Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

Westminster Palace

London

The Painted Chamber

I t sounded like a shouting match.

Not that these gatherings didn't usually sound like a shouting match, but this one was different. It was a gathering of men loyal to Henry, but men who also had known Anselm St. Albans. It was a conclave of some of the most powerful warlords in England and did, in fact, include men who had fought for Simon De Montfort. These were men who had paid their fines and had their lands returned to them, but the stipulation with their forgiveness was their staunch and undying loyalty to Henry.

One wrong move and they would find themselves much as Anselm had.

The gathering had been going on for two days. The first day had been about Edward's crusade and the fact that the man needed money and men for his cause. Edward himself, who was quite a persuasive speaker, had taken charge of the first day and implored his father's vassals to do their duty and contribute to his quest. Henry had been at the meeting, but he had been seated silently on a comfortable chair while his son badgered his warlords. It had been an exhausting day, one that it had ended very late. As a reward, and perhaps even as enticement, there had been a lavish feast late into the night and early morning hours to pacify the weary.

Now, the second day was in full swing and it was already well into the afternoon. It seemed that Edward mostly got what he wanted, commitments for donations for his crusade, and now they were on to other business that pertained to the kingdom. One of those issues was some trouble in Ireland, but then someone brought up the destruction of Kennington Castle and that seemed to be all anyone wanted to talk about.

The Earl of Canterbury had been summoned from his reconstruction of Kennington to talk about the siege and the death of the Earl of Ashford. Some of the warlords hadn't heard about Ashford's death, so an entire hour was taken up with men disappointed over the death and grieving the loss of a man who had been a friend of many.

During this meeting, the Six were patrolling the painted hall because Henry was there. It was business as usual. Whenever there were meetings like this, two of them stuck by the king's side while the other four prowled the room, looking for any threats. Not that they really expected them in a crowd like this, but stranger things had been known to happen. Vigilance was always the order of the day when it came to the protection of Henry.

Torran was one of those guarding the king, along with Kent, while the others moved around the room discreetly. That meant Torran was at the forefront when they began to discuss Kennington and the fall of Ashford. Edward was out of the conversation at this point since he had nothing to do with it, so Henry was forced to get involved. It had been at Henry's order that the castle was sacked, and he found himself having to justify his actions to a room full of warlords who thought, after three years, Henry's punishment of those who had supported De Montfort might have been over.

As they discovered, that wasn't the case.

Henry was still bitter.

The men in attendance were some of the finest in England—along with the Earl of Canterbury, Daniel de Lohr, Davyss de Winter was also present. All three de Shera men were present, though far away from Henry, and mostly standing with Daniel, who was their mother's nephew. There were a few other de Lohrs about, Daniel's eldest son, Chad, included. The Earl of Selbourne, Becket de Nerra, was in attendance, along with Sir George Edlington, Lord of Corfe Castle.

The list went on, but these were some of the more important men in the hall, men, as Henry was aware, who were devoted to one another probably more than they were devoted to Henry. Some of them, anyway. They'd fought with Henry and some had even died for Henry, and for the sake of keeping their lands and titles, they were loyal to the king. But even Henry knew not to make a misstep with this group. He wanted their fealty, not their animosity. Therefore, when the subject of Ashford came up, he was prepared to defend his decision.

"Before this turns into a debate, I will tell you now that what happened to Anselm St. Albans was inevitable," Henry said firmly. "He was given ample opportunity to make amends to me after Evesham, yet he chose not to. He chose to continue this path of destruction, and in the end, he was killed by his own ambition."

George Edlington, an old vassal of Henry's, spoke first. "I cannot speak for everyone in the chamber, but I will say that I believe fair justice was dispensed upon Ashford," he said. "If a man chooses to defy his king, what else can he expect?"

"Understanding," Daniel said, watching most of the faces in the hall turn to him. "He can expect understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness."

Edlington frowned. "Henry is not the pope," he said. "Forgiveness is not his responsibility."

"I disagree."

"If he forgives every warlord who has turned against him, how effective will he be at ruling a country?" Edlington's voice was raised. "He would have chaos. Anarchy and chaos. Nay, my lord, the king's justice must be swift. It must be decisive."

