Page 121 of The Robber Knight
No, he could not save her from the enemytonight. Only the hoofs of a fast horse could.
Turning away from the door and over to thewindow, he stared into the darkness of the night outside. Far, farbelow, down on the path into the valley, he thought he saw for amoment a flash of white and gold.
But maybe it was simply his imagination.
In his head, he saw again Ayla's face as sheclasped her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear:Thanks!
With an angry growl, he punched the wall, sohard his knuckles started to bleed. Curse the girl! She damned wellought to have stayed a minute longer. What were two dead peasants,or maybe three, compared to his agony?
*~*~**~*~*
Ayla brought the horse to a halt at the pointwhere the path into the valley forked. One way led directly to thevillage, the other to the bridge, where the soldiers were. If shehadn't been as well-bred as she was, she would have cursed. Sheshould have thought of this before! Where to go first? Whom to warnfirst—the soldiers or the villagers? Whose life to put at risk?
Strategically, it made more sense to ride tothe bridge. The soldiers there would be an invaluable part of thecastle's defense in the coming days. Any coolly calculating generalwould put the safe return of the soldiers over the lives ofvillagers who would just be a nuisance in any real battle.
Ayla's horse nickered beneath her andpranced, as if sensing her indecision.
Villagers... who had children...
Yes, any real general would go for thesoldiers. But she was no general.
Suddenly decided, she pulled on the reins andturned the horse towards the village, driving it to the fastestpossible gallop. In front of the first house on the edge of thevillage, she jumped off the animal's back. Rushing to thehomestead's door, she started hammering on the rough wood until thedoor was opened by a sleepy-looking peasant, whose nose she nearlybashed in with her fist, still raised to knock.
It took one or two seconds for the sleepy manto recognize her—then his eyes suddenly went wide. “L-lady Ayla,what...”
“There's no time,” she cut him off. “Get yourfamily together, wake everybody in the village up, and head for thecastle! Now!”
“Head for the castle? In the middle of thenight? Milady, I...”
“There's no time!” She was almost shoutingnow. “You've been preparing, haven't you?”
“Yes, but...”
“No buts,” she repeated Reuben's words.“They're coming.”
If possible, the eyes of the peasant widenedeven more at this revelation. Behind him, the anxious faces of hiswife and children appeared.
“The soldiers?” he whispered, and his wifecrossed herself.
“Yes! Now get moving and get everyone out ofhere!”
Turning, she strode back to her horse, hercloak and nightgown flowing behind her.
“What about you, Milady?”
“I have to go to the bridge,” she called,swinging herself into the saddle. “Do as I've told you! And woebetide you if a single man, woman, or child is left behind! I'llsee to it that you spend the rest of the week in the stocks!”
Paling, the man nodded.
Ayla didn't waste any time to see if he didas she had commanded. She had no time to waste. Not a second.Wishing for once that she wasn't as well-bred and could urge herhorse on with a few good, solid curses, she drove it into the nightas fast as it would go. She definitely knew enough curses by now.Her acquaintance with Reuben had been very educational.
Reuben.
Oh no, she couldn't think about Reuben rightnow. She had to concentrate. She had a job to do. She couldn'tindulge and...
He said he lovesme.
...think about three certain words he hadspoken. No, she definitely couldn't. Not now. Not here.
