Page 10 of Knight of Chaos
“I am most sorry, Theo,” she said shortening his name for the first time. Her mouth opened in anOof surprise causing Theobald to raise a brow. A wicked grin then slipped across his mouth. “I—I m-mean Th-Theobald.”
Laughter rumbled inside that muscular chest. ’Twas such a comforting sound, considering all she heard this day were the moans of the dying. “’Tis fine to shorten my name, Ingrid. I shall take it as a compliment you are at last comfortable enough to do so in my presence.”
She nodded her head, grunting in agony when she slowly rose before turning her back to him. She strolled over to where a small table held a pitcher of wine and two chalices that Theobald had laid out earlier to have ready for them when they returned from the battlefield. She poured him a cup. The simple task gave her the time she needed to attempt to calm her racing heart. She took a deep breath and turned once more with cup in hand.
He gave her a grateful smile and came forward reaching for her offering. She held back a gasp when their fingers touched. All she could do was look up into his visage pondering his thoughts. Had he felt those tingling sensations too? He gave no hint of any emotions other than gratitude.
“My thanks, Ingrid,” he murmured before drinking his fill as though he was consuming water.
“You have a mighty thirst, Theo,” she murmured quietly before going back and picking up the pitcher to refill his cup.
“Aye,” he replied before inspecting her for possible signs of injuries. “Have you been injured?”
“A few cuts and bruises. Nothing serious,” she said quietly.
“You held your own well today… more so than I expected, although I must admit I thought you would have found your slumber by the time I entered.”
She went and filled her own chalice before turning back to face him. “I only just arrived here but a few minutes before you did. As you can see, I did not even have enough strength to remove the chainmail you found for me… unless I will need it again this night.”
“Nay! You have done enough fighting today for our Empress. But let us remedy the situation for you cannot sleep with chain links digging into your back.”
“But I should be prepared for—”
“—sleeping,” he finished her sentence even though that was far from what she had been preparing to say. “You shall do nothing more than rest and mayhap take in some sustenance so your empty stomach does not rumble all eve long.”
“Will we dine at an inn?” she asked in hopeful anticipation. A hot meal would do wonders for her body and mood. She hesitated briefly when he silently waved a finger toward her attire. Hesitating, she finally gave in to her short-lived embarrassment of undressing before him and took off her tabard with the Empress’s emblem. This, too, he had found for her use from heaven only knew where.
He came to her. “Bend forward,” he ordered whilst he assisted with the removal of the chainmail covering her upper body. It felt as though an unfathomable weight had been lifted from her torso as she exhaled a sigh of relief. “Better?”
Gratitude filled her eyes when she lifted her face to stare upon him. “Aye,” she answered before wrapping her arms around her chest. The garment of padding used to protect her skin was soaked in sweat and she could only imagine the horror of what she smelled like. She took a few steps back. “And the meal at an inn?”
His green eyes seemingly reached into her soul and Ingrid was not entirely sure if she was dreaming this whole encounter with this handsome man. Her tired head must be imagining the brief look of what she thought was desire before he masked his visage once more. “Not this night,” he at last answered. “’Tis too dangerous. I will retrieve a meal for us myself whilst you see to changing into something more comfortable to sleep in. I am sorry I cannot have a tub brought over for your comfort but this is life at camp and such luxuries are not often available. The best I can offer you is a basin of water to wash yourself.”
“I understand,” she said quietly. Before she could say anything further, her embarrassment reached new heights when the flap of their tent opened and began to fill with men. A startled gasp left her whilst she reached for the tabard and quickly flung it over her head.
“Look who we found—” the knight who opened the flap of the tent said before his words ground to a halt.
“It appears as though we are interrupting,” another replied.
“God’s Bones, Theobald! Where do you find the time or the energy?” another said to add to Ingrid’s humiliation whilst the men’s laughter echoed in the air around them.
Theobald came to stand in front of Ingrid and she nervously peeked around from behind his back at the men who seemed to fill every corner of their tent, making it feel smaller than it truly was. “Who are they?” she whispered reaching out to take his hand. Although she had ridden with these men and had fought beside them for many days, she had not actually been introduced to these knights. And one man with them was completely unfamiliar to her—she was certain he had not been with the Empress’s army prior to now.
Theobald gave her fingers a small squeeze and she supposed that meant all these knights were his friends.
A chuckle left Theobald before he crossed the space and began to give one of the younger men a fierce hug. “Thank God you are safe, brother,” Theobald said before searching the man’s face. “And what of Wymar? Wed?”
The man nodded. “Aye, to Lady Ceridwen. They seem most content.”
“’Tis the best news I have heard. I am most pleased to know they found one another again. Obviously the Empress chose well for our brother,” Theobald replied before casting his gaze to the other men. “I suppose formal introductions are long overdue. Mistress Ingrid Seymour may I first present my younger brother, Reynard Norwood. Also present are Blake Kennarde, Oswin Woodwarde, and Kingsley Goodee. All good men who I have been riding with and fighting alongside. You may or may not have encountered the latter three knights whilst fighting this day. They have certainly been well aware of you, although I did not confide details of the reason why you are here.”
The men all bowed whilst she gave a clumsy curtsy. “Gentlemen,” she answered shyly.
“As you are aware, I encountered Mistress Ingrid upon the road to Winchester and offered her my protection, although I have told a falsehood that she is a distant cousin of mine in order to keep her as safe as possible,” Theobald replied before he gazed sternly at the men before him. “I can trust you to keep such information confidential, can I not?”
The men began murmuringof coursebefore the one called Blake stepped forward.
“She has been amongst the fighting?” he asked, his eyes went wide in curiosity.
