The Dark Lady (63 page)

She beckoned him closer. “You cannot question me on this. What I say goes if we want to get Amy back.”

He watched her intently. “You know who has her, milady?”

His inspection of her made her nervous, but he did not argue and that was all she could ask for. “Aye, but I will tell you on the way. Now we need to go.”

He held a short leather scabbard out to her. She took it and stared at it momentarily.

She gently pulled the short dagger from it. The dagger was without a hilt, instead only having a smooth dip where the thumb and forefinger could grasp. It was only efficient as a thrown weapon.

Generally she wore the dagger in her hair but it was awkward to get in, requiring her to braid her hair around it. She didn’t have the luxury of time on her hands to accomplish that.

She scowled for a moment and looked down at her booted feet. She was happy to be wearing the boots again. With each piece of clothing she donned she felt more and more like her old self.

Only there was a difference, she felt free. She didn’t have to worry about who knew, didn’t have to be concerned and always on guard that someone would find out her secret.

She took a deep cleansing breath and said goodbye to both the Dark Knight and the meek lady.

It felt good to be free. She could be herself, as soon as she discovered who that was exactly.

Her gaze caught on her thick cleavage, bound tight by the tunic and belt, just a small amount of flesh peeking through the V-cut neck and she thought she might have another option besides her hair.

The dagger glittered in the sunlight peering through the window behind her as she checked its condition. It was well sharpened and had been cleaned before being put in the trunk.

Marshall stared raptly at the strange weapon. “Where did you get such a thing, milady?”

“
I had it commissioned by a smith when I saved his daughter.” It had been Melinda’s father’s show of gratitude. Her father would be happy to have her back, and not hidden away. “It has always ridden beneath the helm of the Dark Knight, hidden in my wide braid, but I have come up with something better.” She slipped it back into its sheath and grinned.

Marshall sucked in an audible breath as she slid the weapon into the dark cleft between her breasts. Its tip stopped at the belt cinched around her narrow waist.

She ignored his look and walked to the door, pushing at pottery jars with the tip of her boot as she went. She shoved one over and smiled. It was busted down the side but it still contained much powder.

She picked it up and looked over her shoulder at him and guessed him to be about the size of Amy. She walked to the trunk and retrieved her helm.

She nodded to him and led him quickly to Amy’s chambers.

They met no one along the way for which she was relieved. She ducked into Amy’s room and waved for him to follow, closing the door firmly behind her. Walking to the small window, she looked out over the courtyard.

Richard still stood beside Peter and Devon and they appeared to be deep in conversation. Heaviness bore down on her as she wondered if she could ever make Richard understand why she had done what she did. She pushed away the unpleasant thoughts and concentrated only on the tasks at hand.

Pleased that things were going so quickly, she walked back to the center of the room, laid the powder jar and her helm on Amy’s bed, and opened the small trunk at the end of it.

She dug through the clothing in it until she found what she hoped would fit him. “Put this on.”

It was the first time he had baulked at her instructions, and anger pricked at her at the disobedience. Marshall just looked at the dress she held out to him. “Milady?”

She shook it at him. He still did not take it. “Now.”

This is what she had feared would happen. That people would look at her and forget who they were dealing with. That they would forget that the Dark Knight was a deadly and dangerous creature. It would be easy for them to think of her as just a woman now, but that thinking would get them killed.

She had once dreaded that ignorant attitude, but now she found herself wishing for it. She sent a quick prayer to the gods that Eolian would make the same mistake.

For her enemies to doubt her was one thing, but for her men to do so was not acceptable. She arched her brow and scowled and allowed the anger to sweep through her. She stepped up to him and held the dress under his nose. “I do not like to repeat myself,” she growled fiercely.

He looked into her face and swallowed hard. Stepping back quickly, he took the dress and slid into it without further hesitation

Van helped him to fasten the buttons. “Sit.” She pushed him down on the trunk.

He grimaced and leaned back when she dipped her hand into the tub of powder.

She raised her brow, but relaxed when he did not argue. She applied it thickly to his face. Then she quickly braided her hair, her arm throbbing painfully. She wrapped it in the thick leather band. “Is Ebro saddled and ready?”

“
Aye, milady. He is saddled.”

“
I need to see to someone. There is something I need done. Meet me in the stairwell.” She ignored the panicked look on the lad’s makeup covered face. Whether it was for her safety or worry that he might be seen dressed as a day maid, she didn’t know nor did she have time to care.

As he went one way, throwing a hooded cape over his shoulders, she made her way to the nursery. She prayed the one she wanted was in there.

Pushing open the door she let out a sigh of relief when Joseph jumped to his feet. Before he could let out the scream, she shushed him. “Quiet.”

“
Milady, did they find Miss Amy?” His voice was tight and he looked at his feet as he spoke.

She quickly walked to him and dropped to her knee beside him.

Her head spun and her breathing was labored. The pain was ravaging her now and it was making her thoughts hard to process.

She knew she had to hurry before the fever made it impossible to function. They still had to get free of the castle, and then it was at least half a day’s hard ride to the cabin.

“
I want to tell you I am sorry, my lad. It was uncalled for to treat you as I did. If you forgive me, I shall require your help.” She smiled sweetly at him when he looked up.

“
Will it get Amy back?” At her nod he jumped to his feet. “I will help you, milady.”

“
I want you to talk to Peter as soon as they realize I am gone.” She waited for his nod. “I need you to tell them where I am going. You have to remember this. It has to be exact. Can you remember it?”

