Redemption - M J Marlow (good book recommendations .TXT) 📗

safe.”
Marit opened her eyes and found herself looking into the eyes of one of her personal guards. She sat up slowly, helped by a nun she had not noticed and found that the other three men from her personal guard were waiting by the door of the chamber she was in. She was shaking with cold now, and her mind felt like it was disconnected from her body. Her senses were becoming hyper alert and she knew it was part of what Tavin had done to her. She struggled to fight the changes she could feel happening in her body but could only ease the pain and fever.
“Your father thought it wise,” Edmund told her as he held out a cloak for the nun to help her into, “if some of us augmented prince Justin’s search for you.”
“I am most fortunate that he did,” Marit nodded. “My uncle and cousin were taking me by force to Stormkeep.” She accepted the cup of wine from the nun and sipped at it. She rubbed at the place on her arm that had been bitten, absently. “Has prince Justin been found?”
“He and his companions will join us shortly,” Lorenz told her as he looked out the door briefly. He looked at Marit seriously, noting how shaky and pale she was. “We are in for some hard riding, princess…”
“I will do my best not to hold you back,” Marit broke in. She finished the wine and nodded her thanks to the nun. “Your attitude tells me we must hurry. Shall we go?”
The men nodded and fell in around her as they made their way out into the corridor. The Abbott was waiting for them at the end of the walkway that connected the Abbey with the convent. He bowed to Marit and handed her a package. She opened it to find herself looking down at a necklace of silver. A medallion bearing the emblem of her father’s house, a phoenix etched into the metal and filled with rubies, surrounded by emeralds and diamonds, sparkled in the sunlight. The Abbott picked it up and lowered it over her head.
“A welcoming present from your great uncle,” he smiled down at her fondly. “Tell my nephew, your father,” he continued, “that I expect to be attending your wedding.”
“It is a beautiful gift, Uncle,” Marit smiled. “Is it considered proper for a great niece to kiss her father’s uncle? I don’t care,” she said as she went up on tiptoe and kissed her great-uncle on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“A message arrived here a few moments ago,” the Abbott choked out, struggling not to blush. He was addressing Edmund. “The hunters were just approaching the village of Lower Arnot.”
“Then we must leave now,” Edmund nodded. He bowed to the Abbott. “We thank you once again for your hospitality, lord Abbott.” He held his hand out to Marit. “If you will, Princess.”
Marit nodded and left with her escort, catching their urgency. She was helped onto a waiting mare and waited as the young men mounted. Then they rode south as quickly as their mounts could carry them. Marit smiled as the miles passed. She was safe now from her uncle’s plans, from Barnabas’s plans, from Alexander’s plans, and she would soon be with Justin again. They stopped to rest their horses and themselves at a farmstead and Marit found herself thinking about the village. She was looking back along the road when she saw a mounted party coming towards them.
“We have company,” Teodor spoke up as he turned from the well with a scoop of water to his lips. “Four men,” he said as he put the scoop back in the bucket and put his hand to his weapon. “Riding hard.”
Marit went into the farmhouse with the farmer and his wife and children. She heard the other men arriving and the murmur of voices. As long moments passed, and there were no sounds of violence, she decided it was safe for her to leave. The farmer watched her as she started towards the door and shook his head. He was standing by the window, listening. He pointed her to a chair and she sat down. She had no reason to believe he would lie to her. She was growing increasingly worried as time continued to pass.
“I am told,” Justin said as he stepped into the house, smiling, “that my future bride is in here.”
“Justin!” Marit cried in delight and took a step towards him. She saw his smile and then the brief shake of his head and she bit her lip. She grew quiet. “That would be correct,” she said, “if you are prince Justin of Northfell.” He held his arm out to her and she laid her hand on it correctly. “You are well?”
“A few bruises only, my lady,” Justin replied. He took a sack of coins off of his belt and handed it to the farmer. “In gratitude for caring for the princess,” he told the astonished man. “If you will, Princess.”
He led Marit to her horse and helped her mount. They were on the road again, their escort now seven. Justin had caught up with his cousin, Henryk, and his man on his way south. Edmund and the others had headed towards Stormkeep and taken out the ferry. They had ridden quite hard, Marit noted, to join up with them here. They lessened their speed only slightly as they continued on their way back to her father’s castle. Two days passed, without incident. They were within sight of the castle itself when they saw their first obstacle. An army was camped across the river from the castle.
“That is lord Atherton’s emblem,” Marit stated as she noted the mark on the banners. She turned to the men and they were looking at her oddly. “It is the same as the one that was flying at his fortress.” They still looked at her strangely. “I have very good eyesight.”
