Chapter One
1357 – Ten Years Later
Tiverton, England
Nessa stopped on the way home from the village to smell widow Dorothy’s bread. She managed to slip five shillings to Dorothy for a half piece of bread. She hid it behind her as she hurried to catch up with the guards and Mel. She shoved a piece of bread into her mouth. It was delicious! She had paid for the bread, not so much because she was hungry, but because she knew Dorothy was having a hard time. Still, the bread was fresh and good and Nessa was happy to help Dorothy.
“I can’t believe you made me come to this village,” Melwyn complained. “It’s so boring!”
Nessa glanced at her sister. “These are your people, Mel. You should get to know them.”
“What do I care about these peasants?” She pointed to the small girl running away down the dirt street behind them. “Look at them. Dirty and disgusting.”
“They work hard.”
“You think they would clean up before speaking with their ladies. I would give them a shilling to bathe before talking to me.”
“You should make that public knowledge and more villagers would do it.” Nessa smiled. She hooked her arm through Mel’s. “Thank you for coming with me.” She held up a small cloth-wrapped package. “These herbs are important.”
“So is my time. I could have…” Mel spotted one of the guards looking at her. She smiled coyly and pulled her arm free of Nessa’s before hurrying to the young guard’s side.
Nessa sighed. She lost her sister to a handsome smile again. She trailed the group of guards and Mel down the street. The sun shone warmly on her face and Nessa decided there was no better day to go into the village. She had begged Mel to accompany her, wanting her sister’s company. She loved being with Mel. But it had been a while since they had gotten time alone. She had thought a trip into the village would be exactly what she needed to speak with Mel quietly and catch up with all her gossip. But as she watched the way the guards tried to position themselves close to Mel, Nessa realized she would have a better chance getting close to Mel if she were a man. She mentally shrugged and shoved a piece of bread into her mouth.
“The most treasured beauty is the kind that comes from inside.”
Nessa looked up to see the oldest guard, Sir Percy, taking up stride beside her. He was a kind man, with a face full of sun-browned wrinkles. She smiled at him. “Perchance.” She looked back at Mel as a strand of her hair blew free of one of her plaits. She puffed it from her eyes. “But just once it would be nice if my hair remained in the plait.”
Sir Percy grinned. “One cannot cage beauty.”
Nessa harrumphed. “But one can tame it.”
“Your beauty is different from lady Melwyn’s.”
Nessa shook her head. She wasn’t beautiful. She never had been. She had learned long ago that she would never be like Mel, but that didn’t stop her from hoping and imagining. “Why aren’t you up there with Mel?”
Sir Percy looked at Mel and all the men around her. “I’ve learned through the years to cherish good conversation.” He jerked a chin at the guards. “Those young lads have no idea what they are missing. They are vying for the attention of the wrong sister.”
Nessa rolled her eyes. Sir Percy always said things like that. It was kind, but she didn’t believe him. She broke off a piece of the bread and held it out to him. “You don’t need flattery to gain you a piece of bread.”
Percy took the bread with a chuckle. “But it helps.” He took a bite. “Have I ever told you the story about how I almost got my hand cut off for returning a loaf of bread?”
Nessa grinned. “Many times.”
“Then you won’t mind hearing it one more—” Suddenly, there was a thunk and Percy stopped moving.
Nessa looked at him. His expression was that of startlement, his mouth open in surprise, his brow furrowed slightly in confusion. She cocked her head. “Are you all right?” The piece of bread fell from his hand and he toppled forward, an arrow shaft protruding from his back. Nessa inhaled to call to Mel, but around her the forest erupted in action. Men charged from the trees and bushes at the side of the road, brandishing swords. Nessa ducked as they swarmed by her to attack the guards. She looked for her sister. Their guards had been caught unaware and two were already down in the face of the unexpected attack. These fallen guards were men she knew. She pushed the thought aside in her frantic search for her sister. Two guards were engaged in sword fight with two unknown men. Her gaze swept past them, searching. Fear engulfed her, fear for Mel’s safety. Where was she? And then the other remaining guard blocked a strike and stepped aside. Nessa spotted Mel on the ground behind them.
She quickly skirted the combatants to run to her sister’s side. She grasped her hands and pulled Mel to her feet before starting toward their home. A large man stepped before them, the tip of his sword pointed at them, the steel coated with blood. Mel whimpered softly. Nessa stared at the man. There was something familiar in the cold glint in his black eyes. She knew this man! Urien.
Fear engulfed Nessa. She clutched Mel’s hands, and backed away from him.
There came a gurgle and silence descended around them. Nessa looked over her shoulder to see all their guards lay dead on the road. Horrified, she looked back at Urien.
He stepped by them and nodded to one of his men in gratitude. Then, he turned to the girls. His gaze moved over them, from one sister to the next. “Mel?” he called.
Mel’s grasp on Nessa’s arm tightened in panic. They both remained silent.
Urien scowled. “Which one of you is Mel?”
Dread clawed at Nessa. What did he want with Mel? She glanced at her sister, meeting her gaze. Mel clasped her lips tightly, her eyes wide with fear.
“I asked which one of you is Mel?” Urien demanded in a fierce voice.
Nessa jerked forward. “I am!” A sob escaped Mel’s lips from behind her. Whatever he wanted with Mel, he would never get. “I’m Melwyn.”
Urien took hold of her arm and pried her away from Mel, who sobbed.
“Run,” Nessa said to Mel. But Mel did not move. She struggled against Urien’s hold to command her sister, “Run!”
One of the men led horses onto the road. Urien forced Nessa to his horse. “I don’t want your sister,” he told her and lifted her onto his steed. “Only you.” He mounted behind her. The horse circled once and Nessa locked eyes with Mel. She would be safe. She was relieved her sister would be unharmed. Then, the reality of the situation descended over her and terror gripped her in an icy hand. She was Urien’s captive.