Page 48 of Promises Made at Midnight
“The honor has been mine, my lady,” Ulrick said with a bow.
Amiria shook her head, and she moved a lock of her red tresses behind her ear. “Do not be strangers to Berwyck. I expect you to return for regular visits.”
Ulrick brought her fingers to his lips. “My lady… Bridgette say your farewells. We must ride.”
He left the two women alone and Bridgette felt overwhelmed with their departure. Amiria must have felt the same, for they enveloped each other in another hug.
“You shall take good care of him… and yourself, of course,” Amiria stated.
“Yes…” Bridgette whispered.
“And you will send a runner if you ever have need of us.” Amiria continued holding onto Bridgette’s hands.
“Yes.” Tears welled in Bridgette’s eyes before they began to fall down her cheeks.
“There are not many women whom I call friend, but I am glad you crossed throughTimeand became mine.”
Bridgette gave her friend another hug. “So am I. Thank you for everything you have done for me and, when you next see your grandmother, please thank her for giving me that coin so I might make a wish. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here now.”
“I am certain she is pleased that all has worked out as it should. Now off you go, my dearest friend. I can see my Dragon is impatient to be on his way and ’tis never good to keep my man waiting.”
“Take care of yourself, Lady Amiria,” Bridgette said.
“And God speed to you, Lady Bridgette.”
Before there were more tears to spill with their departure, Amiria left her to go to her husband to say her own farewell whilst Bridgette made her way to her horse. Ulrick stood next to the steed.
“All is well?” he asked.
“Yes, but I shall miss her company.”
“We shall return one day for a visit. Are you ready to depart?”
“Let us be on our way to a new adventure, my husband.”
She gave him a bright smile before he lifted her into the saddle. Once she was seated, he handed her a pair of soft leather gloves along with the reins. With a nod of her head, Ulrick went to his own horse and Bridgette marveled how Dristan’s knights were a force to be reconned with. Seeing them all together, she would certainly understand how Dristan had earned his reputation as the Devil’s Dragon. She was glad that, for her own part of this journey, she at least wouldn’t be sending Ulrick off to some battle.
CHAPTER33
The thunderous sounds of hundreds of horses cantering across the packed sand of the beach left Bridgette in awe. They had travelled fast today and Ulrick had told her that the wagon carrying the children and other supplies would eventually catch up. She had a moment of panic with worry for Eustace and Eva but her husband reassured her they were well guarded. It had taken several miles of their journey before she could finally relax and trust that they were well taken care of, especially since she had given Eustace her word that she would be nearby.
Now, with the keep of Bamburgh seen in the distance, she marveled at the sea of dark red capes that fluttered in the breeze of Dristan’s personal guard riding ahead of her. Witnessing such a force, she could understand how they would scare anyone with half a brain into surrendering. Luckily for her, she had no worries about a possible invasion, but her thoughts lingered on Maya’s words that she and Ulrick would still be tested. Wasn’t the incident at the well enough thatTimewould now leave them in peace to begin their lives together?
She kept her focus on handling her mount and the keep that rose majestically on the rise of land in the distance. She briefly closed her eyes and, when she opened them again, she swore for the briefest of seconds she saw a modern-day Bamburgh in its place. The vision disappeared quickly to the twelfth century keep and outer walls that now existed. It hardly appeared like the pictures she had seen on the internet, and she had to admit she was a little disappointed. Inwardly she laughed at her own stupidity. It had taken years for Bamburgh to become the place of the land of kings it was later known for. It would be an important castle to defend the land, thanks to the architects that rebuilt the structures over the centuries. Henry II may have started this place but would not be around to see its completion, let alone what it had become in modern times.
As the distance lessened between Bridgette and a place where she knew others had traveled throughTime, her heart skipped a beat at the possibility that this had been a horrible mistake. She should have stayed at Berwyck until Ulrick’s business was completed and Dristan released him. Or he could have just sent her ahead to Dunster. Either way, something in her gut told her they needed to get the hell out of Bamburgh as quickly as possible.
When they finally reached the outskirts of the castle, Bridgette could see for herself that the king had been summoning his army for something major happening in some unknown place. Tents and camp life were everywhere before her eyes, but she didn’t remember British history well enough to know what event was going to change the course of the country. They came to a halt and Dristan began ordering the majority of his men to set up camp before he gestured for his personal guard to accompany him to the keep. A motion of Ulrick’s hand indicated that this included Bridgette. With a nudge of her heel, she put her horse back into motion.
When they arrived inside the courtyard, or inner bailey she supposed, lads came to take the reins of their horses to lead them to the stables. Bridgette could only assume they must be overflowing if the king had summoned his noblemen for their support. Ulrick came and lifted her from the saddle and her knees buckled before he pulled her into his chest. The familiar scent of him calmed her frayed nerves, especially when he pulled off his gauntlet and caressed her cheek.
“Are you unwell?” he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
“I am uneasy,” she replied while her voice quivered in uncertainty. She watched his shoulder-length black hair moving with the afternoon wind and she wished with all her heart they were back in their bedchamber at Berwyck. “This was a bad idea.”
“What do you mean,mon amour?” he whispered while searching her face.
“I think you were right all along that I have no place being at this castle. The closer we got to Bamburgh, the more I began to feel apprehensive, as though the castle was warning me to stay away… or maybe it wasTimeitself.” She shook her head before she felt him kiss the top of her head.
