Lynn Wood - Norman Brides 03 (3 page)

Michel stretched out his arm to run a gentle hand along his mount’s sleek neck.  Arden tossed his head and danced restlessly beneath him. The two of them were still finding their way.  Michel inherited the stallion when in a weak moment he accepted responsibility for the Salusian stone from his twin’s trembling hands. The thin silver chain that bore the stone’s weight fit more closely around his own throat than it had the more slender columns of either of his sisters’.  He thought the ill-fit an apt representation of his lack of comfort with his family’s ancient inheritance.  Just as he and Arden were still finding their way, so too were he and the stone.

The Salusian king and the Salusian stone.  Neither of the two bequests was meant to come to him.  The stone had been in his mother’s family for a thousand years.  The inheritance was passed down through countless generations, mother to eldest daughter until it ended up in his unlikely, and in his mind, unworthy hands.  Apparently there was a loophole in the line of succession for the stone.  The gem was always to be worn by a woman, the next female descendant in line of the current keeper of the stone.  The only exception being if the current keeper happened to have a male twin, as was the case with him and Melissa.

She had insisted he take the stone when they said their farewells outside the gates of her new Norman husband’s estate in Normandy.  Michel’s puny attempt at refusing her request was swiftly over-ruled. Admittedly, he hadn’t tried very hard in light of the tears glimmering in his twin’s eyes, their sapphire depths identical to his own.  Michel always had a weakness for a woman’s tears.  When those tears were threatening to fall from the eyes of the other half of his heart, his defenses crumbled completely.  What was it about a strong woman’s tears that brought a man to his knees?

Seemingly irritated by his long delay his mount shifted beneath him. With a slight smile curving his lips at the stallion’s impatience and Arden’s willingness to share that impatience with his rider, Michel gave the signal to break camp and urged his mount forward. The Salusian stone and the Salusian king.  Arden was the other half of his unusual inheritance.  The Salusian king went with the keeper of the stone, regardless of either the former or new keeper’s inclination. Not that Michel objected to having Arden’s services, but he knew what a wrench it was for Melissa to be forced to part with him.  So he’d left his own mount, a blinding white Salusian mare, with his sister in exchange for her loss of Arden.

Despite the mystical nature of his mother’s heritage, there was enough of his Saxon father’s rational blood running through his veins that made Michel uncomfortable with the notion of wearing a legendary amulet around his neck.  He dismissed as myths the stories he heard about the stone’s power when he was a boy sitting around the fire at night in the summer camps of his grandmother’s people.  Certainly he placed no reliance on the stone’s ability to assist him in his current quest. An unusual jewel did not win kingdoms. No, he fully expected to be forced to claim his inheritance from his mother’s father in the old fashioned way, through his skill with a sword and the loyalty of the highly trained army that rode at his back.

Of course, even if they were successful in defeating the armies of the usurpers, there was still the little matter of an ancient curse to be dealt with.  Surprisingly that particular whimsy was not passed down through his grandmother’s blood.  While the Salusian stone was reputed to possess mysterious powers that could prove dangerous in the wrong hands, there was no curse attached to it when held in the hands of its legitimate keeper.  He reached up to slip a finger beneath the thin chain around his neck and pull it away from his skin as it was wont to close around his throat in the rocking motion of even Arden’s fluid gait.  Just a reminder he thought, that the stone was no more comfortable resting against his hard masculine chest after being nestled between the soft flesh of a woman’s breasts, than he was having it there.  Of course the easiest solution was to simply remove the chain from around his neck and stow the stone in the leather pouch he carried on his belt, but he accepted he would continue to wrestle with the will of the stone the way he was destined to do with his new mount.  Melissa demanded his promise to wear the stone around his neck.  He’d never broken a promise to his twin and he didn’t intend to start now, regardless of the stone’s inclination in the matter.

“The advance scouts report the king is near death.”

