Then something else caught her eye.
She raised herself on her toes as high as she could.
Yes, standing apart from the troops, a head of fiery red hair. Could it be?
Her heart almost exploded. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but she knew he was too far away and could not [387] possibly hear her. She waved and shouted and whooped anyway. She heard herself giggling uncontrollably.
Standing there-in the very tunic she had sewn for him herself, facing Borée as if he knew precisely where she was-she saw Hugh.
Chapter 133
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, we pushed our siege engines forward under the watchful eyes of Stephen’s men. Mangonels, their baskets stretched, followed by wheeled carts filled with giant stones, massive rams hewn from tree trunks and ladders stacked in piles.
We began the construction of wooden towers as tall as the outer walls, as well as smaller platforms called “cats” covered in moist, bloody hides to protect our charging ranks from the rain of burning pitch.
I was in Daniel’s tent, running through the siege plans, when a shouting was heard outside. I rushed out and saw that everyone was running for their weapons and pointing toward the city gates. The drawbridge was lowering. This was it!
At any moment, I was certain, a formation of green-and-gold-clad knights would come swarming out.
As the portcullis opened, two priests clad in sacramental robes slowly rode out under the banner of the Church.
After a pause, Bertrand Morais, Stephen’s chatelain, followed. And behind him, as if his presence alone would cause the field to kneel, a noble in full battle gear on a white charger.
Stephen himself.
Chapter 134
“HE WISHES TO TALK,” Daniel said. “He hides behind the priests as a flag of truce.”
“He wishes to trap you, more like it,” Odo said. “You’d be a fool.”
I couldn’t wait to put my vengeful eyes on the bastard. “Don’t forget.” I put on my cap. “I am a fool.”
I rushed to the front, found my horse, and called for Father Leo. “Come, here’s your chance to be an equal to the highest priests in Borée.” We fetched him a horse. “And Daniel?” I slapped him. “Want a chance to see a duke piss in his pants?”
We mounted our horses and rode halfway out into the rutted no-man’s-land separating our camp from Borée.
Stephen waited for us to reach a spot. Then, gauging his distance from our archers, he trotted his own entourage to meet me. My blood was racing just to see this reptile. His look sent chills through me. He wore no helmet; his jet-black hair hung long and greasy. His elaborate chain mail had his dragon crest displayed on the chest. His hands were covered in studded gauntlets, and a heavy sword, befitting a Crusader, was strapped to his side.
As he reached us, he did not stay his horse. He circled us, his glance darting from my face to the lance.
Then Stephen drew his mount to a halt. He smiled quite [390] amiably. “So, you are the deserting coward who rouses men against their lords in the name of heresy.”
“And you are the prick,” I said, unheeding, “who killed my wife and child. With all respect.” I bowed to the priests.
“What a shame, then,” Stephen said, “if a similar fate befell another whom you prize.”
Fury tightened in my chest. “If any harm comes to her, it will take more than a delegation of priests to save you. Lady Emilie returned here of her own will, out of loyalty and concern for her mistress. She has no conflict with you.”
“And do you? Jester, rebel, heretic… How is it I should address you?”
“Hugh,” I said, fixing on his cold, superior eyes. “I am Hugh De Luc. My wife was Sophie. My son, who never saw his second year, was Phillipe.”
“I’m sure all of us are delighted to hear your family tree, but what is it you want here, Hugh?”
“What do I want?” Part of me wanted to pull him off his mount right there and end this thing, just he and I. I directed my horse one step closer to him. “I want your admission of the wrongs you have done. I want restitution paid for each man, woman, and child killed in pursuit of this.” I put forward the lance. “I want the lady Emilie sent to me at once.”
The duke looked to his underlings, as if he were restraining a laugh. “I heard he was entertaining. And now I think no less myself. You want a lord to be a mule-keep. You parade behind a purported relic of the Church and yet you put the souls of a thousand followers at risk.”
“These men are here of their own mind,” I said. “I doubt they would go home even upon my demand.”
“Does the welfare of their immortal souls not matter to them?” one of the priests inquired.
“I don’t know. Let’s see.” I turned back toward my ranks. “Go home. Lay down your arms. All of you. Fight’s over. I have his word that the duke promises to spare your souls.”
[391] My words echoed across the field, but not a single person moved. I turned back to the priest. Shrugged.
“And what if I said the lady Emilie was here of her own mind too,” Stephen snapped. “That it is her choice to stay, even upon my demand.”
“Then I would call you a liar, Stephen. Or a hopeless fool.”
“Again, jester,” he said, yanking his horse, “you waste precious time on jokes. Your new chatelain will tell you, you are on the verge of a bloody bath.”
“We are ready, my lord. This battle has your handprint on it, if it occurs, not mine.”
Stephen curled a smile. “Just know that I will not be as lenient with you as was that codswipe Baldwin. You have seen the fate of certain villages and people who I thought had something I wanted. Expect no less, jester. I will see your heart burned out of your traitorous body. You will be hung upside down as heretics, all of you… your insides left to soil your faces as they run to the ground. Even God will avert His eyes!”
“Then what do you say, Daniel?” I glanced at Gui with a smile. “We must make sure we fight this fight on a full stomach, so as not to disappoint.”
Stephen sniffed back a laugh. Then he ran his eyes over the lance. “You know, should I return with that, all I described could be avoided. You could have the little slut and ride off to the far corner of the earth for all I care. As for your men, I will see that we restore their souls.”
“Most tempting,” I replied, pretending to ponder his offer for a moment. “Problem is, my men have not assembled here for Lady Emilie, but for the single purpose of seeing the offenses of your rule brought to justice. They’re here to demand recompense for your crimes. To see you bow down, lord, nothing less. Then I will give you the lance. That is my offer. In the meantime, with all respect to the bishop, we’ll take our chances on our souls.”
“I could simply take it, you know. My archers could cut you in half with just a nod.”
[392] “And mine too, my lord. Then God would have to decide.”
A tiny twitch tremored on Stephen’s nose. “You think I would trade the dignity of my name even for a vault of such lances?”
“It should not be so hard,” I said, holding it close to his face, “since you have traded most of it already just to be this close.”
Stephen reared his horse and smiled. “I can see why the court grew fond of you. Get prepared, jester. I will reply. Within an hour.” He yanked his horse around and started to head back toward the gate.
Chapter 135
OUR ARMY WAITED just two hundred yards from the towering walls of Borée in a broad and teeming line.