1606011324-Lady-Knight-Chenery Page 17

  Chapter 28

  Broc returned to Elmstead triumphant. The annulment had been granted with the help of the king and he now carried the papers safely among his belongings. He did not return alone. As planned back in London, William rode at his side.

  It was still the early part of the day when they dismounted in the yard. So early in fact, none of the villagers or anyone else for that matter moved about. Taking the reins of both horses, Broc led them to the stable. It didn’t take him long to wake the stable boy and leave the animals in his care.

  William stood in the middle of the yard giving Elmstead a thorough inspection. Seeing Broc had returned, he nodded. “I can see why you asked for Elmstead, other than the obvious reason of Ariel coming along with it. Speaking of which, let’s go see your Lady Knight.”

  Broc motioned for William to follow him. On the way he thought of what the king had called Ariel. Lady Knight. The title was appropriate in more ways than one.

  The sight of the smaller hall burned to the ground knocked the air out of Broc’s lungs in a rush. My god, who could have done this? Broc wanted to shout that question until someone answered his cries. Then he thought of another question, an exceedingly important one. What of Ariel and Colwyn?

  Taking off at a run, Broc headed back to the main hall. He didn’t even take the time to see if William followed behind him. Broc called Ariel’s name in the empty hall. The sound reverberated off the walls. When Ariel didn’t appear, he called for her again. It was Swein who finally stepped out of a chamber. He carried Colwyn in his arms. His son quietly whimpered. Broc met him halfway across the room.

  “Where is Ariel? Why did she not come when I called?”

  Swein whispered to Colwyn, trying to soothe the baby. “Calm down, you’re frightening your son. There are a few things you need to know.”

  “Give Colwyn to me.” Swein passed the child to Broc and Colwyn settled at the sight of his father.

  Broc kissed the top of Colwyn’s head. “How did your hall come to be burned to nothing?”

  Swein sighed. Broc saw lines of tiredness etched into the older man’s face. “We don’t know exactly how the fire started, but we think it was deliberate to draw our attention away.”

  “Away from what?”

  “From Ariel, she’s missing. She disappeared during the night of the fire. I have a good idea who is behind it though.”

  “And who would that be?” Both Swein and Broc looked at William, shocked to realize they were not alone in the room. Swein was the first to recover.

  “Who, may I ask, are you?”

  “William, your king.”

  Swein’s mouth dropped open as if he did not know what to say at first.

  “I’m sorry, sire. I did not realize who you were.”

  William waved away his apology. “Never mind that, tell us what you know about Ariel’s disappearance.”

  The older man pulled himself together and nodded. “Well, to start with, Alwen and Theodoric left Elmstead shortly after you, Broc. They left in the dead of night, with no word to any of us about their intentions.”

  Broc had to admit all thoughts of his former wife had fled his mind at the sight of the burnt hall. Now taking the time to look more closely around him, he noticed another person was also missing. “Where is Ranulf?”

  “Gone in search of Ariel. He left after she was discovered missing. He has been gone for four days now.”

  A thought flitted across Broc’s mind. One he was not proud of, but that did not stop him from voicing it. “What makes you so sure Ariel was taken? Who is to say she and Ranulf had not planned this all along so they could be together?”

  Swein’s face turned red with indignation. “How dare you accuse my daughter of ever doing something as dishonorable as that? She would not ever leave here willingly. She would never have left Colwyn behind or you for that matter. Ariel loves you. She waited for your return.”

  A wave of pleasure swept over Broc. “I apologize. I did not mean what I said, please continue.”

  Giving Broc a stern look, Swein spoke once more. “You are forgiven. Ranulf couldn’t have planned this. He was bound and knocked unconscious. We found him trussed up and he never saw his attacker either.”

  Hearing one of his knights had been assaulted, William took over the questioning. “What else led you to your conclusions that Ariel was taken forcibly?”

