Page 6 of The Robber Knight's Love
Hm... no knight on his charger, that much hadalready been established. So it had to be a noblewoman. And forsome reason she was riding to these farms, and from what he knew ofnoblewomen, probably not to spend the night there. She would comeback soon, eager to return to her warm chamber and comfortablebed...
A grin spread over Sir Reuben's face.
This day just kept getting better and better.If there was one thing he enjoyed more than robbing people, it wasrobbing stuck-up, stinking rich noble people!
*~*~**~*~*
To saythat Gelther the peasant was surprised when hismistress[11]rode up to his house in fullgallop would be something of an understatement. He actually droppedthe ax he was holding, and it was only sheer luck that he didn'tslice off his toes.
“L-lady Ayla,” he stammered, rushing forwardto bow. “We are honored by your presence. Please, let me help youdown.”
But Ayla had already slid off Eleanor's back.She saw Gelther's wife peering out of the farmhouse door andswallowed. This was not going to be easy.
“We don't have time for pleasantries,Gelther,” she said, her tone much more gentle than her words. “Icome bearing black tidings.”
She explained how Falkenstein had declared afeud, omitting only the marriage option. She was not sure how theywould take the news that she had essentially refused peace.Although she knew Burchard was right and a feud against Falkensteinwas infinitely preferable to peace united with him, she could nottotally silence the small voice in the back of her mind that toldher she had not done her duty to her people.
As she told her story, she could see thereality slowly sinking in: with every word she spoke, theexpression of the husband grew grimmer, that of the wife morehorrified. Finally, she was at the end.
“And you came all this way to warn us,Milady?” Gelther's wife Margret whispered.
“Well, thank you,” her husband said, stillgrim-faced. “We will find a spot in the forest to hide. MaybeFalkenstein's men will not find us. Margret, get the children.We're leaving.”
“What? Now?”
“Of course now!”
“What shall I pack? Where are we going?How...?”
“Just pack some food,” he interrupted her.“We're leaving immediately, Margret. And I don't know where we'regoing yet.”
Ayla could see it in the farmer's eyes: hehad seen death before—unlike his wife. With a short bow to her, hewanted to turn and head into the house, but Ayla stepped forwardand grabbed his arm. He looked back at her and saw the determinedexpression on her face.
“I did not just come to warn you. I came tooffer you sanctuary. My men are erecting a barrier at the dalebridge as we speak. There we will brave the threat, and you arewelcome to seek refuge in the village for as long as the feudlasts.”
The farmer inhaled sharply. “Do you meanthat, Milady?”
“Of course. Now get your things together!Everything you can carry. I will take as much as I can back with meon Eleanor, so don't hesitate to pack everything that is preciousto you.”
The farmer made no answer. He just dropped tohis knees and bowed his head for a second. Then he was on his feetagain and inside the house within a second, while his wife rushedtowards Ayla and showered her with thanks.
This caused Ayla to blush furiously. Theeffusions of the peasant's wife were a testament to the poorconception many noblemen and -women had of their duties as liegelord and protector. These two people felt themselves infinitelyindebted to her for what should have been their natural right:protection for themselves and their family.
After some time, Margret was called away byher husband into the house. Ayla, feeling guilty for having todrive them out of their home, did not follow and intrude on theirlast private moments there. Instead, she wandered around to theback of the house, from which she could see the road leading downinto the valley from the east, between the lush greenvegetation.
The road was still empty—at themoment. But soon troops would be marching down that road, troopsemblazoned with the escutcheon[12]of the Margrave vonFalkenstein: a sinister falcon on argent, separated by abend[13]from black cross.
Ayla could not suppress a bitter smile.Somehow it was very fitting that Margrave Falkenstein's falconshould be sinister. While, in theory,sinisterwas only a heraldic term for the leftside of a coat of arms, it served as fair warning to all those whosaw it: Here comes a man to fear, the hawk said. He will grab youwith his claws and never let go again.
“Milady?”
She turned and saw Margret holding a smallpile of objects in her arms.
“These things we would like you to take, ifit is not too much for you...”
“No, no,” Ayla said hurriedly. “Come, I'llhelp you stow them away.”
She led the woman to Eleanor and opened thesaddlebags.
