Brighton’s eyes opened and he looked at her, a flash of great longing crossing his features. But it just as quickly vanished, futile as it was.
“I understand,” he muttered.
“You will never again show your face at Canterbury?”
He closed his eyes and looked away. “Never.”
“Swear it.”
“I swear.”
Adalind stood up, looking down on him and wondering if she was making the right decision. She hoped so.
“The moment I leave this church, you will cease to exist to me, Brighton de Royans,” she murmured. “God forgive you for what you have done to me and to Maddoc, for I certainly will not.”
With that, she turned away from him and marched from the sanctuary. Daniel’s gaze lingered on the fallen knight before finally sheathing his sword and following Adalind’s trail.
The thunder rolled and the rain fell as the priests moved in to aid the wounded warrior.
My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs,
That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms,
In life after life, in age after age, forever.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Maddoc was having a hard time riding comfortably astride his big gray warhorse, mostly because his left side was paining him greatly. In order to ease the pain, he had to shift his balance, which put strain on the other parts of his body. His entire body was one giant mass of soreness.
But he was thankful for the pain, thankful he was able to ride, to remain upright for extended periods of time, and thankful he was alive. There was so much to be thankful for as he saw it, but the one thing he was singularly focused on was Adalind. He was thankful he was able to ride to claim her. However, the worst part was the not knowing; not knowing where she was, how she was, or what had becoming of her. It was tearing him apart but he tried not to show it. He tried to stay focused and strong, riding with legendary knights all around him. When he pulled his head out of the clouds and looked around, it was, perhaps, the most impressive force he had ever seen.
Christopher and David rode up at the head of the column, keeping each other company like in days of old when they would ride for Richard the Lionheart, battling his evil brother John from one moment to the next. The battles those two had fought had gone beyond the world of legend into the realm of myth nowadays. Behind them rode Gart and his son, Brydon, riding more to the flanks of David and Christopher and so heavily armed that Maddoc was certain their weapons and armor weighed more than the horse.
To the rear of the column rode Gerid, Evan, and Trevor, covering the retreat of the army, while Maddoc and his father rode well behind Gart and Brydon. Because of Maddoc’s vulnerability and injury, the only way Rhys and David would allow him to ride was if he was in a somewhat protected position. Maddoc had pitched a bit of a fit but had finally agreed. He knew he was a still a sick man when he put on all of his armor and felt as if he were walking around with a thousand pounds of steel on. It was almost too weighty to bear. But he kept his mouth shut, not wanting to worry his father, until he mounted his horse and almost fell off. That brought his father down on him and it was another hour before he could convince everyone he was well enough to travel. Rhys agreed under one condition – that the old physic ride with them. Maddoc reluctantly acquiesced.
So the old physic rode in a wagon to the rear, there for Maddoc and Maddoc alone. When Rhys asked the physic his name, the old man simply shook his head and told him his name was Man. So Man rode in the wagon, clutching his large satchel with the medicaments in it, appearing comfortable with all of the knights around him. Having learned his craft, as he had told David, on the sands of The Levant, he was comfortable with armored men and their weapons. At his age, nothing much bothered him.
The pace on the first day was rather slow to accommodate Maddoc but when he realized it would take them weeks to arrive at Arundel, Maddoc ordered the pace increased on the second day and they managed to make excellent time. The result with Maddoc, however, was excruciating pain in his back and blood in his urine, but he kept it to himself, fearful that David would send him back to Canterbury. On the morning of the third day, he woke up barely able to move but, again, put on a brave face for the sake of his father and the other knights. His brother, Evan, was already watching him like a hawk so he didn’t want to give the man fuel for his apprehension. He pretended that everything was fine no matter how badly he felt.
The rain, which had fallen intermittently since they had left Canterbury, began falling in sheets on the morning of the third day. Everyone and everything was soaked to the skin as the army tried to light a few cooking fires for the morning meal but were unable to do so. Everything was soaking. The knights, covered in wet and slop, mounted their equally wet and sloppy steeds and resumed their positions about the column.
This day, however, Gart and his son were at point, leading the army down a particularly shrouded stretch of road as the rain fell and the thunder rolled. Twice, Gart thought he saw a threat and sent the younger knights out to check it out. Maddoc and Rhys began to suspect Gart was just doing it to give the younger, and edgier, men something to do, because they would always return empty-handed and disappointed. But they certainly seemed to love the initial rush of excitement when Gart sent them on a run. The thought of apprehending bandits or other outlaws was a great lure.
Nearing noon, the weather was so bad that David was considering calling a halt so that they could find some shelter for a few hours simply to dry off. Maddoc did not take kindly to that suggestion so the army continued on a little longer, struggling through the driving rain and epic mud. At one point, the wagon carrying provisions and the old physic got stuck in a massive rut, bringing a swarm of knights down around it as they tried to free it.
Gart, Brydon, Evan, Gerid, and Maddoc leaped off their warhorses and threw their considerable strength into shoving the extremely heavy wagon from the rut, rain pouring in their faces as they tried to move it. Maddoc strained himself after the second huge push and was forced to back off as Trevor and Rhys took his place, along with a host of men-at-arms, and the wagon finally rolled out of the run and continued along the road. The knights remounted and returned to their posts.
