occasion.
Chandra faced Conan and her glistening eyes struck him oddly. He thought perhaps the torchlight had some strange effect on him, for she looked older and more beautiful.
“ I wish you happiness, Conan,” she said very softly.
A slight frown creased his brow as he looked at her. A feeling he did not recognize betrayed him then, and to cover his confusion he reached for her and placed a brotherly kiss on her cheek. Her nearness and the sensation of his lips touching her tear-moistened cheek caused his heart to plum met, and his chest was filled with the pain of doubt. Though he could not quell the feeling, he was careful not to let it show. He smiled at her tenderly. He whispered his response. “ Thank you, sister.”
***
Dawn’s first light had barely touched the land and many a worthy knight lay still upon the rushes, the night’s gaiety taking a heavy toll on those who had celebrated in earnest. In the courtyard, two horses were being loaded with bags holding feed and some small amount of provender to carry them and their riders through their journeys.
Mallory stood near his steed in wait of Thurwell who was, of the two, the slower to rise this morn. Although the festivities had ended just a brace of hours before, they supported their plan to ride with the first dawning. Mallory was the more alert and somewhat melancholy of the two. He looked around the courtyard for what seemed the hundredth time.
He secured the saddle again, shifted in his heavy mail and chafed in general at Thurwell’s tardiness.
“ You leave early, as you promised, Sir Mallory,” Edythe said from behind him.
Mallory turned and looked at the maiden. Her hair was unbound and she had quickly donned a gown for this early morning vigil. Her bare feet showed her hasty dressing.
“ You would have left without a word,” she accused.
“ It seemed best, my lady.”
“ You thought it perhaps less painful, but it would not have been for the best. I would not send you away without a kind word.”
Mallory seemed to shrink from her every word. “ There have been too many words between us already, Edythe. Your father would be ill pleased.”
“ Nay, he loves you.”
“ Nay! He loves me for a true knight and a good friend to his son, but I tell you again: ‘twould set his temper to a fit to think of me courting his daughter.”
Edythe hung her head in disappointment. Without looking at him she asked, “ Will you find some bride upon the road, sir knight?”
Mallory turned away and gave his attention to his horse. “ I have told you, I will wed no one. And no one will have me. I am without land and my money is hard earned.”
“ You will return. And I will be here.”
He turned sharply toward her. “ Edythe, stop this foolish ness. I have pledged no love, no promise. You are foolish to take such stock in a poor knight. There is nothing I can -- ”
Thurwell stumbled out of the hall, tripping on the first stone that crossed his path. Mallory turned from Edythe again and the two stood watching while Thurwell went about the complicated business of getting astride. When Mallory turned to look at Edythe again, the pain was clear in his eyes.
“ I have something for you to carry with you,” she told him. She pulled a medal attached to a bright blue ribbon from her belt and handed it to him. “ It was blessed by the friar and will keep you safe.”
He took it and looked closely at the cross of Christ. He seemed at a loss for words and Thurwell cleared his throat as if impatient.
“ Th ank you, my lady,” he said softly, starting to mount his horse.
“ Will you leave me with no token?” she asked.
Reluctantly he turned to face her. He looked around the courtyard and could detect no eavesdropper present. He looked to Thurwell and saw him staring straight ahead as if he would be invisible. He faltered for a moment and then finally pulled her gently near and placed a light kiss on her lips.
Edythe let her arms rest lightly
Chandra faced Conan and her glistening eyes struck him oddly. He thought perhaps the torchlight had some strange effect on him, for she looked older and more beautiful.
“ I wish you happiness, Conan,” she said very softly.
A slight frown creased his brow as he looked at her. A feeling he did not recognize betrayed him then, and to cover his confusion he reached for her and placed a brotherly kiss on her cheek. Her nearness and the sensation of his lips touching her tear-moistened cheek caused his heart to plum met, and his chest was filled with the pain of doubt. Though he could not quell the feeling, he was careful not to let it show. He smiled at her tenderly. He whispered his response. “ Thank you, sister.”
***
Dawn’s first light had barely touched the land and many a worthy knight lay still upon the rushes, the night’s gaiety taking a heavy toll on those who had celebrated in earnest. In the courtyard, two horses were being loaded with bags holding feed and some small amount of provender to carry them and their riders through their journeys.
Mallory stood near his steed in wait of Thurwell who was, of the two, the slower to rise this morn. Although the festivities had ended just a brace of hours before, they supported their plan to ride with the first dawning. Mallory was the more alert and somewhat melancholy of the two. He looked around the courtyard for what seemed the hundredth time.
He secured the saddle again, shifted in his heavy mail and chafed in general at Thurwell’s tardiness.
“ You leave early, as you promised, Sir Mallory,” Edythe said from behind him.
Mallory turned and looked at the maiden. Her hair was unbound and she had quickly donned a gown for this early morning vigil. Her bare feet showed her hasty dressing.
“ You would have left without a word,” she accused.
“ It seemed best, my lady.”
“ You thought it perhaps less painful, but it would not have been for the best. I would not send you away without a kind word.”
Mallory seemed to shrink from her every word. “ There have been too many words between us already, Edythe. Your father would be ill pleased.”
“ Nay, he loves you.”
“ Nay! He loves me for a true knight and a good friend to his son, but I tell you again: ‘twould set his temper to a fit to think of me courting his daughter.”
Edythe hung her head in disappointment. Without looking at him she asked, “ Will you find some bride upon the road, sir knight?”
Mallory turned away and gave his attention to his horse. “ I have told you, I will wed no one. And no one will have me. I am without land and my money is hard earned.”
“ You will return. And I will be here.”
He turned sharply toward her. “ Edythe, stop this foolish ness. I have pledged no love, no promise. You are foolish to take such stock in a poor knight. There is nothing I can -- ”
Thurwell stumbled out of the hall, tripping on the first stone that crossed his path. Mallory turned from Edythe again and the two stood watching while Thurwell went about the complicated business of getting astride. When Mallory turned to look at Edythe again, the pain was clear in his eyes.
“ I have something for you to carry with you,” she told him. She pulled a medal attached to a bright blue ribbon from her belt and handed it to him. “ It was blessed by the friar and will keep you safe.”
He took it and looked closely at the cross of Christ. He seemed at a loss for words and Thurwell cleared his throat as if impatient.
“ Th ank you, my lady,” he said softly, starting to mount his horse.
“ Will you leave me with no token?” she asked.
Reluctantly he turned to face her. He looked around the courtyard and could detect no eavesdropper present. He looked to Thurwell and saw him staring straight ahead as if he would be invisible. He faltered for a moment and then finally pulled her gently near and placed a light kiss on her lips.
Edythe let her arms rest lightly
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