The Maiden and the Dragon: Montfault, #1

By Camila Winter

The arrival of a handsome French gentleman to Santa María D'Este the convent in search of his fugitive girlfriend will be the beginning of this love and adventure story set in France and Italy in the 15th century. Etienne de Montfault has just found the he prudish bride who planted him at the altar and plans to take her away by force if necessary, but the novice does everything to avoid him. And while he impatiently awaits the elusive bride, a beautiful novice from the convent named Annabella Rosselli crosses his path. The lady looks at him and captivates her heart instantly. But it is a forbidden and condemned love, a love that has no future. He knows that he must return with his fiancée to his country because that’s why he made a long and dangerous journey from Provence, however he cannot stop thinking about that beautiful novice from golden hair and a look so sweet that he spies on her hidden in the garden every morning ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Jan 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781071585238

Camila Winter

Autora de varias novelas del género romance paranormal y suspenso romántico ha publicado más de diez novelas teniendo gran aceptación entre el público de habla hispana, su estilo fluido, sus historias con un toque de suspenso ha cosechado muchos seguidores en España, México y Estados Unidos, siendo sus novelas más famosas El fantasma de Farnaise, Niebla en Warwick, y las de Regencia; Laberinto de Pasiones y La promesa del escocés,  La esposa cautiva y las de corte paranormal; La maldición de Willows house y el novio fantasma. Su nueva saga paranormal llamada El sendero oscuro mezcla algunas leyendas de vampiros y está disponible en tapa blanda y en ebook habiendo cosechado muy buenas críticas. Entre sus novelas más vendidas se encuentra: La esposa cautiva, La promesa del escocés, Una boda escocesa, La heredera de Rouen y El heredero MacIntoch. Puedes seguir sus noticias en su blog; camilawinternovelas.blogspot.com.es y en su página de facebook.https://www.facebook.com/Camila-Winter-240583846023283

Book preview

The Maiden and the Dragon (Montfault Saga 1)

Camila Winter

© The Maiden and the Dragon-Camila Winter –January 2019

A romance novel of love and adventure set at the end of the Middle Ages in France and Italy . First part of the Montfault saga. Second part: The Secret Wife.

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Author's Preface:

Author's Preface:

This is part of a medieval saga of love and adventure, a story set in France in the 15th century and which continues in the novel: The Secret Wife. The names, places, and legends of this novel are the author's invention and were made according to the beliefs and superstitions that prevailed in the Middle Ages. They do not belong to real or historical beings.

For that reason I have been faithful to the spirit of that time with some freedoms by inventing the story of a saint or a legend of the knight and the dragon to give more nuances to the story, without losing the essence of those times.

In the same way, to warn the reader that this novel is historical fiction, it does not have historical rigor nor does it pretend to, and that it will be followed by the novel The Secret Wife (Montfault 2).

It only remains for me to say thank you for reading my novels one more time.

This saga was published in the middle of the year under another pseudonym (by Emily Blayton) but this one contains a general revision and some changes.

The Maiden and the Dragon

Camila Winter

Santa Maria D'Este Convent -Piedmont Region Italy XV century

In the Santa Maria D'Este convent, all novices were praying together in prayers and songs without imagining that it would be his last day of peace.

It all began shortly after sunset when the chimes of the bells were heard to announce the death of the Abbess Prioress Sister Magdalena. The sound woke up several nuns from the homily and suddenly voices, muffled crying and general consternation were heard.

She has joined our Lord, she is at peace, but don't forget to pray for her soul, said Father Amadeo, a handsome young man who gave mass and dedicated himself to the confessing of the nuns.

But despite the fact that the abbess was very old and had suffered from heart problems for a long time, her departure was received with great sorrow.

Now the Church would appoint a new abbess, but in the meantime, Sister Magdalena would take her place.

A young novice observed Father Amadeo with enthusiasm and, on impulse, ran to greet him. She had known him for a long time and believed they were friends, but on that occasion the prelate took a step back and was very cold when greeting her.

Good afternoon, Sister Annabella,  he said without looking at her, waving his hands nervously.

The young novice felt heavy and looked sadly at her old friend.

I haven't taken my vows yet, Father, replied the young woman. She was sixteen years old and had been raised in that convent practically after her mother died in childbirth and her father thought that there she would receive the proper education for a lady of rank.

The young prelate looked at her in confusion, his eyes trying to avoid hers without being able to avoid expressing confusion, affection, desire. This young woman of radiant beauty was the temptation of the devil and Father Giovanni, her confessor, had recommended prudence and avoid befriending the young novice.

