Cursed by Bandits (Once Upon A Curse)

17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

A s Jane discreetly left the table to send a message to Tuck, arranging for everyone to gather in Sherewood Forest at dawn, I found myself enduring an uncomfortably silent meal with Uncle Jonathan. He sat to my left at the vast expanse of the banquet table, his fingers thrumming a relentless rhythm on the polished wood. His anger cast a dark, foreboding presence over the beautiful room. The tension was palpable, and every attempt I made to initiate a conversation about my father was met with curt, monosyllabic responses. It felt as though I was repeatedly running into a wall, each attempt at dialogue crashing into an unyielding reticence. I assumed he was brooding over the gold his sheriff had failed to collect today.

“Did something bad happen today, Uncle Jonathan?” I asked, carefully modulating my tone to sound concerned but not intrusive.

He looked up, his eyes almost black with intensity. “Nothing you should concern yourself with.”

“If it is bothering you, it is of concern to me,” I replied, watching as the servants set food in front of us. I signaled for them to leave once the main course was served, ensuring we had privacy.

“I said it was nothing.” He slammed his tankard down, the impact reverberating through the table. There was a tense pause as he stared at the liquid left inside. He took a deep breath to regain his composure. “Have you thought any more about your potential suitors? I was surprised the prince called on you.”

The sudden shift in topic caught me off guard, but I forced myself to stay calm. “I have thought about it, but I find it hard to focus on such matters with everything that has been happening,” I answered honestly, though careful not to provoke him further. “He is nice to be around, and I am considering him. But I had another thought. What about Sir Milo? I wouldn’t have to leave Lockersley, and my father sponsored his education so he must have approved of him.”

I watched my uncle take in my words. He grimaced when I mentioned Milo, clearly displeased with my suggestion. I looked down at my plate to hide the smile I couldn’t stop, relishing how much I was annoying him more and more each day. Especially since I acted sincere in my responses to his questions, like I was taking his insistence on marriage seriously.

“I’ve told you, your father preferred Montfort for your husband.” He took a bite of the sumptuous dinner in front of him.

I picked up my fork so I had something to do with my hands. “That may be, but he does not affect me the way that Milo does. He’s also not a prince like Connor. I would think my father would care about those things.”

The finger thrumming resumed as my uncle took in my words. “Your father would have wanted you happy.” He paused, looking at me with an unsettling intensity. “I know. We’ll have a tournament. The winner of the tournament will win a monetary prize and your hand in marriage, since you seem so reluctant to make a decision.”

My mind raced at my uncle’s suggestion. There wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to leave the choice of my future spouse up to whoever wins a sporting event. Multiple scenarios ran through my head, all with questionable outcomes.

One idea stuck out to me, though. I mulled it over in my head, trying to look at it from all the different angles of what could happen before I decided to go through with it. I could enter the tournament myself—disguised, of course. It would be a risky move, but it could give me the opportunity to win my own hand and control my destiny.

“It’s unlike you to sit so quietly. Do you not have anything to say about the tournament?” my uncle asked, the expression on his face quizzical.

“I’m not sure what to say, dear uncle. While I am reluctant, as I am mourning my father’s death, I do not believe I’ve been obstinate. I have offered two men as potential suitors that I believe my father would have approved of for various reasons.”

The lines that framed his nose deepened as he furrowed his brow. His obsidian eyes glinted back with something akin to hatred as he stared at me. I wanted to shudder under his gaze, but I refused to let my body give into the impulse.

His look reminded me that I wasn’t playing the subdued lady very well. Even if his reasons for this announcement were absurd, I should not be questioning him. In fact, arguing further would only hinder my missions, so I swallowed my pride and bit my tongue. “I apologize, Uncle. I should not have spoken so harshly. Please forgive me,” I said, forcing the words out as I lowered my gaze in an attempt to appear contrite.

His eyes softened as I acted more like he expected. “Are you opposed to the tournament? Maybe you can convince your potential suitors to enter. See if they have what it takes to win your hand.”

“I suppose that is one way to handle it,” I finally said, trying to sound reluctant. “If you think the tournament is wise, then that’s what should happen.” I crossed my hands in my lap. “My only request is that anyone can enter. When do you plan to hold this tournament?”

“In a fortnight,” he replied, a satisfied smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “It will be a grand event, worthy of Lockersley’s future.”

I nodded, pretending to agree, while inside I was already planning my strategy. This tournament could be the perfect cover for my true intentions. Not only would I have a chance to win my freedom, but it would also give me the opportunity to gather allies and undermine my uncle’s plans from within.

As the dinner continued, I remained quiet, letting my uncle believe he had the upper hand. The silence stretched on, the clinking of the silverware the only sound piercing through the heavy quiet. My thoughts raced, searching for a way to end this dinner, but each idea seemed as futile as the last. With a sigh, I resolved to endure the meal, knowing that once it was over, I would have the support of Jane, and in the morning Tuck and the others in Sherewood Forest, to help me find the answers I sought.

Which was why I darted away from the table as soon as my uncle put his napkin next to his plate.

“Thank you for a wonderful meal,” I said before I left the room. I paused right outside of the door, contemplating changing into something different, but in the end stayed in the blue wool dress and overdress I wore to dinner.

As I made my way through the dimly lit corridors of the keep, I couldn’t help but think about the upcoming tournament, and what my role would be in it. My uncle saw me as nothing more than the prize, the equivalent of an animal at the local fair, but I had another idea. One that was a gamble, but I had to take it because if I succeeded, I would be able to reclaim my home and protect the people of Lockersley.

I stopped outside the library, where I knew Jane would be waiting. She had a knack for finding the quietest corners to read and strategize. When I entered, she looked up from a dusty tome, Rogue curled up by her feet, her eyes curious and expectant.

“How did it go after I left?” she asked, setting the book aside.

“As well as could be expected.” I took the seat opposite her, tucking my feet underneath me as I sat. “He’s decided to have a tournament in a fortnight. The winner will receive gold and my hand in marriage.”

Rogue stood, stretching before walking over and settling under my chair.

Jane’s eyes widened. “Your hand in marriage? Are you nothing more than a prize heifer to him? He can’t be serious.”

“Oh, he is. My uncle is always serious,” I said with a bitter laugh. “But I have a plan. I’m going to enter the tournament myself—disguised as a man, of course.”

Her shock quickly turned into a sly smile. “Now that sounds like the Rowan I know. But it’s risky. What if he finds out?”

“That’s why we need to be careful,” I said, leaning in. “I’ll need your help, Jane. We need to gather information on the competitors if we can, find the best disguise, and train harder than ever. And we’ll need everyone else on board, too. ”

Jane nodded, her mind already working through the logistics. “We can do this as long as we work together. Tuck agreed to meet in the morning.”

I smiled, grateful for her unwavering support. “Let’s get started now. We don’t have much time. I know my uncle will pick sports that Jocelin Montfort is good at. He’s insistent that I marry him, even though Prince Connor is interested in me.”

Jane pressed her steepled fingers to her lips before she spoke. “I wonder what he has on that man. He obviously thinks he can control Montfort for the foreseeable future.”

The night stretched on as we planned, our whispers blending with the rustling of pages and the crackling of the fireplace. There was much to do, but for the first time since returning to Lockersley, I felt more than a glimmer of hope. The tournament would be my chance to take back control, and I intended to seize it with both hands.