Once Upon a Romance 03 - With True Love's Kiss (4 page)

Robin looked
down at the women sleeping huddled next to the fire, and the doubts and worry
he did not allow himself to speak raced around in his mind. They were moving at
a snail’s pace through the old forest. True, they had a lead on the trackers, and
true, anyone hunting them would also be moving cautiously, but their pursuers
would still gain. Robin had kept the pace as fast as he dared, but they needed
to go faster. And Isabelle simply couldn’t; she was too weak. He could smell
the illness invading her body through the evil wounds on her back.

He knelt
down next to the ailing woman. Earlier he had told Bianca that they were both
hinds, but it wasn’t true. He knew the valor of this queen, knew what she had
done and what she had risked. He respected her heart, and wished that he could
bring her safely home to her husband and daughter. The depth of his feelings
actually surprised him. He had spent the moonless hours pacing in the dark
around their camp, considering their options, trying to find a way to save them
all. He hadn’t thought of a way, but the hunters were still a day behind them.
He wasn’t giving up yet.

Bianca
stirred across the fire. She lifted her head and gazed up at Robin in silence,
before lowering her eyes to contemplate Isabelle. A crease of worry appeared on
her forehead. She, too, knew that the queen was sickening.

“Is it time
to go?”

Robin
nodded, and Bianca rose from her blanket, rolling it up and tying it neatly.
While he saddled the three horses, she repacked what supplies they had used in
the night and fastened them securely behind the saddles. Then she went to
Isabelle’s side.

“She’s so
tired. I wish we didn’t have to wake her.”

“As do I.”

She looked
up at him in surprise. Robin gave a rueful shrug. “I do not say she can sleep longer.
Merely that I wish this were not necessary.”

A hint of a
smile graced her mouth, but quickly fled. “I don’t know how she’ll keep in her
saddle. Could I ride with her?”

Robin
considered the suggestion. “Very well. When we stop to rest you can change mounts.
We might even move faster, with you to steady her.” Bianca’s face glowed in
gratitude, like a small moon shining up at him, and Robin had to smile. “You
need not look so thankful. It will be hard on you, carrying her in the saddle.”

“I’m
grateful anyway.” She smiled back at him, and he felt a surge of real
camaraderie for the girl. Then she bent her head and called to Isabelle, and
Robin turned away to lead over their first mount.

Isabelle
stumbled to her feet, hugging her arms tightly around herself. The night wasn’t
that cold, but she shook with chills. Bianca spoke reassuringly, as she
gathered up the blanket the queen had slept on.

“You and I
are riding together from now on, Isabelle.”

“We won’t be
able to move fast,” the queen objected between chattering teeth.

“We could
not move quickly anyway.” Robin said. “The moonlight is not bright enough, and
we cannot risk the horses. Climb up, and let Bianca help you.”

Isabelle
took a deep, quivering breath, and then let it out and nodded slowly. Robin cupped
his hands to let her step up into the saddle, and stayed at their side to help
arrange the blankets. Isabelle’s eyes drooped already, she would be dozing
before they’d left the campsite behind. Robin looked up at Bianca, wondering
how the girl would do on the night ride. She gazed down at him, a calm serenity
on her face.

“Whenever
you’re ready, Master Goodfellow.”

They picked
their way carefully through the moon-dappled spring undergrowth. Even under the
circumstances, Robin couldn’t help but notice the beauty of the night. It
called out to him with the sweet voice of new life, bursting free of every
hollow in the forest. From beneath the horses’ hooves rose the scent of crushed
moss, while from above drifted the smell of budding leaves still furled tightly
in upon themselves. It was a perfect night, one he might normally spend running
on foot through the hidden paths of the forest. If only—and here he glanced
over his shoulder, reminded of his charges—he were not saddled with these two
women.

Isabelle was
asleep. Her head lolled against Bianca’s shoulder, and Robin could see the
fever’s flush climbing her cheeks, even in the semi-darkness. Robin turned his
attention to Bianca. The girl had dropped the reins, trusting her horse to
follow his own, and was using both arms to cradle Isabelle gently. It couldn’t
have been easy, maintaining her own balance with the added burden of the
blanket-wrapped queen, but she seemed unconcerned. Her eyes took in the forest
around her, lingering on the silver-lined branches that hung in the night like
wrought metal sculptures. He didn’t realize she’d noticed his regard, until she
spoke.

“It’s
beautiful.”

“I agree.”

