Dark Under the Cover of Night (The Kingdom of the East Angles Book 1) (8 page)

Then, all
at once, Raedwyn knew she was no longer alone. The sense that she was being
watched caused the fine hairs on the back of her neck to prickle. Raedwyn’s
empty stomach twisted itself into a hard ball. She had relaxed too soon.
Slowly, Raedwyn turned back towards the riverbank. Her heart jumped into her
throat when she saw the tall figure of a man swathed in a dark hooded cloak. He
was standing on the riverbank next to her discarded boots and cloak, watching
her. As she stared at him, paralyzed, the man pushed back his hood.

It was
Caelin.

What a
fool she had been to think she could outrun them. His face was unreadable,
although she could see dark circles under his eyes.

“You are a
difficult prey to track Raedwyn the Fair,” Caelin said finally, “but luckily
for me I realized what the others did not.”

Raedwyn
stared at him, unable to speak.

“You have
no sense of direction,” Caelin continued, raising a dark eyebrow as he spoke.
“While the rest of the trackers have gone north or west, the direction they
assumed you’d go if you were searching for your father, I knew you’d blindly
flee without much regard for direction.

Raedwyn
felt her stomach sink earthwards at this news.

“Where am
I then?” she whispered.

“Quite a
considerable distance southeast.”

Raedwyn
stared at Caelin, not sure whether she wanted to believe him.

“Are you
coming out of the water Raedwyn,” Caelin said after a lengthy silence, “or must
I come in and get you?”

Raedwyn
glared at him. He was so smug in the knowledge he had caught her. She could not
stand him smirking at her as if she was a naughty maid who had run away from
home after a scolding from a parent. With a snarl, Raedwyn picked up her skirts
and dove for the far riverbank. She slipped on a mossy stone and stubbed her
toe, but scrambled on nonetheless. The water deepened and her wet skirts
dragged her down but Raedwyn was determined. She reached the far side, and was
just grappling her way up the steep bank when strong arms gripped her around
the waist and yanked her back into the water.   

Raedwyn
screamed, drove her elbow back into Caelin’s stomach and kicked him in the
shin. She heard Caelin swear as he released her and she scrabbled, once more,
for the bank. This time Caelin grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back into
the water. Raedwyn went under and came up spluttering and kicking, but Caelin
held her fast. She glared up at his face, expecting to see Caelin furious as
well, only to find him grinning at her.

“That was
a decent enough attempt at escape.” He towed her back towards the opposite
river bank. “I would have thought less of you if you hadn’t tried to get away,
but we both know I’d catch you eventually.”

“Dog!”
Raedwyn hissed at him as he pulled her up from the water. “My father will
dismember you for this!”

They faced
each other, both dripping wet, on the riverbank.

Despite
her slowly subsiding anger, Raedwyn was suddenly aware of how close Caelin was
standing to her – so close that she could feel the heat of his body touching
hers.

Caelin was
watching her closely and Raedwyn felt her skin prickle under his surveillance.
She was aware that her dress was now plastered against her skin and hugged
every curve of her body. She looked down and was horrified to see her breasts
were clearly visible and, worse still, her nipples were hard, straining against
the wet fabric. She looked up and saw the state of her breasts had not been
lost on Caelin. He was staring at them, his lips slightly parted. Then, his
gaze moved upward and seized hers.

Caelin
swore softy, stepped forward and brought his mouth down on Raedwyn’s. Their
bodies, with only wet layers of clothing separating them, pressed together.
Raedwyn’s head swam as his lips parted hers and the heat of his tongue filled
her mouth. His hands moved across her shoulders, down the length of her back,
and cupped her buttocks; bringing her hard against him so that she could feel
his arousal.

Despite
herself, Raedwyn groaned, and the sound brought Caelin to his senses. He tore
his mouth from Raedwyn’s and released her. Caelin stepped back and Raedwyn saw
the conflict on his face before he mastered his lust and took a deep breath.

