Page 17 of Knight of Chaos
He went to remove his tabard and chainmail. Rinsing himself off and putting on a clean tunic, he saw her discarded chainmail. His inspection proved that several links were in need of repair. ’Twas obvious a blade had been able to penetrate what should have protected her. He gave a heavy sigh knowing he would repair it himself. Pouring a cup of wine, he went to sit on a stool he placed near her pallet. Whilst she slept, Theobald hovered over a woman who was slowing chipping away at the ice surrounding his heart.
Chapter Twelve
Shivering, her bodybetrayed her whilst she lay between the sensations of hot and cold. One moment her feverish body was overwhelmed in heat until the next she sensed cool night air caressing her skin. She was troubled and confused as to her whereabouts until a deep baritone voice calmed her whilst she relived the horror of the day. The outcome could have been so much worse!
“Open your eyes for me, my sweet.” That seductive tone could lure any woman with only a fair amount of common sense to sin. His voice pulled at her heart strings, even whilst she fought off the urge to comply.
“Nay… I wish to dream the night away,” she whispered.
“Dream another night, my dear. Open your eyes so I may look upon your beauty,” he urged.
Her eyes flickered open to see a hazy glow around the man who sat next to her. His image distorted she could only ponder her fate. “Am I dead?” she asked.
He chuckled leaning forward. “Most certainly not, mistress.”
She reached out her hand. Grabbing a lock of his brown hair, she rubbed its length between her fingers. “I think I am, for surely you are my own personal guardian angel to watch over me from heaven.”
“Angel?” he uttered in disbelief. “I am far from an angel, Ingrid.”
“Theobald?” Green eyes twinkled in delight and a smile began to form on her lips. But ’twas short lived.
He grabbed her wrist none too gently. As her eyes began to focus, his image that was once comforting began to transform. Horror filled her soul when she realized who now held her captive. ’Twas the knight who had tried to do his worst to her. Somehow, he had found her again.
“I told you we had unfinished business, my sweet,” he snarled. “You will never get away from me again! Never!”
He pulled her into his arms and a scream left her. Flames erupted around them as if they were in the depths of hell. And as the fire began to creep ever closer to engulf her, she cried out the name of the one person she knew could save her. “Theobald!”
*
Ingrid awoke witha start. The sound of Theobald’s name being called out from her dream still lingered on her lips. ’Twas as though she had in truth spoken it aloud. The sound of dripping water reached her ears until a cloth was laid upon her forehead.
“Hush now, Ingrid,” Theobald murmured softly. “You have nothing to fear. I am here—and you are safe.”
“Theobald?” Her eyes adjust to the darkness of the tent. With only one candle flickering on the nearby table, his image became clear, and she realized she dreamed no more.
“Aye. You became feverish so I have been putting cool clothes upon your brow to ease your suffering,” he replied. The back of his hand touched her cheek. “I believe your fever has at last abated.”
“How long have I been asleep?”
“Not long enough to satisfy my desire to see you fully rested.” He took the cloth from her brow, placed it in the bowl he had been using, and stood to place the object on the table where they took their meals. He began to pull his pallet near the door.
“Theobald?” She bit her lip in indecision. She did not want to sleep alone and she craved the presence of this man who her heart told her she could trust.
“Aye, Ingrid?”
She hesitated in her uncertainty of what she wished to ask him. Once she voiced her question, there would be no going back, at least in her mind. Their easy friendship might never be the same.
“I know this may be an odd request, but would you lay beside me whilst I slumber?”
Silence met her ears. Mayhap she erred in making such a bold suggestion. She only knew she did not wish to dream again of that evil man who even now haunted her waking hours.
Theobald returned to her side and sat on the edge of the pallet. “Why?”
“I—I am s-scared. I—I d-do n-not wish to b-be alone,” she stammered with an honest heart.
He seemingly pondered her words. “What of Oswin?”
Her eyes became wide at his words for this was not what she had thought he would ask. “What about him?”
