by Shea,Lisa
A momentary gladness lifted her heart when she walked into the main hall and saw that her usual seat was open; Reynald had chosen to sit across from her parents for the meal. The three looked up solicitously as she approached the table, and in short order Sally had brought over the ham and eggs which comprised the current menu.
Sarah saw Reynald and her father glance at each other with a worried frown, but it was her mother who spoke gently to her. “Sarah, my dear, are you sure it is a good idea to be riding? You are barely healed from your injury. The doctors said it might be several more weeks before you were ready for strenuous activity.”
Sarah smiled reassuringly at her mother. “My horse is not any work at all to ride; he is as smooth as silk. If I am to get back into shape, I need to exercise regularly. I will not go far – just enough to allow my body to regain what it has lost.”
Reynald’s voice was low. “I will accompany you then, to keep you safe.”
Sarah was prepared for this, and focused on keeping her voice in a gentle, reasonable tone. “I appreciate that, Reynald, but you are far more important in the long range searches which I cannot yet assist with.”
Her father’s eyes were sharp. “You are not going out alone,” he declared in a tone of voice she had rarely heard him use. “I forbid it.”
Sarah put her hand tenderly on her father’s arm. “I would not dream of it, father. There has been enough angst for one family to bear.” She looked over to both of her parents. “I will take Cedric with me; he is quite capable, and I imagine not nearly as indispensable with the main task. Also, I promise that I will stay near the castle grounds.”
Her father nodded morosely, mollified by her quiet acquiescence. “See that you do,” he murmured before returning to his breakfast.
Sarah’s heart sank. Her parents had always been rocks of stability. To see them so worried and upset concerned her greatly.
When she stood and walked out to the stables, Reynald moved quietly at her side. She waited until they were in the shelter of the stables before turning calmly to meet his gaze.
“You do not intend to follow me again, do you?” she asked with a deliberately light tone. “Finding my sister should take precedence.”
Reynald nodded, his look serious. “I realize that. Still, I wanted to emphasize to you how volatile this situation is. Please, I know I have no right to ask this – but be as safe as you can be. Do not take any unnecessary risks.”
Sarah was touched by his concern. “I will be careful,” she promised. “I know I am not up to full strength yet. I want to make sure I heal as quickly as possible, though, so I can be a help to the effort sooner rather than later.”
Reynald looked down at that, and took in a deep breath. When he looked up again, Sarah’s heart stopped. His gaze was so full of angst … of sorrow …
Reynald’s voice was almost a whisper when he spoke again. “I am so sorry for allowing harm to come to you … for allowing this new pain to enter your life,” he offered. “I cannot undo past mistakes. If there is anything I can do for you now – anything at all …”
Sarah forced herself to smile, and she stepped forward to hold his arm. “Find my sister,” she instructed. Then she turned and walked to her horse’s stall, to saddle him for the ride.
She did not mind at all that Cedric was silent during their hour ride around the keep walls. She was acutely aware of the dangers they faced, and it took every ounce of her strength to stay on the horse’s back, balanced and alert. Still, she was pleased by the end of the ride. She felt tired, but in a good way. She had confidence that she would regain herself in only a short while.
She returned back to her room, and after a short nap, she spent the afternoon on exercises that she could do around her bed. She worked on practice moves with her sword and dagger, and was reassured when she found she could wield both with at least some degree of strength. She pushed herself right until dinner, and then after the meal was over, turned in for an early rest.
* * *
Sarah was pleased when there were no comments by her family or Reynald when she arrived for lunch the next morning prepared to ride again. Her father and Reynald spent the meal discussing the area the men would cover in the daily sweep, and her mother sat quietly, apparently lost in thought. Sarah wished there was something more productive she could offer to the effort, but knew that her best chance lay in bringing herself back to full strength.
Reynald followed her out to the stables again, but this time did not utter a word. He simply watched over her as she went through the activity of preparing her mount. She found his presence reassuring, and nodded to him when she and Cedric rode out for the morning.
Sarah breathed in the fresh afternoon air as they headed out. Her muscles had quickly gotten used to this activity again, and the day was bright and warm. She turned her horse’s head in the direction of Lily’s home.
“What did you have in mind for today?” asked Cedric quietly. His tone was not curious; he simply was asking for the plan.
“Of all the people I know, Lily reaches the widest range of individuals and locations,” explained Sarah as they moved. “She is only a short ride away, so we should only be gone for an hour or so. That is well within my current limits. Once we enlist her support, she can spread the word throughout her network and find out more for us in one week than we could discover in a month.”
“It seems a good idea,” agreed Cedric. “This road is well traveled. I do not see any issues at all.”
They alternated between short canters and periods of walking, with Sarah paying careful attention to how her body reacted to the activity. She wanted to balance the exercise she needed with the knowledge that she was still healing. She was grateful when Lily’s home came into view.
Lily came bustling out immediately when she saw who her guest was. “Sarah, my lamb! Are you sure you should be out? I heard you were injured …” She quickly helped Sarah down and into her room, pouring out wine for the pair.