Daniel wasn't thrilled with Edlington's contradiction. He knew the man and had for years. Edlington was an excellent administrator and very proud to serve Henry, belligerently so. However, he was not a warlord, but a garrison commander. He didn't have as much to lose as some of them should he fall out of favor.

He could afford to run his mouth off a little.

"Justice was dispensed," Daniel said evenly. "Ashford is dead and his castle has been sacked. Ashford's children are hostages of Henry. What more justice do you think there should be, Edlington? The man's legacy has ended."

There was some sarcasm there, and Edlington's hackles went up. "If there are children, there is still a legacy," he said. "The children should be made examples of."

Men began to speak up loudly, disagreeing with the idea that children should be put in peril. They'd begun arguing about it when a deep, loud voice lifted above the rest.

"A king who makes examples of children is a king who will sorely test the approval of his warlords." Maximus de Shera, the big and rough middle brother, spoke up. "For a man to make an example of a child shows weakness of character, for a child cannot defend himself."

Those were provocative words, aimed at the king but said in a way that made it seem like a blanket statement. Daniel, who had been standing with his cousin, put his hand on Maximus's shoulder.

"I will agree that any man who puts a child in danger is a man without honor," he said pointedly to anyone who would challenge Maximus. "The children should be left alone. They should not pay for the sins of their father."

Edward wasn't happy with what he considered a slight against his father. Henry was a veteran of battle, but Edward was the warrior in the family far more than his father. He was also tall and imposing, and he focused on Maximus, who was himself quite tall and quite muscular. All of the de Shera brothers were. Born and bred for war, they were beyond compare.

But Edward didn't fear them.

"I would be careful when accusing men of weakness of character for utilizing a necessary tactic," he said. "Men who have opposed the king in the past can be considered men without character. You cast stones, Maximus de Shera, when you should not."

Maximus wasn't one to take insults from any man. His elder brother, Gallus, was the statesman, while younger brother, Tiberius, was simply a likable man. He wanted everyone to get along. But Maximus called a situation as he saw it.

And he didn't like what he saw.

Or heard.

"True, your grace," Maximus said. "But, then again, I never opposed my father, so mayhap you should consider your past actions as a poor son when casting stones as well."

That was a direct insult at Edward, who had sided against his father more than once in his lifetime. Furious, Edward moved toward Maximus, and both Gallus and Tiberius had to pull their brother away from the charging prince as Daniel and even Davyss de Winter, who had been over by Torran, jumped into what could be a nasty confrontation. Henry was on his feet, shouting at his son to back away from Maximus. The truth was that Maximus was a knight's knight and had fists the size of ham hocks. He could take a man down in one blow, and Henry didn't want to see Edward, as skilled as he was, flattened.

He also didn't want to see Maximus fall victim to Edward's sword.

When the groups were separated and Maximus was far away from Edward, who had been pushed back by Davyss and Becket de Nerra, Henry stood in the middle of the hall and looked at the two sides.

"It seems that we have some dispute on how hostages are to be treated," he said. "The truth is that families are often punished for the sins of their fathers. We are all aware of that. Anselm St. Albans provided a good deal of money and support to my enemy, an enemy I finally defeated, and the sting of Anselm's betrayal has not left me. But whether I do anything with his children is my decision alone. I will not discuss it at this conclave."

"Your grace, if I may speak," Davyss said as he dared to leave Edward's side. "I do not think anyone is here to challenge your decisions, but I believe you understand that Anselm St. Albans was a friend to many in this room. I know that Daniel had a close friendship with him for years, so by nature, these men are concerned for his children. I think that is a natural reaction."

The king looked at Davyss, head of the de Winter war machine. Henry could hardly have won the battles against Simon de Montfort that he had without Davyss and his sword. Lespada , it was called, the sword held by every de Winter firstborn male for nearly two hundred years. Lespada was a legend in and of itself. But Henry also knew that Davyss hated politics, even though both of his parents, most especially his mother, had been adept political figures. Davyss was simply a knight, a fighting man, and that was all he really wanted to be. Henry was fairly certain he hated being in this room at this moment, so for him to speak on the Ashford children meant he felt strongly about the subject.

