The Chosen (54 page)

Her eyes were trained on the setting sun, but the absent look in them told him that she was looking into the past. Finally, she broke herself away from the memories and refocused on him. “It was her father,” she explained quietly. “He wanted a boy and got a girl so he took his frustration out on her.”

They sat there for several minutes; both studying Dawn until an older woman came out and told Kathryn that Dawn needed to come inside with her.

Hesitantly Kathryn surrendered the child and the woman thanked her before carrying the still sleeping girl inside.

For a long time Kathryn was still, not moving, just staring directly in front of her.

Finally David stood and held out his hand to Kathryn. “Come on. The rest of us are ready to go.”

Kathryn nodded, but stood on her own. “I’m coming back tomorrow.”

He faced her. “Is that wise?” he asked slowly. “You still struggle with your own past, should you get involved with another abused child?”

“Dawn knew I was abused before I even mentioned it. I’ll help her through her grief, and she can help me through mine.”

For the next six weeks, on her days off, Kathryn visited the orphanage and spent time with the children. According to the matron, they so looked forward to her visits that they would constantly ask if it was Lumbar yet, even if it was only Ambar.

The days fell into a routine. Early in the morning she and the girls would play with dolls, have tea parties, and play house. After a small lunch, everyone would pile outside to watch, and judge, the various races the boys held.

Playing with dolls was a completely new experience for the Guardian. Growing up, she’d never been allowed to touch one and she struggled to play along with some of the girls’ stories. But the children were patient and enjoying teaching her how to play ‘pretend’. After a few weeks, Kathryn discovered that she could slip into a different character easily. She enjoyed creating new obstacle courses and games for the boys to play and the children loved running them.

Except for that first night, David didn’t try to talk her out of going to the orphanage again. He understood what many of the others didn’t. Kathryn was using her time with the children to make up for her nonexistent childhood. No one else accompanied her, which was fine with Kathryn. The children were pleasant enough company. Besides, she would never have had so much fun if one of the Dragons was around to keep her company.

Destiny was always nearby, soaring high above or roosting on the tops of roofs.

Everything was perfect until one Lumbar evening when a voice called out to her just as she was leaving, “Lady Kathryn, what in the kingdom’s name are you doing here?”

Startled, Kathryn turned and caught sight of four fully armored knights, their leader none other than Lord Tanner.

While Kathryn executed a curtsy, Lord Tanner swung down from his horse. “Good evening, Lord Tanner.”

“I must say,” Lord Tanner exclaimed as he approached. “This is the last place I would have expected to see you.” He eyed her clothing. “Not exactly dressed for a ball are you?”

Kathryn knew very well what she must look like. Her simple gray and brown dress was splattered at the hem with mud and grass, her hands were filthy and her hair was beginning to escape its bun. At least she was wearing a dress today instead of the tunic and leggings she preferred around the glade.  “Forgive my appearance, Lord Tanner,” she apologized. “I did not expect to run into any of our class here.”

“What were you expecting to run into here?”

Kathryn forced herself to remain civil
. What is it with people needed to know my business?
She waved her hand at the orphanage. “I’m spending time with the orphans in the various villages,” she replied. “I’ve found that court attire intimidates the children and since my goal is to draw them out I’ve traded my ball gowns for more practical clothing.”

Surprise followed by suspicion flickered in his eyes. “And why would a gentlewoman, such as yourself, be interested in orphans?”

“I presume you know I was adopted as Dowager Princess Jasmine’s ward?” Kathryn raised her eyebrows, forcing herself to play the part of a courtly lady when every survival instinct she had was screaming at her to run.

“Of course. As such I cannot help but wonder if she sent you here to spy on me.”

Spy on him? Of all the stupid, self-centered, moronic—
“I assure you, milord. I was not sent here by Princess Jasmine. Before I was adopted by her I was an orphan myself.” She nodded to the orphanage, still barely visible in the waning light. “I find it brings the children, as well as myself, some comfort to spend time there.”

