Page 58 of Knight of Darkness
Ceridwen strode the length of the room and sat, taking a moment to search for the words to begin to heal the rift between them. “Lady Beatrix… you must know that none of this was meant to hurt you. Even if the Empress had not commanded Wymar and I to wed, we would have found a way to be together… or at least I would have prayed that would have come to pass in time.”
“Time…If you had not arrived when you did, Wymar and I would even now be wed.” The confidence she exuded would have felled a lesser woman but Ceridwen was not new to fighting for what she believed in… like her efforts to join the Empress’s army.
Ceridwen placed her forearms upon her legs, leaning forward. “And if you had done so, what would that have cost you?” she asked waiting for the woman’s answer.
Beatrix gave a short, disgruntled laugh. “Cost me? ’Twould have cost me nothing. I would havegainedthe man I have loved all my life as my husband.” She gazed upon Ceridwen dressed in hose and tunic and all but turned up her nose at her appearance. She pointed her finger toward Ceridwen. “You do not know Wymar as I do nor will you ever be able to live up to his expectations of a proper wife, particularly if you continue to dress so bizarrely.”
“You may not care for the way I dress but I assure you this is not the first time Wymar has seen me dressed thusly. I was the daughter of the Lord of Norwich so properly dressing is nothing new to me, and I am well trained in how to run an estate. I have been thoroughly educated on what would be expected of me once I wed. But we digress. My qualifications to be Wymar’s wife are not what we need to discuss,” Ceridwen said starting to feel miffed at Beatrix’s bitter words.
“I have no idea what is of such import that we must discuss anything further,” Beatrix said with a defiant raised chin.
“You say wedding Wymar would cost you nothing but in truth it would have cost you much.”
Beatrix sat back in her chair. “I am listening.”
“Then hear my words and hear them well. If you had wed, you would have married a man who would never love you as his heart has already been claimed by another… me. If this alone is not enough, then I am most certain that when the Empress learned of your deception there would have been consequences that would not be to your liking.”
“’Twould be too late for her to denounce our marriage if our union had been consummated,” she replied with a mulish expression.
Ceridwen did all in her power not to grimace at the thought of another laying with Wymar. “The Empress is a woman who focuses all her efforts on securing her throne and ensuring she has supporters in key locations. Brockenhurst was restored to Wymar because of his accomplishments upon the field of honor in Lincoln, but the Empress’s intent was to have a man she could trust in this crucial position. By wedding you, against her decree, he would have forfeited her trust, and I am certain his lands and title would have once more been stripped from him. What would you have done then? Were you willing to become the wife of a mercenary and follow him along living in camp? I assure you, it is not an easy life and there are certainly few comforts to be had,” Ceridwen asked already knowing the answer.
“’Twould not have come to that!” Beatrix said but her face betrayed her. This young woman was used to living in luxury. She wanted a husband with land and a title who could keep her in the comfort she was accustomed to.
“Then ’tis a good thing I arrived when I did before a mistake happened that would have been disastrous to all involved. I am here, Beatrix, at the Empress’s bidding to marry the man she chose for me. ’Tis what is meant to be. More than that, ’tis what Wymar and I want, because I love him as he loves me.”
“You will never love him as I do,” Beatrix said. Tears began to glisten in her eyes.
Ceridwen reached over to take her hand and was surprised when Beatrix allowed it. “He does love you in return, Beatrix, but as a beloved sister of his best friend. This alone is reason enough why a marriage between the two of you would have never worked. I can only pray that with time you will accept our marriage and be happy for us. I never had a sister and would like the opportunity to get to know you better.”
A gasp escaped her. “You will allow me to return to Brockenhurst?”
Ceridwen smiled and for the first time felt that there might be hope for them after all. “Aye. As I mentioned, you are family to the Norwoods and that will never change. As far as I am concerned, you shall always be welcome within our hall.”
Beatrix stood and Ceridwen did the same. “Thank you, my lady,” she replied although Ceridwen could see for herself that her words were difficult to utter. “You have given me much to think on.”
Ceridwen stepped forward and gave the woman a gentle hug. She did not expect a response. That might have been asking too much given the circumstances but considering Beatrix allowed it gave Ceridwen even more hope that all would be well between them in the future.
“There is nothing to thank me for,” Ceridwen said before striding to the door. “I hope we see you at the evening meal. You have been missed.”
Heading to her own chamber, she asked a passing servant to summon Agnes, along with a bath to be brought up to her chamber. A good long soak in a tub might be just what she needed to calm her racing heart. Only time would tell if Beatrix would accept the inevitable.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Wymar watched hissoon to be bride glide into the chapel as she made her way to stand at his side. She was lovely in a forest green gown that brought out the color of her eyes. A circlet of flowers with colorful ribbons flowing down her back graced her hair which she had left down. ’Twas as if she had done so just to please him and pleased he was. He took her hand and raised it to his lips.
“You are beautiful, Ceridwen,” he murmured softly whilst he continued to stare into her mesmerizing aquamarine eyes.
She reached over to finger the sleeve of his green tunic. The golden threads embroidered into the garment matched those at the wrists, neckline, and hem of her own gown. “As are you, Wymar. The ladies did a remarkable job making our garments match.”
“As long as you are pleased, then I am happy,” he replied, turning toward their priest. “You may begin, Father.”
They took their place in the front pew sitting side by side whilst the priest began to perform Mass. The priest began his sermon speaking of uniting the land, talking of the people of Brockenhurst and Wymar’s continuing efforts to restore his homeland. Wymar glanced over to Ceridwen to see her staring upon him. He reached over to take her hand and she gave his fingers a squeeze before she returned her attention to the priest.
“Lord Wymar,” the priest finally said, “what do you bring to your union with the Lady of Norwich?”
“Scribe!” Wymar called and a man came forward with parchment, quill, and ink to sit at a small table that had been placed near the front pews. “Take this down.”
Wymar began to rattle off his holdings, the acreage of land he owned, and the small fortune he had collected over the six years he had been gone from his home. He also had the handsome reward he had received from the Empress in recompense for his service in seeing Ceridwen’s return to Norwich. Horses and other stock animals joined the list. Once he had finished, the priest asked Ceridwen to state what she brought to their marriage. As she listed her extensive holdings, ’twas clear they would live comfortably for the rest of their lives together. And while he’d have given up all of his fortune willingly just to have her as his bride, ’twas pleasant to know that he’d have all the resources to be able to give her and their children a comfortable life and leave them well provided for should anything happen to him.