Michel turned to meet the intent gaze of the man at his side.  He noted the mixture of both compassion and anticipation riding in the chocolate brown eyes of his companion.  Over the course of Michel’s young life, Amele had played the parts of stand-in grandfather, mentor, teacher, trainer and historian.  He was one of the very few who rode among them who remembered that black night when Michel’s grandfather was murdered by a trusted friend intent on claiming the kingship.  As a young soldier Amele escorted Michel’s very pregnant grandmother through the chaotic streets, passed the city gates, and over the high mountain passes to the relative safety of the sparsely populated lands beyond.

His grandmother gave birth to Michel’s mother just short days later.  Fearing the pursuit of the new king’s soldiers intent on killing the king’s heir before she could become a threat to their claim on the throne, Amele led the young queen and her infant daughter ever west and away from his troubled homeland.  Surprisingly, Michel’s grandmother did not share Amele’s regret over the loss of her husband’s kingdom. 

Queen Alyssa had been a child-bride of the king.  His grandfather had surprised everyone when he returned from a trip south with a new bride.  His grandmother’s charm and beauty soon won over the hearts of the populace and the mystical stone she wore around her neck endeared her to the superstitious souls of the people.  Michel knew his grandmother had been approached on numerous occasions by emissaries of one delegation or another in the hopes of persuading her to return to Calei.  When all such efforts failed, it was his father who was approached with the promise of the throne for one of his sons.  The duke had no interest in his father-in-law’s kingdom, even less in subjecting one of his sons to the constant strife that Calei was forever wrapped in, but his constant refusals did not stop the emissaries from returning, always with the same request. 

When the duke declined to send one of his sons back to Calei, the messengers turned their attention to his daughters, Michel’s sisters.  There had been promises of vast wealth in exchange for the right to marry one of the true king’s granddaughters.  The duke would merely have had to agree to what would have amounted to the sale of one of his daughters in order to receive such wealth.  Michel’s lips curved in a reminiscent smile at the memory of his father’s vehement response.  The messengers had not returned to Heaven’s Crest to pester the duke again.  Still, Michel was pleased his sisters were now beyond the reach of such efforts.  With their marriages to powerful Norman lords he no longer had to worry about that threat to their futures.  He grinned at the prospect of his brother-in-laws’ reactions to a stranger’s suggestion they give up their wives in exchange for even the most extravagant promises of wealth. 

Michel was aware of Amele’s silent presence at his side and his patient expectation of a response to his announcement that the current king was near death.  With an inward sigh, he pulled himself away from his inner musings to nod his acknowledgement of the news.  The truth was Michel was surprised to learn the king still lived.  He was a very sick man months ago when the two first met.

“The timing serves our purpose.” Amele added when Michel failed to respond to his earlier comment.

With a slight shrug, Michel broke his moody silence.  “Perhaps.”   

He knew Amele wondered what Michel would decide to do about the proposal the current king had lain at his feet that night in the humble cottage of his loyal retainer.  Michel was certain the bitter cold of winter in the mountains and the damp and icy passage beneath the paved streets of his city had cost the king precious days off of his already, soon-to-be shortened life. Regretfully Michel had been unable to grant him the promise the king sought from him, but he did vow to protect his young niece.  With the king near death, Michel comprehended the girl was in a precarious position, alone in her uncle’s household with the wolves all but growling at her door.  He was moved to pity by the thought of her plight, if only because it reminded him so forcefully of his sisters’ precarious position in his father’s household during the course of the Norman invasion.  War was no place for a woman, even less so for a young girl caught in its relentless grip. 

If her uncle died before they reached the city, there would be little Michel could do to keep his promise to the dying king. So though weariness from another long day spent in the saddle tore at his will and echoed through the men who rode behind him, he pushed on.  The moon was bright enough to guide them on their way.  Another few hours and they would make camp for the night and be up again when the new light of dawn appeared to lead them on.  Michel understood that for young Elena, every moment was precious.