Henry took that into consideration.

"I am aware, Davyss," he said. "And if it will reassure anyone, I do not intend to harm the children. But something will be done with them, and I will make that decision alone."

Davyss knew that was probably the best answer they were going to get, and he glanced at Daniel, who simply nodded once. They both knew that Henry wasn't apt to say more than that, so it was the end of the subject. As Davyss headed over to Maximus to make sure the man was calm, as Davyss had been the best friend to the de Shera brothers for years, another warlord entered the hall.

Roi de Lohr, Earl of Cheltenham and Henry's chief justiciar, had made an appearance, followed by his two eldest sons, Rex and Beau. Roi came up behind Daniel, his cousin, and affectionately patted the man on the arm as both Rex and Beau hugged him. Roi was the third son of the great Christopher de Lohr, the man who had helped shape England as a nation. Having served three kings, he was a legend. Roi, as the man who oversaw the laws of the land, wielded a tremendous amount of power, and Henry relied on him a good deal. When Henry saw his favorite advisor, he waved him over.

"Roi," he said, sounding relieved that a man who would defend him had just entered the hall. "It has been weeks since I last saw you. And I see you brought your older sons with you, hopefully to leave them to me? I need a de Lohr sword at my disposal, you know. My father and grandfather and uncle all had de Lohrs at their disposal."

Roi, a handsome man in his sixty-sixth year, smiled faintly as he glanced over his shoulder at his sons, who were still working their way through the crowd.

"Rex will be ready soon, your grace," he said. "He just turned twenty years and two and already he reminds me a good deal of my father."

Henry pointed to the pair. "But what of Beau?" he asked. "He's of age."

"He has just seen twenty years, your grace. He has more growing to do."

Henry frowned. "Growing?" he said in disbelief. "He is already the biggest man in the room. He is to grow more?"

Roi chuckled softly. "I meant mature," he said. "He is hotheaded like my Uncle David, Daniel's father, and he needs to learn how to control his temper of we shall have a monster on our hands."

"Time and experience will teach him that."

"I hope so," Roi said, but his attention kept moving to Torran, standing several feet behind Henry. "If I may greet a few familiar faces, your grace?"

Henry waved him on. "Go," he said. "I must speak with my son as it is. Speaking of hotheads, he and Maximus almost came to blows."

"Oh?" Roi said with interest, looking between Maximus and Edward on the far ends of the hall. "I would have liked to have wagered on that fight."

Henry looked at him, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes. "And who would you have wagered on?"

"Edward, of course."

"Liar."

Henry walked away as Roi snorted, his smile fading as he discreetly caught Rex's attention. Motioning his son with him, he headed straight Torran, who dipped his head respectfully when Roi came near.

"Lord Cheltenham," Torran greeted him. "I am glad you have arrived. Mayhap you can mediate the arguing that has been going on."

Roi cocked an eyebrow. "Mayhap later," he said. "I must speak with you. Now."

"Or course, my lord," Torran said. "Alone?"

"Bring Jareth and Kent."

Torran nodded, immediately catching Jareth's attention and then pointing to Kent. Jareth took the hint and gathered Kent, and the three of them followed Roi and Rex into a small, enclosed entryway with a door that lead to another chamber.

Roi came to a halt and faced the men.

"As you are aware, my eldest brother and his sons are in charge of the Executioner Knights," he said in a quiet voice. "I've come with news from the world of spies of something pertaining to Henry."

The Executioner Knights were a longstanding guild of the most elite knights in England, all of them spies, assassins, and warriors who helped keep England solvent and safe. The guild had been formed by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, about sixty years earlier, and the de Lohrs had taken on the mantle to continue the work. It was a secret organization, only known to those who also operated in the shadows, as the Guard of Six sometimes did. Torran had to admit that the expression on Roi's face had him concerned.

"We are listening, my lord," he said. "What is amiss?"

