Lunette and the Pendragon

Chapter 2

A sharp rapping woke Lunette once more. Lunette tried to open her eyes, but the mid-day sun was flooding her room. The rapping noise repeated as Lunette's eyes adjusted to the brightness.

"Yes?" she called out to whoever was knocking at her door. It opened slightly and a bright round face popped into the room.

"Sorry to wake you, Lynette." The brunette maid said with her usual French accent, slightly mispronouncing Lunette's name as she always did. "But the mistress has called all staff to the great hall."

"I'll be right there, Amee," Lunette confirmed, sitting up in the bed, thankful that her body was able to move immediately upon waking. Amee nodded and disappeared, the door closing behind her. Lunette quickly stretched and then washed her face again and checked her hair. Taking a deep breath, she opened her door and headed to the hall, ready to face the day once more.

Laudine had already begun talking as Lunette took her place between Amee and Gundred.

"Preston's health is failing," Gundred whispered in her ear, referring to the steward Owen had appointed to run Landuc in his absence. Lunette nodded her understanding. It was no secret that Preston was getting older and weaker. The duties of being steward, it seemed, had aggravated his age and many had wondered if he would step down before Owen's return.

"As such," Laudine was saying, "Sir Preston asked me recently to find a replacement Steward of Landuc for the time being. Therefore, it is my pleasure to present to you, Lord Ulmer, who has agreed to take up the position. Some of you may remember how he has served as our steward once before."

The hall was filled with applause as Ulmer stepped out from behind Lunette. His smiling face made Lunette stomach clench. Memories of his grinning face pressed against hers swarmed her mind. Her body shook with fear. Amee's arm jabbed into Lunette's side and she found herself applauding his return with the rest of the household.

Laudine continued talking, but the words blurred in Lunette's mind. She heard him panting, moaning with desire and lust. She heard her own cries, muffled by his hand. Hot, burning skin pressing into her own. She glanced at the exits, trying to find a way to escape, but the hall was filled with servants. Ulmer's eyes met hers across the crowd and her heart raced. There was no escape.

Laudine dismissed the servants but Lunette remained frozen in place, Ulmer's eyes holding her in place. He said something to Laudine to which she nodded. Lunette clenched her fists as the two nobles approached the row of lady's maids.

"These are my attendants, Lord Ulmer," Laudine was saying. "Gundred, I'm sure you remember and you may recall Lunette. She is new to the position, but she was in the kitchen when you were last in Landuc."

"Ah, yes," he said, his voice oozing with politeness. "It is a pleasure to meet you again, Lunette. Gundred."

Lunette's skin began to crawl as he nodded to each of them in turn.

"Amee is new to Landuc," Laudine said, turning his attention to the younger maid. "She hails from France."

"From France?" he asked, a wide grin breaking across his face. "I'm charmed, mademoiselle. Thank you for gracing our humble country with your beauty."

Lunette's blood ran cold as Ulmer reached for Amee's hand, taking it to gently kiss the tips of her fingers. Her heart was screaming, begging for him to stop as Amee giggled at the gesture, but her lips remained sealed.

"I look forward to working with you," he told the maids, locking eyes with Amee. "Landuc is blessed to have such beautiful ladies attending to it."

Amee giggled at his words, but Lunette remained still as a statue. Laudine turned and led Ulmer out of the hall, Amee and Gundred following close behind. Only when they were out of the room, did Lunette have the ability to move. She burst through the doors of the great hall with tremendous speed and did not stop until she reached her own small chamber. She grabbed her pillow and pressed it against her face as she screamed. She screamed until her lungs had no more air, forcing her to drop the pillow and take a multitude of raspy breaths. Her heart seemed to beat out of her chest as her body continued shaking. Her stomach barely gave her enough warning to grab the chamber pot before it emptied its few contents. That done, her body seemed to slow down. Her heart rate dropped and her breathing became more steady. Still, fear coursed through her.

Looking into the small mirror, Lunette traced the edges of her pale face and neck. The bruises were long gone, but she could still feel the pain of them under her fingers. Her brain spun with thoughts of Ulmer bursting through the door, forcing her onto her bed. She shut her eyes, but it did little to prevent the vision of his lustful eyes. Lunette reached into her pocket and held onto her rosary as if that would stop the internal storm. But the thoughts kept flowing in. She counted her breaths as she allowed the thoughts flow in and out of her mind. Memories of his voice, the senstation of his breath on her face, the pain of his weight bearing down on her. The softer memories came after. His kind words when they first met. The compliments he went out of the way to bestow on her. The warm feeling in her heart when he would smile at her from across the room. He had spent weeks warming her up to him. To being comfortable around him. Comfortable enough to agree to meet him in that empty room.

Then an image of Amee floated into her mind. Ulmer, gently kissing her hand, complimenting her beauty, her soft giggle at his smooth words. Her eyes flew open as a new wave of panic washed over her. The fear Ulmer would burst into her room was shoved out as Lunette continued to see Amee in her mind's eye.

"Not Amee," she said out loud to her reflection, tightening her grip on the rosary. "He has to be stopped."

Lunette ran back out of the room in search of Laudine, but as she spied the group walking outside through one of the windows, she froze. What was she going to say? That Ulmer forced himself on her after she agreed to meet with him alone? It would be her word, a servant's word, against a noble. Laudine trusted her, but would that be enough? Would she trust her maid over her own cousin? No else would, certainly. She felt her stomach drop as the reality sunk in. All Ulmer would have to do was deny her claim. Claim that he never met her. Claim that he never touched her. That she was lying.

Lunette dropped to her knees, her body shaking. She had to do something but didn't know what. Then she recalled the reason Ulmer had left Landuc the first time. Laudine had married Owen. Owen became Lord of Landuc and there was no need for a steward. Standing back up, she watched as the Laudine, Ulmer, and the maids disappeared around a corner. If Owen came home, Ulmer would be sent away again. He would spend weeks warming Amee up. Nodding at her own conclusion, Lunette turned and walked briskly down the hall. If she could find Owen and bring him home, she might be able to stop him in time. She might be able to prevent Amee from ever knowing her pain.

Please Lord, she prayed as she quickened her pace. Please let me find him in time.