A Dishonorable Knight(129)

Finally Gareth said, "How are you?"

Elena lifted her shoulders in a delicate shrug that seemed to belie her response, "I'm alright. How are you? Have you received any trouble for your absence."

"No, everyone seems to be accepting our story."

Elena nodded. "I'm glad." As if striving to find something safe to discuss she said, "And how is Isrid?"

"He is well, although I think he misses our constant traveling. He was unusually jumpy when last I rode him." Though he hated himself for asking, he could not stop his next question. "Has Richard informed you of when you will be wed?"

A shadow immediately crossed her eyes and she pulled her hands from his, clasping them in front of her. "The earl has not yet returned from Hastings. I imagine the king will inform me then what his plans are for me. And you? Are your plans going well?"

Gareth's heart skipped a beat. "What plans?"

"Your preparations for war. I saw you practicing today."

"Oh, yes, they are going well."

"Good."

Gareth gnawed his lower lip. This was not what he wanted to be saying. He did not want to be wasting precious seconds babbling about inane topics like his horse and battle practice. Trying to steer the conversation along a different route, he said, "You were wearing the dress I bought you today."

Elena's gaze dropped to her still-clasped hands. “Yes, it's...it's one of my favorites. I wear it quite often."

Hoping he was not wrong to find encouragement in her words, he took a deep breath. "Elena, about what I said the other day."

She raised her eyes to his. "Yes?" she breathed.

"I--"

"Lady Elena! I'm so glad I found you," a young page rushed up to her and bowed awkwardly before continuing. "The Countess of Salisbury is retiring and she requires your attendance. Will you come?"

Elena paused a long moment, staring into Gareth’s eyes before replying, "Of course."

The young man waited expectantly, no doubt planning to escort her to the countess. Elena turned and took two steps and then paused. "Run along then, I know the way to her chambers." The page looked apprehensive, but obeyed. As soon as he was gone, she turned and ran the few steps back to Gareth. Before he could utter a word, she pressed her lips to his, her body molding itself naturally to the curves of his own. His hands moved up to embrace her, but she was already pulling away, turning and running lightly out of the main hall.

Gareth leaned against the stone fireplace and touched his fingers to his lips. They still tingled from the soft pressure of her own and like a drop of wine to a thirsty man, only made him long for more. If only that blasted page had not appeared!

***

"Your Majesty," said Sir Jasper. When the king turned his attention to the knight, the man bowed respectfully.

"What is it Sir Jasper?"

"Your Majesty, these men who have recently joined us have begged for a moment of your time. They claim they have information you will find of the utmost importance."

Richard looked to the rough but slightly cleaner soldiers who waited several paces behind Sir Jasper. Turning back to his meal, he said, "We have already spoken to these men once today and heard all they know. We have accepted them as soldiers. See that they are well assigned and leave Us be."

Sir Jasper bowed his head in deference. "I am aware Your Majesty has already spoken with them, but they seem to be under the impression that they have discovered news of the rebel's meeting in Wales since this morning."

Richard looked up sharply. "What?" Standing, he strode to one of the smaller rooms that opened off of the main hall. The king stopped in the middle of the room and demanded of the men who had followed, "What news have you of the traitors in Wales?"

The same burly man who had spoken for the foursome earlier stepped forward at Sir Jasper's urging. "My liege, whilst we were in Wales flushing out rebels, we learned from the abbess of Dinas Mawddwy that a certain knight was on his way to Aberystwyth for the meeting of the rebels. This knight was a man who serves you even now in your hall."

Richard's eyes narrowed and his thin lips compressed until his mouth was a narrow line of anger. He gripped the fur edges of his mantle with knuckles that were white. "Who was it?"

"I believe I heard him referred to as Gareth. Gareth ap Morgan."

Sir Jasper gasped and Richard looked at him sharply. "Does this surprise you, Sir Knight?"