Roi looked at Rex, who often acted as an agent for the Executioner Knights. Tall and blond, like most of the de Lohr men, Rex had his father's build and his mother's good looks. He was one of the more sought-after marriage prospects in England, given his father's wealth and connections, but he was quite pragmatic and wise beyond his years. Marriage wasn't of interest to him, or so Torran had heard.

Rex had great things to accomplish first.

"My connections over at The Pox tell me that a Frenchman was in there the other day seeking an assassin," Rex said. "He was discreet about it, of course, but one of our agents engaged him, pretending to be a man for hire. They spent the afternoon drinking and talking, enough to loosen the Frenchman's tongue. Evidently, he is seeking to get close to Henry."

The Pox was the most notorious tavern in London. Every criminal from the western shores of Ireland to the wilds of Rome and beyond had been there at one time or another, but great knights and warlords also populated the place because it had the finest food in London. It was a paradox of an establishment, but if one wanted to know anything about the seedy underbelly of the criminal world, The Pox was the place to be. Therefore, Torran wasn't surprised to hear the latest news.

If it was dark, dirty, or deadly, it could be found at The Pox.

"Who is this man?" he said. "Did he identify himself?"

Rex shook his head. "That is the one thing the agent could not get out of him," he said. "No one knows who he was, although he did mention a companion or fellow conspirator in Lord Dudwell. It was a brief mention, and he would not repeat it, but the agent was sure of the name."

"Dudwell?" Torran repeated, trying to place the man. "I do not recognize the name. Who is that?"

"Etchingham Castle," Roi said. "Donnel de Meudon."

Torran shook his head. "I do not know him," he said. "Who is he to Henry?"

Roi shook his head. "No one," he said. "At least, not that we know of. The man isn't political and has never given Henry any trouble, so the fact that he was mentioned by a man seeking an assassin to kill the king is puzzling."

Puzzling, indeed. Torran frowned in confusion. "Does he have any family connections?" he asked. "Is he related to anyone close to Henry?"

Roi didn't have an answer for him. "I do not know," he said. "We are trying to find out, but until we can, you must be on your guard if Lord Dudwell makes an unexpected appearance or otherwise tries to engage with Henry. Be cautious."

Torran nodded. "Understood," he said. "What happened with the Frenchman? Was he able to hire an assassin?"

Roi waggled his eyebrows. "He hired our agent," he said. "I think we've managed to curb the plot for now, but you must be vigilant. We are not sure if the Frenchmen was only one man in a larger scheme."

"Where is the Frenchman?" Jareth asked. "Is he being watched?"

Roi nodded. "He is," he said. "Our agent has made himself a friend of the Frenchman, whether the man wants him or not. He will not let him out of his sight."

Jareth nodded, but Torran wasn't so satisfied. "Then we must be on heightened alert," he said. "Do we tell Henry?"

"I would not," Roi said. "This may come to nothing, so I would not concern the man until, or unless, we have more information."

Torran nodded in agreement. "Then we shall be alert," he said. "Thank you for the information, my lord. If there is anything else, send word to me as quickly as possible."

"I will," Roi said. Then he turned for the hall again. "We'd better break up our gathering before Henry gets suspicious," he said. "I think I shall see to Maximus. We do not want the man driving his fist into Edward's face."

Torran fought off a grin as they began to head back toward the gathering. "You heard, did you?"

"Henry told me. I told him I would have wagered on such a fight."

"It would have been an explosive one, to be sure."

Roi chuckled as he and Rex headed over to where Maximus was standing with the de Lohr men gathering around him. Torran watched him go, coming to a halt as Jareth and Kent stopped beside him.

"A potential assassination attempt is not something I am looking forward to," he told them. "But thank God de Lohr has his eyes and ears in London. At least we will be prepared."

"As prepared as we can be, anyway," Jareth said. "Do we go to heightened protocol?"

Torran nodded. "Aye," he said. "There will always be one of us by Henry's side, no matter where he is. In bed, in the bath, on his daily walk… I do not care where he goes, but one of us will always go with him. You had better tell Aidric and Britt and Dirk."

Jareth nodded, heading off to find the other three members of their group, leaving Torran and Kent watching the room.

