Candace C. Bowen - A Knight Series 01 (27 page)

“Whatever happens, you will
always have my faith and love. Never doubt it.”

Bending to give her a quick kiss, he held her a moment
before releasing her. “I love you, Reina.”

He nodded to a few acquaintances without slowing his
pace as he followed the footman through throngs of arriving nobles.
 

Holding out hope that Henry would choose to do the
right thing, he entered his private quarters. “You sent for me, Sire?”
 

He waved a hand to the chair beside him. “Take a seat,
Fulke.”

Dismissing the servants, Henry waited until they were
alone to speak. “I find myself in a quandary when it comes to your lady, Fulke.
The clergy shall be arriving shortly and I am loathe to parade a favorite
before them.”

Angered by his choice of words, Fulke asked, “Shall I
keep my lady from attending the festivities?”

“Of course not,” Henry snapped. “I have need of her.
The only solution is for you to receive her back. I realize there is bound to
be unpleasant talk, yet fear there is no help for it.”

Fulke fought to conceal his contempt. “After the
assembly?”

“In due course we shall return to the way things were.
We have already discussed this at length,” he said impatiently.

“My lady is with child,” Fulke said softly.

Henry slammed his fist onto the arm of his chair.
“Zounds,” he swore. “Must every woman in my life be such a burden to me?”

“You did command that I set about begetting heirs,”
Fulke reminded him.

“Do not overstep yourself by being insolent,” he
warned. “The babe will be fostered in the country.
 
My physician shall do all to ensure she
survives the ordeal.”

Reina would never agree to such a thing, any more than
he would.
 
Henry left him with no other
choice. “So be it, Sire.”

“The Archbishop of Rouen has been approaching the
barons. If he seeks an audience, you are to meet with him. Find out his plan to
sway the barons. Your wife is to pay close attention to his entourage. Should
either of you learn anything of import, send word through a footman and I shall
arrange a private meeting.”

Fulke stood to dip his head. “It shall be so.”

Henry frowned suspiciously. “It is unlike you to
mollycoddle, Fulke.”

“No more than it is for me disagree with you, Sire.”
He replied lightly.

Nodding his head thoughtfully, Henry said, “Keep me
informed.”

“Of course, Sire.”

Reaching the door, Henry called, “Pray you have a son
Fulke. Women are nothing but trouble.”

He turned to bow again. Rising, he briefly closed his
eyes to pray for a girl.
 

Resigned to his course of action, he rushed through
the passages.
 
Turning a corner, he drew
up short when he encountered Reynold standing with a group of nobleman. Fury
the like of which he had never before known surged through him.

Seeing him, Reynold stopped speaking
mid-sentence.
 
Staring wide-eyed at
Fulke’s hand resting on the hilt of his sword, he stepped back in alarm,
drawing the nobles’ attention to Fulke.
 
Surrounded by the larger men, Reynold grew emboldened enough to sneer,
“Look who we have here, the once favored churl and of late, cuckold of the
king.”

Fulke barely restrained himself from killing him.
“Brave words you speak when you are not alone, Reynold.”

“What do I have to fear from you, Erlegh?” Reynold
replied smugly. “Your days are numbered, yet you fail to realize it.”

Rushing forward, he grabbed Reynold by his brown
velvet tunic. Glaring into his panicked eyes, he snarled, “If your assault went
so much as one step further, you would already be dead.” Leaning close to his
ear, he whispered, “Come close to her again and you will be.”
 

Taking in the reaction of the surprised barons, Fulke
turned back to the frightened man in his grip. “Did you not tell your
companions that you enjoy raping the wives of other nobles, Reynold? You bear
the bruises of an unwilling woman as proof of what I speak.”
 
Shoving him away, he watched with satisfaction
as he fell.
 
“Give my regards to your
willing wife.”

     
“I shall so
long as you give mine to yours.”

Fulke’s roar echoed down the passageways as he lifted
Reynold by the collar to slam him back into the wall.

His legs dangling, Reynold forcefully drove his knee
into Fulke’s manhood.
 

Winded from the low blow, Fulke dropped Reynold to
unsheathe his sword. “Get up,” he ground out.

“Summon the guards,” Reynold called to the frozen
barons standing behind Fulke. “Erlegh has gone mad.”

Disgusted by Reynold’s cowardly act, they stood in
silence to watch the scene unfold.

Trying another tactic, Reynold said, “The king shall
hear of this, Erlegh. He does not abide his nobles fighting.”

Driving the point of his sword into Reynold’s scrotum,
Fulke spoke over his piercing shriek of pain. “The king would be on my side.”

Reynold covered his manhood as he backed against the
wall. “It was an accident.”

Men-at-arms marched down the passage towards them upon
hearing the disturbance.

“You sniveling coward,” Fulke sneered. “Rise and face
me like a man.”

Spying the guards, Reynold grew emboldened. “The king
will toss you in the Tower for this.”

“It is a chance I am willing to take.”

“Guards,” Reynold called. “Attend me.”

Several barons from the group moved to block the guards
approach. Speaking in low tones.

“What are you doing?” Reynold called, “Seize Erlegh.”