When he said aye, she told him the directions to the cabin and made him repeat it back to her, twice.

“
Tell him I am fine and I know what I am doing, but I needed to get there alone first. Give him this.” She handed him, what she hoped would remind Peter that she would be fine.

With one more repetition of the directions and a run through of what he was supposed to tell Peter, Van left him with the Dark Knight’s helm and went to meet Marshall.

At the stables, Marshall drew Van into the stall with Ebro. “Milady, you are ill.” He looked at her in concern. “Wherever we are going, it is not a good idea for you to travel.”

“
Silence.” She looked out the door and watched the men milling around. Richard. Peter, and Devon had stepped closer together and Richard was shaking his head stubbornly.

She was sure he was at the end of his tale and her time was almost up. Stalking around the stables, she tried to get her foggy mind to focus on the problem.

Van walked first one way and then back, suddenly coming to a stop. She smiled. “Get me two swords from the smithy.” Marshall left at a run.

A large, yet soft horse blanket was draped across bags of grain. The sturdy burlap bag of grain was just the size of a small child and once she had it wrapped in the colorful blanket she thought it could work.

At least, as long as no one looked closely. She pushed that negative thought away and focused on the things she had to accomplish.

When Marshall came running in with two freshly made swords, she pushed them into the sack. He mounted and with some difficulty she managed to hand him the heavy grain sack that would be his “child,” swords ensconced inside, and settled his skirts around him. Leading his horse, as well as Damien, out the rear entrance she mounted.

During the hard push through the woods and into the surrounding area, she explained her plan. She needed a woman and a child. He now fit that image. “When we get to the cabin, there will be a big and not-so-nice-looking man, more than likely in a hooded cloak. He is on our side, do not kill him.”

Marshall nodded, but said nothing. He kept looking at her closely. She felt like screaming at him that she was fine, but she held her tongue and her temper.

“
If all goes well, he will be the one to come to us. When we get there, just follow his lead and mine.” And hopefully we will get out alive, she thought, but did not add.

The ride was hard and tiring and she allowed Damien to have his head. Cooped up in the stall for so long, he was excited to be out and free. He tossed his head and whinnied. As he raced across the plains, the pounding of his hooves on the hard packed ground tore through her.

Her head was beginning to throb unmercifully. Double vision swam before her eyes. She looked with weary disillusion at the gathering clouds off in the distance. Black and threatening, they matched her mood. She repressed a shudder of worry, concerned for herself and the raging fever that gripped her.

Having no room in her mind for self-analysis, she pushed the doubts away. She had to stay focused on Amy.

She prayed for strength. The life of a knight was deeply spiritual and through it all a true knight held to the code of honor and the belief of God. She prayed now as she never had before.

Prayed for the safety of her loved ones, prayed that the soldiers would find her in time, and prayed that she would not die until Amy was safe.

Van caught a small movement off to her left. A scout was hidden, not quite deep enough to be missed by her experienced eye. She slowed the horses.

They were close. They had made good time, but it would do no good to get too far in front of the rescuing army. That was if everything had gone well at the castle and there was a rescuing army on the way.
Please let Joseph remember it all
.

“
There is one scout, keep your eye out for more,” she whispered over to him. Then in a louder voice she added, “I am sorry Mellie. I know it is a hard pace. Is he all right?”

Taking her cue, Marshall peered under the edge of the blanket and made a response in a quiet whisper. “There is another scout off to the right, up on the hill, milady.”

She barely glanced that way. “It will not be much longer. I am sorry about this, but I will get you out of it,” she said for the benefit of those listening.

The trees were starting to thin. The thick underbrush swept down to the soft, waving grass that surrounded the small cabin. From where they were, Van could hear the rumbling of the water crashing to the rocks beneath the awesome falls at the back of the cabin. She could feel the mist cooling the air.

It felt good on her overheated skin.

When the cabin came into view, Van felt the earth drop from beneath her. In all directions she saw men. There must have been at least a hundred. Verges had told her there were forty at last count, but that Eolian had more men wanting to join him.

Evidently they had done so. “Whatever you do, boy, keep your wits about you. If you lose your head over this, you will indeed lose it. Do you understand?”

“
Aye, milady,” he whispered.

Van saw Verges standing in the doorway of the small building. Beside him was Eolian. Her blood chilled.

“
The big man in the door is the friend I spoke of.” Van glanced again at Verges and then turned her gaze to the knight that had been a thorn in her side ever since she had become the Dark Knight.

“
Halt. Stay where you are,
my lady
.” Eolian’s voice echoed across the waving grasses of the meadow. “It definitely is my lady, is it not? I was told, but to see you...” He moved down the two small steps and swaggered toward her.

“
Aye, it is,” she said proudly and held her head high.

“
There is not much difference, I must say. Except I am sure I would have remembered a chest of that magnitude.” Eolian turned his smiling face at Marshall.

Van held her breath. He looked right to be Melinda and the bundle looked to be the size of a two year old. Their success all depended on Eolian’s belief that Marshall was Melinda.

“
My lady, drop your weapons,” Eolian shouted.

She released her breath. So far the plan seemed to be working.

“
Show me Amy first,” she growled back at him.

“
You always were the arrogant little brat.” He shook his head, but he gestured to Verges.

Verges stepped inside the cabin and returned with Amy. She tried to run, but Verges yanked her back into his chest and held her tight.

“
Now as you can plainly see, I have kept to my end of the bargain. She is alive. Minus a few bruises, she is well.” He laughed good-naturedly. “Not that she did not find enjoyment here, aye, Verges?”