Nothing of what she was feeling showed in Kristen’s expression. Outwardly she was calm, while inwardly she trembled. This was all her fault. She had deliberately provoked the lordling. She had hoped to make him furious, and had. And now she would pay for that spite. Royce looked furious enough to do worse than merely chain her again.
Eldred saw a chance for revenge and took it, beseeching Alfred before Royce could speak. “Milord, I demand retribution against this slave. Twice she has raised arms against your nobles. Lord Randwulf lies abed with a broken rib from a chain she wielded against him. Now she dares to strike me and—”
Seldon broke into this recital to tell Royce, “He was warned, milord, that ’twas your will no one touch her.”
“Is that true, Eldred?” Alfred asked quietly.
“She provoked me!” Eldred insisted.
“It matters not the why,” Alfred replied. “She is not yours to chastise, and you were warned against it. This disturbance in the home of your host is transgression enough. You will leave us, and will not return to court until you are summoned.”
Eldred paled at that announcement. He seemed about to protest, but must have thought better of it, for he nodded curtly and withdrew.
Royce watched him leave the hall, his fists clenched at his sides. “I would you had not done that, milord.”
Alfred was wise enough not to smile. “I know. You would have preferred to draw your sword against him. But have patience, my friend. Wessex needs every man at this time, even those of Eldred’s ilk. When we have a true peace, you may settle your quarrel with him.”
Royce glanced sharply at his King, and then some of the tension left him and he nodded. He then looked to Kristen. He stepped toward her, putting his large hand over the red mark on her cheek.
“Are you all right?”
Kristen could have crumbled right there at his feet, her relief was so great. That look of black rage had not been for her. Unfortunately, once relief took hold, Kristen’s anger shot to the fore. No longer fearing reprisal, she remembered what had made her lose her temper earlier.
She pointed a stiff finger at Royce’s two men. “I do not need your watchdogs, milord.”
His hand dropped away from her cheek. “So we saw.”
They saw? Unease tempered her anger. Very well, they had seen, but they had not heard what happened. She glanced at the two retainers to see if they would say anything more. They were looking at her too. Seldon was grinning at her. They did not speak up now, but they might later. And what they could tell Royce was that she had goaded Eldred with her tongue, that with her insults she had courted the slap he gave her.
More of her anger was tempered. Only resentment remained, and this she voiced quietly. “I know why you set them on me, milord. ’Twas not for my protection, for you know I am my own protector. They replace my fetters, to see I do not escape. Is this how you trust me?”
Royce frowned now. With Alfred privy to the conversation, he would not placate her. He could not. Yet he knew Kristen well enough by now to know that to have her angry with him made all dealings with her most difficult, and he was the only one to suffer for that.
“Until we strike our bargain, vixen, do not question what I do.”
His tone was harsh, the dark emerald of his eyes telling. Too late Kristen remembered Alfred’s presence. She stole a glance at him, to find that he was amused by this argument between slave and lord. God’s teeth! How could she be such a fool as to challenge Royce in front of his King? And she had indeed forgotten about that bargain Royce had mentioned.
She was not too proud to admit her mistakes. She offered Royce a hesitant smile. She offered him more to make amends.
“Forgive me, milord. My tongue ofttimes runs away with me. And I am sorry for the disturbance. Lord Eldred meant to anger me—and I meant to anger him. We both succeeded, but I regret you had to witness such folly.”
Royce was stunned more by her apology than by her confession. But it was the confession that made the King of Wessex throw back his leonine head and laugh.
“God’s mercy, Royce. Such honesty is frightening. And I thought to envy you your prize. Nay, sir, she is too blunt for a court rife with subtleties and false words of flattery.”
Royce snorted. “She was not offered, milord.”
Kristen gasped at that bold statement, but Alfred did not take offense. In fact he laughed again.
“I see her bluntness is contagious. I will do well to keep my other nobles away from her, or I will never again hear what an excellent hunter I am.”
Now Royce chuckled. “You will not lack such praise today, milord, not when you have yourself supplied our evening fare.”
They walked away then, but not before Royce gave Kristen a curious look, then a half smile. She had appeased him as she had intended. Later, he would have to appease her.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Kristen was sent upstairs by Eda. That she was sent alone, unescorted by Eda or her two guards, did much to improve Kristen’s disposition. She did not even think to go anywhere but to Royce’s chamber.