A cold smile spread across Lord Tanner’s face. “A likely story,” he said coldly. “But not one I’m likely to believe.”

Kathryn raised her eyebrows at him. “Well I’m sorry I can’t offer you another you might more readily believe. I’m afraid the children drained my supply of stories earlier today.”

She moved to leave but Lord Tanner blocked her path. “Really, Lord Tanner,” she exclaimed, her anger rising. “It is late and the children have exhausted me.”

“Where are you staying?”

Who does this troglodyte think he is?
“I’m not comfortable having you know,” she informed him, knowing it was one hundred percent the truth.

“Are you staying in the village?”

If I just say yes maybe he’ll leave me alone
. “Yes.”

His face clouded. “There’s only one inn in this village and it’s not worthy of cattle. You will lodge with me in the governor’s castle.”

“That is hardly necessary,” Kathryn protested. There was no way she was going to willingly spend a radian, let alone the night, in his residence…especially with Lord Merlae presently at court. “Besides, it would take a whole day’s ride to reach the governor’s castle.”

With reflexes that startled her, Lord Tanner reached out and grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards his horse. “No, I insist.”

“Unhand me!” she ordered, struggling.
If only I wasn’t supposed to be playing the part of a noblewoman
, she thought in disgust.

He ignored her protests and kept on.
He’s much stronger than he looks
, she realized,
I couldn’t break his hold easily even if I was utilizing my training as a Guardian instead of acting like a lady.

Lord Tanner lifted her, still struggling, onto his horse and quickly mounted afterwards. As soon as he settled into the saddle, they were off at a steady gallop with the village and the forest slowly shrinking into a tiny speck.

They rode through the night and most of the day before the surreal reality that she was being kidnapped dawned on Kathryn. They stopped for a meal in the middle of a barren plain with nothing but grass covered hills for as far as the eye could see. Now that they were outside the range of prying eyes, Tanner had ordered Kathryn’s hands tightly bound and kept the strongest of his two men nearby to prevent her escape. After a radian of rest, Lord Tanner gave the order to remount and the rode well into the night until lights of a castle began to distinguish themselves from the numerous stars that dotted the night sky.

As they clattered into the courtyard, Kathryn could hear the sound of a closing portcullis and drawbridge.
Blast
, she thought,
he has a moat. That complicates things
. Knowing the kind of person Lord Tanner was, he’d probably had the moat equipped with sharp spikes and ropes attached to hooks, intended to grab hold and drown its victims, hidden just below the surface lurking in his moat. It would make escape difficult, especially if she had to swim a moat filled with unknown obstacles. Of course, she could always try walking on the putrid water. She hadn’t tried that before— but definitely better than being immersed in it, she mused. Although the threat of becoming impaled on a spike or caught in a net of fish hooks probably wasn’t the best incentive for trying a brand new technique…or was it?

Just before he dismounted, Tanner surreptitiously sliced through her restraints, then, as if to preserve his façade of chivalry, he offered Kathryn his hand.

She glared at him. “I do not appreciate being kidnapped,” she informed him icily.

He chuckled. “Come now, Lady Kathryn. I haven’t kidnapped you, I’ve rescued you!” He pulled her off his horse.

Righting herself, she yanked her arm from his. “You’ve saved me from what exactly, Lord Tanner?”

“From having to spend the night in a beastly inn,” he exclaimed “Instead you can warm yourself by my fire, dine on my fine food, and sleep in a soft bed without worry of rats, sucking bugs and insects, and whatever vermin patronizes those hovels.”

“I would rather have the inn,” she informed him coldly.

“Now I know you’re a little upset with me,” he said in a calming tone as two serving ladies approached. “But you are overreacting and have no right—

“You know I have every right to be angry at you!” she exclaimed angrily.

— but once you rest I’m sure you’ll thank me in the morning.” He turned to address the two serving women. “Lady Kathryn will be staying with us. Help her bathe and dress before sending her down to supper.” He looked over at Kathryn. “Choose a dress that is more befitting of her station.”

“How dare you!” Kathryn seethed as the two women attempted to draw her inside.

