Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

T he process of rousting Gryffyn from the storage vaults hadn't been an easy one.

Keller had taken all three of his knights and thirty of his men to accomplish the task. Entering the keep with his big numbers, he sent ten of his soldiers up to guard Chrystobel's door while taking the rest with him to the storage vaults on the lower ground level of the keep.

It was dark and crowded in the vaults below and Keller decided the best method would be to drive the fox to the house, as it were, so he sent the knights down to begin the hunt. Gladly, William, George, and Aimery descended the ladders with their broadswords in hand as Keller stood at the top of the ladder with his soldiers. The knights began to beat on, tip over, or shake everything they came across, creating a huge racket. The game that Gryffyn was so intent on playing was now turning against him as the group of angry Englishmen intended to make sport of him. At least, that was the hope.

As dawn began to appear on the eastern horizon, turning the sky shades of purple and pink, Keller's knights wrought havoc in the storage vaults of Nether. There were bales of cream-colored wool bound with rope that they plunged their broadswords into and barrels of barley that were opened and stirred with sharp weapons. There were a great deal of stores and the knights were methodical, starting at one corner of the room and moving forward in a wave so as to drive Gryffyn out of his hiding place and to the ladder where Keller was waiting for him.

This went on steadily for an hour until it became apparent that Gryffyn was not in the storage vault. When William was finished with the last barrel of apples, he finally appeared at the base of the ladder, gazing up at Keller at the top.

"He is not here," he said, sighing with some exhaustion. "Are you sure this is where she said to look for him?"

Keller nodded. "Aye," he said, a creeping sense of displeasure coming over him. "Are you sure there are no alcoves or hidden rooms he could be in?"

William looked around the darkened storage area as George and Aimery continued to poke around. "Nothing," he said. "Mayhap he left before we got here."

Keller lifted his dark eyebrows in resignation. "That is possible."

"That is the only explanation unless she lied to you."

Keller shook his head. "I do not think so," he said. "I will, however, question her again while you go speak with the father. See what Trevyn knows about his son."

William leaned on the ladder, looking up at him. "He knew nothing when we questioned him earlier," he said. "I am not sure a few hours will make a difference in what he knows."

"It might," Keller said. "Mayhap the son has left Nether altogether. Ask the father if the man has any friends or allies around here that would take him in."

William nodded wearily, calling off the Ashby-Kidd twins as Keller made his way up to his wife's bower only to be told by his soldiers that the woman and her sister were sleeping soundly, exhausted from the excitement of the night. After a moment's indecision, he left her to sleep and instead joined William to hunt out Trevyn. In the briskly cold dawn of a new day, they found Trevyn in the great hall, breaking his fast in a cold room before a darkened, sooty hearth that had been dead for hours.

The hall smelled heavily of smoke and animals as Keller and William entered. Hungry dogs were clustered around Trevyn as the man picked apart cold meat and stale bread for his meal. He glanced up when the English knights approached.

"There are no servants to prepare a meal," he said. "You still have them held captive in the bailey."

He sounded somewhat disgruntled but Keller didn't react to what could have been interpreted as a rebuke. "Where is your son?" he asked, his voice a cold as steel. "And do not tell me that you have no knowledge of his whereabouts. I believed you once but I will not believe you again because he appeared to Lady de Poyer a few hours ago, so he is indeed somewhere within these grounds. Tell me what you know or you will not like my reaction."

Trevyn looked at him, his dark eyes dulled with age and fatigue. "What can I tell you?" he asked, perturbed. "My son does what he pleases, wherever he pleases. If he is not in his tower room or here in the hall, then he could be a thousand other places. I simply do not know."

"You do not know or you will not tell us?" William asked, propping a big boot up on the bench and leaning on his knee. He was exhausted and growing increasingly agitated with the fact that no one seemed to know where Gryffyn was hiding. "He is your son , old man, and presumably under your control. Why does everyone around here act as if that bastard is the lord of Nether? That title would have formerly been held by you, in case you were not aware. Now you are subject to Sir Keller de Poyer, Lord Carnedd, premier knight of William Marshal, and Lord Protector of the King's interest in Powys. Whatever fear you hold for your son, it would be wise for you to fear de Poyer more. Now, tell us where Gryffyn is so we can release the servants and finish with these foolish games."

