A Daughter's Love - Book 2 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Philippe and Montie had ridden into a south-bound company.

The incoming company had divided, some to move to the Border Castle to survey the possibilities of entry, and the others to ride with the messengers. Philippe was given a fresh horse and an escort was commissioned to ride with him to Frencberg. Sir Roi would have confiscated the letter from Montie, but he insisted that the letter was for the Baroness Chatelain. Montie himself wanted to tell the knights at Chanoine what Sir Rus —Ruskin— had suggested.

Elissa was summoned to the great hall where knights and soldiers waited for her.

Boone, Narda and the rest of the household appeared as though from off the walls.

With trembling fingers, the baroness opened the small scroll.

Montie was stuttering his explanations, stating that Sir Rus felt they could hold the Border Castle keep, and with help from the outside, the criminals could be dealt with.

Elissa, trying to listen and read, found it impossible to do both. With Sir Roi breathing down her neck, she concentrated on her husband's brief note of comfort. Frowning, she passed the document to Sir Roi who then moved off to the guard house with Montie.

"Your father and Jobyna are safe. They are at the Border Castle, near Grior," Elissa informed the waiting children who breathed sighs of relief. "Your father wants clothes for himself and Jobyna..." She frowned, trying not to feel uneasy, wondering why she felt so melancholy. "Tristan wants two thousand gold pieces, and then he'll let them return home." They all turned as Sabin rushed through the doors.

"The king ... Baroness! The king's at the gate!" Sabin turned as Sir Samuel, flanked by two soldiers, strode through the doors.

Samuel bowed to Elissa who in turn curtsied low. "We're dispensing with protocol." However, the king's knights swiftly formed a guard as King Leopold rode his horse up the steps, through the foyer and in the doors of the great hall itself.

Two knights stood close as the king dismounted; and the horse was led away.

Briefly embracing Elissa once she completed her curtsy, King Leopold then bellowed, "That man! Where is he? Philippe? Fetch him!"

He sat heavily on the chair brought to him by the diligent Sabin. Grasping the flask offered by Sir Samuel, the monarch drank thirstily.

Philippe came forward, bowing and apologizing. He had dismounted his horse out in the courtyard and had been way-laid briefly as the king's knights checked him for weapons.

The king took the scroll and placed it on the table by the bright lamp. Raising his hand to maintain silence, Leopold read the note then passed it to Samuel.

"Tell us everything! Philippe, is it?" Not waiting for an answer, the king said, "All we know is that some fool person sent the Chanoine companies to Frencberg, supposedly at my orders! We knew something was up in Chatelain's district. So, it was a kidnap plot, was it?" He looked at Philippe, then across to Elissa, "And they have that blessed invention! Tristan! Who would have thought someone could buy one of Louis' knights—but then, Louis—Chatelain—has no Knights now." He paused, taking another swig from the flask. "Right, man, tell us everything you know."

Philippe, standing before the awesome person, the king of Frencolia, found his eyes trapped in the attention given him by the royal monarch. The young soldier stuttered and stammered, remembering the baron's plea that his wife know nothing about Jobyna's injury. Chatelain hoped, soon, to be able to send good news about Jobyna's recovery. In the sad case of having to impart bad news, he wanted to be there himself to comfort his wife.

King Leopold was too well experienced in dealing with people not to know that Philippe had not told the whole story. Surrounded by people at all times, the king demanded, "Explain Philippe! What is it that you are not telling me? Speak!"

Philippe bowed and turned, asking, "The Baroness, Lady Elissa, is she present?" His question was answered as his eyes connected with her hazel stare and he caught sight of the color of her hair. Apart from lighter tinges near her ears, the mother's hair-color matched the child's. Something in the sympathetic way he gazed at Elissa silenced all in the great hall, including the king.

As the soldier gave a halting explanation, all eyes were upon the baroness...

"The child... she was injured... that's why the baron did not ride to Grior, or Litton. He came to the Border Castle for assistance."

Elissa did not recognize her own voice as she asked, "How... was she injured... how bad is it?"

"I'm sorry. Your husband did not want you to know until he had good news ..." Philippe looked around, feeling the shocked concern, which showed on everyone's face; he wished he were somewhere else.

It was Boone's voice that worded the dreaded question. He demanded, impatiently, "Tell us! What happened? How is Miss Jobyna injured?"

"I'm sorry." He shook his head and looked away, staring at the king's clenched fists. His eyes moved up, as though counting the brilliant brassards hanging across the broad royal chest.

Meeting the king's eyes once more, the soldier spoke as though making a terrible confession. "It was an arrow, Sire." Philippe, his eyes still on the king's face, put his left hand up, to the right of his heart, saying, "It had gone right through her chest... up a bit, I think, to the right." His fingers walked slowly across towards his right shoulder.

The king's eyes flew to Elissa who looked as if she had turned to stone.

Philippe spoke again, "I wasn't there, but they pulled it out, and..." the soldier turned as the king stood. Sabin moved just in time to catch Elissa as she fainted. Ellie gasped and swayed, then found herself embraced firmly by Louis and Marcus.

Luke's sequined eyes were upon Boone and the boy knew what the doctor was thinking. "I'm coming with you, Doctor Boone," Luke whispered, tugging his sleeve and receiving a serious nod in reply.

"I don't know how she did it, Your Majesty, but she was the one who rescued the baron. He wouldn't have got free..." The men in the room stared at Philippe in disbelief. He concluded, "They fired some arrows as Chatelain made his escape."

The king had been furious with the Frencolian traitors, but to hear that Jobyna had sustained an arrow, incensed him more than ever! He remembered her earnest green eyes, full of love, warmth and loyalty to her father; how he had wanted her to be his daughter, not Chatelain's, to look at him with that earnest, trusting daughter love.

Elissa's faint was short-lived and she declared she would leave, immediately, and ride to the Border Castle. To her chagrin, Leopold refused to allow her to go.

"No, Elissa, you'll remain here. It's no place for women. Our troops will leave for the Border Castle, as soon as possible. We'll stay here, together with your children. The gold pieces will be sent." He didn't add that they would only be parted with as a last resort.

No one noticed Luke's departure with Boone. Firstly, they went to fetch the doctor's large leather bag, which he took whenever he left the manor house. Ivan had done his designated task well and the bag was freshly stocked.

Narda was sent to bring necessary clothes for Jobyna, and Luke went with Sabin to pack garments for the baron.

The doctor told Sir Samuel of his plan to ride to the Border Castle, and the king's knight gave his consent.

Luke told Sabin to inform his mother of his intent to ride with Boone as the doctor's assistant and he ordered the grooms to saddle Speed and the doctor's horse.

The eager boy joined Boone outside the stables and together with a small escort, they rode across the moat bridge.