The Mercenary's Claim (12 page)

Kirsten could hear boots shuffling and swords clanking in the hallway as if two crowds of men were mixing and confused in the gloom. Kirsten’s uncle Hugo spoke again, his voice coming through so clearly that Kirsten could tell he had entered the cell. “We’ll let the king himself decide this matter! He’ll have more than one issue to discuss unless I miss my guess. There was that matter of the letter I got, telling me to guard the northern border with my army while His Majesty himself came to relieve my brother-in-law from your siege. His Majesty sent no such letter, as I found as soon as I returned to court.”

Gregor growled in frustration. “His Majesty won’t thank you for attacking his favorite! You’d know that if you had been at court. This warrant is a forgery.”

“You’d know all about forgeries, wouldn’t you?”

“We’ll see about you and your accusations, Hugo.”

Gustav cleared his throat. “With all due respect, my Lord Hugo, it is a strange hour for a judicial removal. Much as I appreciate your efforts, I—”

“I came as soon as I could and didn’t wait for a decent hour when Gregor might be able to summon all his troops and make real trouble. We’ll be away before dawn shows the forces in the fields outside the keep that there was any difficulty. Now, if only we had your vintner, we would be in excellent position. But,” and here he coughed loudly as if to gain the attention of all present, “without that man, there would be no good in attacking my forces in the forest. As long as there is a possibility of that man showing up at court, Gregor cannot dare move against me. He may have the king’s ear, but I have his wine and his wheat. My lands control the trade routes and roads he needs to make his own lands profitable, not to mention supplying his own table.”

Varin leaned close to whisper in Kirsten’s ear, “That’s my cue.” He made his way with as much alacrity as his bulk would allow back down the tunnel, with Kirsten following silently.

When they had gone far enough to allow for conversation again, Kirsten asked, “What cue? You don’t have the vintner, do you?”

“I do indeed. We caught up with him as soon as Gustav told us he had heard from Driver that you were being herded into a trap. The man was not too pleased, but we have kept him under heavy guard ever since.”

“Then we must hurry to get him and bring him to the king.”

“We?”

“I’m coming with you!”

Varin just looked at her, and then hurried along his way.

“You’ll have to tie me up to keep me from following you!”

“Don’t tempt me!”

“Well, of all the—”

“Stay here and keep out of trouble, or I will personally make a paddle for Gustav to use on your backside as soon as he gets home.”

“He would never—”

“Driver says differently.”

“But I want to—”

“Go back now! I promise I will personally see to it that your man is delivered safely to the king’s justice.” After a pause, he added, “And if that looks like going the wrong way, I can always snatch him again. I promise, if that happens, we will stop here long enough on our way across the border to sling you over a horse to come with us, all right?”

She had to be content with his promises but knew she wouldn’t draw a peaceful breath until Gustav was brought back to her, whole and free.

* * *

“So Varin followed my uncle Hugo’s forces all the way to the king’s court?” Kirsten asked Gustav as they sat sipping wine by the fire on the evening of the autumn day on which they had been reunited at her father’s keep.

“All the blasted way,” Gustav laughed. “He would show himself every so often, just to keep Gregor honest, and then vanish into the forest once more. Once, so the story goes, Gregor wandered too far from camp for Varin’s liking. I did not see it, but one of Varin’s archers put an arrow into the field at the feet of Gregor’s horse. He spooked and reared, throwing Gregor on his… well, throwing him thoroughly. Gregor stayed near camp after that.”

“And the king? All we heard was that all went as well as could be expected.”

“True enough. Hugo presented his evidence. He showed the letter he received, signed by the king, telling him to take his forces and patrol the northern border. The king denied ever having seen it before.”

“So that’s why, during the siege, my uncle never came to help.”

“Just so. The king thought Hugo was coming to Reichhold. Hugo thought the king would intervene somehow, thus Gregor had a free field.”

“And was it ever made clear what Gregor wanted?”

“Only everything,” Gustav declared in disgust. “Your father’s lands, titles, everything.”

“And the king would have stood idly by?” Kirsten sounded incredulous.