Trevyn looked between de Poyer and Wellesbourne, his dark eyes circled and his features taut. Angrily, he slammed his bread and meat to the table.

"I told you before that I did not know where Gryffyn was and I will tell you the same thing now," he said, frustrated. "The man has a mind of his own. I do not pretend to know it."

Keller was watching Trevyn carefully. Unlike Chrystobel, the old man was a bit more adept at lying. He could tell, and the realization infuriated him.

"If you knew where he was, would you tell me?" he asked steadily.

Trevyn faltered. "Mayhap," he said, averting his gaze and looking to his bread once more. "Mayhap not. What do you intend to do to him?"

Keller was finished interrogating the old man. He had to make a point and his patience, usually limited even in the best of circumstances, was gone. He reached down and ripped the bread from Trevyn's hand, tossing it to the dogs. When the old man swiped for the meat, Keller swept it completely off the table. As it landed on the floor, the dogs had a grand feast. When Trevyn looked up at Keller, astonished, fearful and enraged, Keller met the aged gaze with an expression of complete control.

"Your son is an uncivilized brute," he growled at the old man. "I have no idea how long he has been beating you and your daughters, but I tell you now that those days are finished. I am here now and Gryffyn will obey me or he will pay the consequences."

Trevyn visibly paled. "Who told you such things?" he nearly choked. "Did Chrystobel tell you that he beat us?"

Keller was fighting down a righteous sense of fury. "She has not told me directly," he said, "but I would have to be a fool not to have figured it out. Moreover, Gryffyn threatened to kill all of you if she did not murder me to prove her loyalty. What manner of beast have you raised, d'Einen?"

Trevyn was struggling. He had a difficult time maintaining eye contact, knowing de Poyer's words were true but unable to acknowledge it. Like his daughter, he had been living with it for so long that it was simply the way of things. Now, he was being questioned about something he had no answer for. It was too uncomfortable to admit that he'd lost control of his son long ago. Shaking his head, he simply looked away.

"I do not know what you mean," he muttered. "My son is strong and intelligent."

"Your son is an animal," Keller countered. "If you do not help me locate him, then I cannot protect you against him. If you will not do it for yourself, at least do it for your daughters. I cannot believe that you, as their father, stand by while your son abuses them. Are you truly such a weakling?"

Trevyn's head snapped to Keller, his mouth working as if he had something to say. It was evident by his expression that there was much anger, and much fear, in his heart.

"I agreed to William Marshal's terms," he said, "the crux of which did not give you permission to demean and insult me and my family. You know not of what you speak!"

Keller cocked a dark eyebrow. He was deliberately trying to provoke the man into an emotional confession, hoping they could glean information about Gryffyn from it.

"I am not sure how the truth can be considered demeaning," he said. "Do you fear your son so much that you would do anything to protect him? What about protecting your daughters? Don't they deserve your protection also?"

Trevyn hissed at him and tried to stand up, but William slammed the old man back down into his chair. Trevyn took a swipe at William, who easily dodged the strike. He rammed his hands down onto Trevyn's shoulders, holding him fast as Keller leaned into his face.

"You are a weak and pathetic excuse for a father," he hissed. "You have two beautiful daughters and all you can do is allow your son to abuse them. You are a coward of a man, unworthy of the lovely women you have fathered. You are supposed to protect them, you fool, or are you too afraid to do it? You should have woman parts between your legs because you surely do not deserve to be called a man."

Trevyn's face was a deep, dull red and sweat beaded on his forehead in spite of the cool temperature of the room. "You do not understand!" he barked.

Keller slammed his big fists on the table, causing Trevyn to jump at the violent movement. "Then explain it to me," he demanded. "Explain to me why your daughters live in fear of their brother. Explain to me why you allow the man to do as he pleases. Explain to me all of this because as surely as I stand here, I cannot fathom a father's failure to do his duty."

