Revenge is Sweet, But Love is Amazing

By Mary Tribbey

It was just and innocent first kiss of love between Jason and Laura, but, by the time Arnulfo's lies distorted the event, Jason had been stabbed and left for dead, Laura was brutally tortured, and Arnulfo had seized control of the Barony of St. Valery. Jason was found and nursed back to health on the Sea Dog merchant ship. Believing the lying words of Arnulfo, Jason blames Laura for his betrayal. His heart is filled with deep anger and desire for revenge against Laura and Arnulfo.
After kidnapping Laura, Jason plans sweet revenge. When Laura's innocence is revealed, Jason learns revenge may be sweet, but love is more amazing. Together, Jason and Laura set off on an adventure to rescue Jason's father who had been captured during the Great Crusade and was being held for ransom by Sultan Ayab. Once at Ayab's palace, Laura is forced to make a terrible choice that will change all of their lives and futures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary Tribbey
• Release date: Jul 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301253258

Mary Tribbey

Mary has enjoyed writing all of her life, but has just begun sharing her stories. She has worn many different hats in her lifetime. She worked as a church secretary and proofreader in a small weekly newspaper in California while in high school and college. She taught for seven years before stopping to adopt her son. While her son was growing up, she managed a camera store for three years and then worked ten years in a municipal court system in California as a courtroom clerk. Next, she returned to teaching a a boarding school on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Kayenta, Arizona, teaching there for two years. She finished her teaching career teaching special education classes for fifteen years in Globe, Arizona. After retiring in 2005, she moved to Oracle, Arizona, to be closer to her family--her son, daughter-in-law, and her three wonderful grandchildren. She is active in her church and enjoys playing canasta, hand and foot, reading, writing, and volunteering at the local pregnancy care center.

Book preview

Revenge is Sweet ,

But Love is Amazing

By

Mary Tribbey

Copyright 2013 Mary Tribbey

Smashwords Edition

ISBN:

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

Thank you for downloading this free book. Although it is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, copied or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support and for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Book Notes

Author Notes

Other Books by Author

Revenge is Sweet, But Love is Amazing

Chapter 1

A gentle ocean breeze ruffled the pages of the small hand-copied prayer book resting on Laura’s lap. Although her head was bent down as though reading, her mind had wandered far away from the meaning of the intricate figures before her eyes.

So much had happened in her life during the last six months, and Laura’s mind replayed the events once again. Her life before then had progressed normally for the only daughter of Baron Nivelon of Tres Mortes. Although her mother had died during the time of great sickness that had spread across the countryside when she was barely ten years old, her life had been filled since then with the love and concern of her father and of the kind Seneschal, who supervised the daily management of the estate, and the strict spiritual guidance of Father Gregory.

Like a daughter of most nobles, she had been well-schooled in all the homemaking arts she would need for the running of a barony after her inevitable marriage to a suitable nobleman. She had also learned to sing and play the lute, had mastered a good game of backgammon and chess, and the basics of riding and falconry. She was modest, chaste, and knew the proper way to eat, talk, and behave. She had been trained in the art of binding and treating wounds, and she knew the secrets of some of the healing herbs. Unlike most girls of her time, she had also learned how to read and write well, even knowing some Latin and Greek as well as her own language.

She was gentle and mild tempered with all people, yet she was aware of her place in the order of life. With each passing year, she had grown sweeter in disposition and lovelier to look upon. One day she would become the mistress of Tres Mortes or some other barony upon her marriage. That was what was expected of the daughter of a Baron in 1249.

More than a year ago, her father had joined forces with Duke Raymond of Sorvienne and a large company of other knights, squires, and serfs who had gone on the Great Crusade to rescue the Holy Land from the Infidels.

With her father gone, Laura’s life had been lonelier, but things had gone on much as they always had. Her father’s trusted Seneschal, an old and loyal knight, had run the barony in his absence until messengers returning from the Crusades brought news of the bitter fighting and of the death of her father, Baron Nivelon, in a battle near Jerusalem. After her father’s death, the Suzerain to whom her father had pledged his loyalty and service complained that he had been injured because there was no male heir to perform armed service in his defense. By the rights of supremacy, the Suzerain appointed a new castellan to take control of the Barony of Tres Mortes. As the orphaned daughter of the Baron, she had no choice but to go wherever the Suzerain sent her. In a short time, Laura had been sent to live at the great castle of St. Valery until she came to a marriageable age.

