Chapter 23 #2
Ulric had dismounted. He stood on the green slope below the wall.
His men dragged a woman toward him, and Mellyora bit into her lower lip, startled to see that the woman was Eleanora of Tyne.
“Look who arrived here for safety, my lady! Now, I haven’t time to ram the gates, Mellyora MacAdin.
I’m well aware your husband is close behind! ” he called.
“Is there no way we can reach him with a hail of arrows?” she asked Jon of Wick, standing at her side.
He shook his head. “He’s just out of range.”
“What is he up to? He has taken Eleanora …”
“Come out and ride with me that I can negotiate with your husband, Mellyora. If you do not, I will slit her throat.”
Slit Eleanora’s throat? To what sense, she wondered.
She hadn’t asked the question aloud; he meant to answer her anyway.
“Peter and Eleanora are traitors to the English cause of King Stephen, my lady. I will not be amiss in such a simple execution!” Lord Etienne Renfrew suddenly cried out, joining in with Hallsteader’s claim.
“You will die a slow death, Hallsteader!” she found herself crying in return. She winced. She hadn’t intended to let them know she was concerned.
Waryk could not be far behind. Nor could Daro.
Unless Phagin hadn’t reached them. Unless they had already massacred one another and their troops …
“It’s so very simple …” Ulric shouted. He left Eleanora standing as she had been, hands tied behind her back.
He walked back through the ranks of his cavalry and then reappeared, dragging a man behind him who wore Peter’s colors of Tyne.
The man was middle-aged, graying, dignified.
He didn’t glance at Ulric, but stood very straight.
He brought the man next to Eleanora, whispered something to him, then looked back at the gates.
“Mellyora MacAdin. This is Walter of Tyne. He has served young Peter and Eleanora since they were children. He has told me that he would gladly die for them.”
Finishing his speech, Ulric smiled. Then, in a split second, he brought his knife to the man’s throat, and ripped it open.
At his side, Eleanora screamed, wrenching away in pure horror.
Mellyora lived in a violent world in which she’d seen death far too many times; and still, she’d never witnessed so brutally cold an act in all her life.
She choked, clutching her stomach, backing away from the wall.
Ulric had given no thought to the murder. None at all. It had meant nothing to him.
The dead man fell. Ulric reached out for Eleanora, dragging her back against him.
“Traitors, all! I will suffer no ill fate, Mellyora, for I am an English subject, while all of these people are treacherous bastards, cloying to the Scot’s king in times of trouble!
I will give you just enough time to come out of the gates, lady.
If I do not see your beautiful blue eyes before me in a matter of minutes, I will slash Eleanora’s throat.
Your husband’s mistress, some say, eh? Will you let her die for such a sin?
Or is the daughter of the great Adin too honorable to condemn her for such a reason? ” he taunted.
Waryk would come, Waryk would come …
Aye, she could hold the fortress. The fortress could hold itself. She had always wanted to prove herself, and she’d had no choice but to do so, but now …
“You know that I will do this thing!” Ulric thundered.
“Aye, you’ll do it, we’ve seen that, Ulric!” she called out to him. She tried to keep her voice as cool as his. “But you’re right; Eleanora was long my husband’s mistress, while I am lady here, and Waryk’s wife.”
“My lady! The ice in your heart makes me crave you all the more!” he cried out with mock gallantry.
“Nay, Ulric. I will come out—”
“Oh, madam, what a wise thing to do! Your charity toward those who have wronged you is most exemplary. I meant to give Eleanora one more chance. See whom I would have let die for her next!”
Mellyora bit deeply into her lower lip as Ulric motioned to one of his men.
Ewan, still weak, barely able to stand, was dragged forward. Her heart skipped a beat. Ewan, still loyal, still proud. To be dragged forward, threatened anew …
“You would kill a man half dead already?” she demanded.
She could see Ulric’s grin. “Aye, lady—”
“Let him!” Ewan cried out with a sudden burst of strength. “Don’t surrender the fortress, Mellyora, don’t—”
He broke off as Ulric spun around, striking him with a heavily gloved fist with such that he fell, knocked unconscious.
“Half dead, all dead … what will it be, Mellyora MacAdin? The Lady Eleanora has a throat, so slim, so easy to cut …”
“I told you that I’m coming out. But I want Eleanora and the rest of your prisoners. The gates will not open unless you make this agreement. I will not come with you to watch others coldly murdered after I have surrendered myself.”
Ulric grinned, amused. “The other prisoners are but added weight. In good faith, I’ll send them toward the gates now. Eleanora comes when I see you through the gates.”
“I will wait between the gates. When all your prisoners have entered past the portcullis and it has been closed again, I will come to you.”
Mellyora backed away from the wall. Jon reached for her. “I can’t let you do this.”
She shook her head. “I can’t let him butcher Eleanora or anyone else in cold blood like that, my God, did you see what he did to that poor man—”
“Aye, a warrior, willing to die for Eleanora of Tyne, he was so sworn. You cannot die for her, Mellyora—”
“He doesn’t want to kill me, Jon. He wants to use me. Against Waryk.”
“And that he will.”
Mallory stood at the wall with them, brooding over the matter. “We’ll offer him a ransom.”
“He doesn’t want money, Mallory. He is seeking vengeance.”
“You can’t go to him.”
“But if I go to him, it will buy time. We have to have that time!”
“I can’t let you go—” Jon began again.
“What do we do against this enemy? He will kill, and kill again. He will bring forth all our people, and slay them one at a time before these walls. And I don’t really intend to go, Jon.”
“Ah, Mellyora, he is dangerous—”
“Jon! I know that, but I am the lady here, and God knows who else he is holding, who rode with Lady Eleanora when she came here.” She lowered her head.
Once again, Ewan had been willing to die to defend the honor of his home.
He was hurt out there. He was barely recovered from the last wounds he had received.
But she was carrying Waryk’s child. Ulric knew that. She didn’t think that he wanted her so much; he wanted the gates opened. His only chance to storm the fortress.