Lynn Wood - Norman Brides 03 (9 page)

Michel had been deep in conversation with Amele and the messenger who just returned from the city with information about the king’s funeral arrangements when he spotted Elena emerging from the shadow of the trees and hurry in the direction of her tent. His lips curved at the realization she somehow managed to fall into the stream and was doing her best to pretend she hadn’t.  The two soldiers trailing her were obviously vastly amused by her condition and Michel found his own lips curving in response. It was hard to reconcile her bedraggled state with the passionate woman he’d held in his embrace not so many minutes earlier. 

Shaking his head, he recognized Elena had a disconcerting habit of shifting back and forth between the child he vowed to her uncle he would protect and the desirable, beautiful woman who was only just beginning to emerge from the innocence of childhood.  He was a bit disgusted with himself when he was forced to acknowledge he was drawn to her on both levels.  Watching her return, he was surprised when her eyes didn’t scan the camp in search of him as was her usual habit.

Perhaps she was embarrassed by the intimacies they shared.  If a few kisses were all it took to relieve him of her clinging presence, he decided he should have availed himself of the strategy sooner and saved himself the inconvenience of waking up before dawn for an unpleasant appointment with the icy stream.

As he watched her pass through the opening of her tent, he hoped it was embarrassment only and not fear that kept her from his side.  He would not wish to be equated in her mind with Baron Raulf.  After all, young, innocent maids were wont to dramatize every little thing and turn them around in their silly heads until they became the victims of fire-breathing dragons or randy knights who took advantage of their innocence to steal a few kisses.

“So we are agreed, Prince Michel?”

At the sound of his name, Michel drew his attention away from the source of his annoying distraction and back to the matter at hand.  “Agreed on what?”

Michel was aware of Amele’s quickly suppressed smile at his inattention, but his old friend refrained from commenting on it and simply repeated the conclusions they reached while his focus was occupied elsewhere.

“King Barnabas will lie in state so the citizens of the city will have an opportunity to pay their respects.  You mentioned Lady Elena wished to bid her uncle a final farewell,” Amele reminded him of their earlier exchange before Elena’s appearance drew his attention away from their conversation.

“Yes. I believe it’s time for us to make our presence felt,” Michel remarked.  At Amele’s speculative look, Michel added with a grin, “In the most peaceful and respectful manner, of course.  What better way to accomplish both objectives than by accompanying Lady Elena on her visit to the castle to pay her respects, and at the same time bidding my own farewell to my friend, Barnabas?”

“You intend to escort Lady Elena personally?” Amele asked.

“Yes.  I am now her legal guardian.  She is my responsibility,” Michel reminded him.

Baron Gallagher interjected, “Are you in a position to prove your guardianship over Lady Elena?”

“If necessary,” Michel acknowledged, “but I would prefer to delay such a display until after the king has been laid to rest.”

The older man’s lips curved in a satisfied smirk.  “The king appointed you guardian over his niece?”

At Michel’s confirming nod, amused laughter erupted from between the other man’s grinning lips.  “Please, my prince, you must promise me I may be present when you reveal this news to Raulf.”

Michel nodded, “Then you had better accompany us into the city.  I am not certain how much control we will be able to exercise over the timing of events once it becomes clear I have no intention of allowing Elena to remain in the city after she pays her respects to her uncle.”

The other man bowed his appreciation. “It will be my very great pleasure to accompany you, my prince.”

The following morning as they prepared to leave on their errand to the city, a keen sense of anticipation hovered over the camp.  It was accompanied by a sense of genuine relief that the long days and nights spent in anticipation of the order to take the city were coming to a close.  The fact that their long deferment in the mountains might come to an abrupt end that very morning was on every soldier’s mind.  The commanders were on full alert and had the men under their command ready to invade Calei at the first sign of a threat to their cause. 

