Unarmed (Unarmed Trilogy)

by Nina Monroe

  “We were attacked,” Will said as he struggled with his breath. “Lucy is a daughter of Douglas Johansson and she joined your brother. She made us stop for something and we were attacked. He tried to…” Will’s throat closed up as he looked down at Tamzin’s torn dress. “Tamzin hit him with a rock and then some men that work for Turner Roth found us. We came across the Roth men when we made the first ride to Aunt Isabelle’s.”

  “Did we lose any men?” Gregory asked as he watched Will took her from the soldier and cradled her body.

  “Not that I know of but I had to get her out of there first,” Will said as he struggled to continued holding her. “I need Jacque. I think I broke a rib,” Will groaned as he dropped to his knees and placed Tamzin’s body on the ground. “She begged me to wear chainmail. That’s the only reason why I have a broken rib and not multiple arrow wounds.”

  Gregory’s eyes widened as he looked down at Tamzin.

  “Do you think she knew?” Gregory asked as he untied his cloak and tossed it over Tamzin’s torn dress.

  “No, no, definitely not,” Will began as he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “If that rock hadn’t been there. If Duke hadn’t flipped her over…”

  “A lot of things could have been different, Will, but she is safe and he didn’t rape her,” Gregory said as the nurses and Jacque finally arrived in the courtyard. “The bloodline isn’t compromised.”

  “I don’t care right now about the bloodline,” Will barked. “I care that my wife was nearly raped by an entire group of men. I care that he could have killed her or taken her or anything worst that I haven’t thought of yet. She is not an alliance; she hasn’t been just an alliance for an extremely long time,” Will continued before he called out for Jacque.

  Will watched as Hartman carried some injured soldiers towards the castle while the healers began removing the arrows from the arms and legs of the injured men. Jacque dropped to the ground next to Tamzin.

  “Was she hit with anything?” Jacque asked as he ran his fingers over Tamzin’s scalp. “There are no bumps or cuts?”

  “She passed out when we were riding back. I think it was the stress of what happened,” Will said as he touched her forehead. Gregory watched his son’s concerned eyes traced over Tamzin’s calm face. “Should we let her sleep?”

  “She needs to explain what she knows about Lucy Johansson,” Gregory said as he stood and ran towards the well. Will’s eyes narrowed as he lightly slapped Tamzin’s cheek. “She betrayed us!”

  “Tamzin? Sweetheart, wake up,” Will said quietly as he continued to tap her face. He felt the water droplets on his leather-clad shoulder before he watched his father dump an entire bucket of freezing water onto his wife. “What is wrong with you?”

  “You may not care about the safety of our kingdom, but I still have to,” Gregory yelled as Tamzin began to sputter as some of the water went down her throat and up her nose. She immediately sat up and her eyes darted around frantically. “You have a lot of questions to answer…”

  “No, she doesn’t,” Will yelled as he wrapped an arm around her back and lifted her up. The strain of her weight made him yelp from the pain in his rib.

  “Will, are you okay?” Tamzin asked; now that she was awake, she was beyond alarmed. She placed a delicate hand on his side and watched as he hissed. “Jacque, help him.”

  “You let Lucy Johansson come into this kingdom?” Gregory shouted as the chaos around them continued. “What you have done could be considered treasonous!”

  “I’m only alive because of her,” Will snarled as he shoved his father’s looming figure away from her. “Now is not the time. These men need help and I need to make sure she is okay.”

