LAWLESS: A Medieval Romance (AGE OF CONQUEST Book 7) by Tamara Leigh

Author:Tamara Leigh [Leigh, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tamara Leigh
Published: 2021-05-23T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

I will not think of him. I absolutely will not.

It was the same Vilda had told herself since Guy delivered her to the tent, silently repeating it as daylight hours dragged toward night—then between bouts of restless sleep that moved her mind to frightful dreams of the new day when the drawn curtains of war might once more be flung wide.

Awakening at dawn, she had found Herba on her knees, eyes closed and gently rocking herself as she muttered. It had alarmed until Vilda realized it was no incantation but prayer. The woman who had been eerily quiet following the visit to the springs had much to say to the Lord, not only on her behalf but that of the resistance and Le Bâtard’s captive.

When she had gone silent and let her head hang, Vilda had touched her hand and thanked her.

Herba had drawn breath, raised her chin, and asked, “Have you prayed for me, Hereward’s cousin?” When it was confirmed, a sorrowful smile had curved her lips. “I shall need those prayers and more, this the day I am to curse our people ahead of and during the assault.”

“It will not be Saxons you curse, Herba.”

“Ah, but many of the resistance will not be certain of that,” she had said, then once more wrapped herself in a blanket of silence.

Now with the sun in decline, Vilda gripped closed the neck of her green mantle as she followed Herba through the camp toward the imposing towers whose upper portions were seen above mostly vacant tents.

She did not know what part she was to play when the assault commenced, having anticipated being left behind to pull at her hair over the battle she would only be able to imagine going one way or the other, but it seemed her imagination was not to be left to its own devices. She was to bear witness.

“Lord, not to the destruction of the resistance,” she whispered, “and pray not in the company of the usurper.” Then once more her thoughts sidled toward Guy and where he was and what he did ahead of battle—only to be averted by the appearance of one she wished even less to occupy her mind.

Having guessed Sir Roul remained in the Fens, she had been grateful to catch no sight of him, but better before this day than now.

Standing center of two men-at-arms and appearing at ease, he looked to those escorting Herba and Vilda and jutted his chin. “By order of the king, we are to take them the rest of the way. You are relieved.”

Them, Vilda pondered amid wariness over being in Sir Roul’s power again and fear his honesty and supposed remorse at Brampton would be of no use to her here. Was she destined for the tower as well, or would he deliver her somewhere else after Herba ascended the tower?

When the men who had escorted them here departed, Sir Roul said, “Follow.”

Shortly, he and his men led them onto a narrow path toward the towers opposite the eastern ones.

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