The villagers frowned upon Lady Blackford not dressing ‘proper like’ as they called it, so Lucy wore a nice dress and kept her hair up when venturing into the village. Many of the villagers still held superstitious beliefs about her, and from time to time, rumors of witchcraft still floated in the air, but being Lady Blackford and wealthy had its privileges.
Clement, William’s childhood friend and half-brother, had sown many seeds of superstition about her. It didn’t help that the massive raven occasionally appeared from time to time. The bird had shown up when she’d fallen through time and periodically reappeared, as if keeping watch over her.
When one villager overheard her conversing with the raven, the woman crossed herself in fear. To reassure the woman, Lucy had claimed she was only talking to the bees, telling them about the day-to-day goings on at the castle. The explanation had put the woman at ease; apparently conversing with the bees was acceptable, but speaking to ravens was not.
As she reached the solar, a noise caught her attention. Lucy stepped into the room and approached an overturned basket of yarn, gathering a ball that had partially unraveled in the middle of the floor.
“I know you’re in here. Did you get sidetracked on your way to the kitchens?”
A meow sounded, as if Thor was talking back to her.
“We’ve talked about this. No stealing my yarn.” She bent down, retrieved the stolen ball, and returned it to the basket she kept by the chair. Lucy always had multiple projects going on so she could switch to a different one when she grew tired of the current project. She liked to crochet while she sat by the fire at night with William while the kids played.
Movement caught her eye as Lucy turned to gaze through the new leaded glass windows. Several had been broken in a skirmish during the spring and had just recently been replaced.
A bird flew by, and Lucy pressed her cheek to the cold glass, missing her sisters on this first day of October. Halloween had always been their favorite holiday, even more so than Christmas.
During this time of year, she felt their absence so strongly it was like a lingering ache deep in her bones.
She sighed, breath fogging the windowpane. The changing seasons always stirred a mix of emotions, serving as a reminder of the passage of time and the world she had left behind.
Lucy let out a huff. “Enough. They would be happy thatyou’ve found happiness,” she scolded herself, grateful for the life she had built.
She bent over and picked up the small ball of yarn she’d rolled up for Thor, made up of bits of leftover yarn.
“Thor. Look what I’ve got.”
When she tossed the ball across the floor, Thor leaped out from behind a small chest to chase after it. His claws scrabbling for purchase on the stone floor as he darted around the room, batting the yarn with enthusiasm before carrying it in his mouth to the rug in front of the fire.
Seated before the crackling flames, Lucy stroked Thor’s silky fur. He rolled over and yawned, settling in for a nap by the fire, tail lazily twitching.
A while later, after she’d gathered up the rest of the yarn and put it back in the basket, she made her way through the great hall, nodding and stopping to speak with a few of the servants, already busy with the day’s tasks.
Sometimes she had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn’t all a dream. Stepping outside, the crisp air carried the earthy scent of autumn mixed with horses and the ocean.
The sound of the banners rippling in the wind made Lucy gaze up at the towering castle walls. The thick stone made her feel safe, especially knowing the strife and war that was to come in the years ahead.
The banners bore the likeness of a hellhound, though how anyone knew what one looked like was beyond her. But it was William’s crest and it could have been worse… like a goat or boar or a fish.
The sounds of their people going about their day-to-day life had her looking around, her heart full. This life, as peculiar and foreign as it still felt at times, was now hers.
She walked through the courtyard, weaving betweenservants and guardsmen, nodding in greeting as she passed familiar faces. The castle denizens had grown accustomed to her. A few of the knights even teased her about her odd accent though they loved her fried chicken and appreciated the crocheted scarves in the winter.
The sound of approaching horses made Lucy stop and turn toward the gates. The deep voice that boomed across the courtyard reached all the way down to her toes, a voice she’d recognize anywhere.
William was finally home. He would banish the melancholy thoughts and fear that something bad was going to happen.
Everything would be fine.
CHAPTER 2
The earth trembled,and dust filled the air as William, and his men thundered through the gates.
Tears filled her eyes, and Lucy couldn’t help but let out a joyous laugh as she raced down the stone steps to greet him.
Some days, she missed cars, planes, and lovely bathrooms with endless hot water. Not to mention her favorite foods, and how easy it was to pop into the grocery store for a few staples. While on other days, she was content, cherishing the unhurried pace of life, a life that flowed with the rhythm of the seasons and a deep sense of community, something that she thought had been lost in modern times.
Lucy’s heart skipped a beat as her husband, William, Lord Blackford, dismounted with a grin, green eyes sparkling, the wind ruffling his dark hair as he effortlessly strode over and swung her up in his arms, kissing her soundly. After four years, he still stole her breath away.