Life was pleasant enough at St. Valery, but Laura had never felt lonelier or sadder. Like her own father, Baron Robert of St. Valery had gone to the Crusades some years before leaving his younger brother Arnulfo in charge of the Barony until his return or until his son Jason should reach full age, become a Knight, and assume his rightful inheritance.

Of all the inhabitants of St. Valery, Laura felt most at ease with Jason. Because of his father’s absence, he seemed to understand better than the others the lonely fearfulness of her situation. Jason, two years older than Laura, was nearly seventeen when Laura first came to live at St. Valery. When they met, he saw that she was timid and somewhat shy and fearful. Gradually he earned her trust and friendship. Laura, at fifteen, was just beginning to change from a girl into a young woman. Her figure, still slim and small, just hinted at the beauty she would soon become. Her eyes were the blue-green color of the sea which ebbed and flowed on the other side of the steep walls surrounding the great keep tower and the baron’s grand palace. Her hair, the color of the morning sun, hung in front of her shoulders in two long braids which she carefully combed and intertwined with delicate red and gold ribbons each morning. Her skin, smooth as alabaster, was the color of cream touched with honey. Her lips were small and red. Her voice was soft, clear, and melodious whether speaking or singing with her lute.

Underneath the outer shell of beauty lay great depths of gentle goodness. Over the months that she had lived at St. Valery, she had impressed young and old, noble and vassal alike with her quiet good manners. She was polite and spoke kindly to all people who lived at the castle.

When Laura was not attending to her duties and lessons, she spent much of her time in the quiet inner garden. There she studied her prayers, stitched delicate embroidery work, or helped with the constant mending and sewing that needed to be done for the residents of the castle.

After the noon meal had been served in the great hall and all had eaten their fill and returned to their work or leisure as suited their rank and occupation, Laura had, as usual, withdrawn from the others. She took her prayer book to a semi-shaded bench in the inner garden. The breeze rustling the pages again brought her back to the present moment. Laura slipped a folded piece of paper inside to mark her place and quietly closed the book. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she felt tears forming in her eyes. Her father had been so proud of her learning to read and write that he had given the monks a large sum of money to buy the prayer book for her. Holding it reminded her of her father’s love. The thought of her father comforted her, and yet saddened her at the same time. She mourned the fact that she would never see his face again in this lifetime. Her faith in God comforted her as she prayed that they would be reunited one day in heaven.

Looking up, Laura saw Anne, one of the pucelles, young women who served the higher-born noblewomen, approaching the bench. As the daughter of a lesser nobleman, Anne stayed at the Baron’s castle and waited on the noble ladies in much the same way that the sons of other lesser nobles served the Baron while being trained for knighthood. The young serving girls were trained in the same manner as the noble’s daughters until suitable marriages could be arranged for them. Anne had lived and trained at St. Valery for seven years. Her current duties were to act as personal chambermaid and attendant to Laura.

Do you want me to bring the gown you were embroidering yesterday? Anne asked curtly.

Yes, you might as well. I cannot seem to keep my mind on my book today. The air is so fresh and even the birds’ songs seem to pull my attention away. At least when I am sewing, my hands are occupied, even if my thoughts travel elsewhere, Laura answered.

Did you hear that Baron Arnulfo hung two more serfs today? It is said they robbed some merchants on their way to the trade fair, Anne added.

How many does that make? It seems each day we hear of more and more being tortured or hung. Was the proof against them that strong? Laura asked.

Anne shrugged her shoulders. We never heard the proof. Once Arnulfo is convinced you are guilty, nothing changes his mind, Anne added anxiously.

Laura watched Anne turn and walk across the garden towards her chamber in the right corner of the tower. Anne’s gown, her outer gown, in the deep green color of St. Valery’s estate hung loosely over a saffron colored slip and chemise. An embroidered sash pulled it in at her waistline.

