The door opened suddenly and a servant stood there with three straw brooms in her hands. She stood there, saying not a word and Erec wondered that she was not more surprised to find three knights crammed into this small storage room.

"Beg pardon, good woman." Drew nodded. "We were just leaving."

Only Erec had made a move toward the dirk in his belt. Looking at his friend's back as they exited the room, he wondered that Drew was not surprised by the intrusion. His suspicions were set aside as they turned toward the great room and his thoughts went once more to Gwyndolyn. he really needed to speak with her.

Stepping through the archway into the great room, he cast his glance about. There were serving women aplenty, mayhap a wife or two, but he did not see Gwyndolyn. Disappointed, thinking her returned to her other duties, he turned his attention to the dais and stopped so suddenly that Gil bumped into his back.

"Beg pardon, milord." Gil mumbled, turning away in haste. Erec caught Drew's eye. The man grinned cheekily and winked before he turned away and disappeared into the crowd with Gil close behind.

He would speak with the meddling jackanape later. Erec was fairly certain that Drew, and not an unnamed servant, was the source of the Baron's information. As his attention returned to the dais and the lady sitting there gazing softly at him, a broad smile lit upon his face and all other concerns left him.

"Milord." Gwyndolyn greeted him with a warm smile as he took his place betwixt her and the baron. Leaning into him, she asked just loud enough for him to hear. "Is everything all right?"

"Aye."

It is now.

Smiling like the love-struck fool that he was, he took in her lady's gown and head piece. Suddenly very nervous, he reached for his goblet and drank it dry in one swallow. A servant refilled it at once. As he reached again for the goblet, her hand rested gently on his forearm.

"I am tired, milord." She said with a shyness that was out of character for her, "Will you walk with me to my door?"

"Aye, Milady." They stood and he followed her from the dais. Placing his hand upon the small of her back he leaned down and said in her ear: "I would follow thee to the ends of the earth."

A blush stained her cheek as she flicked her eyes up to his. He let his desire show and her blush deepened. He grinned broadly as he led her from the room, under the watchful gaze of those gathered. By morn it would be told everywhere that the Lord Erec was smitten with their lady healer. He looked down at her walking next to him and his heart thumped in his chest.

his conscience screamed.

He remembered the argument that his reputation as a fierce warrior would offer her protection. He wondered again if that would be enough to keep her safe when he left her. Recalling the last time that he left her, he growled and fisted the hand at his side.

Should he ever meet those three men again...

He realized belatedly that they were climbing stairs. A smile curled his lips as he recognized their way. The baron must have given her one of the other rooms in the same hall. But she stopped in front of his door and without missing a step, she opened it and entered. He followed, closing the door behind him.

"I have to tell you—"

"There is something that I—" he said at the same time.

"You first." She said, glancing at her hands, nervously torturing her kerchief.

"No, milady. You first." He waited feeling the tension in his shoulders build as she struggled to find the words. Erec just opened his mouth to inquire when she blurted:

"Those three men are back."

"From the barn?" he frowned, knowing they were yet locked away in the dungeons below.

"From the wood."

"They are here? You saw then?" Anger surged through his veins as a desire to kill them with his bare hands turned his vision red. "Where? Tell me."

"Erec! You are hurting me." She whimpered.

Suddenly he stepped back, releasing his hold on her arms. Blood-rage evaporated, replaced by an overpowering concern.

"Are you all right? I did not mean to hurt you." He reached for her but she flinched away, rubbing her arms and his heart sank. "I am truly sorry. I am not often in the company of so fair a lady and I—Milady, can you forgive me?"

Gwyndolyn watched as his great shoulders drooped under the weight of his shame. Her voice gentled as she reached out to set a hand upon his arm. Her heart went out to him as he lifted his gaze to her and she saw the depth of his sorrow.

"There is nothing to forgive." She offered him a smile and saw something flicker in his eyes as he let out a great sigh of relief.

"But there is." He still felt awful, but wanted to ease the concern on her face. Drawing a steadying breath, he began. "I can wield sword, blade, pike, arrow, and any number of other weapons, including my bare hands, with lethal precision. But when you are near, I am a bumbling fool. Tell me, my lady, what spell have you cast upon me?"

He watched as her brown creased in a frown of confusion, then deepened as anger sparked to life in her eyes.

"You see, I have angered you with my woefully inadequate attempt at fine and pretty speeches." He chuckled softly and shook his head. "I meant only that when you are near, your wit and beauty capture my every sense and there is naught left for me save the simpleness of the beasts that all men are by birth."

She still looked at him as though he had lost all sense, but this time the spark that he saw in her eyes was laughter.

"If twill make you smile thusly, milady, you may laugh at me to your hearts content. For more of your smiles, my lady, I shall gladly play the fool."

This time she laughed and he relaxed. Though he very much wished to ask after those men, he had no wish to upset their ambient connection that he worked so hard to restore.

"Milord?" Gwyndolyn was yet smiling, but she grew serious once more. "I must warn you that I did not see them...not with mine own eyes...not exactly. I was going to the kitchen to fetch something to eat, as I missed my midday meal but as I turned a corner, I heard voice...the one I told you I should know...so I stepped back quickly."

"Did they see you? –No, they could not have, else you would not be here now." He shook his head. "You see, milady, there is the proof of your affect upon me." He winked and was pleased that she blushed, though she tried to ignore him.

"I peeked around the corner, as far as I dared. They stood in an open doorway, and the door blocked all but the shoulder of one of them. I did not recognize him. They did not speak names, though I do not believe that Oliver or Jackson was present. There were three shadows upon the wall. One of them the third man from the wood."

