The Robber Knight's Love (The Robber Knight Saga #2)(72)

“Um…thanks.”

“Go on. You were going to say something to the Lady's suggestion regarding the beeswax.”

“Oh, yes.” As gently as possible, Reuben deposited the by now lightly snoring Ayla onto a chair. Damn! If only the old devil weren’t in the room. Then he could…well, he could have done a great many interesting things. “I don't believe we have enough beeswax in the castle for a shift of the castle guard. Just a few candles, that is all, and we are cut off from any supply lines, other than the enemy. So none of us will be able to catch a wink of sleep.”

“Some of us seem to be managing well,” Isenbard pointed out, nodding towards the slender, sleeping figure in white.

At that moment, a particularly loud clang sounded outside the castle, and Ayla's eyes flew open. “What's that? What's the matter? Who dropped the pot? Dilli…oh. It's you, Reuben.” Yawning, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Did I miss anything?”

“Point taken?” Reuben asked, raising an eyebrow at Isenbard.

The old knight nodded grimly. “Point taken.”

Thoughtfully, he stroked his white beard. “What if we rearrange things? We could place the main contingent of the guard in the dungeons of the central keep, as far away from the noise as possible, and close the doors. Then they would only hear faint noises and probably be able to sleep.”

“Don't you see?” Reuben shook his head. The old knight was intelligent, but he lacked experience in the latest battle tactics. “That is what they want us to do: station our main force as far away from the outer walls as possible. Can't you guess why they would want to disturb our sleep? Do you think they simply want to annoy us while they wait for us to starve over the next few months?”

Isenbard hesitated. “No. I don't think so. But what…?”

“They are planning an attack,” Reuben said savagely. “I held a knife to the throat of their commander, Sir Isenbard! From what I know of him, he's not the man to let something like this slide. He's planning to storm the castle, maybe even against the express orders of his Lord.”

Raising a hand, Reuben gestured out of the window, towards the otherworldly noise outside.

“He is doing this to divide our forces, hoping to be able to overwhelm the few guards on the walls in a surprise attack before the main force, stationed far away in the inner keep, has a chance to get there. That way, he will secure the castle in one simple, bold stroke.”

Feeling an ache in his heart that was becoming increasingly familiar, but not easier to bare because of it, Reuben looked down at Ayla, sitting in her chair, still looking a little sleepy. Slowly, he stretched out his hand and stroked her cheek.

“I'm sorry. If not for my actions in the enemy camp, it might not have come to this.”

He had feared she might be angry. He certainly would have been, in her place. But she simply captured his hand between hers and pressed down. The warmth of her soft little hands was a greater gift than Reuben thought he deserved. And, being him, he thought he deserved quite a lot.

“You're not to blame,” she whispered, still sounding drowsy. “He is. And besides, if the end is indeed to come, I would prefer that it finds us ready and waiting with our eyes open than half-dead with hunger in some dusty corner.”

She blinked and yawned again. “Actually, scratch that bit about open eyes. I think closed eyes would be much better right now.”

“I agree,” Reuben said with a grim smile. “But I fear we're not going to get them for quite some time.”

“So what can we do?” Isenbard asked.

Reuben shrugged. “Be vigilant and awake.”

~~*~~*

By the next day, Ayla was finding it increasingly difficult to follow Reuben's advice. She had already been exhausted when she stood on the wall with Isenbard, looking down at the strange procession in white. While she had tried not to show it, the night's horrors had drained nearly every bit of strength she had, and now she was running on strength she didn't have but, in spite of that, managed to finagle out of her body somehow.

She didn't know how she would have remained upright if it hadn't been for Reuben.

“I'm not leaving your side,” he had said after their war council had ended. “We'll see this thing through together. I told you that I’m expecting an attack. As long as that’s the case, I will follow you wherever you go.”

And he had been true to his word, accompanying her when she made her rounds of the castle, talked to the villagers, and checked that the increasingly fatigued guards were still on their feet. It was amazing how quickly the latter seemed to find new strength when he focused his fiery gray glare on them.

Yes, Reuben kept his word to watch over her, even more literally than she had expected. When she wanted to retire for the night, to try and catch a bit of rest in spite of the incessant racket, he had said, “Fine. Where do you sleep?”

“Err…why do you want to know?”

He grinned his devilish grin. Even tired, it looked gorgeous. “I promised I wouldn't leave your side for an instant, remember?”

“I stay in my chambers, together with my maids.”

“Not anymore you don't. I'm sure my presence will frighten them off, so you had better find other quarters for yourself.”