Not far from here turned out to be much farther than it sounded. By the time we neared the village, the sun was descending fast behind the trees. By my questionable calculations, less than an hour of daylight remained.
The village was small, but cozy, surrounded by golden fields and the deep green wood.
Liam stopped short of the hustle and bustle of the town to dismount and help me carefully down from the saddle. He unfastened his cloak and placed it around my shoulders, his fingers softly grazing my shoulders.
Even through the layers of fabric, my body practically purred from the contact.
“Just a precaution.” He told me as he fastened the fabric at the base of my throat. “I shouldn’t be long. I want you to remain here until I return and try to stay out of sight. Can you do that?” He asked quietly as he stood with me in a thicket on the fringe of the village.
My head bobbed quickly in response.
He nodded and turned disappearing through the brush.
I crept along the inside of the thicket and crouched down to peak through a thinned section of the brush in the direction he had gone.
He was headed to a small stone building with a thatched roof, smoke rolling thickly from its single chimney. He knocked and the door quickly opened. A squat woman wearing a plain linen dress that reached her ankles went wide eyed as she stared at him from the other side of the threshold. Her mouth moved quickly, her expression flustered and nervous. They were too far away for me to make out her words, but from her body language, I assumed she was offering an apology. He shook his head and smiled kindly in response, his mouth moving as well, saying words I couldn’t hear. Then, she curtsied hurriedly and beckoned him inside.
His very presence appeared to warrant a show of respect. He hadn’t called himself Lord or Prince or Count…so her reaction to him baffled me. Perhaps I wasn’t the only one playing it close to the vest.
I was startled out of my thoughts by a voice close enough that I could definitely make out the words.
“Have you heard the news, Lena?” A feminine voice asked.
“Not at all, please do enlighten me.” A new voice (Lena I assumed) responded.
When the first voice spoke again, her voice was grave. “The Black Knights ride again! Just last night my husband came across them on his way back from a hunt. Looked like he’d seen a ghost, he did, when he returned!”
“Was he quite certain of it?” Lena asked nervously.
“There’s no mistaken’ them, there’s not.” The first voice confirmed.
“By all that is holy. How long has it been?” Lena asked.
“Can’t be sure, fifteen years?” The first voice said uncertainly.
“After all this time, Lord Soren still seeks to fulfill that ghastly prophecy….you’d think he’d have moved on by now.” Lena said severely.
“You know as well as I do, moving on is not in Lord Soren’s blood. Only vengeance is.” The first voice answered then added, “Quickly now, someone’s coming. We best be about it.”
With that, the conversation was over. Unease crept through me and my gut told me these Knights and the black riders I’d encountered were connected.
Oh, no.
I was quickly becoming uneasy here alone with the shadows of night closing in. I peeked back toward the home I’d seen Liam disappear into, but he was already on the path leading away from it, a large sack in hand. His walk was tense and I wondered if he’d heard about the Black Knights too.
When he emerged from the bushes I could easily surmise that something was wrong.
“What is it?” I asked immediately.
“Quickly.” He said thrusting the bag in my direction. “We ride as soon as you’re ready.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, refusing to take the bag until he answered me.
He turned the full force of his hypnotic eyes on me before he spoke. “Please.”
I blinked at him a few times before snatching the bag from him. “Fine. But once we’re on our way, you are going to explain to me what’s going on!”
He didn’t respond.
I hurried to the back edge of the thicket and climbed through the brush until I was safely surrounded on all sides. My mind steadily concocted a string of theories capable of turning my blood cold.
I pulled the bag open and thrust my hand inside and grabbed the first thing I touched, yanking it out quickly.
My brain registered the material as soft and plush and even in my fury, I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful fabric. Even in the low light of the coming night the deep green fabric shimmered. It was velvet, rich and thick and sleek. I slipped it over my head, smoothing out the tight bodice. It was simple and somewhat durable, but elegant. A slim silver rope circled my waist that matched the silver piping at the neckline and the hem of the skirt that flowed silkily around my ankles.
I eased back through the bushes carefully, smoothing the fabric again once I was clear of the leaves and branches. “It’s beautiful…thank you.” I said quietly to the ground. When he didn’t respond I looked up to find him staring at me, lips slightly parted.
His Adam’s apple bobbed once before he spoke. “It suits you.” He said, words barely more than a whisper. Turning away quickly he added, “We should ride.”
Just as before, he placed me in front of him in the saddle. I had intended to give him the third degree, but I found my questions difficult to voice and the shock and severity of the situation finally began to take its toll on me. I worked to make my mind a blank and by inches began to succeed. The exhaustion, both mental and physical set in and soon I slipped into unconsciousness.