Time Enough for Love (16 page)

Willa shrieked and cowered.

Gwen’s eyes darted from Willa to Otto. What did he mean?

“My lord husband, we must speak,” Adelaide said nervously, as Willa’s cries lessened to moans and groveling.

Otto returned to Adelaide’s side. “Dearest madam, I have remained silent until now,” his voice shook with anger, “because this is not my realm. But I insist on my own form of punishment, in recompense for my help in the war.”

Frowning, Adelaide stared at him. “Husband, I cannot allow mutilation.”

Otto nodded curtly and turned to Willa. “My Lady Queen has a merciful heart. You, however, are beneath contempt. Worry not about your fine features, I shall leave them be. In any case, I would despise the touch of you too much,” he went on, “to bother gouging out your eyes, or cutting off your nose.”

Oh, my God!
Gwen thought, horrified.

“Besides, you would not be able to behold the end result and the revulsion in everyone’s gaze if you were blind. No, I strive for something other – a memory – one that shall not be forgotten.”

“Don’t take my hair!” Willa whimpered with fear, her face blotchy-red, a mess of fluids.

Smiling, Otto turned to the guards standing behind the captives. “Why would I want your filthy hair? Strip them! Unbind them, and strip them naked!”

An explosion of sound filled the great room. Shocked beyond decorum, everyone frantically discussed the Saxon king’s command. From the startled expression on Adelaide’s face, Gwen knew this had not been planned ahead of time, yet the queen did not intervene.

“Strip them! Now!” Otto thundered. “An eye for an eye! Humiliation for humiliation! You will have yours, and it will live with you forever, or at least until you taste the fires of hell!”

Liutprand chuckled openly, but Father Warinus was red with rage and opened his mouth to protest. Otto stopped him with a fixed stare.

Adalbert burst into tears as the guards moved on him first, tearing at his clothing. After they were done, he tried to cover himself with his hands and continued to sob, head bowed with shame.

Gwen felt a twinge of remorse as she witnessed his humiliation; he was just a teenager, after all, and perhaps only caught up in his parents’ crimes.

The guards moved on to Berengar. “Let me alone! Don’t touch me! Bastards!” He let out a guttural cry, trying to fight back as he was wrestled to the floor, but he continued to thrash, flecks of spittle flying as he cursed them. Soon, he, too, lay naked, livid and swearing incoherently.

When the soldiers approached Willa, she recoiled and fought, screaming, “No, no, stop!” She continued shrieking as they ripped away her gown, and once naked, she crumpled to her knees and tried in vain to crawl away, to cover her bare skin with her hair.

“Make them stand before us,” Otto called out.

Gwen watched, riveted, as each was forced to rise. Otto left the dais again, pacing the room in anger.

Berengar glared, silent now, his face purple with impotent fury. Willa sobbed, eyes tightly shut. Adalbert tilted his head back and wept openly.

When Otto reached the far end, he wheeled about, facing the prisoners. “Turn around, and keep your hands at your sides,” he commanded. “Turn, else I shall mete out more punishment!”

The crowd grew still. The squeaking of the prisoner’s naked feet on the floor broke the silence. Gwen heard someone laugh and looked at the dais.

“Go to hell!” Liutprand said, grinning at Berengar.

Yes
, Gwen agreed, as her gaze returned to their mutual enemies,
you can
all
go to hell
.

Otto swung his arms wide, as if presenting the captives to the world. “Here they are. No finery. No power. Do they fill you with awe? Guard, pull back her hair. She shall not hide from us.”

As Willa cried out, Berengar looked ready to kill. The guard took Willa’s tresses and gathered them behind her back, baring all.

“Why do you glare at me, Berengar?” Otto asked. “Do you dislike my barbarian Saxon punishments? And you, Willa… quit your sniveling! You should not have supported your husband in ravaging this land and imprisoning my Lady Queen. You should have realized I would ride to save her, to take vengeance against you in her stead, for the murder of the king and the good people of Pavia, and for striking off the head of an innocent man, her friend and protector.”

