The Fallen One by Kathryn Le Veque

“This is the Lady Cathlina de Lara,” he
said. “It ‘twas her and her sister that we did a good turn for yesterday. Lady
Cathlina has come bearing gifts to thank us.”
    “Good turn?” Justus was still confused.
“What do you mean?”
    Mathias had a half-grin on his face, his
eyes on Cathlina as he spoke. “The lady’s sister was nearly abducted
yesterday,” he said, trying not to be thankful for such an event but it was the
reason that had introduced him to the lovely young woman. “Sebastian put their
accoster in the stocks back behind the stall.”
    Justus was aware of that particular
circumstance. “The animal with one eye who will not speak?”
    “The same.”
    “He was still there last I saw.”
    “He will be there for a few days or until
Sebastian has had his fun with him and decides to let him go.” He set his
leather apron down and pulled a leather vest off a nail. “I will be gone for a
few hours, Father. I must escort Lady Cathlina home.”
    Justus’ gaze was still lingering on
Cathlina, thinking on the events of yesterday as Sebastian had told them. He
and Mathias had all but swooped out of the sky like avenging angels.   Mathias was a bit more modest, but in looking
at the beauty of the lady before him, he began to suspect that one or more
smitten sons was on the horizon. It would be hard to look at all of that beauty
and not be bewitched by it.   That spelled
trouble.
    “I am sure she has her own escort,” Justus
said. “Your presence is needed here. With the tournament beginning tomorrow, we
have more business than we can handle. I cannot lose you, even for a few
hours.”
    Mathias put the leather vest on over his
rough tunic, securing the fastens that held it snug to his body. It was, in
truth, a measure of protection against sharp objects, like swords or daggers,
because the leather was heavily woven and fit his enormous torso like a glove;
tight against his broad chest and snug against his slender waist.   Since he was disallowed armor, the vest was
the next best thing.
    “I will not be gone long,” he assured his
father. “And Lady Cathlina has no escort. She bravely rode here alone but I
certainly cannot let her return alone.”
    Justus could see the glimmer in Mathias’
eyes when speaking of Lady Cathlina and he knew the man was already infatuated.
It hadn’t taken long at all, but he hardly blamed him.   Still, he had to discourage it quickly.
    “Then I will send Sebastian to escort her,”
he said. “You are needed here.”
    The glimmer vanished from Mathias’ eyes
when he looked at his father. “ Not Sebastian,” he growled, leaving no room for discussion.   In fact, the last time his father heard that
tone, they were in battle. “I will return in a few hours and do not let
Sebastian touch anything in that basket. If he does, I will put him in the stocks.   You will tell him that.”
    Justus sighed heavily, realizing there was
no way to discourage his eldest.   Strangely enough, he was rather glad for the lady’s appearance when it
came to Mathias; the man hadn’t shown so much interest or concern about anything
in well over a year.   The Mathias that
had lumbered around the smithy stall since that dark January day had been
morose and sullen, quiet.   A mere shell
of his former self. But this Mathias was much more like the Mathias of old;
humorous, concerned, and interested in what was going on around him. Aye, the
lady had done that much, at least.   Justus had no choice but to relent.
      “Return
as quickly as you can,” he said, with reluctance. “We shall be working long
into the night as it is.”
    The glimmer was back in Mathias’ eyes. “I
will, I swear it.”
    When Sebastian found out where Mathias was
going, he tried to follow until Mathias slugged the man in the chest so hard
that he fell into a big puddle of horse urine and got covered in the
stuff.  
    As Mathias and Cathlina walked off,
Sebastian vowed to get even.

 
 
    CHAPTER