Lord of the Blade Read Online Free

in.
    "Milord, the servants just informed me you
were back. I'm sorry but I haven't prepared a proper meal."
    "Is this your granddaughter?" he asked.
    Devon clutched her arms around herself and
focused on Heartha's face instead of his.
    "Aye, milord. I hope she's done nothing to
displease you."
    "Displease me?" Corbett chuckled and held
out his arm. His raven flew to him. "Displease me, she asks."
Corbett looked to his raven. "Well, perhaps we ought to give the
girl another chance. Shall we go inquire of the baron's health, my
friend?"
    Devon’s wide-eyed scrutiny of the situation
didn’t go unnoticed. He chuckled and looked directly at her. She
lowered her gaze.
    "Have the girl bring some food above stairs
for me," he told Heartha, heading away.
    "To the baron's room, milord?"
    "Nay, as he's not to be disturbed. The
baroness believes he may have the plague."
    "The plague?" Heartha’s gray brows raised in
surprise. "I thought we'd seen our share and sent the pestilence on
its way."
    "We'll all take precautions until we know
otherwise," he instructed. "Have her bring the food to the baron's
son's chamber, as I'll be paying him a visit instead." Corbett
stopped in the doorway and turned to have another look at the girl,
but she was gone. And he hadn't dismissed her. He'd have to teach
her the ways of a servant, and he'd have to do it soon.
    "Disregard the food, Heartha, as I seem to
have lost my appetite. Instead, have Green Eyes bring up a flagon
of red wine and two goblets, anon." As soon as she arrives, she’ll
start her training in how to treat and respect her lord.
     

Chapter 3
     
    Devon tapped lightly upon the fortress of a
door, not at all sure this was even the right chamber until she
heard Corbett's bellow from within.
    "Enter!"
    She jolted at the sound of his command,
unused to his procedure. No one at the monastery would think of
bellowing, let alone speak above a whisper. She was pondering this
thought when the door burst open and Corbett stood before her with
his hands on his hips.
    "A lord never opens a door for anyone except
for his superiors. Definitely not for a servant. Now try it
again."
    Before she could respond, the door slammed
in her face. She grabbed hold of the handle and, balancing the tray
on her opposite hand pushed her way into the room.
    Corbett spun around, a scowl on his face.
"You're to knock first and wait until I've acknowledged you before
you enter."
    Devon didn't hear much of what he was
saying, as she was too busy taking in the splendor of the room. It
was so unlike the simple rooms of the monastery in which she was
raised as a child. Having taken the vow of poverty, the monks'
chambers were small, cold rooms, with nothing more than a simple
bed, a cupboard, and a large crucifix on the wall. And though Devon
had not taken the vow of poverty she felt it was given to her
anyway living in the hut of wattle and daub, sharing the one small
room with Heartha for the last eight and ten years. The monks had
always treated her like royalty, but her abode was that of a
serf.
    Never even in her dreams could Devon imagine
the luxury of one person's chamber as what her eyes now beheld.
This room was encompassed by a warm glow. Many colorful tapestries
hung on the walls for added warmth, displaying hunting scenes,
battles, and weddings of the rich. A large iron fixture clung to
the ceiling, holding several dozen beeswax candles blazing brightly
to lighten the entire area.
    She stood motionless as her eyes fell upon a
huge four poster piece of furniture which dominated the center of
the room with its bold oaken limbs. Surely, this could not
possibly be one person's bed! The heavy curtains that
hung from the iron rods above the mattress were so luxurious, so
velvety, so - no words could compare to anything she had ever
known. So much space! She imagined one closing the curtains around
the massive bed. That alone seemed to her more privacy than she had
ever had. Would that she could sleep in her own