"What are you thinking, Torran?" Kent asked quietly. "You look like a man with much on his mind."

Torran glanced at him. "Not really," he said. "Just the usual. But I would like to return to Lockwood to see how Stefan is faring with the Ashford siblings."

"Why?"

"Because the lady was still unwell when we left her four days ago," he said. "Henry wants her in London when she is recovered, so I suppose I should assess her health."

"Stefan can do that."

"It is not Stefan's responsibility to do that," Torran said, looking at him in full. "Besides, it was suggested bringing Stefan into the Six, and we did not have the opportunity to ask him. This will give me a chance."

Kent understood. "When will you leave?"

"Not tonight," Torran said, turning his attention back to Henry. "Let this meeting be settled and let us get through the night, and I will probably go on the morrow. You can assume command until I return."

"As you wish."

There was no more fighting after that, at least none that Torran witnessed, but Gallus and Tiberius took Maximus away from Westminster and away from Edward. It was probably for the best, because Maximus wasn't one to cool down easily. The assembly went on into the evening, when more food and music awaited the warlords who were growing weary of days of turbulent meetings and a prince who only wanted to talk to them for the money they could provide.

Edward was starting to wear out his welcome.

Usually, gatherings like this didn't bore or bother Torran, but in this case, he found himself subjected to both reactions because there was something alluring at Lockwood that had his attention. All he could think of was Andia, so it was a struggle to keep his mind on his work.

A struggle he'd never had to deal with.

Mercifully, toward the early morning hours, Henry retired and Daniel and Roi departed. They cleared out, leaving the younger men to drink and converse. With Henry in his chamber, Torran and the Six were officially off duty, so they headed to bed. However, Torran had just entered his small, dark apartment when one of Henry's servants summoned him. Thinking he was going back on duty, Torran found himself in Henry's private audience chamber, a small room that was part of the king's bedchamber suite, and prepared himself for whatever Henry wanted of him.

The chamber was dimly lit by tapers, flickering phantoms on the walls. Henry was seated in a chair with many cushions as Roi sat across from him, on a carved oak bench, and Daniel seemed to be busying himself with some wine. It seemed that neither Roi nor Daniel had left Westminster, but ended up in Henry's chambers instead. Torran stood by the door, more than curious as to why he'd been summoned. When Henry caught sight of him, he waved him over.

"I am sorry if we took you from your bed, Torran," Henry said. "But we have been discussing Ashford's children since earlier today, and I would like to speak to you about them without an entire room full of men interjecting their opinions. Since you have been involved with both Lady Andia and her brother from the start, you should be part of this conversation. Will you sit?"

It was a most unexpected topic, and Torran found himself on edge as he lowered himself into the nearest chair. Daniel passed by him with two cups of wine in his hand, extending one to Torran, who thought perhaps it was an omen. Perhaps he was going to need the wine and Daniel was simply giving him a head start on it. He took it, but he didn't drink.

He wanted his wits about him.

"How may I be of service, your grace?" he asked.

Henry rubbed his eyes wearily. "You led my armies at Kennington," he said. "You and Canterbury and de Winter. I am told you performed remarkably well."

Torran looked at Daniel, seated near Roi, to see the man's reaction to that statement, but Daniel merely smiled.

"Thank you, your grace," Torran said after a moment. "I did my best."

"You helped sack a castle with a minimum of casualties. You are to be commended."

"Thank you, your grace."

Silence fell as Henry sat back in his chair and propped his feet up. "How long have you served me now, Torran?" he asked. "At least ten or twelve years, is it?"

"Twelve, your grace."

Henry smiled wryly, wagging a finger at Torran. "When your father first asked if I would accept your fealty and told me why, you know I had some misgivings," he said. "After all, you had been caught in a bit of a scandal. You were a priest, caught seducing the Earl of Norbury's wife, and the only way Norbury would not kill you was if you came into my service, far from Norbury and far from his wife. Your father was at his wits' end with you, Torran. I felt, in the beginning, that he was making you my burden."

