Much to Alana's delight, they were given some of the tender rabbit meat to eat. Rhona thought about refusing it, but when the delicious aromas assailed her nostrils, she knew that wasn't going to be an option. She was far too hungry.

Theo untied their wrists with strict instructions to stay exactly where they were and then Jacques brought over a plate with the tempting meat on it, offering it to them, one by one. Grudgingly, Rhona took a leg and gnawed on the tasty food, deciding that perhaps Alana had been correct. At least on a full stomach, they would have the energy reserves to get away.

She watched Jacques as he pulled a bottle of mead from his saddlebag. It was her mother's own brew that he had pilfered from Rhona's home and it made her wrinkle her nose in distaste. He had no right drinking that. Norman heathen.

The thought of her mother made her think of home and her bottom lip trembled at how worried her parents must be. Swallowing hard, she fought back the tears, deciding that only firm resolve would get her through her current predicament. Tears were for weaklings and wouldn't help her a jot.

She looked up warily as Leon approached her. He held out a cup. "Some mead, Dougal?"

Rhona glared at him. There was a hint of amusement in his dark eyes, a slight smile beginning to play on his firm lips. He was goading her but her stubborn nature urged her to keep her name hidden from him. To tell him would be to give in and that she would never do!

"Rhona, wherefore does he call you Dougal?" Alana asked innocently.

Rhona clapped a hand to her forehead and rolled her eyes before turning her gaze of disbelief on her cousin. "Truly, Alana?"

Alana looked perplexed, wondering what she had said that caused her cousin to look at her so. She looked at Leon and then back to Rhona, a little confused.

Rhona dared to glance back at Leon and was just in time to witness the triumphant glint as it appeared on his face. She sighed irritably.

"So, you are Rhona." He turned to Alana. "And you are Alana, which means you are Heather." The three girls stared back at him silently. He focussed his attention back on Rhona. "So, Rhona—some mead?"

As much as she would have liked to have said no, she found herself nodding. She had a thirst and perhaps the heady mead would make their situation more tolerable. She reached out and took the cup from his large hand, sipping on the comforting mead whilst he passed some to her cousins.

She found herself studying his profile. His shoulder length dark hair hung unkempt across his face, partially hiding his features from her view. Her eyes raked down his body. He looked to be in his early thirties, for he had a strong build, his shoulders broad, his arms thick and muscular. He turned slightly, and she raised her eyes back to his face. He had strong features and she would have called him handsome if they had met under other circumstances. But at the moment, she loathed him.

He turned to stare at her, so she quickly lowered her eyes, her long lashes fanning her cheeks whilst she finished off the rest of the mead.

She heard him approach. "Do you need to relieve yourself?" he asked.

Her head snapped up. This could be her moment to escape. "Aye, I do."

He fixed her with a look and said intuitively, "Don't even think of running." Looking at Alana and Heather, he added, "Theo will take you in a moment, one by one."

He pointed to the copse and indicated Rhona should move. "I will be right behind you."

Rhona's mouth gaped open. "You cannot mean to…to…"

He interrupted her. "I will turn my back but I will be right near you. Accept it for what it is, my lady. I am doing what I have to do under the king's orders."

"'Tis unseemly!" she protested.

"You either go now or I will tie you up again and you won't get another chance. What is it going to be?"

Rhona's eyes flashed angrily, but realising he simply wasn't going to budge, she did as he asked. Perhaps, if she moved quickly enough, there was still hope she could escape his clutches.

They moved near to the stream, and after looking around, Leon declared she should move behind a nearby bush. "Remember, if you run, you will regret it. For I will catch you and, when I do, you will be in trouble."

Rhona raised an eyebrow but refrained from replying. She had no wish to antagonise him any further, not with freedom so close to hand.

Taking cover behind the bush, she raised her skirts and had a quick pee. After all that travelling, she was fit to bursting, so regardless of whether she was going to escape or not, she needed to go.

Quietly, she lowered her skirts and then, in a blink of an eye, she took off. She heard his startled oath but she heeded it not. Fleet of foot, she bounded across the stream and tore down a narrow trail leading into the copse, running as fast as her slender legs could carry her. She kept running and running, crashing through the thick undergrowth, heedless of the fallen branches and twigs that tore at her clothing as she sought her escape

As used as she was to running and playing with her family, she still found it hard going, the fear of being recaptured making her heart pound in her chest. Her lungs burned and her calves began to hurt but she had no intention of stopping. She had to escape him. She must!