Not everyone was in agreement that the future king should enter the city as a member of such a small company.  What if one of their enemies discovered Michel’s true identity?  The other contenders to the throne were not so foolish as to think they could challenge for the people’s affections over the potential return of a true heir to the throne.  In such an event, seeing the new king riding in such a small and seemingly ill-defended party might provide a source of temptation too tempting for them to refuse.  Michel was aware Amele shared in their doubts, but when Michel made his wishes known, his counselor merely nodded his acceptance and made the necessary preparations.

Elena rode between Michel and Amele. Gabriel, as the captain of the king’s guard, was already at the castle standing watch over the now defenseless body of his dead king.  In addition to Baron Timothy, three other noblemen along with their retainers accompanied them.  In all, they were a group of twelve who approached the honor guards at the city gates. From where he rode at her side, Michel looked down upon his silent companion.

“Are you certain you wish to do this?”

Elena raised an uncertain glance to his. Her eyes appeared huge and hesitant, in her pale face, but her response, when it came, reflected her determination to see her decision through.  “Yes.  My Uncle Barnabas is the only father I can remember.  I will not let them keep me away.”

Michel nodded, and reminded her sternly, “If things become complicated, you are to go with Gabriel.  He will secret you away from the castle and see to your safety.”

Her intent gaze probed his, and for a moment Michel thought she might protest his order, and then apparently thinking better of her inclination to do so, she nodded her reluctant agreement.  A moment later she reached out her hand to clasp his arm and leaned closer towards him, asking softly in a voice only he could hear, “You promise you will not leave me behind?”

“I promise,” he assured her solemnly and reached up to squeeze her hand where it rested on his arm. Reassured, Elena reclaimed her hand and left him to his thoughts.

Michel wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of a reception from the guards manning the gates to his grandfather’s kingdom.  He was reminded of his predecessor’s fanciful prediction that once Michel passed through them his heart would forever belong to Calei.  Michel could still summon a smile for the dying king’s whimsy but it was with a sense of a man facing his destiny that he pulled on Arden’s reins at the challenge issued by the head of the guard manning the gates.

“My lords.  Lady Elena. Welcome to our fair city.  I am certain you have heard of our near grief.  A period of mourning has been called so that our citizens might have the opportunity to pay their respects to King Barnabas’ memory.  No weapons are allowed to pass these gates while the king’s body lies in state.”

It had been agreed among them that Timothy would speak for their company as he was well-known in the city and was not considered one of the many contenders for the now vacant throne.  “We are unarmed, my friend.  As you can see we escort Lady Elena so she may pay her respects to her uncle’s memory.”

“You may pass,” the guard announced with all due formality given the solemn occasion.

Michel looked around with expectant curiosity as they passed through the gates.  If there was surprise at their appearance it was directed in Elena’s direction not his.  No doubt the guards and the citizens they passed were startled to find Elena outside of the city gates at the time of her uncle’s passing.  He could feel her tension escalating beside him with each step they drew closer to the huge keep that dominated the skyline.  She gripped her mount’s reins as if they were a life-line. In an instinctive protective gesture, Michel moved Arden closer to her side, silently assuring her that she would not be forced to face the beast alone.  He nodded reassuringly when she raised her pale face to his.

Michel’s first impression of his new kingdom was a not unfavorable one. For all of its violent history, it was obvious Calei remained a wealthy kingdom.  Michel had been in enough capital cities to know to look beyond the well-kept streets and store fronts, the fine ladies dressed luxuriantly, with their coiffed hair and jeweled necks. No, the true judge of a city’s prosperity was to be found in how the lowliest among the inhabitants lived. 

As they rode along the paved streets, Michel could see no sign of beggars or orphans forced to rely on the generosity of strangers for their daily fare.  None of the children he saw were dressed in tattered rags, or in desperate need of a bath or a firm parental hand.  Unless such unpleasant sights had been swept from the streets so as not to detract from the somberness of the occasion.

