Great Protector (12 page)

"And
you, Sir Tad," she said. "Have you been enjoying yourself?"

"Indeed,"
he replied. "But I would enjoy it a far sight more with a beautiful maiden
on my arm."

Emma,
realizing the fabled Tad de Rydal was in their midst, wedged herself next to
Arissa, hoping her friend would introduce them and thereby open the door for
Emma to escort Tad about the grounds. Arissa knew how badly Emma wanted to meet
the de Rydal heir. But instead, Arissa did the unexpected.

She
extended her slender hand. "I would be honored to accompany you, Sir Tad.
Would you be so gracious as to allow me?"

Tad's
blue eyes gleamed, Emma's face fell, and Richmond was, frankly, shocked. Before
anyone could utter a word of protest, Arissa tucked her hand into the crook of
Tad's armored elbow and they strolled off across the compound companionably. In
tears, Emma turned away.

"I
shall never forgive her,” she hissed. “She knows I was desperate to meet
him!"

Penelope
patted her friend on the shoulder. "He’s her guest, Emma. We cannot
monopolize all of her time. I am sure she will introduce you to him
later."

Instead
of being placated, Emma stamped her foot and sniffled loudly. "She’s
preparing to join the damn church. What can she possibly want with a man? I
wanted Tad de Rydal!"

As
Penelope attempted to comfort her, Richmond watched the distant couple like a
hawk. Daniel, beside him, scratched his head.

"De
Rydal's a rake," he murmured. "You had better follow, 'else Lady
Arissa's charms are not the only delicacy he will attempt to sample."

Richmond
did not reply. After a moment, he meandered in their direction.

***

After
an hour with Tad, Arissa was ready to scream. Not only was he a conceited arse,
but he was boorish and dull. All he seemed capable of was commenting on was
himself, his training, and the fortune he would inherit. Arissa sat and
listened, yawning. She wished she had stayed with Richmond.

The
nooning hour came to bear and guests and peasants alike were treated to a
sumptuous fare. Roast rabbit, gamecock, venison, and pork were displayed on
open flame. Half of the men forewent the trenchers and ate the meat directly
off the spit. Since the main dining tables were being used to display the
mounds of carefully prepared food, guests collected all they could carry and
wandered about in search of a quiet eating place.

Arissa
saw the meal as her opportunity to be rid of Tad, but he saw it as a chance to
share a trencher with a beautiful lady. Several times she attempted to excuse
herself, but he would merely grab hold of her arm and laugh.

She
stood by impatiently as he ordered one of his manservants to bring them a plate
of food, turning away deliberately when his gaze raked over her in a suggestive
manner. She was growing to hate him more and more by the second.

The
servant brought a trencher overfilled with meat and bread. Tad ordered Arissa
to sit underneath a bulky-stoned lancet window as he cut the meat with his
dagger.

"Truly,
Sir Tad, I am not hungry," she said for the tenth time. "You may
enjoy your food alone."

"I
do not wish to enjoy it alone, I wish to enjoy it with you," he said, his
mouth full. He sawed on another piece of pork and held it out for her.
"Here, beautiful lady. 'Tis most delightful."

She
turned away from him without a word. He shoved the meat into his own mouth
instead. "What's the matter? Are you not enjoying yourself?"

She'd
had her fill of manners and protocol. She simply wanted to be away from him, no
matter what it took. Polite requests had gone ignored. It was time to delve
into serious insults.

"Nay,
I am not," she said frankly, fixing him with a hard gaze. "I was
polite to you this morn when I offered to escort you. You, however, have
managed to keep me to yourself far longer than I would have hoped for. In
short, sirrah, I have other guests to attend to. You certainly are not the only
one."

He
looked genuinely surprised. "I had no idea you felt so, my lady. I thought
we were getting along quite well."

She
stood up, brushing at her surcoat primly. "Mayhap in your own mind, my
lord. As for me, I must be on my way. Good day to you."

