Medieval 02 - Forbidden

you hanged!”
    “Better I had been hanged than live to know myself an ill-begotten bastard whose vows are worth less than sheep dung.”
    Dominic stepped up to Duncan and put both hands on his broad shoulders.
    “I don’t consider you a man without honor,” Dominic said. “You, and your oath , are much valued by your lord.”
    Duncan became very still. Then a visible shudder went through him. He went down on one knee in silent reaffirmation of his oath of fealty to Dominic le Sabre.
    “You are generous, lord,” Duncan said in a strained voice.
    “I hope Lord Erik thinks so,” Dominic said ironically, “when he returns from Winterlance and discovers that I have taken Stone Ring Keep.”
     
    D UNCAN rode alone over the lowered drawbridge and into Stone Ring Keep’s bailey. His shout brought the keep’s men-at-arms running.
    “Go to Amber’s cottage,” Duncan ordered them. “She has much to bring to the keep.”
    The men obeyed quickly, leaving the bailey at a trot. The remaining guardians of the keep were more boys than men, squires who dreamed of someday being knights.
    “I will take the gatehouse watch,” Duncan said to Egbert. “If either of you sees aught amiss, don’t cry out . Come to me swiftly and silently. Do you understand?”
    “Aye,” the two boys said as one.
    As the squires trotted off to their posts, Duncan went quickly to the armory. The weapons that remained there after Erik’s departure were ill-assorted but quite sufficient for the keep’s defense.
    Duncan locked the armory door and kept the key. Then he went to the gatehouse to wait for the Glendruid Wolf.
    And while he waited, he tried not to think of the amber witch who had set fire to him as no other woman ever had.
    My body knows you. It responds to you as to none other .
    How many times have we lain in darkness together, our bodies joined and slick with desire ?
    How many times have I undressed you, kissed your breasts, your belly, the creamy smoothness of your thighs ?
    How many times have I opened your legs and sheathed myself within your eager heat ?
    She had come to him so perfectly.
    So falsely.
    Come heaven, come hell, I will protect you with my life. We are…joined .
    The echo of Amber’s vow twisted through Duncan’s memory, and with it came the pain of a betrayal so deep he would spend a lifetime measuring it.
    I believed her. By all the saints, I am a fool !
    Yet even as Duncan told himself he was a fool, he couldn’t help but remember his own burning need, a hunger greater than any he had ever imagined.
    You’re a fire in my blood, in my flesh, in my soul. If I touch you again, I’ll take you .
    Then touch me .
    Amber —
    Take me .
    And he had, despite all.
    I am afraid for you, for me, for us .
    Because I can’t remember ?
    No. Because you might .
    And he had done that, too.
    Would to God I could forget her more thoroughly than I ever did the past !
    But that Duncan could not do. The memory of Amber was a thousand torches afire in his mind, his body, his soul.
    Touch me .
    Take me .
    With a throttled sound, Duncan fought his brightly burning memories as savagely as he had once fought a thousand shades of darkness.
    Without success. He was a man torn by conflicting needs. The part of Duncan that was ruled by rage hoped that Amber would take the men-at-arms he had sent to her and run for Sea Home or Winterlance.
    And part of Duncan feared she would do just that.
    Then he would never again hear her laughter, never again turn and find her watching him with eyes of fire, never again feel the sultry yielding of her body as he sheathed himself in her.
    “Sir?”
    The whispered word came from behind Duncan. He spun with such fierce speed that Egbert backed up in alarm.
    “What is it?” Duncan asked.
    “Three knights and a lady are riding up to the keep. They have a small amount of baggage with them.”
    “Just one lady?”
    Duncan’s voice and eyes were a blunt warning of his temper. Egbert swallowed and backed up.
    “Aye,” the squire said nervously.
    “Amber?”
    “I recognize neither the lady nor the knights.”
    Rage and pain struggled for control of Duncan’s voice. Neither won. He was unable to speak.
    Duncan turned his back on Egbert and looked out through the open gate to the road. There were indeed horses coming up the road. One of them was Shield, his own battle-trained stallion. Shield’s saddle was empty, but the broadsword was now at Duncan’s side rather than in its riding