Page 96 of The Robber Knight
“You... you're impossible!” She giggled,dropping the wet cloth to the floor and supporting herself on hisbedstead so as not to keel over from laughing.
After a moment or two, he joined in and theylaughed together. His deep, booming laughter was a joy to hear.
It took quite a long time for them to calmdown again. Ayla hadn't laughed in days, and it was a catharticexperience. It forced all the tension, anxiety, and fear of thelast few days out of her system and gave her a few precious minutesof bliss. Eventually though, they calmed down, and Ayla, her brainstarting to work again, slowly realized what he had said.
Well, I did.
He had been enjoying himself. He had enjoyedher touching him. Was it just the relief of having someone therewho cared for him in his illness, or was there more?Please, she thought,please, Lord, let there bemore.
Gathering all her courage, she met hispredatory gray eyes and asked, in a barely audible voice: “Whatexactly did you mean? Just now, when you said...”
Her voice dwindled. Her courage had runout.
He looked directly back at her, as if hefound her eyes just as enamoring as she found his. Impossible,surely...
“I mean,” he said, “that you can touch me anytime you want.”
Again, Ayla moved almost without knowing whatshe was doing, and stretched out her hand. His cheek was so close.Oh, how much she wanted to stroke that stubbly cheek of his, runher fingers over the high cheekbones, cup his face in her hands.And why not?
He has asked me. He wantsme to.
The thought was dream-like. Almostunbelievable. Her fingers were only a few inches away from hisface...
And then, from across the river, they heardthe sound of the horns of the enemy, summoning the mercenaries toattack.
HypotheticalArrows
Once more, the enemy's horn sounded. Then there camethe defenders' horn, echoing the other one, sounding the alarm.Ayla's hand, only inches away from Reuben's face, suddenly froze—asdid her heart. Frantically, she looked over at Isenbard. But timehad run out. The enemy was coming, and Isenbard lay just asmotionless as he had yesterday or the day before. There was nobodyto help her.
She felt a strong hand grip her own andlooked down to see Reuben grasping her fingers. All his wearinessseemed to have vanished, and there was a fire smoldering in hisgray eyes. It made a shiver run down her back.
“Help me up,” he rasped.
“What? Reuben, have you totally lost yourmind?”
“Help me up! I need to get down there!”
“I think you have that slightly confused.Ineed to get down there.Youneed to stay here.”
She tugged her hand from his and it wenteasily, his momentary strength vanishing as he broke into a sweatand tremors shook his body.
“Stay where you are,” she yelled, jumping upand running to the door. “Don't you dare follow me down there,Reuben, or I'll swear I'll put you into the stocks for a day!”
For some insane reason, that made him laugh.“Oh please!” he gasped. “Can't you think up a worse punishment?You're not at your best today.”
“I'll think of something if you don't stayhere, I promise you!”
“I couldn't get down there anyway,” he spitout between clenched teeth, all humor suddenly disappearing fromhis face again. “I... don't have the strength.”
“Good!” She threw open the door. Just as shewas about to hurry out, she heard her name called behind her.
“Ayla!”
One final time, she turned and looked atReuben. The intensity of his gaze nearly took her breath away.
“Survive,” he whispered.
She nodded, mutely. Then she dashed down thecorridor, down the stairs, and out into the courtyard as quickly asher long dress would allow. Thanking God she’d had the foresight toorder a horse to be ready and waiting for her at all times, sheswung herself onto the animal's back and spurred it on.