  Gregory stood down after his son’s tone. He spoke like a true King, though he wished Will could see the whole picture. Tamzin stood and helped Will to his feet as she wrapped her arm around his waist. Gregory watched as she struggled to help him up the steps of the castle. His son may not have wanted to talk yet, but he would have to eventually.

  ~~~

  “Ahh,” Will grunted as Jacque’s skilled fingers prodded his side.

  “It is definitely a broken rib,” Jacque said as he continued to press on the tender flesh. “Not much can be done about that. I can give you something to help you sleep?”

  “I’m fine,” Will said as he looked to Tamzin, who stood across the room and still wore her torn dress. “Please leave us,” Will asked Jacque as he looked down at his injury. His entire side was black and blue, but a small portion was extremely dark with splotches of red and purple.

  “Your Majesty,” Jacque nodded as he watched Tamzin. She didn’t return his stare as Jacque left them alone in their chambers. When they were alone, Tamzin began to speak.

  “I’m sorry, Will,” Tamzin said meekly as she clasped her hands in front of her. She recognized that she was currently on dangerous ground with him, though Will wasn’t nearly as angry as Gregory was.

  “Did you know? Did you know Lucy was from the Johansson family and still you brought her into this kingdom?” Will asked in a controlled voice. His entire body ached, but he knew he wasn’t in nearly as much pain as she was. He could see it etched on her face, could see in how her body shook lightly.

  “You didn’t like me when I first came here,” Tamzin began as her voice quaked and her eyes filled with tears. “She was my best friend. I needed her here. You don’t know Lucy like I do.”

  “Did you know?” Will repeated as he clenched his fists together.

  “Her father sent her to Roth Territory when she was eleven, after Lucy was caught being inappropriate with a boy. Her father said he never wanted to see her again and if my father didn’t take her in, Douglas Johansson would have left her out in the street to die,” Tamzin replied as she bit her lip. “I didn’t think Lucy would do this.”

  “But she did, and now I am injured and the men I brought with me are all injured. I’m not sure if I still have their trust or if they can ever trust you,” Will let out as he locked eyes with her. “But if it wasn’t for you, we would all be dead. If you hadn’t hit Duke with that rock, if you hadn’t asked for Quincy’s help before; you are the reason I’ve come back home with a broken rib, instead of just a head. You will face my father, but I know that if you hadn’t intervened…” Will said as he watched her cry harder. “Come here, please,” Will said as he extended his hand to her. Tamzin walked over to him cautiously as he pulled her into the bed and into his embrace. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “You were so brave out there. I am so honored to be your husband,” he kissed her again as her shoulders shook.

  “I’m so sorry, Will. I was terrified you would send her away and I just didn’t think she would do this,” Tamzin said as she felt him cuddle her further into his side. “Your father is angry with me.”

  “Don’t worry about him,” Will said as his eyes became heavy. “You are safe here. I promise you that no one will harm you.”

  “I need to get out of this dress,” Tamzin said as she pulled away abruptly and nearly fell out of bed. Will sat up slowly as he watched her pull violently on her torn dress. As Will stood up from the bed, he gingerly put his hand on his rib and the other on her shoulder. “Get this off me!” she screamed as her nails tore at the fabric. Will gripped the back of her dress and he tore at the seam. With the tear stretching down the back, Tamzin pulled the dress forward on her shoulders and down her arms. She threw the dress onto the floor and she stood, with her back to Will, in her chemise.

  With the fabric pooled at her feet, Will watched as Tamzin instantly put a hand to her stomach. Will leaned down and grabbed the dress before he tossed it into the fire.

  “If you wish it, no one will know what has happened. I will make sure that no man breathes a word of what happened in the forest,” Will said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched. The hollowness in Will’s stomach grew from the flinch; she thought he would hurt her.

  “Ho
w can you touch me?” Tamzin asked as she folded into herself with her arms wrapped protectively around her torso. “What if he had done it? What if his men had done it to?”

  “But they didn’t,” Will responded as he placed his other hand on her shoulder. He ran his fingers over her shoulders before he began to knead her shoulders.

  “But what if they did?” She countered though his fingers relaxed her slowly. “I’m drinking fertility potions, Will. What if I had become pregnant?”

  “Then you would have become pregnant with our child,” Will said as his hands dropped to her waist as he wrapped her in his embrace. “I am in love with you and nothing will ever make me stop. If those animals had done that to you, you are still my wife and I made my vows to you.”

  “You don’t know any of that. I lied to you. In some ways, I betrayed you. How can you even look at me?” Tamzin cried as she felt his lips find her neck. She unwrapped herself from his embrace as she crawled into their bed in her chemise. “I just really need to sleep.”

  Will hissed as he crawled into bed next to her as he lied on his injured side to embrace her. With his arms wrapped tightly around her and a kiss to her neck, Will felt her body begin to shake as she cried. There was nothing he could do or say, so he just held her. It was the only way he could tell her that he wasn’t going anywhere.

  It was nightfall when Will felt someone shaking his shoulder lightly.

  “Will, Will?” Garrett whispered to his friend as Will opened his eyes. Tamzin had passed out hours ago after she cried for what felt like forever. Will sat up and nearly screeched when he felt his rib again. “Your father has called a special council meeting in front of the nobles.”

  “About what?” Will asked as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes. He could have slept peacefully for the rest of the night. “It’s been a long day.”

  “It’s about Tamzin,” Garrett said sympathetically. “There is a lot of talk about bringing charges of treason against her.” The words forced Will to sit up quickly, though Tamzin still continued to sleep peacefully. “I defended her. I said she nearly killed Duke with that blow to the head. It was more than any of us had done. But people are angry that she, knowingly, brought a Johansson into our territory.”

