The Gorgon (37 page)

Edward shook his head slowly.
"It was not your right."

Stephan paused a moment; nay, it
had not been his right to deliver Summer into Bose's waiting arms. But he had
done so nonetheless and possessed absolutely no regrets in the action.

"You are correct in your
statement," his tone was considerably softer. "It was not my right.
But it was the right thing to do."

Edward scratched his head as a
soldier entered the room, muttering something to Breck. Breck replied softly,
sending the man off again. His steady gaze met with Stephan's equally hard
expression.

"I have ordered your men
disbanded, du Bonne," he replied. "My men will be assembling within
the hour and we shall ride for Ravendark Castle."

 There was nothing Stephan could
do. Bose's detour to Salisbury to marry Summer would allow Breck's men to reach
Ravendark first, and when Bose and Summer arrived at the fortress after their
union they would be riding straight into the waiting arms of Breck Kerry. His
mind began to work furiously, searching for a response to Breck's action.

"Father, I request
permission to assemble a company of men and ride to Bose's aid," he said
without a hint of desperation, turning to face his father once again.
"After all, Bose is entitled to our support as Summer's new husband. It is
our duty to aid him however possible."

Before Edward could reply, Margot
answered for him. "And risk a conflict with the Lord of Crestwood?  You
are speaking of unrest, Sir Stephan, something that could scar your life and
the lives of your children. To be at war with another house and hold is a
serious matter and you must consider the long-term repercussions of your
intention to interfere."

"She is correct,
Stephan," Edward's voice was barely audible. As if he was embarrassed for
agreeing with someone other than his son. "I cannot risk the peace of Chaldon
in such a fashion. Summer will marry Breck and Bose shall be tried for thievery."

Stephan stared at the man,
realization dawning that, for the first time in his life, Edward had rejected
Stephan’s advice. A sickening feeling gripped at him, something he was unable
to easily shirk. As if, for the first time in his life, Stephan realized his
father to be beyond his control and counsel. As if, for the first time, Edward
seemed to be possessed by something unrecognizable as it was frightening: the
control of an outside influence.

"Give me control of the men
or I walk from Chaldon," Stephan's voice was equally tight. "And I
take Ian and Lance with me."

Edward visibly cringed, a healthy
sweat peppering his brow. "Nay, Stephan, you must not! You cannot leave
me!"

"Give me control or I
leave."

"But Stephan..!"

"
Do it
!"

Edward began to quiver. Hands to
his head, he caught a glimpse of Margot's stern face from one side, Breck's
from the other. With Stephan's demanding presence directly before him, the
strain was too much to bear as he felt his mind and emotions torn in a thousand
different directions.  He crumpled with emotion and stress.

"I cannot... I cannot allow
a murderer to...."

Stephan turned and walked from
the room. Ian and Lance followed.

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

"By the power given me by
the Holy Church and his most Holy Excellency the Pope, I do hereby declare you
to be husband and wife. Go in peace."

Summer, sniffling miserably with
the terrible chill contracted within the dank bowels of Chaldon's vault,
sneezed into the soft linen rag Bose had secured for her from a sympathetic
priest. And that very same priest, Dag de Moray, closed the book of Mass and
Ceremonies and laughed softly when she sneezed again as Bose attempted to kiss
her.

"Were I you, cousin, I would
refrain from any contact with your new wife until she overcomes this
illness," he teased gently. He had done little else but taunt and
humiliate Bose in a good-natured sort of manner since the very moment of his
younger cousin's arrival. "God only knows your sneezing will bring down
the very walls should you contract her ailment."

Bose kissed Summer regardless of
his cousin's jibes, disengaging himself just before she sneezed yet again.
Smoothing her mussed hair, he smiled tenderly at his new wife.

"My poor love," he
crooned softly. "A bit of sustenance and sleep will make you feel
better."

