Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter 25 Alex had seen that his friends and guardsmen were in the capable hands of his aunt, and then he’d gone outside to the gazebo to vent his rage in private. When he’d been a very young boy he had been known to fly into fits of rage and violently attack things or even people that he thought had wronged him. His father would only shake his head and say he took after his own father a famous berserker and warrior known for his feats on the battlefield. His mother had found a way to channel his black rages into something productive, gardening and cleaning stables. In time, Alex had learned to control his rages. When Alex turned ten, his mother insisted he study fencing and boxing to find other outlets for his anger. In time, he’d learned to control his rages and used them on the battlefield to his advantage to cut a swath through his enemies. With Bowden at his side, he’d become known as “Alexander the fierce” or “Alex the Wolf of Glomma”, the heartless killer. The black monster that lived within him he’d wanted to keep from Isobel, who was all things gentle and innocent, but the monster was trying to rip free now that she was in danger. The monster wanted blood; it wanted to tear Dagda apart and watch him suffer. Alex turned to smash his fist into one of the sides of the summer house with enough force that the rail snapped. He was vaguely aware of his hand stinging, but the rage, the urge to destroy filled him, and he turned to smash his fist into another pole, hearing a crack as he vented his anger. “If you are finished destroying my summer house, your friends and men have been seen too and you can see them if you wish. Captain Wolfgang, Bowden, Giles, and Liam are in the library reviewing the maps I have of Bryste and awaiting your presence.” Valencia’s voice pulled Alex from his rage and he turned to see her regarding him coolly, a large blood-stained apron covering her fashionable blue gown. Alex looked about to see he’d broken four of the rails and cracked one of the support poles, and his hand was stinging and in pain. Alex looked at his hand to see his knuckles were cracked and bleeding. “Forgive me, I was angry, beyond angry, I will pay for the repairs,” Alex said. “I remember you as a boy when the rage took you, only your mother could ever reach you, let me see your hands.” Valencia looked at Alex’s bleeding hands, shaking her head. “I shall have to bandage these, come with me to my workroom, and then we shall see your friends.” “How are they?” Alex demanded, following Valencia towards the manor. “Oscar and James shall recover though it shall take some time; they both lost a great deal of blood. James was lucky in that he had a book hidden in his jacket and it turned the blade that was meant to slice his lever. He suffered a stab wound but it missed any vital organs.” Valencia replied opening the French door on the patio and escorting Alex into her workroom. “Sit while I see to your hands.” “I am fine, how are the others?” Alex replied, earning a scowl from Valencia, who pointed at an empty chair by her work table. Alex shook his head and earned another fierce scowl so he complied with a sigh. “The bolt to Ahern’s shoulder missed the bone, but he needs time to recover as he lost a great deal of blood and there was much damage to the muscle,” Valencia replied. “Sasha has a bad concussion and a sizable lump on her head, but she will be fine in a few days. Lucy is perhaps the worst; the slice was bad, and she lost a great deal of blood. Sister Margaret did a fine job of stitching it, but the wound already appears to be infected. I have given her both aspen powder and poppy extract for the pain.” Valencia poured some witch hazel on a clean cloth and used it to dab at the cuts on Alex’s hands making him wince. “I have turned my reading room into an infirmary so that it is easier to watch them all. Now let’s go and talk to Bowden and the others about how to get Isobel back.” “You are going to help?” Alex asked. “Of course, Isobel and Bridgette have become very special to me, and I want them back safely as much as you do,” Valencia replied. “Then let’s go meet the others and plan to get her back, Lord Dagda made the greatest mistake of his life when he took Isobel and Bridgette,” Alex growled. “I agree they do not know you and Bowden as I do, now come there is much to plan.” Valencia patted Alex on the arm then stepped to the door and pulled it open for Alex. Aye, Alex thought such as how he planned to rip Dagda limb from limb. * * * * Isobel shook off Raymond’s hands as he half-dragged, half pushed her and Bridgette down the wide stone corridor; both women were trying to resist, though they were exhausted. They had been traveling for two days, stopping every few hours to change the horses and to let them relieve themselves, before being thrown back into the. During the breaks, Isobel had seen that there were at least a dozen men and another wagon escorting them, and as such, any attempt to escape on foot would be futile. Isobel had also overheard several of the men complaining about the pace, saying that they had injured that needed to rest and that the men were weary. Apparently from what Isobel and Bridgette had managed to overhear two men had given chase after they had been captured and while being injured in an attempt to rescue them had managed to kill three of their captors and wound six others. Isobel and Bridgette prayed that neither Alex nor Bowden were the men harmed, though it made them feel better knowing that someone knew they had been taken Isobel was tired, filthy, motion sick, and achy after being bounced about in the carriage for hours on end. Any fear she’d once had was now replaced with anger and annoyance, muted by hunger and fatigue. If she were bigger, bound hands or not, she would have punched Raymond in his large nose. Bridgette was also furious with her anger being mixed with worry for the horses that had been under her care and rage at their rough treatment. She had already punched one of their guards when he came too close during a rest break blooding his