“Gregor seems to have some sort of hold over His Majesty. Or perhaps they had a secret agreement that Gregor could take what he could grab on the sly with no official interference. Once your father was dead, with no direct heir, the other nobles wouldn’t object to Gregor taking over.”

Kirsten nodded, finally understanding. “But once the other nobles realized what was happening, the king had to make a pretense of opposing him. He couldn’t risk all the wealthy and influential men in the land suddenly afraid of a ruler who would betray a loyal vassal so.”

“Thus was the plot against us conceived. Gregor, thwarted in the siege, needed to discredit your father. Not easy to do, as Ludolf has always been the king’s man through and through.”

“I wonder if he still will be after this?” Kirsten commented.

“He will certainly keep his eyes more open, I’ll warrant,” Gustav returned.

“You disproved the charges, did you not? Nothing more to fear from that quarter?”

“No, indeed. At the proper time, Varin produced the vintner. He had been cooling his heels at Schoenfeld, under heavy guard. The poor man seemed to be under the delusion that he had been kidnapped and held for ransom. Took some convincing on my part, I can tell you, to make him see his hosts in a more congenial light. Once he saw everyone at court in their finery, he was duly impressed. I made sure he was allowed to meet with the royal wine steward and vintners. That pleased him no end. He cannot wait to begin at Schoenfeld.”

“What says my uncle to the prospect of more wine being grown in the area?”

“Perhaps he wasn’t best pleased, but he’d rather not have his brother-in-law knocking on his door, asking for alms, so Hugo held his peace. Your father’s lands will need time to recover from the constant warfare.”

“But that will be over now, will it not? Gregor will trouble us no more.”

“You have the right of it, though I do wish he’d gotten more of what he deserved.” Gustav scowled restively. “A broken nose and dislocated shoulder are not near punishment enough.”

“What? Broken nose?”

“And dislocated shoulder. Did I forget the last little incident?”

Kirsten batted him on the shoulder in mock punishment. “Tell me!”

“After my release, the king apparently desired to ensure we would not let this develop into some sort of blood feud. He ordered Gregor, Hugo, Varin and my humble self to bring in all our forces for joint training sessions. After three days of trying to outdo each other in every measure, a mock battle was planned.”

“Oh, my!” Kirsten could only imagine the mayhem this would have occasioned.

“Well said. I’ve seen real battles less furiously fought, but in the end, I cornered Gregor on the field and had at him, bare fisted. It was glorious!”

Kirsten gave him a curious look. “I see no scars on you. Strange that not one of his blows found their mark.”

“That was three weeks ago. I’ve healed. I had a few bruises. And I’ve still some tender places.” Gustav rose and took the goblet out of Kirsten’s hand. “Come, let me show them to you.”

“I’d really rather not see,” Kirsten protested.

Gustav, paying her no mind, stripped off his shirt. Placing her hands on his chest, he pulled her close to him.

“I see no bruises,” Kirsten teased.

“You’ll have to feel for them,” Gustav informed her.

“I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

Gustav nuzzled her neck invitingly. “What hurts me is not having felt your touch for what feels like a year.”

“You missed my touch, did you? Then you should not have stayed gone so long in the south.” She stroked his chest, reveling in the power she felt as he growled his desire for her.

“It won’t happen again, my lady. Of that, I assure you. Too prone to fall into mischief when we’re apart, that’s what you are.”

“Mischief? You call being ambushed, taken prisoner, and chased across the countryside ‘mischief’?”

“It certainly isn’t proper behavior for a lady.”

“Neither is what I am doing now. Would you have me stop?”

“Not on my life or sacred honor.”

“Here is a change. You lecturing me on sacred honor and proper behavior for a lady. Will wonders never cease?”

“I hope they will not. Especially not the wonder of your touch, the glory of your kiss.” Gustav kissed her then, pouring into the embrace all the passion and desire she had been missing since he left on his journey. Then his jovial grin took its normal place on his face. “But I am injured. I need to lie down.” After peeling off the rest of his clothing, he reclined on the bed.

Kirsten looked at him and giggled. “You are finished? Just so?”

