Chapter 7

Pleased to see James and a goodly number of his men already breaking their fast when he arrived in the great hall, Riddick took his seat next to James and waved Nigel over to him.

"Nigel, I want you to take a handful of men out to the Black Forest. Go no more than a league and search the sides of the road. If you find anything out of the ordinary bring it to me.

With a curt nod, Nigel turned snapping his fingers at a few of the men in the room as he headed towards the door.

Riddick turned to James, "I need you to take the cart out to the Temple to bring Father Nickolas back to the Keep."

James groaned. "The cart?"

"You know he won't ride in any of the carriages. Make sure it has plenty of hay, blankets and a flask full of his favorite whiskey. Tell him, he's welcome to spend the evening or one of the men can take him back after our meeting."

"When do you want me to go?"

"Now. I need to see him before Johns gets here."

"Consider it done."

Riddick nodded, finishing his breakfast, before retiring to his study to look over Carolyn's marriage contracts to see if he could detect any differences between the copies.

An hour later there was a knock on the door as James stuck his head inside, a pained expression upon his face. Riddick couldn't help but chuckle. Father Nickolas took much pleasure in tormenting James with his sermons.

Riddick stood, meeting them in the middle of the room. As it was with Mary, Riddick had known Father Nickolas his entire life and surprisingly enough, found comfort in that.

"Richard!" The elderly man exclaimed as Riddick bent on one knee in front of him. Placing a hand on Riddick's head, Nickolas muttered a blessing.

Standing, Riddick smiled, "Father Nickolas. It's good to see you."

Nickolas nodded with a smile. "James said you needed my help with something."

"Yes, please." Riddick said directing him to a chair in front of his desk as he leaned over picking up the papers he had been studying.

"Father, I rescued a young woman from the Black Forest."

"She lives?"

"For now." Riddick answered. "I'm not sure how she ended up there, but she had these contracts on her. The only difference in them is that one has her father's seal upon it."

"May I see them?" Nickolas asked.

Riddick handed them to the older man.

Nickolas sat quietly looking them over for a moment before turning back to Riddick. "Do you still have your Father's Law book from around the time he and your Mother married?"

"It's here somewhere," Riddick said looking around at all the books in the room. "James," Riddick said nodding his head to the other side of the room as he began to peruse the shelves on his side.

"Found It!" James cried out, pulling the book off the shelf presenting it to Father Nickolas who gave him dry look. James held out his hands and shook his head at Riddick who only chuckled.

Nickolas flipped through the book a bit, stopping to read here and there before stabbing his finger at a section of the page he was on. Riddick took the book and read the paragraph before making a mental note of the page and section, flipping the book shut.

"And this law is still in effect today?"

"I marry people for a living, Richard. I know my laws."

"What is it?" James asked.

"If a woman does not wish to marry the man her parents have contracted her to after meeting him, she has only to burn the official documents before he signs them." Riddick explained. "With two sets of documents her father was aware of this law and was giving her the choice."

"Well, I certainly didn't see that coming." James replied.

"I bet Johns didn't either." Riddick speculated.

"You think that's why he beat her and she ran."

"She let him have a look at the unsigned contract. He liked what he saw and wanted the official one."

"She wasn't so sure, so kept it from him. He thought he could beat her into submission, sign the papers and send them on their way to the Senate, getting them filed before she could do anything about it."

"She escaped and was so desperate to get away from him that she ignored her drivers warning about traveling through the Black Forest at night."

"What? Wait! How do you know that?" James asked.

"I couldn't sleep last night, so I spent some time helping Agnes tend to her. She spoke to me, asking about someone named Geoffrey. Said to tell her father that she was sorry about what had happened. She knew she should have listened to him about the Black Forest, but she was afraid as well."

"Afraid that sick bastard would find her," James bit out.

"Perhaps, I should see this young woman for myself," Father Nickolas said getting to his feet, batting James' hand away when he reached out to help. Rolling his eyes at the old man, James turned his back on him and walked behind Riddick's desk plopping down in the chair.

Riddick took the older mans elbow as he made his way to the door.

"I think if you don't mind, I shall like to return to the Temple after I see this young woman of yours." Nickolas said. "Perhaps you might have someone not as surly that could take me?" he asked.

"Of course, Father. Would Simon be acceptable?"

"Yes, yes, such an agreeable young man. I should like that very much."

"Isolaude!" Riddick called out to the passing maid, "Please show Father Nickolas where Mary and our guest are at and when you're finished let Sir Simon know that he'll be taking the good Father back to the Temple."

"Of course, Milord," she answered wrapping the elderly mans hand over her arm as she led him away.

"What did I ever do to him!" James asked once Riddick had shut the door.

Riddick laughed. "He actually likes you James. However, we both know your father wanted you to become a priest. I think it's just his way to remind you that he remembers as well."

"Yes, well your father would have had to put me in the gallows after I killed him."

Riddick smiled before turning serious. "This is a lucrative contract. Anyone would be a fool NOT to accept it. I think we should prepare ourselves for visitors. And James?" Riddick said as his friend strode towards the door to carry out his orders. "He'll leave alone or dead."

"Aye, Brother." James said shutting the door quietly behind him.