The Crusader's Crown (Tales of the Brotherhood Series Book 1) by James Mercer (ink ebook reader txt) 📗

girl. He had felt no remorse, no guilt. He had no idea what Selva had endured these last seven years, but deep down believed that such cruelty by the coward before him probably deserved the verdict of a quick execution.

  He could now see the coward loading his goods into a wagon with the help of his two men. Selva was over by the half empty stall packing other merchandise into wicker baskets. Creeping forward ever so slightly to avoid exposure from the moon, Robert crouched and waited.

  He looked along the edges of the other walls surrounding the stall but could not see Jimmy and Cherik anywhere. Jürgen however was visible, stooped behind a barrel, his pickaxe at the ready.

  Robert’s eyes drifted back to the flurry of activity. He could see her beautiful face, lit up by the moonlight. He remembered such a night back in Zara, when he had watched her standing on her balcony in the early evening.

  But when she turned her head his blood started to boil again as he saw the marks of abuse upon her. The merchant then could not have picked a worse moment. The cart was almost full, when he stormed over to her and struck her across the face. A thundering rage coursed through Robert. Honour was a thing that would be overlooked this night and leaving the shadows he moved fast drawing his Brotherhood dagger.

  The merchant spun round as he heard the crunching sound of footsteps. Approaching him was a man in black with a scarf across his face. Seeing the blade in his assailant’s hand he was about to shout for help when the hooded attacker punched him in the gut, driving the wind from him and rendering him speechless.

  The thud from the merchant, as he dropped to his knees and the quick intake of breath from Selva caused the other two men to look up. Before they could react Jimmy had pounced from the shadows, clamped his hand over one of the men’s mouths and slit his throat with a knife. The second was then lifted off his feet as a pickaxe thumped into his chest, driving him backwards.

  So as not to alarm Selva further, Robert pulled back his hood and revealed his face. She shook in stunned silence as she recognised her rescuer. A groan came from the body on the floor and her husband managed to push himself up and looked at Robert.

   “You!” he wheezed.

  Robert knelt down, until they were eye level.

   “I told you not to strike her again,” he muttered.

  Without another word, he gripped the man’s scalp and rapidly drove his dagger under his chin into the skull. The merchant gurgled for a moment until blood dribbled from his mouth. His eyes were so wide they looked as though they were going to explode.

  Selva whimpered in fear as Robert wiped the blood from his fingers on the dead man’s shirt and then rose to his feet. He walked a few steps over toward her, pulled his hood back over his head and held out his hand. Wrapping a shawl over her own head she slowly took it.

   “You know what to do but be quick and keep an eye out for the watch,” he whispered to the other three.

  Leaving them behind to strip the merchant, his men and his wagon of anything of value, Robert led Selva down streets and alleys toward the walls of the city.

   “Where are we going?” she asked.

   “Somewhere safe.”

  They were the only words said on their journey back to the Army’s camp. He started to worry. Had she forgotten his name? Had he gone too far, killing her husband … or maybe she was just relieved to be rid of the foul creature but had no feelings for Robert? Time would tell.

*****

The three comrades returned an hour or so after Robert and Selva. Each carried a sack laden with goods. Dawn was approaching but the three of them looked alive with excitement.

   “So. Where is she?” asked Jimmy.

   “Sleeping. I gave her our tent. I’m sorry, but if you want to kip then it’s outside or with the other lads.”

  After such an experience Robert was surprised and somewhat impressed that the newly widowed maiden was able to sleep so soon after the bloody events that had happened only hours before.

  Jimmy was about to object when Cherik spoke up.

   “For all this, I think that’s a fair trade Jim. So Rob. Want to have a look at your share of the pickings?”

   “Nay. I want none of it. Nothing from that fat whore’s son.”

   “Apart from his wife of course.”

  Robert’s glare looked as though his eyes were on fire and would burn a hole straight through Jimmy. Seething he continued, ignoring his friend’s comment.

   “All I ask is you keep the goods out of her sight. I don’t want her to see pieces that will remind her of him.”

   “Did she say much?” asked Jimmy timidly.

  He knew his last joke had backfired and was trying to make amends.

   “Nothing. We got back to the camp, I showed her to the tent and told her to rest. When I went back to check on her she was already asleep. I’ll speak with her later.”

  Robert left the three accomplices to stash their loot after asking them to keep a look out while he ran an errand. As he walked through the camp, he mulled over the events of the previous night. He felt no guilt, no regret. He had killed a man in cold blood and almost enjoyed watching him die. He reminded himself, that he may be the illegitimate son who was now an anointed knight and an honourable member of the