A Time of End

by Le Veque, Kathryn

  Alexander was on his feet.

  “Bric?” he hissed. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

  Along with Bric, Kevin came into the light, both of them heading straight to Alexander and Sean. But as they did so, they unsheathed their swords, thinking that Alexander might need help against Sean. Not knowing what was happening, they had little choice.

  “We followed you,” Bric said, looking between Alexander and Sean and realizing that Alexander wasn’t armed. “Sherry, what is happening here?”

  Alexander put up a hand. “You can sheathe the sword,” he said. “There is no trouble. In fact, we were just discussing a plan to end this situation once and for all.”

  Bric stared at him for a moment before emitting a heavy sigh, both relieved and confused, as he put his sword back into the leather scabbard at his side.

  “Thank God,” he said. “I thought I was going to have to do battle with the Lord of the Shadows and it was something I was not looking forward to.”

  “You and me both.”

  “Where’s the lady?”

  “In the inn across the way,” Sean answered the question. “Who else is here with you?”

  Bric turned to the front entry of the livery, straining to see in the darkness. “Cai, Maxton, and Kress,” he said. “We all followed, thinking it would be a titanic battle between you and Sherry. The others are scouting the royal soldiers across the way, looking for the lady and for you.”

  “Go and retrieve them,” Sean said. “We do not want the royal soldiers to see them.”

  Bric eyed Alexander, looking for approval considering this was a very odd situation. When Alexander nodded faintly, Bric took off and headed out in the darkness, leaving Kevin standing there alone.

  Kevin’s gaze was on his brother.

  “You’ve created a mess, Sean,” he said. “You cannot imagine all of the men now riding to stop you.”

  Sean simply looked at him, casting Alexander a long look before turning away. After his conversation with his brother in the garden of Norwich, he wasn’t apt to give the man any more of his time.

  He was finished.

  Alexander, however, wasn’t finished and he resented Kevin for speaking on something which wasn’t his right to comment on. He was a follower, not a leader, and Alexander suspected he’d said it simply to dig at his brother.

  “Your brother has probably saved Christin’s life,” he said. “He is here to help, not to turn against us.”

  Kevin was looking at Alexander but he could see Sean moving away in his periphery. “But he took her from Norwich,” he said. “We all had to go running after him, and you. Why did he take her?”

  “Have you not been told?”

  “Only that the king wants to marry her to his bastard son.”

  “He does. And when Bric and the others get here, we will tell you of Sean’s plan to ensure this situation ends once and for all.”

  Kevin’s gaze lingered on him a moment before glancing at Sean, who was over by the livery entry, watching for the other knights to return.

  “Then I will wait to hear what scheme we are to put into play,” he said. “You do know that de Lohr is behind us with his army.”

  “I assumed as much.”

  “His men were breaking down their encampment as we were leaving,” he said. “I also saw Christopher, David, and Peter head to the keep of Norwich with about fifty soldiers. I am sure they were going to confront John. Without Sean to defend the man, we could very well have a dead king by now.”

  There was contempt in that statement. He couldn’t even say “my brother”, only “Sean” as if that put distance between him and his brother. As if there were no familial relations.

  It was so… cold.

  Alexander had known Kevin for a few years. He never served with him in The Levant, but they’d worked together several times since he’d returned. He was strong, faithful, and skilled. But he was also very rigid when it came to Sean and everyone knew it.

  Alexander had never interfered or commented on Kevin and Sean’s relationship, but given that he’d had brothers once, Kevin’s attitude rubbed him the wrong way. Considering they would soon be fighting for Christin’s life and his future with her, he didn’t need or want any complications.

  Like feuding brothers.

  “Sean does his duty and he does it well, Kevin,” he said quietly. “I don’t give a damn how you feel about it, however. So for this mission, you will treat him with respect. I don’t care what you do when your time is your own, but this is my time. Sean de Lara is risking more than you can ever imagine to control an uncontrollable king and you would do well to remember that. Whatever your personal feelings are, bury them. I don’t want to see them.”

  Kevin looked at him with some surprise, perhaps some indignance. “When have I ever not been professional, Sherry?”

  But Alexander shook his head. “Whenever you speak of your brother, it is with such scorn,” he said. “Just now, you did it. You speak about him as if he were dirt and you will not do that again in my presence. It is beneath you and it is incredibly disrespectful to your brother.”

  Standing at the livery entry, Sean heard him and turned around. “Sherry…”

  But Alexander cut him off. “Nay, Sean. If he is going to display such contempt in my presence, then I have something to say about it.” He returned his focus to Kevin, who was starting to stiffen. “Kevin, I had two brothers who went with me to The Levant. They were younger than I was and they were full of arrogance and foolishness and talent and delusions of grandeur. They were both thorns in my side, but they were also my dearest loves. No matter what I did, they loved me. They worshipped me. Once, I was forced to kill two young boys because they were scouting for the Muslim army. Had I let them go, they would have given away our position, so I did what had to be done. Instead of hating me for it or telling me I had shamed the de Sherrington name by murdering children, they helped me bury the bodies and they showed me great compassion, even at their young ages because they understood the torment I went through for the greater good. I did it to save my men and they knew that.”

