Chapter Nine

R ichard lifted his sword and the blade struck Oswin’s with a loud clang. The inner bailey was filled with knights who continued to train despite the hunger that gnawed at their bellies. Richard had insisted the men continue with the maneuvers that would see them fit to fight another day against Stephen. Such an outcome could come any day although Richard prayed that word would soon reach their enemy that Empress Matilda was no longer inside the castle. Afterwards, there would be no need for Stephen to continue to hold its people under siege. Not when the main reason that motivated the siege was no longer in residence. Richard would still love to see the usurper’s reaction when he was given the news that the Empress had evaded capture yet again.

But that day had yet to come, and the inhabitants of Oxford Castle continued to hold out, not daring to allow word to spread to Stephen’s camp of the Empress’s absence for fear that he might be able to capture her if he sent men after her before she was able to reach safety. Nay, in order to give the Empress adequate time to escape, ’twas his duty to keep Stephen in the dark for as long as possible. Richard knew the going would be difficult. If they crossed the river without the ice cracking, then the Empress’s party had six miles to travel on foot in the middle of winter. The plan had been for her to procure horses in Abingdon and then ride on to her vassal Brian fitzCount’s manor in Wallingford.

Once rested, Empress Matilda and the rest of her party would eventually make their way to Devizes Castle. The castle once belonged to her father Henry I and would be the perfect place to fully recover from their travels. The place was as secure as Oxford and Richard had no doubt Empress Matilda would one day reside here again. ’Twas only a matter of time, and given the obstacles she might face on the journey, ’twas Richard’s wish to ensure that she had as much time as possible, at any cost to himself.

The past few days had been sheer torture keeping himself confined in his bedchamber with Annora sitting close by. Few words had been spoken since he had done the unthinkable. Kissing her had been a mistake. She had made it perfectly clear that she wanted no part of him, and he could hardly blame her. How often must he remind himself that he had made her a prisoner and that therefore an unsurmountable rift lay between them? Obviously several more, because despite his many attempts in the past few days to have speech with her on even the most mundane, pedestrian concerns of their situation, he could never break the icy barrier she put in place between them—and he could never stop wanting to break that barrier. Fool that he was, he longed to be closer to the woman who seemed to hold him in nothing but disdain.

He swung his blade again taking his frustration out on Oswin who finally stepped back and sheathed his sword.

“Bloody hell, Richard!” he fumed. “What the devil is bothering you that you must needs take out your anger on me?”

Richard shook his head to clear it and then also put his sword inside the scabbard at his side. “My apologies, Oswin. As you can tell, I am in a foul mood.”

Oswin continued to frown whilst inspecting him. “All is forgiven but does your anger have anything to do with a certain lady you hold captive?”

Richard rolled his eyes causing Oswin’s laughter to ring out in the yard. “If you only knew the half of it.”

Oswin came and placed his hand upon Richard’s shoulder. “Women… they are a nuisance in our lives, but we cannot live without them either. Yours, in particular, would be hard to erase from your mind since she is ever near.”

“I could hardly put her in the dungeon,” Richard said scowling whilst mentally wondering if Oswin’s words were an indication of the status of whatever his relationship with Beatrix was.

“Nay. I suppose you could not but certainly you could have assigned her another chamber to sleep in besides your own.”

Richard raked his hand through his hair. “And then have to stand guard outside her door? Nay. She is better off in my own chamber where I can keep a closer eye on her.”

Oswin chuckled again. “If you say so, but I do not know how you are managing to hold on to your peace of mind. She is a very beautiful woman.”

Richard heaved a sigh. “I will not deny that she has occupied much of my thoughts of late.”

“And occupied your bed as well,” Oswin pointed out slyly.

“That she has— alone. ’Tis not as if I share it with her.”

“Is there not room enough for you both?”

Richard scowled at the suggestion. “I do not make it a habit of taking a woman who is not of a like mind, and she would sooner welcome a rattlesnake into her arms. If you have not noticed, Annora hates me.”

“Does she really? Mayhap you have not noticed how her eyes follow you around the room then when you are not paying any attention to her,” Oswin mentioned whilst crossing his arms over his chest.

Richard raised his head to stare at his friend. “I hardly believe she is interested in me beyond her plotting as to how she might escape my presence or plunge a knife in my back.”

Oswin shrugged and bent slightly over to stare behind Richard. “Well, we are about to find out since she appears to be ready to train with you or one of the men.”

Richard whirled around and his cape wrapped around his legs as he spun. He pulled the offensive garment away to stare in wonder at the woman who approached. God’s wounds but she was incredible, and her hose and tunic peeking out from her own brown cape as she crossed the bailey. She was back in her old attire, which had been laundered and mended, and he did not know if he liked her better in a dress or the hose that outlined her shapely legs. Either one seemed to suit her obscenely well. She boldly came to stand before him and began tapping her boot.

