The Love of a Knight

Untitled Part 6

Oliver woke early the next morning and dressed in his training gear. Today he needed to assess his men so they could be prepared for the next battle with Lord Malcolm and his men. He didn't know when that would happen but he knew it would be soon. He was hoping that if he could get done early enough that he could take a ride to the forest and hopefully run into Felicity.

He grabbed his sword and headed down the stairs to the great room. As they were breaking their fast the minstrel announced that Lord Chambers would be having a festival of knights in three days and he was inviting knights from towns around Gliestan to come and attend. Sitting among his men Oliver filed that in the back of his mind and listened to the good natured ribbing about who would come out on top in today's training and in the festival games.

They finished eating and Oliver guided his men out to the training grounds and dividing them into two groups he and Slade put them through their paces. Four hours later he was impressed with what he had seen, as was Slade, and so Oliver motioned for Slade that they were done for the day. He had made arrangements for Ben to have a bath waiting for him when he finished training and he hurried back up to his chambers to bath and put on his riding tunic. He headed back downstairs and mounted his horse heading quickly out of the courtyard and into the town. As he passed the marketplace he gave it a cursory look and did not see her there. He guided his horse out of town. Hopefully he could find her.

***

Alara had come home late last night so this morning they were staying near home. Felicity had wanted to go into town in the hopes of running into Oliver but as the morning had worn on she had thought better of it. He was so very handsome and she really liked him a lot but she didn't want to fall for a man who was going to leave. Her Dad had left and as Felicity worked in her garden her mind went back to him. She had never known him, and her mother had only told her bits of information. He had been a Lord traveling through Gliestan and it had been love at first sight for her mother and him. They had spent his time in Gliestan together and soon he had to leave. Her mother had hoped that he would ask her to go with him, but sadly she found out he was married and it had been devastating. Despite the fact his marriage was one of convenience he would not leave his wife, and her mother had not wanted to just be someone's mistress. They had broken things off soon after. When she found out she was pregnant with Felicity she had contacted him, but all she had received was a letter with a sum of money inside. She had never seen him again, and the only thing that tied her to him was the money that came every few months like clockwork. Because her mother lived simply the money had been put aside and saved. Donna had hoped to use it as a dowry for Felicity when she was to marry but then she had died

Felicity brushed off her sad thoughts and settled back to work. However, she saw Alara shift beside her and being attuned to her body language Felicity knew there was a horse nearby. Alara jumped up and ran down the path and Felicity stood to her feet calling to her.

Oliver continued slowly down the path hoping that at some point he would run into Felicity when he saw a familiar sight. Heading right in his direction was Alara and her green eyes watched him intently as he approached. She roared softly at him before she turned and headed back down the path. Oliver smiled and guided his horse after her.

Felicity heard the horse coming closer, and she gripped her talisman in her hand ready to use it if needed. But when she saw the large black war horse come into view, she relaxed and smiled. Oliver!

She walked out of the garden and wiped her hands on her skirt as he approached. "My Lord! What are you doing out this far into the forest?"

Oliver smiled at how she looked. She was wearing a simple blue dress with a white apron on the front that was smeared with dirt from her garden, and she had a dirt smudge on her cheek and forehead from where she had obviously wiped her brow with her hand. She was still the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.