Page 57 of The Robber Knight's Love
Ayla appreciated his need to keep the Countin the picture. The two had been childhood friends, Count Thomasalways the stronger, the quicker, the more powerful one. Now he waslying up in his tower chamber, an invalid, watching powerless whilehis friend had to defend his lands and his only daughter.
With horror, she realized that her father hadprobably seen the entire battle from up there, had seen how she randown towards the fight. The thought filled her with guilt, thoughshe knew she wouldn't have acted differently even had she thoughtof it beforehand. It had been her duty. Her father wouldunderstand, even if he might not like it.
At least, if he had seen the battle, he wouldalso see her riding back to safety, unharmed.
But the thought of what battles he might yethave to watch filled her with dread. Fifty men killed... and yet,according to Isenbard, they had hardly inflicted a scratch on theenemy. She shuddered.
“Uncle Ironbeard?” she asked.
“Yes, Milady?”
“Are we going to survive this?”
There was silence for a moment, apart fromthe pounding of hoofs.
“I don't know, Milady.”
Silence again—silence filled with fear.
“But I do know one thing,” he added.
“Yes?”
“We will not stop fighting until theend.”
Ayla felt a feeling flood her. It wasn'thappiness. It wasn't even hope. No, it was... determination.
“No,” she said. “We won't.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way tothe castle. Now though, the fear was gone. Having passed throughboth gates, Ayla jumped off the horse and ran up towards the keep.In front of the door she hesitated, remembering how she had run upthe keep just about an hour ago. Remembering Reuben.
Pain shot through her chest, and for a momentshe thought she knew how the mercenaries must have felt—she thoughtshe knew how it must feel to have an arrow pierce your heart. Thenshe pushed those thoughts aside and wiped away a small tear thathad escaped her. Reuben was long gone now. It was useless to thinkof him.
She pushed open the door and marched towardsthe staircase. Only when she was almost upon it, did she see thelifeless body lying at the foot of the stairs.
Her scream echoed all around the valley.
WelcomeWeakness
Three seconds later, Isenbard came storming into theentrance hall, sword in hand and a ferocious glint in his icy eyes.Ayla's scream had sounded as if a dozen enemies had invaded thecastle, but inside, the knight could see nobody but hismistress.
“Ayla?” In a blink he was at her side. “Areyou hurt? What's the matter?”
He gripped Ayla, who was kneeling on thefloor, roughly by the shoulders, turned her, and inspected her.Only when he was finished with his inspection did he notice the manon the floor beside his lord's daughter—and the tears on herface.
“Who is that?” he demanded.
Ayla tried to speak, but apparently couldn't.The sight of the man lying there in a tangled heap had knocked thebreath out of her.
“Who is he?” Isenbard repeated with mountingconcern.
“He... he...” Ayla swallowed and tried again.“That's... Reuben.”
“Reuben? The fellow you were taking careof?”
Ayla nodded. Isenbard's eyes wandered betweenthe man on the floor and Ayla's tears, reassessing thesituation.
“Well,” he said gruffly, “let's get himupstairs.”
