AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 6
“Keep your elbows bent and close to your body,” Jacob instructed one of the village men the next morning. They practiced with the new weapons in the secret camp hidden in the woods just as the sun began to rise. “Nay, Lyle, not like that,” Jacob called over his shoulder. He walked over to help another man. “You need a firmer grip on the sword to make it more difficult for your opponent to knock it out of your hand. Like this.” He repositioned the man’s hands on the hilt.
“Ah, I see,” said Lyle. “Thank you, that is much better.”
The air was cool and crisp and every time they spoke their breath could be seen. Soon it would be winter and they would have to move deeper into the forest since, without the cover of the leaves on the trees, it would be hard to hide.
“Roger, face your hips toward your opponent and put one foot in front of the other so you have a good base, like this.” Jacob demonstrated.
“Aye, I understand, Sir Jacob. Thank ya,” said Roger, practicing his stance.
“It’s just Jacob now,” he reminded the man. “No need to use my title. How many times do I have to remind all of you of that?”
“We’ll always think of ya as a knight and nothin’ less,” said the man. “It is the way we’ll remember ya till the day ya die.”
“Well, hopefully I, nor any of you, will be dying anytime soon.”
Jacob hurried over to where Will was instructing a group of villagers how to use the battle axes they had just obtained.
“Will, can I talk with you?” asked Jacob in a low voice.
“Aye, my lord,” said Will, following Jacob over to a clump of bushes.
“We don’t have long before the day of the attack.”
“Aye,” said Will. “I think the villagers will be ready by then. Don’t you? They are doing well handling the new weapons.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Then what?” asked Will.
“Well, now that I know Lady Maira and her cousin are at Durham Castle, I don’t feel as confident about the attack.”
“What do you mean, my lord?”
“Dammit, Squire, stop calling me lord. It only hurts too much to hear the title when I am nothing now but a thief.”
“Sorry about that. So, what are you planning on doing about Lady Maira?”
“I don’t know. I am going to have to find a way to get her and her cousin out of there before the attack.” Jacob paced back and forth, feeling very perplexed about the whole thing.
“I have a feeling this has nothing to do with getting your dagger returned,” said Will.
“Nay. Not really. You see, ever since I kissed the girl, I have felt something for a woman that I haven’t felt since Lady Catherine.”
“I see.” Will raised a brow. “Could this be that you’re still mourning the death of your last lover and that is why you’re seeking a replacement?”
“Nay. Aye. Mayhap. I don’t know anymore.” Jacob ran a weary hand through his long hair. “All I know is that I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“Catherine?”
“Nay,” scowled Jacob. “Maira, you fool. She is like no other lady I have ever met. She seems to have a mind of her own and she is fearless. She can also handle a blade as well as a lot of men I know.”
“She sounds as if she’d be an asset to have in our army.”
“What did you say?” Jacob’s head snapped up.
“I just meant, even though she’s a woman, you said yourself that she knows how to handle a blade. But she is inside the castle walls and betrothed to your archenemy. So, I guess that is not an option.”