Summer nodded faintly, sniffling
and wiping her red-tinged nose. "Oh, B-Bose," she breathed through
her mouth. "I have n-never felt so completely awful. I would forget the
evening meal altogether and go directly to bed."

While Bose tried to convince her
that eating would be in her best interest, Dag removed the scarlet mantle of
office and handed it to a hovering neophyte. Nearly as large as his massive
cousin and possessing the same onyx-black orbs, he eyed the newly-wed couple
with a good deal of confusion.

Confusion with the fact that a
cousin he hadn't seen in four years suddenly appeared on his doorstep,
demanding to wed an extremely beautiful woman with a running nose. Hardly a
word of greeting and even less conversation, Dag agreed to marry the couple
without the usual counseling or money-exchange simply because it seemed so
important to Bose. In fact, the couple had arrived less than an hour before
and, already, they were man and wife.

It was obvious, however, that
marriage agreed with them. Bose’s brusque manner had calmed considerably and
the lady, ill and weary, seemed to be in somewhat better spirits as well. Aye,
Dag was confused. But he was also happy for the sake of his cousin. The last he
saw the man, he was on his knees beside his dead wife's crypt, praying for God
to take his own miserable life.

Therefore, his last impression of
Bose hadn't been entirely pleasant. But the reappearance of his cousin after
four long years with a beautiful woman in tow had managed to somewhat erase the
sorrow and concern previously held. Even now, as Bose gently wiped his new
wife's nose and kissed her forehead tenderly, Dag could not ever remember
witnessing a man more in love.

And his curiosity was obvious,
increasing by leaps and bounds as the situation multiplied. Straightening his
robes, he moved from the dais to confront the newly-joined couple.

"Congratulations on your new
wife, Bose," he said, meeting Summer's watery-eyed gaze. "And to you,
my lady. God give you the strength to deal with my obstinate, moody
cousin."

Summer smiled, a lovely gesture
in spite of her red nose and pale face. Dag returned her smile, increasingly
eager to press Bose for the details of the entire circumstance. Indeed, who
was
the lady? Where did she come from? And, more importantly, where was her family
and were they in fact aware of the marriage? All questions that would have to
wait for now, Dag knew. But he was also determined not to be put off forever.

The sooner the lady was cared
for, the sooner he could discover the facts. Gesturing toward a small corridor,
he indicated the couple to follow.

"You may have my room for
the night, Bose," he said, grasping a torch as they entered the dim,
confining hall. "I'll have food sent to your wife. You and I can partake
of the meal in the dining room, as I should like to know what has become of you
over the past four years."

Bose had to duck his head as they
passed into the corridor; he was far too tall to stand his full height. "I
shall eat with my wife, Dag. We must retire early so that we will be on the
road to Ravendark before the sun rises. You and I can catch up on times past at
a later date."

Summer sneezed violently into her
kerchief, the loud sound echoing off the walls. "N-Nonsense, Bose. Your
cousin hasn't seen you in four years. I insist that you spare the man some
time; after all, he's just married us without question or payment. 'Twould be
polite to tell him what he has gotten himself into."

Bose shook his head. "But you
are ill, love. I must make sure you eat and rest."

She gazed at him with as much
steadfastness as she could muster within her exhausted body. "I am n-not
an invalid. I can eat and rest without your overbearing presence."

His eyebrows rose at her snippy
reply. "Is that so? God's Beard, when did you become so petulant?"

Dag came to a sudden halt. Bose,
still focused on his wife, failed to note his cousin's abrupt stop and plowed
into the back of him. Dag grunted with the force of the blow, eyeing his cousin
with a good deal of feigned hazard. "Clumsy oaf. And I agree with your
wife; you
are
overbearing."

The priest opened a small,
well-scrubbed door as Bose pretended to be hurt by their slander. "I sense
that I am an unwelcome burden to you both. I suppose I should simply be along
my way and leave the two of you in peace if that is your general consensus of
my nature."

