“You are. And surely you know how your words, your stories captivate me.” He lifted his arm and held his hand as if he were holding his phone. He took a picture. She struck a pose with her head against his chest, thrilled and happy in his arms.
“I love the flare of your temper and the glint of fire it sparks in your eyes. But most of all, my beloved Kestrel, I love your humility. ’Tis very pleasing to my eyes to see the goodness of your heart, and to my ears to hear of it. Everyone at the castle has noticed it. You are well loved there already. The servants ask for you continually.” He laughed shortly. “Even if I wanted to forget you, I could not.”
“I love them all, too. Come on.” She let go of him and took his hand. “Let’s ride back and give them the good news. Of our eng…betrothal.”
He agreed and followed her into the water. They swam out of the cave and through the falls. Kes lost her breath from the heavy rush of water spilling over the side of the cliff. Nicholas was there, still holding her hand. After making sure she was unharmed, he splashed water in her face and swam off. They laughed, playing and basking in the warmth of the sun.
They returned to the food and found it being enjoyed by some forest critters. Kes squealed with delight at the chance to feed some deer and groundhogs—or gophers. She couldn’t tell. She didn’t care.
“Hello!” she said softly and held out her hand to one of the deer. “Do you want this apple?” She sat still and asked Nicholas to do the same. “Come now, baby, don’t be afraid.” She spoke softly and waited patiently for the skittish deer to come closer.
“Toss a piece of black bread to those squirrels, will you, Nicky?”
She didn’t think about what she called him, but rather if the scurrying little gophers had gotten enough.
When the food was gone, along with the animals, Nicholas set her atop him on his horse and headed for home.
“This has been a perfect day!” she breathed, leaning against him. “I wish I had my journal.”
“Journal?”
Her face contorted as if she were in pain. “Oh my gosh, there are no journals here. It’s a notebook. Bound pages of blank paper that I write in.”
“A note book. A book of notes!” he exclaimed as if he’d just figured out the secret to happiness.
“Yes,” she told him with a small smile.
“We can have a bound book of papers made for you, Kestrel,” he promised. “Do not be troubled by this.”
“Thank you, Nicholas.” She hugged his arms around her. “You are making this all so easy.”
“Aye,” he muttered softly, looking up at the long wall and his castle at the top of it. “I have decided not to return to Nottingham to fight, but to wait and join the army at Bosworth Field.”
The Battle of Bosworth Field. It was coming. What would happen to Nicholas? Would he fight against Tudor’s men?
“I’m thankful that you’re not leaving right away for battle, but I still wish you would think on this.”
“I will,” he promised.
“Are you sure you want to be my husband when the days come?” she asked him, her cheek turned to his chest. “I won’t stop bugging you about not fighting.”
“What is bugging?” he asked with amusement in his voice.
“Nagging.”
“I see.” The amusement was gone.
“There is no reason to fight, Nicholas. You said yourself you didn’t fight for Richard but for York. Maybe you saw it as some noble thing, to die with the word York on your lips. Very dramatic.”
He dipped his brows and gave her a confused look.
“But things have changed. You didn’t have me waiting, worried sick over you. I’ll be heartsick until you return, and if you don’t…” She shook her head and wiped her tears. “I don’t want you to go, Nicholas. There’s no reason to go. At least Elia will have a companion when she is wearing out the wood in the floors.”
“You seem to have this all settled in your mind.”
She sighed. “I’m being selfish, I know. But your heart isn’t in this. You know that. Why risk dying over it?”
She was happy when he didn’t argue but remained quiet. Let him think about it. In the meantime, she would do everything she could to keep him off the battlefield.