Page 9 of May Queen: May Day

Chapter 4

“Itell you, she said the nobles and even the king are talking about me behind my back.” Ricard spoke to his brothers as they rode through the forest. By the time the hunting party was ready and the distance they covered getting to the woods, it wasted hours. Their hunting was not going well today. They’d been out here most of the day and only managed to catch some pheasants, rabbits and one deer. They had yet to see the wild boars that Flora swore would be here.

Ricard’s squire followed behind them with Flora way back at the end of the line of the hunting procession. She rode at a slow gait, looking up at the birds and clouds instead of where she was going. He had half a mind to send her back to the castle because she was slowing them down. By right, every time there was a lady present on a hunt, Ricard always made sure to stay by her side to protect her from harm. But right now, he was so upset and humiliated by what she’d told him, that he didn’t want her anywhere near him.

“They called you a milksop?” asked his brother, Lang, seeming amused by all this.

“Nay, no one ever called me a milksop,” spat Ricard, suddenly feeling very uncertain. “At least, I don’t think so. I hope not. Bid the devil, what if they did?” He clenched his jaw so hard that it hurt.

Lang and Dayton laughed at him and he was about ready to take off both their heads.

“Brother, you do seem to care a little too much about what people say,” said Dayton, big enough not to have to worry about things like this. If someone called him a milksop, he’d just beat them into the earth and ask questions later.

“If this kind of gossip continues about me, I’ll never find favor with King Edward,” said Ricard in concern.

“You worry too much,” said Lang, pulling a flask made of animal skin from his pouch and lifting it to his mouth.

“What is that? Do you have whisky?” asked Ricard, slowing until he was right next to Lang.

“Nay.” Lang held the flask closer to his chest, trying to hide it.

“Give me that. I need some.” Ricard reached over but Lang leaned away from him.

Dayton, on Lang’s other side, snatched the flask from his brother and lifted it to his mouth. “Ah, this is good!” he said with a slight cough. “Where did you get it?” He surveyed the flask.

“Never mind that, now give it back.” Lang reached out for it, but Dayton leaned away from him, corking the flask and holding it high in the air.

“I think our brother needs some of this to forget that his betrothed is spreading rumors about him. That is, if it’s not really the truth.” He threw the flask over Lang’s head and Ricard caught it in one hand. Lang stood up in the stirrups, trying to get it, almost falling from the horse.

“Give it to me, Ricard. Now!” demanded Lang.

Ricard saw something in his peripheral vision, sure it was someone in a long, dark cloak darting behind a tree.

“Druids,” he said, under his breath, but his fool brothers were too busy arguing about the whisky to hear him. Ricard threw the flask to the ground and drew his sword. That got their attention.

“Brother, take it easy,” said Lang, holding his hands in the air. “You can keep the whisky, I don’t care. You don’t need to draw a blade on your own brother.”

“Quiet, you fools,” spat Ricard. “I’m sure I saw Druids in the woods.”

“Druids?” asked his squire, riding up next to them. “Are you going to kill them, my lord? After all, that is what the king commanded, wasn’t it?”

“Hush,” said Ricard, trying to listen for snapping twigs or crunching leaves. His hunting party was talking behind him and the hounds were howling. “There is too much noise and I can’t hear a thing. Nash, keep the hunting party here and watch over Flora. Lang and Dayton, follow me. We have some pagans to hunt down, and I’m not going to stop until I find them.”

* * *

Scanningthe woods from the back of the hunting party, Flora was happy to finally be getting closer to her goal. The trip had been uneventful all day, but now she was sure she saw one or more people in the forest hiding behind trees. To her dismay, Ricard noticed them, too, from the front of the line. She saw him take off on his horse into the woods with his sword drawn. His brothers were right behind him. Then she heard Nash telling the hunting party to stay put until they returned.

This was her chance to sneak away and she wasted no time in doing so. With all the commotion up ahead, it was easy for her to turn her horse and take off at a gallop through the forest. She made sure to get far enough away from the direction that Ricard was headed.

An instinct deep inside told her that Ricard was following a decoy that was leading him away from the rest of the Druids. Therefore, she headed in the opposite direction. Sure enough, as soon as she got in the woods, away from the hunting party, she saw someone in a long cloak running away from her.

“Stop,” she cried. “I’m not going to hurt you. I am looking for someone and hope you can help me.”

Three men stepped out from behind the bushes, frightening her horse. Her steed reared up suddenly, catching her off guard. She wasn’t expecting it and grabbed for the reins, but it was too late. She tumbled to the ground, hitting her head on a rock.

Opening her eyes, she saw a group of people, mostly men, covered in hooded cloaks leaning over her.

“You’re hurt,” said one of the women, making her way to the front of the crowd.