Page 1 of Dancing On Air

Prologue

ENGLAND, 1369

Connor Wyland, a lad of sixteen summers, rode through the gates of Marvane Castle in Stockbridge with an entourage of knights and nobles leading the way. After being fostered and trained as a page since the age of seven, Connor had become a squire two years ago. He’d been fostered at Saltwood Castle in Hythe, near the sea. He’d been lucky enough to be personally mentored by the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Garret Blackmore.

Since the age of eight, Connor had been betrothed to the baron’s daughter, Lady Eleanor Blackmore. He became best friends with Eleanor through the years, and both of them longed for the day when they would finally be married. Eleanor had been sent to Marvane Castle a few years ago to be fostered by Connor’s parents, who lived there under the rule of Lord Clement Sampson, lord of the castle.

Anxious to see Eleanor as well as his family, Connor couldn’t wait to get inside. By now, his new sibling should be born. Lord Sampson had planned a festival at the castle, and everyone, including the commoners, were invited to join in the celebration today.

Yes, it was a special day, and the weather was beautiful for this outdoor event. Connor was sure today would be the day when the date of his actual wedding would be chosen and announced as well. After all, things were going smoothly with his training, and his parents were good friends with Eleanor’s. The wedding probably wouldn’t be for a few years yet, but it felt as if he and Eleanor had always been together.

“Connor,” he heard the sweet voice of an angel, turning his head to see the bright red hair of Eleanor as she made her way toward him through the crowd. She was nearly fifteen now, and he couldn’t help noticing she had been blossoming into a young lady in his absence. A lady who would one day soon be his wife. This made Connor proud. All he’d ever wanted was to follow in his father’s footsteps by having a good wife, a large family, and being an honored knight of the king.

“Eleanor,” he called back, with a wave of his hand. Connor jumped off his horse, handing the reins to a stable boy who greeted the traveling party. Although he’d never even kissed his betrothed, he hoped today he’d be able to at least sneak a kiss in the stables with Eleanor before he returned to Saltwood. After all, she would soon be his bride, so what would it matter?

He walked proudly through the crowd, his sword swinging at his side. His training had been going well, and he’d become quite efficient at wielding a blade. The Lord Warden, Eleanor’s father, said he would be ready for knighthood well before the required age of twenty-one. This made Connor very happy. Life couldn’t get any better. Connor hoped the Lord Warden would somehow make an exception for him and dub him a knight early, before he hit the age of twenty-one. After all, in his opinion, five years was much too long to have to wait. He wanted to be a knight right now.

“Oh, Connor, I’m so sorry.” Eleanor pushed her way through the people, throwing herself into his arms.

This was something she had never done before. It surprised and startled him since they had only been friends and never even hugged before now. It was not proper for a lady to act so familiar with a man, especially under the perusal of so many eyes… and wagging tongues. Eleanor had been raised properly and knew what was expected of her. If she was being so careless, it must be because something made her really upset, and Connor needed to find out what that was.

For some reason, the way she was acting sent chills up his spine. Why did he have the feeling that something was terribly wrong? Something that included him? Damn, he didn’t want any bad news.

He tried to push that thought from his mind. Connor decided that nothing was going to ruin this happy day for him. His life was going so well and he refused to let anything disrupt it.

“What is it, Eleanor?” he asked, pushing away from her but keeping his hands on her shoulders. It was then that he noticed her light hazel eyes were wet. A tear trailed a jagged path down her cheek. Connor boldly reached out and brushed it away with his thumb, reveling in the softness of her skin beneath his touch. “Why are you crying?” he asked, very confused as to why his betrothed would act this way. Wasn’t she as excited to see him as he was to see her? “Has something happened to upset you? I’m here now, Eleanor. You needn’t worry. Please don’t cry. I will make everything better.” Connor tried to act like a man, wanting to protect the girl who would someday be his wife. He had always protected Eleanor, and had even saved her life once as a child. If he hadn’t been watching after her, she would have surely drowned that day.

“Connor, it’s bad,” she said with a sniffle. “So bad that I don’t even want to tell you the news.”

“It’s all right. Be brave,” he told her, trying to sound strong like a knight. He tried to act like he knew his father would in times of danger or despair. “You can tell me anything. Whatever it is that is troubling you, we will face it together.” His words were meant to calm her, but when he heard her next words, it was he who needed calming instead.

“Y-your mother is dead,” she told him, nearly choking on the words.

Her news caught Connor off guard. It caused his blood to freeze in his veins. Then again, it was crowded and noisy in the courtyard with so many nobles and villagers present. He tried to convince himself that he surely must have misheard her. This couldn’t be true. Connor had come here today, planning to celebrate the birth of a new sibling. This wasn’t at all what he expected. He refused to believe that his mother was gone. This couldn’t really have happened.

“What did you say?” he asked, holding his breath, not able to breathe. Mayhap if she said it again, he’d realize she meant something totally different.

“She died, Connor. Your mother is dead,” said Eleanor, who had become quite fond of Connor’s family. Being fostered by them, she was already like a daughter to his parents, the same way Connor was regarded as a son to her father, Lord Garrett. Eleanor started crying, not able to hold back her emotions anymore.

“Nay. Please tell me it’s not true. It can’t be.” Connor’s gaze frantically swept the courtyard, but there were so many people there today that even though he searched for a glimpse of his family, he couldn’t find them anywhere.

“It is true,” Eleanor continued. “Your mother died two days ago, birthing your baby brother.”

“Nay. This can’t be,” he said, dropping his arms to his sides and shaking his head in denial. He refused to believe that on his happy day he’d hear such horrible news as this. “Where is the rest of my family, Eleanor? Where is my father? Where are my siblings? I need to see them.”

“A nursemaid is watching over your newborn brother as well as the rest of your siblings.”

“God’s eyes, what is going on here? My father should be with them at a time like this. Where in heaven’s name is he?”

“Connor,” came the shout of his eleven-year-old sister, Francesca, holding the hand of his nine-year-old brother, Leoric, who held on to little Ginevra, who was only four. At the end of the chain of children was the nursemaid, holding a little bundle that he realized was his youngest sibling, his newborn baby brother.

“The baby,” muttered Connor, approaching the woman, holding back his tears. He needed to gaze upon his new brother. Surely, this would calm him. Connor respected all life. He felt as if babies were God’s gifts to those who pleased him. Connor wanted a large family someday, at least five children like in his family. Mayhap even more. Trying to focus on the miracle of life instead of the grim thought of death, he reached out and moved aside the blanket to see his new brother’s face. With a new life, an older one was taken, and this is something he would never be able to accept. His mother was a good, loving woman. She didn’t deserve to die. He shook his head sadly. “What is his name?” he asked the nursemaid.

“Your mother named him Alaric right before she died,” answered the woman. The baby started to wail. She jostled the infant, trying to quiet him. “The poor little thing must know he’s about to lose his father too, with all the crying he’s been doing today. What a shame.”

Connor’s head snapped up. “What did you say?” For the second time that day he found himself praying that he’d misheard someone. Unfortunately, things just kept getting worse.

“Connor, your father is… he is…” started Eleanor, not able to finish her sentence.