Medieval Master Warlords (25 page)

“Where is she?”  Jax demanded.

Keats was trying hard to remain calm; that much was clear.  Facing off against an enormous de Velt with his great horned helm and fire-breathing steed was harrowing enough.

“She is inside,” he said evenly.

“I know why you left Pelinom,” Jax said. “Suffice it to say that the reason why you left no longer exists. I have come for Kellington.”

Keats was trying to figure out exactly what he meant. “The reason I left was to remove my daughter from your influence.”

“I know that Amadeo threatened her life,” Jax clarified. “I know you had little choice but to leave. But I have come for her now and I expect her to be returned to me.”

Keats sighed heavily, less fearful and more defensive. “She does not belong to you, de Velt. She never did.  I know how she feels about you and I know how you feel about her, but I am telling you now that I will never permit a marriage between you and my daughter.  She is not meant for the likes of you.”

Jax dismounted his charger and handed the reins over to Atreus. He flipped up his visor as he walked towards Keats and Denedor.

“I understand your position,” his tone was surprisingly civil. “Your daughter is worthy of much greater men that I.  But I will swear to you now that no man can provide better for her or respect her more than I.”

Keats lifted his eyebrows. “Provide for her with stolen goods and the blood of the conquered?” he shook his head. “Do you think that is a future she deserves? Do you think that will make her happy?”

Jax didn’t reply right away; his dual-colored gaze turned to the knight standing next to Keats. He was met with a steady, appraising gaze.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Sir Crosby-Denedor, commander of Alnwick,” Denedor answered evenly.

“Be gone. This conversation is between Coleby and myself.”

It was a snappish command.  Denedor looked at Keats, who shook his head at him.

“He stays,” Keats told Jax. “He is the commander of Alnwick and as such is privy to any information we discuss, including my daughter.”

Jax lifted a dark eyebrow. “He is not involved in anything that has to do with Kellington. That is between the two of us.”

Keats was about to tell him just how deeply Denedor was involved but he refrained. He knew that de Velt would not accept that news calmly and he did not want to provoke Denedor’s death needlessly.

“He stays,” Keats repeated. “As for my daughter, you may not have her. I would suggest you take your army and return to wherever you came from.”

“I am not leaving without her.”

Keats’ lips twisted. “De Velt, understand that the only way Kellington will go with you is if I am dead. And I do not intend to die for a long time.  You are not a worthy husband for her. I do not know how much plainer I can make this.”

Jax’s two-colored eyes glimmered strangely.  He turned to Atreus, still astride his big charger.  Atreus, seeing that Jax was at the end of his attempt at negotiating, flipped up his visor and slid off his charger.  Since he had insisted on negotiations, it was now his turn to shine. And he’d better to a damn good job of it.

“What will it take for you to return the lady to de Velt?” he asked as he approached Keats. “Surely there is a compromise we can reach.”

Keats did not know Atreus; he had never seen him before and therefore had no idea who he was. All he knew was that if was with de Velt, then the man was a killer.

“There is no compromise to be reached,” Keats said shortly.

“Ah, but there is,” Atreus removed his gloves. “There is always a compromise. My lord de Velt is willing to negotiate terms. What is it that you want in return for the lady? Do you wish Pelinom returned? He will give it, and gladly, if you turn the lady over to him.”

Keats tried hard not to look shocked.  He wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

“Pelinom?” he repeated dumbly.

“Aye,” Atreus was a smooth talker; he could see that the man was morbidly interested. “My lord de Velt will return your castle and all of your wealth.  He will even restore what servants he can.  Would you take that in return for your daughter?”

Keats’ surprise turned into outrage. “She is not a prize mare to be bartered for,” he snapped.  “I will not turn her over.”

“Then you will die.”

Jax had said it, standing a few feet away. His two-colored eyes were riveted to Keats as all heads turned to him. He walked upon Keats, towering over the man by over a head. They all sensed that the time for compromise was quickly growing to a close.

“Give her back to me or I will raze Alnwick and all within her,” Jax growled. “I am at an end negotiating. Know that your stubbornness has caused the deaths of hundreds of people you just as easily could save. Is your daughter’s life worth all that?”

Keats was back to feeling fearful and angry. “Ask yourself the same question,” he shot back softly, “for you are about to make the same choice. Is my daughter worth killing all of these people for?”

Jax nodded, very slowly, very firmly. “She is.”

“Then my answer is the same to you.”

“Wait,” Denedor spoke up, seeing that the situation was quickly deteriorating. “You came to negotiate, de Velt. Allow me to do so.”

Jax lifted an eyebrow. “Speak, then.”

Denedor’s pale blue eyes were like ice. “I have a counter offer,” he said, waiting the appropriate amount of time before delivering it. “Do you wish to see the lady?”

Jax was slightly off guard with the question but answered. “I do.”

“I can make it so.”

Jax sensed there was more to it than that; nothing in his life was that simple. “At what cost?”

“That your army leaves after you have seen her and never returns.”

Jax was not pleased in the least by the terms. “Who are you to dictate such terms to me?”

Keats cast Denedor a side-long glance, silently imploring the man not to tell him the truth. But Denedor wasn’t listening.

“I am a man of value and worth,” he said pointedly. “Worthy enough to be the lady’s husband. Considering her father and I have agreed to a betrothal, I believe I am being most generous in my offer. I will allow you to see my betrothed, even speak with her, but you must pull your army out without a sword being drawn.”

Jax just stared at him, digesting his words. Keats stood by, coiled, waiting for the man to strike.  Even Atreus was tense, waiting for the explosion to come.  Especially Atreus; he knew how unpredictable Jax could be.  He knew that this could not end well and he braced himself.