Green is the perfect hue for Anne’s coloring, Laura thought as Anne disappeared into the castle gate. I wish I understood Anne better. She always seems distant and unhappy with me, almost angry sometimes, although I don’t know of any reason why she should be upset with me. I’ve never spoken harshly to her. I’ve never hurt her or even tried to hurt her, and I try hard not to be cross and order her around like some of the others do. Maybe it is just my loneliness and melancholy mood that makes me feel this way about her, Laura sighed to herself.

Although Anne was barely two years older than Laura, her figure had already filled out into a well-rounded woman’s shape. She was taller and much darker than Laura. Anne’s hair was a warm chestnut brown and framed her small round face, accenting her deep brown eyes and her rich olive-colored skin. She was robust and earthy when compared to Laura’s pale, delicate features.

Many a young squire had cast longing eyes at Anne as she walked along the manor halls. It was even rumored that Arnulfo had remarked recently about her new maturity and good looks, but there was only one person in the castle that Anne would have eagerly encouraged. For more than a year now, Anne had secretly sighed with love and longing for Jason, although she was not of high enough rank to be a suitable marriage choice for the son of the Baron. The sight of him or the sound of his voice sent little shivery feelings up her spine. Each day she tried to find a way to arrange a moment when she could be near him--a chance encounter in the hallway before dinner, a shared bit of gossip, a game of chess or backgammon, or even just watching him as he practiced riding or jousting in the lists. Although Anne knew her family wasn’t nearly as rich or as powerful as Jason’s, her secret dream was to wed him and become Baroness of St. Valery when he came into his rightful inheritance. Such thoughts at night prayers often brought a rush of color into her cheeks.

Anne muttered angrily to herself as she walked to Laura’s bedchamber to retrieve the garment Laura had been embroidering. If only she had not come here to live, Jason would probably have fallen in love with me by now. The other squires tease and flirt with me, but since she arrived, Jason notices only her. It makes me sick to see how he goes out of his way to talk to her. Now he spends all his free-time playing chess with her instead of me. Can’t he see what a child she is! Always so quiet and crying when she thinks no one is looking. How can he be so blind! Why doesn’t he love me?

While Anne was walking back towards the garden, she saw a figure in a crimson tunic striding towards the bench where Laura was still seated. She stopped as if in a trance, wanting to move, but too sick at heart to do anything but watch them. From any distance Anne could recognize the walk, the build, the form of Jason. His blond hair shone in the afternoon sunlight. No other squire in the whole castle had such a tall, well-built body as him. Even though he had not reached full growth, he stood nearly six feet tall. His arms were already strong enough to unseat all the other squires when jousting.

Anne was not close enough to actually see his eyes, but she could picture their penetrating blue color and the way they seemed to lighten when he laughed or darken when he was angry.

Jason stood for a moment towering above Laura’s seated form. Anne saw the way Laura glanced up at him with a smile. When Jason spoke, she heard their laughter and jealousy cut into her heart like a knife.

After talking for a minute, Jason held out his hand to help Laura stand up. Together, they walked down a shady pathway towards the castle’s outer wall. Anne quickly moved across the open space and followed closely behind them, being sure to always stay hidden in the shadows, but close enough to see and hear them both.

Jason walked beside Laura and talked freely to her, telling her stories of the history of St. Valery and of his family. He spoke with open love of his mother who had died several years before and of his father whom he loved and missed very much. Anne, from across the garden, noticed that Laura’s normal sadness seemed to have vanished, and she often looked up at Jason with a fleeting smile.

I saw you writing this morning after the others had gone in from the Mass. Tell me what you were writing that seemed to absorb so much of your thoughts, Jason said.

Laura blushed lightly and turned her face away for a moment to try to compose herself. I was only writing my thoughts, Jason. I couldn’t tell you what they are, Laura replied shyly.

I thought you were my friend. Aren’t friends supposed to confide in each other? he teased.

You are my friend, my very best friend, here at St. Valery, but I can’t tell you, Laura stammered.

Yes, you will, Laura, or I shall catch you and tickle you until you confess, Jason teasingly threatened.

Laura darted away. You’ll have to catch me first. I’ll not tell you anything, she shouted back over her shoulder.

Dodging first one way, then the other, they darted down the pathway. Jason lunged for Laura. Laura sidestepped quickly and Jason went sprawling past her onto the grass near her feet. With a giggle, Laura rushed away to hide behind a thick hedge.

