Sapphire - Book 2 (24 page)

Ruby stood at her side and her twin sisters
were right next to her.

Waylon stood at Roe’s side, holding the
sapphire ring that had been Sapphire’s mother’s as well. It was the
ring that meant something to her and at her request, Roe was using
this for the marriage.

“Repeat after me,” the priest said. Roe took
Sapphire’s hands in his as they said their vows.

He glanced down the steps and saw his mother
smiling at him and he only wished his father could have been here
for this special day. Auley, with his injured shoulder wrapped, was
there by Roe’s permission, and he noticed that the man and Alice
were getting along wonderfully. Dugald stood with his arm around
Erin, both of them beaming, and he realized they were probably
thinking of their own wedding right now.

Sapphire’s father smiled and nodded to him
in a silent communication relaying that he approved of the
union.

“The ring, please,” said the priest. Roe
turned and took it from his squire.

Then he placed it upon Sapphire’s finger,
with some words of his own. “With this ring, I do wed,” he said.
“And I promise to love and protect you for as long as we live. I
love you, Sapphire, and I will see to it that from this day forth
that you are treated as the princess that you truly are in my
heart.”

“And I love you, Roe, and promise to honor
and obey and be your true love for as long as we live.”

“I pronounce you man and wife,” said the
priest. He didn’t need to tell them to kiss, because Roe couldn’t
wait. He kissed Sapphire long and deep and then picked her up in
his arms and twirled her in a full circle making her laugh.

He put her on her feet, and they walked down
the stairs with everyone tossing seed and grain in a shower of
appreciation and what he knew was a superstition to bring about a
fruitful marriage with lots of children.

Waylon walked up next to him and tossed a
handful of grain directly at Roe. “I’ve been waiting to do that,”
he said with a smile. “The only day when a squire can throw
something at his lord and not be punished for it.”

“Well, that’s not really true,” Roe told
him. “And all I can say is I hope you enjoy sweeping it all up when
you’ve finished.”

Waylon laughed, then stopped and looked at
Roe curiously. “You are jesting, aren’t you?”

“I jest with you not. I won’t have precious
grain and seed fed to the birds when we will need it to plant in
the fields come spring.”

Waylon grumbled and the crowd laughed.

“Congratulations,” the earl said, clasping
arms with him. Then he hugged Sapphire as well.

“So who will be the next to wed?” asked
Sapphire, looking at her twin sisters, Amber and Amethyst. “Father,
have you betrothed either of them yet?”

“Nay,” he admitted. “I’ve been informed of
your ordeal with the baron and I have decided to stop betrothing my
daughters, as was the dying wish of your mother. I will let Amber
and Amethyst find their husbands on their own.”

“Well, I think I may have to look farther
than Blackpool or Rye for my husband,” said Amethyst. “I may just
travel the lands to find my true love.”

“And what about you, Amber?” Sapphire asked
the other twin. “Where will you look for your true love?”

“I do not have to look, as I have already
decided,” she said.

“Really?” Roe could see the excitement on
Sapphire’s face as she waited for her answer. “Do tell us,
please.”

“I have decided to join the abbey and become
a nun,” she announced, causing everyone to suddenly become quiet,
as the mood changed from happiness to bewilderment.

“Amber, are you sure?” asked Ruby, rubbing
her belly. “If you do that, you will never be able to have
children.”

“I will atone for the sins of our mother as
well as our entire family,” she said. “I have decided to join the
order and nothing any of you can say will change my mind.”

“Amber, please reconsider,” begged Sapphire.
“You don’t understand how it feels to find your true love.”

“There is no man for me,” she said. “Now
please, just accept my decision.”

“We are happy for you,” said Roe, trying to
make it more comfortable for the girl. “Everyone’s path in life is
different and we hope you find what you are looking for.”

Everyone congratulated her then. And though
he knew Sapphire - the woman who wanted a big family and liked to
nurture and be a mother to everyone - would probably never
understand, she smiled and gave her sister a hug of congratulations
as well.

