Chapter Seven
Serena leaned back against the doors of her terrace and sighed heavily sliding slowly to the floor. She leaned forward resting her head on her bent knees and wrapped her arms around her legs. She didn't know what to do anymore, she had snapped at Darien de Varray for observing something that many others had before. That while Serena couldn't 'see' in the normal sense, as long as Sach was near he could tell her what was around her.
Sensing her emotions the wolf laid down at her side resting his head on her feet, Serena buried her fingers into his fur. She clenched her fingers into his fur harder as her thoughts traveled back in time almost four years before.
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Serena ran through rose-hill castle her pig tails flying out behind her, slipping every so often as her shoes slid on the slick marble floor. Papa was home, he had promised her a new family. The white skirt of her gown tangled around her legs and she started to fall a small cry escaping her lips, a strong arm wrapped around her waist before she could land on the ground and pulled her upright against a strong chest. She inhaled deeply and smiled smelling the familiar scent of vanilla and sugar.
"Thank you Nate!" She said her small hands wrapping around the thick forearm holding her.
Nathaniel de Grey set Serena back on her feet and frowned down at the younger girl, "You need to be more careful Serena." He said trying to sound angry at her recklessness.
Serena just gave him a dimpled smile, "Papa is home! The gatehouse guard saw his procession through the village!" She said excitedly then bolted down the stairs one hand out to steady her.
Nathaniel watched her go his green eyes alight with concern, then he followed her down the stairs as a more sedate pace.
Serena stumbled on a animal bone hidden in the rushes scattered in the great hall and landed hard on her knees. She was up again and running for the open doors before anyone could express concern or help her to her feet. The sound of horse hooves thundering over the draw bridge to the castle drew her to a stop at the stairs to the keep. A stiff wind tangled in her golden hair as eyes as bright as the sky above focused toward the sound. She darted through the crowd shoving aside the larger bodies when needed and pushed her way to the front.
"Papa! Papa! You are home!" She called out waving her hand hearing the jingle of her fathers mounts harness.
Kenneth de Fortenberry shook off his fatigue seeing his fourteen year old daughter standing at the front of his people. A wide grin split his rugged face and he slid from the saddle rushing to her side and swinging her into his arms.
"Ah Serena, how I have missed you!" He said spinning her around reveling in her shriek of pleasure and planted a kiss on her cheek.
He lowered her to the ground again tucking her securely to his side and rubbed his cheek along her golden hair. "In sooth you have grown surely an inch since we last met daughter." he proclaimed lifting his head to stare down at her.
Serena giggled up at him, "Mayhap you have shrunk papa."
Kenneth made a face and ruffled her hair, his eyes prickling with tears as they always did. How he had sired such a wonderful child he would never know, his thoughts darkened slightly thinking of the accident that had caused the loss of her sight. Serena as if sensing his thoughts tucked her small hand into his and squeezed. The clearing of a throat brought his attention back to the gathering people and he turned back to the group that had ridden into the bailey with him.
He squeezed Serena's hand and brushed a palm down her cheek. He turned and helped a woman with blood red hair and gray eyes from her mount, then turned and helped identical children one boy and one girl from the horse behind her. He lifted the woman's hand in a show of unity and raised it before his people.
"May I present my bride, the Lady Beryl de Fortenberry," he said to the assembled crowed. He turned ushering the two children a couple years younger than Serena forward, "And my stepchildren Raye de Wolfton and Jared de Wolfton."
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Serena roused herself and rubbed at her sore eyes and aching temples, she was still sitting on the floor against the terrace door. She stiffly moved to her feet shaking her head to dislodge the memories from her dream. It was long in the past and no long of her importance, she patted Sach and crawled into bed on her stomach and attempted to get another hour or two of sleep.
****
The day dawned bright and clear the perfect day for a hunt, and the perfect punishment for those that had over indulged the night before. The thought chased itself around Darien's aching head as he walked down the front steps of the keep toward the hunting party. He paused surprised to see Artemis de Grey mounted on a horse and talking quietly with Luna, we walked toward the troubadour studying the pair. Artemis had his horse draw close enough to Luna that if the horse side stepped their thighs rubbed together.
Darien had dressed in care this morning in hopes of seeing Serena before they departed. He wore a black under tunic it's long sleeves molded to the muscles of his arms. His over tunic was of cobalt blue silk and embroidered with his herald, on his legs was a pair of fine black hose and his feet were encased with thick brown calf boots, the laces criss crossing to his knees. The idea that he could run around stark naked and she wouldn't care or notice flitted through his head and he sighed.
"Good Morn, to you Sir Darien," Artemis called from atop his mount his mossy eyes twinkling in hidden amusement.
