Choose the Sky: A Medieval Romance (Swordcross Knights Book 2) (4 page)

Just when he was about to excuse himself, though, another person entered the room.

Luc had been staring at the floor, so he noticed the rich blue cloth of a lady’s gown first, because of the way it whispered over the polished wood of the chamber’s floor, the toes of the lady’s leather slippers peeping out only when she took each step.

Something in the way she moved pulled his gaze upward, following the line of her outfit to where the waist narrowed and the bodice of the gown perfectly echoed her form. The tight bodice rose higher, concealing her cleavage but revealing the bare top of her shoulders, while the tight, laced sleeves hid her arms. The fact that she was almost entirely covered didn’t stop Luc from appreciating what he couldn’t see. She was fairly tall, with wide shoulders and a long, graceful neck that seemed made to be kissed. Even better, she avoided the sin of wearing too much gaudy jewelry. She wore only one necklace, a small silver cross hanging from a thin silver chain. It left nearly all of her revealed skin to be admired, which he did.

The lady was well worth a second look, and a third, if a man could get away with it. Her long dark red hair was woven into a single, thick braid down her back, leaving her face clear…a jolt ran through him.

“The lady Domina de Warewic,” the herald announced at exactly the moment Luc recognized her face.

King Stephen shifted very slightly in his chair. His glance flickered to Luc for a moment. Luc understood the wordless order.
Listen carefully. This is important
.

All distraction was forgotten. He focused on the newcomer, the proud beauty he’d rescued the previous night.

What did the king want from
her
?

At the herald’s announcement of
her name, Domina advanced down the aisle with Constance trailing along behind to watch that Domina’s skirts didn’t tangle and trip her. As if she needed something else to worry about! She’d never before been in the presence of a king, and she prayed she wouldn’t embarrass herself.

He’s a man like any other
, she reminded herself. She should speak to him as she would any noble. This was the business of the court, and she must keep her head.

On reaching the space in front of the king’s chair, Domina sank into a low curtsey. She was glad she’d had a new gown made up earlier in the year. A quick glance at the gathered courtiers gave her confidence. She was dressed as well as most of them. Perhaps she didn’t have the sparkling jewels or elaborate headdresses the ladies here could afford. But she looked like a lady, and that was what mattered. She touched the silver cross she wore at her throat, a wordless prayer for strength.

“Your grace,” she murmured. She rose again, keeping her eyes modestly downcast. The king would address her at his leisure.

He was in no hurry. Domina felt the eyes of the king, and indeed the whole court, on her, surveying, assessing. Was her gown wrong somehow? Had she miscalculated, and now be laughed at? Did people actually
want
to be at court all the time? Domina never would—her nerves were already strained, and the king hadn’t even spoken to her yet.

“Lady Domina de Warewic,” the king said at last. “Where is Godfrey de Warewic? Does he not accompany you?”

She swallowed nervously, then replied, “He has sent me in his stead.” She’d spoken too quietly. The king had to lean forward in his seat to hear her at all.

“It was Godfrey I summoned,” he said, a frown crossing his face. “For he is the lord and castellan of Trumwell.”

“Indeed, your grace,” she said, willing her voice to be louder. “He is unwell at the moment. Just a passing illness,” she added in as reassuring a manner as she could. “Because he wished to recognize the seriousness of the summons, he sent me to fulfill the obligation, especially as winter is approaching.”

“Lovely as you are to look at, my lady, you cannot aid me. My questions are for your father, because they pertain to the management of your lands and the alliances I wish to reinforce.”

Domina curtsied again, saying, “I do believe I can tender such aid then, your grace. My father trusts me with much of the business of his estate. There is rarely a document to pass his desk that I do not read. Many of the day to day tasks are left to me. Please ask me what you wish to know.”

“He trusts you so far?” Stephen inquired, a new light in his eyes.

“He does,” Domina said, raising her chin. “Nor have I given him any reason to doubt that trust.” She meant every word. Their lands would be in complete disarray if not for Domina’s careful management.

“Do you know anything of the castle’s defenses? The strength of the garrison?”

“Your grace, as you doubtless know, my father has much experience of war. He took care to reinforce the castle’s defenses and he developed a training schedule specifically for this garrison. I can give precise numbers of men, horses, weapons, and siege supplies to a clerk, if you like.”

He nodded slowly, as if provisionally satisfied with her answers. Domina took a careful breath. This would end well enough. All he wanted was reassurance of the castle’s strengths. But why? Did he think an attack was imminent?

“If you please, your grace…” Domina broke off, realizing that the king had not given her leave to speak.

But he waved a hand, inviting her to finish.

“Your grace,” she continued. “Has there been any word to cause concern? I—we—have not had any reports of an army moving. If the empress…”

“Her army remains where it was last month,” he said shortly.

Domina gave a sigh of relief. She was certain Trumwell Castle could withstand a siege, but she never wanted to put her faith to the test.

King Stephen was still looking at her, his expression speculative. “Tell me, Lady Domina. You must be over twenty, and yet you are not married?”

“I am two and twenty, your Grace. And you are quite correct, I am not yet married. I was betrothed twice, but both times, other events intervened so no marriage occurred.” The first time, the neighbor she’d been betrothed to had died of a fever years before the marriage was expected to take place. Domina only met him a few times. The second contract had been declared void when the suitor ran off with the wife of his own liege—Domina counted herself lucky to have been spared.

She added hastily, “I am quite content to wait, your Grace. When my father is well again, he can attend to the matter.”

“He need not be concerned,” the king said.

Mina nodded, first thinking that the king was merely offering a pretty phrase to the effect that she would not have difficulty finding a suitor, even at her age. But when he gestured to someone among the courtiers, she felt a nervous flutter in her belly. It was the same arrogant knight she had met outside the market yesterday!