Willa’s head snapped up then, a sudden look of triumph in her eyes. “Ha! Stefano! Yes, but…” She wrested her hair away from the guard and turned toward Otto. She stood straight, puffing out her chest, and declared, “If you wish to gaze upon my body, so be it. You are not alone among men.”

For once, Otto was speechless, but his knuckles went white as he clenched his fists.

Willa smiled and turned to Adelaide. “I would speak privately with you.”

“You may not!” Otto bellowed.

Willa waved her hand dismissively. “Cousin Adelaide, would you deny Stefano’s last wish?”

Otto took a step toward Willa, but Adelaide stopped him with a raised hand. “Let her speak.”

Willa smirked. “During my… my interrogations of your friend, he bid me deliver a final message to you.”

Gwen leaned forward and saw Adelaide do the same, just as Otto exclaimed, “She bluffs! From what others have told me, he could hardly make himself understood.”

Adelaide straightened, then looked about the room. “Let Gwendolyn listen to what she has to say, for she understood Stefano…”

No!
Gwen’s mind railed.
No, I can’t, I don’t want to talk to Willa
.

“… and has dealt with Willa, as well,” the queen went on, “so, if she deems the message valid, she will convey it to me. Gwendolyn? Where are you? Come forward.”

Otto nodded and then scanned the crowds, quickly spotting Gwen and motioning to her.

With all eyes turned her way, Gwen could do little but obey. She approached Willa and noticed that despite her bravado, the bitch looked afraid, and Gwen took some comfort in this.

Gwen hated being there, but forced herself to think of Stefano, so brave and kind, and then reminded herself of all this woman had done to him. She grew furious.

“What is the message?” she asked coldly.

Oddly, Willa’s response was not immediate. The next few moments passed silently, and Gwen watched as she stared into space, her expression changing from fear to awe, as if she were seeing something wonderful.

“I notice you do not wear your wristlet,” Willa whispered. “Keeping it safely hidden, eh? Stefano’s as well?” She paused, smiling for effect. “I’ve discovered whence you came, for I drew someone else forth, another man, after I brought the two of you here. I searched long and hard for one who might understand me – a priest. He knew Latin, of course, and he told me his birth year, which was 1930. Is that your era, also? Alas, he was old and feeble and died quite unexpectedly when I tried to question him further… about the future.”

Gwen felt numb, frozen to the spot, as if Willa had cast an evil spell over her.

“Yes, whore.” Willa gloated. “I see it in your eyes. You and Stefano traveled here and now you are lost, aren’t you? Lost and all alone.” She took her time, looking Gwen over, then leaned in, her voice lower still. “Does Alberto Uzzo know of your origins? There were rumors he was fucking you. I wondered at his overweening devotion to my cousin, but now I can see it in your eyes – there was something between you. Yes, that’s what spurred him on. Ah, but the affair is no more, eh? I’ve also heard he cast you out. Was it because you confided in him?” Willa grinned with delight, assured her barb had hit its mark. “So, how does it feel to lose everything as I have?”

Inwardly shattered, Gwen nevertheless forced herself to stand her ground. This wasn’t about her. “What message did Stefano have for the queen?” she asked flatly.

Willa frowned, then shrugged. “As to that, well, the priest was no equal replacement for Stefano, of course, rather pitiful, in fact. Ah, dear Stefano was a wonder in bed, but mayhap you know that as well as I, whore-monk. He was a great lover – massive and potent! Pleasuring me endlessly.” She smiled. “In any case, the queen cannot order me killed, as it is forbidden by Christian law to execute a woman who is with child.”

Stars swam around Gwen’s field of view.
She’s pregnant… with Stefano’s baby?

Willa’s voice grew lower still, the tone mocking, menacing. “The babe’s lusty sire shall not be forgotten by me, especially when the nights are long and dreary. If a daughter, nay, it shall be a daughter and she shall be called Rozala, for the name carries great power. Yes, Stefano has sired a girl, because I foresaw it, and it was for that purpose I summoned him in the first place.” She leaned closer, her eyes boring into Gwen’s. “Be forewarned,” she whispered. “Should Berengar ever be told of my romps with Stefano, or should anyone in my family be sentenced to death for our deeds, I shall strike you and Adelaide down, for I have ways of delivering vengeance, even from afar.” She grinned. “Ah, but this should not surprise.”

