Page 40 of Veil of Winter

Her head was pressed against the horse’s side. Thankfully this mare was quite docile and made no snort of protest. But how Elyce wanted to lift her head and see if Rodrigo was indeed leaving. Or was he coming toward her?

The people around her started talking and behaving normally again.

“Shall I look to see if he’s gone?” Ysa whispered.

“He’s gone,” Sir Gerard said. “Follow me. Bertold and Sir Oswalt will meet us.”

Elyce and Ysa walked several steps behind Sir Gerard. Once, she thought she’d lost him when several people came between them, but she found him waiting for her a moment later.

They continued on and he led them into a stable where Sir Oswalt was rubbing down the horses. She knew they would probably have to travel during the night to avoid being found by Rodrigo, and staying at an inn was definitely impossible, but herheart still sank a little at the thought that they would be sleeping here instead of in a real bed. But sleeping on fresh straw would be better than sleeping on the ground.

Sir Gerard immediately started taking care of Elyce’s horse, removing the saddlebags, now heavy with provisions, and preparing the animal for a much-needed rest.

“What do you make of what that man was saying, the one your father wanted you to marry?”

Did he think she should have married Rodrigo? That she was wrong, as most people would probably say, and she should have obeyed her father’s wishes?

“His name is Count Rodrigo. He does whatever his uncle, King Claude, tells him. He may be trying to deceive us. But if he is telling the truth, then I would have to tell a lie to convince him to leave me alone. I am not going to stay away from Montciel.”

“What are you talking about?” Sir Oswalt asked. “And where is Bertold?”

Sir Gerard told him of their encounter with Rodrigo. “As for Bertold, I hope he is making sure Count Rodrigo and his men are not following him. He should be here sooner or later.”

When the men finished grooming the horses, they all sat down to eat some of the food she and Ysa had bought, drinking fresh water from the flasks that the men had refilled at one of the town’s wells.

The stable door opened. The two knights reached for their swords.

Bertold walked in.

“I need my horse. I’m leaving.”

They all stared at the gruff man. He went to his horse, which Sir Oswalt and Sir Gerard had just finished grooming, and started putting the saddle back on.

“Why?”

He turned toward Elyce.

“Why have you changed your mind about going with us to see King Wenceslaus? Do you not wish to tell him what he did to—”

“Rodrigo has seen me. He knows I’m alive. He will go back and tell my brother. And what will Claude do? If he knows Astrid is alive, he may do something to her, just to keep us from being together. She is not safe.” Bertold yanked the girth tight around the horse’s stomach. “I’m going to Montciel to get her and make sure Claude does not hurt her again.”

Elyce took a deep breath. “I understand.” She couldn’t bear it if her actions indirectly endangered Astrid, if King Claude succeeded this time in killing her.

“I will do my best not to be seen coming from this direction.” Bertold’s voice was less gruff than usual. He took off his outer clothing and changed into something that was a different color and style, covering his head with a tight-fitting liripipe, then one of the furs.

The men grunted their farewells and Godspeeds, and Sir Gerard insisted he take some of the food Elyce and Ysa had procured. Bertold refused, saying he would buy his own, then he turned to Elyce.

“You are the Princess of Montciel, your father’s only heir, and as such, you have power. King Claude wanted you to think that you don’t have choices, but that is not true. And now, if hecaptures you, he will try once again to force his will on you. But accept nothing he says as truth. And accept nothing that is not in your people’s best interests, if indeed they are your priority.”

Elyce turned these things over in her head. She had power? Her father and King Claude treated her as if she had no power, but she had refused to accept that. She had run away and escaped. She did have power.

“You must stand up to your father. He is Claude’s puppet, and Rodrigo is a whipped puppy. But if I have my way... King Claude will not bother you again.”

Bertold meant to kill his brother. But what if King Claude killed him? After all, Claude was a king with an army of guards behind him, and Bertold was just a trapper and a prince who would no doubt be either dishonored or disowned—or both—when it was discovered he was alive.

“How will you do that?” Elyce asked.

“I will find a way. In the meantime, remember.” Bertold took a few steps toward Elyce. “Claude and your father—and Rodrigo—will keep trying to force their will on you. Don’t let them.”