be constable and to protect th em. He was two years Garin’s senior and four years Juliana’s. Even in their playful childhood, Simon had protected them.
And Juliana had definitely needed guarding. As a child, she had sought to best her brother at every game and challenge, despite her parents pleadings and furious rantings to the contrary. Unfortunately, her competitive nature managed to get her into trouble more often than not.
Simon firmly believed it wasn’t the fact she was a girl, although that didn’t help, but the younger sibling. While Simon had no brothers or sisters who had survived through their first year, he had seen it all too often. Struggling to keep up with the elder, the younger failed.
Juliana had been no different. He remembered pulling her out of a huge oak tree wh en she had been only eight and had gotten herself stuck. He clearly remembered rescuing her from a flooded river she had tried to swim and the current caught her. Simon shuddered, she had almost drowned. But the sharpest memory was of saving her from th e boar when he was naught but four and ten....
...Simon shook his head at Garin and smiled. “You know I cannot tell you which direction she went. You will have to find her hiding spot yourself.”
Garin rolled his eyes. “I always find her, Simon. Why waste our time when we could be at the lists?” He paused and gestured to the sword Simon wore. “Methinks my father wants to see how well you have learned to use his gift to you.”
“ Juliana hates watching us in the lists. Let us give her this bit of f un and then we will go.”
“ Aye,” Garin muttered. “I’ve never seen a lass get physically ill just from watching.” He looked around and strode off in the opposite direction Juliana had traveled.
Simon fought to hide a smile lest he give Garin a clue.
Julian a’s terrified scream nearly stopped Simon’s heart. He spun, instantly drawing his sword. She exploded through a thicket, running as hard as she could. For an instant, Simon wondered how she had ever lost a race to Garin.
Then his gaze locked on the thin g chasing her. A male boar, fully grown, charged after her, murder gleaming in its eyes.
“ Juliana!” he roared, sprinting forward.
Simon managed to cut across her path and snatch her around the waist. He tossed her out of the way, bracing himself to mee t the boar’s charge. Simon and Garin had joined the men on boar hunts in the past, although too young to truly participate in the slaying. But he knew the strategy of the kill.
Terror raged within him. If Simon fell to the boar, it would kill Garin and Juliana as well. The boar closed the distance. Simon lunged with his sword, burying the weapon in the creature’s neck. It screamed hideously, trying to gore his legs. Simon leaped backward, yanking his sword free.
The boar turned to charge again, bleed ing copiously. Juliana remained on the ground, frozen in terror. Simon refused to move away from her even though he knew a sword was a poor weapon against the boar.
“ Simon!” Garin cried.
Simon tore his gaze away in time to see Garin toss a large branch t oward him. He dropped his sword and snatched it out of the air. The branch was relatively straight, as tall as Simon and as thick as his arm, with a sharp break, leaving a pointed end. It was not a hunting stave but it would do.
The boar charged and Sim on braced himself. He thrust the weapon through the beast’s chest with an inhuman strength born of terror, and drove the boar into the ground where it died.
Covered in blood, Simon stepped away, gasping for breath and shaking. Juliana, sobbing, threw her arms around his neck.
“ My knight,” she murmured. “My wonderful knight.”
Simon held her so tightly it was a wonder he hadn’t squeezed the breath from her. Garin rushed toward him and Simon clapped him on the shoulder. “You kept your head,
And Juliana had definitely needed guarding. As a child, she had sought to best her brother at every game and challenge, despite her parents pleadings and furious rantings to the contrary. Unfortunately, her competitive nature managed to get her into trouble more often than not.
Simon firmly believed it wasn’t the fact she was a girl, although that didn’t help, but the younger sibling. While Simon had no brothers or sisters who had survived through their first year, he had seen it all too often. Struggling to keep up with the elder, the younger failed.
Juliana had been no different. He remembered pulling her out of a huge oak tree wh en she had been only eight and had gotten herself stuck. He clearly remembered rescuing her from a flooded river she had tried to swim and the current caught her. Simon shuddered, she had almost drowned. But the sharpest memory was of saving her from th e boar when he was naught but four and ten....
...Simon shook his head at Garin and smiled. “You know I cannot tell you which direction she went. You will have to find her hiding spot yourself.”
Garin rolled his eyes. “I always find her, Simon. Why waste our time when we could be at the lists?” He paused and gestured to the sword Simon wore. “Methinks my father wants to see how well you have learned to use his gift to you.”
“ Juliana hates watching us in the lists. Let us give her this bit of f un and then we will go.”
“ Aye,” Garin muttered. “I’ve never seen a lass get physically ill just from watching.” He looked around and strode off in the opposite direction Juliana had traveled.
Simon fought to hide a smile lest he give Garin a clue.
Julian a’s terrified scream nearly stopped Simon’s heart. He spun, instantly drawing his sword. She exploded through a thicket, running as hard as she could. For an instant, Simon wondered how she had ever lost a race to Garin.
Then his gaze locked on the thin g chasing her. A male boar, fully grown, charged after her, murder gleaming in its eyes.
“ Juliana!” he roared, sprinting forward.
Simon managed to cut across her path and snatch her around the waist. He tossed her out of the way, bracing himself to mee t the boar’s charge. Simon and Garin had joined the men on boar hunts in the past, although too young to truly participate in the slaying. But he knew the strategy of the kill.
Terror raged within him. If Simon fell to the boar, it would kill Garin and Juliana as well. The boar closed the distance. Simon lunged with his sword, burying the weapon in the creature’s neck. It screamed hideously, trying to gore his legs. Simon leaped backward, yanking his sword free.
The boar turned to charge again, bleed ing copiously. Juliana remained on the ground, frozen in terror. Simon refused to move away from her even though he knew a sword was a poor weapon against the boar.
“ Simon!” Garin cried.
Simon tore his gaze away in time to see Garin toss a large branch t oward him. He dropped his sword and snatched it out of the air. The branch was relatively straight, as tall as Simon and as thick as his arm, with a sharp break, leaving a pointed end. It was not a hunting stave but it would do.
The boar charged and Sim on braced himself. He thrust the weapon through the beast’s chest with an inhuman strength born of terror, and drove the boar into the ground where it died.
Covered in blood, Simon stepped away, gasping for breath and shaking. Juliana, sobbing, threw her arms around his neck.
“ My knight,” she murmured. “My wonderful knight.”
Simon held her so tightly it was a wonder he hadn’t squeezed the breath from her. Garin rushed toward him and Simon clapped him on the shoulder. “You kept your head,
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