  Kevin was looking at him most guardedly, taking a step back as if to turn away from him, but Alexander stopped him.

  “Is that what you do when you don’t like to hear something?” he asked. “Do you turn away from things that are unpleasant because you do not have the capacity to understand or show compassion? Because if that is truly the case, then you are not the knight I thought you were. You are the one shaming the de Lara name; not your brother. Do you know why? Because part of being a great knight is showing mercy and understanding, both of which you seem to have trouble with when it comes to your brother. My brothers died in the Battle of Acre, right before my eyes, and there isn’t a day that passes that I don’t hate myself for not being able to help them. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss them and weep for them. You still have your brother, yet you shun him, and that makes me sick. You could show him compassion and understanding, yet you choose not to. And I think that is pathetic.”

  By this time, Kevin was standing there, looking at him as if he either wanted to shout at him or throw a punch. Alexander took a sharp, deep breath and turned away, heading out into the rear yard to cool off so he wouldn’t wrap his hands around Kevin’s throat. The things he’d told the man were things he’d kept buried, so to speak of them shook him up. But he couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t stand seeing Kevin treat Sean the way he did.

  It simply wasn’t right.

  As Alexander took to the rear yard, Sean remained by the door, watching the figures of Caius and Bric in the distance. But his mind was on what Alexander had just said. He’d never defended himself against Kevin and to hear Alexander speak so harshly to his brother deeply touched him. He’d known Alexander for a few years, but it wasn’t as if they’d been close friends or had served side by side. Still… Alexander understood Sean’s position and he’d just hammered that into Kevin.
>
  Not that Sean believed it would do any good, but he was still grateful.

  As he stood there and pondered the situation, he could see Caius, Bric, Maxton, and Kress heading back in his direction. He ducked back into the livery, moving towards the rear of it to summon Alexander, who saw Sean motioning to him. He entered the livery about the same time everyone else did and when they realized that Sean really was on their side, both Sean and Alexander repeated Sean’s plan.

  Have de Lohr’s army engage John’s men.

  Sean and the group will ride to Bishop’s Lynn, pretending to be the escort and deliver Christin to FitzRoy.

  Kevin volunteered to rendezvous with Christopher’s army to deliver the news, perhaps simply to get away from Alexander’s disapproval and his brother’s presence. Or perhaps it was to prove that he was a good knight, dutiful and diligent. In any case, he separated himself from the rest and headed back the way he’d come.

  At that point, everyone knew what was expected.

  The rest was up to Christin.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  “How far ahead of us do you think they are?”

  The question came from David. It was just after dusk on a cold, damp night. The de Lohr army of one hundred men, plus William Marshal’s troops, totaled about two hundred and twenty men and given that they were out in the middle of nowhere between towns, they were going to have to stop for the night and sleep in the nearby field.

  William had headed back to London with John when the king hastily departed Norwich Castle before his celebration feast, leaving Old Daveigh with piles of food and many confused guests to eat it, confused because the king had departed without warning. Or perhaps there had been some warning, considering rumors of de Lohr storming the keep with his men had spread like wildfire. The de Lohr brothers had departed, the king and William Marshal had departed, and all that was left was hundreds of soldiers, dozens of lords, and Old Daveigh trying to convince everyone that nothing was amiss.

  But it had been clear that something was.

  But Christopher couldn’t worry about that. He was only concerned with getting to his daughter before Robert FitzRoy got his hands on her. Several of William’s agents had ridden ahead to prevent this while Christopher and David and Peter moved slowly with the army, but it couldn’t be helped.

  And that was frustrating.

  “They were not too far ahead of us when we started out, but that gap is growing because two hundred men move much slower than just a few,” Christopher said. “We are going to have to trust Sherry and the others to prevent a travesty from happening.”

  “I can ride ahead and see where they are, Papa,” Peter said. “Would you like me to?”

  Christopher looked up into the night sky. There was a half-moon, meaning it wasn’t too bright, but it wasn’t pitch-dark, either. There was enough of a glow to travel by.

  “It might make you feel better, Chris,” David said quietly. “Let him go.”

  Christopher simply nodded and Peter took off, spurring that expensive warhorse down the dark and rocky road. Christopher and David watched that big, white butt fade off in the darkness.

  “David,” Christopher ventured.

  “Aye?”

  “I have come to a decision.”

  “What is that?”

  “I am going to kill FitzRoy.”

  “I know.”

  “I am going to kill him and send his head back to John with a message. I am finished tolerating our king. I was content to ignore him so long as he did not touch me or my family, but he has destroyed that stance.”

  David looked at him. “I agree,” he said. “He could easily turn on me, too. I have three daughters, Chris. I would kill the man if he turned his attention to one of them.”

  “We are protecting our family.”

  “We are, indeed.”

