Page 10 of Always
Lance
The rope pulledtaut against my waist. Hand over hand I wound the hemp, struggling to pull it as fast as I could. I prayed the young noblewoman had been able to keep hold of the princesses during the drop. Although it wasn’t more than two dozen feet, the impact would strain her.
As I wrestled to drag the weight of the woman to myself, I had to admit even if she had been more of a burden than help during the escape from the castle, I didn’t know how I would have carried the princesses through the tunnel and simultaneously slashed away the dangerous snakes. And though I could have jumped the waterfall with the princesses, the current was swift just as I’d expected, and I would have had a difficult time locating and swimming to a safe alcove while holding on to the bags. As it was, I’d found a place near the middle of the river underneath a thick pile of branches that had formed a small dam against several large boulders.
At the brush of a hand, I drew her close. “I’ve got you,” I assured as she groped for me. The force of the water slammed her into my body, and I wound my arm around her waist at the same time that she clung to my chest. Both princess bags floated on either side of her and had apparently acted as buoys to keep her above water. Even so, she coughed and spluttered, likely having swallowed water during the jump.
“The princesses?” she asked through her coughing.
I unfastened the bags enough to stick my hand inside. Though the interiors were slightly damp, the well-cushioned infants were still asleep from what I could tell.
“They’re fine,” I said, closing the bags tightly.
Alert to danger, I glanced around, attempting to assess our location. A thick mantle of clouds covered the dark night sky, giving us additional shelter. Even so, the Saracens had an uncanny tracking ability and might be able to see us if we weren’t extremely careful.
I kicked my feet to stay afloat, relieved I’d looped my belt around one of the larger branches to prevent us from being swept away in the rapidly moving river. The young noblewoman leaned her head against my shoulder and coughed again. Her entire body trembled, and I tightened my hold, although I didn’t know why. Perhaps to reassure her?
Grudgingly I had to give her praise. I didn’t know of any woman—noble or not—who would have dared to jump into the unknown with such unquestioning obedience the way she had.
Heretofore, I hadn’t known much about women except what I’d witnessed from afar. As a member of the king’s guard, I’d vowed to give the king the best years of my youth. I’d had no time or opportunity for meeting women. Even if I had, the elite guards pledged celibacy until we were discharged by old age or death.
Most, like me, expected to serve until death, and I’d been more than willing to make such a sacrifice. After all, very few tradesmen’s sons had the opportunity to train to be a knight. That was reserved for nobility. But because of my exceptional physical abilities, my father had made sure I was noticed by the lord who owned the Stefford smelter he worked at. Father hadn’t wanted me to end up toiling long hours in so dangerous a place. He’d wanted more for me, for all of his family.
I’d been devastated when he’d died several years ago when I’d still been a squire. If only he’d lived to see how far I’d risen in the ranks of the king’s elite guards. I consoled myself that even though he was no longer there to support my mother, two sisters, and two brothers, I earned enough for them to live comfortably.
The young noblewoman didn’t lift her head from my shoulder. Her breath came in gasps, her exhaustion and fear evident in each exhale. I’d never been so near to a woman, never even touched one except as a means of protection.
Now I was suddenly keenly aware of the way her legs intertwined with mine, the pressure of her body, and the warmth of her breathing against my neck. I couldn’t keep from remembering how exquisitely beautiful she was—the long, smooth line of her neck, the curved elegance of her chin and jaw. And her eyes. They were such a mesmerizing shade of green, a man might lose himself there.
Not me. I’d never succumbed to a woman’s charm. I’d vowed not to let my manly desires awaken. Had vowed to keep that part of myself shut away. And I wouldn’t start now.
As though sensing the direction of my thoughts and our awkward entanglement, the young noblewoman started to push away from me.
I didn’t release her, not because I wanted her near, but because our very lives depended upon our stillness. “We must hide until they are gone.”
“Do you think they will find us?” she asked close to my ear so I would hear her above the rushing river and waterfall.
“They are excellent trackers, but they don’t like water and won’t come into the river to look for us. More likely, they’ll camp out on the banks and wait for us to emerge.”
She was quiet for a moment, absorbing my words. “So, you are hoping they will search for us down-river?”
“Aye.”
“And when they are gone, we shall make our escape?”
“Aye.”
“At least the water is not overly cold.”
The chill of the river hadn’t crossed my mind. I’d been in much colder water during my days in training. I suppose if I had to watch over this woman in addition to the princesses, the mild midsummer temperatures would make my job easier.
Her long, wet hair swirled around her on the water, brushing against my arm. As she clung tightly to the bags, she had no free hands for tucking her wet strands away, and I was surprised by my desire to gather her locks and comb them together.
“You have not asked my name,” she said, her mouth still close to my ear.
“Nor you mine.” Although I wanted to ask when such introductions should have been possible—perhaps in between slaying Saracens or while frantically chopping snakes in half or maybe before I’d jumped into the waterfall?
As it was, we had only minutes until the Saracens swarmed the riverbanks. Our introductions had to be quick.
