Page 109 of The Robber Knight's Love
Except him, of course. She wanted to hanghim. The real him, anyway.
It was quite funny in a sense. Well, notfunny,really. He didn't relish thethought of having a rope around his neck. But when he thought ofthe desires of other women around him in the past, it appearedfunny.
He remembered the courtly ladies in thestands at the tournaments all too well. They had never wanted himdead—although they had been quite eager to see him smash hisopponents into a pulp. Ayla was an interesting change. The ladiesat the tournaments had felt bloodlust. All Ayla seemed to have feltthat day in the woods was hurt and righteous indignation. And yetthe ladies at the court had never wanted him dead, and Ayladid.
She was so different from all the women hehad known. In particular, she was so different fromher.
Wincing, Reuben slammed the shutters of hismind closed on that particular memory. No. He would not think ofherand Ayla in the same sentence.Indeed, he had sworn never to think aboutherat all, ever again.
Aye, asarcastic voice at the back of his mind said.You also swore you would never be duped by a pretty faceagain, would never let a woman rule you again. Now look what you'redoing.
But Ayla was different.
Is she really?
She had to be!
But what if sheisn't?
She found him in the woods that day andbrought him back with her, without thinking of a reward. She couldhave just let him die. She certainly had enough problems of her ownto deal with. But she had brought a stranger into her home, dear,trusting, mad little soul that she was. She had to be different.Different fromher, and differentfrom himself.
In that moment, Reuben realized that while hemight not understand Ayla, he wouldn't want her to be any differentthan she was. It was her tenderness and care that had first broughtthe two of them together. Well, notfirstperhaps. It had been him stealing her horseand purse that hadfirstbroughtthem together, which weren't the most romantic ofcircumstances.
But they had not really been brought togetheruntil she took him into the castle when he had been wounded. Thatfirst meeting in the forest didn't really count—she hadn't seen hisface back then, and he hadn't yet known he shouldn't rob herbecause he would fall in love with her.
It was their second meeting that...
Wait just a minute.
What had he just thought?
Fall in lovewith her? No. Oh no, no, no. He had sworn to himself he would neveragain fall under the spell of a woman in that way. All right, hehad known that he was attracted to Ayla, that he wanted her, butfallingin love? No, no, no! Hedidn't want to fall in love ever again. The one time it hadhappened, it had ended in... He shuddered, not wanting to remember,not daring to put words to the events, even in his thoughts.
Shehad beenthe worst thing that ever happened to him.
But did he really think Ayla was likeher?
Even if he didn't think so, he shouldn't takethe risk. He hadn't thoughtshewasworthless all those years ago, and yetshehad turned out to be. Why should it bedifferent with Ayla? He would just be crushed again. He shouldn'tthink about Ayla in that way. It was wrong. He had sworn he wouldnever fall in love ever again. He had taken a solemn oath!
Never.
Love.
Again.
He had sworn it.
Then again, as a knight he had sworn a greatmany things. He had sworn to honor the church (several of which hehad burned down), to protect the weak and innocent from maraudersand robbers (oh, right... hewasarobber), and to always be courteous (oh yes he had, by Satan'shairy ass!). He had broken every single vow he had sworn over theyears.
So why not break this one?
The thought brought a smile to his face.
*~*~**~*~*
“Let me, please.”
“But Milady, that's no work for...”
