Page 33 of Knight of Havoc
“I am honored, my Empress,” Elysande murmured, bowing her head to hide her true feelings of apprehension at being under the close scrutiny of her monarch.
“As you should be,” the empress declared, coming to stand. “I shall expect you to be dressed accordingly. My ladies will ensure you have sufficient gowns and jewels to complete your attire for the evening meal.”
The empress left as abruptly as she arrived whilst her ladies began to also exit from the room. Beatrix was the last whilst she held the handle of the door looking over her shoulder. “Do not worry, Elysande. ’Tis really not that bad to be an attendant for the empress.”
“How often do you repeat such a mantra to yourself, Beatrix?” Elysande asked, already guessing what the answer would be.
Beatrix gave her a weak smile. “Almost every day…”
The door closed behind the young woman who was obviously not happy with her life. Elysande slumped back onto her bed once she was alone. Attendant to the empress, of all things… just when she thought her day could not get any worse now she would never have a free moment to be with Reynard.
When the time came for the evening meal, she was called to attend the empress to help her dress. The other women were familiar with the routine and Elysande could do little more than stay out of their way as they assisted the empress. Standing behind the woman during the meal until they were bid to finally eat was difficult considering all eyes were upon her. The evening lasted far into the night until Elysande was at last able to seek her slumber.
When the new day dawned cloudy but dry, Elysande knew that the games would once more begin. She had dismissed Olive after her maid had seen that she was gowned appropriately and that she was now ready to head down to join the empressand her ladies for the resumption of the tourney. She was just inspecting herself one last time to ensure all was in place with her attire when a sound upon her door interrupted her. Thinking one of the empress’s ladies had come to escort her down to the hall to break her fast, Elysande gave no thought to inquire who was without. She automatically opened the door, expecting to see Beatrix or one of the other ladies-in-waiting.
Elysande had no time to call out for aid nor to even take a breath to scream as a cloth was quickly placed over her mouth and nose. With no choice, she breathed in a foul scent and began to lose her vision. The last thing she remembered was something heavy being thrown over her before she was hoisted like a sack of grain over a man’s body. Then, she knew no more…
Chapter Twenty-Four
Reynard stood inthe middle of the tourney field with the few knights who were left to compete. The day remained cloudy, but the sun peeked out from the clouds on occasion. The empress had declared that her games would resume this morn and she was determined to see them through. The recent rains, however, caused the ground to remain wet from the rain whilst puddles of water had formed in several areas of the field. ’Twould make the mud beneath them treacherous, and Reynard could only hope he could keep his feet during today’s matches. Now they only waited on the guest of honor. Elysande was late, and the empress voiced her displeasure.
“Where is she?” she demanded before turning toward a servant. “Find out what is keeping Lady Elysande so the games can begin.
The servant rushed off to do the empress’s bidding whilst everyone else waited. The crowd that had been in attendance at the beginning of the games had now dwindled given the days the weather kept them away. Villagers had fields to till, lords had business matters of their estates to tend. Only those who were most determined to vie for the empress’s favor remained… those who were willing to accept any meager offering from their monarch in return for their fealty.
Only half a dozen men were still eager to make Elysande their bride at any cost. Two were lesser lords in need of a wealthyheiress. Whilst Elysande had no ready funds, the dowry the empress had agreed upon was more than promising. One was a merchant hoping for a title and lands to call his own. Reynard glanced over to Warin and Morcant, the latter of whom had a smug look upon his face that only puzzled Reynard the more he stared at him. There was something going on with the man, but Reynard would take the matter out upon the field of honor.
Several more minutes passed when the servant returned with Elysande’s sobbing maid. The empress bid the men who awaited the games forward.
“It appears that Lady Elysande has either fled Oxford or something afoul is afoot. I present a new challenge to those of you who are left to fight,” the empress said with a scowl. “The one who finds her shall win the privilege of her hand.”
“Bloody hell,” Reynard cursed, watching the men take off at a run. But leaving without learning any further information was futile and he decided to see what else Olive might be privy to. Lord Constantine came abreast of him, clearly of the same mind, whilst Hawke ran in their direction.
“She would not just take off and flee to possibly incur the empress’s wrath,” Hawke declared, looking over to Reynard.
“Are you certain? Perchance she did not like the direction the games were heading,” Warin said whilst his gaze went to the crowd.
“I agree with Hawke, especially when she knows what is at stake,” Reynard replied as they picked up their pace.
“She favors you still,” Warin replied although he did not appear as though this bothered him overly much.
“Then why were you still willing to compete in the games?” Reynard inquired with a raised brow.
A snort escaped the knight. “Mayhap call it morbid curiosity to see if I could get her to find some small measure of a common accord between us.”
“And have you thus far?” Reynard could not help but ask.
A sound escaped him. “Not particularly,” he muttered beneath his breath. “The matter has become a matter of manly pride, I suppose. To see if I would be the last man standing. You understand, of course.”
“Aye… of course,” Reynard said, hating that he was agreeing with a rival for Elysande’s hand.
“Her maid may know more than she thinks. ’Twould bode well to see if we can learn anything from her,” Warin continued.
“Another thing we can agree upon. If this keeps up, we may end up as friends,” Reynard said with a laugh although the situation was nothing to be merry about.
A grunt escaped Constantine. “I would not gothatfar, Norwood, but we shall see.”
But Olive did not have any words of wisdom to impart to the pair. Nay. The only information she could tell them was she had attended Elysande this morn nigh unto two hours ago as she prepared to go down to the hall to break her fast before the games began. If someone had abducted the lady, then they most likely had a two-hour head start to wherever they would take her.
