Medieval 1 - By Possession by Madeline Hunter

Author:Madeline Hunter
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780307482648
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2000-10-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

RICHARD HAD BEEN RIGHT about the wealth and honor gathered for the tournament. Jeweled surcottes, painted saddles, colorful pennants, gleaming armor … the richness overwhelmed the eyes. In the midst of it all Addis's animal skins and exotic woman stood out as a distinctive oddity, making the knights and crowd curious.

Moira had practiced with the dangerous destrier whose reins she held. Addis had decided to forgo a palfrey and so sat atop it, controlling the animal with his legs more than she did with her hands. Behind him Richard carried the weapons and shield of Barrowburgh, a knight of high status in his own right proudly assuming the role of squire for his lord.

Among the combatants and the nearby crowd it was working. Whether a king jaded by novelties would notice was another thing.

“Stay nearby after we pass through the lists,” Addis said. “As it is, half these men will be following you home like so many dogs.”

He sounded annoyed. She thought that took some gall on his part, since it had been his idea to display her thus. The red surcotte reached to mid-calf, leaving part of her naked legs exposed. The silk's soft flow implied more of her body than was immediately apparent, and the scooped neck and sleeveless cut looked indecent without a gown beneath it. All of the other women wore veils over bound hair, so her flowing locks alone were startling. Little lines of amber beads beat on her forehead, a thin gold chain stretched across her chest, and the armlets circled her upper arms. Addis had placed all the wealth on her, and she had glanced in a polished plate and admitted that she looked very exotic indeed.

The pageant moved forward and they took their place among the retinues. She passed in front of the crowd. A blue pair of eyes several heads back caught her glance and she realized that Rhys was here. He had come to the house for two evenings now, working the stone before partaking of some supper in the kitchen. Yesterday she had told him about her role today and he had expressed mocking, exaggerated shock when she described the costume. Now he smiled in a reassuring way and she was grateful for that.

They moved slowly toward the tented raised gallery where the royal family and retainers sat. A shock of red hair caught her eye. It moved and dipped at the back of the platform and she stretched to see better. Her blood pulsed as she recognized the knight from Barrowburgh, and beside him none other than Simon himself.

She looked back anxiously at Addis and he gave her a calming nod that said he had seen as well. Then he turned and formally acknowledged his king.

Edward appeared royal enough, but she had expected a man larger than life, not the very ordinary face and short beard and normal brown hair. His garments were sumptuous, but then so were all of the robes and tunics surrounding him. He sat with no lady, but between two men who were clearly related.

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