“I could
enjoy this, if it weren’t for Isabelle being so sick.” She caught his wry
smile, and cocked her head. “Why is that funny?”

“I was
merely thinking something similar, only moments ago. Of how I would enjoy this
night, were I not tasked with taking you to safety.”

“I’m sorry.”
She said it with true remorse, and Robin rolled his eyes.

“Why do you
do that?”

“Do what?”

“Offer your
apologies. You did not give me this task, nor did I accept it for your sake.
You are in no way responsible; why should you be sorry?”

“I suppose I
feel guilty that I’m such an unwanted burden.”

He ground
his teeth in frustration at her answer. “Again, why do you say such things?
Perhaps you are an unwanted burden, but do you not value yourself?” He thought
a minute. “What would your cousin, Vivienne, say, if I said such a thing to
her?”

Bianca
smiled. “I imagine she would say that you were lucky to have the chance to bask
in her presence, however it came about, and that you should stop sniveling.”

“Precisely.
Your cousin is sure of her own worth.” He hesitated, and clarified. “Perhaps a
bit too sure. Nevertheless, you could take lessons from her.”

“Maybe I’ll
ask her to teach me, when we get to Albion.”

Robin tossed
a glance over his shoulder. He couldn’t tell if she was teasing.

She blinked
at him innocently.

He still
couldn’t tell.

Perhaps it
was time to change the subject.

“The sun
will be rising soon. Once it is up we will need to pick up the pace.”

“I’ll be
ready.”

He turned
around, facing forward in his saddle. Behind him, Bianca returned to her
contemplation of the silent, pre-dawn forest.

And Robin
wondered just when the trackers would be on their heels.

The air was
still chilly by mid-morning, but Bianca could hardly feel it. Isabelle was a
warm, limp bundle in her arms, and in the morning light a sheen of sweat coated
her pale face. She had barely stirred since first falling asleep, despite the
jostling that came with their increased pace, and Bianca was seriously
concerned. The queen must be sicker than she thought, to sleep through the ride
like this, but for the moment all Bianca could do was worry and hang on.

Her arms
were locked tightly around Isabelle, and they ached from the strain of holding
onto her friend. Her thighs, too, were fatigued and cramping from the effort of
keeping them both in the saddle. She tried to ignore the burn in her limbs, and
for a while she succeeded. The forest was beautiful, with the spring growth
peeking out from beneath last autumn’s fallen leaf blanket, and the sounds of
the birds, newly returned from their winter homes, twittering among the
branches. She forgot the complaints from her muscles as she took in the world
around her. Eventually, though, even such distractions ceased to help her. Her
arms were trembling with exhaustion, and pain ran down her legs with every
slight shift in her palfrey’s gait.

She knew she
couldn’t ask Robin to stop. He had made it plain that they had to keep moving.
And Isabelle could hardly ride alone, not in the state she was in. There was
nothing for Bianca to do but bite her tongue and hope that they would stop
soon. She began to play a waiting game with herself. If they made it to the
next copse of trees, then Robin would call for a halt. If they made it beyond
the copse, past the little stream, then Robin would call for a halt. If they
made it up the mossy slope, the one that rose above the rivulet, then Robin
would call for a—

“We should
stop for a moment.”

Bianca was
so shocked when he spoke she actually rode a few paces beyond him before she
fumbled one hand free of Isabelle’s blankets and yanked on the reins. Robin
slid from his saddle and lifted Isabelle down, laying her down on the root bed
of a giant oak tree. Then he turned back to Bianca and raised an eyebrow.

“Are you not
going to get down?”

Bianca was
holding back tears. The sudden removal of her burden had sent blood rushing
into her arms and legs, and they were screaming in protest at the punishment
she had put them through. She clutched her quivering arms against her chest,
trying to soothe some of the shooting pains that ran from her shoulders to her
wrists, and answered him.

“I think I
may need your help.”

Robin
frowned and came to stand at her stirrup. His eyes rested on her arms, still
shaking despite her efforts to calm them.

“Why did you
not say something, earlier?”

“What could
you have done? We needed to ride, and Isabelle couldn’t manage on her own.”

He let out a
great gust of air as he pulled the last blanket, left behind from Isabelle’s
bundle, off of her lap and tossed it to one side. “If you cripple yourself you
will no longer be able to help Isabelle.”

