My Valiant Knight Read Free Page A

slender white throat, for their ravenous lusts had killed her. Ainslee swore that that cruel fate would never befall her.
     
     
    “Shall we give up the chase, Gabel?” asked Justice. “ ’Tis almost as if our quarry has been swallowed up by these accursed trees.”
    “Soon,” replied Gabel. “We had best look for some water and make camp nearby it. ’Tis far too late to journey back now.” He scowled up at the rapidly darkening sky. “I but pray that we may find shelter as well, ere that brewing storm bursts over our heads.”
    “There is a surfeit of rocky hillside about this area. We may find a cave or, at least, a suitable ledge to huddle beneath.” Justice abruptly halted and everyone immediately did the same. “Can you hear that, cousin?” he asked Gabel.
    “Aye. Your sharp ears do not deceive you, Justice. ’Tis the sweet beckoning sound of water.”
    “And the sound comes from just beyond that thick grouping of trees. Do we leave our horses here?”
    Gabel nodded. “ ’Twould be wise. Our game may well have gone to ground here. Michael,” he called to his other cousin, “you and Andre keep our horses still and quiet. The rest of us shall approach the stream as silently as we can. Shed any armor that may make noise, thus give you away,” he ordered the rest of his men. “ ’Twill not increase the danger to yourselves, for our prey wore no armor.”
    In moments Gabel and his men began a stealthy, annoyingly slow approach toward the sound of water. Stripped to their braies and deerhide boots, they made no sound at all. Gabel did not wish to battle with his quarry, just to capture the pair. Instinct told him that the ones he sought were not simple peasants. When he reached the edge of the clearing the brook trickled through, he came to a sudden halt, stilled by disbelief over the sight which greeted his widening eyes.

TWO
    Ainslee tensed, abruptly yanked from her dark memories of the past. She heard nothing, yet every muscle in her body was taut with a sense of danger. Her eyes widened and her heartbeat increased to a painful speed when she saw the men step out of the disguising shadows of the deep wood into the clearing. There was no time to use her bow. She might loose one arrow, but then they would be upon her. Slowly, she rose to her feet and took a protective stance over Ronald, her sword held securely and threateningly in her small hands.
    Gabel stared at the girl and, realizing he was gaping, quickly closed his mouth. She was taut and prepared to do battle, her thick red hair sweeping around her slim shoulders, stirred to life by the increasing wind. Like some wild thing cornered, she faced them with the bravado of desperation.
    He slowly looked over every slender, well-shaped inch of her. Her tunic was of a light gray hue and fit snugly over her strong slim arms. The bliand was of a bright woolen plaid, and the three-quarter-length overtunic was slit up both sides and laced tightly onto her shapely form. He expected that beneath that feminine attire, she wore long loose trousers of a heavy linen and hose of an equally thick cloth. That and the soft leather boots which reached to her knees and were held in place by cross gaitering were why, when he had seen her riding, he had thought that she was a he. Gabel briefly wondered if she wore a man’s braies as well. Since she wore such heavy clothes beneath her gown, he suspected that she was also far more slender than she appeared.
    His attention was drawn back to her hair, and he understood why she had worn a snug hood. No braids held the thick dark red hair in check, the fading light picking out the strands of gold in its depths. Her hair was like some glorious beacon, hanging beyond her waist in heavy waves, and he was not surprised when the sight stirred his blood. He doubted that any man could view such beauty and remain cold. As his desire quickly surged to a crippling height, Gabel looked at his men. They clearly felt as stunned and as