The Chosen Bride

A Lady Always Keeps Her Word

Drake was tired as hell.

He had been fighting sleep for days, being kept busy with constant planning and training. When he wasn't doing those two things, he was making sure to keep the men busy.

Edward had managed to keep himself busy as his wife had come with him. Nonetheless, someone had to keep the spirits of the men up and it would most definitely not be Edward.

He had expected, after a full night of drinking, the unexpected to happen. A man falling into a trench or a man deciding to ride a horse backward.

What he was not prepared for was his wife.

The goddess had found her way to the campsite, halfway across the country, riding on a pure white horse. Her golden hair snapped in the wind as she pulled the horse to a stop right at his feet.

"What the bloody hell— Katherine, how... what..." He was speechless, shocked at the audacity to barge into war camp as a lady.

"A lady always keeps her word. I said I'd never leave your side and thus, I am here. Did you miss me?" She asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Drake had still not formed the words to express how he felt.

Angry? Yes, most definitely.

Happy? Of course, he missed his wife!

Sad? Yes, for his child was not tucked in her arms as he wanted, but she would do.

"Oh, do not worry about Mary. Eleanor and I acquired a nursemaid who works wonder with the little devil! She gets her to sleep with a snap of her fingers." Katherine rambled on, as Drake lifted her from the horse and set her firmly on the ground, "You've grown a beard!"

Drake let her touch his face and feel the growth he had acquired since he left home, "Yes. I haven't the time to shave."

Katherine scoffed, "Nonsense. I'll do it for you."

Drake grabbed her hands and shook his head, "A war camp is not a place  for a lady, Katherine. You will get back on that horse and be escorted right back to the estate."

Katherine stomped her small, booted foot, "I will not. I rode all the way here to see you— my husband— and I will not stand to be sent away. If the Queen can be here then so can I!"

"Katherine." He growled.

Katherine spun out of his arms and marched to the nearest soldier, "Where is his tent."

The scraggly soldier gave her a toothy smile and pointed towards where his tent was. Katherine smiled back, thanked him and made her way to where his tent was, with Drake hot on her heels.

"I do not want any harm to come to you, Katherine. You must go home immediately!"

Katherine waved her hand in dismissal, "I could not bear it! Do you know how boring it is to be a lady? I almost missed being a street rat simply for the taste of adventure. Oh, sure I had it when you were chasing me around but now— this is all I got!"

Drake furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "Are you... drunk?"

Katherine spun around to look at him, gasping in fake shock, "Of course I am! I wasn't supposed to tell you that but I had to work up the courage to see you! Now, come here and kiss me."

She flung her arms around his neck with a giggle and dragged him towards the ragged bed. He could smell the alcohol on her breath but he could care less. He missed his wife in his arms.

She rolled on top of him and rested her chin on his chest, "See, I knew you missed me!"

~~~~

Katherine had been sleeping quite soundly until she received the all too familiar raging headache.