Snippet Saturday – Maiden and the Monster
“1st meeting between character and villain”
“I have killed no daughters,” Vladamir said without preamble as the men took their seats. He leaned lazily back in his chair and looked about as if bored. His ring finger tapped lightly on the chair’s wooden arm. Then as the men looked to him, he said, “I’d know by what right you lay siege to my castle, for ‘tis an act of war to do so. King Alfred and King Guthrum won’t be pleased by this.”
Clifton threw a torn piece of cloth to the table. The scrap of wool was of fine quality, though it was soiled and ripped. It carried the same blue and white design of the earl’s banner. “We found this outside your castle wall. ‘Tis a crest from my daughter’s cloak.”
Vladamir picked up the torn material and pretended to examine it closely. Blood stained it. Waving the piece of cloth in dismissal, he threw it back onto the tabletop. “What of it? The wind could’ve blown it there.”
“‘Tis not likely Vladamir and you know it!” Luther interrupted. His large, thin frame shook with indignation. “I’ll have justice!”
“Duke,” Vladamir stated simply with a frown. When Luther looked in confusion about the hall, he clarified in an irritating tone, “I’m now a duke and I have not given you leave to address me so informally, Lord Luther.”
Luther swallowed hard, saying under his breath, “You’re a prisoner, naught more. I do not bow to foreign dogs.”
“Luther!” Clifton growled. The man shut his mouth.
“Now, my lord.” Vladamir turned to the earl. “As I was saying before being so rudely interrupted, I have killed no man’s daughter. In truth I have killed no man since arriving in Wessex.”
“I know she was here!” Clifton slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. “You cannot deny it!”
Vladamir raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He took up his cup of mead and drank with a great show of leisure. Drawing the goblet away from his mouth, he spun the mead about in the cup to watch the swirl of dark amber liquid.
“By all the saints! I can smell her mixture in the rushes. There is no other like it in the Kingdom of Wessex!” Clifton said with purpose. “You have killed my daughter.”
“And why would I have done that? For scented rushes?” Vladamir laughed as he set down his goblet, letting his eyes glint with mischievous pleasure. “I care not what smells come from my hall.”
“I know not why you would have cause to commit this grievance.” Clifton swallowed visibly at the expression Vladamir gave him. The earl was treading on dangerous ground and they both knew it.
“I would be careful if I were you, Clifton,” returned Vladamir darkly. He scratched the corner of his lip with his fingernail. Then, pulling his finger into his line of sight, he studied his nail by running his thumb over the tip. “I’m sure there are things you wish never to be said.”
The earl gulped at the nebulously spoken words. The color drained from his face.
“Enough of this banter!” Lord Luther crowed. He picked up the scrap of material and flipped it over. Pointing at a bloodstain on the back of the cloth, he raged, “Lady Eden was to be my wife. You have killed her. All the evidence points to it. I’ll have my revenge against you for it. I challenge you—”
“Silence!” Clifton yelled with a quieting slash of his hand. He frowned at the man’s hasty actions. Trying to talk in a reasonable tone, he said under his breath, “Don’t act with such haste, Luther.”
Vladamir dropped his hand to the arm on his chair and glared at the men in annoyance. He narrowed his eyes as they quarreled in hushed whispers.
Finally, Luther stood and made a move to leave. “Come, Clifton, let us go. There’s no reasoning with the Monster of Lakeshire.”
“Wait.” Vladamir’s tone was nowhere near a plea, but more like a restrained command. A lazy smile curled his lips as he saw the earl’s flustered expression.
“What have you done with her, you monster?” Slamming his untouched mead on the table, Clifton stood up as the brown drink splashed over his hand and spilled from the overturned cup to the floor. He hit the table twice with his flattened palm. “Tell me!”
Vladamir didn’t know what the earl and his lackey were up to and he still wasn’t sure of Eden’s involvement in it, but he would watch their game and find out. The duke glanced at the stairwell, a smirk curving his hard mouth. Eden had just rushed down. Her gaze flew about the main hall in search of her father and Lord Luther.
[...]
“By all the saints!” Clifton made the sign of the cross over his chest. “It cannot be so. I was sure she was dead.”
“Father,” Eden stated simply, though the shaking in her voice belied her lack of confidence. She moved her hand to pat down her hair, though the tresses didn’t need straightening. “How is it you’re here?”
Vladamir watched the interplay with practiced indifference, though he noted every detail of the exchange. He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his injured foot to fall across his knee. The scratch on his arch throbbed in mild irritation.
“I’m here to avenge you.” Clifton leapt down from the high table in two big steps. Holding his sword steady at his side, he strode forward to his daughter. Eden cringed slightly at his advance.
“Avenge me?” Eden inquired demurely. She looked overly modest as she eyed the ground at her feet. Trembling, she flexed her fingers slightly at her sides.
“Yea, tell me child. What has this monster done to you?” Clifton demanded loudly, obviously hoping his daughter would denounce the man in front of the Saxon soldiers. He moved his hand to clasp her shoulder and squeezed it hard in warning. Dragging her by her shoulder, he brought her to stand before Vladamir. The earl held his daughter away from him, not showing any fatherly concern for her safety. When she didn’t move, he jerked her by the arm as he directed her gaze to the duke. “Speak, Eden. Tell what the monster did.”
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