Though he did not confide his purpose for why he drove them so hard, none of the men following him grumbled at his hurry.  They were anxious to see the land the majority had heard about only from their elder companions…a city spun from gold.  His grandfather’s kingdom may as well have been conjured from the depths of a fairytale such were the legends surrounding it.  He could all but see the dreams of unlimited riches dancing through the heads of even his most battle-hardened soldiers. 

Michel’s own motivations were of a more banal nature, though some would claim his constituted the greater romantic quest. In his mind his intent was simple.  He was returning to right a wrong done to one of his own and to keep a promise his grandmother made to the man at his side. He had no real interest in the fate of Calei or in becoming its next king.  It was vengeance that drove him.  Though the traitor who murdered his grandfather was long dead, the city kingdom had its own debt to pay to his family.  He intended to see to it that it was paid in full.

Long hours later they camped for what was left of the night and Michel’s lips echoed the relieved sighs of his men as he dismounted and surrendered Arden to the competent care of his squire.  To stretch his legs, he strode through the line of trees surrounding their camp and stared off into the distance trying to catch a glimpse of the city kingdom whose throne was his by right of birth.  No such view was afforded him as there were still higher peaks yet for them to ascend that blocked his view, so instead he allowed his thoughts to dwell on the memories of his extraordinary meeting with the dying king.  Amele and his younger brother, Gabriel, a life-long citizen of Calei and an admirer of the current king’s rule, were conduits of the unusual gathering.

Michel uncomfortably recalled the near reverence in Amele’s younger brother’s voice when the two were introduced. The older man had knelt before him when Michel extended his hand in greeting, and with tears in his eyes and in a voice of near awe declared, “My king.  I praise God that I have lived to see you in the flesh.”  Michel had been uncertain how to respond to the other man’s hushed declaration so he had urged him in a gentle voice to rise and gripped his hand. Still Michel had feared a trap when Gabriel confided the reason for his visit, but Amele had persuaded him to agree to the unusual circumstances.  Once Michel met the current king, he understood why.

Michel guessed King Barnabas was close in age to his own father though from his pale skin and thin frame anyone seeing him would be excused for concluding he was a much older man.  He’d been robust, a man in his prime just months earlier, before he was struck down by a mysterious illness half the population of his kingdom attributed to the mysterious curse on the ruling family.  Amele and Gabriel believed treason the more likely cause of the monarch’s sudden decline.  Poison in the king’s cup, they reasoned, though there was no proof of their suspicions. Michel thought it just as likely the king could have been afflicted by some as yet unnamed illness.  Such events occurred in other places as everyday occurrences.  Only in Calei did a sudden ailment automatically become the work of curses and/or treason.

On the occasion of their meeting, the king had rested on a chaise in his retainer’s small cottage in the mountains.  He sweated profusely but Michel took note his fair eyes were still sharp when they beheld him.  Michel did not kneel before him, and he was somewhat surprised when the older man took no offense at his obvious slight.  In fact the king seemed to find his reluctance to do so both admirable and somewhat impudent.  His lips smiled in amused understanding, even as his eyes grimaced with pain.

“So, you are Nathaniel’s grandson.  You have the look of him about you, but it is your grandmother’s eyes I see watching me, wondering why I requested this meeting.”

Shocked at the other man’s courteous greeting, Michel had asked, “You knew my grandfather?”

The king sighed wearily.  “Knew would be too strong a word.  He was my king when I was a boy.  Like all Caleinians I loved him.  I was on the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the new queen when he returned with his young bride, and like every other impressionable boy, I fell immediately in love at my first view of her.  Queen Alyssa is still well, I trust?”

Michel was having difficulty controlling his reaction to the stunning revelation the current king had been an admirer of his grandfather, and was still loyal to his memory.  He referred to his grandmother as Queen Alyssa.  What was this meeting all about?  Did he intend to simply hand over his kingdom into Michel’s somewhat reluctant hands?  He became aware the king was waiting for his response to his question about his grandmother’s health and he nodded absently.   “Yes, my grandmother is well, thank you.”