The Robber Knight's Love (The Robber Knight Saga #2)(142)

Yes! Please!

Her heart made a leap.

“What kind?” Ayla wanted to know, her voice hoarse. If only they would be in luck now…

“Dried fruit, salted pork and fish, grain, things like that. Food that can sustain somebody over a long march and is generally non-perishable.”

Yes! Food that will hold over the winter!

“Oh, thank the Lord,” Ayla sighed. “Please, Sir Rudolphus, tell me you've already counted everything? How much?” Anxiously, she held her breath. “How much corn is there, exactly? Is it enough to sustain all of us for a few months?”

He grinned a boyish grin. “Hundreds of sacks of corn, dozens of barrels of fish and meat. It’s literally enough to feed an army. I have already ordered it to be stored in the same manner as all our other supplies, so it will be safe from pests of all kind.”

“Yes!” Before she knew what she was doing, Ayla had run forward and thrown her arms around the young knight. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Sir Rudolphus, you're a wonderful knight! Don't ever let anyone talk you into sword fighting! You're doing fantastic just as you are!”

“Um…thank you, Milady.” With a face as red as the royal arms of England, the young knight tried to squirm out her grip. He was about to get help with that. Reuben appeared beside the two, his eyes practically throwing lightning bolts.

Quickly, Ayla let go.

“Oh, um…sorry, Sir Rudolphus. We'll leave you to continue your work.”

“I think that is a very good idea,” Reuben growled, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her backwards. “In fact, a perfect idea. I need to get you away from him.”

“Oh, really, Reuben. I was only expressing my appreciation for his work.”

She tried to wriggle out of his grip, but he wouldn't have any of it.

“Well, in future, Milady, express your appreciation from a distance. Understood?”

“You are my vassal! You are supposed to do what I tell you, not the other way around! Let go!”

In answer, Reuben picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to Eleanor, depositing her on the mare’s back. “Well, I never do what I'm supposed to do, Milady. I thought you would have figured that out by now.”

He swung himself into his saddle beside her.

“Reuben?”

The quiet earnestness in her tone made him turn his head and look at her. All the anger disappeared from his face as he looked at her. Ayla knew why. She could almost feel the joy radiating out from herself. She placed a hand on his arm.

“Please don't be angry. Don't you understand what that food means? I thought my people would suffer dearly during the winter, maybe even starve! Now, we suddenly have enough in our cellars to easily last through the winter, and probably still have something to spare. I am…I can't even tell you how happy I am! Do you understand?”

Her eyes pleaded with him, trying to find something beyond the years of metal, battle, and blood that had made him what he was. He gazed at her for a few moments, in silence. Then he slowly shook his head. “Being happy for other people? No. I’m a cold-hearted, merciless bastard. I don't understand.” A little smile pulled up one corner of his mouth. “But I think that, one day, I might.”

Reaching out, she took one of his large, strong hands in both of hers and held it, feeling whole and hopeful for the future. “Let that day come soon,” she whispered.

“Lady Ayla! Lady Ayla, wait!”

Sir Rudolphus had come hurrying after them, a piece of slate in his hand. “I completely forgot! There's something else we've found in abundance.”

Ayla threw a wary look at Reuben, but he didn't make a move. Apparently he thought that, on horseback, she was safe enough from pseudo-amorous entanglements with Sir Rudolphus.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Weapons.” The young knight tapped his slate excitedly. “And materials from which weapons can be made. We found at least fifty spears, five swords, fourty-five guisarmes, and seven axes. Also bows of various forms and sizes, a great number of bowstrings, whetstones, wood, iron, and other raw materials in considerable quantities.”

Ayla made a face. “Have everything gathered and loaded onto a wagon. I want those…things on the way to the market at Rothenburg at daybreak tomorrow. Hopefully, the money will go some way to repairing the damage the mercenaries have done.”

Sir Rudolphus bowed and was already about to turn when Reuben held him back with a shake of his head.

“Milady…maybe it would be wise to keep these weapons a little while longer.”

Ayla turned towards him. “You want me to keep the weapons of the mercenaries? The tools of butchery with which they intended to slaughter my people?”

He nodded grimly. “Yes, I do.”

“But…why?” she asked, puzzled.

Reuben's face was dark and troubled and gave nothing away.

“I'm not sure. But please, trust me for now. You want to keep those weapons. You might need them some day.”





Shocking Parts of Goats

Flames penetrated the darkness.

“How…how…”

There was the mercenary's face again! The face of a dead man, his eyes open in a fear that lasted beyond death.

“Let me show you!” Reuben's voice was menace itself. The red flames of the torch neared the mercenary’s face, and the man began to scream. Fire started to envelop him, to eat him up, while Reuben stood amidst the flames, completely unharmed, laughing a demonic laugh.