Trevyn glared at him with a deadly hatred. Angry as he was, he wasn't stupid. He knew he was outmanned by the two English knights. Nothing they had said was untrue. They had verbalized the same thoughts Trevyn had been thinking of himself for many years and the more he mulled their words over in his mind, the more his hatred began to turn inwardly. He was an embittered and torn man.

"I made a promise," he finally muttered.

Keller leaned in to hear him better. "What promise?" he asked. "To whom?"

Trevyn shook his head, looking at his lap. "To my wife," he said quietly. "She perished of childbirth fever shortly after Izlyn was born. She made me promise… she could never bring herself to discipline the boy, you see, and she made me promise not to lift a hand to him. She could control him whereas I could not, so it was never an issue until he became older and then… he is my only son. He is allowed to do as he pleases."

Keller drew in a long, calming breath, glancing at William to see the man's reaction. William appeared both puzzled and disgusted, so Keller pressed Trevyn.

"But he terrorizes your entire family," Keller said, unsure of his personal feelings with regard to the man's answer. "Why do you permit this?"

Trevyn merely shook his head. "He was a lively boy when he was young," he said. "He was mischievous but not naughty. But somehow as he grew older, the foul streak arose. I had promised my wife not to strike or discipline him, so I let him do as he pleased. Now… there is no way to stop it. I promised my wife, after all."

Keller stared at the man a moment before looking to William. The big blond knight met Keller's gaze before removing his hands from Trevyn's shoulders. Having a wife for as long as he had, William understood Trevyn's point of view more than most. He plopped his big body down on the bench and faced the man.

"I can understand that you promised your wife not to strike him," he said, his tone considerably less hostile, "but in making this promise, do you realize what you've done? You've allowed the man to run wild and terrorize all of you. I am sure that is not what your wife had in mind when she made you promise not to strike him."

Trevyn was still staring at his lap. "Mayhap," he agreed quietly. Then, he lifted his head and looked at Keller. "But it has come to this. Gryffyn knows no fear or boundaries. He takes what he wants, he does what he wants, and even though he is my son I have grown to hate him over the years as one would hate an enemy. Do you know why I brokered this deal with William Marshal? Giving him my castle and lands? It was not to know peace with the English. Nay, that was not the reason. It was so that my son could not inherit these lands that have belonged to my family for generations. Instead, Gryffyn will inherit lands in England, a country he hates intensely."

It was a shocking admission. Keller's rage at the old man had calmed significantly by the time Trevyn was finished. In fact, he understood his reasoning completely.

"But you made your daughter part of this deal," he pointed out softly. "You offered to marry her to an Englishman of the Marshal's choosing."

Trevyn nodded. "I know," he said. "I wanted it that way. At least it would remain somewhat in the family if Chrystobel married the new lord of Nether. At least my grandchildren would inherit it, but not my grandchildren through my son. I do not want that line to have anything to do with what is so beloved by the d'Einens. I pray every night that my son will die without having issue and that his evil ways will die out with him. The House of d'Einen is a good family, my lord. But Gryffyn has tainted the name."

Keller sighed loudly, glancing over at William for the man's reaction. William looked at Keller as if to say how can we become angry with him now? Keller finally cleared his throat softly.

"Where is your son?" he asked quietly. "I do not want to kill the man. I only wish to locate him."

Trevyn shook his head. "He has more than likely left the fortress," he said, sounding defeated. "He has a friend he cavorts with, a local lord named Colvyn ap Gwynwynwyn. The man lives at Castell Mallwyd, about a half day's ride from here."

"And you believe he went there?"

"It is possible."

Keller glanced at William again, both men knowing that there wasn't much more to be said on the subject. It was assumed that Gryffyn had left the fortress. After a moment, Keller rose from his seat, as did William. The knights began to move away from the table, heading for the hall entry.

"You will tell me if he returns," Keller said to Trevyn. "Meanwhile, my soldiers will be manning this castle and her walls. Your soldiers, particularly since they are loyal to your son, will be kept elsewhere and watched over by my men. Today, the English will assume the full mantle of Nether Castle."