"Arissa!"
he suddenly leapt up, blocking her exit. "Have I offended you somehow?
Your manner is most perplexing."

She
rolled her eyes. "My manner is the result of your boorish conversation.
One more word from your mouth regarding the overall coinage invested in your
wardrobe and I shall surely scream. Now, if you will please excuse me."

He
reached out and grabbed her arm, a most unfriendly gesture. His tone had
changed as well. "Foolish wench. Do you not know courting talk when you
hear it?"

Her
mouth opened in surprise. "Courting talk? 'Tis you who are the fool, Sir
Tad. Did you not hear my father tell you that I am pledged to the church?"

"I
heard him. The man is an idiot."

Arissa
was outraged. "How dare you speak of my father that way!"

His
grip tightened and, suddenly, Arissa was pulled up against his cold, armored
chest. "He’s a fool to allow a woman of your beauty to be wasted in
servitude to a God we cannot see. You, darling, were made for a man's
pleasure."

Somewhere,
Arissa heard a faint chime, like the wind toying with bells hung on a string.
Next she realized, a very large broadsword was pressed against Tad's face. She
could see her own reflection in the brilliant steel.

"I
will give you less than a second to release Lady Arissa or you forfeit your
life."

Arissa's
heart soared at the sound of Richmond's voice, deadly and sincere. Instantly,
Tad released his grasp and she stumbled away from him, moving to seek
protection behind Richmond's massive body.

Even
though Arissa was safe, Richmond did not drop the sword; instead, he seemed to
take peculiar delight in caressing the cold steel against the end of Tad's
nose. The knight stood like stone, watching the blade with crossed-eyes.

"Are
you well, kitten?"

"Fine,
Richmond."

The
sword was sheathed faster than the human eye could comprehend. Arissa, relieved
that Richmond had detoured her over-zealous suitor, wrapped her arms about his
armored waist and peered at Tad from behind Richmond's massive frame.

"Be
gone with you," Richmond growled. "If I see you so much as glance in
my lady's direction, you will know the true meaning of pain."

Tad
backed up a step, his outrage overcoming his initial shock. "What goes on
between Lady Arissa and myself is none of your affair, Sir Richmond."

"I
beg to differ. Her welfare has always been my concern."

Tad
came to a halt in his quest to leave the area. The massive keep was casting
long shadows in the bailey from the afternoon sun, shielding the three of them
from the bright glare. Even though there was moderate activity in the bailey,
their exchange went completely unnoticed.

"You
are too old to fight a young man's duel, le Bec," Tad said in a low,
nearly mocking tone. "The next man you tread upon may not be as generous
as I."

Richmond
almost looked amused. "You are most generous to obey my command, my lord.
However, it is difficult to hold a sword when your hands are shaking like a
woman's."

"Woman
indeed! I shall show you a woman," he whirled, searching desperately for
any man with a weapon. "You! Yes, you! Bring me your staff!"

"No,
Tad!" Arissa emerged from behind Richmond. "That staff is no
protection against his sword!"

Tad
glared at her.  "You started this, and I shall end it," his hostile
gaze came to rest on Richmond as he tightened his leather gloves. "You are
an idiot, old man. How dare you provoke my wrath. I shall crumble your ancient
bones and grind them into the earth. How easy this shall be!"

Richmond
did something then that Arissa had never seen him do. He burst out laughing
like a giddy fool, howling until his eyes ran with tears. Arissa stood by, her mouth
open in astonishment, as he nearly wept into his hand.

"A
priceless statement, my young friend," he snorted, wiping at his eyes.
Taking a deep breath to regain his control, he moved to unsheathe his sword.
"It has been a pleasure provoking your wrath."

A
puzzled de Rydal soldier handed Tad a large, leather bound staff. The knight
yanked it away savagely, immediately spinning the pole in an expert, controlled
fashion. Richmond's smile faded as he gently pushed Arissa away from him.

"Stand
over there, kitten," he said softly. "This should not take
long."