Closer now, Michel could see the intricate details decorating the façade of the castle.  The distinctly, mostly light stone appeared to have flecks of gold embedded in it that caught the bright sunlight and reflected it back into the sky like a mirror.  Scenes had been painted on the stone surrounding the entrance depicting, he assumed, various important moments in Calei’s long history.  Seeing them Michel felt a whisper of a memory sweep across his soul, accompanied by a cold shiver up his spine.  Chiding himself for his foolishness, he immediately suppressed the shiver and rationalized away his fanciful thoughts. He’d never been in the city, had never seen the keep, nor did he participate in any of the dramatic scenes depicted on its thick walls.

“Raulf’s men.” Timothy passed along the information in a pointed tone, indicating the men who lined the steps leading into the main entrance of the keep.

Michel nodded but offered no verbal response. He understood from the prominent position of the baron’s men that while the question of the royal succession had officially been set aside in order for the citizens of Calei to mourn their lost king, for all intents and purposes Baron Raulf had taken control of the keep and presumably, the affairs of state.  Though there was a long line of mourners in front of them waiting for their turn to view the departed king, seeing Elena in their company, they gave way before them.  Michel was aware of their hushed whispers and their curiosity at seeing Elena in the company of strangers. 

Michel dismounted and passed Arden’s reins to one of the stable boys who hurried forward to take charge of their horses.  He turned to assist Elena to the ground, and noticed how pale her complexion had gone in the space of the distance they travelled from entering the city to where they stood preparing to ascend the gleaming marble steps of the castle. She raised haunted eyes to his and he gave her slim waist an encouraging squeeze before releasing her.  When he would have turned to climb the stairs with her in his wake, she reached out to grip his arm.  He paused and turned back in her direction, and the eyes she raised to his face held his in a glance of barely suppressed panic.

“You remember your promise?”  She asked tearfully, her nails digging into his arm revealing the extent of her fear.

He reached over and covered her hand with his.  “Yes, I remember my promise both to you and your uncle.  I will not leave you behind, nor will I allow anyone to hurt you.”  Michel was aware of the start of surprise among some of their company at his revelation that he’d been in contact with the former king.  He had not shared with his supporters Barnabas’ request to be introduced to him.  “Trust me, Elena.  Raulf will not risk a challenge to his authority on a day set aside to honor your uncle’s memory.  It will only lessen his stance in front of the other noblemen and the common populace.”  The assurance with which he spoke seemed to calm her fears and she allowed her hand to fall to from his arm. 

A hushed silence stilled even the quiet whispers that could be heard among the mourners as they entered the great hall.  Michel took in the crowd arrayed there, noticed the majority were ordinary citizens with tears in their eyes as they paid their last respects to the popular king.  Surrounding the casket were representatives from the noble families of Calei. Michel could see the speculation in the glances they cast in their direction, noting their noble compatriots in their company and the fact that Elena made up one of their number. 

Michel, followed by Elena, and with the others filing in behind them took their place in line. The silent mourners in front of them stepped back from the king’s casket to give Elena a private opportunity to pay her final respects to her uncle.  Michel and the others waited while she knelt beside the casket and raised her uncle’s cool hand to her cheek and then kissed it gently before returning it to its resting place.  She bowed her head in silent prayer then regained her feet and proceeded silently towards where Gabriel stood quietly speaking with his brother. 

In her wake, Michel approached the casket of the dead king and looked down with fondness and regret at the still face he’d seen only once in life, glad to observe it was no longer wracked with the pain it had born in his final days.

“Farewell, Barnabas, my friend.  May you rest in peace with your royal predecessors.  Give my greeting and my love to my grandfather, and may you both guide my steps along this path destiny has seemingly laid out for me to follow.” After his whispered farewell, Michel bent his head and offered a silent prayer, then joined the others where they had gathered near where Elena stood silently flanked by Gabriel and Amele.  He raised an inquiring brow in Elena’s direction, silently asking if she was ready to leave. At her assenting nod, he took her arm, and with a silent gesture towards the others to follow, began to make their way to the exit.