Trevyn merely nodded, resignation in his tone. "As you say."

Keller's gaze lingered on him. "And you, my lord?" he asked quietly. "Will I have your loyalty as well?"

Trevyn was looking at his lap again. "I cannot say I am readily an English subject," he said. "At least, not yet. But I promise you that you will have no trouble from me."

"For now, I will accept that."

Without another word, Keller and William quit the hall, closing the door behind them. Once the door was shut and the room returned to the cold, dark, and cavernous chamber, leaving Trevyn quite alone, the old man sighed heavily and buried his face in his hands. After a moment, a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob burst from his lips, first one and then another. He kept his hands over his eyes, silently weeping, as a panel near the hearth shifted and a figure emerged.

Gryffyn appeared in the shadows, his gaze on his father. He had been hiding in the passage used by the servants to travel to and from the kitchen area, a secondary passage that was submerged in the thickness of the walls of the great hall. Unless one was a native of Nether, the passage was easily concealed and therefore not easily known. But Trevyn knew about it and he also knew that Gryffyn was hiding in it, listening to the entire conversation with the English. As he wept, he wept for himself. He was the coward de Poyer had accused him of being.

"Excellent, Father," Gryffyn said quietly. "Now they will let their guard down. They will not be looking for me within the fortress any longer."

Trevyn wiped at his eyes. "You heard what they said," he muttered. "You told your sister to kill her husband. How could you do such a thing?"

Gryffyn's features hardened. "How could she not do such a thing?" he countered savagely. "The foolish bitch has betrayed me and she will pay. I will kill her before this day his finished."

Trevyn continued wiping at his eyes. "If you do, her husband will kill you," he said. "You heard the man. He is already protective of her."

Gryffyn was near the table. In a flash, he marched to his father and clubbed the man in the jaw, sending him to the floor. Gryffyn grabbed the knife on the table, the one used to cut the bread, and pounced on his father as the man struggled on the wooden floor. Holding the knife to his father's throat, he snarled into the man's face.

"I will kill her," he repeated, hissing. "Chrystobel has disobeyed me and for that, she will pay with her life. Izlyn, too, because she does not deserve to live, the imperfect and foul child that she is. She is an embarrassment to the d'Einen name. I will be done with these women who disobey me and then I will be done with you because you brokered this contract that would see the English assume my inheritance. I should have killed you when you negotiated the deal behind my back but I did not. I heard you tell those Saesneg bastards why you gave away my legacy. You hate me and I hate you. Now, I will take back what is rightfully mine and rid Nether of the English scum forever."

Trevyn struggled for his life. "Gryffyn, nay!" he cried. "I did not mean what I said about you! I only said it for their benefit!"

Gryffyn wasn't listening. He was bent on destruction. Taking the bread knife, he plunged it into his father's chest, stabbing the man deep into his heart. As Trevyn lay dying on the floor, his deep red blood bleeding out onto the wood, Gryffyn wrapped the old man's hand around the knife to make it appear as if he had taken his own life. The way Trevyn had rolled onto his side, Gryffyn easily propped the hand up against the knife hilt and kept it in place. As Gryffyn pushed himself off his father, he rolled the old man over even more, driving the knife deeper.

Trevyn d'Einen, former Lord Carnedd, lived the last few seconds of his life breathing in the dirt off the floor of the great hall as his son slinked back into the recesses of the hidden passage. Gryffyn's black, vile heart could only understand one thing at a time, one abhorrent emotion above all else. He couldn't even think that his father was dead by his hand. Nay, that was not in his realm of thought. At the moment, all he could feel was betrayal. His sister had betrayed him and she would pay with her life. Returning to the hidden passageway near the hearth, he sank back into the shadows to make his plans.

His next target was Chrystobel.

*

After his discussion with Trevyn, Keller had returned to the crowd of Nether inhabitants and gave orders to release them, and that included the servants. He stood in the cold, bright bailey, discussing the schedule of the day as his men assumed their new posts and the servants flooded back into the kitchens, keep, and hall. Screams from the servants returning to the great hall and finding the bloodied corpse of Trevyn d'Einen alarmed the English knights, sending all four of them racing into the hall to find a scene of death before them.

