She’d never met anyone like Lord Draven, and she was at a loss as to how to deal with him. An aura of danger and strength clung to him, warning her that if he chose, he could be truly terrifying.
If he chose...
He’d been kind thus far, but so many people feared him, including her father, that it gave her pause. Her dreams turned to Niles and Joanne. Niles appeared to treat Joanne respectfully, but Emily had caught beating his horse over a broken spur. And when his squire had dropped his sword, she had seen the extreme backhand he had dealt the boy.
If her father could respect such a man and call him ally and son, then what of the man her father called enemy?
Was the earl of Ravenswood the ogre of legend?
How would she ever know?
When morning came, Emily welcomed it and the release it gave her from those haunting dreams. She dressed with Alys’ help in her light blue kirtle and white veil, then went below to break the fast.
Emily paused in the doorway as she surveyed the empty hall. Where was everyone? Surely, she hadn’t missed the meal?
Had she?
Puzzled, she walked out the front door of the donjon. Draven’s men were already training in the list. From the look of them, they had been at it for some time.
Off to the side of the field, Simon sat on the ground, leaning back against an apple tree in repose while he urged two of the knights on in their sword play.
She saw Draven nowhere. Gathering her skirts, she descended the steps and headed across the yard to where the men trained.
As she rounded the side of the keep, she spotted Draven easily enough. The tallest of the men, he seemed to be training much more seriously than the others.
A group of four men surrounded him, and he was doing a remarkable job of fending them off as they attacked him almost simultaneously. Never before had she witnessed such agility or speed. No wonder people sang his praises.
She hadn’t known a man so large could move with such grace and ease. He reminded her of an attacking lion as he deflected each blow with astounding precision while whirling in a macabre dance to meet the next assault.
And in that instant, she knew he could easily defeat her father in battle. In spite of her father’s incredible strength, she had seen him train enough times to know he was no equal for Lord Draven’s skill.
The thought made her ill.
“Good day, fair Emily!” Simon called in greeting.
At her name, Draven turned in her direction and paused in his fighting. She opened her mouth as one of his men hit him across the head from the side.
Draven cursed loudly as he whirled on the man and raised his sword.
Emily, who had rushed toward him when he’d been hit, hesitated at the fierce battle cry. Never had she heard such rage. She couldn’t imagine having to face the brunt of Draven’s sword.
The next few seconds she saw as if in slow motion. The man who had hit Draven, dropped his sword, fell to his knees in terror, and raised his shield over his head in expectation of the oncoming blow. The other three knights hurriedly withdrew from the exercise.
Draven’s sword arced toward the cowering man and right as she was certain he would have the man’s head, he stopped the blade just a fraction of an inch from the man’s raised shield.
Everything seemed frozen in time as the sword just hung there. So close, and yet not quite touching. She could see Draven breathing heavily and she had no idea how it had managed to bring the massive blow under control before he shattered the poor knight’s shield and arm.
Draven planted his sword in the ground before the cowering knight, and Emily approached him at a slower pace.
“On your feet, Geoffrey,” he said in a calm voice. “I realize you are new to my company, but you should know I would never strike you for a well-placed blow just because I was distracted. I turned on you only because I thought you would strike again.”
The knight lowered his shield, then removed his helm. He wiped his arm over his sweat-covered brow. “Forgive me, milord. My last trainer was not so understanding.”
Draven extended his arm and helped him to his feet. “Go on and break your fast.”
Geoffrey quickly did as he bade.
Emily frowned as Simon paused by her side. Lord Draven didn’t appear harmed and yet the force of the blow had been significant.