“It seems
that now we are even, Raedwyn the Fair,” he said before he reached down and
picked up her cloak, tossing it to her. “Dry yourself off, or you’ll catch
cold.”

Raedwyn
clutched her cloak to her and dried her face on the scratchy woolen material
before throwing Caelin a venomous look. Did he really think this was a game?

Meanwhile
Caelin picked up his own cloak that he had discarded before going after Raedwyn
and dried himself. He wore a thin linen tunic that hung to mid-thigh, belted at
the waist; leggings and soft leather hunting boots. Wet, the clothes clung to
his tall, lithe frame and Raedwyn allowed herself a moment of silent
admiration, before she sat down and pulled on her boots.

“So what
now?” she asked, her voice flat. “Are you taking me back to Ceolwulf?”

“Not
today,” Caelin replied, still not looking at her. “We are both exhausted. We
rest here this eve and travel at dawn tomorrow.”

Raedwyn
felt a surge of wordless relief at this news; if she had to travel anymore
today she would collapse. It was then she saw the two dead rabbits that hung
from a nearby tree. Caelin saw the direction of her gaze and smiled.

“I thought
you might be hungry,” he said lightly. “Help me gather wood for a fire and we
can get these two roasting.”

***

 A soft
blanket of darkness settled over the trees as another night crept across the
woodland. It was a still, warm night with a slightly clouded sky. They made
camp by the river and Raedwyn sat before the fire, watching the rabbits
roasting while she listened to the gently burbling river. The aroma of roasting
meat was almost unbearably appetizing and Raedwyn stared at the bubbling rabbit
skin, willing it to cook faster. Finally the rabbits were cooked. Caelin
removed them from the spit and wordlessly the two of them fell upon their
supper.

The
rabbits were plump and juicy, and by the time Raedwyn had eaten her fill,
nothing but a spare skeleton remained. After supper she went down to the
water’s edge to drink and wash her greasy hands and chin before returning to
the fire. Caelin had also finished eating and was poking the dying embers of
the fire with a stick. The glowing embers lit Caelin’s face from below, casting
his eye sockets into deep shadow and making him appear even more aloof than
usual. Raedwyn sat down opposite him, placing the fire between them. She tucked
her legs under her and watched him surreptitiously under lowered lids.

Silence
had stretched between them for hours now, and Raedwyn was grateful for it. Her
body ached and the rage and frustration of being caught had drained away,
leaving her strangely numb. She had tried to fight them, and she had tried to
escape. She had failed. Just one more night remained before Ceolwulf and
Raedwald would meet in battle at dawn on Uffid Heath.

“You’ve
succeeded in enraging my father once again.” Caelin spoke finally. “I thought
he was going to swallow his own tongue when we discovered you were gone.”

Despite
herself, Raedwyn smiled at the thought of Ceolwulf, purple-faced, choking on
his tongue in a fit of apoplexy, before her smile faded and she met Caelin’s
eye.

“He’ll
murder me this time.”

Caelin shook
his head. “He will have calmed down by the time we return.”

Silence
hung between them for a moment before Raedwyn spoke.

“You don’t
appear afraid of him. All the other men are.”

Caelin
raised an eyebrow. “And with good reason.”

“So why
aren’t you?”

Now it was
Caelin’s turn to give a bitter smile. “Who says I’m not? My father and I have
had our moments. I’ve had a lifetime to get used to him and his ways.”

“He
appears to listen to you,” Raedwyn ventured. “No one else would stand up to
him.”

“It was
not always the case,” Caelin’s replied. “I have clear memories of our life at
Rendlaesham before my father’s banishment. He was a proud and strong-willed
young warrior who did not have much time for a young son. During my early
years, I ran free in the King’s Hall and was raised by a collection of
servants. After his exile, he was a wrathful and harsh father for many years. I
was a constant reminder of the life he had left behind.”

Raedwyn
pondered on his words for a moment before she asked. “Did he love your mother?”

Caelin
chuckled then, his dark gaze pinning her.