Unfortunately, some of the servants had seen Keller and William emerge from the great hall just before Trevyn's body had been discovered, so the rumors began to fly fast and furious that Trevyn had been murdered by the new lord of Nether. George and Aimery heard the whisperings and yelled at the servants, which upset them more. A good deal of weeping and commotion went on around them as Keller and William tried to sort through the chaos and figure out what had happened. The first thing Keller did was have George and Aimery herd the hysterical servants out of the hall.

When the weeping subsided and an eerie silence settled, Keller was able to think more clearly. As he gazed down at the body, it appeared as if the man had killed himself because of the hand against the knife hilt and the way the body was laying, but to Keller, the scene was puzzling at best. He had spoken to the man only minutes earlier and he had seemed well enough. Certainly not upset enough to take his life. It was a most puzzling circumstance and a disturbing one as well.

"This does not make any sense," he said as he stood over the body. "D'Einen did not seem depressed enough to take his own life, and certainly not by stabbing himself with a bread knife. The blade is dull and it would have taken a great deal of force to push it through skin and bone."

William was kneeling beside the corpse, shaking his head with bewilderment. "It would not have been a simple or painless way to die," he said, inspecting the knife shoved deep into Trevyn's chest. "But if someone else did this, who would it be? All of the occupants of Nether were under guard one way or the other. There was no one else around."

Keller's dusky eyes were grim. "No one that we know of," he said quietly. "It is entirely possible that there was someone else wandering this fortress that we did not know of."

William was still looking at the body. "That is possible," he agreed. "Do you have any ideas about it?"

"Mayhap Gryffyn has not left the fortress as was speculated."

William looked up at him, the light of realization going on in his eyes. "Mayhap he was here all along," he concurred, standing up and brushing his hands off on his breeches. "You said that he tried to coerce Lady de Poyer into killing you. Is it possible he thought his father was a traitor as well? Enough to drive him to murder the man?"

Keller shrugged his shoulders, looking down at the cooling corpse. "We have had one altercation with the man and it was enough to tell me that he is unpredictable and brutal," he said, keeping his voice lowered so the servants wouldn't hear him. "It is quite possible he is hiding here at Nether, evading our searches, and waiting for the proper time to strike."

William listened seriously. He pondered the situation, his gaze moving back to the corpse of Trevyn. "Then mayhap we have been going about this all wrong," he said after a moment. "Gryffyn has lived here his entire life and would know where to hide to evade us. We could search for years and still never find him, so instead of going in search of him, we must bring him to us ."

Keller's eyebrows lifted. "A trap?"

"Indeed."

Keller liked the idea. In fact, it made a good deal of sense. "He wants me dead," he said. "It would make the most sense to use me as bait."

William shook his head. "Nay, it would not," he replied softly. "You said that your wife told you that Gryffyn would kill his entire family if she did not do his bidding. It is quite possible that Gryffyn has already started that task, first with his father and next with his sisters. It would make the most sense to use one of them as bait and since the little one is so skittish, it would make the most sense to use your wife."

Keller hastened to disagree. "He admitted that the arrow that struck George was meant for me," he reminded William. "I told you what Lady de Poyer said to that regard, so the man is indeed out to kill me. I say let him try."

Again, William shook his head. "That would not be wise, Keller," he said. "Think on it this way; as we have seen, Gryffyn would not attack you man to man. Rather than do that, he relied on an arrow, so it would seem he is not confident in a confrontation of brute strength against brute strength. He is much more apt to attack a weaker person physically, your wife for example, because it makes him feel more powerful. She makes him feel omnipotent and you are a challenge to that sense of power. Therefore, she is the better bait because he will come to her, knowing he can best her."