Eventually, though, she simply had to stop. Breathing heavily, she leaned one hand against a tree trunk and tried to catch her breath, all the while looking over her shoulder. She brushed her hair off her face where the silky strands were sticking to her hot skin and then she saw him.

Like a bull, he came crashing out of the undergrowth directly towards her. She shrieked and tried to run off but he tackled her to the ground.

"No, no, no!" she cried. "Let me go. Let me go!"

"Be still!" he thundered.

She suddenly found herself lifted up, and before she could fathom what was happening, she was over his lap, her hands scrabbling the ground for balance, her bottom thrust up in the air.

A sudden draught on her bare buttocks, where her skirts were thrown over her back, and then a hot stinging pain when his solid palm made contact came next.

She sucked in a breath with shock, but before she had time to recover, his hand came raining down again and again on her soft posterior.

"Ow! Ouch! Oooh!" She began to wail as her bottom began to heat up. His hands were huge, like iron shovels, and each smack brought tears to her eyes. She tried to wriggle off but his grip around her waist was too strong so she had no choice than to take his punishment.

The hard smacking sounds echoed around the copse and she closed her eyes with humiliation, wishing she were anywhere else than where she was.

Finally, he stopped and, grabbing hold of one of her hands, he hoisted her up to stand in front of him as he rose at the same time. Her skirts flopped down over her tender buttocks and she thrust out her lower lip petulantly, not daring to look at him. He stood, towering over her, and taking her chin in his calloused hand, made her look at him.

"What did I tell you?"

In answer, she scowled.

He sighed, shaking his head. "You are too wilful for your own good. I hope this has taught you a lesson."

She tried to wrench her jaw out of his hand but he held it tight.

"If you run again, I will spank you again; only next time, I will use a switch or mayhap my strap. So I suggest you behave until we reach court, for be in no doubt that I mean what I say."

She gulped, knowing by the look in his eyes that he was adamant. Her bottom smarted and she placed her hands over her softly curved bottom. She could feel the heat radiating through the cloth and her eyes flashed at him angrily, but not wishing to anger him further, she remained quiet.

"Come, we will return to camp and you, young lass, are going to do as you are told."

He pushed her forward and they made their way back to the others.

* * *

That night, they slept under the stars. The three girls all huddled together under a fur blanket that Theodore had handed them. Their feet and hands had been tied for, after Rhona's attempted escape, none of them were to be trusted.

The men kept two hour vigils, not only to make sure the women didn't escape their bonds, but also as lookout for unwanted intruders of the animal or human variety. They also kept the fire stoked, keeping the camp warm.

It was during Leon's stint that he had a chance to study the winsome Rhona whilst she slept. The light from the fire illuminated her face and he couldn't help study her delicate features. Her brow furrowed a little in her sleep, her cute button nose wrinkling. Something or someone was invading her dreams—most probably himself, he thought, chuckling quietly under his breath.

He wondered if King William would still have taken these girls captive, if he had known how rebellious they were. Having dealt with the Scots before, he knew they could be a fiery lot.

Rhona shifted in her sleep and tried to turn on her back but, with her feet and hands tied behind her, it was a futile attempt and she settled back into her deep slumber. Leon's attention turned to her pert little bottom. What a beautiful sight that had been, draped over his thighs. Except that he'd been too mad to appreciate it in all its beauty at the time.

A perfect heart shaped little bottom set atop slender thighs. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering her exquisite form, hidden beneath layers of clothing. Was she married? King William had said none of the girls were wed but, at twenty-one, he would have thought some handsome devil would have swept her off her feet by now. But then, mayhap she was too rebellious. Would a man want a wife with such a quick tongue?

He nodded to himself. Aye, they would. For one with such a quick tongue would soon find herself over his lap receiving a sound spanking. The dominant in him pictured her once more over his lap and he felt a stirring in his loins. Would she ever be submissive to a man or forever be the firebrand he had witnessed?

