Isabella strolled through the manor's courtyard, Judith by her side. The cool breeze was a welcome respite from the stifling atmosphere of her chamber. She had grown tired of locking herself away, trying to spite her husband. But solitude had only served to intensify her thoughts, and she often found herself daydreaming about the one person she was supposed to despise: Sir Leofric.
Every day the blackguard would return to their chamber, his eyes gleaming with hunger that made Isabella's skin prickle. He would try to coax her into his arms, his touch never failing to send shivers down her spine. And to her horror, she always found herself responding to his advances, her body betraying her mind's revulsion.
It wasn't supposed to be so. She was supposed to hate him, to resent his very existence. But the truth was, she had grown to enjoy his silly jokes, his lame attempts to get her to do things for him. And his touch—oh! His touch was like nothing she had ever felt before.
"My lady, are you alright?" Judith asked, her eyes falling on her mistress's pink cheeks. "Is the sun too hot for you?"
Isabella's cheeks flushed more as she replied, "Yes, the sun seems to be hotter than usual." Against her will, more images of the infuriating man flooded her mind. She couldn't believe she had let her guard down.
Determined to shake off the unwanted feelings, Isabella quickened her pace, her eyes scanning the courtyard. She needed to focus on something else to distract her from her thoughts' treacherous path.
The manor. Isabella's eyes remained fixed on the bland surroundings. The manor, though impressive in size, lacked the warmth and character of her childhood home. There were no decorations or anything homely about the place.
She continued to walk, lost in thought, until she heard the sound of clashing steel and murmured voices. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognised the place as a training ground. Her husband was there, no doubt showing off his skills.
Isabella's feet seemed to move on their own accord, drawing her closer to the training ground. She told herself she was only curious, that she didn't really want to see Leofric in action. Now close enough to see what was happening, it wasn't hard to spot the blackguard's tall frame standing in the centre of the crowd with his back to her, a young lad facing him.
Isabella's heart skipped a beat when Leofric instructed the boy to pick up his sword. She worried for the boy's safety. Sir Leofric was a giant of a man, his muscles rippling beneath his tunic as he moved.
But the boy, though smaller and younger, seemed confident. He picked up his sword as instructed and assumed a fighting stance, his eyes fixed intently on Leofric. The crowd watched with bated breath as the two began to circle each other, their swords flashing in the sunlight.
Isabella's anxiety grew as the atmosphere intensified. Leofric's opponent let out a battle cry and charged, but Leofric dodged the attack with ease, his sword slicing through the air to block the boy's attack. The fight continued for several moments, Leofric's superior skill and strength eventually gaining the upper hand. With a swift move, he knocked the sword from the boy's hand and placed his own blade against the boy's neck. The boy surrendered, and Leofric said, "I expected more from you, Mat, and don't think I will go easy on you ever again."
With da efeated shoulder, the boy went and joined his colleagues who patted him on the shoulder with encouraging words. No doubt Mat was a good swordsman, but he wasn't a match for Leofric. "Who's next?" Leofric asked.
The crowd fell silent until Eric stepped forward, a sly grin spreading across his face. "I am," His voice dripped with confidence.
Leofric's eyes narrowed, clearly taken aback by Eric's boldness. The man was his right-hand man for a reason. They were almost of the same height, body size....and strength. The crowd expected a fierce fight between the two as always. Leofric grinned, seeming to relish the challenge. 'Bout time he strengthened his bones. "Think you can take me down, Eric?" Leofric asked, a proud smile plastered on his lips.
Eric chuckled, "I am not here to take you down, My Lord, I am here to prove a point."
Leofric raised an eyebrow. "And what point might that be?"
"That you are not as focused as you think you are," Eric replied, his eyes glinting with mischieve.
"Very well, Eric, Let's see what you are made of, shall we?" Leofric tightened his hold on his sword.
The two men faced off, their swords clashing as they began to circle each other. The other knights watched with hungry eyes, sensing the tension between the two combatants. Just like Leofric, Eric was quick and agile, dodging Leofric's powerful blows with ease. But Leofric's strength began to gain the upper hand, and Eric stumbled backwards, his sword flashing wildly as he struggled to defend himself.
As the fight intensified, Isabella's tension grew. With a racing heart, she watched as their swords clashed against each other, their movements swift and deadly. Judith, sensing her mistress's unease, placed a reassuring hand on Isabella's arm. Just then, Robert appeared at Isabella's side, a bright smile plastered on his face.
"Good afternoon, My Lady," He greeted, capturing her attention only for a few seconds as she refocused her attention on the fierce battle before her. "You have nothing to worry about, your husband is one of the best."
Isabella glared at him. "Who told you I am worried about the blackguard?"
