Page 17 of Rogue Knight (Medieval Warriors #2)

CHAPTER 17

“Aye, he still loves you, Emma. And, yea, he wants you with him at Talisand.”

Emma whirled. There before her, stood the knight of her dreams, tall and strong— alive . “Geoffroi!”

He opened his arms and she ran into them, no matter that Sir Alain and Mathieu stood on either side of him wearing amused smiles.

“You came!” she exclaimed as he showered her face with kisses. The tears fell, she could not stop them.

Seeing the huge knight and the squire turn away their faces, she felt her cheeks heat and started to pull from Geoffroi’s arms, but he held her fast.

“You did not think I would allow you to be persuaded by your father to go to Scotland, did you? Nor would I allow you to cross the mountains and rivers alone. Nay, I shall escort you to Talisand myself. You will come?”

“Aye, I will come. But we must persuade Inga.”

“I will leave that to Sir Mathieu.”

She looked at the squire. “You have become a knight?”

“Aye,” he beamed.

“I am not surprised,” she said. “You have acted the knight many times in my presence, risking your own life for others.”

Just then an impatient Magnus whimpered for Geoffroi’s attention. He reached one hand down to ruffle the fur on the hound’s head while holding on to her with the other .

“He still seems to think the sun rises with you,” she said with a small laugh.

“I always thought him an intelligent beast,” he said with an answering chuckle, never taking his eyes from her. He brought his hands to her arms and gently squeezed the slight flesh. “You are too thin.”

“The north is starving, Geoffroi. We may have little to eat, but at least I am alive.”

“You are indeed.” His blue eyes sparkled as he drew her close and kissed her. She welcomed his mouth on hers, welcomed his embrace. His kiss was an elixir to heal the wounds of the war, to chase away her fears.

He pulled his head back to gaze at her face and her eyes caught a movement behind him.

Over Geoffroi’s shoulder she saw her family and friends coming toward them still some distance away. He turned to follow her gaze, as did the two knights beside him.

“You know most of them,” she told him, “the twins, Sigga and Artur, Inga and her new babe, my villeins, Jack and Martha, and a family of freemen who have joined us.”

“All are welcome,” he assured her, drawing her close as they watched the approaching entourage. The burden she had carried for so long lifted.

To Emma, Geoffroi whispered. “If I can have you by my side, I would open my doors to all the rebels in Northumbria.”

She brushed his cheek with a kiss and spoke softly into his ear, “You shall have me, sir knight.”

The twins broke from the group and ran toward them, coming to an abrupt stop in front of Geoffroi. He let go of her to sweep Finna into his arms. She looked over at Mathieu who was now a knight and smiled.

Ottar leaned into Geoffroi’s side and Magnus ran circles around them and the two knights flanking them.

With Finna in one arm, Geoffroi wrapped his other arm around Emma. “It seems I have a family.”

Emma could not resist the smile that spread across her face. “A larger one than you know, sir knight.”

***

That night, talking around the low burning fire, they agreed to depart for Talisand the next morning. Even Inga had decided to go with them though Emma did not doubt that Sir Mathieu’s comforting presence had something to do with the young woman’s final decision, for the young knight held Merewyn while Inga sat next to him eating her dinner.

Geoffroi had anticipated their needs and brought food for them as well as two carts to help transport them and their possessions to Talisand.

Sigga made hare stew and all their bellies were full when the bowls were gathered at the end of the meal.

Just as they finished, Emma felt a breeze as the fire flickered. She turned to the mouth of the cave where her tall, proud father loomed, a Northumbrian warrior on either side of him, their hands on the hilts of their swords. With his outstretched hand, her father stilled their further movement, as his eyes scanned the occupants of the cave.

Sir Alain and Sir Mathieu stood and drew their swords.

“Nay,” said Geoffroi, gesturing them to sit. “Maerleswein, come join us.”

Emma walked to her father, placing her hands on his shoulders and reaching up to kiss his cheek. “Father, ’twas good you came. After tomorrow, I will be gone and these people will be with me. I would have left you a message, of course.”