“Love?
Raedwyn, I don’t think love ever came into his feelings for my mother. If he
ever pined for her, he’d recovered well enough by the time I was old enough to
notice such things.” He paused then, observing her for a moment, before he
sighed and stretched his long legs out in front of the fire. “Surely, you of
all people know that most men and women come together, not out of love but
necessity.”

“What’s
that supposed to mean?” Raedwyn tensed.

“You
didn’t marry Cynric for love, anyone could see that.”

“Of course
I didn’t!” Raedwyn replied frostily. “It was an arranged marriage, like all
royal marriages. It doesn’t mean I don’t believe in love. My parents love each
other. I married Cynric as a duty to my father.”

“You are
loyal Raedwyn,” Caelin said with a smile but there was no teasing in his voice.
“We are both loyal.”

“Is that
why you do your father’s bidding so readily,” Raedwyn asked, “out of loyalty?”

Caelin did
not reply for a moment. He paused, as if measuring his words before answering
her. “I am loyal to him yes, but I would not follow my father if I thought he
was misguided. He was wronged and I gave him my word that I would fight by his
side to regain his honor.”

Raedwyn
could sense another argument brewing if she pursued the topic any further.
Whereas a day earlier she would have lashed out at Caelin for his misguided
loyalty to a brute like Ceolwulf, tonight she did not have the energy. She was
tired of fighting him. She felt uncharacteristically fragile.

An owl
hooted overhead and Raedwyn caught a glimpse of the night predator as it
swooped soundlessly towards some unseen prey on the forest floor. The moon was
rising above the treetops now and Raedwyn felt a pang of despair. This time tomorrow
the moon would be full and they would be on the eve of battle.

Raedwyn
yawned and rubbed her tired, gritty eyes.

“I think,
if you don’t mind, I’ll sleep now,” she said, wrapping her cloak about her and
stretching out on the ground next to the fire.

Caelin got
to his feet and stretched before coming over to her side of the fire, wrapping
himself in his cloak and lying down behind her. He reached across and pulled
her against him so her back pressed up against his chest.

Raedwyn
squirmed away from him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Caelin
laughed. “Don’t worry princess, I shall try and keep my hands to myself this
time. Sorry, but I’m not letting you out of my sight again. We’re going to have
to sleep together so I’ll wake up if you try to sneak off.”

“I won’t
be able to sleep with you snoring in my ear!” Raedwyn protested, feeling her
face grow hot. She had been so tired and dejected the thought of escape had not
crossed her mind. Now though, she realized it would be easy to slip away into
the darkness while Caelin slept.

“Who says
I snore?” Raedwyn could hear the laughter in his voice. He was enjoying this.
Caelin had always appeared so cool and aloof around his father and the other
men. This light, more playful side to him surprised Raedwyn.

“And I
won’t be able to sleep with you gripping me in a bear hug either!” Raedwyn
struggled against his arm that lay across her waist and stomach, which only
caused him to tighten his hold on her.

“Bad luck
then,” Caelin replied, “because I won’t have any trouble sleeping myself.”

Raedwyn
lay there, her body as rigid as a drawn bow-string while acutely aware of the
warmth of Caelin’s body pressing against her. If she had not been so affronted,
the feel of his arms around her would have been pleasant but Raedwyn felt worn
out. She did not want to be touched tonight. Tears stung her eyes but she did
not bother to argue any more.

Time
passed slowly in the dark woodland and presently Raedwyn heard Caelin’s
breathing deepen. The arm he had wrapped around her relaxed and gradually
Raedwyn felt the tension ebb out of her own body. Despite everything, she found
Caelin’s presence oddly protective and reassuring. Yet, the things he had said
to her back in Ceolwulf’s camp still stung – and she would not forget them in a
hurry.

Tomorrow
he would drag her back to Ceolwulf, and despite Caelin’s assertion that his
father would control his temper, Raedwyn was not inclined to believe him. She
had seen the madness light in Ceolwulf’s eyes when he looked upon her. He hated
her. Raedwyn doubted her father would get her back alive.