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Authors: Kathryn Le Veque
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the young woman thought of the whole thing. Of course she had no reaction when Gloucester informed her of her future. Much like Bastian, she had to do what she was told. Therefore, there was no use in delaying the inevitable.
Fighting down his fury and his frustration, he sought out Gannon and Lucas, who were still on the other side of the hall where he had left them. Retracing his steps back to them, he ignored the stares and whispers of the guests in awe of the mighty Beast, now moving among them. But he also began to suspect their whispers were more than simply admiration. He had a feeling the Maid was being discussed as well. Rumors moved quickly. The courtiers were, if nothing else, a gossipy bunch. He tried to shake off thoughts of their rumor-mongering as he closed the distance between him and his knights.
“That is indeed your sister, Gannon,” he said as he reached them, pointing to the lady hanging by the silken cord. “I have been instructed to retrieve her and take her to Gloucester’s solar where a priest will marry us immediately. Since she does not know me and I do not wish to start out this marriage with a screaming, terrified bride, you will retrieve your sister and bring her to the corridor beyond where you will make the appropriate introductions to me. Is that clear?”
Gannon nodded, trying to hide his surprise. “You are to marry her tonight ?”
Bastian sighed sharply. “It is not my choice, I assure you,” he said. “Gloucester has made the arrangements. Go and retrieve her and I shall meet you out in the corridor. Lucas, come with me.”
He took de Lara with him, leaving Gannon standing where he had left him, a bit stunned with the quick turn of events. As the noise and music and merriment went on around him, Gannon was in a world of his own, struggling to reconcile himself to his sister’s immediate future.
Certainly, he liked Bastian and had a great deal of respect for the man, but it was natural for him to want to protect his sister from suitors. Only this particular suitor was a reluctant one and Gannon began to worry that his sister would be trapped in a discontented marriage with an apathetic husband. He knew Bastian and knew the man could be hard and cruel at times. Nay, he didn’t like that thought at all.
But he had no choice but to obey orders, just as Bastian was obeying them. Gannon understood that. With a grunt, perhaps one of regret, he made way to his sister, dangling above the combatants, praying she wouldn’t hate him overly for being an instrument leading to a lifetime of unhappiness.
CHAPTER THREE
She hadn’t seen her brother in two long years but, suddenly, he was in her midst, reaching up a long arm to grasp her by the wrist. A good yank and he pulled her right down into his arms because the men on the gallery above lost their grip on her silken cord that had been suspending her over the writhing throng of actors. Over her brother’s big shoulder like a sack of grain, Lady Gisella le Bec shrieked as she was hauled off the floor.
“Gannon!” she gasped. “What in the world are you doing?”
Gannon didn’t reply as he tried to navigate his way out of the collection of fake soldiers, all of them slapping at each other with thin, wooden broadswords. One of those swords came too close to his face and Gannon angrily shoved the offending actor away from him, but it was such close quarters that when the actor stumbled back, several men fell back with him.
The guests watching the performance were fairly saturated with fine wine at that point and laughed uproariously as about a quarter of the cast fell down upon each other. Still, Gannon shoved through them, carting his sister unceremoniously away from the action. But Gisella would not be so easily moved. She began squirming, trying to push herself from her brother’s grip.
“Gannon, stop ,” she commanded. “Put me down this instant!”
Gannon continued to ignore her. He was more concerned
Fighting down his fury and his frustration, he sought out Gannon and Lucas, who were still on the other side of the hall where he had left them. Retracing his steps back to them, he ignored the stares and whispers of the guests in awe of the mighty Beast, now moving among them. But he also began to suspect their whispers were more than simply admiration. He had a feeling the Maid was being discussed as well. Rumors moved quickly. The courtiers were, if nothing else, a gossipy bunch. He tried to shake off thoughts of their rumor-mongering as he closed the distance between him and his knights.
“That is indeed your sister, Gannon,” he said as he reached them, pointing to the lady hanging by the silken cord. “I have been instructed to retrieve her and take her to Gloucester’s solar where a priest will marry us immediately. Since she does not know me and I do not wish to start out this marriage with a screaming, terrified bride, you will retrieve your sister and bring her to the corridor beyond where you will make the appropriate introductions to me. Is that clear?”
Gannon nodded, trying to hide his surprise. “You are to marry her tonight ?”
Bastian sighed sharply. “It is not my choice, I assure you,” he said. “Gloucester has made the arrangements. Go and retrieve her and I shall meet you out in the corridor. Lucas, come with me.”
He took de Lara with him, leaving Gannon standing where he had left him, a bit stunned with the quick turn of events. As the noise and music and merriment went on around him, Gannon was in a world of his own, struggling to reconcile himself to his sister’s immediate future.
Certainly, he liked Bastian and had a great deal of respect for the man, but it was natural for him to want to protect his sister from suitors. Only this particular suitor was a reluctant one and Gannon began to worry that his sister would be trapped in a discontented marriage with an apathetic husband. He knew Bastian and knew the man could be hard and cruel at times. Nay, he didn’t like that thought at all.
But he had no choice but to obey orders, just as Bastian was obeying them. Gannon understood that. With a grunt, perhaps one of regret, he made way to his sister, dangling above the combatants, praying she wouldn’t hate him overly for being an instrument leading to a lifetime of unhappiness.
CHAPTER THREE
She hadn’t seen her brother in two long years but, suddenly, he was in her midst, reaching up a long arm to grasp her by the wrist. A good yank and he pulled her right down into his arms because the men on the gallery above lost their grip on her silken cord that had been suspending her over the writhing throng of actors. Over her brother’s big shoulder like a sack of grain, Lady Gisella le Bec shrieked as she was hauled off the floor.
“Gannon!” she gasped. “What in the world are you doing?”
Gannon didn’t reply as he tried to navigate his way out of the collection of fake soldiers, all of them slapping at each other with thin, wooden broadswords. One of those swords came too close to his face and Gannon angrily shoved the offending actor away from him, but it was such close quarters that when the actor stumbled back, several men fell back with him.
The guests watching the performance were fairly saturated with fine wine at that point and laughed uproariously as about a quarter of the cast fell down upon each other. Still, Gannon shoved through them, carting his sister unceremoniously away from the action. But Gisella would not be so easily moved. She began squirming, trying to push herself from her brother’s grip.
“Gannon, stop ,” she commanded. “Put me down this instant!”
Gannon continued to ignore her. He was more concerned
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