Read Online Wild Is My Love by Janelle Taylor - Free Book Online Page A

housing knights and their squires, the prince’s guard, the armory, and the men’s eating hall. Then came linked twin towers on the western corner, which served as a massive gatehouse with its imposing turrets and portcullis, structures that were fortresses in themselves and served as the only entrance to the inner ward. The buttress-connected towerscontained the royal stables and farriers on the lower floors, and military retainers—castle watchmen, men-at-arms, and archers—on the second floors. Here was where her beloved friend Sir Piaras, the knight trainer, lived and worked.
    Another lengthy section with numerous rooms and workshops was located between the gatehouse and the north tower. This was where the skivvies, armorers, smiths, carpenters, and other craftsmen labored in service for their ruler. Some slept in their workshops, while others lived in the nearby village or had huts along the inner wall of the southeast battlement.
    The second floor of the north tower held the chapel and guest quarters for the traveling priest. Also Leitis, another of Alysa’s favorite and most trusted servants, a woman in charge of the other female servants at the castle, had her quarters in the north tower. The butcher lived on the first floor, and did his tasks there, along with the candle and soap makers. Below ground was a dungeon which, fortunately, was rarely used.
    The span between the north tower and the Great Tower housed servants, who often slept along the hallways on straw palliasses. It also contained rooms for food and grain storage, and areas were the wash was done, especially when the weather was cold or rainy.
    The Great Tower, where Damnonia’s rulers lived and governed, was a large, rectangular keep comprised of two interlocked towers. The buttery—for wines, cheeses, and butter—and the bakery were located in a section of the lowest level of the keep, as was the pantry for current food use, with the kitchen and cooks’ quarters taking up the entire area of the first floor.
    Alric’s chambers were situated on the second floor of one of the two towers, an area that provided the most protection in case of an attack. The other tower of the keep housed Princess Isobail and her personal servant Ceit on the second floor and the Great Hall on thefirst floor. The span between the keep and Alysa’s tower was living and working quarters for Guinn, the castle bard; Earnon, Isobail’s advisor and friend; Baltair, Alric’s personal advisor, friend, and Malvern Castle’s seneschal; the stewards; and quarters for high-ranking guests.
    Malvern Castle was a large and busy place which ran efficiently, but the joy of many of its workers had lessened under Isobail’s control. Many knew her to be harsh and demanding, as was Kyra.
    Alysa was glad she had avoided both women today, since she hated to spend energy and time battling words with them. Surely by now everyone had left the Great Hall and was going about his or her business. It was nearly dark, so she hoped she could sneak across the inner courtyard and up the spiral steps to visit her father. It was obvious that Isobail was trying to keep them separated as much as possible. The question was: Why?
    Alysa wished she had the courage to use the secret passage that encircled the entire castle on the lowest level, which had concealed spiral staircases and openings only in Alric’s and Alysa’s towers and in the dungeon. Those stairways were very steep and narrow, and the passageway was only wide and tall enough for one person to travel at a time. An underground escape tunnel ran from the gatehouse to the river wall, where an entrance was hidden by rocks, water, and overgrown brush. Only Alric and Alysa knew of its existence; for as was common, such builders were slain the moment it was completed, to prevent its exposure. Since it had never been used, Alysa could imagine the numerous spiderwebs and rats that must infest it by now, not to mention the utter darkness of the