Page 69 of The Robber Knight
Reuben looked up at her. Even seen frombelow, as she looked down upon him, she appeared to be such avulnerable creature. She had felt incredibly soft and small in hisarms when he had plucked her from the saddle during that fatefulrobbery. And although she was so vulnerable, she had shown nothingbut strength and bravery then, staring him down along four feet ofdeadly steel. Just as she showed nothing but strength and braverynow, faced by even greater danger and the incompetence of those whowere sworn to protect her.
If only he were out of this bed and on hisfeet again, with a sword in his hand...
“Where is the enemy now?” he asked todistract himself from useless wishful thinking.
“Camping on the other side of the river,opposite the bridge and the barricade, which is, at least, finishednow, thank the Lord.”
“And is it a good barricade?”
“It didn't fall apart when I knocked on it.That's all I can tell you, I'm afraid.”
“How high is it?”
“About seven feet, I think.”
“Whatkind of wood? How thick? With or without a guard's walkway? With orwithout murder holes?”[44]The questions were out ofhis mouth before he could stop himself. Too late, as Ayla looked athim oddly, he realized how strange they must sound coming from amerchant.
“Why would you want to know what kind of woodit is made of, Reuben? And what in God's name is a murderhole?”
“Just something I heard,” he muttered.
She leaned forward, a concerned expression onher face, and laid a hand on his forehead. Satan's hairy ass, shethought he was rambling from the fever! Well, at least that made itunnecessary for him to come up with a clever lie. His head felt soslow and heavy, he couldn't think straight enough to lieconvincingly. And with him, that meant something. He could havelied convincingly while tap-dancing on a poisonous snake.
But he couldn't just shut up now and pretendto be delirious. He needed to know more. He needed to know whatkind of danger she was in. He was useless now, but he wouldn'talways be. Soon he would be on his feet again, and then theseaccursed mercenaries would find out just whom they were dealingwith.
“What does this Margrave want from you?” heasked.
Ayla's face darkened. “He wants my hand.”
“Your... hand?” For a moment, Reuben didn'tunderstand. Then the meaning came to him, and he sucked in a sharpbreath.
“He wants to force me into marriage and gainmy father's lands.” Never had her face looked this pale, her eyesthat much like shining blue ice. But although she was in command ofherself, he saw her lower lip tremble. “Though I gather, from whathis herald told me, that land is not all he hopes to gain from theunion.”
Taking her hand from his forehead, shewrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the floor.
Reuben wished so much that he could take herin his arms right now, that he could shelter her as she was soobviously trying to do herself. But he didn't have the strength forit.
Anger rose in his chest. Anger the like ofwhich he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Not since thetournament. His hand reached for his sword—but still the place athis belt was empty. He dreamed of having a blade in his hands,almost as fiercely as he dreamed of having Ayla.
She peeked down at him. He could see themoisture in her eyes, ready to spill over. Yet when her eyes fellon him, the fear in her face was replaced with curiosity.
“Why do you do that?” she asked.
“Do what?”
“Clutch your belt. You do it whenever you'reangry. I've seen you do it a number of times now.”
“I'm wishing for a sword to cut off theMargrave's head,” he told her.
She stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed.Then a grin spread across her face and she started giggling.“Reuben! You're so funny!”
“That wasn't supposed to be funny,” heprotested. And it hadn't been. For once, he had told her thetruth—and she was laughing at it. Well, all the better. “I'd loveto cut off his head. Then you wouldn't be troubled by himanymore.”
“That's sweet of you.”
She leaned forward, and before he knew whathad happened, her lips brushed against his forehead. She herselfdidn't seem aware of what she had done. But he was. She was totallyinnocent. But he wasn't.
“However,” she continued, “I wouldn't wantyou to throw your life away for me.”
