His expression fell. “I have every right to be here,” he said. “I came to demand your release.”
Juliandra sighed sharply. “You are making a fool of yourself,” she said. “Go home. I do not want you here, nor do I need you here. Just… go away.”
His features started to harden. “You will not speak to me that way,” he said. “I have come to help you, foolish woman.”
“And I do not want your help,” she said, hands on hips. “I do not want or need your help, or your attention, as I have told you many times. I do not belong to you, I am not going to marry you, so I want you to go away and leave me alone.”
Aeron’s eyes narrowed. “What is the matter with you?” he demanded. “Are you so weak that you do not see that you are a prisoner? What has happened to you? You should be screaming for your freedom and for the freedom of your father!”
That only served to anger her. “Sometimes screaming and violence do not get the desired results,” she said. “My father broke Lord de Lara’s law and he is serving his time for it. I am here to work off the toll he refused to pay and ensure he is released. I have made a bargain with Lord de Lara and you are ruining everything, so go home and stay there. I do not want you here.”
Aeron was being pushed closer to the brink of a tantrum. “Your father broke no laws,” he snarled. “He was traveling a road that it was his right to travel on. I fear you have been poisoned and bewitched by the English.”
Juliandra took a few steps towards the portcullis so she wouldn’t have to shout her business for all to hear. Aeron wasn’t listening to her words, so she had to make it plain to him.
And plain to herself.
It was time.
“Listen to me and listen well,” she said in a low, steady voice. “I know why you are here. You have come because you think the English have stolen something that belongs to you – me. You know very well I do not belong to you, nor will I ever. I belong to another now, Aeron, so go away before he unleashes his wrath upon you. I do not want you or anything about you, so abide by my wishes and go away.”
Aeron looked at her in shock. “What do you mean you belong to another?”
“Just what I told you. Are you too stupid to understand that?”
Aeron was truly baffled. “Who could you possibly belong to?” he asked. “Everyone knows you belong to me. There is not one man in this area who would defy me and steal you away.”
Juliandra took a deep breath. She was losing her patience. “Do you even understand my words?” she said. “I do not want you. I have never wanted you. I do not belong to you, nor do I even like you. I belong to someone else, someone I intend to have a long and happy life with, and this does not include battling with you because of your misguided attempts to control me. Go find another woman, Aeron. There are many who would be honored to have you, but I am not one of them. I am beyond your reach.”
Aeron genuinely couldn’t comprehend what she was telling him. Of course, he understood in theory, but he refused to accept it. He rushed the portcullis again, rattling it angrily.
“Who?” he demanded. “Tell me who it is!”
Juliandra debated about telling him. She thought he would leave without her being compelled to divulge who it was, but now she was thinking otherwise. Perhaps telling him that she belonged to Kevin would truly be the only way of getting rid of him. When he realized it was the Lord of Wybren, with a big army at his disposal, then surely he would understand that he had to accept it.
She had to take the chance.
She couldn’t go the rest of her life battling Aeron.
“It is Lord de Lara,” she finally said. “I have agreed to marry him. I want to marry him. Now, will you go away and leave me in peace?”
Aeron stopped shaking the portcullis and stared at her. His mouth popped open in shock and he looked to Glynn, who was standing a few feet away. The man had heard everything and his expression suggested that the battle for Lady Juliandra was over for good.
But Aeron was desperate – he suddenly rushed back into the crowd of men, hissing at Adan, who was standing with the others. He was waving his hands like a madman as Adan disappeared into the group. As Juliandra waited, curious and concerned as to what was going on, Adan reappeared, dragging a woman with him.
The woman had long hair to her buttocks, wild and wavy and covering half her face. She was dressed in simple clothing, but there was no mistaking her big hips and big breasts. Juliandra didn’t recognize the woman as Aeron grabbed her by the arm and dragged her up to the portcullis.
“Here!” he declared. “This woman is willing to exchange herself for you. She will make a fine companion for an English knight. She is lusty and clever when it comes to a man, skills you do not possess because you are a maiden. If the English lord is looking for a woman to satisfy him, this is the one.”
Juliandra looked at the woman in horror, deeply embarrassed at what Aeron was saying. As she watched, the woman flipped her long hair back and tugged at the top of her bodice, exposing a good deal of cleavage.
The message was obvious.
Something in Juliandra snapped.
“You… you vile pig,” she snarled. “How dare you try to make a trade as if I were some kind of brood mare. You bring this filthy woman here to trade for me? Clearly, you think very little of me if you are trying to trade for this… this creature. Get out of my sight, Aeron ap Gruffudd. I shall hate you for the rest of my life. I never want to see you again!”
With that, she spun on her heel and rushed off, keeping her head down because she was so mortified at what Aeron had said. She was mortified at the entire incident. She could hear Aeron calling after her, shouting her name, but she kept running.
Kevin watched her go. He knew she was ashamed and she had every right to be. But her shame only riled his anger against the man who had caused her such upset. As Juliandra ran off, Kevin moved towards the lowered portcullis.
“Now that you have heard of her disgust for you in her own words, you will go and you will not return,” he said. “If you do return, then it will be as a polite man who wishes to establish a peaceful existence, for if it is anything else, I shall turn my archers loose on you and your men. I will no longer tolerate your spoiled behavior and your demands. Is this in any way unclear?”
Aeron was standing there with the buxom woman in his grip, in disbelief that this situation had not gone as planned. Glynn came forward to tug on him, trying to pull him away, but he didn’t seem to want to move. He still thought the situation was salvageable.
“Bring her back!” he demanded. “Bring her back! Tell her that I must speak to –!”
Kevin turned away, motioning to his sentries. “Close the gates,” he said. “I do not want to see that man’s face again until my anger has abated. And make sure he takes that motley band of misfits with him. Watch them as they clear the village. I do not want them causing any trouble.”
The sentries nodded and Bannon, Gareth, Peter, Cal, and William took to the walls to ensure Kevin’s commands were carried out. They wanted to see the retreat of the Welsh for themselves, but if they caused any trouble, they would be the first ones from the gate with their swords swinging. Kevin kept walking, joined by his brother and Alexander as he went.