CHAPTER 3
As I rounded the corner, already thinking of stories to tell to Elena that morning, a horrific sight greeted my eyes. Charmaine was physically struggling with one of the Sheriffs's guards, while the other was bodily dragging Elena from the house. Before panic could take over, I quickly assessed the physical layout of the front yard. Charmaine had left one of her husband's long pokers outside of the front door, and the guard's horses appeared to be tied up in the yard behind the house. They had surprised the women while John was away, and Charmaine had no way to defend her daughter. I broke into a run, my flowers forgotten on the path as I heard her screaming,
"Not my daughter, please, do not take her! She is only five years old and unwise in the ways of hard labor!"
Taxes again, I thought. The Sewards couldn't pay their occupancy tax for Elena, which is why they had tried to hide her, but had been found out. If taxes were unpaid, the property then was remanded to the Sheriff for service. I continued running past the guards, rounded the corner and grabbed the long poker. Swiftly I turned, and with all of my strength, ran headfirst into the guard holding Elena. He was taken completely by surprise and released her. She rolled a few feet away, and I stood in front of her, poker raised.
"You will not take this child!" I hissed menacingly. At first comically surprised, the guard then took on a look or annoyance.
"'Ere now, missy, get on out of 'ere! This is Crown business. Put that down," He hesitantly drew his sword. "Put it down and give me the girl."
"Not for my life," I said, hiding a sobbing Elena behind me. "Leave this house! This child belongs with her parents, not in hard labor for a late tax payment!"
A brief flicker of awareness crossed the guard's eyes. "Look, I'm jus' doin' what the Sheriff has commanded. The girl has to come with us." He advanced toward me, before he was slashed across one leg with the poker. I held Elena further back as he crumpled to the ground, groaning. All the while I kept an eye on the other guard.
"I don't want to hurt either of you, but you must leave. Give this family one more day -"
The wind was knocked utterly out of me and I was hit from behind by what felt like a war destrier. The earth spun above me, and I involuntarily let go of Elena's hand as I was knocked to the forest floor. My instinct to hold onto the poker remained, however. As I fell I realized that the guard had been distracting me while someone else had crept up behind me. This realization came in the blink of an eye, as my ankle twisted under me and I screamed out in pain.
"It's no less than you deserve, you upstart slattern!"
That voice.
I felt his crushing weight on top of me, wrestling my arm behind me at such a painful angle I almost screamed again. I would be damned if I gave in to this treatment, and used the other arm to roughly angle a shot at him with the poker. A thrilling rush went through my body as I felt it make contact with his shoulder and a painful grunt followed. Then a scream rent the air as he pulled my arm even further back at an angle, ready to break it. I realized it was my own. His other arm seized my wrist. "Drop it!" he commanded, giving my arm a painful jerk. I angled the poker round and gave him another shot in the side, which was followed by a surprised cry, and then a bellow of anger. The next thing I was aware of was a crushing blow to the side of my head and multitudes of stars swimming into my vision. Panicked, I felt my limbs go limp, and was flung roughly away from my attacker. Groping blindly, I rolled over onto my side, my face damp with sweat, until I felt my hair being grabbed from behind. As my vision began to clear, the grip on hair suddenly lessened, and then released entirely as I looked up into the penetrating blue eyes of Sir Guy.
First a blue flame of rage, his eyes suddenly softened into shock, then confusion. Then frustration at himself and the situation exploded. "What are you doing here?" he demanded roughly.
As I lay on the ground panting, I retorted "Saving a family from the generosity of the Sheriff, Sir Guy!"
Taken aback, Sir Guy advanced on me. "And why should you care what happens to peasants?"
Sitting up, my head still spinning, I bawled, "Their daughter is in my keeping while the parents work to keep your Sheriff's coffers full. I will not allow her to be taken without a fight!" I struggled to stand, but feeling faint of air, I merely settled back on my elbows as I glared at him. I could feel a bruise beginning to swell on my face from his blow, and my face was flushed from exertion and anger. Breathing with equal amounts of exertion, he snapped at me "Why is it any of your business to help these people? They are not of your like, though today I took you for a common harlot!"
"Then I will toast the next harlot I see," I shot back. "And I care for these people because they were good as kin to my family. Their social standing is of no consequence to me!" Struggling up to my feet, head still spinning, I demanded,
"How much tax do they owe for Elena?"
"Five crowns." His eyes cut into mine in challenge. "And I'll not leave without it or the girl."
Still breathing heavily, I reached into my purse to find the five crowns I had saved from the Lindson's the other day. I pulled them out contemptuously and threw them onto the ground at his feet. "There!" I exclaimed. "Ironically, Sir Guy, you saved me from paying these at the market, only to steal them from me later. The Sheriff is indeed generous."
Head still reeling, I turned to Elena to inspect her for abuse. She appeared shaken but well, and Charmaine, who had been also released and was thanking me profusely for this gesture, took her daughter in her arms. I arranged to meet her later in the day once they had settle matters with the guards over the tax.
Wanting more than anything to be free of the whole scene, I began walking quickly away from the house and back towards the forest, where I planned to cut a path to my father's house. But I had gone only a merely fifty yards when I heard the steady beat of a horse's hooves behind me, and I knew it was Sir Guy' s stallion by its gait.
