celebration. He walked to the front of the Manor and found it bustled with activity. Manor staff rushed about from table to table, covering them with white linens. Jeannie, with several of the village women, stood sentinel and supervised.

  Aubrey and a gaggle of village children decorated everything in sight even the guardsmen. Each one sported a flower in the buttonhole of their tunic.

  Everyone was doing something. He thrived on the charged mood and his people’s enthusiasm. If only it could be like this all the time.

  While the feast finished cooking, the men put together the wood for the evening’s bonfire. The musicians carried in their instruments. One carriage after another filled with villagers and guests drove up to the Manor.

  “He’s coming,” Aubrey shouted and ran to Arik. “Martin’s at the gate. He said he could see Sir Stuart.” Aubrey ran over to Rebeka. “Sir Stuart is bringing the first harvested hay. Then Uncle Arik will start the festival.” She took her place beside Katherine.

  Rebeka helped with the last preparations and stood on the Manor porch close to the family with some of the other guests. She hadn’t noticed Arik arrive, but stopped to look at him. He was dressed in courtier clothes, tight black britches with shiny black leather boots fitting snugly over his calves. The soft white shirt tucked into his britches caressed his well-built body. The beautiful dark green leather jacket, worn long and loose, was slightly tapered at the waist, accentuating his broad shoulders. The sleeves were long with a deep cuff. Around his neck he wore a gold braided torque. His deep genuine smile took her breath away as he stood on the Manor porch tall and proud. Logan, Skylar and Aubrey were beside him, Katherine next to them, close to the wall.

  The villagers’ cheers grew louder as Stuart rode up, a young man beside him. A carriage with two beautiful women followed. Stuart was dressed in the same style as Arik, but he paled in comparison. That must be his wife Lady Beatrice, daughter Holly and cousin Robert, thought Rebeka, craning her neck to get a better look. They joined Arik on the porch.

  “Welcome to Fayne Manor,” Arik announced loudly.

  “Lord Arik, I bring you the first bale of h
ay from this harvest.” Stuart waved the wagon on. It lumbered past the Manor on its way to the barn. Stuart and his party came onto the porch and Arik offered Stuart a goblet of wine. Both men raised their glasses high. “To hearth and home!” They spoke in unison and the crowd erupted with wild cheering. Rebeka’s heart swelled hearing her father’s words. These were her people, she realized. For an instant, she felt this was the only place she belonged.

  Arik was a gracious host. Followed by Jeannie and a tray of goblets he handed one to each guest and raised a toast with them, giving them his full attention. This was a side of Arik she had never seen. She turned to go into the Manor, but a gentle touch on her arm drew her attention. Arik held out a goblet to her. “Drink with me.”

  She took the offered goblet. “To hearth and home.”

  “To hearth and home,” she murmured. She sipped the heady wine but didn’t take her eyes off him.

  “I hope you enjoy the day’s festivities. Do you like games?”

  “Yes, I do. Why do you ask?”

  “In which ones will you take part?” He appeared in no hurry to move on.

  “Some of the board games Aubrey arranged and possibly the Pall Mall.” She took a deep breath and relaxed, the tension dissolved. “Which will you join?”

  “Possibly the tug-of-war, maybe even the Pall Mall.” His eyes danced with mischief.

  He walked with her through the crowd and introduced her to his other guests. Rebeka found the light conversation delightful. Her extensive knowledge of the era was a boon to helping her blend in.

  But it was the man who escorted her that was the biggest surprise. His attitude was casual, not the brooding commander she was used to seeing. She found him charming and playful. There was a magnetism about him that excited her. He made witty comments that made her laugh heartily. And when he smiled…it took her breath away.

  “Well, Arik, who is this? I heard a delightful sound and knew it could not be you,” Stuart teased.

  Next to each other, the men looked similar. They were both warriors with broad shoulders and trim hips. Stuart had a refined cultured look while Arik gave the impression of great strength and power. She was certain in a large crowd, people would instinctively move out of his way.