Amelia stood in front of a full length mirror in her room. The dress she wore was truly a beautiful dress. The only problem was the man she found herself wearing it for. She tried to look herself in the eye but was unable to.
It had been three days since she last saw the others. Three days since she had seen Joedan. She found herself thinking about him often. The way he had looked when she saw him again at his farm. The way he had stood by her side in battle, still the same smile, as he joked with her.
She had cried many tears since the day the count ordered her to her quarters and away from the others. She knew her tears would make no difference to the future that awaited her. Taking a brush, she ran it through her hair again. She thought to herself, even if I can manage to make it through the wedding, what am I going to do after? She wasn't sure she could force herself to do what would be expected of her, even if it would risk her father's life. She fully planned to act as if she and the count were nothing to each other behind closed doors.
She took another look in the mirror before turning away to head toward her bed. It would be just a couple more hours now. Two hours is all that stood between her and the tragedy that would become her life.
Maybe, she could at least convince the count to show leniency to Joedan and the others. This was the hope she held onto as she contemplated who she would lose when she married the count, not including, most of all, herself.
*****
The duke and the others ascended the staircase. Closing the bookshelf behind them, the group started to divide up.
Caleb and Trevor headed off.
Joedan looked to Ralph, who nodded, and Ralph bowed and made his exit.
The duke, Joedan and Griff stood alone in the office.
"The count doesn't know we've escaped," Joedan said to the others.
"Or that we've found the duke. These are two advantages to us." Griff said.
Nodding, Joedan continued, "However, I do think the Count is a prepared man so he probably has contingencies in place in the event things don't go exactly according to his plan."
They both nodded.
"I think we need to go with the shock and awe approach. Surprise is our best offense."
"I am going to make an entrance." Joedan stated, a smile coming to his lips.
"I need you to be ready for my signal," Joedan said to the two older gentlemen.
"What will be your signal?" the duke asked.
Joedan turning to leave, said, "You'll know it when you see it."
Thinking back to that time with Amelia when they had to sneak past the guards to escape the town of Lincoln, Joedan smiled fondly at the memory. She had been so cross with him afterwards. Something about pushing her buttons just felt right to Joedan.
Joedan left the commander and the duke in the count's office as he headed down the hallway making his way towards the reception. There were two guards standing out front of the reception doors as Joedan peered around the corner. This wasn't gonna be a good door to make his entrance. He would have to find another way inside. Turning back, he headed for the kitchens.
There were pans bustling and fires roaring as he entered the kitchen. A cook shouted an order at another worker as a pan banged to the floor and the dish spilled its contents. The worker hurried to clean up the mess but the chef was in no mood for incompetence.
Joedan used the collateral noise as a distraction to make his way around the back of the kitchen. Stepping through the swinging doors, he entered a hallway lined with serving trays. As the cook's finished preparing a meal, they would bring the dishes out and set them on a tray when they were ready and a team of servers would carry out the dishes.
Joedan had another of his wonderful ideas.
Grabbing some of the serving garbs, he quickly changed into them. Keeping his knife tucked in his boot, he strapped on his sword and Amelia's mace.
Grabbing one of the serving trays, Joedan hefted it up onto his shoulder and smiled.
This was gonna be awesome.
He stood at the doorway to the reception hall, listening to the priest as he was talking through the vows. Amelia looked amazing. He had always thought she was a beautiful woman but today he couldn't remember seeing anyone so beautiful. He watched her as her face was turned towards the priest. Would she be happy to see him? Would she be glad they came to rescue her?
Joedan smacked himself, this wasn't the time for cold feet. The others were counting on him. If Amelia got upset, well, they would deal with that after they took down the count.
*****
"Is there anyone here today who objects to this union?" the priest spoke.
The count scanned the room, confident, no one would dare speak out against him.
A clatter was heard as a man came from the back, carrying a serving tray on his shoulder. The count looked at the man and recognition clicked.
"Oh, shoot," the man said.
"I'm sorry, y'all. The food comes after."
Amelia had turned when she heard the noise. She couldn't believe it.
There stood Joedan.
And dressed as a…server? Her eye twitched. She knew what this was. This stupid idiot. Oh, if he wasn't here to save her, she could just throttle him. What was with this guy and his half-cocked ideas. Why couldn't he just come up with a plan like a normal person?
The count had heard enough. Turning away from the priest, he made his way towards Joedan. As he approached, Joedan did not flinch. Reginald did not like that.
"You," he pointed, "Do not belong here. Who let you out of your cage?" the count fired.
Sliding a piece of some seafood stuffed h'orderve, Joedan smiled as the man approached.
"Count, you wound me. All these lovely people you invited to your wedding and somehow you left me out?" Joedan winked.
Before the Count could respond, Joedan grabbed the plate and pressed it into the Count's face.
"Guards!" the count bellowed.
All the guards around the room advanced in Joedan's direction. Drawing their weapons the men started to make their way toward him. The count pulled a knife from his jacket pocket, not satisfied enough to just let the guards have a piece of Joedan.
Joedan dropped the serving tray, causing the dishes to clatter to the floor and held the tray before him like a shield. As the count reached out with his knife, trying to swipe at Joedan's neck. An arrow was let loose. A guard reached up to his neck and tried to stop the bleeding as he clattered to the floor. Another guard was hit and he fell, too.
Guests started to panic, but didn't want to leave their seats. Amelia still stood at the altar watching the confrontation between Joedan and the count. She bit her lip, hoping Joedan wouldn't drop his guard.
Two older gentlemen strode through the same doors a moment later. Dressed in serving clothes as well. Joedan looked over to see Commander Griff holding a serving tray. They're eyes connected and Griff was not happy. Joedan brought his focus back to the fight in front of him.
Flinging the tray, Griff chucked it at an incoming guard dropping the guard onto his back. Griff pulled his sword and more guards entered the fray. Yelling over to Joedan, Griff shouted, "Someone needs to work on his idea of a "brilliant" plan!" before resuming his stance against the on-coming guard.
The other man chuckled as he watched his oldest friend take a man down with a serving tray. Careful to not get stabbed himself, he swatted an incoming guard with his own tray. "Not too bad for an old fella." He said, wiping his hands as he dropped the tray on top of the guard.
Making his way over to Joedan, the duke pointed to the mace across Joedan's back. Joedan shimmied his back towards the duke and the duke proceeded to remove the mace slipping it over his left shoulder, "Much obliged, my young friend." The duke left Joedan there facing off against the count, not before making eyes with the man, and headed towards the altar.
One of the guards suddenly turned on the other guards and Joedan recognized Ralph as he saw him square up against the guard. Caleb and Trevor had descended from their position and stood to the right and left of Amelia.
Joedan and the count were locked in a stand still.
The count kept swiping and Joedan used the tray to bat the strikes away, spinning around the count. The count cut through the serving tray and it came apart in pieces. Joedan tossed the two pieces to the floor, pulling his long sword.
The count crouched down and pulled another knife from his pocket, now wielding two. Joedan took a swing towards the count but the count slid both blades along the edge of his sword moving it off target.
Releasing one of the knives, the count let it fly.