Conquests: Hearts Rule Kingdoms Read Online Free PDF Page B

were few buildings tall enough to hide a horse. The houses here were partially dug into the ground, giving them a huge amount of space, but not challenging the natural landscape for space. A horse would be high above the roofs of the village, but she could not see one. Snapping her eyes open, she glanced to her left, where the river was. That was the perfect place to relax. She would try there first.
    The horse snuffled, enjoying the experience of being ridden by a gentle but firm hand. Avis dismounted, slightly sore from the reckless journey that she had undertaken. She slipped her shoes off, and smiled at the glorious feel of the grass underneath her toes. Meandering slowly down towards the river, as she turned a corner another horse became visible. A horse carrying a livery that she recognised.
    Lying on the bank was Melville. His eyes were closed, and he was humming quietly to himself. It was not a tune she recognised. The horse was untethered, but was happily grazing around his master. As Avis came closer, the horse looked up, startled. His gentle whinny alerted his owner, who languidly spoke.
    “Yes?”
    His voice sounded bored, and he didn’t bother to open his eyes. Avis did not trust herself to speak until she was much closer – she did not want to begin the conversation shouting. Although it was not the custom of her people for two betrothed people to talk before the wedding, she had had enough. Something had to be said.
    When she had reached Melville, she sank down beside him without a word. Melville spoke again.
    “What is it?” he asked testily, eyes squeezed shut.
    He thinks that I am a servant, Avis thought. Come to summon him. Her rage grew again, and before she realised what she was doing, she had aggressively pushed him over and started pummelling his chest with her fists.
    “Where have you been?” she shouted. “Why have you not returned?”
    Melville opened his eyes in shock under the onslaught from this unseen woman. He had been pushed away from his assailant, so he could not identify her, but her punches were not tender and her shouts were unabated.
    “Have you no honour? Keep you not your promises?”
    Melville forced himself up and tried to pin the thrashing arms to the sides of the strange woman. He could feel the tension in her delicate limbs. She continued to scream at him, and he shouted over her desperate voice.
    “What do you want, woman? I have no quarrel with you – ”
    And then he saw her face. Her cheeks were covered with a deep blush and her eyes flashed with anger, but it was definitely her. It was Avis.
    Melville stopped protecting himself. Before Avis could realise his weakness, he stood up and took a few paces back, thrown by the fact that it was not a random peasant but his betrothed. Avis did not follow him, but raised herself up also, panting slightly but holding herself up high.
    The two of them gazed upon each other. The river slowly continued behind Melville, lending its sweet tune to the atmosphere. Melville could not believe that once again, the calm and meek girl that he had seen on his first night in this horrible land had given way to such a passionate woman. Despite himself, and despite the bruising that he could already feel under his linen shirt, he was impressed.
    “My lady,” he managed, in a voice that he wished was a bit stronger.
    “I am not your lady!” Avis countered violently, tossing her head to shake her hair behind her. She scrunched her nose at him, and scowled. “Perhaps if you had bothered to attend our wedding I may have allowed you to address me in that manner.”
    She drew a lock of hair back into the confines of her veil, which she had managed to keep on during the scuffle.
    Melville swore under his breath, and stared upwards into the sky, looking for the positioning of the sun. He had not realised how late it was in the day. His wish to be free of this constraining marriage had led him to take what he considered to be his last free ride,