Page 12 of The Robber Knight's Love
Reuben opened his visor again to have abetter view of the surroundings. Quickly, his practiced eye scannedthe soldiers. Forty, perhaps fifty men. Mercenaries probably.Well-armed and, to judge from the scars, battle-hardened. Theirweapons were not new, but kept sharp for immediate use. They wereprofessionals.
This was beginning to look like fun. The daywas just getting better and better.
“And tell me,” Reuben demanded, slowing downhis horse but not stopping it, “why should I pay heed to anyMargrave von Falkenstein?”
The commander drew his sword. “As you wellknow,” he growled, “Margrave von Falkenstein has declared a feud onyour mistress, Lady Ayla. So if you do not want me to cut you openlike a freshly-caught fish, dismount and surrender!”
“I don't know any Lady Ayla.” Reuben's voicewas deadly calm, his face impassive. He did not stop his horse. “Iam just passing through.”
Surprise flitted across the commander's face.“You do not serve Lady Ayla, the mistress of these lands?”
“No.”
“That may be so,” the commander granted, “butsince I have only your word for it, I must treat you as I would anyof Lady Ayla's men.”
“Meaning?” Reuben demanded, and there was anote of steel in his voice now.
“Meaning I must ask you to surrender yourhorses, money, armor, and weapons to me, and you will have to comealong with me to the Margrave's camp.”
Reuben's answer came clearly and calmly.
“No.”
“You do not have any choice here,” thecommander persisted. “I must insist.”
With one hand, Reuben reached for his sword,with the other for his shield. “Then I will resist. I will notsurrender to lowly mercenaries such as you. Not while I still havea sword-arm attached to my body!”
“Don't be a fool,” the commander growled.“I've got four dozen men! It will be your death.”
“Maybe.” Reuben shrugged and slammed down hisvisor. “But you see, the thing is: I do not fear death!”
*~*~**~*~*
Eleanor was gone.
The thought would have moved Ayla to tears.Would have—if she hadn't been fuming with anger. She had beenrobbed! Robbed on her own lands!
Eleanor, her dear friend. Her childhoodcompanion. The sweet thing she had watched growing up from a fillyto a beautiful mare.
And the impudence of the man! He had dared tolay his filthy hands on her! And now she was alone in the forest,on foot, with no help anywhere in sight, and Falkenstein's mencould be lurking behind the next bend in the path, for all sheknew. She forced herself not to let her thoughts drift in thatdirection. It would take her to the feeling that lay behind heranger, a feeling that would make her feet unsteady and fill herhead with horrible images.
It took Ayla less time to reach help than shehad expected. After only ten minutes or so, she heard the sound ofpine-needles being crushed under heavy boots approaching. Peekingaround a tree, she saw Burchard, followed by a few castle guards,marching up the forest path towards her.
Relief flooded through her at seeing thewrinkled face of the old steward. He was marching hurriedly, hisface set like that of a grumpy old bulldog determined not to giveup the scent. They had come after her!
She jumped out from between the trees and rantoward them. “Burchard! God, am I happy to see you!”
She threw her arms around him and hugged himfiercely. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but wanderingthrough the forest alone had been scary—scarier than being robbed,in fact. While she was facing an enemy, she knew what to do. Sheknew that she could not back down. But alone, fearing thatFalkenstein's soldiers might appear at any moment, and without ahorse or other means to escape them, she had felt terriblyvulnerable. It was comforting to have her arms around the solidbulk of her father's old friend.
Burchard gripped her shoulders and pushed heraway. “Just a minute! What is this? Why are you walking? Where isyour horse?And why did you hugme?”
“I'm walking because I don't have my horse.And I don't have it because it was stolen by some crimson-cladfiend who calls himself a knight,” she said, choosing to ignore thelast question.
“Stolen? By a robber knight?” The usual scowlon his face deepened. “Did he threaten you? Did he hurt you,Milady? I...”
“No,” she hurriedly assured him. “I'mperfectly fine. He just took my money and my horse, that'sall.”
Not that that hadn't been enough. Just thethought of having lost Eleanor made her want to strangle thevillain!