At this point, anything could happen. He could arrest me for assault on a nobleman. He could beat me to death, or take me by force…As I heard the hoof-beats slow to a walking pace, I realized I must play the next scene very carefully or it could mean death for my family. My anger, however, had begun to bubble up and get the better of me as of late. After moment of walking in silence with him following, I shot behind me,
"Eager for another round of beating defenseless women?"
I was surprised by his rich, hearty laugh, and his response. "I would hardly call you defenseless, my lady."
Refusing to turn around, I walked faster, quickening my pace almost to a jog, and was perturbed when I heard him click his horse into a faster pace as well, until the stallion was next to me. He glanced sidelong at me, a light smirk playing about his lips as if this was the most amusement he had experienced in ages. This infuriated me even more. "Then I assume you must want something, as I cannot outpace you on your horse."
"Oh yes, my lady, I certainly do want something," he replied unsettlingly.
"And how may I then serve, my lord?" I asked, attempting to sound placating but only managing annoyance. Sir Guy's eyes became intense suddenly as he said, "Ah, she asks. Stop walking for a moment."
I stopped in mid-stride and turned to him. He reined his horse in and swung out of the saddle with a fluid movement, landing mere feet from me. As he neared, my heart's pace quickened and both fear and a feeling elation flooded my body. He moved languidly for a man of such height, as if each muscle were honed for casual capture of any prey that took his fancy. As he approached, he slowly pulled off his black riding gloves and I was struck with realization that it was those graceful hands that had knocked me senseless a few minutes ago. I tensed, suddenly moving away as he came closer, and he paused, reflecting on my demeanor with those extraordinary eyes. Uncomfortably, I turned my head as I found myself backed against a stream.
"I'm not going to hurt you, my lady," he murmured softly, still moving forward.
"Then what do you want?" I said, remembering my father's warnings about Sir Guy.
"I want…" he began, then faltered, appearing perturbed. "I want to know what you were thinking when you took on two of the Sheriff's guards for a routine matter of taxes."
"I don't find the abduction of a child for hard labor a routine matter, Sir Guy," I replied carefully. "As I said, I am the girl's keeper and godmother. Her family is practically kin to mine."
"And how did you even think to fight them?" he asked, drawing a step nearer. "You could have been severely hurt, or killed."
"Sir Guy, my only thoughts were for Elena. She is closest thing to a daughter I may have in my life." Knowing this to be more information than I had intended to reveal, my gaze stuttered away from his.
He was now in front of me, his curiosity roused. "You are not promised, then?" he asked, his liquid voice very low at this point. Warmth began to course through my body, and I felt my face flush, still refusing to meet his gaze.
"My lady?"
"No," I managed to say. "No, I am not promised."
"What a pity."
I glanced back up nervously, and his eyes locked with mine, holding my gaze in a vise-like grip. Then a slow warmth spread across his face. "But not for me."
His hand lightly came to rest on my shoulder, the white flesh tingling as his own touched it. I trembled a bit, and he raised the hand to his lips in a quieting gesture. With this other hand, he reached out to touch my cheek, where a bruise had begun to bloom from his earlier blow. He caressed it, turning over the back of his hand to do so, as his other hand gently stroked my shoulder. Raw masculinity emanated from him like some exotic potion that held me in its power, and I could not move. Gently, he leaned towards me, his breath very close to my own, and slowly began to kiss the bruised cheek with the long, soft pressure of his lips. My breathing quickened but I was powerless to stop the anarchy of my body. As he continued to kiss my abused cheek, his chest rumbled deeply "My beautiful lady…you must be more careful in the future…" His hand fell down to clasp one of mine, and my breath caught as he touched me. All I could manage was, "Then, perhaps, you will…look before you strike next time, Sir Guy," I whispered.
"Apparently I must," he said, the deep tones of his voice richer than ever. With that same smooth grace, his lips began to travel from my bruised cheek towards my lips. "Especially…if a wicked little harlot is bearing the poker."
His words stung me like blow, and I immediately stiffened, turning my face aside. My anger had saved me at last. "You called me a lady when I took your money and a harlot when I defended a family," I spat at him. "I ask you, sir, which is the correct definition? Regardless, I shan't forget your blows today, both your words and fists!" He took a step backwards, looking sincerely shocked at my reaction, and even more so when I turned abruptly and moved towards the walking path.
"Forgive me. That was inappropriate," he called after me. "My lady—"
"Oh, now I am a lady?" I whirled around and shouted at him. "You are as changeable as the moon, Sir Guy! No wonder none of the tradesmen trust you!" I smoothed my hair back from my flaming cheeks, still grossly embarrassed at my own loss of control. "And do not follow me! I will not suffer your presence for another moment!"
I heard a small thud at my feet as I was turning to leave, and saw my purse with the five crowns lying there. "You'd best take this, then," he replied solemnly. "This was the reason for my pursuit, Lady Nyssa. The tax has been paid, and the girl will stay with her family. But I will never take your money."
I stared at the purse, dumbfounded for a moment as he swung himself up onto his horse. Still furious, I tossed out, "As regards your earlier comment, I suppose this is payment for allowing you to take a moment's advantage with me?"
"As regards my earlier comment, Lady Nyssa, it's not your money that I want," Sir Guy repeated, with a rueful but wry glance in my direction. He then paused. "Since we last met I discovered that there is no House of Wooln. You lied to me. But it matters not. I have said that I will find you, and find you I will. Good day." He clicked his tongue and the horse immediately broke into a gallop, leaving me alone in the forest with my thoughts.