Darien glanced up at the man and a reluctant grin pulled at his lips, he swung himself into his saddle accepting his destrier's reins from a nervous pageboy. "And a good morn to you as well Artemis, In sooth I am surprised you decided to join us."
Artemis cast an adoring look at Luna, then grinned down at Darien. "Who am I to refuse the entreaty if my beautiful hostess?"
Darien just shook his head pulling his mount around and riding up to where Andrew and Malcolm sat at the head of the group. Darien had the distinct feeling that a smile was always hovering around the lips of Artemis de Grey. He glanced around the bailey once more in hopes of spotting Serena then signaled the start of the hunt.
Serena ducked behind the corner of the weave house pressing her back against the rough stone wall. She let out a sigh of relief her fingers digging at Sach's fur gently, she was about to move when she felt tiny fingers pulling at her skirt.
"Lady, can I pet your doggy?" Serena paused then smiled kneeling down by the girl.
"Of course you can, he may look scary but in sooth he is as gentle as a lamb." Serena said guiding the child's hand to Sach's soft fur.
The child let out a squeal of delight when Sach rewarded her by tilting his head to the side allowing her small fingers to scratch behind his head. Soon the trio were surrounded by other children of the keep, small boys and girls all wanting to pet the large wolf and speak with the beautiful woman. A passing guard produced a small leather ball for the group at a request and they were able to convince Sach into playing fetch for a while.
Serena had moved and now sat under the shade of a apricot tree her head resting back against the trunk. In her lap lay the girl that had first approached her and Sach, her small hands curled under her cheek in trusting innocence. Serena's hand played with the child's hair in a idle motion as she listened to Sach's barks and the children's shrieks of happiness. Her eyelids started to droop in fatigue and she settled herself more comfortably under the tree letting herself drift off into a light slumber.
****
Nathaniel de Grey stood on the curtain wall, his green eyes staring off into the distance as he absently rubbed his injured shoulder. They would have to leave dunewald on the morrow, they didn't have a choice. Beryl de Fortenberry's men were closing in on them and above all he had to keep Serena safe. It was the promise he had made with Kenneth, as well as his own loyalty and feelings for her. He leaned forward resting his forearms on the smooth stone of the wall and a deep frustrated sigh escaped him. Maybe they should go directly to the king, they only reason they hadn't was Serena's protests and the memory of Kenneth's ashen face at the mention of his brother.
Nathaniel shook his head his brown hair slipping from the leather thong that held it and floating around his face on a gentle breeze. Kenneth's brother Rupert was dead, and they had never met Edward, and he was leery of introducing Serena to an unknown threat like King Edward. Nathaniel groaned and dropped his face into his hands scrubbing it roughly, it was hard to know who to trust when your allies consisted of a blind girl, a wolf, and a jester for a brother. He lifted his head when the sounds of approaching horses drew his attention, the hunting party was returning. He could see Artemis riding at their fore his head thrown back in laughter at something the Lady Luna was saying to him.
Nathaniel stepped away from the edge of the wall, what he would give to be as care free as his brother. Shaking his head on a deep sigh he turned and entered one of the gate houses making his way down to the bailey to greet the hunting party. Unknown to him pair of grass green eyes followed his movements, a lonely longing in their depths before the owner turned and fled the other direction moving up one of the circular towers to her room.
Darien flushed dully at the laughter moving through the hunting party as Artemis and Luna retold the story of how he had fallen from the back of his horse as a wild boar had come charging out of the underbrush at him. His thoughts had been distracted and when the boar had appeared his mount had spooked and reared onto its hind legs, sending Darien tumbling from his saddle and sprawling into the leaves and dirt. He shook his head at his own foolishness and a reluctant chuckle escaped him as Artemis flailed his arms around in circles like he was trying to keep his balance. Andrew beside him held a hand to his mouth trying to hide his twitching lips, and Malcolm's icy eyes twinkled with mirth.
"Enough!" Darien declared spurring his horse into a trot and riding ahead of the party his back stiffened with pride.
Artemis and Luna watched after him then shared a look before they burst into merry laughter, the back of Darien's tunic was torn and flapped gaily behind him like a flag. The other members of their hunting party laughed harder as the torn material broke off and fluttered to lay on the side of the road.
"I am surprised that Darien was unseated, in sooth he is one of the best horsemen in the lands." Luna said guiding her mare around a dangerous rabbit hole.
Artemis settled back into his saddle and smiled, "I fear your cousin was distracted today. By a lady almost as pretty as yourself."
Luna raised a brow at her friend and watched as Darien's now distant form crossed the draw bridge. "I almost wish it were so, Darien deserves happiness." She said then nudged her own horse to a faster pace following her cousin, leaving Artemis to think over her words and catch up.