Yes, of course, he replied, I know. You are not ready yet, Sister Annabella. 

The young blonde smiled wickedly when she saw him blush and look at her. She knew she had that effect on him and she liked it, she really liked that handsome young father who had always been so kind to her without thinking that it was not correct because her innocence was beyond sin and evil. She considered him an old friend and nothing more.

And the next morning, when she went to look for wild flowers to adorn the chapel where the funeral of the Sister Superior would be buried, she saw Father Amadeo again.

Father Amadeo, she murmured in greeting.

He stopped and looked at her with a pounding heart, making the novice blush.

Sister Bella, your headdress ... he said, pointing to her unruly golden hair in the wind.

Annabella blushed and muttered that it must have fallen when she was walking toward the orchard while holding the basket of wildflowers tightly.

The prelate scowled at her, as if she had committed a sin as he approached to gaze in wonder at her beautiful hair blowing in the wind. She looked like the vision of the Blessed Virgin, his lady, the pink oval face with full cheeks, the red lips smiling as if she had committed mischief and the high, straight, clear forehead crowned by that mantle of golden blond hair that made her look like a angel, a mystical and luminous vision. She was so beautiful, so pure and radiant, without evil, far from everything profane and evil that lurked far from that wall. And without realizing it he approached without taking his eyes off her.

What is it, Father Amadeo? she asked innocently, since she had noticed something different lately.

Her voice woke him from his reverie.

Nothing, sister. I just thought...

He did not finish the sentence because suddenly he saw at a short distance the elderly father Giovanni Mateo who apparently had been observing them and it was not the first time he had done it.

You must return, Sister Annabella. And cover your hair please or you will be punished by Beatrice.

The young girl's expression changed.

You do nothing but avoid me and lecture me, Father Amadeo. As if you weren't my old friend anymore, she complained.

Her words so direct and accurate, they made the young prelate twitch, who despite the fact that he had every intention of escaping, stopped his steps in his tracks and looked at her.

That is not true, Bella, I am your friend and always will be.

The young woman looked at him as if she didn't believe a word. Then Father Giovanni approached to look at both of them as if they were two sinners and then he looked at Father Amadeo.

Father Amadeo, follow me. I need to speak to you immediately.

Annabella was left not knowing what to do, annoyed when noticing that this priest was taking her old friend away without him being able to tell her why he seemed to avoid her company lately.

But suddenly she noticed that he was walking away like she was the devil and that left her sad.

She was returning to the convent with the basket of flowers when Sister Ines approached like a viper, skirting the road.

Sister Annabella. What happened to your barrette? Why don't you have it? she chided, looking at her with those cold gray eyes.

The young novice blushed, that day everything seemed to go wrong for her.

I'm sorry, I think I forgot it in my cell.

The nun pursed her lips and then asked what he was talking about with Father Amadeo. Heck, she would not escape as soon as she wished and she looked sadly at Sister Inés when she saw the malice on the young nun's face.

It’s not important, she said at last.

Really? Well, I don't think it's wise for you to talk alone with Father Amadeo. They watch you, novice. They're watching you and you haven't taken your vows yet. That's bad I would say. Very bad.

But there will be another ceremony soon, Annabella stammered uneasily.

Now the sister was looking at her with a radiant smile, as if she enjoyed breaking the bad news.

And you will not be part of it, Annabella. It has already been decided.

The young novice walked away frightened, she could not believe it, she hoped that at least she could take the habits.

And why can't I be there?

Well, because you're not ready, and you won't be if you continue that friendship with Father Amadeo, she answered hastenly as she approached her slowly and looked at her accusingly.

I have done nothing wrong, the young woman defended herself.

Not yet, but you are young and pretty and he is a man no matter how much he wears cassocks. He doesn't look at you as his friend, he looks at you differently. I have seen it. They all see you, Annabella. That is why I advise you to be cautious.

That sister did not like her, she had come to the Santa Clara convent a couple of years ago and at the beginning she was kind and willing to help in the kitchens, then she had been promoted to be the superior sister assistant and that made her a gossip and conceited. They said that she told all the gossip to the deceased which always put her in a bad mood and apparently she did not lose the habit because there she was, spying on her and giving her advice that she had not asked for. She no longer had anyone to go to with stories apparently. Or perhaps she is planning to become the new Minister of the abbess? Sister Beatrice was different, she did not allow herself to be manipulated by gossip, she hated that and she knew it.

