Page 6 of Knight of Havoc
A gust of wind suddenly blew the hood of her cloak from her head and hair as black as the night swirled around her. The tresses took on a life of their own until she once again grabbed at the hood and pulled it over her head. Black hair… blue eyes… ’twas as though a vision of Lady Johanna came before him reminding him what he had lost and vowed never to find again.
’Twas, of course, a foolish promise to himself he had made in his youth, but he had remained guarded ever since. And yet, if the memories of Johanna’s beauty could remain with his for this many years, ’twas nothing compared to the image of the woman who was standing before him. But now was not the time to dally with a woman, let alone one who was grieving the loss of her loved one.
He cleared his throat when the silence stretched between them. “What can I do to help you, Lady Elysande?” he asked, wondering what she truly had in the way of supplies to see to her immediate needs.
Her eyes widened before she shrugged. “There is not much for anyone to do, Sir Reynard,” she replied apparently still wary of him. ’Twas hardly surprising, since he was nothing more than a stranger. “But I suppose you are hungry and, at the very least, I can feed you before you continue on your way.” She began walking to the opening in the fence and Reynard followed her.
But as they made their way through the broken gate and Reynard viewed what remained of her interior buildings, he knew in his heart he could not leave a woman here to fend for herself with only meager supplies to sustain her. At least if she were to travel with the empress’s men, they would see that she was fed until he could find better accommodations for her. Anything would be better than her current situation—which was beyond grim. The only question was now this… How would he convince the lady to travel with a complete stranger?
Chapter Four
Elysande held theplatter of food as she made her way from the kitchen and then through the great hall. The knight who had found her grieving in Blackmore’s cemetery came to a stand and waited for her approach. She took a quick glance at the meager offering on the tray she held. ’Twas not much in the way of a meal but ’twas all she could offer the empress’s knight. The rabbit would not feed everyone who remained here anyway and they would be stuck consuming porridge again for their evening meal. Inwardly, she sighed. ’Twould not be the first night she went to bed famished.
“Sit, Sir Reynard. There is no reason to stand on ceremony here these days,” she said, placing the platter before him. “I am sorry I cannot offer you more but at least you will not leave here hungry.”
“You are too kind, my lady,” Reynard replied as he waited for her to take her place at the table. She sat on the bench across from where he had been standing, keeping her distance since he was a stranger. Thus far he had behaved as politely as any who had come to her father’s hall, but she did not know if this man could be trusted.
A couple of servants stood near the kitchen entrance, ready to be called if she needed aid, but she was unsure how much help they would be. If there was ever a time that she wished she still had even a handful of garrison knights, ’twas now. Andwhere was her captain? The one man she could always depend upon was nowhere in sight. Elysande could only assume that some chore was keeping Hawke busy. ’Twas not like him to leave her unattended for long, and she would have thought he would have learned that a knight had arrived at Blackmore and come running to ensure her safety.
Sir Reynard finally took his seat and gazed upon the offering before him. “Will you not share this banquet with me?”
Banquet? A rabbit and a few root vegetables were hardly a banquet. She closed her eyes as memories flooded her mind of better times when the tables were laden with food of every kind, the hall filled with knights and their ladies merrily laughing whilst beautiful music played in the room from her mistrals.
“I am not hungry,” she replied softly even though the smell of the meat made her head swim. ’Twas at that moment that her stomach made the unladylike rumble of protest.
Reynard quickly hid the slight smirk that lifted the corners of his lips. “I think you, too, are ravenous, my lady. I cannot, in good faith, eat this entire meal myself whilst a lady goes hungry.” He stood and made his way around the table and sat next to her pushing the trencher between them.
Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”
He pointed to the food between them. “Eat. ’Twill do you no good to starve yourself.”
“I am not starving myself,” she huffed.
“Mayhap not intentionally but by the sound your stomach just made, you have not supped in some time,” he argued. He waited for her to make her choice of the food before them. “I will not start without you and the food grows cold the longer you wait.”
“You are being awful bossy to someone who is only trying to feed one of the empress’s men,” she muttered even as the food began to make her mouth water.
A chuckle left him. “I have been told as much by many of my acquaintance,” he declared before pointing to the trencher. “You first, my lady…”
His voice trailed away whilst he continued to wait for her decision. She threw him a glare since he forced her hand. “Very well,” she uttered and took a small sample of the meat and began to chew.
The man next to her seemed satisfied since he, too, began to pick at the food they were clearly meant to share. The silence stretched between them since eating was far more important than witty conversation. This gave Elysande time to study the man seated beside her. Dark brown hair that could almost be deemed as black as her own fell in waves down to his shoulders. A chiseled nose similar to a Roman statue she once saw along with a firm square jaw. His eyes were the color of a stormy grey sky and there could be no doubt this man was a warrior knight for his body fit the image she had of a man defending the injustices of the world.
Heat rushed to her face and she bent her head forward so her hair would hide her embarrassment that she was thinking of this stranger’s body. Of course, he had the body of a warrior. What a silly goose she was! He was as any other knight of her acquaintance, including those who once stood guard over this very castle. Hawke was just as fit, but the two men were as different as night was to day. One light and known to her and the other dark and possibly gloomy, although she could not say for certain what was currently causing the man next to her to frown when she stole a glimpse at him.
“You watch me most intently, my lady. Why?” he asked not looking away from the food before him. He reached for the chalice of wine she had earlier poured for him and he took a sip before he placed the goblet in front of her so they might share.
Her eyes widened for a second time. Had he knowingly settled the cup in such a way that if she were to lift it thusly, her lips would be where he had just taken a sip? Surely, ’twas a mistake and not meant as a lover’s gesture. She cringed inside… a lover… he was far from that!
She reached for the goblet, turning it slightly, and took a sip. If anything, it would wash down the food that seemed to stick in her throat. “You are displeased if the frown upon your brow says anything about you. Is the food not to your liking?” she finally asked. She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and turned on the bench to face him fully.
“The food is fine, although I feel as if I am taking this offering from those who need it more than I. Where are your attendants? Your guards?”
“Unfortunately, Stephen’s army killed most of the men who used to guard Blackmore. Those who had still lived after the siege were taken as prisoners,” she answered not revealing anything about Hawke.
“Surely your parents have not left you alone to your own devices now that your grandfather has passed on,” he grumbled whilst those eyes the color of hard steel swept across her hall.
“Did I say I was alone?” she asked, worried now for her safety since she had not summoned Hawke or at least Olive to watch vigil over her and her guest. She’d had more than ample time whilst preparing his trencher to have one of the few remaining servants go and find her captain. Why had she not done so immediately? Her stupidity at such a move might be her downfall.
