Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

Exford Castle

Heart of the Blackchurch Operations

"A nd that was the last I saw of the new Duke of Toxandria," Sinclair said. "He was standing tall, waving farewell, and fully in command of his army and properties. It is a memory I shall never forget."

Sitting in the large solar of Exford Castle, seat of the Lords of Exmoor, he'd just given his story to several people in the chamber, including Athdara Munro, sister of the new Duke of Toxandria. In fact, he'd spoken directly to her the entire time. Everyone else in the solar was purely incidental. This was her story, one she'd waited a very long time for. Many, many years.

The tears in her eyes were of joy and relief.

"I can never thank you enough," Athdara said. A tall and beautiful woman, she was a good friend to them all. "Truly, Sin… what you did goes beyond friendship. To fight alongside my brother, against my Uncle Atilla, to help Nico gain what is rightfully his is a service we can never repay. But know that we will be eternally grateful to you for what you have done. You have saved my family's legacy."

Sinclair was uncomfortable with the praise, but he was pleased with the gratitude. "It was a good experience," he said, smiling. "Do not misunderstand—I love my position at Blackchurch, but what we lack here is the opportunity for travel and adventure. Now I think I've had enough to last for the rest of my life, so it is good to return home."

And home was where he found himself.

The solar smelled of smoke from the early morning fire, but also of cold leather and old stone. It was a heavy and familiar scent. Over near the hearth, seated on a cushioned chair, was the Lord of Exmoor himself, St. Denis de Bottreaux. It was important for Sinclair to not only give the report of the last three years of his life to Athdara, but to St. Denis as well because he was the man who had made it all possible. Without St. Denis' approval, Sinclair would have never been allowed to return to Blackchurch, to a position that was waiting for him.

But it had been a complicated situation.

Blackchurch wasn't a political establishment. In fact, trainers were forbidden from taking sides in any battle or lending their name or sword to any conflict. It was true that they trained men who went on to side with kings or princes or warlords, men and women who went into the world with extraordinary training, but Blackchurch itself remained neutral in all situations. They were in it for the money they could make training the best warriors in the word, not the politics. They provided a service and nothing more.

Therefore, Sinclair's fight for Toxandria had been in a gray area.

The only reason St. Denis allowed it was because it wasn't an English, Scottish, or even Welsh battle, but one across the sea. Also, Athdara's father had been a friend to St. Denis, so there was a friendship involved. St. Denis' friend had been murdered by his brother, his dukedom stolen, and Athdara had come to Blackchurch to train so she could fight to get it back for her younger brother, Nikolai. During the course of her training, she'd fallen in love with Tay, and he with her, which complicated an already difficult situation. When it finally came to fighting to regain the Toxandrian dukedom, it had been Sinclair who volunteered to do it to save Tay from crossing a line St. Denis didn't want him to cross—choosing sides.

Sinclair had made the sacrifice.

He was in a better position to do it. He wasn't related to Athdara or the duke in any way. He wasn't a friend. He was simply a paid sword, paid by the true heir to the Toxandrian throne, and that was the only reason St. Denis really allowed him to go. Moreover, Tay was the unofficial leader of the trainers at Blackchurch, with a young family in tow, while Sinclair had none of those attachments. It just made more sense for him to go.

And it had been, as he'd said, quite an adventure.

"It sounds as if you have helped form a great and strong dukedom, Sin," St. Denis said in reply to Sinclair's report. "My dear friend, Athdara's father Alexei, would have been so very pleased. I know he would want to thank you for what you did for Nikolai. But who advises the young duke now?"

"A former advisor of Duke Alexei, a knight by the name of Alen, has taken a most admirable role as mentor and chancellor to the young duke," Sinclair said. "Athdara knows Alen. He somehow survived Attila's attack and incendiary rule and now remains for Nikolai. He is in good hands, my lord."

At the mention of her father's former knight, Athdara nodded. "He is a very good man," she said. "Alen held Breda Castle when Attila attacked. He was the one who helped Nico and I cross the river to safety, and I honestly thought he had been killed, so it a great relief to know he was spared."

"Spared for his knowledge of Breda," Sinclair said. "Your uncle knew he needed such a man, so he spared his life, but it was Alen who was feeding information to Duke Alexei's allies. Had it not been for him, we would have never been able to breach Breda Castle and regain control as we did. Alen wanted nothing more than to see your father's legacy returned."

"And so it has," Athdara said, smiling. "It is like a dream, Sin. You are the bringer of dreams."

"Stop," Tay growled. Standing behind his wife, leaning back against the wall, he shook his head at her when she turned to look at him. "You are fawning over the man and I'll not stand for it. I will have to challenge him for your affections."

Those in the room chuckled, including Athdara. She sat back in her chair, rubbing her swollen belly. "You are mad if you think your pregnant wife would openly flirt with a man," she said. "Moreover, it is not fawning you hear, but gratitude. Clean out your ears, Tay."