Anne followed silently behind them, anger and jealousy filling her heart. Before Laura came, Jason used to tease me and play a spirited game of tag with me, she fumed angrily. How can he be doing this with that mousey little girl? she raged.

Jason wandered over to stand near the hedge where Laura was hiding. Looking around quickly, he caught a glimpse of the blue hem of the gown she was wearing today, but he pretended not to have seen anything. I see you over there by those rocks, he called out pretending to move past the hedge. Turning quickly, he made a diving leap towards Laura. Catching her off guard, they both tumbled down in a heap onto the soft mossy carpet of leaves and grass growing behind the bushes.

From her hiding place, Anne could clearly hear their laughter and see them wrestling on the ground.

Jason, please don’t tickle me, Laura squealed. You know how ticklish I am.

Tell me now or I’ll do something to make you tell, Jason said with a chuckle at her feeble struggles.

No, I won’t ever tell you, and you can’t make me, Laura taunted him with a giggle.

Anne heard Laura’s laughing and giggling until she gasped out, I give up, Jason. Please stop! I can barely breathe. You’re squashing me, Laura cried breathlessly.

Looking through the dense foliage, Anne saw Jason lying almost on top of Laura. His hands were on her shoulders, holding her down.

Tell me, he demanded again.

Jason, I was trying to write a poem for you, because you are my dearest friend. It isn’t finished yet. Please don’t make me tell anything more, she whispered hoarsely.

Jason looked down at Laura’s flushed face. Anne watched until she saw Jason slowly lower his head down towards Laura and his lips covered hers. For a while, there was no sound except for the wind rustling through the leaves in the treetops as Jason’s mouth pressed gently, but firmly against Laura’s lips. Jason’s body covered hers. Without even realizing she was doing it, Laura’s arms slipped around Jason’s neck, and she felt the sweet thrill and delight of her first kiss.

When Jason slowly lifted his mouth away from hers, Laura blushed and tried to turn her face away. She felt confused and frightened by the feelings he was arousing in her. She tried to twist free, but his hands held her shoulders, while the expression in his piercing blue eyes held her spellbound.

Please, Jason, she whispered in a strange thick voice, you must let me go. This isn’t right.

Laura, I won’t let you go unless you promise to meet me tonight and read me what you have written, Jason answered.

No, Jason, please don’t ask me that, she begged.

Then I shall have to kiss you again and again until you agree to come, he threatened. He started to move in towards her mouth again. Laura tried to turn away, but his lips found hers again with more force and insistence. His tongue teased her lips apart, and his tongue moved into her mouth, gently probing its sweetness. Laura was overcome by the feeling his kiss was arousing in her body. She moved her arms around his shoulders and she returned his embrace and kiss, holding him against her small firm breasts.

When he released his hold on her mouth, Laura gasped, her body trembling with emotion. No, Jason, please no more, she cried alarmed by the feelings surging through her body.

Then promise me upon your word that you will meet me at the corner gate into the garden after the night call is sounded. Promise me, or I won’t let you go at all, he threatened moving closer to her again.

All right, Jason. I promise, she whispered quickly.

Anne’s eyes were too filled with tears to see any more, and her heart was aching too much to stay where she was any longer. She quietly crept away. Hurrying back to the bench, she threw Laura’s sewing on it and was deeply pleased to see the prayer book and sewing both fall to the ground. When she bent to pick them up, a small scrap of paper fell out of the book.

Anne glanced at the words on it, folded it, put it into her pocket, and hurried away. Once safely in her chamber, she sobbed for several minutes. As the pain eased, she was filled with deep, terrible anger and hatred. Unfolding the paper, she read the words again:

"If I could write the glory of your eyes,

And in fresh numbers list all of your grace

Then times to come would say I was a liar

Unless they could see your handsome face;"

How dare she come and steal away Jason’s love! How cunningly she snared him with her sighs and pretended melancholy. She’ll pay for my tears. If I take this verse and information to Arnulfo, he’ll put a stop to their secret meetings and kisses. She’ll pay dearly for her kisses, Anne fumed. She slipped the poem into her pocket and rushed out determined to find Arnulfo.