“I am not
crippled.” Bianca felt a surge of irritation, a rare thing for her. “I have a
balm that will set me right in no time. All I need is to put it on and walk
around a bit. So if you wouldn’t mind,” she said with careful courtesy, “could
you please help me off this horse?” Bianca was surprised at herself. Normally
nothing roused her temper. She was even more surprised at Robin. Instead of
getting annoyed in return, he looked up at her, almost grinning.

“I would be
delighted.”

He moved
fast, his hands closing over her waist and pulling her down from the saddle.
She was caught off guard and let out a startled squawk as she practically fell
into his arms, her legs hopelessly tangled in her skirts. The unfamiliar
vexation blossomed into full blown anger, and she glared up at the hunstman,
planting her feet firmly on the ground.

“Are you
trying to kill me?”

“I am trying
to save your life, Bianca, as you well know.” The infuriating smile stayed on
his face. “But I would not mind provoking you more. You are far more
interesting this way.” She gaped at him, as he cocked his head and raised one
eyebrow. “Where did that fire come from? I did not know you had any spirit at
all.”

His eyes
searched hers, perhaps looking for the hidden source of her fire, and Bianca
suddenly became horribly aware of how intimately they stood. She felt a blush
rising on her cheeks, and tried to calm herself. She did not like this man. He
was rude, and uncaring, and he was only helping her under duress.

He did have
incredibly blue eyes, though.

Her horse
snorted, and shook all over in a vain attempt to remove her saddle. Bianca
wrenched her divided skirt into some semblance of order, and pulled herself
free of Robin’s arms.

“Let me get
my pack, and then I’ll see to her.” She grabbed her satchel, intending to drop
it by Isabelle before caring for her horse, but, again, Robin surprised her.

“See to
Isabelle.” He closed his fingers over hers, preventing her from dropping the
bag of medicines. “I can tend the horses well enough on my own.”

She stood
motionless, trying once more to fight the color in her cheeks. What was the
matter with her? Robin smiled and took his hand away, leading her horse over to
the other two, to begin the process of stripping all three of their saddles.
Bianca shook her head once sharply, and then made her way over to Isabelle.

The queen’s
eyes were open, and though they glittered with an unhealthy light, Bianca was
relieved to see that Isabelle was at least awake. She dropped to her knees and
began loosening the blankets around her friend, determined to change Isabelle’s
bandages while she had the chance.

“Your cheeks
are flushed.” The queen spoke in barely a whisper, but Bianca heard her. “I
thought I was the fevered one.”

“You are.”
Bianca felt Isabelle’s forehead and neck, trying to gauge how warm she really
was. “I am merely irritated by our escort.”

“You were
irritated?” Isabelle’s voice was getting stronger as she teased Bianca. “Funny,
you didn’t look irritated.” Bianca was glad of the teasing, for it meant her
friend wasn’t as weak as she’d feared, but she desperately hoped Robin wasn’t
listening to them. She shot a wary glance towards the horses, and saw them all
contentedly eating from their feed bags, and Robin nowhere in sight.

“Well, I
was. I still am. He’s extremely exasperating.” Bianca pulled on the sleeves of
Isabelle’s riding jacket, working the garment off her shoulders.

“I’ve always
found him to be quite a charming young man.” Isabelle winced at the jostling,
but managed a weak grin anyway as the jacket came free. “Perhaps you bring out
the worst in him.”

“Then
perhaps you should deal with him from now on, and I can focus on my troublesome
patient.” Bianca gave her friend a mock glare, and then a sincere smile, before
furrowing her brow. “Sit as still as you can, Isabelle. I have to take the
bandages off, and I’m afraid it’s going to hurt.” She began unwinding the
strips of fabric, trying to be careful, trying not to hurt her friend, and,
most of all, trying not to wonder where Robin had gone.

***

Robin
slipped silently through the trees, his mind on the events of the morning, not
on his destination. He’d been surprised at Bianca’s silent stoicism through the
long hours that she’d ridden with Isabelle. Though he hadn’t known the extent
to which it had been straining her, he’d known it would be hard, and had
expected— He didn’t rightly know. More complaining, perhaps. More pleas to
stop, certainly. Instead she had ridden at the pace he set while the sun rose
higher in the sky, never mentioning her discomfort.

More
surprising, though, had been that spark of anger he’d seen. She was always so
compliant, so calm in the face of the demands placed on her, he’d never before
seen her take the slightest umbrage. For a moment, he grinned at the trees
around him. He must truly bother her in order to bring out such a reaction.