nose. She would have punched him again except she’d been restrained by Sir Raymond. “Take your hands off me.” Bridgette snapped. “If you wanted us to walk quickly, you should have let us rest or fed us. And if you touch me one more time, I shall remove your hands and make you eat them.” Despite everything, Isobel smiled. Bridgette had been raised with several brothers and a father who had not known what to do with a girl, so Bridgette was used to standing up to men. Raymond scowled but removed his hand from Bridgette’s arm. “Of course,” Raymond gave her a thin-lipped smile that made Isobel’s skin crawl. Isobel’s stomach was in knots not just because she was afraid but because she was, in her family keep for the first time in years. The last time she’d been here was the day she’d left to tend to her neighbor, she’d never returned and the changes to her family home were shocking. Her parents had always kept the keep clean and whitewashed, it was filthy now and the corridors filled with dirt and cobwebs. The place also stank making her nose wrinkle; her mother must be rolling in her grave at what had been done to her home. Raymond half pushed, half dragged Isobel and Bridgette to the end of the corridor to a wooden door that once led to Isobel’s father’s study. Raymond gave a quick knock and pushed the door open wide before shoving Isobel and Bridgette inside. Isobel stumbled and would have fallen if not for Bridgette, who grabbed her elbow. Seated behind what had been her father’s work table was Lord Dagda, looking just as ugly as she remembered. Raymond closed the door with an ominous bang and Isobel felt a shiver run down her spine, she met Dagda’s eyes and saw him smile cruelly but Isobel would not be afraid for she was no longer alone. Alex and Bowden would come for them and they would tear Dagda and Raymond apart and then Alex would take them home. “At last you have been returned to me, now how shall I punish you for defying me?” Dagda said as he uncoiled from the chair and came towards Isobel reminding her of a large black snake. “Punish me I think not, I owe you nothing, I don’t answer to you, and I never have. You may have killed my family but you won’t harm me and we both know it.” Isobel said head high, though she was afraid. Dagda’s face contorted in anger, and he raised his hand towards Isobel only for Bridgette to step between them and stare Dagda down. “Who is this female?” Dagda snarled. “I am Lady Arrington; my father is Earl Arrington of the Northern Wilds. My overprotective brothers are Oscar the Reaper, Joseph the Fierce, Ragnar Skull Cleaver, and Isaac the Indomitable. When they learn that not only was I struck by your incompetent odoriferous flunky but kidnapped they shall come hunting you.” Bridgette said. “In addition, Lady Isobel is my adopted sister. If you value your life you shall let us both go and once.” Dagda stared at Bridgette for a moment, then moved to slap her, only to have Bridgette block the blow. “Who is this monstrous female and why is she here?” Dagda barked. “She is Lady Bridgette; she was with Isobel and saw everything that happened. I could not leave her behind. In addition, she could be a useful hostage.” Raymond replied. “You should have simply killed her; now we have this viperous shrew to contend with.” Dagda snarled. “I do not kill women. There were two other ladies with them when I took them; both were injured and likely to have already told someone what happened. Whatever plans you have, you need to do them quickly, for I fear Lady Bridgette is correct that people will come looking for her and Isobel.” Raymond replied, dragging his fingers through his long, unkempt hair. “Very well summon the priest we shall have the wedding immediately and Lady Bridgette can serve as a witness before I throw her in the dungeon,” Dagda said. “It shall be a pleasure bedding you what was once a scrawny girl has grown into a lovely woman; I might even change my original plans and keep you after the birth of our child providing.” Isobel couldn’t repress the shiver of disgust that went through her at the thought of Dagda’s cold, slimy hands on her. Despite everything, she was glad that she was now facing Dagda again, glad that the monster in her imagination was not as huge and horrible as she remembered. Dagda had actually turned into a pitiful being since she’d last seen him, since he’d beaten, whipped, and terrorized her. His long black hair was greasy and limp and he appeared to have dandruff that covered his black tunic like snow covering a tree. His skin was sallow speaking of a poor diet and too much alcohol if he was a patient she would advise him to bathe, scrub his scalp with witch hazel and change his diet, as it was she hoped he was suffering horribly. Isobel was also no longer a terrified child alone in the world and grieving over the loss of her family, her home, and everything she’d ever known. Isobel had grown strong; she had learned to trust herself and to depend upon herself and her own quick-wittedness. In addition, she was no longer alone and friendless, she had friends who cared enough about her to fight for her, and most importantly a husband who loved her. A husband who was no simple man but a prince and a warrior with men at his disposal, and she had knowledge now, she knew how to not only take away pain but to give it. If Dagda tried to force her she would not submit easily, not be cowed she would fight, she had to be strong till Alex came for her “There will be no wedding for I am already wed, and even if I were not wed, there is nothing under heaven or in hell that would make me wed you. I am no fool; you need my compliance so that you can take my family’s holdings. You need an heir by me so that you can legitimize your claim to my family’s land. I know that if I agree to a wedding with you, I will never leave this keep.” Isobel paused to steady her nerves. “If you are wise, you shall release both Bridgette and I at once and flee for your life before my husband comes.” Dagda’s face twisted in rage and he slapped Isobel hard across the face making her stagger. “You lie, no one would wed