Chapter 34
The fighting in France was bloody and intense. It seemed that for every battle the English and their allies won, they lost another. It was an intensely frustrating uphill battle and with every day that passed Rhain was more and more consumed with hatred for Mordrid. The former earl had been at many battles, but always those that were fought with the German king at the helm. Rhain knew that Mordrid was purposely staying away from battling him in order to increase Rhain's rage and tension.
Rhain's only source of pleasure was in the letters he received from Keelin. They were extremely rare, as it was exceedingly difficult for dispatches to be smuggled in past the French navy, but that only made them all the more precious. Rhain had read and reread each and every one until he had nearly worn the ink away and the vellum practically disintegrated between his fingers. Keelin's letters always strove to be upbeat, although Rhain knew his love well enough to recognize the strain of melancholy that flowed beneath her words. Still, they were always very long and full of words of love and they helped to give Rhain some much-needed strength. He would read them at night and then reminisce about his beloved's kiss before falling asleep and waking refreshed.
Edwyn rarely left Rhain's side during their battles. Some of Rhain's best knights had been injured and even killed doing all they could to protect him but Edwyn seemed invincible. His worst injuries were always no more than a scratch and Rhain grew convinced that his friend was truly blessed. The thought gave him reassurance that their cause was good and that God was looking out for them.
Winter began to melt away into spring but the season held precious little beauty for Rhain. It was hard to notice the wildflowers blooming in the hills when bloodied bodies lay crumpled on the ground as far as the eye could see. Every army suffered heavy casualties and it was not long before the German king was amongst the injured. Although his injuries were serious, he was alive and it was believed that he would pull through as long as he remained under the care of the best physicians possible. Rhain dispatched his own personal physician to care for his friend. It would truly be a great blow to Rhain if he were to lose Ludwig in the war.
After a while, the Italian king began to lose interest in the war, especially as the paltry number of soldiers he had contributed to the war and the size of his purse began to dwindle. It all culminated in early April when he signed a peace treaty with Spain and France behind Rhain's back and immediately withdrew his troops. When Rhain heard the news, he was enraged. He imposed immediate sanctions against the Italian king, denying him all trade opportunities and Ludwig soon followed suit. Rhain was satisfied that the Italian king would suffer as trade with the nearly impoverished Spain and the financially compromised France could not be very fruitful.
Another man might have felt defeated at the loss of one of his allies, but Rhain was more determined than ever to stop the French. Whenever he felt the least bit of doubt, he would think of his mother and his beloved Keelin. He would think of what would happen to his people if he did not defend them. Most often, however, he remembered his father and that gave him the strength to go on. If King Arthur's own son could not avenge him, who would? Rhain and his father may have had their differences in life but Rhain would stop at nothing to do his duty by his slain father.
Fortunately, after the departure of the Italians, the tide began to turn and England and Germany began to win every battle they fought against the French and Spanish. Slowly but surely, Rhain and Ludwig won region after region and town after town in France as they inexorably, albeit slowly, pushed their way toward Paris. Ludwig was still not well enough to ride in battle but he began to heal rapidly from his injuries and soon took over command of his army once more. He was a brilliant military strategist and even though confined to his bed, contributed immeasurably to many of the victories that England and Germany began to enjoy. Rhain began to hope that he would soon be able to return home to the arms of his beloved Keelin, that he would soon be able to make her his bride.
In late May, Rhain received another precious letter from Keelin but this one was different from her other letters. In her other letters, she had always pretended to be cheerful for his sake but she did not attempt to hide her fears and apprehensions in this one. The letter read:
My Darling Rhain,
I cannot pretend to be unaffected today. We have had such dreadful news as of late as to trouble me exceedingly. We have been told that French and Spanish armies outnumber those of England and Germany by two to one or better. The latest news also suggests that the king of Italy is considering uniting with the kings of France and Spain in an attempt to defeat you and King Ludwig. What is more, we have heard reports that King Ludwig was most horribly wounded and that he barely clings to life. I hear my ladies whispering when they think I am sleeping and they say that the German king shall soon die.
But, most troubling of all, there are rumors that you are gravely ill. 'Tis these rumors that leave me the most sick at heart. I cannot bear to think of you in a hostile foreign land languishing in the throes of a most dreadful illness.
There is some disquiet here now, some uncertainty as to the line of succession. Some say that several of the dukes are quietly stockpiling arms in anticipation of a battle for the throne.
Please, my dearest love, forgive me for troubling you with such news. I am certain you must have innumerable anxieties of your own but I truly fear for the welfare of your kingdom. 'Tis my fondest hope that you will send official word that all is well with you and with King Ludwig and that you are certain to return victorious. Your lady mother bravely faces the crowds once each week but they seem to think she conceals something. I believe they will only be at ease if they hear assurances that were written by your own hand. Forsooth, I shall only be at ease if I see them written in your own hand as well. My thoughts and prayers are with you constantly. Have a care, my love.
