Aislin of Arianrhod (Land of Alainnshire) Read Online Free Page B

as she leaned her son’s picture against the wall and picked up her embroidery hoop.
    “I want to go and help catch the pig!” exclaimed Maeve, eyes bright with excitement. Maeve threw her sewing to the floor and jumped off the stool. Gwen laughed, and Emara gave Maeve a dark look.
    “No princess should be chasing pigs. The owner of the pig will do just fine without your help. Back up on that stool and finish those stitches,” said Emara sternly.

    Tense and wary, Aislin stood still on the walkway and listened to the horrible sounds outside the wall. She lifted the hem of her gown and cautiously made her way in bare feet toward the gate.
    As she got closer, she saw several men pass by the iron bars. They were slashing at each other with swords.
    She came to an abrupt halt and shook her head, eyes wide. “What in the name of...”
    Horses and men went thundering by, raising clouds of dust that swirled into the air as Aislin stared dumbly out through the gate’s iron bars. None of this made a bit of sense.
    The sounds were getting louder, closer, more violent. She felt oddly detached, more curious than afraid.
    Aislin jumped as a large man in a white shirt slammed against the gate with his back, making it bend and shudder in protest. He turned and reached for the latch, stretching in desperation as several large soldiers in leather battle armor pursued him.
    She gasped and stumbled back a few steps. She could sense danger, knew she should run, but she couldn’t tear herself away from the drama unfolding in front of her.
    The latch slid open in the man’s big hand, and he half fell through the gate. He slammed it shut, and held it there with his body as he locked it. The soldiers reached the gate, roaring in frustration at the denial of their prey. They pulled at it furiously, determined to tear it off the hinges.
    The man inside the gate turned around, and staggered toward her. Blood covered his face, but she could see dark brown eyes gazing out at her. She shivered violently as she realized who it was.
    “Devin?” she said. “What’s happ...”
    Before she could finish, three men fell over the wall several yards behind him. They were large and bare-chested, in tight black leather breeches, their faces painted like savages. They hit the ground and bounced back up, rope and daggers at the ready. She moved her eyes from Devin to the men beyond him.
    “S’at her? Fits the description we was given,” one of them said.
    “That’s her. Princess Aislin. Tol’ you catchin’ her would be easy.”
    “Jest don’t hurt her, or he’ll have all our heads,” snarled the tallest man.
    “Pretty little thing. Too bad we can’t have a little taste first.” This man ran a palm over his crotch.
    Her blood turned to ice in her veins. These strange men were looking for her , and they clearly did not have the best of intentions. Wondering if the whole world had gone mad , Aislin pulled her eyes back to Devin’s face and blinked, gooseflesh rising on her arms.
    Before she could move, Devin rushed her, threw her up over his right shoulder, and sprinted with her toward the manor house. The hard mass of his shoulder dug painfully into the pit of her stomach, depriving her of oxygen and stifling a stunned cry in her throat.
    The bare-chested savages howled as they gave chase. Holding her hair back from her face, Aislin picked her head up. She was horrified to see that the men were gaining on them. She firmly pounded a fist into the small of Devin’s back.
    “They’re catching us! Run faster!” Aislin croaked. Devin picked up the pace, which also increased the bouncing. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to be sick as the gray stone of the walkway whirled by with dizzying speed under her head.
    Several hard, jarring digs of Devin’s shoulder into her ribs told her that they’d reached the steps to the manor house. He was taking them two at a time. Then they were through the door into the cool darkness of the entrance