Page 29 of Knight of Darkness
“Will you stand there all day talking like some old woman, Norwood, or should you like to concede so we may continue the journey to reunite with our Empress?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “And deprive you of rubbing your victory in my face if you are so lucky to actually win our match? Hardly.”
Before she could make a sharp retort, Norwood’s blade rang out flashing from the sunlight of the new day as it hit steel. Ceridwen was prepared when their blades made contact but was still surprised, and for a second left off guard, from the sheer strength of this warrior’s arm. Time and time again their blades met but Ceridwen was quick on her feet and good at deflecting and getting out of the way of most of the blows. Her smaller frame gave her an advantage of being more agile but there could be no doubt he was stronger. She did not have the upper body strength to hold steady against him for long. But she did her best whilst he attacked her without mercy and she parried her sword just as fiercely. The crowd cheered them on but they continued to hack at each other with their blades as though they were completely alone.
“Concede, Ceridwen,” Norwood ordered when they came face to face as their blades met yet again.
“Never!” Her voice echoed in the morning air even whilst she attempted to take in deep breaths of air, forced to acknowledged that she was more winded than he.
“You shall never win, my dear.”
“I am not yourdear!”
Norwood continued teasing her. ’Twas as though he was enjoying this endeavor as if ’twas nothing more than a game to him. “Even now I can see you tire. As much as you do not wish it, you must needs admit you are no match for a man of my strength.”
He was right that the longer the fight went on, the more his greater strength worked to his advantage, overpowering her as she grew weary. But just because she knew that was no reason for her to say it aloud. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
She swung her blade in a mighty arc causing him to step back. “You bloody bastard.”
“I hate to disappoint you, my lady, but I am indeed a nobleman by birth and rearing even if my family title has been stripped from me.” He grinned. She seethed. They continued with their swordplay as though there was no one watching their display nor were they willing to concede defeat to the other.
They were so focused on their match that they were unaware of the sound of horses coming upon them. ’Twas not until the sound of a trumpet blaring in the morning air that they became aware of who was actually approaching. They broke apart, as Ceridwen attempted to hide the way her breathing was labored as she struggled to take in air. Those in the crowd began to fall to their knees and Ceridwen and Norwood followed suit.
“Lady Ceridwen…” The tone of the voice was stern and laced with disappointment. “You are a long way from home.”
Ceridwen knew she would be paying for her disobedience. “My Empress,” she replied holding out her sword with bowed head. “I offer you my sword for I am ever in your service.”
“You have a strange way of showing it,” Empress Matilda declared. She dismounted from her horse and came forward. The crowd pushed back as their Empress made her way to stand before Ceridwen and Norwood.
“I but wished to prove my worth to you in the best way I knew,” Ceridwen replied, praying her voice sounded humble enough to satisfy her queen.
“Whilst I applaud your efforts to remain a part of my army, you would have better served me by obeying my words and staying at your estate. Think you I gave such orders without a reason?” the Empress asked.
“Nay, Your Majesty.”
“Then I shall assume you thought my words were of no worth.”
Ceridwen bowed her head even lower, not daring to look her queen in the eye. “Never would I think such a thing, my Empress. I am yours to command.”
“We shall see,” the Empress replied. Ceridwen only knew the queen’s attention left her when she addressed another. “Who are you?”
“Wymar Norwood, originally of Brockenhurst, Your Majesty.”
Silence. ’Twas indeed deafening enough that Ceridwen raised her head but an inch to see for herself the Empress’s mood. The woman was not pleased.
“Both of you follow me inside so we might have a word in private,” the Empress ordered. “Bring whoever else is in your party with you.”
With the Empress leading the way, Ceridwen, Wymar, and the rest of their men followed along as if they were going to end up in a pillory. Mayhap ’twas best they were heading back into the inn for at least being inside would offer a meager relief from having the whole army witness the chastising Ceridwen knew was coming. Already the Empress’s guards stood at the door to bar any who thought to follow inside.
Wymar leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Admit you would have lost, Ceridwen.”
“I shall do no such thing!” she hissed. “If you recall, I was still on my feet with my sword in hand. The fight was not over yet.”
“Silence,” Matilda called out, “unless you are bidden to speak.”
Put in their places, the Empress took a seat and waited whilst those in attendance once more took a knee. The only sound heard in the room was the crackling of the fire set in the hearth. Ceridwen felt as though the flames were licking at her boots.
“You have put me in an awkward position, Lady Ceridwen,” the Empress began. “When rumor reached me there was a woman in my army fighting as a man, I had dared to hope that I would not find you here. But I suppose I should not have been surprised to see you this far from home. You always were a rebel, even as a child.”
