Fire Song (Medieval Song 2)

“Ah,” he said.

Suddenly Kassia stiffened in his arms. “Edmund, you are going in the wrong direction! We are on Wolffeton land!”

“I know, little chick.”

She tried to twist around to look at him, but he held her firm. “We are still several hours from Lord Graelam’s keep. Sleep. I believe you will need your strength.”

“I will never understand men,” she said.

He smiled over her head. “Mayhap not,” he said gently, “but you will not change. You must not change.”

“I would not know where to begin,” she said on a helpless sigh. She leaned back against him, trusting him as she did her father, and fell into a light sleep.

“Little chick. Wake up.”

Kassia straightened, looking around her as she shook the dregs of sleep from her mind.

“Wolffeton lies just beyond the next rise. I can take you no farther.” He laughed softly. “I have no wish to face your husband. I fear he would peel off my hide.”

He pulled his destrier to a halt and nimbly jumped to the ground, Kassia held firmly in his arms. He set her down gently.

There were so many questions in her eyes that he began to shake his head in answer. “Listen to me, Kassia,” he said, lightly stroking his hands over her arms. “You will take care when you return to Wolffeton. Do you understand me?”

He knew that she did not. He ground his teeth, but self-interest kept him quiet.

I will try to do as you say, Edmund,” she said, her head cocked to one side, her great eyes wide upon his face.

“Go now, little chick.” He leaned down and lightly kissed her mouth, then quickly released her. “Ned, bring her mare!”

He tossed her onto Bluebell’s back. “Remember what I told you,” he said, then thwacked the mare’s rump.

He stood quietly, watching her ride toward Wolffeton.

“My lord,?

?? Ned said, coming up to stand beside him.

“Aye?”

“The lass rides into hell, methinks. Ye did not tell her of the woman’s plot.”

“No, I did not.” Dienwald turned and grinned rakishly at his man. “As I told the wench, Ned, I have no wish to have Lord Graelam after my hide! If she knew who I was, the chances are that sooner or later her husband would find out, and not be content until he had me roasting in hell’s fires!”

“But that other lady. She knows ye, my lord.”

“Aye, but to harm me, my friend, she would be doing herself in. And I have the feeling that Lady Blanche cares as much about her pretty hide as I do about mine.”

Ned spat onto the rocky ground.

Guy ran a weary hand through his hair. His eyes blurred with fatigue, yet he knew he would ride again within the hour to continue the search, this time northward. He walked down the steps from the keep into the inner bailey, pausing when he heard men shouting. Had Graelam found her? He galloped down the steps, and came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Kassia, alone, riding her mare into the inner bailey.

“Guy!” she called, waving to him wildly even as she slipped off her mare’s back. “Guy!”

She ran toward him, her hands outstretched. Guy wanted nothing more than to crush her against him, so great was his relief that she was safe, but he saw the men closing about them, and grasped her hands, holding her away from him.

“You came back,” he said roughly.

“He brought me back,” Kassia gasped. “I thought he would rape me or kill me, but he did not! He was kind, Guy! He brought me home!”