Sarah took a gulp of her wine, grateful to be relaxing on the couch if only for a short while. She turned to Lily, her gaze serious.
“I am here about my sister. She has been abducted by Denis, a Knight Templar who is a known bandit in this area.”
Lily’s face went pale at the news. “I have heard rumors about that, but I had hoped they were not true! Have you heard from the kidnappers?”
Sarah shook her head. “None. There has been as yet no demand for ransom. The men at the keep are performing searches every day, and a reward has been posted, but so far there has been no news. I thought, perhaps, with your wide network of friends -”
Lily put her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Say no more,” she instructed. “I have a market day coming up tomorrow. I will make sure that every person I speak with knows what to watch for. I will make sure they know it would be a personal favor to me if they could tell every person they meet or know in the coming days. We will get the word out.”
Sarah sighed in relief. “Thank you so much. I am sure that, with your help, we can track her down. She must be somewhere …”
Lily glanced at the door. Through it, Cedric could be seen tending to the horses and maintaining an eye on the forest beyond. She turned back to Sarah. “That man I know; he has been a guard with your family for many years. Where is the courtly gentleman who was with you on your last visit? Reynald was his name, I believe?”
Sarah looked away. “Reynald is out looking for Rachel.” She was tempted to say more, to spill her torment and emotions. She had nobody to confide in, nobody to draw reassurance from. However, if Lily was going to be out discussing the situation with many people over the coming days, Sarah did not want any chance of the wrong comment slipping out accidentally. She trusted her friend, but it was better this way.
Lily watched Sarah’s face for a long moment, then nodded quietly. “I am here, if you want to talk any time,” she offered.
Sarah forced herself to smile. “I know, and I appreci
ate it. Maybe once we find Rachel, I will take you up on that.”
She finished her wine in a long swallow. “I think I should be heading back now,” she admitted to her friend. “I do not want my family worrying about me as well, with all that is going on.”
“Of course, I understand completely,” agreed Lily. In a moment the two had risen and moved back out into the yard.
Cedric helped Sarah climb back up onto her mount, then was ready at her side. Sarah smiled and waved goodbye to her friend, then followed Cedric as they headed back toward home.
Her soul eased as they followed the quiet road through the woods. Her wound was healing more with each passing day, and she had done something productive to help in the hunt for her sister. If she focused on small, meaningful steps, she was sure that their efforts would result in success.
She did not even feel frustrated that they took the peaceful road back at a slow walk. She had made good progress today. Tomorrow she would accomplish even more.
There was the sound of hoofbeat behind her, and she gave a wry smile. So Reynald felt it necessary to check up on her, after all. She found that she looked forward to finishing up the ride with him by her side. It was time she began looking on him as a good friend, to put aside her romantic feelings. Today was a good day to begin the change.
She reached forward to pull to a stop, but was caught by the look in Cedric’s eyes. He had turned half sideways to see who was approaching them, and his gaze was sharp, his hand moving toward the hilt of his sword. His voice held a low, warning tone.
“Sarah …”
Sarah spun her head. Four cloaked men were riding toward them at high speed, their swords glinting at their sides. Their look was rough and rugged.
Cedric spun his mount to press alongside hers.
“Run!”
Sarah needed no further exhortation. She dug her legs into her steed’s side, and in a flash she and Cedric were racing full tilt down the road.
Sarah’s heart pounded in her throat, but a glance behind her showed that the men were steadily gaining on them. She pushed her mount as fast as he could go, but she knew it was hopeless.
She looked sideways at Cedric, who maintained a constant presence at her side. “Go ahead!” she urged him. “You can outrun them! Get help!”
“Never!” ground out Cedric, his face reflecting his determination. “I will not leave you.”
Her heart pounded …
Her breath left her …
Their swords came clear of their scabbards …
They were overtaken.
Steel clanged on steel as hands grabbed for reins, as the horses reared and spun in clattering motion.
Sarah found herself facing two of the bandits, and she spun her mount to keep them from pinning her in on either side. She desperately used wide, sweeping motions to keep them away, but their reach was longer than hers, and their strength much greater. It only took two or three hits before her weapon was thrown from her hand. In a moment they had moved their horses in on either side, holding tightly on her reins and pressing their swords in at her side to keep her quiet.
She looked with concern to Cedric. He had injured one of his attackers, but the men he faced were good with the sword. Cedric fought valiantly, but she could see that he was flagging under the onslaught. He blocked a blow from the bandit to his right – and suddenly from behind the other bandit slammed hard into his horse, causing him to lose his balance. Sarah cried out in horror as he went down into the sea of churning hooves.
One of the bandits cried out in rough urgency. “They said not to kill anyone from the keep!”
Immediately, the other bandits pulled back from Cedric’s location. She saw that he had curled up into a fetal position, both shielding his head and nursing his left side.
One of the bandits leapt down, his sword held at the ready. He glanced over Cedric’s wounds with an offhand look. “Bah, he will live,” he called back. “Someone will find him eventually, if we leave him here.”
