Page 31 of A Knight To Call My Own
Rolf saw the chaos breaking out all around them, even whilst Lynet was shoved violently to the ground. She scurried out of the way as swords were raised and clashed with sparks flashing about like dancing stars in the twilight. She might be bruised, but she at the very least was safe…at least for the moment.
Any further thoughts went racing out of Rolf’s mind as the will to live took over every other instinct in him. His blade rang out as he met one adversary after another. He may have done his fair share of attempting to even out the odds when his present opponent fell in front of him, but the man was just as easily replaced by another. ’Twas more than apparent, they would in no way win such a battle with the small number of forces on their side.
Ian was holding his own, along with his guardsmen who were making a small measure of headway reaching their laird’s side. Rolf could tell Ian was doing everything in his power to reach Calum to prove his point he was the better man. Currently, their foe was fighting with one of Rolf’s men, who had accompanied him from Berwyck. Alas, he saw the man fall with an empty look in his eyes as he dropped like the weight of a bolder, at Calum’s feet. The man cared nothing for the loss of life, as he kicked the knight in the stomach, once he lay upon the ground.
A slice across his arm drew Rolf’s attention back to the highlander who raised his sword again to inflict another such wound, if not a fatal one. He ducked just in time to miss the sharp claymore that had been aimed at his head and parried with his own sword, thrusting the blade into the man’s back. His gaze caught Ian’s across the field of the dying where a river of blood began to seep into the ground. He could tell they were of like mind.
With no thought to the value of his own life or the outcome, Rolf leaped over the man he had just cut down and began running the distance to reach Calum first. Their swords met, and even Rolf had to admit the man was a towering mountain of strength. He could feel the muscles in his wounded arm quiver each time he raised his sword against his opponent.
He looked for Ian who was closing the distance between them. “Get her the hell out of here!” Rolf shouted and watched in satisfaction as Ian’s purpose was to now reach Lynet’s side.
Rolf’s attention returned to the matter afore him. His sword sang out, yet again, but he could tell he was tiring. Calum gave him a shove, and Rolf stumbled back from the force as he attempted to regain his footing.
He stepped forward to challenge the man, yet again, but got no farther. Shattering pain exploded from behind him when he felt the hilt of a sword slam into the back of his skull. Dazed, he began to collapse, even as a blade was thrust into his body from behind. Just as speedily, the sword was withdrawn with a sickening sound. Falling to his knees, he began to choke on the blood rising in his throat, knowing he was not long for this world.
Everything around him began to move in a slow, hazy motion. Rolf’s gaze searched out the area ’til he at last espied Lynet. She had a look of horror etched upon her beautiful face, along with a silent cry for his fate frozen upon her lips. Still…she never appeared lovelier, and in his humble opinion, she had the face of an angel. Sadly, he realized he had failed in his vow to keep her safe, along with the trust Lord Dristan had sanctioned him with as her captain.
A quick prayer formed in his mind that God would not judge him too harshly for his trespasses whilst here on earth. His eyes rolled in his head, and he felt himself pitching forward. Afore he fell to the ground, peacefulness began to wash over him, and he could have sworn he heard a heavenly choir singing in the air. Never had he heard such a gentle, sweet sound as their song surrounded his entire body. A calming light appeared afore his vision, beckoning him onward. With a sense of soaring through the air, Rolf willingly reached out for one of the Lord’s beautiful guardians who took ahold of his soul as she gently guided him to the heavens above. He was going home.
~***~
“ROLF,”Lynet screamed out. “Nay!”
She watched in shock when Lachlan pulled his blade out of Rolf’s back, even whilst Calum smiled at their deed of defeating the knight.
All the life drained out of the man who had been such a significant part of her existence. Rolf had risked all to come and save her. She could tell the moment his soul left him when his green eyes became vacant, and he tumbled to the ground with a heavy thud. In her despair, she attempted to stagger into the mayhem to reach his side. She did not think of the consequences of her actions, but forced her feet to move forward, step by step. She did not care of the danger she placed herself in. She only knew she must needs see what she could do to help him, whatever the cost might be.