By early afternoon, even Maddoc was forced to agree that the army needed to take shelter from the storm. The wind was whipping up and lightning bolted across the sky, creating more havoc. As the younger knights headed off the road in search of a sheltering area they could camp in, Maddoc wandered to the head of the army, his gaze on the road heading southwest.
Emotions he had been fighting off for days began to swamp him again, feelings of failure and guilt. He seriously wondered if Adalind would look at him differently after this event, questioning his ability as a knight and as a man. In her eyes, he had been perfect up until that moment. He wondered if that would still be the case after all was said and done.
Behind him, he could hear orders being shouted at the army to disperse in the trees and begin setting up camp. Men and horses began to move, but Maddoc remained in the middle of the road as the rain pounded, his bright blue gaze fixed on the horizon as he lost himself in thought. But as he stared at the road, he began to see a rider appear through the mist and rain.
It was a lone rider, well camouflaged by the weather. Maddoc’s eyes narrowed as he tried to make out details. Whoever it was seemed be riding fairly swiftly for such bad weather. His attention was fixed on the incoming object when he heard a voice beside him.
“A rider,” Rhys muttered.
Maddoc nodded faintly. “Riding like a madman in this weather,” he said. “He is covering a lot of ground very quickly.”
Rhys flipped up his visor and wiped the water from his eyes. “Can you make out any standards or colors?”
Maddoc shook his head. “Not in this rain,” he said. “All I can see is a rider and a horse. Beyond that, ’tis difficult to…”
He suddenly trailed off, straining to see.
Rhys didn’t think much of it, watching the rider approach, until Maddoc suddenly hissed.
“Daniel,” he breathed. “My God, it is Daniel.”
Like a shot, Maddoc was off, tearing down the road with mud flying behind him. Startled, Rhys took off after him. Seeing Maddoc and Rhys galloping madly down the road towards a lone rider, David and Chris strained to see what had their interest until both of them, at the same time, looked at each other in shock.
“Daniel!” they said in unison.
For elderly men, they managed to vault onto their horses with a good deal of agility, following the trail of Rhys and Maddoc. The other knights caught sight of what was going on but Gart held them back, unsure what was happening and unwilling to separate the rest of the knights from the army. But he did remove his enormous broadsword, a wicked looking thing with a nasty serrated edge. He was ready for a fight. When the younger knights saw what Gart had done, they whipped out their broadswords and began posturing like barbarians. Gart caught sight of all of the raging going on behind him and fought off a smirk. Oh, but it was good to be young and strong, and so very foolish….
Maddoc was the first one to reach Daniel down the long stretch of road. It seemed like he had been riding for miles when, in fact, it had been a relatively short distance. Daniel loomed closer and closer on his wet and irritated steed, coming at breakneck speed, and when he tried to pull the animal to a halt, the horse ended up sliding in the mud. Maddoc had to act fast so he would not be hit by the sliding horse, driving his charger off the road and onto the wet and green embankment.
There was panic in his thoughts and in his movements. By the time Maddoc turned around, he realized that there were two people on Daniel’s horse. The second person, much smaller than Daniel, had been concealed behind him. As he brought his horse around and headed for Daniel, the small figure on the back lifted its head and the face came into view. The hood partially came away, revealing tuffs of blond hair. It was a very familiar face that had Maddoc gasping at the sight.
“Adalind!”
Maddoc couldn’t believe what he was seeing, his astonishment overwhelming him. His breath caught in his throat and as he tried to dismount his horse, his foot caught in the stirrup in his haste and he ended up falling to the ground. The visor flipped up, bright blue eyes focusing on a sight he wasn’t sincerely sure he would ever see again.
By this time, Rhys and David and Christopher were upon them and Adalind began weeping when she realized she was looking at Maddoc. She hadn’t been aware of anything until the knight swung around, fell off his horse, and lifted his visor. She knew those eyes; dear God, she knew them! Leaping off the back of Daniel’s charger, she slipped in the mud and scrambled to her feet as she struggled to reach Maddoc. The mud was so slick, preventing her from moving quickly, and Maddoc was having an equally difficult time regaining his footing. It was agonizing, trying to come together while the elements worked against them.
Muddy, wet, and sobbing, Adalind crawled up onto the embankment, half on her feet, half on her hands and knees. Maddoc had rolled to his knees, trying to get up, but Adalind was faster, and healthier, and she threw herself into Maddoc’s arms, knocking the man off balance. He fell onto his back with Adalind clutched against him, holding her so tightly that he heard her back crack.
On the ground, in the mud, with the rain pouring down on them, Maddoc and Adalind finally found each other.
“Maddoc!” Adalind wept, her hands on his face through the raised visor as if to convince herself she wasn’t seeing a phantom. “You are alive! Oh, God, I thought you were dead!”
Maddoc was trying to hold her and remove his helm at the same time, but the latches were rusting and he ended up ripping the helm off his head. The helm went sailing and his hands were in Adalind’s hair, holding her fast as he kissed her furiously. She tasted like joy.
