The Robber Knight's Love

45. Love and Disemboweling

Reuben knocked at the door. Normally, his approach would have been to kick the door open, or maybe burn it down, but since he was supposed to be an honorable knight and exemplary leader now, and since Ayla probably wouldn't have liked it much if he burned down any part of her castle, he took a less direct approach.

“Come in, Madalena,” he heard Ayla's voice from inside. Frowning slightly, he opened the door a crack and pushed his head through.

“I think you might be confusing me with a woman,” he said, grinning up at her. “Which is slightly disturbing, considering some of the things I have in mind for you and me.”

“Reuben!” She looked very relieved to see him, that is, until the meaning of his sentence hit home. “Reuben! I... you...”

“Yes?” he asked as innocently as he could manage, which wasn't very much.

“Nothing.”

Inwardly Reuben sighed. This was going to be hard work.

“Were you expecting somebody else, Milady? I can come back later.”

“No, no.” Quickly, she shook her head. “That is, I am expecting somebody else, but I'd be glad if you stayed, if you can manage it. I... don't relish the meeting that is ahead of me right now, and I'd be glad of your support.”

“My support?” Immediately, Reuben was on the alert, his right hand pulling free his sword. He strode towards Ayla, and grabbed one of her hands with his left. “Who is it you have to meet? An emissary of the enemy? Is it one of their warriors? Is it...”

“No, nothing like that. It's a middle-aged woman called Madalena.”

Bewildered, Reuben tried to read her face and could see pain and sorrow there.

“Err... and has she any special sword-fighting skills?” Slowly, he drew his blade and took his position beside her.

“None.”

“Is she a dangerous assassin?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then why would you need my support?”

“I need your moral support, you loggerhead! Put that big meat-cleaver away, will you? You'll scare her to death!”

“Oh.” Frowning, Reuben lowered his blade. “I see. I’ll do my best about that moral support thing. But just in case you haven't noticed, I must warn you: I'm not very moral.”

“I'm fully aware of that,” Ayla said, and her voice might just have contained a tiny amount of sarcasm. “Still,” she continued, now utterly sincere, “I need you here. Please stay.”

Reuben found himself made speechless by the earnestness of her plea. Satan’s hairy ass! Where were those snarky comebacks when you needed them?

Sliding the sword back into its sheath, he took up a position to the right of and slightly behind her chair. Still, he didn't release the grip on his sword hilt. He was far too experienced a fighter to think he could relax his guard, just because the person that would enter the room was a woman.

The doors opened, and the servant stepped in, a smaller figure in his shadow.

“Madalena, wife of Hans the guard,” The servant announced with a bow. Reuben's eyes widened before he could get his face under control. So that was it! That was why Ayla was dreading this encounter! This was the wife of that Judas who had wanted to sell them all to the margrave! And Ayla, in her usual unnecessarily emotional manner, was fretting over whether or not to torture the female to death.