Faithfully yours,
Keelin
Rhain set his mouth in a grim line. He sent one of his pages to fetch Edwyn and the king was relieved to see that his old friend came immediately.
"What is the matter?" Edwyn asked, breathlessly. Rhain could tell that he had run straight to the king's tent.
"I have received a letter from Keelin," Rhain said, his words crisp.
Edwyn studied him with concern. "She is not ill, is she?"
"Nay, but it seems that many of the people believe that I am."
"Whatever do you mean?"
Rhain thrust the missive toward Edwyn. "Read it."
There was silence for a few moments while Edwyn read Keelin's letter. Rhain watched as the expression on his friend's face changed to one of grave seriousness and concern. When Edwyn had finished reading, he handed the letter back to Rhain and let out a great breath.
"This is most troubling indeed," Edwyn said.
"I must do as Keelin suggests. I must write a proclamation to be read to the entire kingdom. I must do all I can to dispel such rumors," Rhain said.
"I am troubled by the nature of these rumors. 'Tis not unusual for word to circulate that the king is sick or injured but it troubles me that there are such a variety of rumors circulating and that they are so detailed," Edwyn said.
"That is what troubles me as well," Rhain said. "I believe that Mordrid and the French king have sent spies into my kingdom to stir up trouble."
"That would seem to be a very real possibility."
Rhain's face looked as if it were made of granite. "If 'tis true, then my mother and Keelin may be in grave danger. I shall send a letter with my proclamation begging her to have a care for her safety and that of my mother. I think it wisest if neither of them stirs from the castle walls at present."
"That is wise," Edwyn agreed.
The Secretary of State fetched Rhain's writing utensils and waited as his friend composed the proclamation and then the letter to Keelin. Rhain gave each to Edwyn to read over and Edwyn expressed his approval of both. Rhain dripped wax onto each, imprinting them with the royal signet ring he wore on his right hand. Once finished, they were given to a messenger with orders for them to be dispatched to England post haste. Now all Rhain and Edwyn could do was wait and hope that they would reach home safely. In spite of his best efforts, Rhain could not quite squelch the uneasiness that seemed to have taken up residence in his stomach.
*****
Keelin paced the floors of the castle unceasingly. She grew nearly as thin as she had been when she had first arrived at the castle. Her skin grew increasingly pale and the dark purple smudges under her eyes clearly showed that she did not rest. Her ladies tried constantly to coax her out of her worries with little success. When she was with the queen, Keelin would often sit with the other woman for hours without either of them speaking a word. The queen's appearance mirrored that of her future daughter-in-law.
She was pacing in this manner one day when Alinda stole into the chamber and closed the door soundlessly behind her. She glanced furtively all around the chamber. Keelin opened her mouth to speak but Alinda raised a finger to her lips, hushing Keelin. Alinda's eyes began to dart around the chamber once more and she skulked along the walls, tiptoeing up to every tapestry and throwing it aside. Keelin began to feel increasingly alarmed at her friend's behavior.
"Alinda," she began.
"Shhh," Alinda hushed fiercely. "Not a word."
The raven-haired woman continued to search the chamber until she was apparently satisfied. Once finished, she stepped swiftly over to Keelin and took her friend's arm firmly in her hand.
"We must leave immediately," she whispered to Keelin.
Keelin's eyes widened in alarm. "Alinda, you know we must stay within the castle walls. 'Tis safest."
Alinda glanced around the chamber once more before speaking. "I have had word from Sir Edwyn. He has received word from his spies that the king of France's men have been spotted near the castle. 'Tis believed that they have infiltrated the castle by posing as servants. You and Her Majesty are in grave danger and I have been entrusted with removing you from the castle immediately."
"But what about Her Majesty? I must go to her," Keelin said, turning and attempting to go to the door but Alinda held on fast.
"Nay!" she hissed. "Her Majesty's lady, Margaret, has been charged with removing Her Majesty from the castle. 'Tis too dangerous for the two of you to leave together. You shall soon meet up at the abbey at Nottingdale."
Keelin felt the icy fingers of pure terror brush against her spine. Her body began to quake with fear. "What do we do?" she asked her friend.
"We must go now. There is no time to gather any of your things. They may always be recovered later. What is most important is to get you to safety."
"Of course," Keelin replied. She felt faint and she stumbled as she attempted to take a step.
"Courage," Alinda whispered to her. "You must be brave. Think of His Majesty."
Keelin nodded, grateful for her friend's words. The image of Rhain gave Keelin the strength she needed to gather her wits about her.
"Follow me," Alinda instructed, taking Keelin's wrist and pulling her to the door. They stole through the corridors and out into the forest. The rational part of her mind knew that their progress had been very swift but it seemed to Keelin that the journey through the castle and out into the forest took ten times as long as it should have.
The two women ran until Keelin felt as if her lungs would burst. She was relieved when she and Alinda reached a clearing and Alinda suddenly stopped. Keelin stood and attempted to catch her breath while her friend moved about the clearing, looking for signs that they had been followed. At length, she was satisfied and she seated herself on an overturned log, indicating that Keelin should do the same.
