"Of course!" he grinned, "That is why I stationed him for guard duty right then. It won’t take long for that to get out into the public and from then on you will be treated with the respect given a queen. Your father was the brother of the king and framed for an assassination attempt and the two of you fled for your lives. You don’t like to talk about it because the memories are painful. You took up lives as peasants and came to me seeking refuge, that is when I fell in love with you," he smiled, drew her close to him, and kissed her deeply.
Ian walked in and they slowly parted, "I heard that your bride had arrived, but Gower tells me that she is also a royal."
"Yes, Ian, you should sit down and I will ... fill you in," Mikail said to him. Mikail told him about the history he and Kollin had devised for Sylvia and her ... father. Sylvia only smiled. Mikail had learned much in th
Chapter 21 The Assassin’s DemonstrationThe minds of the men reeled with the events of the past few days. They had almost completely forgotten the existence of Retribution when the General had informed them of his decision to marry. When his future bride had entered the camp, they had thought her a peasant - she was revealed a princess. She had won their hearts with her kindness, then her father showed up. The medicine man whom Captain Tane had call for (and had obviously known for quite some time) when Victor was ill was revealed to be prince in hiding who would s
As the five of them started back to camp, Mikail told Sylvia how impressed he was and Ian tried to keep his mouth from hanging open. "I knew you held back, even in battles, to keep from revealing your true identity but I did not know you werethatgood," Mikail said to her. She stepped in front of him and pulled his face down so she could kiss him."Am I ‘that good’ to you when I visit your bed?" she whispered sensuously. She slipped Veritás out of his hand and back into its sheath."You are better than that," he replied huskily. Their three companions forgotten, he picked her up and began carrying her to his tent. His thoughts were only on getting her back out of the leather scouting outfit. Mora cleared her throat. Mikail spun around to face her, "Mora, you know we are already wed.""The five of us are the only ones who know
Mora returned to the tent to find her gone and thought it strange. She started searching the camp; no one had seen Sylvia leave the tent. The camp became as busy as a beehive. Torches were lit and men dragged away from anything else to begin looking for her. Sylvia heard the noise and came back to find out what was going on and cursed. It was a chore getting back into her tent without being seen and even more so getting back out again after she changed her clothes.She got far enough out of camp and then came running back asking what was going on. The men settled down and Ian asked her where she had been. "I needed some time alone." Ian asked both her and Mora to follow him into a vacant tent."What do you mean not telling one of us when you are leaving the camp, Sylvia?" he asked urgently. It was obvious that he had not been worried for her safety, but everyone else had.
Chapter 22 Homecoming"Take off your boots and cloak, Mikail. I’ll not have you making more work for Rachel by tracking the road dust through the manor.""It’s good to see you, too, Ansel, ten of my men are in the stables bedding the horses. We have yet to take our evening meal, will
It took four days for Sylvia to be well enough for them to move again. When she was, they pampered her until she made Ian order them to stop. "Sylvia, they love you as much or more than they loved Victor," Ian told her, "Give them some slack.""I have. I can’t stand it anymore.""It was only two days."She gave him a look that could have wilted a rose and he went to tell the men to treat her the way they had before this cycle. They had trouble adjusting back to that until they saw her in the ring with Ian, continuing her training.They were still a week away from Chadwick manor, and Sylvia still did not know where they were going. General Tane’s men did not know, either. They still thought him a common man who had done well in the army and had been rewar
Chapter 23 Lord ChadwickMora and Sylvia usually rode behind the carriage Mora had brought with her. Mikail had requested that they ride in it, but Sylvia didn’t like to most of the time because she felt like she was inside of a cage. Within the week, they were passing Ian and Mora’s manor. Sylvia commented on how beautiful it was and wondered why they were passing it. So many believed that Mikail had grown up on Ian’s lands that even Sylv
"I have told him ... he would have figured it out, anyway. He has vowed to keep our secret." She scowled at him, but thought that if Mikail trusted him, it must be all right."Please address me only as Mikail’s bride or by my name. I aspire to be no higher than the man I marry," she said cautiously. Ansel smiled and bowed again. She turned to Mikail, "I believe you have yet to address your regiment." He offered her his arm and the three of them adjourned to the hall where a feast was to take place as soon as Mikail was finished informing his men as to what he truly was – aside from their general and trusted leader.The clamor of everyone talking at once died down as Mikail entered the room with Sylvia on his arm. Everyone watched as they walked through the crowd to the center of the room and Mikail hoisted himself onto a table so he coul
"What now?" Ian answered. Mikail looked up, too worried at this point to be startled by anything. It was comforting to see Ian standing there."She intends to expose herself to the entire regiment," Mikail sounded as though the world were coming to an end. It hit Ian almost as hard, but knowing that Mikail needed the support that Ian had given so many times, he didn’t let it show."Mikail, come now. You trained these men. They will listen and understand." He said it in his most reassuring voice and stance. He was good enough that he almost convinced himself that there was nothing to be concerned with."Is Mora with her now?" Mikail asked to change the subject."Yes, she said something about ‘putting things in order’ before she left my side, but I daresay, we will not be deprived of the company of our wive
"Something like that. Captain, I do not wish to have this discussion with you at this time! You have interrupted a chiding I was receiving from Master Revenge," she spoke as though she was very close to sending him on to the manor. He took in the tears threatening to overflow the blue eyes he had come to love on a dear and trusted friend. He wanted nothing more than to protect her, but knew that something more was going on between Sylvia and her father than a mere chiding. They had done that many times back and forth and it had not made her cry. He bowed to her and walked just out of earshot, but kept his eyes on them.When Sylvia looked back up at the face of Revenge, his expression had changed. She couldn’t decide if she liked the new one better or not. "How long have you been with child?" he demanded through gritted teeth."This will be my second cycle missed," she replied flatly.