you. You are penniless and without a dowry.” Isobel felt Bridgette place a comforting hand on her back as she wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. Head held high Isobel held up her left hand to display the rings she wore. “I speak the truth I am wed these past five days, if your incompetent helper had bothered to check he’d have known I was wed. I had returned to the college to gather my belongings and take my leave, now let Bridgette and I go you brainless fool.” Dagda’s face twisted in rage. “It matters not you shall still wed me, no one knows of your so-called wedding, and even if some fool did wed you there is no proof, no one shall believe you.” Dagda shoved Isobel hard, sending her staggering backwards to smack into the wall, hitting her head hard enough to stun her. As Isobel fought against the blackness, she saw Bridgette throw herself at Dagda, who struck Bridgette across the face, dropping her to her knees. Isobel launched herself at Dagda, hitting him in the stomach with her shoulder and knocking him to the floor. Bridgette was her family and she would not lose her family again, not let them come to harm as long as she lived. Isobel landed hard, smashing her left knee on the floor and her head on Dagda’s chest. She fought down the pain, and linking her hands together, smashed them into Dagda’s nose as years of pain and rage welled up. She struck him over and over again, bloodying his nose and blackening his right eye, while behind him, Bridgette attacked Raymond. Dagda, stunned and unprepared for the attack, cried out as his nose broke and Isobel continued to pummel him. Isobel had turned into a woman possessed as she smashed her clenched hands into Dagda’s face, she was vaguely aware of him striking her in the ribs trying to dislodge her but all she could see was him striking Bridgette and in her fury-charged haze, she felt nothing. All that mattered was pummeling the smirk off of Dagda’s face and making him pay. Behind her, Bridgette had knocked Raymond to the floor and was beating him with a log from the fire while he screamed for help. There was a bang and the office door opened and three men rushed into the chamber, one grabbed Isobel from behind to lift her off Dagda and the other two fought to subdue Bridgette who was brandishing the log like a sword. Raymond pushed himself to his feet and tackled Bridgette bringing her down while suffering a nasty blow. Dagda rose, blood streaming down his face. “I was going to go easy on you bitch, but now nothing shall spare you; take them to the dungeon and call the priest.” “You don’t scare me, for my husband shall come and then you know what pain and fear really are.” Isobel hissed in defiance, struggling against the guard that held her. “Get them out of my sight.” Dagda bellowed, and the three guards half-dragged, half carried Isobel and Bridgette from the room slamming the door after them. As soon as the door shut, Dagda turned to flip the table on its side as he cursed and swung to punch Raymond in the stomach, dropping him to his knees. “Tell me she is lying tell me that it’s a ruse?” Dagda snarled. Raymond clutched his stomach as he wheezed. “I don’t know, she might be telling the truth. She was seen in the company of a large man both in the city and at the estate. It is possible she is wed, she is a beautiful young woman after all.” “Wed or not, it changes nothing. Find a priest and bring him here, then call the scribe to prepare the wedding contract. She will wed me or she shall never see the light of day again.” Dagda snarled. “I do not think she will comply, and what if the other one is telling the truth I have heard of her father and brothers they are fierce warriors,” Raymond asked as he used the wall to pull himself up. “If you think any man would travel for two days and risk his life for a worthless daughter then you are an even bigger fool than I think you are. Now go find me a priest, a few days in the dungeon will break the lady Isobel.” Raymond, his hand pressed to his side, managed to nod before he lurched from the room, closing the door behind him. In the corridor, he paused to rest, leaning against the wall as he fought down the pain in his side and head. He fought a smile at the memory of tiny Isobel launching herself at Dagda and blooding his nose. Raymond paused to ponder his fate he could continue to be Dagda’s pawn or he could take back what was left of his life. Dagda was becoming increasingly unstable as he plunged further into madness and Raymond had no desire to fall with him or to be Dagda’s whipping boy any longer. Raymond had no family, and only a tiny estate that needed repair, nothing to hold him to Dagda any longer except fear. It was time to be a man, time to push fear aside, Isobel and Bridgette had shown him what courage was. If they could stand up to Dagda then so could he, in the store room below was a sizeable amount of gold and silver all unguarded. Raymond’s frown turned to a smile as he formed his plan, he would help himself to a good portion of the treasure and then he and his men would ride away and put as much distance as possible between them and Dagda. He would make his way south and buy a farm along the borderlands and simply live but he would make a stop first, he would visit the Earl of Arrington and tell him that his daughter had been kidnapped by Lord Dagda and that she was in his dungeon. Earl Arrington had a reputation as a fierce fighter but he was also rumored to be a devoted father and to have grieved deeply when his wife died. The Earl would come for his daughter and the lady Isobel and when he did he would make Dagda pay. Raymond wished he could be there to see Dagda fall, but Raymond didn’t have that much courage and he had his men to think of. In addition, if he was gone it would buy the ladies time while Dagda had to find a priest and a scribe on his own. Raymond, his hand pressed to his bruised ribs, hurried away.Let Dagda do his own dirty work from now on. He wanted no part of his plans any longer he just prayed he could put enough distance between himself and Dagda to save not only himself but his men.