“Please, milady,” the younger of the two maids whispered when they had no luck bringing her inside. “He’ll beat us if you don’t come with us.”

Kathryn looked at the young woman. The young maid was hardly older than herself and looked genuinely afraid of her lord and master. Stifling a curse, Kathryn allowed herself to be dragged inside.

The two women led her through a maze of corridors and long halls until they stepped inside a large room.

“I’ll see to your bath,” the older woman wheezed as she hurried back out the door.

Kathryn remained standing stiffly in the center of the room as the younger maid hurried to a closet filled with gorgeous gowns.

She pulled out gown after gown. From what Kathryn could tell they were all ridiculously adorned and looked extremely heavy. With all those meters of fabric, she wouldn’t be able to fight efficiently if the two women managed to stuff her into one of the dresses.

Servants began filing in and filling the marble soaking tub in the adjoining room.

“Is milady ready for her bath?” the older woman asked stiffly once the tub was full.

Kathryn narrowed her eyes at her. “I’ll take the bath, but I’ll bathe myself.”

Both serving women looked at her, horrified expressions on their faces. ‘But…but that is not how it is done.”

“I have bathed myself my entire life,” Kathryn informed them, “even when I reside with Princess Jasmine I bathe myself.”
Except
for those first few times
, she thought wistfully, remembering Arianna’s gentle touch.

“But Lord Tanner—

“I will deal with Lord Tanner, now leave me!” Kathryn put the full force of a demanding noblewoman’s tone behind her words.

The two women scurried away, busying themselves laying out gowns and jewelry.

Kathryn sighed as she lowered herself into the steaming water. At least she had won that particular battle, she wasn’t sure how many more she was going to win. As soon as dinner was over she was coming back up here and escaping. She didn’t know how she’d do it, but she was going to.

After scrubbing herself raw she stepped from the tub and dried herself. The younger maid had already lain out clean undergarments and Kathryn quickly put them on. Her thoughts momentarily flew to David and the rest of the Dragons. When she hadn’t returned on Nénar, they would start to worry and would eventually break out into panic when she didn’t take her shift tomorrow. It would take at least five days to walk back, or at least to travel in a way that Lord Tanner couldn’t track or observe her.  Perhaps she could steal a horse…but no. Lord Tanner probably had them trained to stampede if someone other than himself tried to mount…something a lot of nobles were doing nowadays. It was supposed to be an anti-thief measure, one that was going to make her escape twice as hard as it should have been.

She momentarily considered sending the Dragons some sort of message, but how would she get it to them and what would she say:
Help, I’ve been kidnapped?
It was hardly the type of message for an independent, self-sufficient, Guardian to send.

No. She could figure a way out of this on her own. She didn’t need anyone’s help. She just had to make sure she did it in a way that didn’t lead Lord Tanner to suspect she was a Guardian. Despite the gravity of her situation she would never break the cardinal rule of her order—protect your identity at all costs, even at the cost of your life.

The younger serving maid held up a deep purple gown with gold trim. It made the gown she’d worn to the first jousting tournament at the Queen’s birthday tournay look like a homespun rag.

“No,” Kathryn said flatly.

“But it would look wonderful on you!” The girl protested.

“I don’t want to look wonderful for Lord Tanner.”

“Please Milady, if you won’t do it for the master, than do it for us. For he’ll have our necks if you don’t,” the serving girl pleaded.

“Oh, shut your trap!” the older woman hissed as she rushed over and began running a comb roughly through Kathryn’s hair. “The Lady doesn’t want to hear about our problems.”

In truth, Kathryn very much did want to hear about their problems, any insight into Tanner’s ruling methods would aid her escape, but a noblewoman would not so she held her tongue. Finally she nodded and allowed herself to be laced into the purple dress.

The older woman styled her hair in an elaborate style that already had her head aching from the weight and pricks of the pins.

She refused any jewelry, threating to rip it off her body and hurl it into the wall if they attempted to put any on her, and slowly made her way downstairs to the dining hall.