Eyes
wide, Arissa obeyed. Richmond kept his eyes on Tad even as he was aware of her
bright green surcoat fading from his line of sight. When the grass-hued garment
vanished, he cocked an eyebrow at the young knight.

"Well?
Make your move if you must."

"A
rather confident attitude."

"'Tis
I who bear the blade, not a rotting stick."

Tad
stopped twirling the staff, bringing it to bear in a defensive horizontal
position. His blue eyes gleamed with menacing delight as he prepared to
humiliate one of Henry's greatest knights.

"Mayhap
after this beating you shall leave the fighting to the youngers, le Bec. You
are too old for this kind of work."

The
corners of Richmond's mouth twitched, the threat of a smile pending. He was not
about to reply to the insult dealt; he was fully prepared to allow his actions
to answer in lieu of pretty words.

Arissa
watched the entire event unfold; even so, she would have been unable to
describe Richmond's skill in words. Every phrase that came to mind was far too
tame for a man of his considerable talent. Before her disbelieving eyes, an
amazing thing happened.

Richmond
gave no outward indication that he was preparing to strike; some men were known
to crouch, others to twitch, still others to yell. One moment, Richmond was
standing stock still; in the next, his blade was sailing towards Tad in a
blinding arc and the length of staff extending beyond Tad's right hand suddenly
clattered to the hard dirt. In the next second, Richmond's blade was sailing
through the air once again and the measure of leather-bound wood extending
beyond Tad's left hand was chopped cleanly free. It, too, fell to the ground.

Arissa
barely saw Richmond bring the broadsword up in front of Tad, a swift up-stroke
that cleaved the wooden staff in two equal pieces of kindling. Before she could
draw another breath, Tad was left holding two measly sticks where had once been
lodged a mighty pole.

Richmond
displayed a faint smile at Tad's astonished expression as he sheathed his
weapon. "As you were saying?" he asked drolly.

Tad,
jaw slack, gazed at the two pieced of wood in his fisted grasp. His mouth
closed and he swallowed hard, focusing Richmond with a look bordering on anger.

"You....
you never gave me a chance," he stammered. "That was not a fair
fight!"

Richmond's
smile vanished. "Fair enough. Since you leave with your life, you may
consider it a victory on your part. But know that my mercy only applies once.
The next time, I will do far more than make firewood out of your staff."

Tad
dropped the remnants of his weapon. "You would not be so brave if I was bearing
a sword, le Bec."

"But
you are not, and I am growing weary of your spoiled antics," he turned
toward Arissa. "Come, my lady. The archery competition is about to
begin."

Shaking
with fury, Tad watched Richmond lead Arissa toward the game field. Being humiliated
in front of the lady was bad enough, but being shamed in the presence of his
men was a nightmare. He could feel their stares on his back, silently laughing
at the arrogant young knight. He knew they thought him to be a fool for
challenging Sir Richmond.

Damn
le Bec!
Certainly, his actions would not go unchallenged. Tad knew that the archery competition
was a perfect opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of Arissa and his men
alike. He had signed on as a competitor earlier in the day and was quite
confident that he would emerge the victor. Sir Richmond would suffer a taste of
his own medicine. Worse, even.

With
an angry grunt, Tad kicked aside the pieces of staff and stomped in the
direction of the archery field, a distorted sense of vengeance flooding his
soul.

He
would pay.

                                
***

By
the time Arissa and Richmond reached the archery field, the entire area was
swarming with excited guests and soldiers. There were no lodges to house the
crowd as was usual in competition, so the majority of the audience settled to
the north side of the field, forming a semi-circle around the targets
constructed for the competitors.

Penelope,
Emma and Regine were waiting for her. Richmond silently led her to The Horde,
depositing her in the midst of the chatty young ladies. Arissa turned to him,
tongue-tied since the moment he had so easily dispatched Tad de Rydal.
Truthfully, she was so awed by his display that she hadn't known what to say.