“Thank you, Roe,” said Amber, her huge,
round green eyes smiling as she nodded. “And I am happy for you and
Sapphire, as you have found a wonderful woman who will be the best
mother ever.”

Ruby cleared her throat and Amber laughed
and added, “along with Ruby – and someday Amethyst as well.”

“I agree she will make a wonderful mother,”
said Roe. “And I can’t wait to start raising a family with my
beautiful wife. For I too, have married my true love and I now
believe in the superstition told by the old hag. Matter of fact, I
will never doubt a superstition again, as I have living proof of
finding true love by being married to one of the
Daughters of the
Dagger -
Sapphire
.”

From the Author:

I hope you enjoyed Sapphire and Roe’s story.
The third book in the
Daughters of the
Dagger Series
,
Amber
will be available
soon.

The books in the
Daughters of the Dagger
Series
are:

Ruby – Book 1

Sapphire – Book 2

Amber – Book
3
(September, 2013)

Amethyst – Book
4
(October, 2013)

The books will be released one per
month, so please watch for them. And following this series will be
a Scottish series that will start with the story of their brother,
Onyx. You may also be interested in my medieval
Legacy of the Blade
Series
:

Lord of the
Blade

Lady
Renegade

Lord of
Illusion

Lady of the
Mist

Or if you enjoy a little paranormal in your
medieval romances, try my
Elemental Series
:

The Dragon and the Dreamwalker
,
Book 1: Fire
;
The Duke and the
Dryad
Book 2:
Earth
;
The Sword and the Sylph
,
Book 3: Air;
and
The Sheik and the
Siren
, Book 4: Water.

Or my
Greek Myth Fantasy
Series
as well.

Please visit my website at
Elizabethrosenovels.com
to read excerpts and receive updates as I have at least one new
book being released every month, sometimes more. Make sure to
subscribe to my email list. You can also read excerpts from any of
my novels on my website as well as get sneak peeks at covers of
upcoming books. And please remember that there are other authors by
the same name, but my novels can be identified by the rose on every
cover.

I’d like to leave you now with excerpts from each of
the series I’ve mentioned. Thank you all for your wonderful
reviews, as it gives me the motivation to keep bringing you new
novels.

Elizabeth Rose

Here are some excerpts from several of my series for
your enjoyment:

Excerpt from
Lord of the
Blade
:

(Legacy of the Blade Series: Book 1)

The heavy iron bars that protected St.
Basil's groaned with protest. Two Benedictine monks clad in black
robes kept their heads covered as they slowly pulled open the gates
of the monastery.

Corbett, lord of Steepleton, tugged
impatiently at his leather gauntlets and shifted in the saddle atop
his black steed. He felt the eyes of St. Basil's cathedral staring
down at him. Gleaming shards of colored glass made up two huge
windows, a rare and precious gift bestowed upon the church by his
late father, Lord Evan Blake.

The monks moved slowly, dragging the heavy
rails over the dusty cobblestone entranceway. Corbett willed the
men to move faster so he could be done already and away from this
place. His horse threw back his head and whickered, leaving a trail
of frosty air in front of him. The sun was just coming up in the
distance, peeking through the trees, bringing life and color to the
land leading up the cliffs of Steepleton. Blake Castle sat high in
the distance, towering over the monastery and little cottages of
wattle and daub that dotted the fields of crops and livestock. The
dusty road spiraled through his demesne, past the manor house of
his bailiff and up to the castle.

"Lord Steepleton," came his squire's voice
from directly behind him.

Corbett turned his head slightly to speak
with his fair-haired squire of twenty summers who sat mounted on
his own horse with the Blake banner in his hand.

"Delwynn, I've asked you time and again not
to call me Lord Steepleton."

"Many pardons, Lord Corbett. I think I will
never feel at ease with this familiar way you've asked for all of
Devonshire to address you."

"I strive to make my people feel more at
ease while in my presence. I'm not sure how I've attained my horrid
reputation of being so black-hearted, would I could change it."