He had to
admit, it was appealing. Not the anger, exactly, but the fire. The warmth it
brought to her cheeks, the sparkle in her eye. It brought her to life, in a way
he’d never seen before. He hadn’t known that side of her existed.

With his
mind thus occupied, his feet carried him further away from the two women, to
the pool he could feel out in the forest. It wasn’t large, but it was calm,
natural water, and that was good enough for his purposes. Crouching at the
muddy edge he leaned over the smooth surface and called to his grandmother.

“Merriweather…”

His face,
reflected back at him, wavered for a moment, and then the ripples cleared and
another face looked up at him. Dame Fae Merriweather looked more worn than she
usually did. Oh, her hair was swept up in its elaborate coiffure, and her face
was perfectly powdered, but her eyes looked tired and worried.

“I’ve been
waiting for you, Robin. What took so long?”

Well, at
least her voice was as acerbic as ever.

“Oddly
enough, Grandmother, it is not as easy as you might think to make an escape and
keep in constant contact with you.”

“Don’t be
fresh, boy. It isn’t the time.”

“But if I
failed to be fresh, you might worry that something was wrong.”

“Something
is wrong, Robin.” Her voice was almost gentle, and that, in and of itself was
troublesome. “Brannon sent his guard after you last night.”

“So soon?
Why?”

“I don’t
know. He still doesn’t know Isabelle is gone, but maybe he suspected something
else. I think it more likely that he thought to betray you, as well, and have
the guard kill you once you had killed Bianca. It doesn’t matter, though. What
matters is that you only had half a day’s lead on them. And I say had, because—”

“Because
they’re traveling faster than we are. Stars above!” Robin swore, “how long do I
have before they catch us?”

“Hours,
maybe. Maybe not that long. You need to ride faster.”

“I cannot.”
He ground his teeth in frustration. “Isabelle is injured, and fevered. We’ve
only been traveling this fast because Bianca has been carrying her in the
saddle.” He thought furiously. “There is an entrance to the mists near here,
what if I take them both—”

“You can’t.”
The Dame spoke flatly. “They’re human, Robin. Without even a drop of Fae blood.
They’d go mad, or worse. You can’t take them through the mists. You’re just
going to have to think of another way.”

Robin stared
down at his Grandmother’s face. Her eyes reflected a mirror of the resolve that
he knew was in his own, but they also held a great weight of care and worry. He
kissed his fingertips and gently touched them to the surface of the pool,
creating only the tiniest of ripples.

“Do not
worry, Grandmother. I shall see to it.” With his last words he drew his fingers
through the water, and then sprang to his feet, darting away through the
forest.

He had no
idea what they were going to do.

In no time
his feet carried him back to the horses. He barely noticed Bianca’s face as she
watched, wide eyed, while he threw the saddles back on their mounts and cinched
them tight. She had to call his name several times before he even noticed.

“Master
Goodfellow!”

He turned,
and only then did he truly take in the scene before him.

Isabelle was
hunched forward, leaning against her knees. Bianca knelt behind her, face white
from fear, and an empty pot of salve in her hands. Robin approached cautiously,
trying not to panic either of them.

“We need to
go. Finish your ministrations and help Isabelle back into her jacket. The king’s
men are…” He trailed off, because Bianca was shaking her head.

“Look.”

He walked to
where he could see Isabelle’s back. One of the lacerations was puffy, and
streaked with red. The evil signs of infection spread upwards, towards her
heart, looking like livid marks against the strained white flesh of her back.

“She must be
treated.” Bianca was looking up at him, eyes full of worry.

“We cannot
wait.” Robin dropped to his knees beside the wide-eyed girl. He understood her
concern, but… “There is no time. We must ride, now, and we must travel fast,
or the guard will find us and you will both lose your lives. Isabelle must risk
it.”

“You don’t
understand.” Bianca had tears in her eyes. “She can’t. She can’t ride, it’s
taking everything she has to sit like this so I can treat her. And we were
already traveling as fast as we could, this morning. I can’t keep us both in
the saddle, if we go any faster.”

“Then I will
carry her.” Robin picked up the scraps of cloth and thrust them at Bianca. “But
we must go now.”

Bianca
locked eyes full of hopelessness on him. They stared at one another, until
Isabelle slowly lifted her head, drawing their attention.

“Robin is
right. You must go, now, and you must ride faster than is possible, if you
carry me.”

“Isabelle—”