Here is the next chapter. I know it isn't all that exciting yet but hang in there. It'll get better within the next few chapters. Thanks for the reviews! I love hearing what you think! Hope you like it!

Sweet Revenge

By Tatiana

Chapter 3: The Plot Thickens

" Let's eat now!" Wat whined.

" We have to find a place to sit down first." Roland explained.

" Here is fine!" Wat insisted.

They were walking along a muddy street. Jocelyn and William led the way, followed by Roland and Christina. Behind them trudged Wat. Kate and Geoff took up the rear. On one side of the road was a tavern and on the other side was a pen with muck-covered pigs and sheep. The stench was almost unbearable.

" Yes," Chaucer declared. Wat turned and smiled at him. " He'd feel right at home."

Wat's friendly face faded and turned into a glare. Kate hid a smile. Chaucer returned Wat's gaze with a smirk. Wat bent at the waist and reached down, picking up some mud. He quickly flung it over his shoulder. Laughing he turned about to see where he'd hit Chaucer. Chaucer was looking to his left; not a spot of mud was on him. Kate, however, was wiping splatters of wet earth from her face and neck. Wat's laughter ended abruptly as Kate raised her eyes to him disapprovingly. Wat hurried forward to walk in front of Roland.

" Here we are!" Jocelyn cried. " Finally."

A small river ran through that area of London. The banks were covered by green grass. Jocelyn and William went forward and set the basket down several yards from the river. Wat hung over the basket while Christina opened it. His eyes grew wide, sparkling with delight as he saw the bread, cheese, apples and wine that were inside. Soon everyone was helping themselves to the food. Wat, who'd grabbed three apples, handed Kate one as a peace offering. Kate took it with a small smile. She wrinkled her nose when she noticed the mud from her hands had gotten onto the apple. With a quick shrug, Wat sat down and dug into his food. Kate snorted in good humor and plopped down beside him. She placed the fruit in the pocket of her apron. She wasn't very hungry anyway.

After eating everyone lazed about in the sun. Wat fell asleep, his face upturned towards the sky, his mouth hanging open and occasionally emitting a snore. Roland and Christina were chatting quietly. Jocelyn sat near William who was lying on his back. She was leaning over him, a hand on his chest, laughing at whatever he was saying. Chaucer crept up beside Wat and was poking and tickling the red head's face with long stems of grass. Wat, barely stirring, swatted at the pieces of grass as if they were flies. Chaucer amused himself by doing it over and over. Kate sat next to Wat, staring out at the river flowing gently by, thinking about everything yet nothing at all. It was the only place she could look without seeing Will and Jocelyn or Roland and Christina. The couples made her think of her husband. She would rather not dwell on the past. It brought back too many memories, good and bad, all painful to recollect. Kate, upon turning and seeing what Geoff was doing, rolled her eyes at the childishness and pushed herself to her feet.

She walked down to the river's edge. Stooping down she dipped her hands into the cool greenish water. Kate brought her hands up, splashing water onto her face and scrubbed at her hands. The remainder of the muck from Wat's mud flinging episode was removed. She took the apple from the pocket of her apron and dipped it into the river to remove the dirt from it. Suddenly she felt a push from behind. The air rushed from her lungs as she fearfully realized that she was falling forward. Two strong hands firmly grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. Kate spun around breathless, her eyes wide with horror. William stood behind her grinning innocently.

" William!" she shrieked, her heart still pounding violently. She chucked the apple at him. The red fruit caught him on the chest.

" Oww!" William cried, laughing. " What did I do?"

" You scared me half to death!" Kate exclaimed, her alarm beginning to fade. " You know I can't swim."

William bent down and picked up the apple she'd thrown at him. Kate sat back on her heels and exhaled a breath. He squatted beside her and dipped the apple in the water.

" I wasn't going to let you fall in," he smiled sweetly. " I got you good."

" Yeah," Kate laughed. " Yeah, you did." She watched as he scrubbed the apple in the water. "How is your shoulder?" she asked more seriously.

William shrugged. " Fine. " He brought the apple from the water and pulled out the hem of his shirt to dry it. " It isn't nearly as painful as it was yesterday. The surgeon said it should heal within the next couple weeks."

" Will you be better in time for the next tournament?" Kate asked.

" Maybe," Will shrugged, concentrating on polishing the apple. " I thought we might stay around here for a few weeks." He kept his eyes on the fruit in his hands, not looking at Kate. " I wanted to spend some time with my father and Jocelyn isn't due back to her home until the end of the month." He glanced up at her. " What do you think?"

Kate kept silent for a moment, staring across the water. William watched her, waiting for an answer. She glanced back at him.

" I think its time," she said solemnly with a sigh.

" Time for what?" William entreated. " To leave?" he suggested quietly his voice saddened.

" No," she shook her head seriously. " For a payback."

" Huh?" William said.

A grin split across Kate's face. She leaned forward and put a hand to his back. With a small push she sent him flailing into the river.

" Kate!" he yelled as he fell. His shout ended in a gurgling noise as he went under.

Kate giggled when he resurfaced. William paddled laboriously.

" Kate!" William breathed. " I can't swim."

" Yes you can! I've seen you swim before." Kate called from the bank.

" No," William gasped, his strokes slowing. " My shoulder." His arms fell still and he slipped underwater.

Kate stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for him to resurface. He did not. Her smile faded as moments passed. " Will?" Kate called. There was no response except for a few air bubbles rising. " Oh no." she breathed. Taking a deep breath she leapt in after him.

As Kate hit the water William rose laughing. Kate thrashed about in the river. William reached out and grasped her arm. She swung her arms about.

" Kate," William said calmly, attempting to keep the laughter from his voice. " Stand up."