Gwen felt sick thinking of the witch-basin, then realized Willa meant Lothaire; she’d poisoned the king.

“So,” Willa went on, “ask the queen if she wants my Rozala to live. Is she beholden to Christian law? If so, then she cannot sentence me, or anyone in my family to death, now or ever, for the child’s very existence is tied to our survival.”

This last was delivered with all the force of Willa’s dark nature, and Gwen stumbled backward, seeking to put distance between her and this evil woman. She clutched at someone next to her, trying to stay on her feet, and realized it was Father Warinus, come to lend his support.

Rozala. Where had she heard that name? Where? Her mind was a jumble. Was it true? They couldn’t kill a pregnant woman? Rozala. She knew she’d heard the name before.

Mumbling an apology to Warinus, Gwen hurried to the dais, clamored up the steps, and then fell to her knees before the queen. “Please, I beg you. You must not kill Willa or any of them. I need to tell you something in private.”

Adelaide’s brow knit. “We cannot leave the room, Gwendolyn. You must whisper it to me.”

Gwen cupped her hand around the queen’s ear. “Willa told me she is carrying Stefano’s child!”

Gasping, Adelaide crossed herself. “Lord, I knew, somehow I knew.”

“Yes. She said Berengar does not know, must not question the child’s parentage. She swore to kill both of us if he is ever told about Stefano, or if any of them are sentenced to death for their crimes. And I wouldn’t put it past her if she tried to kill others, even Stefano’s child. Please, don’t do anything that could jeopardize this child.”

“Mother of God.” Adelaide stared at Willa, then turned to Gwen and whispered, “I must end her evil once and for all.”

“But the child is innocent!”

“This is something I’ve planned for a long time, Gwen,” the queen said. “Be assured, the babe shall live and thrive. I will see to it.” She turned to Otto, Liutprand, and Father Warinus. “Gentlemen, I would seek your counsel.”

Shaking badly, Gwen retreated from the dais, falling back into the crowd as Adelaide’s counselors closed in about her. Within a minute, the men stepped back and Adelaide stood before the entire assembly, her voice ringing out, “Willa, I understand you and Berengar are to be congratulated on the pending birth of another child.”

Willa’s mouth dropped open and Berengar pivoted to stare at her, a look of shock on his face.

“However,” Adelaide continued, “it is beyond doubt that you are not fit to raise a child, twisting its mind toward evil, as you are wont to do. Therefore, when the babe is born, it shall be brought to us, to be raised at court with all the rights and privileges of any royal child. You may visit and should you prove worthy the child may one day be allowed to visit you. Guards, bring forth the witch-basin!”

Stunned, Gwen’s gaze flew to Willa, who dropped to her knees, her face drained of color. All turned as the doors swung wide and several guards carried the familiar basin into the chamber.

Adelaide stood, her chin high, her eyes flashing retribution. “Destroy it!” she shouted.

The men raised it over their heads and Gwen suddenly wanted to scream, to stop them, but it was too late. The basin crashed against the floor, shattering with a thunderous
boom
.

Trembling, head swimming, Gwen attempted to focus her eyes, to see, but tears blinded her. She tried to be logical, reminding herself that now Willa couldn’t do any more harm.

But… but… it was my only hope
, she thought, crushed.
It was my only hope of finding a way home, and now it’s gone, destroyed. I’m here forever, alone forever.

The last shreds of resolve evaporated, and, ignoring protocol, Gwen bolted for the main doors and open air. She had to get away.

But the queen’s words floated out as she pronounced final sentence, sealing the fate of the prisoners. “You are hereby exiled to the far northern fortified city of Luciliburgum, there to serve a term of house arrest for a period of three years. If, at that time, you have proven your remorse and taken renewed vows of fealty, you shall be fully, though conditionally, reinstated, and the Ban of Excommunication shall also be lifted. Guards, take them away.”