“This is Sir Luc, son of Lord Laurence of Braecon, Lady Domina. I think you should know who he is.”

“Why is that, your grace?”

The king smiled. “Because if your father sends such a fair lady to court all on her own, he must want her to be well matched.”

Domina stood in shock. A marriage contract was precisely what she had hoped to avoid! But she could not oppose the king himself...

Unable to look at the king, she instead cast her gaze on the man he proposed to be her husband. He was handsome enough, she admitted grudgingly. Certainly nothing like the brutish knight she’d always pictured in her nightmares. His whole expression was alert, lively.

In return, he was looking her over carefully—just as he had the last evening—but he didn’t smile this time. Perhaps he was less impressed with her by the bright light of day. Domina was perversely annoyed by the idea.

“Lady Domina, you have nothing to say?” Was the king amused by her reaction? Well, why not?

She cast her eyes downward once more, not trusting herself to look at the king and have him see her true emotions.

“I am honored by your kindness in thinking of me, your grace,” she said, speaking slowly, as if she could deny the inevitable. “Yet I wonder how Sir Luc feels about this union.” She kept her voice soft, hoping the shaking would not be detected.

The knight glanced at the king and received a nod before replying. “My role is to serve the king in every way I can,” Luc said, sounding as if he were discussing the sale of a ship instead of a marriage. “Whatever he commands, I’ll carry out.”

Domina swallowed. Her mouth was painfully dry all of a sudden. So the man wasn’t going to raise any objections to the alliance. She couldn’t look to him for common sense. “If he does not oppose the idea, I do not see how I can.”

“Then you consent,” the king pressed.

Mary, Queen of Heaven, help me deal with this all too earthly king!
Inspiration struck her. She said, in a rush, “I am your grace’s servant, but first my father’s daughter. Please understand that I could never agree to such an important contract without his advice and blessing.”

The king raised his eyebrow, but said only, “If all fathers had daughters as dutiful as this one, the world would be much closer to paradise!”

Domina said nothing, terrified she’d angered the king.

Instead, she heard Stephen begin to chuckle, then laugh out loud. Other voices joined in, as the courtiers decided to echo the king’s amusement.

A hot blush rose in her cheeks. She’d done something horribly wrong, and now everyone was laughing at her. Her first appearance at court would be her last.

The king rose from his chair and stepped toward her. Domina gasped, but didn’t dare move.

Stephen stopped a foot away from her, and reached out to chuck a finger under her chin, raising her face to his.

“Well, this lady will make someone a blushing bride!” He smiled at her. “Did you think me serious, dear girl?”

“I…I don’t know what to think, your grace,” she whispered. Only he could hear her.

Stephen’s expression softened. “I may have got carried away with my jest. Your first time at court—I couldn’t resist.”

“A joke, your grace?” she asked, her voice quavering.

“Just a little joke,” he said.

He turned to indicate Luc, who remained standing where he was. “But I do say that Sir Luc will come to Trumwell Castle in order to discuss defenses with Godfrey, and see that the castle is properly fortified. As a knight, he’s served me with honor, and I need to know that your castle can hold the territory it overlooks. Luc of Braecon will be my eyes.”

Domina glanced between the king and Luc and back again, barely keeping up with this rapid shift in topic.

“Certainly, your grace,” she said, falling back on the courtesy she’d been taught. “Whenever an emissary of the king arrives, he is most welcome.”

“Excellent. That is exactly what I wish to hear, my dear.” The king looked her over once more, and Domina didn’t know what thoughts flew behind the royal eyes. “You are excused now.  My chamberlain will speak with you further.”

She curtsied again, very low. “God keep you, your grace.”

Domina backed away from the king and then turned to leave. She forced herself to walk slowly, even though she wanted to dash away.

She conquered one challenge, only to find herself saddled with another. How would she keep her secret if this knight Luc of Braecon came to her home? And what would happen if her deception was exposed?

* * * *

As soon as Domina escaped the royal residence, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Praise Him that’s over.”

“You did very well, my lady,” Constance said proudly. “I would have been in tears. To play a trick like that…”

“The king may play whatever tricks he likes, for that is the privilege of a king.” Domina looked up and down the street. “Come, Constance. Now that I have completed my main task here, I will see Joscelin. We must cross the river.”

The women soon reached the church and its attendant buildings, where her cousin Joscelin pursued his studies to attain the rank of priest.

Domina hadn’t sent word ahead, but she was confident that the mention of the de Warewic name would grant her entrance. The servant who received her looked rather like a churchman himself, and he cast a suspicious eye over the two women, as if they would at any moment turn into serpents.

Nevertheless, he went to announce her to Joscelin. Domina moved to a side room to wait, and Constance stood near her, staring at the gracious lines of the building with awe.

An older man entered after a few moments, clearly the highest-ranking churchman in residence. He greeted her civilly. “You say you are Joscelin’s cousin?” he asked.

“Yes, Domina de Warewic. My father Godfrey is his uncle. Joscelin lived with us at Trumwell Castle.”

“Ah, yes. He did speak of his life then. A happy time for him, after so much sadness. He mentioned a cousin whom he still prays for.”

Domina smiled. “We pray for him, too, though it seems God is already pleased with his work.”

“You are grateful, I trust, that such a devout man shares your blood.”

Domina nodded, saying, “My father was so proud of him when he chose to pursue the path of a priest.”

“He will excel,” the older man said. “I would not be surprised if he becomes one of the youngest bishops ever. His speech comes directly from the angels.” At a sound, he turned to see someone approaching. “Ah, he has arrived. I will leave you to speak alone,” he said, apparently deciding that Domina was no threat to Joscelin’s sanctity.