He appeared to be in charge, for right away he dispatched men to go to different sides of the walls without any rest, even though they had no doubt come from a distance. Then, he turned and walked in her direction, toward the fortress. He seemed not to see her, and would have had to look up to do so. She thought she knew where he was going. To see her father.
Cara went back to their grand suite. She found Evie there, but her father and brother were both gone. Evie was walking aimlessly about the large entrance room, her head down, and in tears. Cara went to her, immediately putting an arm around her. "I think we're going to be OK," she told her. "More knights have come to defend us."
Evie looked up, into her sisters eyes, still holding a handkerchief against the side of her face. "Really? That's wonderful!"
Both girls sat down on one of the large sofas for guests, and Clara told her younger sister what she knew about the Magyars. That they had come out of the east, with a particular kind of warfare that was hard to fight. That was because they were excellent horsemen who were able to devastate their adversary by riding quickly and unleashing hundreds of arrows into the ranks of their enemy. They had won many battles using those tactics, but their primary strategy was one of surprise and intimidation. If they could capture a town, a castle or walled manor they might devastate it and even sell prisoners as slaves. Their real goal, Cara explained, seemed to be to inspire fear in other nearby kingdoms who could be persuaded to pay a ransom to the Magyars to be allowed to live in peace.
Evie's head had been down, with Cara stroking her back as she talked. The girl turned and looked into Cara's eyes. "I'm scared."
"I am too," admitted Cara, still calmly stroking her sister's back. "But we are much safer now that we know of the danger and are prepared. Especially as other knights have joined our own and stand ready to defend us."
Evie again looked up at her sister and smiled. She sat up straight such that she was only a little shorter the Cara. Then, she stood up, saying, "I want to go right out and thank the knights who came to save us."
Cara stood up also, surprisingly feeling much better about their situation now that Evie seemed much less worried. "I would like to also, but remember, they told us to stay inside and not to go out."
"Darn!" said Evie. "Who made that stupid rule?"
"Don't know. I don't remember father ever saying anything like that. Maybe it was the prince."
Evie stamped her foot. "I don't like it!"
* * *
As the hour was growing late, and they couldn't see what was happening outside anyway, they went to bed. Each girl had her own bed, her own room also, as they were far from peasants. Yet on this night, with fear still in their hearts, they wanted to sleep together, especially Evie. She came to sleep in Cara's bed, which was quite big enough for both of them.
Cara awakened first, and carefully leaving so as not to waken Evie, she went through the apartment by the pale light of morning coming through the high window. Her father was home, in his bed, but not her brother Gilbert. Adding slippers and a day gown over her night apparel, she opened the door, looked down the hallway, and seeing only two women, made her way toward the great hall.
She stood at the entrance, and didn't see many inside, only a few in groups of two or three eating quietly. She turned, because someone was coming toward her. She looked up. It was the prince standing tall before her. "My lady," he said. "Did not think I would happen on you so early."
They stood there, she looking at him, the first time she had seen him up close. His mouth hinted at a smile, his full head of deep blond hair trimmed but uneven, his coat of mail, the beginning of a beard on his face. He stood large before her, powerful, and she felt small and terribly female before his totally masculine presence. "Yes, my lord," she managed to blurt out.
"We must talk, when the hour is later. I have been told some things about you. But now, I and most of my men have spent the night insuring that no enemy would attack. We will rest until later. It is safe now for you and your people to go about within the walls of the manor. However, no one is to leave it."
Aha, she thought. He is the one who restricted their movement, holding them hostage in their own apartments. As much as she was impressed with the man, she couldn't help herself from saying in mock irony, "Glad that you have freed us to go on our way, sire."
He didn't seem to miss her pretense of servility, but perhaps dismissing it he leveled his eyes at hers saying, "I shall see you later, my lady." Then he sidestepped her, and walking away in long strides, left her.
Cara immediately thought to herself, What if I don't want to see you, my lord? But she did want to see him, it was just that the man seemed to her too much in charge, and she didn't like that. She had always been one to seek her own freedom, and fortunately her father had not been overbearing in his treatment of her. Except now, with his tyrannical order that she must soon be married.
Things are going to be happening between them. Will sparks fly?
Know this part is a bit short, but plan to update again in two days rather than a week. (2 for 1) Hope you are enjoying Cara's story so far.
�8z