Have you been following me? she asked annoyed.

Now that nun had no power and that made her happy. She would go back to her cell to pray and it would be one more.

Sister Agnes looked at her innocently.

Of course not, I was just walking through the orchard and I saw Father Giovanni follow you and Father Amadeo looking at you in a reckless way. Father Giovanni is furious and lectured his friend, I doubt he will let him stay here as before. He fears that his stay here near your sweet company will be his undoing.

His undoing? Annabella replied and walked away from that nun because she felt sick from what she had just hinted at. Evil viper, she always did it, sniffing around, gossiping, provoking those she believed to be  sinners ... because she always seemed to watch over the novices and all the priests who visited the convent.

The young woman escaped with the basket of flowers.

She had grown up in that convent, without ever receiving visits from her relatives or from her father and she had only known nuns and more nuns and had a weakness for Father Amadeo and for the men, the few she saw in that convent. She was a bit tired of always being surrounded by religious women, gluttonous, complaining, old, young... for her, Father Amadeo was special. He was her friend, she could talk with him for hours without getting bored because she felt that he understood her and there was nothing sinful or perverse in that friendship. The father was a very serious and correct young man, he would never do anything reckless and Sister Inés's words made her feel sick with rage because once again she had to close off what she felt, what she thought because if it exploded it would end badly for her and they would punish. And she was going to take the vows very soon, she couldn't get carried away now. Surely the nun was lying, telling lies all the time to annoy others. Nobody wanted her in Santa Clara, only Sister Magdalena, the late abbess, and the young novice wondered what would happen now that her protector was gone ... she was sure that the new abbess would not allow her to tell stories.

When she entered the novices' cell she was on the verge of tears. She didn't understand why, but she felt sad and heartbroken not knowing why her old friend didn't want to know anything about her and avoided her like the plague. But that day he had looked at her in a special way, there was something in his eyes, something that had left her perplexed and agitated as if ... he looked at her as if she were beautiful, or thought she was.

(11)

Until she saw her friend Chiara sitting on the cot reading a letter while the other novices whispered about the sister prioress wake.

What have you got, Annabella? asked her plump redhead friend.

Nothing ... I was just thinking, she replied and taking advantage of the absence of the other novices, she decided to let off steam. Father Amadeo, he murmured. He didn't talk to me, he didn't even want to look at me and I don't know if I've offended him.

Her friend looked at her with a scared face.

That friendship is not wise now, friend, you know it well.

But he is my friend and my confessor. I do not understand why now he flees from me as if it were evil.

The red-haired novice did not know what to say until she reflected for a moment and replied:

Yes I know. But I think he no longer looks at you as a friend and that makes him avoid your company.

The blonde novice trembled when she said that.

It’s not true. Oh please don't talk like that.

Oh come on, you know it is. He looks at you with different eyes and that mortifies him that is why he has decided to get away from you, Bella. And you must do the same, stay away from him. You don't want to be one of those nuns who lose their minds over a man in a cassock.

The harshness of his words scared her, it was not true, it was not like that and as she walked away annoyed from her friend she noticed that they were not alone in the cell as they had thought. 

Her words were heard by the blond novice with the big brown eyes, that young French lady called Eloïse de Poitiers. They were both unaware that she was in that room.

Please silly girl, stop falling in love with all the prelates who come to this convent, she said, intervening in the conversation without being invited.

Annabella looked at the French novice with a shocked face first and then slowly fury and disbelief appeared.

How dare you say something so horrible? Father Amadeo is my friend and I appreciate him, she said annoyed as she hurried to dry her tears.

Eloïse de Poitiers was the daughter of an important French count and she thought herself very important because of it and laughed at all the novices whenever she could. Her arrival at the convent weeks ago had been stormy and unexpected, apparently, and the Sister Superior gave her certain privileges as a lady of noble lineage. And unfortunately the prioress never reprimanded her because she was noble and French, a condition that made her special and because of that, the Frenchie said what she thought and always got involved in everything.

However, she was tired of that Frenchie making fun of her and having privileges over the others and decided to confront her.

Father Amadeo is my friend and I don't know why you make fun of me and feel superior to all of us. You are just a novice here like everyone else, Sister Beatrice says so.

The Frenchie stopped smiling at the unexpected attack of that silly and spoiled Italian.

"Oh come on, you can tell that you are crazy with love for that priest. They all whisper it. Understand, little fool, you are not here to take the vows but because you have no one to take care of you, but on the least expected day you will bring displeasure