Page 41 of The Robber Knight
Ayla nodded. “I promise.”
If even the name of his oldest friend, SirIsenbard, couldn't make Count Thomas optimistic, Ayla thought asshe descended the staircase, oil lamp in hand, then things werereally desperate. She had heard her father's comment. Thirty yearsago... How much could weapons and castles change in thirty years?Could swords become any sharper than they already were, and stonewalls stonier? Ayla would have doubted it very much, if not for thegrim expression on her father's face. That expression told her allshe needed to know.
They needed someone who knew what to do—andno one was in sight.
Just as she thought that, Ayla caught aglimpse of something moving further ahead. Quickly, she pressedherself against the corridor wall and shielded the lamp with herhand. None of the servants were supposed to be up this late! Therewere guards that were still awake, of course, but all of them wereposted outside the keep. Who the devil was sneaking around in hercastle in the middle of the night?
Peeking out of the stairway and into thecorridor, she saw a massive dark figure moving towards the kitchen.Him? What washedoing here?
*~*~**~*~*
Reubenwas faced with a very hard choice. He had to choose between blackpudding,[36]chicken, and apple pie. Inthe end, he decided to take some of each.Itcouldn't hurt, he thought, and then grinned at hisunintentional joke. No, it most definitely couldn't hurt.
Biting a chunk off the black pudding, hestuffed the rest under his arm and made his way back to his room.Even if anybody noticed the theft, nobody in his right mind wouldsuspect him. After all, he was an invalid, grievously wounded andunable to move.
*~*~**~*~*
Ayla could hardly believe her eyes as shewatched Reuben enter the kitchen. No, that wasn't putting it right.She couldn'thardlybelieve hereyes, she could not believe her eyesatall.
She had seen his wounds: seen them, cleanedthem, and bandaged them. No one with that amount of damage to hisbody could stand without falling down, screaming in agony. Andwalking? Impossible!
Perhaps her eyes were playing tricks on her.She had only seen him in the moonlight, after all, havingextinguished the oil lamp in her hand so as not to be seen. Yes,that must be it. It couldn't be Reuben. How could that arrogant,pampered merchant even lift a finger in his current state? Thoughnow she thought of it, he had shown no sign of pain while shebandaged him. Could it be...? No!
Suddenly, the kitchen door opened again and amuscular black shape darted down the corridor, so fast that Aylahad not even taken a step before he was out of sight. No, thatcouldn't be Reuben! No merchant could move like that, with thespeed of a snake and the strength of a lion.
Her heart hammering, she set out to followthe stranger. She grasped the oil lamp with both hands and held itlike a club. Not a very effective club, but still, it was betterthan nothing.
Yes, and a knife wouldbe better than an oil lamp, she thought to herself,scathingly.I need to have a talk with ourmaster smith.
She reached the end of the corridor andlooked around. Nobody was in sight, and three corridors led off indifferent directions. The stranger was long gone by now.
If it even was astranger, she admonished herself.Maybe it was no man. Maybe it was just one of the maidsfetching herself a glass of milk and you were beingfanciful.
Nevertheless, she went to check on Reuben.Slowly, so as not to wake him, she pushed open the door to his roomand stepped in.
*~*~**~*~*
Reuben heard the creak of the door andhurriedly lay down on top of a half-finished black pudding,pretending to be asleep. He heard soft steps approaching. No man.And none of the maids, either. He knew these steps, he had heardthem before. Soft, and yet lively, like those of a young doe on aforest path. Ayla!
Why was she coming into his room in themiddle of the night? Ice flooded Reuben's heart as he realized theonly possible answer: she had realized who he was. She hadrecognized him, finally! Had she come to kill him in his sleep?
Her steps stopped next to him.
If that was so, he had to act quickly.
Reuben peeked up at her, standing over him,the sparkling blue of her eyes intensified by the moonlight. Asmile lay on her face. And... and there was something metallicglinting in her hand! A knife, it had to be a knife! She wascontemplating revenge for his robbery, he knew it! He had to actnow!
One swift turn, knocking her legs out fromunder her, so she fell on top of him. One of his hands over hermouth to stop her from screaming, the other gripping her neck toprovide leverage. Then a sharp twist to that delicate ivory neckand all would be over, and he would be safe.So easy, Reuben told himself.
But then why wasn't he moving an inch?
Why did he lie here like a stone, while thisgirl, this girl with the sparkling blue eyes, was preparing to stabhim?
Still, he didn't move as she bent down—andput her hand on his forehead.
Ah, hethought, almost breathing out in relief.Sheis only here to check on me. Nothing more.
Then he felt her soft little hand moving awayfrom his forehead, down the side of his face. She stroked his cheekonce, twice, a third time.
