Knight for the Prince

Chapter 20 - A Way Out

After the terrible news that the king and queen of the Golden Valley had passed away in a vicious attack from Drachna, they continue on their return to Ristheart. It wasn't long before Marilyn's constant scouting notice the approaching snowstorm.

They made it to a nearby village just in time. To Marilyn's horror, they have arrived at the keep of Griffondale's Archduke, Lord Reynold. Galahad is the one that welcomes them in the keep's courtyard. She sees a girl clinging to Galahad for attention. By the look in his eyes, his contempt for the girl is growing with each passing moment. Something is about to give and Marilyn cringes inwardly for the woman.

The next moment he slaps the poor woman. She stumbles and falls and he sneers at her. "Get out of here wench! Can't you see I am busy you dumb, good for nothing woman!" He aims to kick her, but she scurries away from him before he could kick her. "That is how you teach a disrespectful woman that does not know her place. Aranorn is far too soft on my fiancee. The girl has no manners." Marilyn grips the hilt of her sword, her knuckles white with pent-up rage. I will kill him for such an insult. Then again why was that woman so clingy? Still does not give him the right to treat her like that. What a bastard!

"If you try that with Marilyn, she is going to kill you Galahad. Marilyn is a very honorable, well-mannered, sweet, and loving woman, but she is not a woman without a backbone like that clingy wench you send scurrying in pure fright." Arwin replies, with a tone in his voice that tells Marilyn he is angry at Galahad, but he refuses to show it.

"You are too soft young highness," Galahad says. His eyes challenging Arwin to prove him otherwise.

"My parents taught me how to treat a woman with respect and honor. It does not mean I don't know how to punish when necessary. Your knowledge of righteousness is clearly lacking Galahad. Now would someone please show me to my room so that my knight can secure it? Come on, Sameth." Arwin answers him with the regal arrogance of a king.

Evelyn, Arnoldus, Aranorn, Keera, and Mandolin look at each other with wide eyes. Did they just hear Arwin say Sameth is his knight?

This is going to be a long snowstorm inside Reynold's keep and to think Marilyn is right under their noses. Marilyn feels the walls closing in to choke her among these walls. Keera coughs hiding her sudden chuckle expertly.

Marilyn walks in front of Arwin and a servant girl leads them to their guest quarters. Marilyn enters the room first. She checks the room ensuring the fire is crackling in the fire grating and every nook and cranny is visible. She checks the boarded shutters and finally tells Arwin he can come in. He finds Marilyn staring into the fire.

"Are you okay?" Arwin asks her concerned.

"This is going to be a long snowstorm. These walls are choking me. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. This place feels more like a prison to me than my future home. The Ristheart castle feels more like home than anywhere else I have ever been. I am glad you called me when you did. If I heard one more evil word about me out of his mouth, I would surely have killed him. Thank you." She replies ending with a deep and longing sigh.

He wraps his arms around her from behind and his close proximity sends her heart racing. She finds that she craves his warmth and has been craving it ever since they arrived. Marilyn couldn't believe the direction her thoughts are taking. She intertwines her hands with his and leaned into him closing her eyes. She feels his warm breath on her skin and the soft touch of his lips in the nape of her neck.

"We will get through this together. We just have to be very careful," Arwin reassures her gently.

'And no more stolen kisses.' Aranorn's wolf guide snarls at their feet. Her father's paladin wolf appears close to their feet. Unwillingly she starts to disengage from Arwin's embrace.