Page 13 of Knight of Chaos
“Nay. We had only each other. We were not well accepted in our village. The others felt my father did me an injustice by teaching me swordplay at an early age.”
“What do these people know? You have done your father proud this day with your fighting skills.”
“Your words bring me joy, Theobald. Thank you.”
“There is no reason to thank me. ’Tis your father you must needs thank,” he said with an honest heart.
She watched him intently before voicing her thoughts. “And what of you, Theobald. Is there no fair lady to share your life?”
A snort of disdain escaped his lips. “The strength of my arm to heft my sword, along with my horse to see me through battle, is all I need in life.”
Ingrid took another sip of her wine before her brow arched upward. “Seems like an awful lonely existence, Theobald Norwood.”
His lip curled upwards whilst he stared at her across the table. “Your situation appears as if you are in the same predicament, my dear,” he teased, whilst tossing her a roguish grin.
She shrugged off his comment. “Perchance…” Her words lingered between them but she did not offer anything more.
“From your response, I take it there is not someone whom you might fancy waiting for your return?”
A faraway looked briefly crossed her visage. “Nay. None other than one I consider more like a brother and friend. You can see the problem with such a situation,” she said softly before she turned those mesmerizing hazel eyes toward him. He swore he could see straight into her soul and see for himself her desire to find someone to love.
He cleared his throat and, to distract himself, began clearing the table and placing the dishes back into the basket. “Aye, I certainly can. I suppose when this war is all over, you will have more than one knight who will be begging for your favor. Mayhap even one of those whom you met this very eve might suit you. They thought you might favor one of them.” He had no idea why those words tumbled from his mouth.
Her mouth opened in anOof surprise before she snapped her lips shut. She stood and pushed in her stool before turning her back on him and striding to sit on her pallet. “Because I need a man to take care of me?” she sneered. ’Twas apparent his words angered her. That had not been his intent.
“They are good men. I assumed you would want a husband one day so you could build a family and not be alone. Any of them would be a good husband for you,” he replied, even though his heart was not sure he could stand to see any of his friends as Ingrid’s husband.
This conversation had gotten out of hand, and he wished he had never brought the other men to her attention. ’Twas foolish of him to speak such thoughts, especially when he was beginning to see what a treasure this woman could have been in his life if he’d wished to settle down. But such a thing was not to be. Even though he could admit he desired her as a lover, it would be a stain on his honor to push for such intimacy when he could not make her his wife. His future was unknown and he did not have a home to call his own. He was by no means fit to be anyone’s husband.
“You could so easily allow me to spend time in their company, letting them get to know me?” Her voice was so quiet he almost missed her words.
“You are your own woman, Ingrid, and I am not your jailor. I have but offered my protection. Nothing more.” The moment his words left his mouth he knew them to be a falsehood. Could he honestly allow Blake, Owen, Kingsley—or, heaven forbid, Reynard—to spend time with the beautiful Ingrid? He was a fool to have made such a suggestion but could in no way retract his words. He had a duty to his Empress and had no time for a dalliance with a woman. But what if such a liaison could lead to something more? Although he continued to tell himself that he had no right to marry when he had so little to offer, he would be lying to himself if he said he had not thought of having a wife some day in his future. Was he not hoping that he would be handsomely rewarded by the Empress, just like Wymar, and that perchance this would allow him to take a wife?
Silence. ’Twas deafening until she at last found her voice. “Very well. At least I know where you and I stand,” she muttered but he swore he heard a catch in her tone or mayhap a small sob. God help him if he had hurt her feelings!
He pulled his pallet near the entryway of the tent and laid down. “Good night, Ingrid.”
“Good night, Theobald.”
Far into the night did Theobald regret his words to the woman who shared his tent. He had a feeling that come the morn, guilt would consume him once he saw her in the light of the new day.
Chapter Ten
Ingrid swung herblade repeatedly in an offensive move until she did so without thought. The enemy was fearless in their pursuit to win the day nor were there any signs they were about to retreat any time soon. The ground beneath her boots was a river of blood and mud from the dead or dying. The stench was overpowering but she had no choice but to fight on. The other alternative was not an option.
Ingrid had pledged herself to the Empress’s cause and had proven her ability to defend herself. She would deal with the overwhelming regret of the lives she had taken another day. God must forgive her of such a sin. She pressed ever onward to gain even an inch of ground beneath her feet. She swore for every step forward, she was forced two steps back, mayhap more.
With a slicing motion of her blade, she dispatched another foe and took a deep breath. Although she was tiring, she refused to give in to the exhaustion that wracked her body. When the body before her fell to the ground, she gave a heavy sigh. Bringing her blade forward, she held the hilt with two hands. Another enemy stepped forward to take his comrade’s place. There was always another ready to do battle.
She was briefly stunned to witness the startled gaze of another woman. Hazel eyes met green whilst they stood staring upon one another, each seeming to feel the same reluctance to raise their blade against the other. Ingrid could only nod her head at the other woman in respect for her right to fight for the cause of the usurper Stephen. With their gazes still locked together, this unknown woman also gave Ingrid the briefest nod before she quickly turned to throw herself back into the battle with a different adversary.
Chest heaving, Ingrid pulled herself from her dazed state, wondering what had possessed her to allow the woman who would be considered her enemy to turn to fight another of her comrades. But she did not have long to ponder the matter when an unknown man came up to her taking hold of her arm.
“Who was she?” he yelled over the mayhem surrounding them.
“Does it matter?” she bellowed back whilst swinging her sword as another enemy came forward.
The knight became distracted with the next enemy who attempted to claim his life. He thrust his sword forward vanquishing the knight before he quickly glanced at Ingrid. “You let her go. Why?”