Torran didn't like to reminded of what happened those years ago. He didn't like it spoken of in front of men he admired like Roi and Daniel. But he'd learned years ago, when he became part of the Guard of Six, to speak his mind to Henry because the king liked to know his opinion. The whole business about the seduction and being thrown out of the priesthood was old news. Ancient news.

Torran didn't want to hear it.

"Your grace, I have explained that Lady Norbury seduced me ," he said. "I did not seduce her. She was a patroness of Worth Abbey and she'd spent a year trying to gain my attention, but when all else failed, she summoned me to her home under a false pretense and tried to seduce me. Lord Norbury discovered us and branded me the villain."

"I know," Henry said quickly. "I was simply thinking about how you came into my service. Norbury swears you tried to seduce his wife, but I have met Lady Norbury and have heard salacious things about her. I could well see that what I'd heard about her was true. There is evidently not a soldier or a knight in Norbury's ranks that she has not lured into her bed."

Torran knew that. "Yet I received the worst of it," he said quietly. "My own father did not believe me."

Henry grew oddly serious. "He does not know you," he said. "He may be your father, but Luc de Serreaux does not know you. If he did, he would not have believed Norbury. I wonder if he does, still."

Torran shrugged. "I do not know, your grace," he said. "To be honest, my father and I have very little contact. He dotes on my younger brother and, I am certain, wishes Rhys was his heir while he pretends I do not exist."

Henry glanced at Roi, at Daniel, before continuing. "Do you know why?"

"Because he is ashamed of me, of course."

"Nay," Henry said. "I've heard… differently."

That was an unexpected comment. Torran's brow furrowed. "What have you heard, your grace?"

Henry sighed as if he were hesitant to continue, looking at Roi for assistance. Roi took the hint.

"Torran, his grace is not trying to embarrass you," he said. "I want to be clear. But my father, and Daniel's father, had been involved in politics for a very long time. Decades of knowing even the slightest details of allies and enemies alike. The upper class of England is awash with rumors and innuendos."

Torran was listening. "What does that have to do with me?"

"There is a point to this, I promise," Roi said. "There was a longstanding rumor, many years ago, that you were your father's bastard. The result of an illicit love affair. That is probably why your father was so ashamed with the scandal with Lady Norbury. Your father had tried to bury his own scandal many years ago and he probably feared it would rise again with you. In any case, if you've not heard that about your birth, I am sorry to be the one to tell you."

For a moment, Torran stared at Roi. He'd never been particularly close to his mother, either, and in fact felt as if she'd always been relatively uninterested in him. If what Roi said was true, then her behavior all of these years made some sense.

He was shocked.

"Strange that in a country full of men who are fond of gossip that I have never heard that," he muttered.

"Not once?"

"Never."

"That is surprising, considering."

"Was this rumor ever confirmed?"

Roi shook his head. "Nay," he said. "Your mother always swore you were her son, but the sequence of your parents' marriage and your birth was rumored to have been altered by your grandfather. You do not remember, but some say that you did not come to live at Bexhill until you were about a year old. Your parents were married for far less than a year and, suddenly, there was a baby. You . Mayhap you will never know the truth, but in any case, what happened to you was unfair. Greatly unfair."

"Exactly," Henry said. "Torran, you have been a loyal knight and the scandals from the past will remain in the past. You have more than proven your dedication and character to me, over and over again. The latest example is with Kennington and Ashford's children. You carried out your orders flawlessly, and when it came to the health and safety of the children, your decisions were sound. That is what I wish to speak to you about."

Torran was still reeling from the revelation of his past and it was a struggle to move with the change in subject. "Your grace?"

Henry sat forward, reaching across a small table for the wine that sat in front of Roi. He took it from the man before answering.

"You have been loyal to me from the beginning in spite of the circumstances of your coming into my service and I expect you will be loyal to me until the end," he said. "I have been discussing the situation about Anselm's children with Roi and Daniel. When I first discovered that Anselm had perished in battle and that his young son was the new Earl of Ashford, I immediately stripped the boy of his titles and lands. I was going to give everything over to Daniel, including the guardianship of the children, but I believe we've come up with another solution. It was Daniel's suggestion, actually."