Sarah’s captor gave a barking laugh. “That is good enough for me. Plus, we have two fine mounts in the bargain. Time to head back!”
Without further comment, the four men put Sarah into the center of the group and trailed Cedric’s steed. They launched into a fast gallop down the road. Sarah’s only consolation was that the relatively slow pace of her own horse would check their speed.
If only someone would come across Cedric before it was too late …
Her hopes of pursuit dwindled as, in a few minutes, the bandits moved off of the main road and delved into the thick forest. They wended their way through the woods with ease. Sarah was completely lost in a short period of time as they backtracked and circled their way through the ancient oaks.
It was past nightfall when they came into a small clearing against a hill. The soldiers pulled up, then dismounted, forcing Sarah to do the same. They escorted her with gentle prods toward an opening in the hill. Torches lined the entryway. One of the men stayed behind with the horses while the other three brought her inside.
The cave split off into three tunnels, and they led her down the leftmost one for several minutes. A rough wooden doorframe was wedged into the tunnel. When she stepped through, they closed the heavy door behind her. She heard the sound of a lock turning.
The carved-out room she stood in was lit by flickering torchlight. A draft swept the smoke upwards into a small hole cut high in the ceiling, far overhead. The room was lined with boxes and bags. A pile of blankets to one side appeared to form a rough bed. A small fire was banked against one wall, and Sarah could see a figure leaned over, working at a pot. The person turned at the sound, then rose …
Sarah raced forward, her heart bursting. She wrapped her arms around her sister, calling out her name over and over again.
“Rachel … Rachel … you are alive ... you are all right …” she breathed in helpless relief, squeezing her sister. “We were all so worried …”
Rachel gave her sister a gentle hug in return, then pressed her back away. “It certainly took you long enough to get better; to get out of the house,” she dryly commented. “You were starting to make me look bad. I am sure by now Denis thinks you are some sort of a weakling.”
Sarah shook her head in confusion, then moved toward the door. She examined the frame in detail, pressing for weak points. The hinges were on the outside of the door, and the lock seemed sturdily built. She experimentally threw her shoulder against it, but the frame did not budge.
Rachel wearily sighed. “Please, do not do that. I do not want to have them tie you up. It is so much nicer when we can sit and talk together.”
Something in her tone got through to Sarah, and she turned in shock. She took another look at the room, and at her sister. Her sister’s face was layered with grime, but she did not seem afraid at all, or eager to seek an escape. In fact, her sister seemed … almost proud.
“But, surely you wish to get free?” asked Sarah, her voice echoing her confusion.
Rachel rolled her eyes and squatted back down by the fire again, tending to her food. “There you go again, assuming that other people feel the way that you feel. You never think about how I feel. About the things I want. You never ask me what I think. You just tell me what to do.”
Sarah moved to kneel in front of her sister, weakness and confusion threatening to overwhelm her. “We have all been worried sick about you. The men are out every day desperately searching to find you. Please … explain to me what is going on here.”
Rachel smiled and looked up. “That is better.” She sat back and arranged her dress around her. “I was on my way to buy a new dress, enjoying the afternoon, when Denis rode up. He seemed so similar to Reynald – the Templar crest on his armor, a strong build, a sword at his side. I decided if you could have a Templar, then so could I. I found a man exactly like yours, only stronger. He had the power to go out on his own.”
Sarah eyed her sister in confusion. “Rachel, the two men are nothing at all
alike. Denis has been killing people, taking hostages, and stealing!”
Rachel shrugged. “Are you claiming that Reynald has not killed anyone?”
Sarah shook her head. “I am sure he has killed people. It is his job to protect innocent travelers from bandits. However, he has only killed criminals.”
Rachel rolled her eyes with elaborate drama. “Oh, so now the people Reynald chooses to kill are worthy of death, but the people Denis chooses to kill are not worthy of death? That seems fairly arbitrary.”
Sarah bit down her frustration. She had to figure out what was going on. “It does not matter right now,” she demurred. “Please explain this to me. You felt Denis was just like Reynald, so you spoke with him.”
Rachel nodded with a grin. “He was so commanding, so sure of himself. He had this presence that I could not resist. When he told me I should come back with him to see where he was living – that he trusted me with his secret lair – how could I say no?”
Sarah forced herself to remain calm. “So you went with him voluntarily?”
Rachel chuckled. “I knew what a stir it would cause for the family. Everyone would be paying attention to me! They would all be out looking for me. By the time anybody found us, we would be married, have a family, and it would be too late! I would have chosen my own life, and you all could not say anything to change it!”
Sarah’s heart hammered. “You have not actually married him yet, have you?”
“Well, no,” admitted Rachel, her voice tinged with petulance. “He says we should wait until he has consolidated his power so we can plan a shockingly extravagant celebration. Still, I believe the family part is covered!”
She patted her lower abdomen with pride. “I always knew I would get pregnant long before you did. This time it will be my child who bosses yours around, who tells yours what to do and how to think.”