The Captive Heart by Bertrice Small Read Free Book Online

petite .” She reached out to settle the gold girdle on Alix’s hips, and touched the girl’s long wavy hair that had been unbound to signify her virginity. “Allez!”
    Together they descended into the hall where Sir Udolf, Alexander Givet, and the bridegroom awaited them with the priest. The two fathers were garbed in long dark furred robes. The bridegroom, however, wore a dark green tunic that came to his knees, and black breeches beneath. The king was present, silent in a dark heavily furred velvet robe that touched the stone floor of the house. The young prince was by his side. He gave Alix a mischievous wink that made her smile.
    The priest, Sir Udolf, Alexander Givet, and the bridegroom all stood at the high board upon the dais. Alix came slowly to join them.
    “The contracts for the marriage between Hayle John Watteson and Alix Margot Givet have been drawn up and approved by Holy Mother Church as well as Sir Udolf Watteson and Alexander Givet, the parents of the parties involved. It but remains for the bridal couple to sign the agreement,” the priest said, and he held out the quill to the bridegroom.
    Hayle Watteson took it, placing a careless χ where the priest pointed. Then he returned the quill to the cleric, who handed it to Alix.
    Taking it, she carefully wrote out her name, Alix Margot Givet . It was neat and quite legible. She handed the quill back to the surprised priest.
    Both fathers and the queen stepped forward to sign as witnesses, adding their names on the parchment document. When they had all finished, the priest sanded the signatures. “It but remains for us to adjourn to the church now so this couple may be properly blessed, and their union may be formally sealed.” He rolled the parchments up, binding them with a small strip of leather. Leaving them upon the high board, he led the bridal party from the hall.
    They left the house, which was at one end of Sir Udolf’s village of Wulfboro, and walked to its other end, where the small church was situated. The village street was lined with silent villagers who stood watching them as they passed. Inside the empty church, Alix and her husband knelt before the altar. The priest blessed them, and then he celebrated a short Mass. When the Mass had been concluded, he pronounced them husband and wife. They departed the church and returned to the house. The street was empty now.
    “They hate you for taking Maida’s place as my wife,” Hayle told her cruelly. “She is with child. It was her wedding gift to me. Maida will bear my first son.”
    Alix felt as if her spirit was being crushed by his words. “Could you not at least be civil to me on our wedding day, my lord? It is not my fault that your lover is of low birth. You know I should not have married you at all were it not for my father.”
    “You are no better than a whore,” he told her. “Maida loves me. She asks nothing of me in return but my love, and I gladly give it to her. But you have whored for your place here. You had best prove quickly fruitful so that my sacrifice not be in vain.”
    “ Your sacrifice? What of mine?” Alix demanded of him.
    “Whore!” he said coldly.
    Sir Udolf had arranged a feast for the entire village, and his hall was filled when they returned. The beer was already flowing freely. Alix sat at the high board numb with her misery. She watched as her husband danced with the villagers, quickly realizing that the lovely dark-haired girl whose side he never left was his mistress, Maida. The baron was obviously shamed by his son’s behavior, but Alexander Givet was furious.
    “Have you no control over your offspring that you would allow him to embarrass my daughter?” he demanded of the baron. “And on their wedding day too.”
    “What can I do?” the baron said helplessly, and he turned to Alix. “Forgive him, my daughter. He is young, and he is a fool to boot. It will do no good to lock him up, for his resentment towards you would be even worse. Give me