Summer's laughter was abruptly
cleaved by a resounding sneeze. Sniffling and moaning miserably where she had
been smiling not a moment before, Dag peered at the young woman with genuine
concern.

"My lady, your health is in
serious question. Curse my damnable cousin for forcing you to travel in your
condition."

Summer smiled weakly. "I was
f-fine until a few hours ago, truly."

"You are most certainly
not
fine now," Bose pushed into the dim room beyond the open door, hardly able
to stand his full height as he scanned the meager surroundings. "So this
is your chamber, Dag? I can see that your sect strictly adheres to their vow of
poverty."

Dag grunted in agreement.
"Indeed. But it is warm and dry and I am sure your wife will find it more
comfortable than the back of a charger," turning to Summer as she blew her
nose loudly, his black eyes raked her intently for the simple fact that he had
never before seen such an incredibly beautiful woman.

The curiosity that had been
growing steadily suddenly grew wings and took flight; he found himself quite
determined to know the lady's history where it pertained to his cousin and was
eager to begin the interrogation. "My lady, I shall have food sent to you
immediately. And water to wash with, if you so desire. I am sorry we do not
employ women servants that would assist you in this task."

Summer wiped her nose, trying
very much to be gracious in spite of her throbbing head and aching body.
"F-Food shall be sufficient, Father. I doubt I would have the strength to
wash, even with assistance."

Dag smiled faintly in a gesture
reminiscent of his cousin. Bose, however, was still reluctant to leave his wife
alone, even for a single moment. "Are you sure, love? Would not you like
me to stay and help?"

"Help with what? Eating or
bathing?" when Dag snorted humorously, Summer merely smiled at her
concerned husband. "I'll be fine, my darling. I fear I will not be much
company this night and I b-beg you to sup with your cousin. The man is
desperate to know about me."

Bose emitted a weary sigh,
knowing it would be of no use to argue with her; if he had realized one
particular characteristic of a woman over the course of his first marriage, it
was the fact that argument, in any form, was futile. A lady usually received
her heart's desire and Bose could easily see that this relationship was to be
no different. Worse, in fact.

"Very well," he
grumbled, displeased with her request. "Eat and retire, then, and I shall
join you as soon as my cousin has finished raking me for information."

Summer nodded, kissing his cheek
quickly and narrowly avoiding sneezing on him. "There is no hurry,"
she said, moving to shirk the heavy brown cloak that had seen rain, tournament,
dungeons and marriage this day.

Bose removed the garment from her
shoulders, laying it across a small table and noting for the first time the
lovely amber-colored garment she wore. It molded to her body perfectly and he
suddenly felt the unmistakable flames of passion lick at him; after all, 'twas
the eve of their wedding and it was his legal right to claim her as his wife,
body as well as soul. But Summer sneezed again and Bose was forced to realize
that his new wife might not be in the best frame of body and mind to receive
his husbandly attentions.

Still, more than an overwhelming
need to discover all of the ripe passion her sweet body had to offer, the fact
remained that he must brand her as his wife for the simple reason that it was
necessary in order to fully consummate the marriage.

Summer sneezed yet again, jolting
him from his train of thought. Swinging into action, Bose propped his cousin's
thin pillow against the wall and gently pushed Summer down against it. Wrapping
the clean but worn woolen blanket about her legs, he smiled at her pale,
pathetic face.

"I shan't be long," he
promised again. "Eat what you are given before retiring, please. If I have
returned and your food is untouched, I shall wake you and feed you every
bite."

She pursed her lips at him, a
cantankerous reply cut short by yet another sneeze. Kissing her on the
forehead, he followed his cousin from the room.

The cramped corridor reopened
into the large room that served as a sanctuary for the priests, the very same
room where Bose and Summer had been married not moments before. Directly to the
left was a smaller room, used for dining, and Dag led his massive cousin into
the smoke-tinged room. Indicating for the weary man to sit, he served him bread
and cheese personally.