Page 60 of Beholden
21
Vilmar
Gabriella’s question echoedin my mind as I braced myself for another battle, this time against the queen’s men.“Surely, your father and all his advisors would want you to seek Scania’s good over your own?”
For as long as I could remember, I’d lived to impress my father and the Lagting. Over time I’d earned their favor as well as that of the general populace. But all along, had I sought my own glory? Was that what my Testing needed to reveal?
Beside me, I could hear Gabriella rising. I shifted my sword to my opposite hand and then reached out for her, guiding her behind me where I could guard her against any soldier who might attempt to capture her.
Yes, she was right that our union would be a blemish upon Scania and ruin any possibility of maintaining peace with Warwick. After I’d led the slave revolt and captured Grendel, there was little peace left anyway.
The person I used to be would have taken any amount of peace at any cost in order to please others and make myself more appealing. But I didn’t want the easy path to self-glory any longer. I wouldn’t abandon Gabriella, and neither would I bring more conflict to Scania. If I must live the rest of my earthly days in hiding and obscurity and never resume my life of privilege, then so be it.
The torchlight came from along both sides of the riverbank and flamed brighter. I tensed and prayed the soldiers wouldn’t be able to see behind the waterfall to our hiding place.
Gabriella inched closer, as though seeking my refuge. And once again, as when I’d kissed her, an overwhelming surge of emotions threatened to undo me. This time I had no doubt what the emotion was. Love. I loved her. Loved her deeply and desperately.
Garbled voices from the other side of the waterfall filtered inside, much too close. I held myself motionless, as did Ty and Curly. Thankfully, our horses were resting where we’d tied them earlier, too exhausted to sound any alarm.
While I didn’t want to fight anyone tonight, I was prepared to battle the queen for the rest of my life if I had to. I would do it for Gabriella and anyone else Margery tried to wrongly harm. Perhaps that was my life mission—to live humbly and be slave to all who needed assistance.
The lights flamed against the cascading water. Gabriella leaned into my back. I could feel her heartbeat pulsing against my flesh. I reached for her again until I found her hand. I intertwined my fingers with hers and hoped she could understand my message. Henceforth, we would face whatever came our way. Together.
Her fingers tightened within mine. Was she agreeing to the same? She laid her head against my back, her cheek resting there securely. The touch, as when I’d held her earlier, set my skin ablaze. I’d needed no fire for warming then, nor did I now.
Shouts from farther down the hill seemed to draw the attention of the soldiers at the waterfall. I held my breath as they shifted. When the torchlight began to bob away, the air spilled from my lungs, and the tension eased from my shoulders.
Apparently sensing the change in my stance, Gabriella started to back away. I spun before she could move too far. I dropped my weapons, wrapped my arms around her, and drew her near again. I wished for light so I could see her face, but I said the words regardless. “I have but one desire left in my life. And that is to love you all my days.”
At the mention of the wordlove, she sucked in a rapid breath.
“I love you, Gabriella.” I wished I could find a way to express just how much I loved her, but I guessed that was what marriage was all about—taking a lifetime to show love in small and great ways every day.
“No, you cannot,” she protested, although weakly.
“There’s nothing you can do to change my love. Not now. Nor ever.” I bent down and kissed the top of her head, the silky strands of her hair reminding me what a beautiful woman she was both inside and out. “No matter where we live or what life may bring, I would be the most fortunate man in all the world to earn your affection in return. Will you let me try?”
She shook her head. “You have no need to try.”
“Please, my lady. I beg you—”
Her fingertips against my mouth halted my plea. An instant later, her lips replaced her fingers in a tentative but earnest kiss, one that left me as powerless and weak as all the others she’d given me.
When she broke away, she brushed my cheek tenderly. “You have no need to try to earn my affection, because you already have it. You have all my love and will have it forever and beyond.”
I reached for her hand and moved it to my lips, kissing her palm, which only made me want to kiss her longer. I resisted and lowered her hand. “Then no more talk of parting ways?”
“’Tis selfish of me when I know I ought to set you free—”
“I am free.” For the first time in my life, I truly felt it. The pressure of pleasing and performing and keeping peace was gone. “Together we’ll be free to serve the people around us and heap upon them as much kindness as we can give.”
“I like that plan.” Her tone hinted at a smile.
“Then we shall be married the first chance we have with the first priest we meet.” The light of the queen’s men had disappeared, leaving the blackness and silence of night in its stead. We would likely need to stay hidden away in our cave for several more days before the knights gave up searching the area and returned to the queen. I didn’t want to wait that long to marry Gabriella, but I wouldn’t put us at risk for my own impatience.
“I’m a priest.” Ty moved away from the entrance and skirted toward us. As always, he’d listened to everything I’d spoken. And this was one time I was glad he’d done so. “I guess that means you must be married now.”
“Now?” I couldn’t contain a shiver of pleasure. “Perhaps Gabriella would like to wait until we reach a chapel?”
