Chapter Seventeen #4
Ralph smiled narrowly, still holding the crying pup away from him.
“You know, baron, I am considering competing in the games tomorrow,” he said casually.
“I have not yet practiced. Do you think I have lost my competitive edge lounging around the castle for the past several months? I sincerely hope not, but I wonder just the same. Mayhap I should find out.”
With that, he suddenly tossed the little pup into the air and withdrew his sword in the blink of an eye.
Before anyone could stop him, the sword arced upward in a flash of blinding metal and sliced the puppy in two clean halves, blood splattering on the floor and onto the sheriff.
The two puppy parts thudded like wet balls onto the wooden floor of the lists.
Dustin screamed and turned away sharply, burying her face in the first available body which happened to be Marcus’.
Christopher bound up onto the platform and had Ralph by the throat, his huge fist driving into the man’s face like a hammer into soft metal.
The prince yelped at being jostled and dropped Alexander, and the two women next to him screamed horrifically and covered their eyes.
All of Christopher’s knights, save Marcus, jumped onto the stands but no one attempted to stop Christopher from beating Ralph’s brains in.
In fact, there were several dozen soldiers witnessing the entire brawl and no one made a move to intervene.
John, seeing that his cohort was receiving a heavy thrashing, began spouting off to any soldier he made eye contact with to restrain the baron, but he was blatantly disobeyed.
Frustrated, he took to jumping Christopher himself and found himself bridled by David and Leeton.
Christopher had reached his limit with Ralph.
He didn’t kill him when he took his wife the day she arrived, although he should have, and he didn’t kill him when he pressured and threatened Marcus, but he should have done something.
Every blow had Dustin’s or Marcus’ or name on it and after pounding the man senseless, he threw him over the side of the lists to the cold earth below.
Ralph wallowed around aimlessly, trying to stand but not knowing which way was up.
Christopher descended the short flight of wooden stairs, stalking the sheriff like a lion for a kill.
Ralph saw him coming and struggled to his feet, throwing an off-balance punch that Christopher easily subdued before driving his fist into the Ralphs’ gut and the man collapsed on the dirt.
“And that,” Christopher said in a strange raspy voice, “was for the puppy.”
Ralph vomited the contents of his stomach into the dust, breathing loudly. “You bastard,” he heaved. “I should have killed your wife when I had the chance.”
Christopher’s features stiffened and he moved for him once more, but David stopped him.
“No more,” he said quietly. “You shall kill him if you do.”
Christopher looked at David, who nodded his head slightly in Dustin’s direction.
He looked to her, crying against Marcus, and knew it would not be a good thing to commit murder in front of his wife.
As it was, she had to witness a sound beating on top of seeing her puppy dismembered. He forgot all about Ralph.
“De Lohr!” John came rushing down the stairs. “Leave him alone, I say. How dare you lay a hand on someone of higher rank!”
Christopher swung on the prince. “I wouldn’t have had to lay a hand on him if you disciplined him once in a while. Unfortunately, your lack of control has forced Ralph to learn a very hard lesson, one I will repeat gladly, if needed.”
John began to shake and twist, and all present could see a fit coming on. His face grew quite red and he began to froth at the mouth. From that point on the man was incoherent, and Christopher turned his back on him as he fell to the ground in great convulsions of rage.
“Come on, sweetheart,” he said gently, taking her from Marcus. “Let’s go back to the apartments.”
She was sobbing pitifully, like a child, clutching Harold to her chest. “Alex,” she managed to choke out.
“Where’s the other one?” Christopher looked around, as did Marcus and David.
“He’s here, sire.” Lady Gabrielle stood on the edge of the platform and handed Alexander down to David.
Christopher looked up at the woman, her pretty face pale and tear-streaked. “Thank you,” he mumbled, eyeing her for a moment. “Where is your husband, my lady? Do you have an escort back to your rooms?”
“Aye, sire,” she nodded, pointing to the older man several feet away from her.
Christopher recognized the earl and, nodding shortly, handed the other puppy to his wife and led her gently away.
His knights followed in a group, with Marcus bringing up the rear.
He had been watching John throw a fit next to Ralph’s limp body, disgusted to the bone that his greed and envy had caused him an alliance with the man.
Again, he could only pray that Richard was in a forgiving mood when he informed him of his treasonous act.
Practice was over for the day.