Torran looked at Daniel, who simply nodded but did not speak because that was Henry's privilege. Torran had to admit that he was growing more puzzled, and probably more concerned, by the moment.

"And how may I be of service, your grace?" he said, realizing he was afraid to even ask.

But Henry took a drink of wine before replying, perhaps drawing out the anticipation. "First, I must ask you a question."

"Of course."

"Do you have any intention of returning to the priesthood?"

Torran shook his head without hesitation. "Nay, your grace," he said. "I once thought my path was service to God, but I believe that God does not want me to be a priest. He has other plans for me and I believe those plans are what I am doing now. He needs me here, with you."

"To do as I bid?"

"Absolutely, your grace. And to protect you."

"Good," Henry said. "Then hear me well—I am granting you the title of Earl of Ashford, Torran. It is my privilege to do with the title as I wish and I am granting it to you. I am also giving you Lady Andia, Anselm's daughter, in marriage. She needs a husband, a husband loyal to me, and you are the perfect candidate. As for the boy, I will send him to Canterbury to foster and Daniel can beat the ideals of the father out of the son, but you will be the boy's guardian until he comes of age. Do you understand me so far?"

Torran was sitting like a stone, his focus on Henry in completely astonishment. "You… you want me to assume Ashford, your grace?" he managed to say. "And marry…?"

Henry nodded. "I know this is a great deal to accept, and I further know that you will inherit the earldom of Bexhill when your father dies, but Ashford is an important title with important lands," he said. "Roi and Daniel and I agree. You are the perfect political marriage for Ashford's daughter, to bring back the reputation of an old earldom that has greatly suffered thanks to Anselm. I could not place it in better hands."

Torran was so astonished that he sat back in his chair, his hand going to his face. It took him a few moments to realize that his mouth was hanging open, so he quickly closed it, lowering his hand and looking to Daniel and Roi.

" Me? " he said. It was all he could manage at the moment. "The Earl of Ashford?"

Daniel grinned. "We will be close allies, you and I," he said. "Our properties are not so terribly far from one another. And I have men rebuilding Kennington as we speak. That is why I remained behind even after you departed for London. Your castle is being repaired."

Torran had no idea what to say. Astonishment didn't cover what he was feeling. But before he could reply, Henry spoke up.

"Of course, you do not have to accept this honor," the king said before finishing off the wine in his cup. "You can refuse. You would still remain with me, with the Guard of Six, and nothing more will be said. But I hope you will consider it."

Torran found his tongue. "I do not have to consider it, your grace," he said. "I accept with all my heart. To have something granted to me as a reward for service means far more to me than inheriting Bexhill. But I shall serve both earldoms flawlessly, and my sword, and my life, will always be yours. My gratitude could not be deeper."

Daniel banged his hand softly on the table, a gesture that was in support and in agreement with Torran's declaration, as Henry smiled with satisfaction.

"And that is why Ashford must belong to you, Torran," he said. "I must have a loyal lord there. You will marry Anselm's daughter and breed the rebellion out of her. All of her sons, all of Anselm's grandsons, will be loyal to me. That is how I wipe the memory of de Montfort from this land. As if he, and his loyalists, had never existed."

Torran couldn't argue with him. To the victor went the spoils, and in this case, Henry was the victor. But so was Torran.

He could still hardly believe it.

"I will do my best, your grace," he said. "I will raise my sons to be loyal to the Crown, I swear it."

"I know you will," Henry said. "And with that, I am certain you would like to return to Lockwood and tell Lady Andia of her fate? She's a lovely woman, Torran. Congratulations on your beautiful wife. I hope your marriage is a pleasant one."

Torran tried not to grin but couldn't help it. What was it Andia had said once? She'd lamented that she had a dream that would never come to fruition now that her father had been defeated, and Torran told her not to give up on it just yet. Even so, he could have hardly imagined that he had been right.

As it turned out, he seemed to have a dream also.

Andia.

"Thank you, your grace," he said after a moment, raking a nervous hand through his hair. "I must say that I'm rather overwhelmed with all of this, but I will return to Lockwood as soon as possible and inform the lady of our betrothal."

