Medieval 03 - Enchanted

is ready,” Meg said clearly.
    “I love you, Simon,” Ariane breathed
against his mouth. “Soon you will be able to believe in me
enough to love me in return.”
    The words shocked Simon. Ariane hadn’t spoken
of love since the first wild night when they had finally become
true husband and wife. He hadn’t known until this moment that
he had longed to hear the words again.
    Pleasure and pain streaked through Simon equally,
for he knew Ariane wanted to be loved in return.
    And he knew he could not. He would never again give
a woman that much control over him. Even Ariane.
    “Nightingale,” Simon whispered.
    Ariane stepped away so swiftly that she was gone by
the time Simon reached for her. She turned and began walking
rapidly down the long length of the trestle table where knights
were no longer eating. They were staring at the amber witch who had
taken off her headcloth and shaken down her long golden hair.
    Abruptly Simon remembered that it was the custom of
Learned women to go with unbound hair when they sought
knowledge—or vengeance.
    “ Ariane !”
Simon cried.
    She turned and gave Simon a look that was both
gentle and fierce.
    “’Tis too late, Simon,” Ariane
said.
    “Nay!”
    Simon would have leaped to his feet, but Duncan had
a heavy hand on each shoulder, forcing Simon to stay seated.
    “God’s blood!” said Simon,
struggling against Duncan. “Let go! I must stop
her!”
    Duncan grunted and bore down with both hands,
pinning Simon to the chair.
    “Leave off,” Duncan said through his
teeth, “or I’ll hold you with a blade between your
thighs as you once held me!”
    “Be still,” Dominic said curtly to
Simon. “Ariane has the right of it. ’Tis past time for
the truth.”
    “Don’t you see?” Simon snarled,
twisting abruptly, trying to throw off Duncan’s restraint.
“If that bastard son of a whore and a swineherd raped Ariane, I will kill him and to hell with the peace of
Blackthorne Keep !”
    “I know,” Dominic said, his face grim.

“And I dearly wish I could let you carve Geoffrey into slices
as thin as winter sunshine. But I cannot.”
    Duncan’s powerful hands closed painfully on
Simon, making it impossible for him to break free. Simon heaved up
his body once, twice…and then he went very still, saving his
strength for a time when his captor was less attentive.
    “I am sorry, brother,” Dominic said,
touching Simon’s forearm with remarkable gentleness.
    Then there was no more time for apology or regret.
Meg was speaking in the clear tones of a Glendruid witch. The hall
fell so silent that the gentle chiming of her golden jewelry could
be heard throughout.
    “Sir Geoffrey has insulted the honor of Lady
Ariane. The lady has most forcefully requested that the issue not
be solved by test of arms, for such would only jeopardize the peace
that the Glendruid Wolf has worked so tirelessly to
maintain.”
    A murmuring went through the assembled knights.
Each knew what was at issue. Each had wondered why Simon had not
challenged Geoffrey ten days ago, nor any day since.
    Now they knew.
    “Instead,” Meg continued, “Ariane
requested that Sir Geoffrey be put to the question in the Learned
manner. Lady Amber has agreed.”
    “What is this nonsense?” Geoffrey
asked, banging his empty ale cup onto the table. “All the
world knows the truth of it. Lady Ariane is my—”
    Geoffrey’s words were cut off by the blade of
a dagger pressed against his mouth. Thin lines of blood appeared at
either corner.
    “Lord Dominic prefers you alive,” Erik
said gently, “but I have no such desire and Dominic is not my
lord.”
    Geoffrey tried to jerk back, but Erik’s blade
followed him, drawing more blood.
    “You will behave in a seemly manner,”
Erik said in a soft voice, “or I will cut out your tongue. Do
we understand one another?”
    “Aye,” Geoffrey said hoarsely.
    But his eyes said he would kill Erik at the first
chance. Erik’s eyes blazed in return while his peregrine
shrilled and lunged at the end of her jesses.
    “Lord Erik,” Dominic said clearly.

“I would prefer you at my side.”
    Slowly, reluctantly, Erik lowered his knife and
moved swiftly back to his place at the lord’s table. Not only
was he Dominic’s guest, but Learned questioning did not
permit force to be used unless the person being questioned
attempted to struggle. Geoffrey was showing no further signs of
resisting.
    “Proceed when you are ready,” Dominic
said to Amber.
    Meg gave