“This is a matter to be settled between men, Baron
Reynold,” an elder baron spoke up from behind Fulke. “You must answer for your
dishonorable act.”

“It was an accident,” Reynold reiterated. “I did not
mean to kick him.”

Fulke sheathed his sword to drag Reynold to his
feet.
 
“I will give you one last chance
to fight with honor. I suggest you take it.”

“What does a common born like you know about honor?”

“Wrong answer.”
 

Slamming his fist into Reynold’s face, Fulke felt the
satisfying crunch of his nose re-breaking.

Before Fulke closed the door to their chamber, Reina
had her arms wrapped around him.
“Did you tell him about
the babe, Fulke?”

“I told him, my love.” He hated himself for it, but he
lied to her. “The king sends his best wishes.”

“Then he is sure to send us back
to Castell Maen soon.”
Hope flared in her eyes.

Drawing her into his embrace, Fulke rested his cheek
on her head.
 
If it were only that easy.
He released her with a smile. “You are to remain at my side for the remainder
of the assembly.” Relieved Reina could not hear the emotion clogging his voice.

Running her hands up his chest, she returned his
smile.
“I intend to remain at your side for the remainder
of my life, my lord.”

Bending to kiss her, he wrapped his arms around her,
lifting her high against him. Slowly letting her slide down the length of his
front, he closed his eyes at the intense feeling of pleasure it invoked.

When he opened his eyes, he found her own heavy with
desire.
“Stay with me a while, my lord?"

“I shall stay with you forever, Reina.”
 
Sweeping her off her feet, he carried her to
the bed.

He kept his tender gaze fixed on her as he
straightened to undress.

Standing naked before her, he felt the heat of her
gaze sweep over him.
 
His breathing
spiked as desire washed away the coldness of his meeting with Henry.
 

Reina slid further back on the bed, licking her lips
in anticipation.

Kneeling beside her, he slid his hands to the hem of
her skirts. Sliding them up past her waist to remove them entirely, she pulled
him down on top of her.
“I am sorry my lord, I
cannot wait.”

She wrapped her legs around him, running her hands
down the length of his back. He entered her as she gasped her orgasm against
his lips. Lifting her arms above her head, he possessed her with his body and
soul. Believing he could never come close enough, he thrust into her until with
a rasping moan he spent himself.

With a last lingering kiss, he slipped from the bed to
dress.
 

Summoning a bath for Reina, he excused himself as soon
as she eased into its warmth to soak.
 

After updating Albin on his meeting with the king, he
returned to find her on her side resting in her chemise.

Her eyes fluttered open to smile at him as he sat on
the edge of the bed.
 

“Get some rest, my love.”
 
Pulling his boots off, he settled down to
ease her back into his arms.

Curling up against him, she placed her hand over his
heart.
 
Fulke covered it with his own as
he stared blindly at the canopy above him. Lost to his grim thoughts.

A footman knocked to announce the feast would begin
within the hour. In need of fresh air, Fulke hastened to prepare himself,
leaving Reina in the able hands of a trio of young women.
 

His breath steamed the air as he strode past nobles
heading inside for the feast.
 
Along the
side of the building, he entered the empty gardens.
 
Bleak as his own thoughts, he stood in the
twilight, staring at the brightening stars.
 

Bowing his head, he prayed for strength. As if in
answer, the wind picked up as a warm breeze caressed him, swirling the hair
from his face. With a sudden intake of breath, he heard the sound of gulls on
the wind and caught the briny scent of the sea on the breeze. Sensing his
family’s comforting presence, he closed his eyes, lost to the happy memories of
his boyhood home.

With a small smile at a cluster of twinkling stars
above him, he felt the burn of tears as he made his way back inside.

Reina was waiting when he returned. In a dark blue
silk kirtle, with red velvet trim, gold embroidery and white linen under gown,
he had never seen her look so beautiful.

Her hair, braided and coiled at the crown with the
veil flowing down her back, made the line of her graceful neck too tempting to
resist. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent his head, tracing the base of her
throat with his lips. Reluctantly pulling away, he said, “Pregnancy suits you,
my lady.”

Twining her fingers through his wind-tousled hair, she
reached up for his kiss.
“Then we shall have to
work at keeping me that way, my lord.”

“You are insatiable,” he said huskily.

“I am in love, my lord,”
she replied.

Fulke spotted his stoic men standing in the passage
outside the hall. Guiding Reina away from them, he escorted her through the
doors. One glance at their glum faces and she would know something was amiss.

Following a servant to their seats, he fought a
pleased grin. He could not have handpicked a better place for Reynold to be
seated.
 
Turning a cold stare on him at
his place at the next table, he held Reina’s chair out.
  

Catching the eye of Stephen of Blois, Fulke
acknowledged him with a curt nod before taking his seat.

Fair to bursting with visiting nobles, thanes and
varied clergy, the knights entered to stand with secondary retainers at the
back of the hall. Spotting his men blending in with the crowd, he caught
Albin’s eye.

Albin briefly held a fist to his heart.

Dipping his head in response, Fulke turned back to
Reina, to wait.

