Page 51 of The Robber Knight
Then, Reuben's gaze focused on what he wasseeing and his eyes widened. He had seen the kind of thing theywere building before. Many times. And it was no tent for afeast—unless it be a feast of blood.
His eyes snapped up to where the sound of thehorn had come from. And there they were, men in glinting armor,with sharp swords and hard faces. There it was, the standard of amighty noble about to wage war.
“Satan's hairy ass!” he breathed. “What'shappening here?”
Hot Dispute
They're alreadyhere, Ayla thought desperately, running back up to thecastle as fast as her legs would carry her.Already approaching, and we haven't even had word from SirRudolfus or Sir Waldar yet! What if Falkenstein's men attack beforethey and their reinforcements arrive? Or worse yet, what if theyattack before the barricade is finished?
These thoughts continued to haunt her as shefled into the castle, for the first time really appreciating howthick and solid its walls were. They haunted her as she ran up thesteps, and they haunted her as she hurried down the corridor. Onlywhen she came to a standstill in front of one of the castle's oakdoors did she realize that, without thinking, her feet had carriedher to Reuben's room.
Why here? What do I wanthere?she asked herself. And then the answer came: shewanted someone to talk to, someone to share her fears with. BothBurchard and Isenbard were more than occupied right now. And apartfrom them, who was there that wouldn't already be more frightenedthan she was? The guards? The servants? It was her job to instillconfidence in them, not undermine it! There was only one person shewas fairly sure would not panic at the news.
Hesitantly, she opened the door and steppedin.
“Reuben?”
He was waiting for her, glaring up at herfrom his bed as if she had sent him an entire cauldron of fennelsoup for breakfast.
“Reuben?” she asked, her voice waveringslightly. “What's the matter?”
“You aren't getting married, are you?” hegrowled.
She blinked, taken aback. “What kind ofquestion is that?”
“The kind I would like to have answered!”
“Well then,” she snapped, her temper risingat his officious tone, “no, I'm not. Not if I can help it,” sheadded, thinking of the Margrave's ultimatum.
“Then what is that old fellow doing here?”Reuben demanded. “And what isthatsupposed to be?” He pointed towards the window. “That thing you'rebuilding in front of the bridge?”
“If by 'that old fellow' you are referring toSir Isenbard—he is here in fulfillment of his oath of fealty to myfather,” she said indignantly. “And the barricade is being built toprotect us against the coming attack.”
*~*~**~*~*
Reuben's eyes narrowed. “What attack wouldthat be?”
He saw a puzzled expression spread over herface. “The attack by the Margrave von Falkenstein of course! I'msure I mentioned it before.”
“No, you did not,” Reuben replied, trying tokeep his voice calm, but finding it increasingly difficult. Hewished he could just get up and shake the girl! But no normal manwould have been able to do that. It would immediately give away hisspecial talent. Hiscurse.
“Oh.” Ayla gnawed on her lower lip. Reubenthought she looked very cute when she did that, and would havetried to rein in his rage, but then she said: “Are you sure?Because I could swear I told you one time or another.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I think I'd rememberyou mentioning our impending slaughter.”
“Well, it must have slipped my mind, Iguess,” she mumbled. “I'm sorry.”
“Yes, because sudden death is so easy toforget.” Reuben's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“I said I was sorry,” she snapped.
“For dragging me into this death-trap of acastle? Well, I hope you understand my reluctance to accept yourapology for drawing me into your own private war!”
“Would you have preferred being left to bleedto death out in the forest?”
“Hmm... let me think... Yes, I would have!Because then I wouldn't have had to deal with you before Idied.”
He could see her sapphire eyes tearing up.“Nobody is going to die!” she managed in a hoarse voice. “We'regoing to stop the attack!”