"Aye, m'lord. Not to mention a good
disposition may help you find a woman before ’tis too late."

"I've got more women than I want, squire.
What I need is a lady. Now stop the idle chatter and lift my banner
higher. We're amongst commoners and I demand the respect of a lord
of my position."

"Aye, m'lord."

Corbett watched the flag atop the long pole
fluttering in the cool breeze. There flew his family crest, an
argent eagle on an azure field. The bird's wings were spread,
talons ready to attack. He almost felt talons of his own under his
gauntlets as he thought of the dream that had brought him here. He
hated this mission but had to do this, or be haunted the rest of
his life.

He turned back toward the gates. A ray of
sun hit the stained glass of the cathedral just as he edged his
steed forward. He couldn't help but fasten his gaze on the glowing
reds and oranges, the winking ambers that only reminded him of the
fires of hell. A threatening sight considering he sat there feeling
no better than the devil himself.

The tack trailing down the sides of his
stallion jingled as he edged his way forward. Shod hooves echoed on
the stones behind him and with a quick tug to the reins, his horse
obediently stopped short.

"What troubles you, m'lord?" his squire
asked, his hand gripping tightly to the bannered pole. A blond curl
fell over one sleepy eye, and with a puff of air from his mouth he
blew it away.

"Why do you say that, squire? Do I look to
you like a man who harbors guilt?"

"I said naught of guilt, m'lord, but spoke
of trouble only."

Corbett realized his own accusations had
betrayed him. Guilt indeed, along with a bit of premeditated
trouble, had been haunting him for some time now. And he couldn't
help but feel somehow he was to blame.

Three times King Edward III had chosen
Corbett's betrothed, and three times the ladies died before ever
making it to the altar. He wondered inwardly if his own thoughts
were the true cause of their demise.

His squire leaned forward in the saddle,
leather creaking as he did so. He spoke with concern. "I know you
must be in mourning, m'lord. But the plague has left England and
cannot take with it another of your brides."

"Mourning?" Corbett almost laughed at the
mere thought. King Edward's idea of a wife for him consisted of a
twice-widowed elderly woman, an abnormally overstuffed flirt and
the fourth daughter of a no-land lord. True the latter was comely,
but hadn't a dowry worth two shillings. Nay, he would have a virgin
to bear his heir, someone who would obey and cling to his every
word and with a dowry fit for a king.

Relieved was a better word to describe his
feelings about that particular problem. And trouble was the exact
word to describe what would happen to him if he didn't find a wife
soon.
No wife - you lose your land and title. And then Blake
Castle shall be given to the baron's son, Lord Malcomn.
King
Edward's warning was branded in his mind. Corbett would do anything
to keep Blake Castle now that he was lord, including marrying
someone he didn't love. But she must be worthy. She must be a
noble. She must be someone who would clear the sullied Blake name
and bring respect back to his family.

Corbett had been Lord of Steepleton for
three years now, and he would be damned before he gave up his lands
to his foster brother Malcomn. But his time was running out. He'd
been granted the right to choose his own wife as King Edward
refused to send another lady to her death by insisting she marry
the cursed black-hearted lord of Steepleton, as he'd been
tagged.

The bells of St. Basil's brought Lord
Corbett's attention back to the matter at hand.

"Wait outside the gates for me," he
instructed his squire. "I'll speak with the old mid-wife and we'll
be on our way."

"Aye, m'lord." Delwynn backed his horse
away, and Corbett ventured inside.

As the gates squeaked closed between them,
the cry of his raven cut the moist morning air. The raven's cry was
known to all but him as the call of death. He held out his left arm
clad in black leather and continued to ride, not wanting to look
upward. He'd never quite forgiven God for letting his father die
two months after he was stripped of his title. Corbett couldn't
help but think his father's death is why his mother died as well.
He was convinced she died of a broken heart, leaving her newborn
twins to the nursemaid who'd stolen them and boarded a ship abroad.
The ship sank, and with it the occupants. His baby brother and
sister never had a chance.