Swords and Shields by Veque Kathryn Le

Author:Veque, Kathryn Le [Veque, Kathryn Le]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Published: 2015-11-06T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Peace was restored by the time evening fell at Spexhall and the castle, for the most part, had returned to normal as the cool evening breezes began to blow. Torches upon the walls and fires in the bailey lit up the night skies as those inside the castle settled in for the evening.

De Wolfe had brought one thousand and twenty-seven men with him, all men sworn to Edward and previously stationed at Nottingham Castle, so Spexhall was quite full by the time evening fell. The quartermaster, as well as Elizaveta and Daniella, had pulled together a filling meal of stew and beans while the soldiers found space and warmth to bed down for the night.

The hall was filled with men as night crept upon them, men who had been traveling for some time to reach Spexhall as well as men who had fought a battle that day and the day before. Drake’s troops mingled with those of Edward, all of them weary and ready for some food and rest. A heavy haze of smoke hung in the hall from the hearth that had a partially-blocked chimney, but no one seemed to care. They were coughing, and drinking, and eating the bread that the quartermaster and several soldiers had been relegated to bake, and overall the mood was rather festive. Victory always made it festive, the aftermath of the death they had faced. The only person in the entire fortress who wasn’t relaxed, however, was Drake.

He’d seen two battles against his command in two days. More than that, he had a new wife he was increasingly enamored with and the strain of having to worry over her safety was something that was taking its toll on him. He wasn’t used to having to worry over another person, fearing for another’s safety, so all of this was very new to him. Moreover, he was afraid that someone would tell her about the body parts in the bailey or the fact that Lady de Witt’s body had been returned to them in deplorable shape.

Therefore, the moment he’d allowed her to unlock the keep and all of its many iron gates, he’d kept her close by his side. If anyone brought up the battle, he would change the subject, and when she asked about it, he gave her the most generic and un-upsetting responses he could think of. Why on earth he was so concerned for what she thought and what she heard, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he was. He didn’t want to see her upset in any way. Two battles in two days were upsetting enough, for anyone, and he was trying to make her life as worry-free as possible.

So he’d followed her everywhere after she’d left the keep, including to the big kitchen next to the hall where the evening meal was being prepared. He didn’t help, but he did stand by and watch her work with the quartermaster, seeing her calm and even manner in dealing with his men and appreciating it.

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