  Swein switched his attention to the king. “During the fire Ariel had tossed her armor out her chamber window. She didn’t want to lose it to the flames.”

  “How any knight would feel. Continue.”

  “After we escaped the hall safely, Ariel went to retrieve her armor. When fifteen minutes turned into an hour, I started to become concerned for her. I found her armor lying in a pile behind the hall and her sword a short distance away. She had been wearing it when she left Colwyn with me.”

  “Not a good sign. Who do you think is behind this? I’m sure you have your suspicions.”

  “Aye, I do. I think Theodoric, along with his daughter, set this into motion.”

  William scratched his chin and nodded his head in affirmation. “That does seem to be the most logical choice, but from what I remember of him, he spent most of the time in his cups.”

  Swein shook his head. “Pardon, sire, but you do not know the man as well as me. Before your coming he was Elmstead’s overlord. I have had to deal with Theodoric for some years now. He is not what he seems to be. I warned Ariel to be cautious around him when she went to join the fryd. The former earl can be ruthless when the notion takes him.”

  William’s eyes turned hard and forbidding. “Then let’s hope Ranulf returns with something to aid us. If not, we have to find Theodoric ourselves. He will have much to answer for.”

  * * * *

  Late that afternoon Ranulf returned. Seeing Broc and William he felt a surge of hope. But taking one look at their faces he knew Ariel had not returned. Wearily shaking his head, he let them know he had found nothing promising in his search.

  Taking a few staggering steps, Ranulf slumped down onto one of the benches in the hall. William came and sat down beside him, placing a tankard of ale on the table next to him.

  “So I take it you found nothing concrete in regards to Ariel’s whereabouts.”

  Ranulf scrubbed his face with his hand. “Nay, I’ve been on the road since I left here. I could find no sign of her, but I did find out one thing. Theodoric must be behind Ariel’s abduction. One of the villages I passed through gave me that piece of information. A villager noted a pair of rough looking Saxons driving a cart pass through. The men he described matched Theodoric’s guards exactly. They had something in the back of the cart. The villager didn’t see what they carried. That was the day after the fire.”

  William nodded. “Did the villager tell you which direction they were headed in?”

  “Aye, they were driving the cart north.”

  Giving Ranulf’s shoulder a squeeze, William stood up. “You did well. Eat then get some rest. You look like you need it.”

  Ranulf had to agree with the king. “Aye, I do. In the last four days I have hardly taken the time to eat or sleep. I stopped only long enough to rest my horse. Give me a few hours to sleep then I will be ready to continue the search.”

  “Get your rest. We will not leave without you. Three are better than two.”

  “Make that four.” Swein had kept silent while Ranulf spoke, but he spoke up now. “Ariel is my daughter. I will not be left behind.”

  “Are you sure you want to leave Elmstead unprotected?”

  “The villagers can look out for themselves. I doubt there would be any trouble during our absence in any case.”

  William turned to Broc. “What about you? Are you willing to leave your son behind?”

  Broc, who up until now had only listened to the exchange between the king and Ranulf, spoke. “Aye, Lily will continue to provide the care Colwyn needs. I need to be there to confront Theodoric. If he is indeed
behind Ariel’s disappearance, I will smite him a blow he will soon not forget.”

  “I give you leave to deal with him as you see fit. Then if we are all agreed, we continue the search for Ariel with the dawn.”

  The others nodded their heads in acceptance. Out of concern for the woman who meant so much to them all, they hoped the dawn would not be long in coming.

  * * * *

  If there truly was a hell then Ariel was in it. Her life had become a misery, fraught with pain and suffering.

  Theodoric had not kept her long. He had wanted her gone before her presence would arouse suspicion. But he kept her long enough to make a few changes to her person. After their brief meeting, Theodoric had ordered her taken to a small storage shed. The ever obedient Hugh quickly jumped out of the cart and roughly picked Ariel up. From what she could see in her position over Hugh’s shoulder, she saw a building that appeared to be a small hunting lodge. Where exactly they were, she had no idea. The most distinguishing feature was all the trees. The lodge was surrounded by them.

