Not a breath of air stirred the leaves on the trees.

It was as though every living creature, including the wind, was waiting for something…

Lady Elizabeth DeParkeville knew exactly what they were waiting for.

The end of her freedom and any potential happiness in her future.

It caused a shiver to descend Elizabeth’s spine as the cortège accompanying her to her wedding wound its way down the King’s Highway.

The Sheriff and Sir Kyle had determined that the wedding would take place early that afternoon at the Monastery at St. Stephen’s. The large and sumptuous nuptials that Queen Eleanor would have planned for her had been discarded in favour of small and quick.

They wanted the deed done before anyone became aware of their plans, the Queen, but more importantly Maxwell of Huntington.

For as Kyle had told her this morning, "He will not let a prize such as you slip through his fingers easily Elizabeth. He has bewitched you to gain access to your dowry - and you have allowed it to happen. You have brought this unseemly haste on yourself."

Elizabeth had gazed at him pityingly for a moment before replying. "You would like to think that Sir Kyle. It is sad that you do not understand love. Max would have me whether I was rich or not…and I would have him - and do - despite your untruthful accusations against he and his brother."

Kyle’s face had reddened with rage. "He is an outlaw you stupid whore! A thief and a murderer…"

When Kyle had seen her visage darken at his accusation he had continued. "Oh yes, he is Elizabeth. For not only were my father’s men killed two days ago…the entire shipment of taxes en route to London to help ransom the King was waylaid as well only yesterday. It does not seem too farfetched that a man who would convince a stupid girl to fall in love with him would not feel a qualm about stealing money that is meant to save his king."

"You are lying." Elizabeth had told him calmly, although her heart had been thundering in her chest. She knew it was not true, and yet she also knew that Sir Kyle would convince his father to lay the blame on Max and Michael as well. Thus, they were not only now charged with murder, but also treason.

Kyle had stalked forward, taking her chin in a rough grip, forcing her to look at him. "And you are ridiculous. He will not come for you. You have sacrificed any potential happiness that could have existed between us during our marriage. I will catch your lover and you will watch the demon hang." When she flinched at that, his eyes had lit with malice. "Yes, you know it is true do you not Elizabeth? Maxwell of Huntington is an unnatural freak - one who kills without weapons - and the Church WILL punish him for it. We may not have found the bodies little witch, but my father has accepted that Father Desmond spoke the truth. He WILL hang or, if the Church has its way, burn at the stake. And not even a demon heretic can withstand that…"

Elizabeth had managed to hold her composure until he had stormed from her chamber, barring the heavy oak behind him. It was only then that she allowed herself to cry.

Even then she had refused to give up. She had been about to string the sheets on her bed together in order to climb out the window of her tower, when Parkyla had appeared in her doorway.

Her maidservant had been nearly hysterical with worry over her. "Oh milady! I was sure that he would kill you!"

Elizabeth had helped Parkyla to her feet. "I am fine. And yet the worst has occurred. Kyle is going to force me to marry him tomorrow. I MUST escape. And you must help me. I have to get to Max and warn him that Kyle knows where he is. What I cannot figure out is why the Sheriff and his men have not already attacked their camp. It is passing strange."

"It is too dangerous milady. They will be watching the stables and the gate like hawks. There is no way of escaping without being caught." Elizabeth had felt tears fill her eyes again at Parkyla’s words. Her maid was right. Parkyla’s eyes had suddenly lit with an idea however. "There is a way however…"

Now, as Elizabeth sat on her steed, her hands bound yet hidden under her cloak so that no one was aware that she was going to her own wedding against her will, she wondered if Parkyla had been successful in making it to the camp unmolested. For, at this point, Max and the others were her only hope.

The thought of actually marrying Kyle - and the wedding night to follow - made her physically ill.

From the first moment Max had ever touched her she had vowed to herself that no one else - ever - would touch her in that way. She would kill herself first.

"We are here milady." The knight who had been riding close by her side pointed ahead. "St. Stephens is just around the next bend. The chapel is only slightly beyond there."

"Thank you Matthew." Elizabeth replied sadly.

After that things progressed much too quickly for Elizabeth’s peace of mind. Before she knew it she was standing at the back of a small stone chapel, her hand on the Sheriff’s arm as he made to lead her down the aisle. His grip on her hand was almost painful.

The Sheriff had disappointed her in these proceedings. Where he had seemed so unwilling to accuse Michael and Max posthaste at the Fair, since he had discovered her betrayal of his son…he was now their staunchest enemy. He even seemed proud of the way Kyle had taken the initiative to claim Elizabeth as his own.

The Chapel was decorated with flowers and greenery from the Forest. For a moment Elizabeth allowed herself to envision the scene as though it was Max awaiting her at the altar. Yet, it was not to be. Kyle’s face came into her field of vision too soon to allow that fallacy to continue.

Her last hope was to refuse to say her vows at the altar. And this was what she planned. She knew that the priest awaiting them there would not let her marry against her will.

It was at that moment that she caught sight of the priest and all hope disappeared.

It was Father Desmond, the one who had witnessed Michael destroying the Sheriff’s men with naught but an upraised hand…

MAX! Where are you? Elizabeth thought desperately as she began to fight against the Sheriff, who was now literally dragging her down the aisle.

It took several moments for the voice shouting from the back of the chapel to penetrate the panic that was beginning to set in.

"I refuse to allow this wedding to proceed."