Keller had gone from giving his full support to the scheme to drawing back considerably. The thought of Chrystobel in danger nearly threw him into fits. "But she is a mere woman," he said, trying to make a strong case for his refusal when he knew, deep down, that William was correct. Gryffyn was a coward in every sense of the word and would more than likely attack a woman before he would attack a full-grown man. "She is afraid of her brother as it is. How can we expect her to lay a trap for the man?"

William cleared his throat softly. "Stop thinking like a husband," he muttered. "If my wife was expected to lay a trap for her murderous brother, I would say the same thing, but the truth is that Lady de Poyer makes the perfect bait. We will be around her at all times so she will be well protected, but if Gryffyn has killed his father, it would make the most sense that his sister is next. That is exactly what he threatened to do, is it not?"

Keller wanted to argue with him; he truly did, but he found it difficult to muster a convincing case. He was so torn that he could hardly think straight. Why was he so reluctant to put Chrystobel in danger? Could it possibly be because he actually cared for her somehow and cared what happened to her? Impossible , he told himself sternly. Still, the thought lingered.

"I must think on it," he finally said, unable to look William in the eye because he was certain that the man could see his turmoil. "Set the posts for the day and get some sleep yourself. I will see you later."

He turned to leave but William grasped his arm. "Wait," William said. "I know you are not keen on the idea of making your wife a target, but we have little choice. At this very moment, Gryffyn d'Einen is running loose somewhere in this fortress after having murdered his father. He may very well be watching us right now. In any case, I will not sleep soundly until the man is caught and I doubt you will, either."

Keller almost brushed the man off but he refrained, mostly because he was right. He and Wellesbourne had never been particularly close but that had been Keller's fault. He didn't want to get close to anyone again, but the past day or two had seen that attitude waver somewhat. Wellesbourne was an excellent knight, excellent counsel, and more than that, he felt as if the man was offering his friendship. Perhaps it was time for Keller to reconsider his harsh stance against emotional attachments and open himself up. But it was difficult.

"Nay, I will not," he agreed quietly. "I fear that you are more than likely correct in your suggestion."

William breathed a sigh of relief that Keller was actually agreeing with him. That had never really happened since William had known him. The man didn't take suggestions well so it was a surprise to realize that he was accepting this one. De Poyer was being almost… congenial. Aye, that was the word William was looking for. He'd hardly seen that from the man, either. Perhaps his stiff liege was finally easing.

"We could use more assistance with this situation," William said, dropping his hand from Keller's arm. "When are de Lohr's reinforcements set to arrive?"

Keller scratched his scalp in a weary gesture. "It was my understanding that they were a few days behind us at most, so unless bad weather has delayed them, I would expect to see them very soon." He stopped scratching his head and sighed wearily. His fatigue was catching up with him. "Put the senior sergeants in command while the knights get a few hours of sleep. I want my men patrolling every inch of this fortress and most especially the keep where the ladies are. And get Trevyn out of here before his daughters see him like this. That would not be good for their morale."

William nodded. "Aye, my lord."

There was a friendly expression on William's face, one that compelled Keller to behave similarly. He counted himself lucky to have Wellesbourne under his command so he gave William a brief, awkward smile as he turned and headed out of the great hall with Trevyn's blood on the floor and its dirty hearth. Already, his thoughts were turning to Chrystobel. He realized that he very much wanted to see her.

The morning was deepening as he crossed the muddy bailey towards the keep, the sky above brilliant blue as a brisk breeze swept across the land. Gusty winds not only chased fat, puffy clouds across the sky, but it also kicked about leaves and clutter in the ward. Everywhere Keller looked he could see his soldiers; upon the walls, milling in the bailey, or near the towers. He even saw the Ashby-Kidd brothers over near Tower Night, standing in conversation near the entry.

Keller was satisfied to see such a heavy English presence but he knew, as he lived and breathed, that Gryffyn d'Einen was somewhere, watching and waiting. It was an uneasy feeling he had, but one he intended to remedy quickly. With that in mind, he headed in the direction of George and Aimery to relay his orders– rest for the knights with the senior sergeants in command, and the hope that de Lohr's reinforcements would soon arrive.

William had been correct. Keller wouldn't sleep easy until his wife's murderous brother was caught.