  The shed sat a short distance away from the lodge. Hugh unceremoniously dumped her to the floor once he opened the door of her temporary prison. Before he took his leave of her, he cut the bonds that had secured her ankles. At least she was to be allowed to move around on her own two feet. He slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside.

  Sunlight filtered through the chinks in the walls, allowing enough light for Ariel to see her surroundings. They were not pleasant to behold. The same spaces that provided the light also permitted the cold winter air entrance. Her only cover was the thick blanket that had hidden her from view. Grabbing the edges of the blanket she pulled it tightly around her.

  A pile of straw lay in one corner affording her some protection from the hard dirt floor. An empty pail occupied another corner reminding Ariel of the pressure building in her bladder. Not relishing the idea, she quickly used the pail as best she could with her hands bound together. After taking care of that particular piece of business, there was nothing else to do but wait and see what Theodoric would do next.

  The day wore on and Ariel remained undisturbed. With the coming of night the door was unlocked to allow Hugh into the shed. He carried a bowl of steaming food and a jug. He silently placed each item on the floor beside her. Giving her a sly smile, he left her once more, locking the door behind him.

  Shifting on the straw, Ariel moved to see what she had been given. The jug contained water. Seeing no cup included with what she was given, she picked up the jug and drank thirstily from it. Her thirst was as great as her hunger. As time crept by, Ariel had figured she was not going to be fed or given anything to drink. She was most thankful that was not to be the case.

  With her thirst now quenched, she turned to look at the bowl of food. It contained a thin looking stew of meat and onions. It was not much, but it would fill the space in her belly. Dipping her fingers into the hot stew she ate greedily.

  Ariel had just finished her meager meal when the door to the shed opened once again. This time Theodoric crossed its threshold. He silently watched her as he cut the ropes at her wrists. Letting him know she would not be cowed, Ariel stared back. Theodoric chuckled at her show of bravery.

  “It’s good to see you are not easily scared. When you are sold it will go that much harder on you. A few stripes placed on your back will put you in your place.”

  Ariel remained silent. She would not give him the pleasure of hearing her defend herself. There was no point anyway.

  At her continued silence, Theodoric threw a bundle of clothes at her. “Take off your chemise and put on these clothes.”

  Ariel picked up the bundle and found it to be peasant garb. The material was rough home spun and the hem of the skirt was frayed, and from the look of it, far from clean. Her mind rebelled against the notion of donning such.

  Noting her hesitation, Theodoric took a threatening step closer. “Either you put it on or I will rip that chemise off you and dress you myself.”

  The thought of him touching her body was incentive enough to make her do what he asked. With her eyes downcast, Ariel hurriedly stripped off her chemise and dressed in the peasant clothes. When she finished Theodoric shouted for Hugh.

  Before Ariel could move to resist, Theodoric grabbed one of her arms and painfully wrenched it up behind her back. With her subdued, Hugh easily slipped the collar around her neck locking it in place with a bolt and lock. Having completed those tasks they then left her alone.

  The metal sat cold against her bare skin. The weight of it was more than enough to make its presence felt. Already the rough edges dug into the tender flesh of her neck. Having to wear the collar was humiliating enough, but it also made the chances of Ariel’s escape that much harder. As long as the metal collar graced her neck, she would forever be marked as a serf. No matter what she told others she would not be believed.

  Chapter 29

  Ariel spent a fitful night tossing and turning on her straw pallet. She was too anxious thinking what the dawn would bring. Her life would be hanging in the balance. As the first rays of the new day chased away the darkness, Ariel’s makeshift prison door opened. Her time of reckoning had come.

  This time it was Godwin who entered. He shoved a hunk of cheese and bread at her. “You have one minute, then you have to come with me.” He turned around and closed the door. Ariel could hear him moving around on the other side.

