Chapter Thirty-Four

E lysande stood atop the battlement wall of the keep. Her knuckles were white from her tight grip on the stone barrier. Black plumes billowed from the many fires that burned throughout the city of Oxford, turning the sky dark. The taste of ash and smoke had formed on her lips causing her to choke. Somewhere down below, Empress Matilda's knights continued to fight in her name hoping to prevent Stephen's army from gaining access into the interior of the city. But their quest had failed. Now Elysande could only pray that her husband was still alive somewhere down below among the havoc of those making their way to the castle for protection.

The empress stood next to Elysande with Lady Eden on the opposite side. Beatrix, Petula and Rovena stood behind as though afraid to get near the edge of the wall.

"We are doomed," Petula whined and then proceeded to break down in a crying fit.

The empress looked at the two ladies standing behind her. "Take her below, Lady Rovena. The last thing I need right now is to hear one of my ladies whining about our circumstances."

"As you wish, Empress," Rovena replied, taking Petula's arm and guiding her toward the entrance to the stairs.

Beatrix came to stand next to Elysande and clasped her hand. "I pray Richard has survived."

Elysande briefly stole a glance at the older woman. "I'm sure he has. There is too much fight in him than to let an enemy defeat him."

"You sound so sure," Beatrix said as though she doubted Elysande's words.

"If he is anything like these Norwood brothers I have heard so much about then, aye, I am certain he will survive, much like my own Reynard," Elysande declared with a confident smile.

"I wish I could share your sentiments, Elysande," Beatrix said. Elysande watched her chin quiver in doubt and worry over her sibling.

The empress gave a sound much like a grunt of displeasure. "If you cannot be optimistic that my most loyal knights will survive this skirmish, Lady Beatrix, then you may also go below to cower in fear."

Beatrix held her tongue and lowered her eyes. Her lips began to silently move as if in prayer.

Silence continued from the women who remained by the empress's side as they endured the torment of the scene before them. Clashing swords rang out amongst the sounds of those who battled one another to gain another foot of ground. They came closer by the moment, and inside, Elysande was quaking in fear knowing what was to soon come. The empress's men would not win this fight, not when she did not have Earl Robert and the reinforcements she had hoped he would bring from her husband in Normandy. Nay, a siege was imminent, and Elysande dreaded the moment when the barbican gate would shut out the outside world and doom them to their fate.

The empress looked over her shoulder to a knight standing near the entrance to the stairs. "Sound the alarm for the gates to close," she ordered.

The knight stepped forward and began to blare the ivory olifant signaling a warning to those still without Oxford Castle's gates. The empress's knights began to enter the bailey whilst others went to stand at the ready to close the portcullis and barbican gate at the gatehouse.

The empress took Elysande's hand and repeated the gesture to Eden. A rare show of affection to two women she trusted. She was as worried as the rest of them but continued to show her bravery even though she surely also trembled in fear.

"They will make it through the gates. I have no doubt," the empress murmured and Elysande felt her hand squeezed.

"Aye. I believe you, Empress," Elysande replied, searching the bailey below for signs of Reynard. Her heart lurched seeing those entering and the wounds that would need to be cared for.

Eden leaned forward to peer below. "Many will be in need of our care to see to their injuries."

The empress nodded. "Go see what you can begin doing for them. Linens torn into strips for binding their wounds, hot water, and whatever else you can think of."

Eden quickly left and the three women continued to watch the chaos below. "They will be hungry, too, I imagine," Elysande said, thinking her thoughts aloud.

"We will need to survey what food supplies we have in the storehouse and cellars below. I imagine we will be without reinforcements for perhaps months and will need to ration out what we have amongst us."

"We will survive this, Empress," Elysande said. She could fill her voice with confidence since she had already survived this once before. How much harder could the situation be this time around? As more men began to pour through the gates, she had her answer. Much harder given the number of mouths that would need to be fed on whatever limited supplies they had on hand.

The empress turned her gaze to Elysande. "You are made of stern stuff, Elysande Norwood. You would have to be since you wed into the Norwood family. I have never met such loyal men, not only to me but to their spouses. You do your husband credit."

Elysande was momentarily shocked by such a confession from the empress. "You are too kind, Empress," Elysande replied once she found her voice.

"We will have to plan a strategy not only to survive but to retaliate against Stephen whilst we are locked up here in this tower. I suspect he will soon build his machines of war to tear down these walls that for now keep us safe."

"You have nothing to fear, Empress. Your men will keep you well protected," Elysande said confidently.

A weak smile appeared on her face. "I may always show the outside world and the men who follow me that I am strong and in command of all those who serve me, but even I sometimes have a moment where fear creeps into my heart. Not that I would allow such an emotion to overcome me."

Elysande felt the empress squeeze her hand again before she let go. Clearly, her few moments of needing reassurance were over. The empress was once more the stern and commanding woman that Elysande had pledged her fealty to.

The empress pointed down below. "Ah! Here they are at last. Goodee, Woodwarde, Kennarde…" the empress began, "…and lastly Grancourt and Norwood. They made it. Go see to your husband, and I shall start planning my revenge."

Elysande breathed a sigh of relief even as the portcullis shut, and the distant sound of the barbican gate fell into place. They were safe for now—but for how long, no one could predict. In the meantime, she quickly made her way down to find Reynard, all the while praying he did not sustain any injury that might cost him his life.

Once she made it down to the inner bailey, she found it crowded with knights either being attended to or being helped into the great hall where everyone's injuries could be seen and taken care of. Elysande searched for Reynard and finally espied him with his friends whilst they had all gathered in a circle and held onto each other's shoulders. A rare sight: men loyal to not only the empress but one another. They had all survived the battle outside of these gates and Elysande was grateful, but when the men broke apart, she cared for naught but flinging herself into Reynard's arms.

He gave a grunt of surprise telling her that somewhere on his body he was injured. He started to pull her away from his body, but she clung to him as she cried in relief that he yet lived.

"Elysande, you shall ruin your gown," Reynard stated as he kissed the top of her head.

"I do not care about my gown," she muttered in relief that she was once more in his arms.

" I care about your gown and the stench that covers me." He finally managed to pry her arms from around his neck and gazed down upon her. He placed a quick kiss upon her lips. "There are many that need our aid so I will see you later this eve."

"What about you? Where are you hurt?" she pleaded as she roamed her eyes up and down his body. He was covered in blood, and she refused to see what had transferred onto her own gown. Clothes could be laundered. Her husband's well-being was at the forefront of her mind.

"Nothing that cannot be easily stitched later, my love. Now let us see to those who are not as fortunate," he replied, taking her hand and leading her to a group of knights who lay upon the ground moaning.

After that brief encounter, Elysande lost all sense of time as she tended to one fallen knight after the next. 'Twould be some time long into the evening before she herself would be able for find some comfort and rest.