She thought she had made some progress, dodging highlanders and knights as they fought with their blades of steel. Hearing her name called out above the ruckus of battle, she came to the harsh revelation she had not even crossed half the distance to reach Rolf’s side. Then, she felt her arm grabbed roughly, and she whirled to suddenly find herself staring into Ian’s worried hazel eyes.
“Run, lass, run,” he urged, trying to force her to come to her senses and realize their situation.
“My God, Ian, we canna leave him here,” she yelled at him through her tears. “We must go back to save him.”
“He is past saving, Lynet,” Ian replied gravely, pressing her to quicken her pace. “Now hurry, lest his death be all for naught.”
Ian gave a short whistle, and a moment later his horse, along with two others, came galloping up through the woods. Ian leapt into the saddle and reached down to hoist her up in front of him. She was barely settled in the saddle, afore Ian kicked his horse into flight. There was no mistaking the sound of Calum’s curses ringing out for his highlanders to take up the chase.
Tears coursing down her cheeks, she took one last glance at Rolf’s lifeless body lying motionless on the ground. He had made the ultimate sacrifice on her behalf, and his service to her had cost him his very life. She took note that two of Berwyck’s own were close by and also dead upon the earth. The third, she had witnessed during the altercation, was nowhere to be seen.
The forest obscured any further witness to the fallen guards who bravely went against enough men to turn away anyone, who had any common sense, from a battle they were sure to lose. Lynet’s lips moved in a reverent prayer for Rolf’s soul to find peace. After everything the man had done for her over the years, ’twas only right she should offer up her petitions on his behalf. ’Twas done out of respect and the love he had felt for her. To honor his memory, she would keep a part of him in her heart, forevermore.
Chapter Seventeen
Ian tightened his arms aroundthe napping woman in his lap. Her crying had torn at his heart strings ’til she had at last fallen into a restless slumber. Even then, her dreams continued haunting her as she cried out, now and again. He supposed there was some consolation, whilst he listened to her torment as she slept, that she called out his name alongside of Rolf’s.
The sound of pursuit had faded as the miles passed swiftly away. Ian did not give any sign of false hope that Calum was not still following them. He knew his kind and was determined to put as much distance between them as he possibly could. He prayed the third guard who had been accompanying Rolf would make it safely back to Berwyck to alert Dristan of all that had occurred.
Ian made a motion of his hand to alert Angus of his plans to change their current direction. Giving a slight pull to the left on the reins, he directed his horse to move out of the riverbed they had been wading through in order to cover their tracks. The clip clop of their hooves sounded out as they met the rocky bank. Steering their horses up a small rise in the landscape, Ian peered down at the ground. They would need to do something about the impressions of hoof prints the heavy animals left on the grassy soil beneath them. Even though night had descended upon them, anyone with even a limited amount of tracking ability would be able to easily read their trail they left behind and locate them.
They needed to give the horses a rest, for they had done their duty this day by furthering the space between them and the enemy. Ian peered ahead and decided the best course of action would be to head to a grouping of nearby trees. There wasn’t much cover here on the open Scottish moors. But, he knew he could not push their steeds further this night to get them into the Highlands and the mountainous terrain that would be of greater benefit in hiding their whereabouts. Unfortunately, Ian realized Calum would know, without any doubt, which direction he planned to take.
Reaching the trees, Ian shifted Lynet in his arms. Her hand reached up and wound its way around his neck. For the briefest instant, he took delight of at last feeling her warm body pressed intimately against his own. Whilst the battle had raged on, he had had his doubts any of them would make it out of there alive. Yet, here she was, a little battered, both emotionally and physically, but at least she was safe.
“Ian…” She said his name in a breathless whisper, causing a slight shiver to traverse its way through his senses.
“Awake, Lynet. Let me help you down for we must needs rest the horses awhile,” he replied, brushing his knuckles lightly across her bruised cheek.
Her eyelids began to flutter open, and, for a moment, he saw a brief glimpse of the nightmare hidden in the depths of her eyes as she hovered between sleep and wakefulness.