“Your maternal gifts have been unlocked,” Justin frowned. His expression was far colder than Marit found comfortable. “This alters things, my lady. I leave you to see her safely home,” he told Edmund and the others. “I must go to my sire.”
“I don’t understand,” Marit cried as she watched Justin ride off with his cousin and Bernard. “Have I done something wrong?”
“Only in his small mind,” Edmund assured her. “We know that you did not allow yourself to be dishonored by your cousin.” He saw her confused look. “There are only two ways your maternal line abilities could be set loose, Princess,” he explained it to her. “You allowed yourself to lie with prince Tavin,” he saw her shocked look and nodded, “or he blooded you.”
“The bite?” Marit asked, biting back her anger. “That was why Tavin bit me, wasn’t it?”
“King Marius knew,” Martyn spoke up into the silence, “that the lord of Northfell was leery of accepting you for his heir; fearing that the ‘taint’ of Stormkeep blood would mark his bloodline should there be children.” His expression was dark with anger. “The men of Northfell are small-minded and short-sighted.”
“I could lose Justin over a bite?” Marit asked her men. They could not meet her eyes and she was angry. “Tavin knew this would happen, didn’t he? He and his hateful sire planned for this to happen!” She looked back at the army and stayed silent. “We have other matters to deal with now,” she finally nodded. “How do we get past Atherton’s men?”
Lorenz smiled and turned his horse north along the ridge. She followed him, leaving the other three to fall in behind. They rose into the forests and came to the mountainside. An immense waterfall dumped its waters down into the river at this point. Lorenz led them into it and continued riding along the tunnel beyond. An immense iron door cut them off and he pulled out a key. Once they were through, he locked the door and they continued on. Four more doors at least an hour apart, with increasing sign of guard, finally let them out into the dungeons of her father’s castle. Lorenz took Marit upstairs, leaving the others to see to their horses.
“Daughter,” Marius smiled in relief as she found him in his study. “We are relieved to see you well.” He nodded towards someone sitting in the corner of the room. “We have just been having a very interesting conversation with the Emperor Alexander.”
“Indeed?” Marit asked as she moved to her father’s side and held his hand. “And what lies has the Emperor been telling you?” She glared at Alexander. “Did he tell you that he laid hands on me in a most improper fashion?” Marit asked, her father’s hand tightening on hers in anger. “I was unable to refuse.”
“I will submit to whatever punishment you choose my lady,” Alexander said, and Marit felt even more confused. He actually meant it. He turned to her father. “I was quite annoyed to hear that you were giving her to Northfell, Marius. I was under the impression that you had agreed to my offer of alliance and were giving her to me.”
“Father?” Marit sputtered in anger as she looked from her father to Alexander. “You promised me to him first?” She moved away from her father, shaking her head. “Is that all I am to you, a bargaining chip?” She slapped her father across the face. “You should have left me in the village.”
She left the study and ran up the stairs to her chambers. Marius watched her go, stunned at the anger he had felt from her. Alexander was astounded. He had never thought to see the day when anyone would get to Marius like that. He bowed his head and went out to the courtyard where Barnabas and his brother were speaking. The castle steward, Kedys, was directing the servants in unloading supplies that had just arrived.
“The princess is becoming more and more desirable by the moment,” Barnabas said as his brother nodded. “I have been told that Northfell may remove his heir from consideration as her consort. That means we may have a chance at her father’s holdings without force.” He looked up and saw the princess watching him from the walkway along the parapet. Her expression told him that she had heard his words and she was not at all pleased. He waited until he saw her move away. “Go ahead with the plans for weakening the castle guard.”
“You would move against the Emperor, brother?” Kedys asked as he saw Alexander speaking to the prince Rafel in the doors into the Great Hall.
“He won’t care,” Barnabas laughed. “What’s one princess, more or less, to a man like the Emperor when he is so close to having the borderlands?”
“You are planning something, brother.”
“Even Emperors are known to have accidents, brother,” Barnabas replied. His eyes narrowed as he watched the princes walking away. “I have waited too long for this to let the Emperor just drop into my place at the last moment.”
Marit entered her rooms and sank down on the lounge, shaking in anger. Alexander was obviously an extremely accomplished liar. So where was the truth in him? Was he the victim of lies, or a man who could twist and turn the truth as needed to get what he wanted? She had the very uneasy sense that until she knew the truth, life around that man would be very uncomfortable. She set aside thoughts of Alexander, and turned her thoughts to the man she feared would be the more immediate threat.
“Lorenz,” she said to the young lord who was seated near Celia, admiring the woman. He looked up and waited. “How well do you know the lord Atherton?”
“As well as anyone ever has, my lady,” Lorenz told her. “He