Robert's lips almost touched his ears. His sister-in-law had some balls to talk about Leofric like that. "Well, forgive me, I thought you were worried that your husband would soon drop dead."
"Why would I care if Sir Eric guts him out?"
Robert chuckled. The lady had been clutching her skirt earlier. It was a miracle that she hadn't jumped in between the combatants, yet. "Okay, I just wanted to let you know that this is nothing but a friendly match, and your husband seems to be in control."
As Isabella turned back to watch the fight, she couldn't help but feel that Robert was mistaken. The two men looked like they wanted to gut each other out, their movement brutal and vigorous. She couldn't help but picture the two men fighting alongside the war they just conquered. It would be a miracle if their enemies didn't wet their pants.
Isabella's heart skipped a beat and she instinctively clutched onto Robert's arm as Eric landed a particularly vicious blow, causing Leofric to stumble backwards in response. But Leofric quickly regained his footing, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he launched a counterattack.
To distract her, Robert asked, "Lady Isabella, are you certain that we haven't met before?"
Isabella was tempted to smack her brother-in-law on the head. Of all times, why did he choose now to ask me this? "Robert, I have lost count of how many times you asked me that, and my answer remains the same."
"It's just that sometimes, it seems like you are avoiding me for some strange reason."
She let out a scoff followed by an eye roll. How on earth was she supposed to explain to her brother-in-law that they met in a gambling house where he met her alter-ego, Richard? "And why would I do that?"
"Exactly what I have been asking myself." Robert's brows drew together. "Have I unintentionally offended you before?"
Guilt flashed in Isabella's eyes, but she quickly concealed it with a blinding smile, surprising Robert. She said, "I must confess to you. It's no news that this marriage was against my will. I felt a little resentment for you when I found out you are Sir Leofric's brother. I didn't want to have anything to do with you."
Robert stared down at her. He was almost as tall as his brother. "How about now?"
Isabella's smile tipped further, "Now, I promise to channel my anger and resentment to the right source." Her eyes flicked to Leofric on the training ground, causing Robert to laugh. "Do they do this all the time?" She asked, referring to the fight.
"Do you mean the two of them?" Robert asked as he focused on the fight once again.
"Not really. I don't know what got into them today."
Isabella nodded, her heart pounding in her chest as the fight continued to rage on. Just when it seemed Leofric was about to emerge victorious, Eric called out, "Look, my Lord, Your wife is watching!"
That was all it took to distract the man as he turned around in search of his wife. It wasn't hard to spot her as she was standing at the edge of the training ground. Eric took advantage of the momentary lapse, attacking with renewed ferocity. Leofric's sword flew out of his hand, and Eric's blade sliced through the air, striking Leofric's arm.
The crowd erupted into cheers as Eric stood victorious. Leofric laughed, shaking his head in admiration. "Well played, Eric. You got me."
Eric grinned, sheathing his sword. He said, "You are a fool in love, my friend." He said, his voice low and teasing.
"Leofric chuckled his eyes crinkling at the corners. "That woman will be the death of me if care is not taken," He said, turning towards Isabella. Before he could think better of it, his legs were already moving towards her.
As he walked towards them, Robert turned on his heels and ran to where the knights were celebrating Eric's victory. Defeating Leofric was a credible victory. Just like Robert, Judith quickly mumbled some incoherent words and dashed toward the manor. Cowards.
Isabella felt a flutter in her chest. She couldn't help but be impressed with Leofric's skill with a sword, and the way he had laughed and joked with Eric despite the man's cunny victory.
As Leofric approached her, his smile widened, "Did you enjoy the show, my Lady?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Isabella nodded, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, "Yes, I surprisingly did. You are quite…"
"Quite what, my Lady?" He probed.
"Quite skilled," She finished. Her breath caught in her throat as he moved closer to her. Too close.
"A compliment from my wife? I think I am dreaming." He grinned when she flashed him her signature glare. "What can I say, I try my best."
"Yes, I saw that." Her eyes flew to his arm where Eric had cut, "You are bleeding."
"Ah, this is nothing." He buried his face in her neck and placed a soft kiss on it. "Did you miss me?"
"Not in this lifetime, My lord." Isabella quickly took a step back and shook her head to get rid of the tingles that spread inside her. Holding her head high, she said, "You should get it cleaned up before it gets infected."
"I will have one of the men do that after they are done celebrating."
Isabella glanced at the men and said, "I doubt this celebration will end any time soon."
"Are you…" A new smile spread across his face as he let the remaining words hang in the air.
She let out a loud scoff and said, "I take it back. You can go ahead and wait for them." She turned on her heel and began walking away in fast strides. Feeling like a giddy fool, he followed her like a lost puppy.