Page 12 of Knight of Darkness
The knight looked up after stabbing one of the fallen in front of him. Hearing the man’s last breath, he stood. “Where have you been that you have not heard Stephen has been captured? Half the army is already in their cups celebrating our Empress’s victory.”
Ceridwen dismissed him from her mind. “Praise be! We are victorious,” she yelled standing up in her stirrups.
“Does this mean we can now go home?” Symond asked.
Thomas reached over and clasped his arm. “I would not mind heading in that direction myself. Arthur?”
Arthur pulled off his helmet and placed it over the pommel of his saddle. “You know I go where our leader goes. ’Tis up to Lord Elric,” he said briskly.
Ceridwen looked between her men. “Can we not just savor this moment for a few minutes before you all start hounding me on when we shall return home? Do you not wish to see our Empress crowned Queen of England?”
Symond pushed off his helm as they continued walking their horses. “Are you sure you wish to continue riding with the Empress’s troops, my lord?” he inquired.
“He brings up a valid point. The longer you ride with these men, the easier ’twill be for Empress Matilda to learn you are here,” Arthur stated the obvious.
Thomas nodded. “Aye… let us not forget the last time she saw you training when we were home and what happened when you offered her your service to fight on her behalf.”
“She will not be pleased to learn you disobeyed her,” Symond agreed.
Ceridwen pulled hard on the reins causing Defiance to whinny in protest. “Enough! We can discuss this at length later this eve or the morn for that matter. For tonight, we shall celebrate our victory and let the rest fall into place as it may.”
“But Lord Elric—” Arthur began, but clamped his lips shut when she put up her hand to halt his further protest.
“I saidenough. In either case, the ride to Westminster will take us south which is the direction of home. Let us drink tonight and be merry. We can discuss the matter of our return home whilst we travel.”
They had not gone far when they came upon Ratcliff who was traipsing through the blood-drenched field. He looked as though he had been to hell and back given the amount of blood staining his attire. He looked none too pleased as he slapped his leather gloves against his side.
“Get down from your horse,” he ordered whilst looking up at Ceridwen and her men from his placement on the ground.
“Excuse me?” she hissed, peering down at him with furrowed brow.
“You heard me,” Sperling spat. “You have had your fun playing the loyal soldier, but now that the fighting is over, ’tis time you play the dutiful wife.”
“My father never agreed for us to wed and neither did I.”
Sperling burst out laughing. “Think you I care one whit whether you agree to our marriage or not? You shall do as you are told.”
Arthur inched his steed closer, his hand holding the hilt of his sword. “You forget yourself, Ratcliff.”
“And all of you will be the first thing I remove from Norwich once I am established as lord and master there,” Sperling hissed.
“You can try but you will not succeed,” Symond said moving his horse next to Arthur’s.
“Aye. We know the meaning of the word loyalty,” Thomas said as he, too, came to the other men to show a united front.
Ceridwen was glad to see her men coming to her aid. Their loyalty was to be commended. Still, it surely wasn’t needed. Sperling was spouting off, but she couldn’t believe he would do anything truly rash. “Stand down, men. I am certain I can handle Ratcliff.”
“God’s Blood, you will not handle anything where I am concerned,” Sperling cursed before he continued his rant. He pointed toward Ceridwen. “We shall wed posthaste as soon as I can find a priest to see the deed done. Then we shall make our way home.”
“I am certain any good man of the cloth you come across will be too busy giving last rites to have time for a wedding… a wedding I have not agreed to. Nor have I any intention of making such a commitment to you of all people—now or ever.”
“You will obey me, Ceridwen, elsewise everyone will know you have disguised yourself as a man these many months. I have no issue exposing your deceit to the Empress and to all who will listen if you do not do as I demand.”
“Nay… I think not. You think you may have the upper hand over me but your ploy will be useless if I declare my real self to Empress Matilda,” she informed Ratcliff, leaning her arm upon the pommel of her saddle. “I will also ensure my father learns your true character when you are not trying to impress him. Think you that he will welcome your suit when he learns that you tried to blackmail his daughter? Any talk of marriage to you will cease posthaste. I shall even go so far as to assert that he will ensure you never set foot on our land again. Now move aside… I have better things to do than waste my time having speech with someone who cares only for himself.”
With their conversation over, she clicked her heals setting Defiance back into motion. As her horse passed Ratcliff, her steed reared up as though she had commanded him to do so causing mud to go flying all around. For good measure, Defiance swished her tail, hitting Ratcliff in the face. He looked furious, but he said nothing as he stormed away. She patted her horse upon her neck causing her to nicker.
“We have not heard the last of him,” Thomas declared as they rode.
