"Ishall enjoy killing you," Sir Guy said as he and Eada circled each other,he looking for the perfect time to strike and Eada doing her best to staybeyond his reach. "I shall leave you so bloody and torn that your fool ofa lover will never recognize you."
"Suchbravery. It takes skill and courage to cut down one tiny woman."
Asshe hoped, her insults infuriated him and he charged her blindly. She neatlyavoided his attack. Sir Guy stumbled to a halt near some of the women he hadbeen trying to murder, and they took quick advantage, delivering a few telling blowsbefore they had to flee his sword. When the men with Sir Guy laughed heartily,it only enraged the man more and Eada could see how badly Drogo's enemy achedto kill her.
Shestruggled to hide her fear. There was no way she would win this confrontation.A few of the women had already begun to edge closer to the church andsanctuary, using the distraction she had caused to try to save themselves. Eadaprayed that they would be safe within the church, for she suspected she wouldsoon be dead and she wanted to believe that her death had at least saved a fewpeople.
"Guy,"ventured one of the men watching the unequal battle, "I am not sure itwould be wise to harm Sir Drogo's woman. He is much favored by William, anddispleasing him could well anger William."
"SirDrogo will not hold his place of favor much longer," Sir Guy snapped.
Thecold, arrogant way he smiled at Eada made her angry. He truly thought that hecould defeat Drogo with his petty lies. She clenched her hands into tight fistsand wished she had a weapon with which she could cut out his lying tonguebefore it did any real damage to Drogo.
"Youare a fool if you think your lies can hurt a man like Drogo," she said,fighting to keep her fears out of her voice and maintain a tone of deep scorn."No one heeds them. All they see is a man who is too much of a coward tofight Drogo as a man should fight. You tiptoe about, whispering lies and gossiplike an old, bitter woman."
"Youbeg for a slow, painful death, Saxon whore." He was breathing so hard fromthe force of his anger that he stuttered.
"Suchbrave talk and yet you stay out of my reach."
Ahoarse cry of pure rage escaped him as he charged her. Eada felt his sword cuther skirts as she moved out of his way, but she stuck her foot in front of him.To her surprise, the childish tactic worked and he fell on his face in the mud.She leapt on him, desperate to disarm him before he could harm her. As he triedto throw her from him, she ripped off his helmet, got her hands beneath hismail hood, and tightly gripped him by the hair. Putting all her strength intoher attack, she banged his head against the ground. He let go of his sword ashe tried to grab her wrists and loosen her hold. The moment she felt he was toogroggy to stop her, she leapt off him and lunged for his sword.
Abrief sense of victory coursed through her veins as she curled her hands aroundthe hilt of his sword. Then he fell on her. She could sense that he was stilldazed from her attack and used that momentary weakness to wriggle out of hishold. When she turned to face him, however, his sword in her hands, one of hiscompanions suddenly moved to interfere. The sword was wrenched from her handseven as Sir Guy staggered toward her.
Eadacried out in pain as he hurled himself toward her, and she hit the ground hard.His body landing on top of hers only increased her pain. Out of the corner ofher eye she saw the women try to help her only to be stopped by one of SirGuy's men, who put his horse between them and Eada.
WhenSir Guy put his gauntleted hands around her throat, Eada knew she had to escapehis hold fast or she would surely die. As his grip tightened and it becameincreasingly difficult for her to breathe, she wedged her leg between his. Withall her rapidly fading strength, she rammed her knee into his groin. Hescreamed, ripping his hands from her throat and clutching himself. Eada punchedhim in the throat, and as he gasped helplessly for air, she shoved him off herand staggered to her feet.
Weakand breathless, her throat bruised and aching, she fought to steady herself.Just as Sir Guy began to pull himself to his feet, she kicked him in the head.He sprawled on his back in the dirt, but before she could do him any more harm,another of his men moved to his aid. It was evident from the serious look uponthe man's face that he realized this battle was no longer a simple amusement.He put his horse between her and Sir Guy and impeded her every attempt to getaround him.
AsSir Guy began to recover and stand up, Eada cursed as she watched her chance towin being stolen away. Her only consolation was that most of the children werealready inside the church. Several of the women lingered in the doorway of thelittle building, obviously hoping they could find some way to help her.
"Youare all cowards," Eada said. "Not only do you cut down children andwomen at the very door of a chapel, but you aid a man to win what is analready-unequal battle."
"Ibegin to think that you are anxious to die, woman," said the man on thehorse. "It is not wise to spit such insults at men who could kill you withbut one blow."
"Canthey? Then why do I still stand while your fine Sir Guy is the one pullinghimself out of the mud?"
Theman looked down at Sir Guy, and Eada saw his mouth twist with a grimace ofdisgust. "I wonder as well. Come, Sir Guy, do you wish the tale told thatyou died at the soft hands of a tiny Saxon woman?"
"Iwill not die by her hand."
Eadafelt herself grow still and, despite all her efforts to keep her full attentionon Sir Guy, the words in her head demanded that she heed them. She was unableto cast off the distraction forced upon her until she stared at a fullyrecovered Sir Guy in horror, the truth her mind had just made her see makingher blood run cold. He was right. He would not die by her hand. No matter howhard she tried to scorn the message she had just been given, she could not. Butif he were not to die by her hand, then there was no chance at all that shewould survive this confrontation.
Shefought the strong urge to flee. There was nowhere to go. Sir Guy and his mencould run her down and murder her before she could even reach the edge of thevillage. She cursed herself for having run into the heart of danger without athought. Ivo and Serle had been with the carts and they could easily havehelped and protected her, yet she had said nothing to them. Now she could noteven hope for their aid.
"Ithink we should end this, Guy," said the mounted knight, who remainedbetween her and Sir Guy. "There is now calm in the village, and many arebeginning to look our way."
"Whatdoes that matter?"
"Thiswoman is well known to be Sir Drogo's woman. I do not believe you will be ableto claim that you mistook her for one of the villagers anymore. It will be saidthat you killed her. I warn you again—Sir Drogo is well favored by William, andI do believe the man will be much angered if you kill this woman."
"Lethim cry to the king. Few will heed him. She is just a Saxon whore, and theywill tell him to catch himself another and be silent."
"Theymay allow him to openly challenge you."
"Andthen I shall have the pleasure of cutting him down."
Eadacould tell by the way the mounted knight frowned that she was not the only onewho felt Sir Guy was no match for Drogo. It was past time that Drogo ended SirGuy's threat, but she had the sinking feeling she would not be alive to seethat well-earned death. Nothing she could think of offered her a chance toescape or survive. At best, she was just going to delay her death. As themounted knight edged away, Eada tensed, preparing herself for the attack sheknew was about to come. She was determined to make Sir Guy fight hard for hisvictory.
