Free The Gorgon by Kathryn Le Veque Page A

from her overbear
sister-in-law.
    Her voice was quiet but firm as
she eyed her apprehensive sister-in-law. "Go away, Genisa. Please go away
and leave me alone."
    Genisa's expression washed with
genuine remorse. "Summer, I am truly sorry. But you know as well as I
that... we must make sure you are kept silent and protected."
    "Protected? Ha!" Summer
snorted. "You mean properly hidden."
    "Hidden?" Genisa
repeated, sincerely confused. "Not hidden, Summer. Protected ."
    "Call it what you will,
Genisa. Regardless of the term used, it means the same thing. Isolating me from
the world."
    "Not by choice,"
Genisa's voice was quiet. "There are those who simply do not understand
your flaw."
    Although Genisa had meant to
describe her affliction and nothing more, Summer interpreted her statement as an
insult. Cheeks flushing with shame, she whirled on her sister-in-law in a
vicious billow of golden satin. "My flaw is that I cannot speak a sentence
without f-faltering at times. Your flaw is that you talk too much and your
voice grates upon my ears like the b-bray of an injured goat. Now tell me;
whose flaw is greater?"
    Genisa gasped, her mouth opening
with outrage. "How cruel you are. I was merely trying to protect you,
Summer!"
    "Do not protect me!"
Summer practically screamed, oblivious to the curious glances upon the two
shouting ladies. "I do not want your protection! In fact, I do not want
you near me at all!"
    Genisa's mouth gaped further, her
cheeks mottling a hot red. "You ungrateful wench. How dare you spurn my
concern!"
    Summer let out a strangled groan.
"Concern for what others will think of your reputation with a
sister-in-law who stutters," when Genisa attempted to lodge a stern
protest, Summer simply turned on her heel and marched in the opposite
direction. "Go b-back to Stephan, Genisa. I do not need nor do I want any
more of your p-protection."
    Genisa called to her and
attempted to follow, but Summer gathered her skirts and dashed off as if the
Devil himself were nipping at her heels. In and out of vendor shacks she ran,
renting a wild path through the cluster of visitors in an attempt to elude her
sister-in-law. She wanted to be free of the woman, if for no other reason that
to compose her thoughts.
    By the time she entered the
perimeter of tents housing opposing knights, Genisa's shouts had faded and
Summer slowed her pace, wiping the steady stream of tears from her cheeks. The
day was waning as the sun set steadily in the western sky and high above,
seagulls called loudly in their search for food.
    Summer ignored the gulls, the
cooling sea breeze, and the distant roar of the crowd populating the vendors
stalls and surrounding area. In spite of the clusters of unfamiliar tents, she
knew the area well and realized, eventually, she would emerge onto the road
leading to Chaldon. So she wandered, staring at the ground and going out of her
way to avoid a knight or squire or servant within the field of the tightly
clustered shelters.
    She did not want to speak with
any one. Nor did she particularly want to see any one, given the fact that the
only man she possessed a desire to see was probably lodged within the warm
comfort of his tent, congratulating himself on a fine victory and putting her
out of his mind.
    Toying with the ends of her hair
absently, her expression molded into that of a permanent pout, she wandered to
the base of a gnarled old oak and deposited herself at the roots. The pungent
smells of roasting meat filled the air as the evening meal drew close, but
Summer wasn't hungry in the least. There wasn't a food or drink in the world
that could ease the ache she was experiencing at the moment. It was an ache
that only intensified when she caught sight of the striking black and white
tent in the near distance.
    The proud Gorgon banner flapped
sharply in the brisk sea wind, silently saluting the onset of a mild evening.
Summer ripped up clods of grass, venting her turmoil and wondering why God had
saddled her with so