“I am not dead,” he whispered in between gleeful and furious kisses. “I am well and whole. And you? Are you well? Did he hurt you?”
Adalind shook her head, her hair wet, slapping the both of them. “I am unharmed. I swear that he did not harm me.”
The furious kisses slowed and they paused a moment, drinking in the sight of each other. For a brief, warm and glorious moment, they just stared at each other. Realization settled. They were together again. Maddoc had tears in his eyes, mingling with the rain, running down his face.
“Addie, I love you,” he said hoarsely. “I should have told you before and I beg your forgiveness that I did not. I love you with all that I am. Please know this.”
“I do,” she whispered, feeling glorious and ecstatic at his declaration. “Oh, Maddoc, of course I do. I love you, also, with all of my heart and soul. From the beginning of time until the end of it, I will love you and only you.”
He kissed her, hard, his lips trembling with emotion. Everything about him was quivering with delight and fear and relief. “Now,” he began softly. “Tell me what has happened. Are you Lady de Royans?”
She shook her head before he even finished his question. “Nay,” she murmured, her fingers on his lips. “He tried, but I would not let him. I fought him every second of the day, every waking moment. The man never had a moment’s peace because I would not allow it. He tried to force priests to marry us, three times he tried, but each time I would not let him. I think he finally gave up.”
The understanding that she was unmarried, and untouched, drove him to new tears. He threw her into a fierce hug, his face buried in the side of her head, listening to her soft weeping and shedding grateful tears of his own. He could hardly believe it; although he’d hoped for the best, he never truly believed the situation would work out in their favor. He was shocked and thankful to realize it had.
“My sweet, sweet girl,” he murmured. “I am so sorry for everything that happened. If I could only take away the sadness and fear, I would gladly do so a thousand times over. Please forgive me, Addie.”
She pulled back to look at him, curiosity mixed in with the joy in her expression. “For what?”
He sighed faintly, drinking in the sight of her face, studying her, wondering if all would ever be the same again between them.
“For failing you,” he whispered. “For letting de Royans get his hands on you. I am so sorry, sweetheart.”
She was genuinely puzzled. “It was not your fault,” she insisted. “It was my fault. I should not have tried to interfere. Maddoc, ’tis I who should be asking for your forgiveness. Had I not tried to interfere, none of this would have happened.”
“Interfere?”
She nodded, sickened by her confession. “I tried to help,” she said, haltingly. “I had a dagger and I was going to stab de Royans with it so you would be able to best him. I was only trying to help, Maddoc. I swear I was.”
He thought back to that moment in time, nearly the only thing he remembered over the past several weeks. After a moment, he nodded in understanding. “I saw you with the dirk,” he said softly. “I thought you might be trying to help me but I was terrified you were going to be struck.”
“That was when Brighton gored you.”
Her eyes were filling with tears again and he pulled her back into his embrace, comforting her as the situation began to clear. Now, he understood for certain what had happened and it had been as he suspected. No one was to blame. But he still felt guilty for the outcome and perhaps always would.
As he comforted Adalind, he began to notice that they were surrounded by several knights, including David. Maddoc locked gazes with David and a smile came to his lips.
“Addie,” he murmured, kissing the side of her head. “I think your grandfather wants a hug, too.”
Adalind nodded, but she didn’t let go. “I am not finished holding you yet. He will have to wait.”
Maddoc grinned, hugging her tightly for a few moments longer before patting her on the back. “Let us get up and out of this mud,” he told her. “You are soaking wet and I would remove you from this rain.”
&n
bsp; Adalind nodded but she wasn’t so inclined to let go of him until David and Christopher reached down and gently pulled her up. As she hugged David, Christopher and Rhys stepped in to pull Maddoc to his feet. As soon as Maddoc regained his balance, he caught sight of Daniel standing next to Rhys, grinning like a fool. He ran at Daniel and threw the man in a hug.
“You found her,” he muttered, giving Daniel a squeeze before releasing him. “How in God’s good name did you find her?”
Daniel was still grinning. “It was purely by chance, I assure you,” he said, looking Maddoc up and down. “And you, my friend… last time I saw you, it appeared you were on your death bed.”
Maddoc shook his head. “I am told I was very ill but I do not remember any of it,” he said. “I do not even remember your visit. I was told you went after de Royans to avenge me and to regain Adalind. My thanks is not nearly enough at this moment, Daniel. I cannot put into words how very grateful I am.”
Daniel slapped him on the shoulder. “You would have done the same for me,” he said. “I consider it an honor to have avenged you.”
The warm look in Maddoc’s eye faded. “Tell me everything,” he said, his voice low. “Where is de Royans?”
Adalind chose that moment to press herself up against Maddoc again, wrapping her arms around his armored body. Maddoc put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head, as Daniel eyed them both.
“That is a story I will gladly tell you when I am warm and dry and fed,” he said to Maddoc. “Adalind and I have been traveling in brutal conditions.”
Maddoc could see that he’d get nothing more out of Daniel with Adalind around, which concerned him. He wondered why. Perhaps it was a bad tale, indeed. He hugged Adalind to him and kissed the top of her head again.
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