The Lady Knight

Chapter XLII: Conflicts and Confrontations

There were sounds of scuffling inside, but before long, I heard Diego's voice. "Come in!" it was disturbingly familiar.

Where had I heard that cold, solemn voice before?

The doors swung open, and Master Cross gestured at me to walk inside, subtly waving away the guards around me. Breathing a sigh of relief as I felt the hilts removed from my back, I lifted my shoulders up and down to remove the stiffness in them, taking my own time to do so, much to the clear irritation of Master Cross.

"We do not have all day, wench," he glared at me.

"Pardon me, good man, but you have forced me to ride for almost two days without food or rest," I smiled dangerously sweetly, "I find myself quite stiff." I made a great show of flexing my fingers, and shaking my legs, before the amusement wore off.

Sighing, I stepped into the chamber, hearing the door being shut behind me, bracing myself to meet this Diego who had plagued the country in secrecy for the last ten years.

My eyes fell on instinct on the couple who were perched intimately on the bench at the far end of the room.

It was hard to miss them. In a room painted in cream, they were both wearing black, standing out most oddly. The moment I gazed upon their familiar countenances, I felt as if lightning had struck me there and then. I had to blink, I had to calm my suddenly rapid breathing rate, I had to pinch myself to make sure that I was not dreaming.

Because there was no way in hell this could be true...

"Lady Knight," the couple stood up together with cool smiles gracing their faces, "a pleasure to make your acquaintance after such a long time."

"But of course, you are not meeting me for the first time, are you, Jules?" the woman let out an evil cackle of laughter, quite a contrast to the timid, tragic mask she had been wearing in my presence for almost ten years now.

I could only look at her and think: I had trusted her. I had given her my friendship, I had helped her when she was in trouble, I had trusted her with Richard and she had betrayed me, let me down most dreadfully.

For the woman was none other than the Lady Jacqueline of Limoges. The woman whom I had believed helpless. The woman whom I had believed deserved my friendship, my goodwill for the strength she displayed after her husband's supposed death. The woman who had been weary and fearful of her existence. The woman who had sworn she would protect Richard with her life.

Damn her. She had most likely been plotting behind my back this whole time.

The slightly grey-haired man standing next to her was also familiar, and the last time I had seen him was in his youth. For a man who should have had been rotting in his grave six feet under the ground at this very moment, his face was still the same as ever, glowing with health and happiness he did not exhibit ten years ago.

James.

I had been shocked when I had initially found out that Richard was alive. I had been shocked when I had discovered those letters to Lucas. I had been shocked when I had discovered the string of murders committed by these scoundrels.

But to find this man alive? There was no shock. I felt accursed.

I wished I never did. Not after knowing how many misconceptions, lies, tears and pain he had been responsible for with his supposed death ten years ago, and for the countless deaths after that.

At that moment, all I could think of was only one thing: Jackie had betrayed me. James had pretended to die, and had wreaked so much havoc on so many lives, including my own.