A Medieval Trilogy Series

Ariana awoke to the sun shining in her eyes through the unglazed window, a slight smile on her face. She stretched her arms over her head, rolling onto her back. She'd had the most wonderful dream. A man's hands caressing her bare flesh softly, a man's strong arms around her, holding her close, murmuring soothing words into her ear. She felt the unfamiliar straw under her and her eyes flew open. She stared around her wildly, not knowing where she was or how she got there. She tried to sit up but felt dizzy and fell back onto the make-shift pallet, her hands clutching the rough blanket to her naked body.   "Dear God, where are my clothes? How did I come to be here?" she thought frantically.   It all came back to her in a rush; the soldiers, her wild ride through the forest to warn her father, her flight from the battle, the storm. Beyond that, she knew nothing. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks at all she had lost. This would not do. She had to get out of here, find help, reach Frederick.   Dashing the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, Ariana rolled over and made it to her hands and knees. She saw her clothes by the fire, hanging from sticks thrust into the ground. She remembered being carefully wrapped in the blanket and tenderly laid on the straw. Someone had cared for her, well. Perhaps she could enlist this stranger's aid in finding her way to Frederick.   But it would not do for the stranger to find her naked and weak. He must find her fully dressed and standing on her feet as Lady Ariana, daughter of the great Earl William. She would then be in a position to demand his help. After all, he was probably one of her father's peasants and, thus, owed his allegiance to her as well.   Ariana crawled over to her clothes and pulled them toward her. She managed to draw on her pantalets and chemise before having to rest against the wall. She closed her eyes and sat there, trying to catch her breath.  

Catherine's lips tightened at the tone of Anne's voice. She was speaking to her as if she were a servant. But she said nothing, only turned and walked out the door after patting Anne reassuringly on the shoulder.   She hurried down the stairs, not even bothering to tuck her hair back into place. She had left it unbound, not expecting visitors, and when she entered the courtyard, it tumbled about her shoulders in an unruly cloud of sable.   It seemed that Catherine became aware of Fallon at the same time he looked up to see her walking across the courtyard. She could see his eyes flick over her from head to toe and she thought she saw a glimmer of distaste pass over his features. Hell and damnation. The man always seems to have me at a disadvantage, Catherine thought furiously. I haven't used vulgar language, since that day at Dilham and just the sight of him has me swearing like a soldier.   At that moment, Fallon removed his helm, shaking his long, black hair loose. It is him! Catherine screamed in her mind, not sure that she had not screamed out loud. The thought of Dilham, coupled with his actions, made the connection in her mind, and she knew without a doubt that Fallon was the lion of her nightmares.   Kyle was watching Catherine intently. First, she blushed to the roots of her hair. Then she stopped dead in her tracks and her face turned a deathly white. Afraid that she was about to swoon, he started toward her, hoping to reach her before she fell to the ground and injured herself.   Seeing Kyle bearing down on her, Catherine's mind went blank with horror and she fainted straight into his arms.

As she prepared for bed, Diana was feeling pretty satisfied with herself. She had managed to put a little dent in Davi's normally calm exterior; something she hadn't had the opportunity to do in far too many years.   The Trouble Twins had pushed Davi beyond endurance quite a few times. It had been Davi who had given them that name and they'd become rather proud of it. But when he called them disease and pestilence, they knew they had gone too far and scampered away as far as they could get.   Diana snuggled under the covers and bid her sister good night, but she was far from sleepy. She was home, Will was home and Thomas would be here in the next day or two. They would finally all be together. Not for long, she knew.   Will would return to Dilham with Grandfather, Thomas would be knighted and enter the king's service (another price paid for supposedly supporting Richard III) and Elizabeth would journey to Fallonslair to foster with Cousin Catherine. Only she and Hal would be left.   Diana sighed and rolled over, twitching the covers securely around her shoulders once more. She had learned long ago to make the best of any situation and could not let herself be gloomy when all was right with her world.   And Davi? Diana was surprised when he popped back into her thoughts. There must be a reason she would think of him now. Of course, Davi had been like a member of the family since before she was born. In fact, her father had actually saved his life some twenty years before. But he was still a young man, not a blood relative, and most decidedly good-looking. Considering his reaction to her earlier, he might be a good candidate to practice her womanly wiles. Not that she had many wiles with which to practice, but she had to start somewhere.   With a very satisfied smile at her newest and most daring plan ever, Diana fell peacefully asleep.