A Dishonorable Knight - By Morrison, Michelle Page 0,131
previous meal and he bid them a hearty welcome, bringing mugs of ale and a plate of cold meats.
Elena ate the meat but avoided the ale. She had felt a definite change in Gareth's attitude toward her since she had bade him good morning and she was at a loss as to how to bring back the smiling, teasing Gareth of just a few days ago.
They ate in uncomfortable silence and left the pub as soon as the platter was cleared. Gareth lifted her into her saddle and paused, his hand on her knee. "My lady," he began.
"Yes Gareth?" she asked, hating that he had not called her by her name.
He looked up into her eyes. "I--you will be back in the comfort of His Majesty's court before dinner." Elena had the distinct impression that was not what Gareth had intended to say, but he quickly turned and mounted Isrid.
They made their way slowly out of the city, content to let the horses choose the easy pace. They exchanged comments about the weather and the scenery they passed as they made their way towards Nottingham castle, which loomed on the horizon.
Silently, Gareth chastised himself, hating that he hadn't taken advantage one of the hundreds of appropriate times to tell Elena that he loved her, to beg her to marry him. What was pride now, he thought? What matter if she had rejected his love from that first day? 'Twould have been better to suffer the temporary misery of wounded ego than to forever wonder if they might have made a life together if only he'd had the courage to speak.
His reverie ended as sentries on the parapets of the castle wall spotted them and called out for identification.
"Lady Elena de Vignon handmaiden to King Richard and Sir Gareth ap Morgan, knight of His Majesty's realm," Gareth yelled back to the sentries. "We are only now reunited with the king after becoming separated from His Majesty's entourage near Middleham." One of the soldiers left the parapet and within minutes, the great wooden castle gate was creaking open.
As they passed into the shadow of the castle, Elena shivered, though not from cold. The day was warm, with nary a cloud in the sky to keep the sun's warmth from the earth. Elena shivered because the shadow was like a seal to her fate. Who knew how long it would be until Richard married her to Brackley? Elena had been around castles enough to know that this one was preparing for war. As they passed through the thick stone walls on either side of the gate into the bailey, she saw knights training for battle: engaging in mock combat, preparing their horses for war, repairing worn armor. The full impact of the inevitable war with Henry Tudor struck Elena. She wondered what would happen to her??riends? Yes, friends back in Wales. Surely they did not have the weapons or the armor or the training that these knights had. She looked to Gareth and was greatly relieved that he had chosen the side that was most likely to win, most likely to keep him alive. As if feeling her gaze upon him, Gareth turned and smiled grimly back at her.
A foot soldier approached and saluted Gareth. "The king has been notified of your arrival, Sir Knight. Please continue on to the main hall," he said, gesturing to the large stone fortress that was the king's residence and meeting rooms.
As they drew nearer, Elena heard her name called from up above. "Elena!" cried Margaret. "You're alive!" Elena glanced up in time to see Margaret turn from the second story window and call down the hall, "Your Majesty, it's true! Lady Elena is alive and she is here!"
The sense of doom that had settled on Elena as she passed into the castle's shadow grew heavier. Behind them, the knights in war training began a melee of blows and shouts. Elena's heretofore calm horse suddenly grew nervous, jumping and sidling away from the noise as it pressed up against Isrid. "Gareth!" Elena called, frightened.
"Easy," Gareth said to the horse as he grabbed the reins and sawed back on them. The horse calmed somewhat though it continued to jerk at the reins. Elena's apprehension grew and she looked to Gareth for help as she held onto the edge of the saddle with both hands.
"Elena," he said in a low voice. "There is something I must tell you before we are surrounded by people and separated."