"You did not recognize the one you saw. Did you see anything about him that you could recognize if you saw him again?"

"He was a knight for he wore chainmail and I saw part of his sword. Either he was one of your men, or he wanted people to think that he was." Erec raised his brow, so she explained. "His surcoat was sanguine. Brecken's surcoat is vert."

"It is possible that someone could have stolen a surcoat, as you suggested, but more than likely it is one of the royal guards."

"There is more." She twisted her hands nervously. "I could not hear every word, but the hall was empty so I heard enough. They intend to kill you! Erec, I am afraid. Can they do it? Can they kill you?"

The worry and fear on her face—fear for him—was his undoing. "Oh Gwyndolyn."

Even as he reached for her, she stepped into his embrace. While he held her, he told her of his fear that there was an assassin among them. She listened and he felt her nod now and again. Finally, she stepped back enough to look up, and yet remained in his embrace.

"They will not succeed?"

"They could." She gasped and he hurried to assure her. "Or I shall kill them. They do not know that we expect them. My lieutenants and I are vigilant and I believe we shall see them coming. We shall fight, and with God's help, we shall prevail."

"But Erec, there are of them! They mentioned the others. They mentioned the king! Erec! Whatever does it mean?"

"This is not the conversation I hoped to have when I followed you here, but you need to know the rest."

Taking her hand, he led her to the bed and sat down next to her. Turning to partially face her, he told her of the possible threat to the king.

"If there is to be a fight, there are many men I can call upon. Good, strong knights who are loyal to the crown and will stand with me to protect it, regardless of our personal feelings toward the man wearing the crown. It is not our place to judge him. That is for the LORD. We are honor bound to protect the crown, and we shall do it to our last breath if it is needed of us."

"I understand what you are saying, but you will be careful?"

"Are you worried about me, my lady?" he gave a crooked smile in jest, but realized a heartbeat later that she was indeed worried about him. "I have bumbled again. I am sorry. I cannot seem to help myself."

She reached up to place a hand upon his whiskered cheek and held his gaze as she said. "Yes, my knight. I am worried about you."

"Gwyndolyn, I—I wonder if—that is I—"

"Erec, I know that you cannot stay with me, though I wish it with all of my heart. I know that your duty now is to the king. You must see him safe against this danger. I ask only..." She tugged the frothy scarf from her head, skewing her headpiece. He was still looking at her crooked hat when she shoved the scarf into his hands.

"Please, would you take this as a token of...of my affection." She blushed crimson but she held his gaze and he read her heart there, plain as the adorable nose on her face and the crooked hat upon her beautiful head.

"I shall carry it near my heart." He said as he tucked it in the edge of his surcoat. "I am Baron of Greenwood. Right now, it is not fit for the rats crawling within the crumbling walls, and there is no garrison to protect it...but when I am free to retire from my duty to the royal guard...I—that is—would you wait for me? You...and Robin...and Sofi?"

"I will, my lord." She smiled through her tears and he used his thumb to wipe them from her cheek.

"Then I pledge you my troth, my lady. I shall take you to wife and you and the children shall come to live with me at Greenwood. We will restore it to glory, together. And we shall spend the rest of our lives together there, growing old and fat in our happiness."

"I pledge you my troth, my love. I am yours for now and for always. The children and I shall wait for you...forever if we must, for we shall have no other in your stead."

He kissed her softly, tenderly as the words of love they just shared. After a moment he pulled her to his lap and just held her, feeling the warmth and softness of her, feeling her love and returning it with his own.

How is it that one such as he could be so blessed?

"You probably already figure this out, but those men came after you because of me. I am the treasure they are after, or rather I suspect they shall be paid a treasure when I am dead. They intended to use you to get to me. And I fear they will not stop. I do not think you will be harmed during the day, but it is not safe for you to stay in the healer's rooms at night."

"But—" He interrupted her with another kiss, and she relented, willingly returning his kiss. This time passion sparked and his heart began to pound in his chest. Coming to his senses, he reluctantly ended the kiss. "I have spoken to the Baron. He favors me because I was raised here in Brecken Moors Hall after my father's death."

"I suspected there was a familial attachment."

"You are a very smart woman." He kissed her nose, "As my betrothed, he has promised to keep you here under his protection until such time as I am free to return for you. You will take this room when I leave so all will know you are also favored. The children shall also take a room in this hall so that they may be close to you while also under protection."

She stared at him, disbelieving.

"You shall be called the Lady Gwyndolyn and you shall be treated as such. You and the children shall want for nothing so long as you are here. The baron has sworn this to me."

She blinked once, then met his gaze. He was reminded of a doe in the forest, meeting his gaze as he sighted down the shaft of his arrow.

"Gwyndolyn?" He asked softly.

"It is too wonderful to believe, but I can see that you speak true. I am trying to keep my joy, for it warms my heart to know that you will come back for me, for us, and that we shall have our chance to be happy at Greenwood. But I still am fearful...those men...Erec, they mean you!"

"Aye. But as I said, I am forewarned. And so are my lieutenants. We have fought many battles together over the years. I will be alright."

Erec leaned forward and placed a tender kiss upon her forehead, as he gently rubbed her arms from shoulder to elbow. She relaxed under his touch, but suddenly stiffened.

"But the king! They mean to turn the king against you—or they mean to kill the king—or does the mention of the king mean that he is the one who wishes you dead? But—"

"My sweet little champion." Erec chuckled.