"Go tomorrow," Henry said. "I can spare you."

Torran nodded, but now that his shock had worn off, his mind was racing with what was to come. "What is your pleasure for the wedding?" he said. "Shall we marry as soon as possible or would you prefer a festive occasion?"

Henry waved him off. "Marry her immediately," he said. "The sooner you beget her with child, the sooner Anselm's legacy fades."

Torran understood, but to be honest, he was finding the king's reference to breeding rebellion out of Andia a little off-putting. Andia wasn't like her father, but Henry didn't know that. She was a gentle woman, to be treated gently and sweetly. She wasn't the rebel her father was.

But he knew someone who was.

"And the boy, your grace?" he said. "I will admit that Aeron has been… difficult. Too much of his father in him. Should I send him directly to Canterbury?"

Daniel answered. "Send Stefan back to Canterbury with him," he said. "He is at Lockwood still, is he not?"

Torran nodded. "He is, my lord," he said. "He has been guarding the lady and her brother in my absence. And that brings me to another point, if I may, my lord. It is about Stefan."

"What about him?" Daniel asked.

Torran looked between Henry and Daniel as he spoke. "Forgive me for changing the subject, but this seems like the time to do it," he said. "It was brought to my attention recently that Stefan is a stellar knight, honorable and brave and skilled. It was suggested that he would make a fine addition to the Guard of Six if neither you nor his grace have any objections. Henry would have a de Lohr by his side and Stefan could enjoy the prestige of a royal position that he is quite worthy of. May I ask that you at least think about it?"

Daniel was clearly surprised, but Henry was the first to speak. "Stefan is a de Lohr and a knight beyond compare," he said. "I heard he did very well in battle at Kennington. But the truth is that the man cannot hear very well and his own father says he will be completely deaf someday. Is it entirely wise to have a knight like that in my personal guard?"

Daniel sighed heavily, hating to hear that kind of talk about his son, as Torran answered. "Stefan is very good at watching a man's body language and he is a master at hand signals, your grace," he said. "Moreover, you will find no finer sword in all of England. He is a de Lohr, after all. If the man cannot hear, then there are six fellow knights who will make sure he knows what needs to be done. I believe he deserves this opportunity or I would not suggest it."

Henry rubbed his eyes again, pondering the request. "I will think on it," he said. "Daniel and I will discuss it."

"Thank you, your grace."

Henry motioned toward the door. "Seek your bed, Torran," he said. "And congratulations on your future."

"Thank you, your grace."

As he headed for the door, Torran heard his name and turned to see Daniel behind him. He opened the door and stepped out into the corridor with Daniel on his heels. As the door shut softly, Daniel turned to him.

"About Stefan," he said quietly. "He is an excellent knight, one of the finest I've ever seen even if he is my son. He is very worried for his future, Torran. Surely you know that."

Torran nodded. "I know," he said. "I can only imagine the torture he is going through, knowing he may wake up one morning and his hearing will be completely gone. But I swear to you, my lord, that we will take care of him. The Guard of Six is a brotherhood like no other. If Stefan cannot hear, then we will be his ears. And he will serve flawlessly."

Daniel had tears in his eyes with the realization that someone saw Stefan beyond his handicap. Stefan was an amazing knight, highly trained and educated, but the hearing issue had limited the life he could make for himself. He always had a place with Daniel, but that wasn't what he deserved.

He deserved more.

Torran was willing to give it to him.

"Are you sure?" Daniel said hoarsely.

"Very sure, my lord."

"I worry so for Stefan, but this… I will not worry for him any longer."

Torran smiled faintly and put his hand on the man's arm, giving him a squeeze. "He has earned this," he said. "If Henry seems uncertain, I will work on him. He will agree eventually."

Daniel simply nodded, slapping Torran on the shoulder as he turned toward the door, sniffling away his tears. Torran watched the man return to the chamber, the door shutting softly, leaving Torran standing in a darkened corridor, still reeling from the course his life had taken this night.

The Earl of Ashford.

Marriage to Andia.

He couldn't wait to get to Lockwood and tell her.