Matilda entered on the arm of a frowning
Geoffrey.
 
Arrogantly sweeping her purple
silk kirtle to the side, she seated herself in the chair he held for her.
Waiting for him to take his seat, she rudely presented her back to him by
turning to King David.

With a glare at Matilda’s back, Geoffrey turned to
Adeliza as Henry made his way to the dais.

After a number of lengthy speeches, huge platters of
food began to move through the tables.
 
The hall soon became deafening with the sounds of revelry, drowning out
the minstrels in the gallery above.

Once Reina had eaten enough, Fulke boldly leered at
Arabella drawing Reynold’s furious gaze.
 
He arrogantly dipped his head before turning back to Reina.

Making sure he had Reynold’s attention, he tipped her
chin up.

He spoke the truth as he gazed tenderly into her eyes.
“You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, Reina. Your love has
saved me.”

Her eyes flaring in alarm, she nervously glanced
around.
 
Squeezing Fulke’s hand, she drew
his attention to the next table.

Reynold’s narrowed eyes gleamed with a vengeful fervor
as he shoved his chair back to make his way to the front of the hall.
 

He overlooked Arabella’s stunned look of disbelief as
Fulke spotted his men pushing their way to the front of the crowd.
 

Reina’s hand trembled in his as she followed Reynold’s
zigzagging path through the tables.
 
Taking a deep breath of his own, he willed her strength.

Reynold ignored the contemptuous glances from those
seated above him on the dais as he stood boldly before the king. His bellowed
charge rang throughout the hall. “Sire, treachery abounds within your court!”

Absolute silence reigned as all heads turned as one to
the dais.
 
Music flowing from the balcony
came to an abrupt halt as the minstrels leaned over the rail for a better look.
Servants carrying heavy platters stopped midstride, craning their necks towards
the king.

Reina turned panicked eyes on Fulke before returning
her gaze to the dais.
 

King Henry leaned forward, his eyes narrowing
dangerously. “What treachery is this you speak of, Baron Reynold?”

His back to Reina, he bellowed, “I speak of the fact
that Baroness Erlegh can understand everyone in this hall.” He glanced around
to take in the stunned faces of those around him. “I speak of the fact that
Baron Erlegh himself knows this.” He paused, returning his gaze to the king. “I
speak of the fact, that they have both played you false, Sire!”

Emboldened by the king’s piercing gaze, Reynold
glanced around at the gaping nobles, calling loudly, “See for yourselves that
of which I speak. Watch her expression closely as she is trapped in her own
treasonous game.” Whirling in Reina’s direction, he snarled, “The king should
have your heads for your treachery, your ladyship.”

Her eyes flaring wide, Reina clutched at Fulke,
exactly as expected.

A roar of sound suddenly filled the hall, ending
abruptly when the king slammed his fist on the dais. “Silence!”

His furious gaze bore down on Reynold, before shifting
to Fulke. Without breaking his gaze, he shouted, “Guards, attend me.”

The sliding of steel from scabbards rang in the
silence as guards swarmed from their posts throughout the hall.

Tipping up his chin, he called, “Seize Baroness Erlegh
on the grounds of treason.”

Fulke met Albin’s stunned gaze as he moved forward
with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Shaking his head to still Albin’s hand,
he slid his own blade free. With sword raised, he swept Reina behind him to
face the looming threat.

Nobles seated around them toppled chairs, tripping
over each other in their haste to retreat.
 
Moving in, the guards formed a half-circle around them, hindered by the
table from fully surrounding them.

Fulke’s men stepped forward, hands on hilts, eyes on
Fulke.
 

“Hold!” the king shouted. Seething with rage, the
king’s gaze bore down on Fulke. “You dare draw your sword in defiance of my
command, Baron Erlegh?”

“The lady is innocent, Sire,” Fulke called for all to
hear. “Surely you know this.”
  

“Lower your sword or I shall have you both cut down on
the spot,” Henry raged.
 

Left with no other choice, Fulke sheathed his blade.

Before he could turn to Reina, four guards seized him,
dragging him from her side.

“Clap them both in the dungeon,” Henry called, “I
shall deal with them after the feast.”
 

Fulke fought against his guards the moment Reina was
seized. “Sire, surely your guards can show more respect for a noblewoman.”

“Ease up on the woman, she is no threat,” the king
conceded.

As soon as her guards loosened their grip, Reina broke
free.
 
Flinging herself at Fulke, she wrapped
her arms around his waist, clinging to him in fear.

Wrenched away by the guards, she stared at Fulke as
they pulled her back. “You are my life,” he mouthed.

Tears streaming from her eyes, the guards half carried
her from the hall as she struggled against them.

Surrounded by guards, Fulke looked towards his
men.
 
Talan fought against Albin’s hold
as Gervase and Guy restrained Warin. Staring hard in their direction, he
forcefully shook his head until they reluctantly stopped struggling. Pulling
free of Albin’s grip, Talan fisted his hand over his heart as the rest of the
men straightened to follow suit.
 

Acknowledging with a sad smile, he followed the guards
from the hall.
  

Things had just gone horribly awry.