The Robber Knight's Love

61. To Ride over Ashes and Meadows

He didn't reply. He had bent over the saddle to pick something from the ground. When he resurfaced, he held a little daisy in his hand that had grown on one of the heaps of ash.

"There, you see?" he said, holding out the flower to her. "Rebuilding efforts have already begun."

She took the tiny thing from him, stroking he petals with her fingertips. Suddenly, her throat was too tight for words. How could this be the same man who ripped his enemies to bloody shreds and traveled the land looting and pillaging?

Reuben leaned towards her. Taking her hand in his, he brought it up and gently pressed his lips on it. From under long, dark lashes, he sought and caught her gaze.

"My love for you blooms and grows a thousand times more quickly than the most beautiful flower, Milady."

Ayla, her heart hammering with fearful joy, was just trying to come up with something to say to that, when from behind her, she heard snickering. When she and Reuben turned, all the guards in their escort stood as straight as the Luntberg castle towers, desperately trying to keep their faces empty.

"Who was that," Reuben asked in a deceptively soft tone. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword, the weapon half-drawn.

"What?" Ayla asked, and lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't hear anything."

The men tried not to let their relief show. Reuben slammed his sword back into its sheath.

"Well, I did," he proclaimed. "And it'll better not happen again."

"Oh, stop acting so grumpy." Turning forward again, Ayla stroked her lovely little flower. "You'll scare all the birds off."

"First I have to become her vassal, now she won't even let me discipline my own men!" Reuben complained to the world. "This is what comes of trying to remember those cursed rule of chivalry!" He turned back to Ayla, that devilish grin on his face she loved so much. "I should just tie you to a tree and get on with it!"

Ayla gulped.

Why does he want to tie me to a tree? And "get on with"? What exactly is he wants to get on with?

"I like it when you're trying to be chivalrous. It's very sweet."

Reuben scowled.

"What if I don't what to be sweet?"

"Too bad." She grinned up at him. "Besides, that's not the only reason I like it. It's nice to see you struggle with something for a change."

"Is that so?" His gray eyes sparkled. "Well, be careful what you say. I just might take you to the archery range one day, to see you struggle with something."

Ayla looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Me? Handling a bow? Are you out of your mind?"

"Very well then," he whispered, leaning closer. His hand traveled up her arm, caressing her skin through the light fabric of her dress. "If I want to watch you struggle, we can skip the archery range and go straight to your bedchamber."

Ayla leaned back and smacked his hand away.

"I notice," she said tartly, "that you've stopped being chivalrous."

"So?" Reuben asked, not in the least embarrassed. "Are we going?"

Rather than answer, Ayla turned her back on him to conceal her blush. She faced her soldiers. They had now reached the middle of the former village. It was time to do what they had come to do.

"You eight over there," she commanded, pointing to one of the two columns that had followed them. "Split up into pairs and search the village in each direction. See if there are any mercenaries still hiding here, and if there's anything in the way of building material that can be re-used."

They bowed. With a resounding "Yes, Milady!" they hurried off, considerably more quickly than they had, last time she had given them an order.

"You have saved your people from certain doom," Reuben commented. "And they love and respect you all the more for it."

"Maybe." A small smile tugged at Ayla's lips. "Or it may be that they're afraid you'd tan their hides if they don't do what they're told right away."

"Well, yes, that might be part of it."

"Modesty, Sir Reuben? Are you getting chivalrous again?"

"Only for you, Milady."

"I am honored, Sir Knight."

It wasn't long before the soldiers returned. Their report was as had to be expected.

"There's really nothing left, Milady," one of the men said, after they had compared their findings. "They burned this place good and proper. Even the pig's stalls are gone. We'll have to rebuild from the ground up."

Ayla sighed.

"Well, we knew that's how it would be, didn't we? We'll just have to start rebuilding soon, and put a lot of effort in it."

When Reuben said nothing, she looked sideways at him. He normally wasn't very shy about airing his opinions, to put it mildly. She found him frowning, and looking into the distance with an unusually thoughtful expression in his gray eyes.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't think so. But if you want my opinion... Hold off on the rebuilding for a few days yet. I want to re-check the area. The mercenary army is gone, but we should still be careful."

Ayla found the request a bit odd, after all, he had already double-checked the countryside around Luntberg, but conceded.

"All right. We need to see what materials we can salvage from the soldier's camp first anyway, and ask the village people about where exactly their houses stood, and who is most anxious to start rebuilding. I guess the smith at least should remain in Luntberg Castle for a while. We'll need him for repairing all the damaged weapons."

"Yes," Reuben confirmed, still looking into the distance. "We definitely need him to repair the weapons."

Only later did Ayla realize what a strange tone he had said this in.

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Greetings, Milords and Ladies!

In spite of the idyllic atmosphere, Sir Reuben suspects something is brewing, eh? What do you think will happen? ;-)

By the way, for those of you who haven't heard yet, I am preparing a special easter surprise! :)

(scribbling away busily) Your medieval scribe,

Sir Rob