Darien had hoped to escape into the keep before the others caught up and change his clothing. A flutter of gold caught his eye as he slid from his destrier tossing the reins to a page boy. He turned his blue eyes widening in surprise, Serena lay napping under one of the orchard trees her hand resting on top of Diana's hair. Around her children ran laughing as they played with Sach who was chasing a leather ball as if his life depended on it. Movement along the wall drew his attention and he saw Nathaniel de Grey leaning against the wall to the weaving house his green eyes focused on his charge. Darien made his way to the man his hand outstretched in greeting, they clasped forearms and Darien squatted down at Nathaniel's feet watching the scene.
"I heard the horses approaching from the wall and came down to greet you, but I spotted Serena resting there and stopped to watch," Nathaniel said not looking from Serena's resting form.
Darien too watched the sleeping pair, the sight constricting something near his heart. "She seems peaceful."
Nathaniel nodded and shifted his weight rubbing a this hurt shoulder, "She has the ability to draw people to her. She doesn't deserve to live as we do."
Darien looked up at the man he was rapidly beginning to think of as a friend, "You do not seem to live hard."
Nathaniel smiled though it left a wistfulness in his eyes, "Now perhaps. But when we first started we occasionally had to steal the food we ate."
Darien tried to picture the scene Nathaniel's words brought and shook his head unable to do it, "My friend. Do not take this the wrong way, but the three of you do not carry yourselves as common troubadour's having to work for a living."
Nathaniel smiled again, "In sooth that is all we are, now."
Darien waited for the man to continue, when he didn't he stood and stretched shivering slightly as a cool breeze cutting through the bailey. "I think we should wake sleeping beauty and her charge." He said squinting up at the setting sun.
Nathaniel nodded and followed Darien to where Serena and the child slept, he watched as Darien carefully untangled the child from Serena settling her against his shoulder. The child shifted so that her cheek rested on Darien's shoulder, her little thumb tucked into her mouth and her ebony curls pillowing her cheek and tickling Darien's ear. Nathaniel stared at the child then raised a brow at Darien in question. Darien shook his head and held a finger to his lips as Nathaniel stooped to lift Serena in to his arms.
Nathaniel was handed the sleeping child settling her gently against his good shoulder he watched as Darien leaned down and easily lifted Serena into his arms. Her golden hair and fell in a cascade over his arm as he cradled her to his chest. He turned grinning at the acutely uncomfortable look on Nathaniel's face as he held the child.
"Diana's room is next to my cousins on the third floor, I will return Serena to her chamber." He whispered and before Nathaniel could disagree turned walking to one of the the doors to the keep and disappearing inside.
Nathaniel watched him depart then started for the main door of the keep the small child held securely in his arms.
Darien moved down the corridor his eyes focused on Serena's sleeping face, she seemed so helpless I against his larger frame. He leaned down not knowing why but nuzzled her golden hair with his cheek, a couple if the strands caught in the whiskers on his cheek. He smiled as he opened the door to her chamber, he lay her gently on the coverlet and smoothed a lock of hair from her face. He stared down at her a long moment his thoughts turbulent in his eyes.
"If you need someone to trust, you can trust me." He said softly and turned on his heel his boots crunching softly on the rosemary and sage scented rushed strewn across the floor. He closed the door softly behind him and moved down to the great hall to meet with Malcolm and Andrew before following the other two men out into the tilt yard to practice with the other men-at-arms.
Alone in her room Serena's eyes slowly opened to reveal a confused expression, she turned on to her side her mind racing wildly as she mulled over Darien's words. Trust? How could she trust someone she had never seen. Someone that made her heart thump painfully in her chest, and the hairs rise on her arms.
She rubbed at her arms and fell into a fitful slumber still fighting with herself over his whispered words.
( And now more of Ice's definition Dictionary;
Rushes – Typically straw used to 'carpet' the stone floor in a castle since not everyone could afford carpets.
Men-at-arms – the guards or landless knights working in the service of a knight of higher rank, or a lord.
Kenneth de Fortenberry – Serena's father Kenji
Beryl de Fortenberry – Do I really need to explain who she is? XD
Jared de Wolfton – Jedite
Raye de Wolfton – Rei
Yes I made Rei and Jedite twins. The reason being, I simple cannot mesh ALL of the romantic relationships together in one story without it getting horribly confusing or tedious. If the actions of the story thus far are already confusing to you I will try to attempt to clarify whatever needs to be clarified. Also if there's any words or terms I've used that I haven't explained please put them in your review hint and I will add them to the foot notes of the next chapter. Thank you and please enjoy my story. )