The Rogue Lady

Chapter Forty Three

Just came back from Wales late last night so I wasn't up for the update. But here it is. And I told you all that I was working on the sequel during Camp NaNoWriMo, well I'm not anymore. I need a break from the characters and start planning the story a bit more before I can write it. For now, The Rogue Lady will work as a stand alone, but hopefully in the July session I will be able to continue and maybe even finish. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!!

**

“A toast!” Lord George called out over the table, loud enough for the other tables to hear as well. “To the brave fighters who have freed our city from the Queen and who will soon do the same for the Kingdom! To the Kingdom!”

“To the Kingdom!” I called out along with everyone else. I was glad that he had said ‘brave fighters’ instead of the over-used ‘brave men’; it felt good to be included in the lot. Personally, I thought I had shown more bravery over the past months than I had ever thought I could.

Servants had installed as many tables as needed to seat all the outlaws together in the courtyard; it was a good thing it was so big. The entire city had come together to prepare the food, making it only more obvious how glad everyone was. In their eyes, this was the first step to winning back the Kingdom. The atmosphere was festive and had I not been stabbed in the leg only hours ago, I would have dragged someone with me for a dance.

The Lord and Lady were at the head of the table; William was seated next to the Lord and his knights closely around him, even Sir Arthur though he did look uncomfortable. A few glasses of wine and he would be fine. I was somewhere in the middle of the table, sitting right next to Anna. My archers were seated around us, almost protectively, although I didn’t doubt none were carrying a weapon. Eric was seated more towards William and I had seen Darrick get up and move so many times I had no idea where he was at.

“And I want to toast with you,” Anna said to me as she turned in her seat, her glass of wine in her hand. “I have heard a little about what you have done and I honestly wish that your journey ends soon. To a happy reunion,” she smiled. I laughed at that, knowing very well who she was talking about, and maybe even what. I raised my glass again, taking a gulp, noticing my archers do the same. Sometimes I forgot they knew about my secret.

“A girl can dream,” I smiled. “A girl can dream but I can tell you now, the reunion won’t be happy.”

Anna shrugged like she understood perfectly why it wouldn’t be a happy reunion. “Don’t be too hard on anyone. These past three years have been hard on us all.” I nodded, my smile disappearing as I thought about all that had happened. So many people had died, so many had lost someone they cared about; I had spent four months locked away in the dungeons and the rest of the time I had been a prisoner in my own home. I had lost both my parents to this crazy and power hungry Queen. Enough was enough. But it would all end soon; it was just a matter of time now.

“So, when is the wedding?” I asked teasingly to change the subject.

Now it was Anna’s time to laugh. She looked healthier when she laughed. The state she was in had surprised me earlier when I had seen her for the first time in more than three years. She had lost a lot of weight, she had no fat left, no curve on her body; she was nothing but skin on bones now. She looked very breakable. Nonetheless, her eyes still held the fire that was only for the living. Her hair was still as shiny black as I could remember and she held herself as any healthy young woman should. Her dress covered most off her body, hiding most of the excessive weight loss, only her arms were bare. Bare and skinny and very breakable. I had helped her dress for the feast and she insisted to look at herself in the mirror as I closed the back of her dress. She hadn’t looked away from what she saw like many would have done; she had only looked sad but then there was also pride.