Chapter Seventeen #4
“Where my f-father is concerned, it is difficult to know,” she shifted slightly, attempting to find a measure of comfort as her upset stomach and dismal thoughts took hold. “What will happen n-now?”
Behind her, she felt his heavy sigh on the top of her head. “Breck intends to return me to Chaldon to stand trial for thievery. You, I would assume, will be held at the fortress until my trial is over and the sentencing is carried out.”
She did not like the sound of his response. Fighting off dread and panic, she clutched at the massive arm wound tightly around her waist. “Good Lord, B-Bose, what does that mean? What sentence?”
“Probably death.”
Her body stiffened and he clapped a hand over her mouth before the scream could escape her lips. Mouth pressed close to her ear, Bose’s breath was hot upon her flesh.
“Calm yourself, love. You know as well as I that Stephan will not allow this to happen. God willing, neither will your father when he sees the truth of the matter.” When he saw the splatter of tears on his armored gauntlet, he squeezed her gently.
“No tears, Summer. Please. I need you to be calm and brave for me, love. We’ve far too much ahead of us to allow emotions to interfere with our determination. ”
Although she sobbed softly once or twice, she nonetheless endeavored to dry her eyes. “You n-never said y-you would b-b-be ki…k-killed. You n-never s-said….”
He squeezed her tightly, silencing her stammering words.
“But you knew it was entirely probable that I would be tried for the crime of abducting you, be it kidnap or robbery or thievery. But the fact that we have consummated our marriage will weigh heavily in our favor. If I am forced to answer to the charges and the magistrate rules in our favor, at the very worst I’ll be ordered to repay your dowry to Breck in compensation for the loss of his bride. ”
She sniffled pathetically. “B-But if you are found guilty, they’ll do what they do to all thieves. They’ll… t-t-they’ll execute you.”
Bose did not reply, eyeing Breck as the man turned around and noticed that Summer had regained consciousness.
When the pock-faced knight returned his attention to the road ahead, Bose endeavored to answer his wife’s fearful statement.
“You knew this from the inception, love. With all that we have undertaken, you’ve always known the potential consequences. Why panic now?”
“B-Because we weren’t captured before. And b-because I believed you would return us to Ravendark before Breck or my father could find us. I suppose I never truly believed we would be facing these circumstances.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Then I am sorry to have disappointed you,” his voice was husky.
“I suppose I was a victim of my own confidence. I, too, believed we could make it to the safety of Ravendark and thereby elude capture. Yet with everything that could potentially befall us, I believed my marriage to you to far outweigh the repercussions of our actions. You were the only matter of import.”
Tears and nausea forgotten, Summer turned to face him. Pale and damp-eyed, her expression was nonetheless gentle and warm. “You did not disappoint me,” she murmured, touching his scarred, rugged cheek. “You’ve exceeded my wildest dreams. But that does not prevent me from worrying over your fate.”
He met her smile, kissing her gently. “We took a chance, love. ’Twould seem that Fortune did not favor us this day.”
She kissed him again, feeling her throat constrict with emotion as her cheek rested against his stubbled flesh. But she fought the tide of sentiment, knowing he had asked her to be brave.
“F-Fortune has been favoring us since the day of our introduction,” she whispered, her lips to his jaw. “Surely it will not disappoint us in our hour of need.”
Bose did not reply and Summer lifted her eyes, studying his intent expression.
His black eyes were focused in the distance, his features taut and unreadable.
Curious and concerned, Summer turned in the direction of his focus and was mildly alarmed to see a rather large company of men bearing down on them.
When she turned to question her husband as to the identity of the incoming riders, she was shocked to discover a smile upon his lips.
“B-Bose?” she intoned questioningly. “Who is it?”
He continued to stare at the approaching party, his smile broadening by the moment. When Summer prodded him gently, he tore his gaze away from the distant vision and gave her a saucy, hopeful wink.
“It’s Fortune, I think.”
Her eyebrows furrowed deeply. “Fortune? Make sense.”
He nodded his head vaguely, his attention returned to the incoming tide of soldiers. “I have,” he said quietly. “You said Fortune has been with us since the moment of our introduction. And he has arrived once more.”
“Who has?”
Bose was silent a moment, feeling a good deal of relief in the cluster of recognizable soldiers and three very familiar knights.
“Fortune and his brothers,” he said with satisfaction. “I believe, my love, that Stephan has arrived in time to escort us home.”