"What do we do now?" Keelin asked, still panting a little, as much from the exhaustion that had been creeping up on her during the past few weeks as from the exertion of running from the castle and into the forest.
"We wait," Alinda said, looking around once more. "Your transport will be here soon. We will disguise ourselves and then we will make for Nottingdale."
"How long will the trip take?" Keelin asked, anxiety squeezing at her heart.
"That depends on what transpires but it should hopefully take no more than two days," Alinda told her.
"What of Her Majesty. Is she safe?"
"I do not know. We shall not have any word until we reach Nottingdale."
Keelin wrung her hands nervously. "And what of Rhain? Shall we have word of him as well when we reach the abbey?" she asked.
"Shhh," Alinda suddenly whispered. She grabbed Keelin and put a hand over her friend's mouth, stopping Keelin's talk of Rhain. Alinda pulled Keelin into the trees just off the clearing, keeping her hand clamped over her friend's mouth as she listened intently. Keelin's eyes widened as she heard the faint sounds of horses and of men's voices.
Alinda listened carefully, remaining silent and not moving the slightest inch. Keelin's panicked mind told her that it was as if her friend had turned to stone, but she pushed the ridiculous thought aside and strove to remain as still as Alinda.
As the minutes passed, the sounds of the voices and the horses drew nearer and nearer until Keelin was certain that the clearing was their destination. Still, Alinda did not move into the clearing nor did she draw Keelin any further into the forest, so Keelin was uncertain of what to think.
A bird called and Keelin felt Alinda's body tense. Then, to her surprise, Alinda answered the call with one of her own. The bird called again and Keelin realized that it was actually one of the men and that the whistle was a signal.
"'Tis safe," Alinda said quietly, removing her hand from Keelin's mouth and standing.
Keelin nearly cried out in relief as she was finally able to stand and stretch her cramping legs. In spite of her anxiety, she could feel a smile of relief begin to spread over her face. Rhain's men were here to rescue her and she was certain that they would carry her into Nottingdale safely, where she could be with the queen once again. The smile was still on her face as she stepped into the clearing behind Alinda.
The world seemed to stand still for a moment as Keelin caught her first glimpse of the group of men. She immediately sensed that something was amiss and she froze in her tracks. As she scanned their faces, she realized that she had never before seen any of them in her life. Over the course of her time in the castle, and especially once Rhain had announced their engagement, Keelin had met or at least knew by sight almost every single guard and knight in Rhain's castle. Not only did she not recognize these men, there was something about their features that was unfamiliar to her. To her profound terror, one of them turned and said something to another and Keelin realized that they were speaking French.
"Alinda," she said, her voice a hoarse whisper. She took a step back toward the protection of the clearing.
Her friend did not answer her and Keelin cast a frantic glance around but she could not see Alinda. The men were beginning to close in on her and so she did the only thing she could think of—she turned and began to flee into the forest.
Keelin probably knew the forest better than anyone in the kingdom with the exception of the king. She had spent a great deal of time there and she knew its nooks and crannies, knew where each trail led. She should have been easily able to elude the men and it was with both dismay and confusion that she heard the telltale sounds of their pursuit. Random thoughts began to flash through her head. Was the queen really at Nottingdale or was she still safe in her chamber? Was Rhain dead? Would she have been able to evade the men if she were wearing her cream gown and a pair of boots rather than the ruby red silk gown with train and matching slippers she was wearing? She knew that her physical and mental exhaustion put her at a great disadvantage but her mind kept clinging to the belief that the smallness of her stature and her knowledge of the forest would be enough to save her. Keelin barely even felt the branches tearing at her hair, her skin, her gown, as she flung herself desperately through the trees. She felt like she had been running forever.
Suddenly, one of the men leapt through the air and wrapped his arms around her waist, tackling her soundly. She hit the ground with a thud and a moan, her head bouncing against the mossy terrain and striking a tree root. Every part of her body seemed to hurt as the man who had tackled her pinned her to the ground. She tried valiantly to fight, flailing and clawing and biting but she had precious little energy left and the fall had knocked the wind out of her. Her head also felt slightly dizzy as a result of hitting the ground. She glanced around her and saw that she had only made it about a hundred feet or so into the woods before she had been captured. She wanted to cry for shame.
"Alinda!" she shouted, as the other men drew nearer, babbling away in rapid-fire French. She managed to kick one of them in the shin. "Alinda!" she howled, the sound of her voice resounding throughout the forest.
The men's French grew more urgent and her tackler switched his hold so that the bridge of skin between his thumb and forefinger was now pressing down onto her throat, making it impossible to speak and nearly impossible to breathe. She felt the sense of dizziness increasing and she frantically began to flail once more, which only served to make her black out for a second. She regained consciousness but her peripheral vision had begun to go black once again when one of the other men pressed a damp cloth against her face. The fumes choked her for a second and she felt a sense of primal terror tear through her body before, mercifully, the blackness took over.