Kate put her feet down and found the firm base of the riverbed. She straightened her legs. The water came just below her chest. She stood there, her hair flattened around her face with William still grasping her arm.

" William Thatcher! I am going to kill you!" she said through gritted teeth.

" I'm unarmed!" he laughed throwing up his hands.

" You've still got one good one." Kate insisted, brushing her dripping tresses out of her face.

" It was brave of you to jump in after me Kate," he praised.

" You aren't getting off the hook that easily." Kate mumbled.

" What happened?" Jocelyn cried from the riverbank. She had run down after hearing the splashing of water. Roland, Christina, Chaucer and Wat had followed her.

" Kate fell in. I jumped in and rescued her." William declared, chuckling.

" Liar." Kate grumbled wading back towards the bank.

Chaucer reached out a hand and hauled Kate out of the river as Roland and Wat helped William onto the bank. Kate wrung out her long black hair. She then pulled her dark green apron over her head and squeezed the water out of it. William shook himself all over like a dog, flinging water everywhere.

" I don't know how he does it!" Wat declared, grinning to Jocelyn, Roland and Christina. " He always seems to find a way to get a woman to take her clothes off!"

They all looked at him. Christina's mouth fell open in shock. She gave him a disapproving slap on the chest. Wat lost his balance and let out a shout as he fell backwards into the river. He landed in the water with a loud splash. Christina's hand flew to her mouth in mortification. Chaucer was the first to burst into laughter. He roared, jumping up and down, pointing. Everyone soon followed suit. Laughter resounded along the riverbanks as Wat slapped the water, his face red with embarrassment. He resorted to splashing water at Chaucer mainly, but getting everyone wet. They quickly turned and walked away from the river, leaving Wat to himself.

" Wait!" Wat yelled. " Isn't someone going to help me out?" No one turned around. Wat's shoulder's drooped. He felt something at the bottom of the riverbed against his foot. He reached down into the water and came up with the apple that William had dropped earlier when Kate pushed him in. Wat smiled, delighted and took a big bite as he waded back towards the embankment.

* * * * *

Adhemar stomped into his tent. The servants scattered, sensing his mood. The fierce scowl that adorned his face tipped them off. Without a glance to anyone he continued back into his private quarters, whipping the dividing curtain roughly aside. Once there he threw himself into the chair in front of his writing table. Adhemar closed his eyes and ran a hand across his face. He sat motionless, his face like stone, a hand upon his lips thoughtfully.

" Is there anything you require my lord?" his squire asked quietly from the entrance of Adhemar's quarters.

Without glancing at him, Adhemar gave a stiff wave of his hand. The young man breathed a quick sigh of relief and left the count to himself. The candles on the table flickered when a soft breeze entered as the curtain swished back into place, casting a flickering gleam across Adhemar's countenance. His expression changed suddenly to that of disgust. He reached across the table to seize a flask of wine. With a sigh he poured himself a glass.

Seeing the lady Jocelyn with Thatcher grated on his nerves. Did the girl have no scruples? To be seen with a band of misfits like Thatcher and his crew would surely destroy her reputation. It was beyond him that she could prefer a thatcher's son to a powerful general and nobleman.

" My lord?"

" What is it?" Adhemar demanded turning in his chair to see his page standing with a letter in his hand.

The squire shakily extended the hand that held the missive. Adhemar rose and grabbed the message from him. Turning it over Adhemar saw that Prince Edward's signet had shaped the wax. He stared at the letter for a few moments. Upon glancing up he saw that the squire still remained, shifting from on foot to the other nervously.

" Leave me," he commanded.

His page hurried out once again. Adhemar stared at the letter for a few moments more. With a deep breath he broke the seal. Slowly unfolding the thick paper, he took note of the broad pen strokes. He recognized the writing immediately. The Black Prince had personally composed the letter. It was a rare occurrence. Adhemar forced himself to look to the top of the page. He began to read.

Count Adhemar,

I, Prince Edward, place you on leave of your duty to the Crown until further notice. Your services are not needed at the present. Your army will be disbanded and divided. You are freed of your command until I have need of you.

Edward's personal seal in scarlet wax signed the note. Adhemar let out an angry growl, picked up the goblet of wine form where it stood on the table and flung it across the room. It hit a wooden pole in the center of the canvas chamber.

Adhemar's herald rushed in. " My lord, I heard a crash…" he began to explain.

" Get out!" Adhemar growled, grabbing a flask of wine and flinging at the Germaine.

The herald was forced to duck as the jug flew over his head. He paled and quickly fled. Adhemar began to pace the length of his quarters like a caged animal.

" Damn you Thatcher!" he roared and overturned the writing table. Papers flew everywhere and the candles went out. The room dimmed, lit only by the sunlight tinting the canvas above his head and a single candle near his bed.

Prince Edward favored William so much that he was bent upon destroying Adhemar! First his reputation and now his career. Would it never end? Thatcher seemed to be striking at him in every possible way. He was even stealing Adhemar's future wife!

Adhemar stopped pacing, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths. His expression became thoughtful. Jocelyn wanted William, obviously; by the way she threw herself at him after the jousting match the day before. Judging by Thatcher's reaction when he'd mentioned the negotiations with her father, the boy wanted her as well. As far as Jocelyn's father was concerned, he favored Adhemar and knew nothing of William.

Adhemar clenched his hands into fists. He would have Jocelyn. That would destroy William's heart. Adhemar shook his head. No, Thatcher's heart wasn't enough. He wanted the boy's dreams to die as well.

" You have been weighed."

" You have been measured."

" And you absolutely…"

A slow, evil smile spread across his lips. He knew exactly how to make William's stars fall.

* * * * *

Well, there it is. Are you intrigued? Hopefully you are. I'll be posting Chapter Four very soon if not immediately. I have it finished. I just need to type it out. Stay tuned for further developments!