  Will stretched over her body and stood with both feet on the ground. He instantly went to his armoire and pulled out a fresh tunic and his large cloak that he wore to his wedding. With the speed of light, he redressed and slipped on his boots. Forgetting his injury, he walked back to the bed and dropped to his knees. Will pressed a kiss to her forehead and was about to wake her when a loud knock at the door jolted her awake.

  Tamzin awoke with her face covered in sweat. She looked around to find Will directly in front of her and Garrett behind her.

  “You’re being summoned, love,” Will said as he walked back to their armoire and pulled out a simple wool dress. “Please tell my father that we will be there soon, Garrett.”

  “You weren’t actually summoned. They just want to speak to Tamzin,” Garrett explained as Tamzin moved haphazardly with a sheet wrapped around her. “You know the rules state that she must come alone.”

  “I am her husband,” Will barked as Tamzin jumped. “My father deems it fit to charge her with treason, then I, as the heir, deem it fit to stand by her side. Go, now!” Will yelled as Will pulled on the sheet she kept around her body. With her dress on the ground, Tamzin stepped into the fabric as Will pulled it up to her shoulders. Her hair was messy from sleep and her eyes were still red from crying, but it didn’t stop Will from leaning in and kissing her. She returned his embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck. With a soft nip on her bottom lip, Will pulled away.

  “Am I on trial?” Tamzin asked as she sat down at her vanity. She ran her comb quickly through her hair before she felt Will wrap a cloak around her shoulders.

  “Not exactly. You will defend yourself against potential charges of treason, though I will be defending you. Rainer will use this time to shine,” Will spat as he fixed his hair with his fingers. “I’m not supposed to attend the meeting with you.”

  “Why not?” Tamzin asked with alarm as she turned around in her seat. She slipped her feet in the shoes by the vanity. “You said you would be there!”

  “I am going to be there,” Will said as he finished fixing his hair and then tied his cloak. He was in agony from his broken rib, but he wasn’t suffering nearly as much as Tamzin. She needed him to be strong for her and he would be. “He made me marry you, now he will have to deal with me now that I am just as invested in this marriage as he was in the beginning. No one,” Will said as he clasped her face in his hands, “will take you from me. I love you, do you hear me?”

  “I love you, too,” Tamzin nodded before she kissed him softly. “I’m not as afraid with you next to me.”

  “I’m a fierce fighter, my love. There is no one more protected right now than you,” Will said as he kissed her face. “Tonight, we will be back in bed and this will be just a distant memory.” With that final word, Will grasped her hand tightly and together they left their chambers. The stairs felt unusually colder as the candles were not as brightly lit. Tamzin shivered as Will pushed the wall open and on the other side were a few soldiers waiting to escort Tamzin. “I am escorting her.”

  “Your Grace, we have direct instructions from your father,” one of the soldiers named Louis began, but Will stopped him with a single look.

  “Does my father lead you into battle? Did my father train you?” Will asked the young man who shrank underneath his hard gaze. “I didn’t think so,” Will continued as he moved Tamzin’s hand to rest in the crook of his elbow. “I will be escorting my wife and if anyone has another comment about it, he can kiss my blade,” Will said as his fingers trailed to his sword. The men tightened their lips as they listened to their commander.

  Tamzin ran her fingers over the inseam of his elbow as Will pushed his way through his soldiers. They instantly began to talk about him, but she couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying. She imagined it wasn’t anything positive or encouraging, but they listened to him. Will may not have been an affectionate man towards his comrades, but he was honest with them. He always led them back home. Will may have been a lot of things, but everyone knew that he didn’t enjoy war and did all he could to ensure that his men came back home after every battle.

  Tamzin hadn’t expected this amount of people to be waiting outside of their chambers. She didn’t even realize there were this many nobles to be had in Thurston, but there they were, staring at her. She was sure that no royal had never been accused of treason, or had the possibility of it happening. Their staring stopped when they came across Will’s angry gaze. Will despised the nobles; he was much kinder to the actual townspeople he ruled over. Will hated the nobles because they did nothing for the realm; they didn’t work, they certainly weren’t soldiers, and all of their time was spent partying, gambling, and gossiping. This time was no different.

  It was a difficult walk from their chambers to the Throne Room and Tamzin noticed no one bowed to her. Though she was potentially going to be charged with treason, she was a born royal. She wouldn’t be charged with treason; Will wouldn’t allow that to happen.

  The entrance to the Throne Room was opened and the most prominent nobles sat amongst Gregory and his advisors, including Hartman and Rainer. Tamzin watched Gregory’s angry face inflame when he saw Will escorting her, but it was Rainer who spoke up first.

  “You know the rules, Your Highness,” Rainer scolded Will like a child in front of the entire court. But Will didn’t allow his anger to get the best of him as he unwound Tamzin’s hand from his elbow and took a step forward.

  “I do know the rules, but even you’re not dumb enough to see that I clearly don’t care about them,” Will retorted as he raised an eyebrow to Rainer before he looked back to his father. “Why have you summoned her?”

  “I believe that is between Tamzin and myself,” Gregory countered as he sat comfortab
ly in his throne. “I must say though, I am extremely impressed by your gallant effort at coming to her defense.”

  “She is my business, Father,” Will narrowed his eyes. “You demanded that I marry her, so I did. She is my wife and I love her very much. She acted irrationally and recklessly, but she is not a traitor. If she has to be punished, then I will carry it out.”