Greenwood Knight

Chapter 9

"One more thing, milord?"

"What is it?" Erec turned, expecting more problems.

"I like her better than Lady Cornelia."

Erec blinked. That was a name he had not heard spoken in quite some time...and for good reason.

Lady Cornelia used to treat him like he was invisible, which did not bother him much since she was a shallow and empty-headed nuisance. Cornelia had since become a Harpy, seeking to sink her claws into him and his recently granted title and fortunes. He spent much of his time in court actively avoiding her and her advances.

Shaking his head to clear the irritating woman from his thoughts, he glowered at Drew.

"I know." Drew laughed. "Skewer myself."

As they continued to ride, Erec took Drew's barbed comments in stride, turning his thoughts back to the cause of the barbs.

He could hardly fault Drew for taking notice of his interest.

In truth, many years had passed since Erec found anyone that he wanted to spend so much time with.

...willingly.

There were the damsels at the many banquets...

Cornelia came to mind and he shivered.

...and the wenches from many a village pub. There were ladies a plenty that he encountered but none that he wanted to seek out.

...again...

Liar.

If he was given a chance, he would indeed seek out Gwyndolyn...again and again.

---

Gwyndolyn smiled as she worked in her little garden. Mostly the herbs were for healing, but some made their daily stews much more palatable, especially after seeping in the pot over low heat for a day or two. It was just one of the many things she learned from her mother. As she worked the soil, she wondered if she would ever have a daughter of her own to teach.

"Ah, there you are."

"Father. Are you not well? You are limping again."

"My leg is ailing me, yes. I think we shall have a bad bit of weather soon." He said looking up at the clear blue sky.

Gwyndolyn frowned. It may not be today or even tomorrow, but her father had seldom been wrong about the bad weather since his injury. He said that the bad weather made his bones ache. Since she had no way to verify and had never felt such herself, she could only take him at his word.

"Perhaps you speak truly, Father, but again I would caution you to keep such comments to yourself. Especially on such a bright clear day as we have. If the wrong person were to hear you, you could be accused of practicing dark magic."

"Yes, Yes." He waved her off impatiently. "But as it is only you and I, I am safe enough in my predictions."

"Where has Robin got himself off to?" She frowned, noticing for the first time the uninterrupted quiet.

"I believe he is probably hiding in the barn. He knows that we shall have to work extra hard now that the soldiers have come again and taken our stores. You know how he hates to work the fields."

"Aye." She smiled. "I am finished here. I shall find him when I put away my tools and then we shall both head out to the far field near the wood. It will be well passed midday when we begin and I would welcome the lengthening shadows of the wood as we work."