But he was vastly surprised when Jax, very slowly, nodded his head. He did not even make reference to the betrothal, even more surprising. But it made Atreus distrust him all the more. He knew the man would not take this news lying down but could not figure out what, exactly, he was planning.

“As you say,” Jax agreed evenly. “Bring me the lady so that I might see her and I will withdraw my army.”

“I would have your oath as a knight first.”

“And I give it.”

Denedor’s problem was that he trusted knights. He believed them all to be men of their word. As he turned back for the open gates, he did not see Atreus cast a long look at Jax, who refused to look at him. He did not see Keats hang his head in sorrow. All he could think of was allowing Kellington a few moments with de Velt so that the man would leave them alone. Perhaps it was a foolish belief and deep down, he really didn’t think that Kellington would let de Velt go so easily. He fully expected tears, screams and all things similar.  Moreover, he didn’t really think that de Velt would leave as simply as all that.  But in lieu of a full-blown siege, he was willing to try something that could be potentially painful for the lady.  But it would only work if de Velt stuck to his word.

Jax stood tall and silent as he await Denedor’s return. Keats was several feet away, staring at the ground, as Atreus casually moved to Jax. He stood next to him but faced away from the castle. He did not want Keats to overhear him.

“What are you doing?” he whispered.

Jax did not change expression. “Waiting for Kellington.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. Tell me what you have planned so that I might at least be prepared.”

Jax shifted on his enormous legs. “I have nothing planned other than that which will naturally take place,” he said quietly. “Let Kellington see me and we will see if her father does not change his mind.  I have seen her when she becomes irate; Keats will not be able to deny her.”

“Your whole plan hinges on this?”

“It does. I know I am right.”

It seemed simple enough but Atreus was still dubious. Puffing out his cheeks, he exhaled sharply and resumed his post over near the chargers.  He, too, would wait and see.  He wondered what would happen if the lady did not react as Jax anticipated.  Or if her father did not react as Jax anticipated. There were too many variables in the mix and he was on his guard.

What he did not expect was the expression on Jax’s face when Kellington emerged through the cracked main gates. With her long braids and delicious blue dress, she looked like an angel.  Jax looked as if he was about to collapse. Denedor had her by the arm as he led her out, but the moment she saw Jax, her face crumpled into tears and she yanked herself harshly from Denedor’s grasp.  As she raced for Jax, Keats managed to get a hold of her arm but Kellington pulled hard, so hard that she lost her balance and went stumbling with the momentum. Jax was there to catch her, and he swept her possessively into his arms. It all happened in a split second and suddenly, they were together. He had her now and he would never let her go again.

Kellington threw her arms around his neck, holding him tightly enough to strangle him. She wept loudly into his shoulder, her tears falling upon the mail and armor that protected him. He took a step back, away from Denedor and Keats as they advanced. With a pointed look at Atreus, the man understood the silent command and unsheathed his broadsword, leveling it at the two knights.

“Come no further,” he ordered firmly. “De Velt has what he came for.  He will leave you now in peace.”

“Nay!” Keats roared. “He cannot have her!”

“But he does,” Atreus said evenly. “Turn back for the fortress and we will leave without incident.  Pursue this and we will have no choice but to destroy you.”

“Nay,” Kellington’s head came up, her face wet with tears. She looked at Jax, an almost panicked look on her face. “You will not harm these people, Jax. They are only trying to protect me.”

Jax looked at her, so glad to have her in his arms that he could hardly think straight. He kissed her, eagerly, his raised visor bumping her forehead. She seemed not to care or notice as she returned his tender kisses.

“Let me take you back to the wagons,” he said. “We will speak of….”

She shook her head. “No, Jax,” she insisted softly. “You will leave Alnwick alone. Please. I am asking you to.”

Jax looked at her, knowing what he had promised his men. They were expecting Alnwick. He couldn’t lie to his men; if he did, their loyalty to him would be at an end. But if he did not, he suspected Kellington would take great issue with him. A new, more dangerous kind of turmoil began to breed in his chest.

“Kelli,” he said quietly. “My decisions with my army are my own. Although I respect your request, you must let me do as I must.”

She stared at him. “But I have asked you not to raze Alnwick. These people have been kind to me. It was not their fault that my father brought me here. I forbid you to attack this castle.”

His expression flickered. “You do not make demands.”

“I am not demanding. I am telling you not to do this. Will you honor my wishes?”

He sighed, not wanting to get into a battle with her when he had only just gotten her back. He wanted to kiss her until she swooned, then make love to her until she fainted. He wanted her so badly that his entire body ached for her. But there was an obstacle arising that could ruin everything.

He looked away, turning around and making way towards his charger. Kellington released her grip on his neck and pushed herself from his arms. He tried to reclaim her, but she moved away from him.

“You cannot punish these people,” she said in a low voice. “They have done nothing wrong other than offer me shelter. Why would you punish them for this?”

He put his hands on his hips, massive fists that rested against the armor. “I will ask you a question, then,” he fired back quietly. “Tell me of this Denedor and how he came to be your betrothed.”

She looked at him as if he was speaking of something highly inconsequential. “My father promised him my hand to put me out of your reach,” she waved him off. “It means nothing. I would not have permitted it.”

Jax cast a long glance at Denedor, still being held at bay by Atreus’ sword. “He called you his wife.”

“I am not his wife. I will be yours.”

“He has not touched you?”

“Not at all. Do you really think I would allow such a thing? Have you so little faith in me?”

He turned back to her, his heart softening at the sight of her. “Of course I have faith in you,” he said quietly. “But I’ve not seen you in days. Why are we at odds right now?”