A Knight to Remember

A girl can hope

It was late at night and Derek was thinking about Kara, again. There was something about the girl that intrigued him. And, besides, he was concerned for her safety. Duke Odo's great stronghold where the Duke, his family, his advisers , city fathers and most of the knights resided was the safest place in the city. He did not worry about Julia's safety, but Kara, who lived a short distance from the wall was on his mind. He had asked to be assigned to that section of the wall to be able to protect her. He would do everything possible to keep her safe.

* * *

Kara's family lived not far from one of the main gates of the city. She knew that messengers had been sent out to the farmers and rural folk who lived near Toulouse to warn them. In the last two days she had seen them coming in through the massive gate. She saw that they carried their belongings with them including their goats and whatever they could harvest from their fields. Most carried their goods in small or large two wheeled carts pulled through the street by human power. Only a few had actual wagons pulled by an ox or a donkey. Just now as she stood on the street in front of the bakery she saw a big cart with netting over it hauling a great bunch of squawking chickens. A man was pulling the vehicle and a woman who was probably his wife walked alongside it shepherding three young children, two of whom seemed to be looking with amazement at the buildings and high walls of the city.

Kara knew that the town fathers were providing accommodations for most of the country people on the other side of the city, in older lodging often built up right against the imposing city walls. Many of those buildings had sat vacant for years.

She went back inside the bakery where her stepsister was just wrapping up for the day as the last customer had left.

"I'm going to the dance," Gabriela said, fairly beaming.

Kara, whose mind had been on the Saracens exclaimed, "Really, they're having a dance at a time like this?"

"Yes, of course. I don't think they have that big of an army."

"I truly hope you're right," sighed Kara.

"And, I found out," added Gabriela as she faced Kara with a conspiratorial smile, "that all of Odo's sons are going to be there. All three of them. "I just might land myself a count," she said with a flourish.

"Oh, Gabriela, you always have such big dreams. You seem to forget we are only the daughters of a baker. What count is going to notice you?"

"Kara, you might not have noticed, but men find me very attractive. Not only that, but I was not always a baker's stepdaughter. Before my mother married your father she and I received the notice of many well placed people in society."

"Why then did your mother marry my father?"

At the question, Gabriela looked away and seemed for a moment to have no answer. Then she spoke. "Things happen. I myself don't know why. My mother if she were still with us could tell you. Regardless, it is done now. Maybe it was love. I don't know."

To Kara it scarcely mattered. She was already thinking of the dance. Walking away from Gabriela she said, "Maybe I will go too."

Upstairs, as she walked back and forth in her room she thought more about it. Then her sister, Anna, walked in.

"Kara, I'm scared. I don't see how everyone can just go on with their lives when any day we will be under attack. How do you do it, Kara?"

Kara sat down on a chair and drew her sister close to her. "Anna, everyone is afraid but except for making some preparations there's not much that can be done. But maybe they won't be able to get in. You know the wall around the city is big and strong and our knights will be on the ramparts protecting us."