In the garden, Jason gently helped Laura to her feet. For a long moment, he continued to hold her close, until she gently pushed him away. She blushed and looked down. Jason lifted her chin until she was looking into his eyes. Don’t forget your promise to meet me tonight, Laura, he reminded her.

She turned and hurried back to the bench. Her heart was pounding with the memory of Jason’s kiss. She picked up the garment and tried to force herself to calm down. Stitch slowly and carefully, she told herself sternly, although her hands still trembled and her heart raced wildly. After a few minutes of trying to work, she picked up her prayer book and her sewing and walked quickly up to her chamber in the tower

Chapter 2

After Jason watched Laura hurry back to the garden bench and her sewing, he wandered to the far end of the garden pathway. He climbed over some large rocks until he reached a sheltered place where the steep castle wall was shaded by a giant chestnut tree. Walking quickly under its drooping branches, he touched a loose block, and a hidden doorway opened to let him enter. After he closed the door, he stood silently waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Small gaps between some of the huge blocks that made up the grand keep tower and castle walls let in streaks of sunlight. Although it was nearly pitch black inside, Jason moved forward easily. He knew all the secret passageways so well he could go anywhere in the castle or tower and never have to emerge into the regular hallways unless he chose to do so.

The castle at St. Valery had been in his family for many generations. He had grown up there. As a young boy, he had been taken in tow by the old Seneschal who controlled the keys and was responsible for the safety of the family inside the keep and tower walls. He had wandered with the old man as he inspected the hidden passageways, although they had not been used for many years. The knowledge of the passages had been such a closely guarded family secret that most people in the castle did not even know they existed. Others thought they had long ago been sealed up. Jason had loved playing in them as a young boy, and he knew them almost as well as he did the hallways that bisected the castle and tower. When the earliest castle had been built, the passages had been added to allow escape in times of attack, but they had not been used for generations. Only Jason’s father and the old Seneschal knew about them in recent years. His Uncle Arnulfo, never a favorite of the Seneschal, didn’t realize they still existed. After Jason’s father had gone to the Crusades, Jason had found them useful to move quickly without being seen around the castle, keep, and tower.

Jason smiled to himself when he thought about fooling his Uncle Arnulfo. Jason prayed each day and night that his father would return home safely and very soon. Until he did, Jason was bound by all laws and customs to obey Arnulfo, and that was becoming harder to do each day. Jason had never liked his uncle, but now he had come to actually hate and distrust him. He thought about recent events, and he began to realize how warped and evil Arnulfo was becoming. More and more of the serfs were being harshly punished. Taxes and duties were being collected more forcefully, and no one seemed exempt from accusations and punishment, except for Arnulfo. Lately more people had been arrested, tried , judged, and convicted by Arnulfo, and more ‘criminals’ were being imprisoned or hung each week.

Power does corrupt, Jason thought to himself. In the past, his uncle had appeared cold, but civil. Lately he seemed harder, gloomier, and angrier than before. When I become Baron, Jason vowed, things will be very different.

For the next hour, Jason moved noiselessly through the maze of passages, examining what was going on in the grand keep. He peeked in on Arnulfo and saw him talking to Anne, but their voices were too low to be heard. He even wandered up into the tower and peeked into Laura’s bedchamber, but she was not there. Quietly he moved back down to the garden gate and emerged into the daylight to inspect the outer areas around the grand palace.

Jason walked past the bench where he had first seen Laura that morning, but it was deserted. He rapidly crossed the garden, passed over the drawbridge and the stagnant moat beneath it. The walls of the Baron’s palace rose steep and forbidding behind him as he traversed the main courtyard heading towards the huge open bailey.

Most of the daily activity of the barony took place in the two large open areas surrounded by the outer walls. St. Valery was really three fortresses, each one enclosing the others. The grand keep tower, where the family bedchambers and the huge dining hall and kitchen were located, was the oldest of the three and sat the farthest out on the high rocky finger of land that jutted out into the ocean. Many years ago, but long after the grand keep tower had been built, the grand palace was added as the barony increased in size and importance. If under siege, the drawbridge would be raised and the steep walls of the palace acted as a second line of defense, protecting the grand keep itself. As the barony grew and the