“I would like the return of my sword so that I might train with your men,” she demanded gazing up at him with those green eyes. He swore this woman was going to bewitch him at any moment.

“I think not,” Richard answered as he crossed the yard to where a tankard was waiting for him. He picked up the cup and took a drink before setting it back down on the stone bench.

Annora had, of course, followed him. “Afraid I might beat you at your swordplay?”

A snort left his lips at the thought. “Hardly.”

“Then what scares you, Grancourt? I would think it would give you a fair amount of satisfaction to beat a mere woman.”

“There is nothing about you, Annora, that I consider simple,” Richard proclaimed but inside he was thoroughly amused by her gall. She had gumption and he certainly appreciated the fact that she had no issue standing up to him.

She must have been caught off guard by his reaction, considering her startled expression. No doubt she had viewed her taunt as the sort of challenge no man would endure, and his calmness had rattled her. But she recovered herself quickly and continued to press the issue. “Then there should be no point in not allowing me to train. ’Tis of import or else you would not have the men out here in this nasty weather to see that they, too, remain fit.”

He considered her for a few minutes, then reached inside the pouch on his belt and tossed Oswin a key. “Oswin… would you be so good as to retrieve the lady’s sword? You’ll find her blade inside the chest at the foot of my bed in my bedchamber.”

Oswin laughed. “Are you certain, Richard?”

“Go,” Richard answered with a nod of his head, never taking his eyes from the lady.

Oswin left and came back several minutes later. He handed the sword to Annora who began to swing the familiar blade before her.

“Shall we, Grancourt?” she asked stepping back and taking up her stance.

He inspected her whilst taking hold of the hilt of his sword. Lifting the blade from the scabbard, he rested the blade on his shoulder. “Are you certain you are up to the task, Annora?”

A sound much like a baited animal left her as she lunged forward. Her mistake was letting all her pent-up anger get the better of her. She swung her blade recklessly and Richard easily deflected her sword without any injury incurring even though she did her best to pierce his body.

Over and over did she make an attempt to inflict some sort of harm to him but because she was not thinking clearly, none of her blows were able to deal any damage. ’Twas not long before her energy began to run out and Richard could see for himself that she did not have much left to give, and yet she refused to give way. Snow began to fall in earnest and the ground became slippery and still she fought on.

“Yield, Annora. The men and I will not think less of you or your techniques,” Richard said offering her a form of truce.

“Nay, you mindless cur. You are the reason everything I hold dear is in jeopardy,” she yelled back and continued her onslaught to win the day.

Blinded with rage, her chest heaved as she took in huge gulps of air. Richard could plainly see that if she did not stop soon, she would not only hurt herself but mayhap someone else as well. He had had enough.

He attacked her relentlessly if only to prove his point. Backing her up caused her to lose her footing and she slipped on the ice beneath her feet and found herself held at the point of his blade. ’Twas a familiar scene and one that reminded him of when this castle fell to the enemy.

“Yield, Annora,” he repeated his words from but moments ago.

She nodded for he did not give her any other choice on the matter. But when he held out his hand to assist her from the ground, she slapped it away.

“I do not need your help, Grancourt.” She rose to her feet on her own accord whilst he put his sword away.

“Mayhap not but I think I should claim a reward for beating a fair Viking shield maiden,” Richard proclaimed and he quickly reached out to grab her about the waist. He pulled her into his body and before he could think better of what he was about to do, he thoroughly kissed her. He thought perchance she was enjoying herself until he pulled his lips from hers and a slap across the cheek was his own reward. The men began to laugh, though whether their amusement was from watching Richard take possession of the lady or from Annora’s self-righteous anger with her physical reply to his kiss, he could not say.

She backed away from him and pointed her finger at him. “Never—and I repeat never —steal another kiss from me without my permission or you shall pay the consequences,” she warned.

“Such an action may be worth it,” Richard teased but inside wondered what was coming over him. He was never this reckless with a woman’s affection and to be holding one in such an embrace without her consent went against his sense of honor.

“You have been warned.”

She was about to leave but Richard again took hold of her arm. “Not so fast, Annora,” Richard said as he stared down into those mesmerizing green eyes. “I believe you forgot to return your sword.”

Her lips pursed and Richard could only think about tasting her once again. She at last held out her blade for him to take. “Damn you to hell, Richard,” she replied before she stomped off to return to the keep.

Richard stared after the woman as she left before he turned his attention to her sword. He rubbed his thumb over the hilt where there was an indent where a jewel must have once been placed. Green … there should be an emerald there that would match her eyes, he thought knowing he would need to see the smithy to rectify the matter.

Richard rubbed at his cheek and could still feel the heat from the imprint she most likely left on his face. ’Twas as though she had branded him. God… what a woman !