  Glad to at least be allowed to relieve herself without Godwin watching, she moved to the pail. With that chore taken care of, Ariel picked up the jug and drank the rest of the water. Who knew when she would be given something to drink next?

  Wolfing down the bread and cheese, Ariel stood in the middle of the floor and waited for the door to be opened. Godwin did not keep her waiting long. He opened the door, and taking her by the arm he pulled her out of the shed. Once more she was put in the back of the cart. This time however she was not kept out of sight. Obviously Theodoric felt confident enough to have her traveling out in the open. After giving her the once over, Theodoric mounted his horse and signaled for the cart to follow. Hugh snapped the reins and the cart jerked into motion.

  Ariel watched the scenery pass trying to guess what part of England they traversed, but it was no use. She had not spent enough time out of Elmstead to even begin to guess. The only thing she knew for sure was the direction they traveled. From the direction of the sun, it was easy to see they were steadily moving northward.

  The road was full of holes and ruts and at times Ariel had to hold onto the side of the cart to prevent from being tossed about. When the sun was at its highest point in the sky, Ariel caught sight of buildings in the distance. Theodoric kicked his horse into a canter leaving the cart to follow at a slower pace. Apparently they had reached their destination.

  The buildings turned into recognizable shapes the closer they came. There appeared to be a few peasant huts with a hall that dominated the area. But they didn’t hold Ariel’s attention for very long. A short distance away from the cluster of wooden buildings a structure of stone was being erected. Ariel could only guess that upon its completion it would replace the hall made of wood. Only a Norman would build such a fortress.

  As part of her training as a knight, she spent some time learning of Norman fortifications. From hearing Broc’s descriptions, the castle would be unlike anything her people had ever attempted. There would be a moat and the earth taken from the moat would then in turn be used to make the parapet walls, making them sit higher. Next would be a strong palisade wall made out of tree trunks. Inside the palisade walls you would find barns, outbuildings and barracks. Last would be the donjon, or the castle proper.

  The donjon would not be much to behold. Its primary function would be defense. It didn’t have to be pleasing to the eye. The huge square tower would defy attack by mere solidity. The only entrance would be a single small door on the second story. If under attack and the palisade walls were ever forced, the gangway to the door co
uld easily be knocked down providing a safe haven in the tower. Taking a closer look at the construction, Ariel could make out the completed moat and partially completed parapet walls. It already overshadowed the original Saxon hall.

  Hugh pulled the cart to a halt in front of the hall. Theodoric waited for them with another man standing at his side. At his master’s signal, Godwin pulled Ariel out of the cart and brought her to stand before the two men.

  “This is the serf I told you about, my lord.”

  The man Theodoric addressed took a step closer so he could take a better look at her. Ariel took the opportunity to study him as well.

  He was Norman. Up close he appeared to be a lot younger than Ariel had first thought him. She guessed he was probably only a few years her senior. The eyes that looked at her so intently were a dark brown. They were so dark it was hard to see the pupil in the center. He too shunned the Norman style of hair and wore his midnight black hair to his shoulders. He was tall, but his height was no match for Broc’s. Like all warriors, his body was heavily muscled from his years of training with a sword.

  Taking in all the details of his face, she noted a straight nose, finely arched brows, a square chin and full lips, which at the present time was shaped into a smile. From the look in his eyes, Ariel guessed he knew what she had been doing, taking his measure.

  Without taking his eyes from her, he spoke to Theodoric. “She’s a hard worker?”

  “Aye, my lord. She’s stronger than she looks.”

  “Why is it you wish to sell her?”

  Theodoric must have thought of all possible answers, because he answered the Norman easily. “I originally purchased her for my daughter, but alas Alwen found her abilities lacking. She wished to be rid of her.”

  The Norman nodded and swept her body up and down with his eyes. “I will find a use for her. In the spring my wife will be coming to England. Until she arrives I’ll have the girl work in the hall.”