“I, yes. You, no. You have your work cut out for you, as they say, My Lady. I hope it will not be too taxing a task.”

“By the looks of you,” she said, eyeing him meaningfully, “my job’s half done.”

He gave a bark of laughter, and then crooked his finger at her. “Do you recall our first time together? Had you told me that night that you would turn out to be the pleasure and joy that you are, I would have thought you moonstruck.”

“I must be moonstruck to behave so shamelessly,” she replied, as she disrobed. “Perhaps you are moonstruck as well. That could be the source of your never-ending supply of grins.”

He sucked in air when she stood there before him in all her glory, nothing hidden from his hungry eyes. Finally, he was able to gasp out, “Moonstruck indeed! I am seeing double! And may I never recover!”

Laughing, Kirsten eased herself into a position that pleased them both immensely.

* * *

Three months later, the frost lay thick on the ground at Schoenfeld. A chill wind blew its portent of approaching winter, but Kirsten knew the afternoon might still be pleasant enough for her to ride without her heavy cloak. She turned to Frena and said as much.

“I doubt that would be a good idea,” Frena replied. “Did Gustav not instruct you to dress warmly?”

“You sound like Neslin, with her constant mothering. And why should Gustav care? He gives me strange looks and urges me to drink milk and rest all the time. Tiresome, I tell you! It will be fine today for the hunt. I mean to try out my new goshawk. I think she’s ready.”

“It’s time to try her, certainly,” Frena assented, but Kirsten noticed a strange tone in her cousin’s voice.

“You wonder how I come to have such a bird. You are, perhaps, amazed that I, who have gone hawking with the Lord Falconer of the realm and have trained merlins to my hand am to be content with a goshawk like any commoner.” She gave a merry laugh. “I suppose it is strange, but believe me, cousin, it is true. I have found in these last few months that there is much to be valued in every sort of creature, whether man, beast, or bird. I daresay I might prefer a goshawk even if the law allowed the wife of a mere knight to have any bird she chose.”

“Quite the philosopher you have become,” Frena noted. “I suppose that comes with the experiences you have endured. Were they very terrible? You don’t speak much of them.”

“It gives me no joy to remember how I was before, proud and uncaring, wrapped up in my own pursuits with no sense of purpose. Now, I am striving towards something, at the side of a man who can strike an enemy down in one minute and the next rescue an innocent child.” Kirsten struck a dramatic pose for a moment before relaxing into laughter.

“I recall no innocent children in your tale.” Frena was giggling as well.

“That was just a manner of speaking,” Kirsten agreed. “He may have saved a child or two along the way, but mostly, he just keeps asking if I am with child. We had our first argument about that very subject, you know. He thought I was contriving to avoid having his babe.”

Frena looked shocked. “You never did!”

“Of course not! I want his child more than anything. And if you can keep a secret, I’ll tell you: I think it may have happened.”

“You are carrying his child?”

“It seems so.”

“But he knows nothing?”

“Not yet. I want to be sure before I tell him.”

“Oh, surely he suspects.”

“I doubt that. He has always promised me that when I am with child, he will treat me like a queen. Last night, he treated me the way no one dares treat a queen.” Kirsten shook her head ruefully.

“You did provoke him, you know. If I had known you invited me here without his permission, I never would have come. I was rather surprised he didn’t send me straight home.”

“That was his first thought. He said that he understood I needed a friend right now, but that was no reason to go behind his back. I don’t know what he meant by that, come to think of it. Strange thing for him to say. Still, it was with difficulty I convinced him not to punish you just because I had done wrong.”

“I take it he did punish you?”

Kirsten blushed with embarrassment at the memory. “And instructed me to tell you all about it. He’s going to ask you, so I have to give you the whole story, or he says he will repeat the process again tonight.”

“Oh, my!”

“So, tell you I will, no matter how difficult it may be to do so. He was, as you can imagine, very angry when he found that I had invited you without his permission. He pointed out that the king will be taking his pilgrimage to the abbey soon and that there are many more guards and other less savory sorts on the roads in consequence. I suppose it was wrong of me to ask you to come.”

“I accepted your invitation knowing full well what I was doing. We were both taking chances.”