For the Love of a Woman

For the Love of a Woman is an adventure novel written by Meilir Brevil about the adventures of him and Taeris Redcrash. It begins with a Lord Thessian in the county of Chorrol inventing the duo to his wedding, so that he can hire the pair of them to protect his wife from an assassination attempt he suspects will occur sometime before their wedding. They are delved into a world of courtly intrigue, romance, and drama. Less action-packed and pulpy than some of Meilir's other novels, this seems to be his attempt at a romance, as both he and Taeris end up with paramours and become entangled in romantic drama.

Excerpt
“What do you mean the assassin is here?”   Taeris asked in a hurried whisper, his sword now concealed up his sleeve.

“Here, as in the wedding!”   I hissed back, the situation more than urgent. As you may remember, dear readers, I hold that all weddings involved murder on some level—so long as I am not the victim. And at this wedding, the assassin was not only after the bride, but us two as well! Again, I lamented how at how we had angered the Jarl of Falkreath. How does one anticipate who will and will not put a price on their head?

“Thessian hired us to protect him and his fiancé.”   Taeris snapped, leaning close as so people would not overhear the conversation, nor be able to read his lips. “We’re going to do that, to hell with the risks.”

Again Taeris’ boldness and bravery impressed me. Armed with only one of his two (and sometimes up to three or four) swords, he showed no fear in the face of what was none other than extreme danger. An unseen foe lurked among the wedding guests. Anyone of these smiling faces could be a blade, waiting to strike. And it was up to Taeris Redcrash—and his dutiful chronicler—to smoke them out.

“We’ve spent the past month with most of the people here. They’ve all been staying on Lord Thessian’s estate with us.”   Taeris said after a moment. “We’re familiar with most of them by now. An imposter will stick out. You take right side of the room, I the left. We shall weed out this cutthroat. Never have we failed a task such as this and now would be a poor time to do so. Away!”   The last word came as a hurried hiss as my friend turned away, to scout his side of the room.

I made my way through the rows of guests, as the bishop began the start of the ceremony. The bride and groom had yet to enter the room. That was to our benefit—the longer it took them, the longer it took the assassin to make his move.

I scoured each guest, using my cunning eye for detail to scan each of their features. All of them registered with me. I recognized each one of them. Count Shorin’s hooked noise. Lady Yimla’s pimples. Sir Veric missing left eye. None of them were the assassin, each an invited guest.

Taeris and I met at the back of the chapel, to discuss our findings.

“Nothing.”   The Redcrash said. I nodded sullenly in agreement, just as the organ player began a new overture. The groom and bridge were entering, first the former, and then latter after the groom had taken his position.

“We’re out of time!”   Taeris whispered furiously. “That assassin’s here, and hiding in plain sight!”

The bishop started with a brief sermon, which Taeris and I only listened to with half an ear.

“We gather here today, under Mara’s loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of two souls in eternal companionship…”

His sermon finished, and the bishop turned to bride, to ask her if she’d like to share her vows.

“No…”   I whispered.

“What?”   Taeris asked, turning sharply towards me, his expression askance.

<p class="MsoNormal">“We’ve been looking in the wrong place the whole time. The assassins isn’t one of the guests—“   I began.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s the bishop!”   Taeris finished, coming to the same conclusion.

<p class="MsoNormal">Taeris and I both turned on a swivel to look down the aisle to the bishop. The bride was beginning her vows, obviously not having any intrinsic knowledge on how a marriage ceremony was properly conducted.

<p class="MsoNormal">Taeris took off like a bolt out of a crossbow towards the front of the room, moving at an impressive speed directly out of the gate. The bride paused mid-sentence, watching with confusion as the blademaster sprinted down the length of the chapel towards here, interrupting his vows. Thessian turned as well, looking angered and shocked all at once. The bishop was reaching into the depths of his robes, his face carefully kept blank.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Thessian!”   Taeris cried out, point at the bishop. The Lord turned just in time for the bishop to whip a dagger out, and raise it high in the air.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Die!”   He cried, the knife poised to strike down at the bride’s exposed collarbone. Both she and Thessian were frozen in surprise, unable to react to this unforeseen occurance. Taeris was too far away, he’d never reach in time.

<p class="MsoNormal">Abruptly, the bride kicked out, slamming the toe of her shoe into the bishop’s groin in a practiced kick. The false cleric obviously hadn’t been expecting this, and double over, the dagger falling from his hand. Thessian recovered, and threw a powerful right cross directly into the assassin’s lowered face, flooring the man, just as Taeris ran up.

<p class="MsoNormal">“How’d you manage that?”   Thessian asked breathlessly, turning to his would-be wife, the shock not entirely gone from him.

<p class="MsoNormal">The woman smirked, and nodded in Taeris’ direction, the blademaster standing at relaxed attention nearby.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You said to protect her in every way I could.”   Taeris answered Thessian. “Teaching her to defend herself was the first natural step.”

“And you!” Thessian beckoned to me, as I approached the bride and groom, behind Taeris. “Meilir Brevil. How did you know the assassin was the bishop? He only arrived just now.”   Taeris turned to me as well, obviously wondering how I knew.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It was easy, my lord. The bishop had the lady give her vows first.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“So?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“A real bishop would’ve had the groom give them, my lord. A dead giveaway, so to speak.”

<p class="MsoNormal">The bishop began to stir, and the bride stepped forward to slam her high-heeled shoe into the center of his face.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Ladies and gentlemen,” Thessian said, gesturing to the pair of us, standing there at the front of the wedding. “I present to you, Taeris Redcrash and Meilir Brevil! Now let’s eat! What we’ve had so far was ceremony enough!”

<p class="MsoNormal">The resulting applause was thunderous.