You’re lucky to be alive. In fact, you’re the only one I’ve ever seen survive it. Someone must have been looking down on you.”
At her words, Gwen knew that she was right, and she immediately thought of her father. The sun streaked into the windows, stronger, and she felt her father’s presence with them. He had wanted Godfrey to live.
“It serves you right,” Gwen said with a smile. “You had promised to forsake ale. Now look at what happened.”
He turned and smiled at her, and she saw the life back in his cheeks, and she felt flooded with relief. Godfrey was back.
“You saved my life,” he said to her, earnestly.
He turned to Illepra.
“Both of you did,” he added. “I don’t know how I shall ever repay you.”
As he looked at Illepra Gwen noticed something—it was something in his look, something more than gratitude. She turned and looked at Illepra, and noticed her blushing, looking down to the floor—and Gwen realized that they liked each other.
Illepra quickly turned and crossed the room, turning her back to them, busying herself with a potion.
Godfrey looked back to Gwen.
“Gareth?” he asked, suddenly solemn.
Gwen nodded back, understanding what he was asking.
“You’re lucky you’re not dead,” she said. “Firth is.”
“Firth?” Godfrey’s voice rose in surprise. “Dead? But how?”
“He hung him from the gallows,” she said. “You were supposed to be next.”
“And you?” Godfrey asked.
Gwen shrugged.
“He has plans to marry me off. He sold me to the Nevaruns. Apparently they’re on their way to take me away.”
Godfrey sat up, outraged.
“I shall never allow it!” he exclaimed.
“Neither shall I,” she answered. “I will find a way.”
“But without Firth, we have no evidence,” he said. “We have no way to bring him down. Gareth will be free.”
“We will find a way,” she responded. “We will find—”
Suddenly the cottage filled with light as the door opened and in marched Akorth and Fulton.
“My lady—” Akorth began, then turned at the site of Godfrey.
“You son of a bitch!” Akorth cried out in joy to Godfrey. “I knew it! You cheated just about everything in life—I knew you’d cheat death, too!”
“I knew no mug of ale would take you to your grave!” Fulton added.
Akorth and Fulton ran over, and as Godfrey jumped up from bed, and they all embraced.
Then Akorth turned to Gwen, serious.
“My lady, I’m sorry to disturb you, but we spotted a contingent of soldiers on the horizon. They are rushing for us even now.”
Gwen looked at him with alarm, then ran outside, all of them on her heels, ducking her head, and squinting in the strong sunlight.
The group stood outside, and Gwen looked out at the horizon and watched a small group of Silver riding for the cottage. A half dozen men charged at full speed, and there was no doubt they were racing for them.
Godfrey reached down to draw his sword, but Gwen lay a reassuring hand on his wrist.
“These are not Gareth’s men—they are Kendrick’s. I am sure they come in peace.”
The soldiers reached them and without pausing dismounted from their horses and knelt before Gwendolyn.
“My lady,” the lead soldier said. “We bring you great news. We have pushed back the McClouds! Your brother Kendrick is safe, and he has asked me to send you a message: Thor is well.”
Gwen burst into tears at the news, overwhelmed with gratitude and relief, stepping forward and embracing Godfrey, who embraced her back. She felt as if her life had been restored within her.
“They shall all return today,” the messenger continued, “and there will be a great celebration in King’s Court!”
“Great news indeed!” Gwen exclaimed.
“My lady,” came another, deep voice, and Gwen looked over to see a lord, a renowned warrior, Srog, dressed in the distinctive red of the west, a man she had known since youth. He had been close to her father. He knelt before her, and she felt
At her words, Gwen knew that she was right, and she immediately thought of her father. The sun streaked into the windows, stronger, and she felt her father’s presence with them. He had wanted Godfrey to live.
“It serves you right,” Gwen said with a smile. “You had promised to forsake ale. Now look at what happened.”
He turned and smiled at her, and she saw the life back in his cheeks, and she felt flooded with relief. Godfrey was back.
“You saved my life,” he said to her, earnestly.
He turned to Illepra.
“Both of you did,” he added. “I don’t know how I shall ever repay you.”
As he looked at Illepra Gwen noticed something—it was something in his look, something more than gratitude. She turned and looked at Illepra, and noticed her blushing, looking down to the floor—and Gwen realized that they liked each other.
Illepra quickly turned and crossed the room, turning her back to them, busying herself with a potion.
Godfrey looked back to Gwen.
“Gareth?” he asked, suddenly solemn.
Gwen nodded back, understanding what he was asking.
“You’re lucky you’re not dead,” she said. “Firth is.”
“Firth?” Godfrey’s voice rose in surprise. “Dead? But how?”
“He hung him from the gallows,” she said. “You were supposed to be next.”
“And you?” Godfrey asked.
Gwen shrugged.
“He has plans to marry me off. He sold me to the Nevaruns. Apparently they’re on their way to take me away.”
Godfrey sat up, outraged.
“I shall never allow it!” he exclaimed.
“Neither shall I,” she answered. “I will find a way.”
“But without Firth, we have no evidence,” he said. “We have no way to bring him down. Gareth will be free.”
“We will find a way,” she responded. “We will find—”
Suddenly the cottage filled with light as the door opened and in marched Akorth and Fulton.
“My lady—” Akorth began, then turned at the site of Godfrey.
“You son of a bitch!” Akorth cried out in joy to Godfrey. “I knew it! You cheated just about everything in life—I knew you’d cheat death, too!”
“I knew no mug of ale would take you to your grave!” Fulton added.
Akorth and Fulton ran over, and as Godfrey jumped up from bed, and they all embraced.
Then Akorth turned to Gwen, serious.
“My lady, I’m sorry to disturb you, but we spotted a contingent of soldiers on the horizon. They are rushing for us even now.”
Gwen looked at him with alarm, then ran outside, all of them on her heels, ducking her head, and squinting in the strong sunlight.
The group stood outside, and Gwen looked out at the horizon and watched a small group of Silver riding for the cottage. A half dozen men charged at full speed, and there was no doubt they were racing for them.
Godfrey reached down to draw his sword, but Gwen lay a reassuring hand on his wrist.
“These are not Gareth’s men—they are Kendrick’s. I am sure they come in peace.”
The soldiers reached them and without pausing dismounted from their horses and knelt before Gwendolyn.
“My lady,” the lead soldier said. “We bring you great news. We have pushed back the McClouds! Your brother Kendrick is safe, and he has asked me to send you a message: Thor is well.”
Gwen burst into tears at the news, overwhelmed with gratitude and relief, stepping forward and embracing Godfrey, who embraced her back. She felt as if her life had been restored within her.
“They shall all return today,” the messenger continued, “and there will be a great celebration in King’s Court!”
“Great news indeed!” Gwen exclaimed.
“My lady,” came another, deep voice, and Gwen looked over to see a lord, a renowned warrior, Srog, dressed in the distinctive red of the west, a man she had known since youth. He had been close to her father. He knelt before her, and she felt
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