"I do not dispute that it is. Pay the woman that she and her guard may leave!""Guard?!" the man asked angrily, "She brought an entire regiment with her!""Never mind my guard," Sylvia’s voice was a shock to the crowd, "Let us finish our business and I will leave this place and my guard with me.""All of them?""All of them.""We will need some sort of proof that it was you who did slay Retribution," the once very haughty man sounded defeated."If the body and the blade are not enough, then what else can I offer as proof but the wound that blade inflicted on my hand in the struggle that preceded the death ofthat woman?" She held out her left hand to show the bandage."May we see that wound?" he asked. Sylvia pi
This time when he spoke, his tones and facial expressions were much softer. "I do not know all of the magic that was placed on the blade. I know that for me, the glow was green, not blue as it is for you. I know that it does not like to draw the blood of its master – that was one of the attributes I asked for when I commissioned it. I do not know why it did what it did, but I am sure it had something to do with it cutting you."The small group dispersed still thinking about what they had seen and heard and not knowing what they thought about it. Sylvia returned to the place where she had fought Delora. There she found that none of the men could handle Veritás without it striking back at them, though none could explain how as the blade never moved. She would have to clean it herself. She could handle that, even with a wounded hand.Thus ends phase one of this project ...&nbs
Chapter 27 Retribution’s RetirementIn less than a week, Ladies Chadwick and Kinden were settled back at Chadwick Manor and their lords were again inquiring as to what on earth they were planning. To them it was a game, nothing could possibly be serious about it because the women were too happy – in fact, they were so happy they cried sometimes.
"Because ... well ... you first saved my brother from certain death and then you requested that the medicine man come here and tend to my father who had been poisoned by Delora, thus saving our family again. He refuses to take even the smallest payment for his services. You," he paused and looked at her as though she were not entirely human, but in a good way, "I would swear that you are part or all angel sent from God’s own side to help this land recover from its sorrows.""You are too kind, Cole.""There is one other thing I must request of you," he told her hesitantly, "I must ask that you say nothing to the authorities of what we have done ... The consequences could be terrible for us.""I will keep your secret, Cole, just be careful who elseyoutell," she said with a maternal s
Delora allowed herself to be carried the rest of the way to the tree house without incident. There was terror in her eyes and etched in every line of her face. If anything, it increased when she was securely tied to a chair and her gag removed. She managed to speak after Retribution had pulled up the other chair in the small room and sat backwards around it looking at her. "W-What do y-you want f-from me?"Retribution smiled with such maliciousness that she could have made most of the guild counsel turn tail and run. "I know what you have been doing to your husband and his family, but I want to hear your story. Your fate may be a little less painful if you comply with my wishes." Delora paled then reddened. She started to let out a string of curses and insults, but was interrupted by Retribution’s steel re-enforced bracer coming hard across her face. "Insolence is not becoming of a fool." Disdain d
Chapter 26 DeloraShe crept quietly along the second floor ledge. They had been gone from the merchant’s home for three days and now it was time to return. She pulled her black cloak over her leathers. It would not do for anyone to see what she was wearing - after all there were few who even knew she wasn’t always in a skirt. She found the room she wanted and carefully slid the shutters
She stepped out of the bath. He watched her. Her wet hair contoured to the shape of her body. He heard her sultry voice telling him there was not a single towel in the entire room, but they could use one of his fine linen shirts if he would be so kind as to retrieve it and would he mind drying her?Mind? Any excuse to touch her was reason enough for him to do so ...But when he arrived at the chair where a shirt lay, she guided him into it and sat across his lap. He let out a groan of pleasure.Through the course of the night, she brought him to the brink of release and back again so many times that he lost count. Finally, as the sun began to peak over the horizon, they reached the peak of ecstasy and drifted into peaceful slumber.Somewhere around the noon meal, Sylvia appeared in a dressing robe that belonged to Mikail and requested food
"Would you back up?" the king’s voice was barely audible over Sylvia’s soft crying and the murmur of the hall, "We are in no danger from Mikail’s menorhis bride!" His comment made Sylvia smile, though for a different reason than he thought.If he only knew who I really am, those would not be his words..."Forgive them. They are overcautious in these perilous times.""There is nothing to forgive, Majesty, they were only doing the job loyalty demands of them," she replied, "It would be disappointing if they were to shirk their duties. Enemy spies have been known to infiltrate even the most watched places." The old king put his hand over Sylvia’s and nodded approval."Spoken with great wisdom, Lady Chadwick, it is good to see that Mikail has chosen well," he removed his hand from hers after giving it a slight squeeze.