Her father’s eyes narrowed on Geoffroi. “Is this the Norman’s doing?”

“And mine,” she said softly. “I have made my choice, as have the others. We are for Talisand. Come, sit by the fire. Share our mead. We still have a little.”

He stepped into the cave, signaling his men to wait.

Sigga brought all three of their visitors a cup of the honey wine. “There is stew if you are hungry.”

With a look at his men, her father nodded at the servant. “Aye, if you have enough to share, Sigga, we would eat.”

When her father was seated next to her, eating his stew, she asked, “Will you not come to Talisand, Father, to see me wed?”

Her father shot a menacing glance at Geoffroi. From the other side of the fire, Geoffroi and his men stared back. “You would accept his offer of marriage when Cospatric has approached me asking for your hand?”

“Aye, I have accepted him. I love him, Father. He is a good and honorable man.”

Her father’s gaze bored into Geoffroi as the two warriors did battle with their eyes. Her father must have seen the triumph in Geoffroi’s face for, after a time, he said, “I see. ”

“Will you not come with us?” She tried once more.

“Nay, I’m for Scotland. The price on my head is too high for me to stay in England. I’ll not be back, Daughter.”

She leaned her head on his broad shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. There was great affection between them, but her future lay with her Norman knight. “At least stay till morning when I can say a proper goodbye.”

“Aye, we will stay till first light.”

Her father and his two men slept at the mouth of the cave, their horses just outside the opening. She was certain they slept little, listening for wolves.

In the morning, he and his warriors took their leave, Emma and the twins waved goodbye as the men mounted their horses. Would she ever see him again?

Geoffroi reached his arm across her back and pulled her close. “He will be all right, Emma. Maerleswein is a survivor. King Malcolm will be glad to have such a man in his court. Mayhap he will even see Steinar, Lady Serena’s brother.”

“I told Father to ask about him,” Emma said. “Mayhap we will hear of them at Talisand.”

“Serena will be as anxious for news as you. Scotland is nay so far that messengers do not travel to and from Malcolm’s court.”

His words brought her comfort. But when her father and his men were out of sight, and the twins ran back into the cave, with a deep sigh, she turned into Geoffroi’s arms and let the tears fall.

Soon after, they were mounted on the horses and some sat in the carts. In addition to the horses Geoffroi and the two other knights rode, they had brought with them three more. Artur, Jack and Sker rode but the knights led them as they were unused to being on a horse. The women, save for Emma, and the babe Merewyn, rode in the carts.

It frequently rained as they traveled over the hills and through the dales, leaving the horses to slog through the mud. Once the carts became stuck, slowing their progress until they were freed. The travelers huddled under their cloaks and did not complain, counting themselves fortunate to have survived when so many did not.

A sennight later they arrived in the Lune River valley. Geoffroi brought them to a halt at the top of a rise.

“I want you to see Talisand from here, Emma,” he said .

The rain had stopped and the sun, hanging low in the sky, cast its golden rays onto the demesne before them. Ahead of her, Emma could see a river, curving through the green countryside. Though not as wide as the Ouse, it was still a grand sight.

In front of the river stood a Norman castle with its square, wooden tower on a motte high above all. Somehow, knowing it was part of Geoffroi’s beloved Talisand, it did not seem so brooding and formidable. Below it was a large bailey surrounded by a palisade fence. From where she sat atop Thyra, she could see into the bailey. There were many buildings.

Emma could hardly believe all she saw. This will be my home.

To the north of the palisade fence, cottages in a well-ordered village were strung out along the river. The well-kept daub and wattle structures glowed in the sun’s dying rays. “’Tis as I have dreamed,” she whispered.

Geoffroi, riding beside her, his hand on the rope towing one of the other horses, watched her expression. “Aye, ’tis special. Did I not tell you?”

She looked into his eyes. How she loved him. “You did, but I did not imagine it as wondrous as this.”

“Aye, and ’tis most wondrous for me because you will be here, my love.”