He shifted uncomfortably, trying to take his mind off the hot-headed girl and bringing his ardour under control. Mayhap, he should pay Matilda a visit when he returned to court. A quick romp was just what he needed.

* * *

The next morning, Rhona was awakened by Heather and Alana whispering heatedly. She went to move her hair off her face and then remembered where she was and that she was tied up. She blinked several times to clear her bleary eyes and wriggled around to see her sisters.

"What are you two talking about?" she asked.

Alana looked over to their captors before furtively saying, "Heather has managed to untie my hands. I am pretending they are still fastened. If I can just get my ankles untied, I could escape."

Rhona's eyes widened and, her voice full of hope, she quickly whispered. "You could fetch help, Alana." But then her face fell, as reality hit. "But then, how will you find your way back home; we have come so far and you are the youngest of us. You know your sense of direction is terrible." She looked at Heather. "Try my bonds again, Heather. Perhaps we can loosen them and then I can escape."

"What are you whispering about?" Jacques demanded, approaching them. They immediately fell silent. He looked at them all suspiciously, his eyes boring into them, one by one.

Rhona was the first to speak. "Are we not allowed to talk?" she demanded.

"Only if it is about fluffy kittens or the weather," Jacques replied, a hint of a smile forming on his face. "But no doubt you are plotting another escape attempt."

"And if we were, would you blame us?" Heather added, her eyes flashing angrily at him.

"Nay, I suppose not."

Heather continued, her temper coming to the fore. "If you think women should only think about kittens and the weather, then I send hearty commiserations to your wife."

He chuckled, seeming to find her comment amusing. "None of us are married, my lady."

"Hmm, wherefore does that not come as a surprise," added Rhona, shooting him a look of contempt.

Jacques face grew dark, his good humour quickly disappearing. "I suggest you keep a civil tongue in your head, else I put your gags back on," he warned them.

Rhona clamped her mouth shut. Under no circumstances did she want that back on. Heather's bravado also quickly disappeared and she immediately went quiet.

With one last disapproving look at them, Jacques wandered back over to the campfire where Theodore was cooking some eggs in a small pan. The divine smells wafted over and Rhona sniffed the air appreciatively. She just hoped they would be given some, at least, for that she could be thankful. She caught Leon's eye and realised he was watching her. Raising her chin defiantly, she looked away.

Alana nudged her with her hip. "Shuffle forward and hide me from their vision. All I need to do is untie my ankles and I can make my escape." She eyed the men nervously. "Or at least try."

Rhona emitted a low growl of frustration, realising that they had to act swiftly and it seemed it would have to fall on Alana's young shoulders to seek their freedom. "Wait a moment. Leon is watching us," Rhona cautioned. She darted a glance back to him and was relieved to see he had risen from his spot and was walking away towards the horses.

She hissed to her cousins. "Quickly, we have little time. They will untie us soon to break our fast and then it may be too late."

Heather and Rhona wriggled their bodies until they were shielding Alana and she quickly bent forward to free her ankles.

* * *

Leon knew the girls were planning an attempt at escape, 'attempt' being the correct word, for he had no plans for any of them escaping. He walked behind his horse and pretended to occupy himself with the saddle, all the while, his eyes kept flicking to the girls to see what they were up to.

The two at the front had shuffled forward so the third girl was hidden. Surely, she couldn't have untied her knot? Their bonds had been tied by Theo and he was damned good at it, too. He continued to watch, and to his amazement, he saw a little hand appear briefly before disappearing again.

He shook his head and began to walk towards them. If they thought they could escape that easily, they were addle-brained, although he'd give them credit for trying. They were all high-spirited girls and getting them to the king was going to be more of a challenge than he had thought.

Just as he reached them, he heard Rhona whisper, "Run!" and Alana took off towards the woods. He just had time to shout a warning to Theo and Jacques before Rhona, like a human cannonball, rolled herself up and threw herself at his legs. He tried to avoid her but luck wasn't on his side and he ended up falling straight over her. He heard her emit a muffled, "Oof!" before he hit the hard ground, his knees taking most of the impact.

"God's bones, woman!" he shouted, quickly scrambling to his feet.

Jacques had already reached Alana and had the struggling miscreant wrapped securely in his muscular arms, her feet dangling far above the ground.

