The Crusader’s Vow by Claire Delacroix

Author:Claire Delacroix
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Medieval
Publisher: 0
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“AND NOW THE TALE,” Fergus invited, when they were nestled together in the great bed. He was clean and tired and warm. His wife was curled beside him and his belly was full. He had not known such contentment in a long time.

“Where were we?” Leila asked.

He pressed a kiss to Leila’s temple. “Shahzenan had looked out of his window to see the queen enter the garden with her ladies to take their pleasure. The queen had clapped her hands and they had cast off their veils.” He gave her a look. “And he was astonished...”

Leila smiled, evidently pleased that he remembered her tale so clearly. “And he was astonished to see that half of the attendants were men in disguise.”

Fergus feigned shock. “She had not hidden men in her harem?”

“She had!” Leila said, laughing at him merrily. “Shahzenan was even more shaken to see how the queen and her ladies took their pleasure in the garden. ‘At least I am not alone in being so betrayed,’ he said to himself, and wondered if he should tell his brother.”

“Of course, he should,” Fergus said without hesitation. “A man should know when he has been deceived.” Was this the point of her tale? To make him aware that Isobel had deceived him? If so, the lesson was learned already, but still, he would listen.

Leila nodded. “That night, after the two kings had dined and shared tales of the hunt, Shahriar again asked for the reason for Shahzenan’s sadness. This time, Shahzenan confided in him, and the brothers commiserated over the faithlessness of Shahzenan’s queen. ‘Gladly, I am not so unfortunate,’ declared Shahriar. ‘And you can take hope in the good conduct of my queen.’ Shahzenan frowned instead of agreeing. His brother asked for an explanation and Shahzenan told him what he had seen that day. In truth, he was relieved to have the opportunity, for he did not wish to have secrets between them. Shahriar did not believe the tale and insisted that Shahzenan had misinterpreted what he had seen. He defended his wife most vigorously and Shahzenan offered to show him the truth. They resolved upon a plan to prove the queen’s guilt or innocence: the next day, they would ride out with the hunting party but return to the palace in disguise and see what the queen did in the garden.”

“Do you mean to teach me that all women are faithless, Leila?”

“Only that trust can be misplaced,” she said, casting a glance at him.

Fergus smiled, liking that she tried to warn him. “And what did they see?”

“And so, the two brothers followed their scheme. They rode out with the hunting party, but then turned back and entered the city alone together and in disguise. They returned to the wing of the palace built for Shahzenan and went to the same window. No sooner had they arrived then the queen appeared in the garden with her ladies. As the day before, they were twenty in all. As the day before, the queen clapped and all cast off their veils.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.