“I’ll not drink to them,” a belligerent voice rang out.
Belial cocked a finely arched brow and slowly lowered his goblet to the table.
In the crowd, she saw a Saxon man struggling against his companions, who were trying to shush him.
“Nay, I’ll not be silent.” He shoved against them.
Valteri’s grip tightened on the knife he held.
Ariel sucked her breath in as she saw a perfect image in her mind of her husband driving that blade straight into the fool’s heart.
“This is an evil deed. How can I give my blessing when one of our fairest Saxon maids is sacrificed to a Norman dog. Nay,” he sneered, stumblingagainst the corner of the table. “Not even a Norman dog, but worse. A bastard demon spawned straight from hell! One of—”
“Enough!” Ariel shouted, rising from her seat. “’Tis my husband you address, sirrah, and the only evil I see here this night is that brought by foul rumors and ignorance.”
The drunkard looked at her as if she’d slapped him, but she didn’t care. She refused to sit by and allow a decent man to be slandered by a fool.
Slowly, Valteri moved his chair back and stood. He scanned the hall and his bland acceptance of the man’s words tore at her soul. “Whoever calls this man friend should take him home.”
When no one stood to offer aid, Valteri shook his head. With a disgusted sigh, he looked at her, his gaze awash with emotions she couldn’t define. How she wished she could make him forget what he’d just heard. And all the other such stupidity that had been hurled at him.
It wasn’t right that anyone should be so insulted in his own home.
During his own wedding feast.
And for what? Baseless fears and superstitions?
Over a war their own people had started when they’d failed to hand the throne to his brother as King Edward had promised?
While she despised war and all it entailed, she knew William wouldn’t have come here had Harold Godwinson not usurped the throne after Edward’s death.
Sadly, Valteri didn’t want to be here any more than they wanted him in their lands.
Rather than face them as a heartless conqueror who demanded tribute and blood, Valteri had shown restraint and patience whenever he dealt with them.
Even her own brother…
Valteri cleared his throat. “Have no fear of me. I’ll not hold his words against him nor will I punish those who help him to his bed. Go in peace.” That said, he tucked his knife into his belt and left.
She swept them all with a shaming scowl. “He is your lord, and these are his lands. You would all do well to remember that.”
Furious at their behavior, Ariel followed after her husband. She caught up to him just outside the main doors. “Valteri?”
Valteri ground his teeth as he felt her gentle touch on his arm. No one had ever before defended him and he wasn’t sure how to respond. “You should go inside before you catch a chill.”
She shook her head and he ached to pull her back into their chambers and make love to her for the rest of eternity.
But that was only a dream.
No one would accept their marriage.
Ever.
Everyone’s reaction tonight had proven it. If he had an ounce of decency, he’d slit his own throat and allow her to find another husband to stand by her side.
But he wasn’t decent.
Ariel tightened her hand on his arm and he allowed her to turn him until he faced her. “Ignore the imbecile. He was drunk. He knew not—”