Satisfied she was back in custody, Leon turned his angry gaze on Rhona. Her lips were set tight and she was glaring at him.

He walked over to her and crouched down. "What were you thinking? I could have hurt you," he growled.

"I care not!" she spat. "You cannot keep us like this."

"Aye, we can, and the sooner you accept that, the better." He put his hands under her slender body and picked her up. "For someone so petite, you are a feisty little thing."

"Oh, go to hell!"

"You also have a sassy mouth. I suggest you tone it down a little when you have an audience with the king. He has little tolerance and will think nothing of sending you for punishment."

Her look grew guarded and she pretended indifference but he knew he had struck a nerve. "He would not dare." she blustered. "If he wishes to use us as hostages then he must keep us from harm."

"Aye, but there are many ways of teaching submission. A sound birching, for instance."

Her eyes flew to his and a flicker of fear appeared in their hazel depths. "A birching?"

"Aye, so I suggest, my fiery miss, that you keep a check on that tongue of yours. Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded and, for once, kept quiet. He placed her down next to her cousins and expertly untied her hands. She immediately rubbed her hands over her wrists and looked at him sullenly whilst he untied Heather's bonds.

He raised his finger and pointed at all three girls. "There will be no more attempts to escape, not now, not ever." He turned and looked over his shoulder at Theo. "Bring some food." He turned his attention back to the girls. "Eat this, for we will be riding soon and will not stop for several hours. You will need the sustenance."

Theo handed them a plate of eggs and bread between them, and satisfied they were at least subdued for now, Leon walked to the fire to eat his own plate of food. Theo quickly joined him.

"How the devil did she get free?" Theo said, puzzled.

"You must be slacking, Theo, letting a mere slip of a girl escape your bonds." Jacques laughed. "You are losing your touch, cousin."

"She won't do it again!" he said confidently. "I shall make damn sure of it."

"I hope you are right," Leon commented. "The sooner these girls are in the castle, the better I will feel."

He took a mouthful of food and, chewing slowly, stared over at Rhona, wondering if she would take heed of his warning and keep a civil tongue in her head when she was put before the king.

* * *

It took a further two days to reach Winchester, by which time, Rhona was saddle sore and extremely tetchy. There had been no opportunity to even think about escaping, let alone attempt one, for the men had made sure to keep a really close eye on them, never being more than an arm's length away. Even conversation had remained stilted between the girls, for fear of being overheard and, in doing so, mayhap having their future escape plans thwarted.

Riding through one small village, Alana had called out to a villager to seek their help, but one fierce look from Jacques and a warning that they were on king's business, soon had the hapless stranger falling back, a fearful look on their face.

Settled between Leon's muscular thighs on the front of his horse, Rhona had plenty of time to contemplate her future. Like it or not, she and her cousins were going to become pawns in a battle between kings.

She shifted uncomfortably, trying to ease the ache in her bottom. As much as she liked horse-riding, she wasn't used to sitting in the saddle for so long and being so confined. Her hands were still tied in front of her, although not as tightly as before, due to the fact she had moaned about chaffing. Leon had taken her slim wrists in his massive hands and, after a close inspection, decided to thankfully loosen the ropes a little.

His deep voice broke into her reverie. "Do you ever sit still?"

She immediately bristled. "I am sitting still. I have no choice but to sit still!" She felt his chest rumble against her back as he chuckled to himself. Vexed, she snapped, "I fail to see what is so amusing?"

"Forgive me, my fiery maiden, but you take umbrage so easily."

"And you would not, if you were in my position?"

"Aye, I would, to be fair, but worry not, we will arrive at Winchester within the hour and then you can rest."

"Rest? When we have to be paraded before your king? I would not call that rest, my lord."

"Remember my warning, fair Rhona. Hold your tongue in front of the king. He will not countenance any insubordination." She could hear the disapproval in his voice and rolled her eyes but refrained from further retort.

King William wasn't her king and she cared not a fig what he bloody well thought. An image of the dreaded birch came into her mind and her bravado began to fade, a tremor of fear slipping through her small frame. Would this king truly punish her if she dared to speak out? She worried her bottom lip with her teeth as they rode the last part of the journey towards her inevitable imprisonment.