The Fallen One by Kathryn le Veque

Author:Kathryn le Veque [Veque, Kathryn le]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Historical, Romance, Medieval, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Amazon: B00FUMPYT0
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Published: 2013-10-11T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

It was the middle of the night by the time Mathias and Cathlina reached Longtown, a berg near the Scots border that had seen more battles than most. It was a strict blend of Scots and English, a mixed bag of nationalities. It was also a wild and lawless town.

There was a small church just south of the town, built of stone and surrounded by a graveyard that was overflowing its perimeter. Decades of battles had seen to that. It was cold and misty as Mathias reined the weary charger up to the door and dismounted, pulling an exhausted Cathlina off behind him.

She was unsteady on her feet, yawning and sleepy, but she had never complained during their long ride north. The road hadn’t been particularly good and the horse excitable, making for slow going. As he tied the charger up near a heavy growth of grass and vines that the horse could feast on, he took Cathlina’s hand and led her do the ancient iron and wood door. The big iron knocker made the entire structure shake.

It took four separate tries on the knocker before someone attempted to answer the door. By that time, Mathias was irritated and when the timid, sleepy man opened the door, he shoved his way in and pulled Cathlina along with him. The man, very dirty with wild hair and missing teeth, hovered fearfully.

“Are you the priest here?” Mathias asked him. “My lady and I wish to be married immediately. Rouse who you must in order to accomplish this.”

The man shook his head and tried to run off, but Mathias would have no part of it. He grabbed the man by the neck and held him fast.

“Did you hear me?” he said, less friendly this time. “My lady and I wish to be married immediately. You will perform the ceremony.”

The priest shook his head again, yelping when Mathias squeezed. “I am not the priest,” the man said. “I must get him.”

Mathias was weary and brittle, translating into a harsh manner. With Cathlina tightly in-hand, he followed the man as he scurried back into the darkness and into the rather large church built of big blocks of brown stone. Cathlina clung tightly to Mathias, peering at her surroundings and thinking them to be dank and spooky. Everything smelled of the candles they used that were rendered from fat, a heavy and greasy smell that had the ambience of a burnt body. It was a rather sickening smell.

In fact, Cathlina put her fingers to her nose as she followed Mathias to the rear of the church. The frazzled man threw open a small oak door which ushered them into a sort of common room. There was a table and the remains of a meal on it, and old straw scattered about that had the smell of urine. As Cathlina and Mathias paused, the frightened man opened another small room and hissed at the occupants. They could hear voices on the other side, both irritated and curious.

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