Page 34 of King’s Knight

She accepted that it was a knight’s duty to serve his king, but she did not like to think of Alex riding to war. Dismissing her fears about Scotland, she watched the king and his brother riding off.

When the king was a dozen feet away, he turned in his saddle to look back at her before resuming his path to the front of the party.

“Was it my pony that drew the king’s attention?” she whispered to Alex.

Alex gave out a frustrated sigh. “William has seen white horses before. Likely even Welsh ponies. Nay, ’twas not your pony. He may be wondering why I would bring a page to a hunt. Too, he will have noticed your bow and arrows. But more likely ’twas your womanly features that made him turn to study you further. I’ve no doubt he considers you a most winsome lad.”

Her cheeks heated at the compliment Alex had paid her no matter she was disguised as a boy. “But I did naught to draw his attention.”

“In truth, I fear you could not have avoided it. William likes lads, especially feminine ones.”

What did Alex mean? Before she could ask, the horn sounded and the hounds bayed loudly from deeper into the forest.

The score of riders were suddenly off, cantering after the king. The earth trembled at the pounding hooves. Merewyn forgot all and charged forward, thrilling at their swift pace as they dashed through the forest, following the sound of the baying hounds.

At first, the path was straight and wide and Ceinder held a steady gait. But soon, the riders spread out and the path she was on narrowed and took a tortuous turn through the woods. Merewyn tried to hold to Alex’s left side.

“Stay close,” he cautioned, keeping pace with the others.

How could she stay close and still take a deer? She could not!

They raced on for a while, a daring chase, winding through trees while trying to stay clear of the other riders.

Ahead, the men’s shouts told her some of the deer had changed course, doubling back. With the dogs barking loudly and scrambling to keep up, a deer darted into the meadow she had just entered, heading straight toward her. Seeing the horses, the deer leaped to the left, hurtling toward the cover of the woods.

Her eyes never leaving the deer, Merewyn laid her knotted reins on Ceinder’s neck and galloped in pursuit, guiding the pony with only her legs. Keeping the deer in sight as it headed into the woods, she nocked an arrow, pulled back the bowstring and let the arrow fly.

Ahead, the deer dropped to the ground, the sound a heavy crash echoing through the trees.

Merewyn slowed as she neared the kill. “I got him!”

Alex rode up behind her, a frown on his face. “I suppose I should congratulate you on a great shot but I cannot be happy for the attention it will bring you.”

As if his words were prophetic, the ground shook with the pounding of many horses coming toward them.

“Look! The page has taken a deer,” a man’s voice shouted. “A stag!”

Merewyn dropped from her horse to check on her kill, to be certain the hart was dead. The men gathered around her.

“Parfait. ’Tis a clean kill, master page,” said the man she recognized as the king’s brother. “A worthy display of skill, shooting from your horse. ’Tis few who would attempt such a feat.”

“A page skilled with a bow?” queried the king riding up beside his brother to study her. “Most unusual. My brother has great skill at archery, young page. ’Tis high praise he gives you.”

Merewyn bent her head and went down on one knee before the king and the duke, but remembering Alex’s caution, said nothing.

“Rise, page,” ordered the king.

Merewyn managed to stand, but her knees were shaking.

“I would have a name,” the king said to Alex.

Alex hesitated, then spit out, “Mer… Merry.”

“Meriwether,” the king said, apparently reaching for the name he associated with the nickname. “A fitting English name for one who hunts on a day when the sun shines. Bring your page to the feast tonight, Sir Alex. I would see more of this Merry.” And with that, the king ordered one of his servants to take the deer back to the palace and add it to the others the hunters had taken. “Tonight,” the king pronounced as he rode away, “we dine on venison!”

When they were gone, she stood, looking up at Alex, who was frowning down at her from his horse. “Now you have done it.”

“Whatever do you mean? I but shot a deer. Surely you deemed it possible? And tonight, I can go disguised as your page, can I not?”