  They left it at that because neither one found it necessary to voice what would happen when FitzRoy’s head was sent back to John. It was quite possible that John would seek to punish them by trying to take their lands or essentially declaring war on them. Christopher and David were large enough, combined, that they could hold off quite an onslaught and even though they would not ask their friends or allies to help them, they knew they would. Even William Marshal would.

  And John knew it, too.

  It was quite a future that was shaping up for them all. Not wanting to linger on it, at least for the moment because the mood was becoming quite heady, David changed the subject slightly.

  “And once she comes home, what are you going to do about Sherry?” he asked. “He went on ahead of everyone to save her, Chris. Clearly, he thinks a great deal of her and, after this, I do not think he will fade away, even if you want him to. Especially if Christin is fond of him as well.”

  That took Christopher’s attention off of John and FitzRoy and on to Christin and Alexander, a much less volatile subject.

  Sort of.

  “He is twice her age,” Christopher said.

  “You already said that,” David said. “We know that. Is that your only complaint against him?”

  Christopher gave him an exasperated look. “I am not against him,” he said. “But he’s so… old and seasoned compared to her.”

  David shorted. “You mean compared to your daughter who was recruited by William Marshal as a spy at the age of sixteen years? Jesus, Chris, show some fairness. Your daughter is not the innocent child you seem to think she is.”

  “She’s not a hardened battle warrior, either.”

  “You are giving her absolutely no credit. If she has been serving The Marshal for the past two years, then you know what kind of things she has been doing.”

  Christopher made a face at him and turned away. He didn’t want to think of his daughter as a spy, doing things that only tough, seasoned men should be doing. His sweet little girl who, as a child, would take charge of all of her siblings and would order them to her will as well as any battle commander.

  She was just like her mother in that respect.

  His wife, Dustin, was the Grand Dame of Bossy Women. She looked like a delicate, beautiful flower with her gray eyes and long, blonde hair, but much like her daughter, looks were deceiving. She was no shrinking violet and, clearly, Christin had taken after her in that respect.

  But it was still difficult for Christopher to accept.

  “Mayhap she has been doing things I would rather not have her do,” he finally said. “But she is still my daughter and, like it or not, I still view her as a child. And in answer to your question, I am not sure what I am going to do about Sherry. I had always hoped that Christin would marry a man closer to her age, a strong and reputable knight with an inheritance. As far as I know, Sherry does not have that.”

  “You married Dustin without an inheritance,” David reminded him. “You had nothing until you married her and then you had everything. The same could be said for me. In any case, you’ll have to do better than that if you want to find fault with Sherry. I believe he will make her a good husband.”

  Christopher looked at David. “You do?”

  “Aye.”

  “Why?”

  David grinned. “Because there is no finer knight I know of,” he said. “Sherry is loyal and brave, strong and intelligent. And if he is fond of Christin and wants to marry her… I can find no fault with that. He would make an excellent addition to the family.”

  If David was in support of Alexander, Christopher was going to have trouble denying him. Perhaps David was seeing something he wasn’t. Moody and weary, he finally called a halt to the army and moved them off the road and into the smattering of trees to the west. It was some shelter, and not directly on the road, and the men began to set up camp.

  David was in the middle of the men, issuing orders, but Christopher stood on the periphery, simply watching. His mind was too occupied for him to be effective in something like this, so he let David and a few senior sergeants take charge. He kept looking down the road, thinki
ng of his daughter, wondering where she was and if she was safe, praying that Alexander and the others had reached her. He knew for a fact that Sean would not give up his prize easily and that, most of all, concerned him. He didn’t want Christin injured when Alexander and Maxton and Kress, as well as Bric and Kevin and Caius, went after Sean to try and separate him from Christin.

  Indeed, that had him greatly worried.

  And then, he heard something.

  Hooves, he thought. Someone was riding swiftly. As he focused on the dark road ahead, he began to see horse’s legs coming into view. But it wasn’t simply one horse; it was two. Two knights were riding towards him and he immediately recognized Peter, but there was a second knight with him he couldn’t make out.

  “David!” he shouted.

  As he headed for the road, David broke away from the men and ran over to him, standing alongside him as Peter and the other knight approached. The horses kicked up rocks as they brought them to a halt and Christopher realized he was looking at Kevin, also.

  Kevin had ridden ahead with the group of The Marshal’s agents.

  His heart was suddenly in his throat.

  “Kevin,” Christopher said, trying not to panic. “Why are you here? Has something happened?”

  Kevin and Peter dismounted their horses. “If you mean Christin, she is well, my lord,” Kevin said as he pulled off his helm, wiping the sweat from his brow. “We have located both her and Sean and the king’s men, and Christin is well. Sean took her but only because he was forced to. Above all, he must present the illusion that he is loyal to the king.”

  Christopher breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Thank God,” he said. “Where is she?”

  “Up ahead in the village of Dereham,” Kevin said. “My lord, I have come on behalf of Sean and Sherry, who have come up with a plan to end this situation once and for all. But we need your help in this matter.”