A Knight To Remember - UNCUT R18

Chapter 25 - UNCUT

“The first time it happened I hid the bruises from Torcall.  But soon they were too numerous and I couldn’t hide them.  In all my time with Torcall he was never as angry as he was that day.  The day he found out that Robert was striking me.  He strapped on his sword without a word, yet his face was dark with hatred.  I knew that he was planning on fighting Robert for my honour.  I couldn’t let him do that.  It would expose us and we would both be forced to face the Lord, me as a fallen women and he as my lover and as an abuser of the Lords hospitality.  We both would be dealt with harshly.  I would be sent home in disgrace and forced into the church and he would have to go before the King causing disgrace to his family name.  We would be apart and would never see each other again.  I couldn’t lose him.”

“So I did the only thing that I could do.   I did the only thing that would soften his temper enough to lay down his sword and not seek retribution.  I cared not for my fate but he would bring disgrace on himself and his family.  I could not let him do this.  I promised him anything to avoid this.  I promised him myself.  I agreed to runaway with him, to elope.”

 “The plan was simple Torcall claimed that he was required to return home.  He saddled his horse and said goodbye to his friends before he left.  A day later with the early morning sun I stole out to the stables, took my horse and joined him.”

“All went well and I met Torcall at with no delays.  We were both excited.  As we rode we made plans for the future and for the first time I felt free to be totally in love with him.    We were riding towards his father’s estates when Percival caught up with us.   Breathless he told us that Charles was found with his throat slashed.  Love letters had been found in my room and the Lord was up in arms in the belief that we had eloped killing Charles in the process.”

“Shocked I told him I had no such letters.  Percival agreed and said that he knew Torcall’s writing and these were not his work but the Lord would not listen to reason.  His second son was dead and his vision was blackened with fury.  He was livid with his grief.”

“Percival then told us how the guard was being rallied.  As soon as they were equipped Robert and Edward would ride out with them in pursuit.  They rode seeking vengeance not justice.  He told us how he had managed to avoid notice as he escaped to warn us.  He urged us to flee and return to Lord Maine, Torcall’s father, for help.”

“We were shaken, we expected trouble when my deception was uncovered, but not this.  We were not murders.  We both knew and respected Charles and his wife.  We could not believe we were accused of his slaying.  Yet we took Percival’s advice.  Trusting in our friend as we fled.”

“We rode hard by day and held each other in fear at night.  We trusted no one but each other after that fateful day.  If anything it strengthened our love.”

“But we did not return to Lord Maine.  Torcall refused to return home.  He loved his parents and he claimed that Robert would look there for him there first.  His family would protect him and shelter us.  But that would bring war to Hithwood, his family’ lands.  He refused to allow that.” 

“So we choose this life.  We chose to disappear from everyone.  We built the cottage knowing that no one would look for us here.  We isolated ourselves from our families, from the church, and from anyone who could identify us.”

“Our father was wanted for Murder?” Torc whispered with pain in his voice.

“Yes, my son, and although we were innocent of the charges we had no proof.  We had eloped and we were lovers.  That would be all the evidence they required.  That is, if we were able to remain alive long enough to proclaim these charges false.  There was no hope for us.”