Knowing Yourself - A Medieval Romance

Chapter 3

Chapter 3  

Kay closed the main doors of the keep behind her, stopping for a moment with her hand against the heavy wood. She drew in a deep breath, steeling herself. It was time to find out for herself what Uther was really like. She could not make a decision on the man’s honor based on hearsay. She had to see, with her own two eyes, what he was capable of.

She headed up the stairs and strode into the boisterous noise of the main hall. Uther was sitting before flickering flames of the large fireplace, his red cheeks made more rosy by the heat. He was flanked on either side by Galeron and Alistair. As she walked up Galeron rose at once, sweeping into a low bow.

“It is frosty tonight; let me offer you the seat by the fire,” he greeted her, moving to one side. “I shall go sit on the opposite end; I am warm enough for now.”

“As you wish,” she agreed, nodding to him.

Uther grinned in delight as she settled herself down next to him. He leant over past her, reaching for the basket of bread, ripping off a piece and popping it into his mouth.

“How are you tonight, my dear?” he asked in a low, rumbling voice.

Kay forced herself to smile widely. She was on a mission, after all. She had to see just what Uther was saying to the women he was attempting to seduce.

“Much better, now that I am by the warmth,” she murmured, giving her arms a quick rub. It was nice by the fire; the dancing flames were soothing after the crisp autumn air. She glanced up at him for a moment, then demurely brought her eyes down to her lap again. She had been short, almost unwelcoming with him before. She knew it would seem far too suspicious if she now launched herself at him full bore. She had to take this slowly, pretend to thaw under his influence.

Uther’s hand moved to land heavily on hers, and she started back in surprise, stifling a cry. A chuckle emitted from deep within her, and she shook her head. Perhaps her concerns about careful change were unnecessary – Uther was already stroking her hand with seductive slowness.

“I knew you would come around,” he purred, nudging closer to her. “You were only playing hard to get.” He took a long drink of his wine, leaning back with pleasure. He moved his lips to her ears. “Of course you were pretending to dislike me,” he added beneath his breath in a knowing tone. “You work for Keren-happuch, after all. You could hardly let her know how you truly felt!”

Kay looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with amusement at how easy this was. “You can see right through me,” she whispered, giving her lashes a flutter. “I knew it from the start, from the first moment I laid eyes on you.”

“I knew it as well,” enthused Uther, his eyes locked on hers, his hand closing over her own. “I could feel it every time we were near each other, that you were the one meant for me. It was torture each time you left the room, sheer bliss when you would return.”

There was a loud thunk from the end of the room. Kay’s eyes flicked across automatically. Reese was standing by the main table and had apparently just put his tankard of ale down on the wood – hard, judging by the wave of foam which had splashed over onto the surface and his sleeve. Jessica rushed forward with a towel, quickly mopping up the spill, her eyes glancing between Uther and Kay with a nervous twitch.

Kay brought her gaze back to Uther. There was enough time to deal with Reese and Jessica later. There were only so many dramas she could juggle at once. Right now she had one focus, and that was the man before her.

Uther raised his glass to hers, and she clinked hers against his before draining her liquid down. She would need some fortification to make it through this night.