Tay simply grunted, making a face at Sinclair, who snorted. "I do not want a wife who can best me in fight, Tay, so your marriage is safe," he said. "Besides, I could not manage all of those offspring. Two more since I have been away!"

"And fine children they are, lest you forget," Tay said, still in a threatening tone, but he quickly sobered. "But she is correct—you have brought the dream back to Toxandria, Sin. We can never thank you enough for that."

Sinclair waved him off. "Nico already has," he said. "He had made me a rich man and has given me a title, so I was well compensated. But I must say that I am eager to return to my duties at Blackchurch. Mayhap it is not the travel and adventure of a faraway battle, but I have missed training men."

"A-And you have been greatly missed," St. Sebastian de Bottreaux said with his distinctive, slight stutter. "C-Creston and Cruz have done a remarkable job in your stead, but it has been taxing for them. With their regular duties, and yours, I am certain they are glad you are back also. There is only one Swordsman, after all. But I must say that I'm envious of your adventures in Toxandria. I-I would have liked to have gone with you."

He meant it, too. St. Sebastian, or simply Sebo, was the heir to Blackchurch. He was highly educated and well trained by the Master Knights of Kenilworth Castle, but given that Blackchurch was built on the principle of remaining neutral in any given conflict, accompanying Sinclair had been out of the question.

But he hadn't always been that way.

St. Denis had two sons, once. St. Gerard had been the eldest, a man who was primed to lead Blackchurch into the next generation until he was unexpectedly killed a few years ago. St. Sebastian, the younger and perhaps less aggressive son, had always been second to his ambitious brother. That meant he could say things, and even do things, that St. Gerard couldn't because he didn't have an empire weighing down on him. But with his older brother's death, the world had changed greatly for St. Sebastian.

It had been a difficult transition.

In the first place, he was a thinker. That meant he tended to be a little less neutral than he should have been, something his father was trying to change in him because Blackchurch couldn't afford to have a dog in any fight. If they did, the entire dynamics of what they did would shift. They would immediately became a political training ground, and probably have enemies all over the known world, which wouldn't bode well for the continuation of the guild. St. Sebastian knew that, but he still struggled with it. He had opinions and he felt passionate about them.

But those opinions made his father struggle with the future of Blackchurch.

"Mayhap your father will let you go with Tay and Athdara when they return to visit," Sinclair said after a moment, trying not to encourage the man's natural tendency to voice his thoughts. "Toxandria is a beautiful land and one that is thankfully now at peace."

"Well done, Sin," St. Denis said, picking up the conversation before St. Sebastian could turn it into a political discussion. "It sounds as if you truly did something noble. That reflects well upon you."

Sinclair smiled weakly. "Thank you, my lord," he said. "And thank you for letting me go. You did not have to provide me with a position to return to, and I am grateful."

St. Denis gestured to the men in the solar. "As if they would have let me replace you?" he said. "Every one of them would have walked out and Blackchurch would be at a standstill, so I was happy to permit you to do what needed to be done, especially since you regained my old friend's kingdom. All jesting aside, of course I would let you lend your skill to a worthy cause. You saved a dukedom, Sin. That is something to be proud of."

"I am," Sinclair said. "But I am also eager to return to my duties today."

"You do not wish to rest after your travels?"

"No need, my lord."

St. Denis could see that Sinclair was eager to get back to work, which was typical of him. He wasn't one to be idle because it simply wasn't in his nature. Therefore, St. Denis looked to Creston and Cruz, standing off to his left.

"Then take him and show him the progress of his recruits," he told them. "Introduce them to our Swordsman so there will be no doubt as to his credentials or our respect for him. You will also want to introduce him to de Bourne, since the man has been helping with his recruits. Sin, do you know about Anteaus de Bourne?"

"I have been told, my lord."

"Good," St. Denis said. "He has an excellent sword arm. Use him if you wish, but if you do not wish to, then tell me. I'll find other work for him."

Sinclair stood up from the chair he'd been seated in, but his focus was on St. Denis. "Then you have made up your mind to make him another trainer, my lord?" he asked.

That was a question the other trainers had been asking, but no one seemed to have an answer. St. Denis had been evasive about it and St. Sebastian, a man who usually spoke openly, had been surprisingly silent on the matter. But St. Denis merely shook his head to the question.

"I am not certain," he said. "All I know is that he is talented and he is capable. He is good with the men. Let him work with you and form your own opinion. I am curious to know what you think."

That was a good way of putting it—letting the trainers evaluate another trainer and make it seem as if the decision was with them rather than simply make a decision that would affect them all, including the tight dynamics of their group. Especially for Sinclair—since de Bourne had already been teaching his recruits, he was essentially giving Sinclair the power to accept the man or send him away.

But there was also something more—both Tay and Fox had assistants, men who helped them with their classes, which was a badge of honor for the more senior trainers. One of Tay's former assistants, Bowen, had even become a trainer himself, and Fox's assistant, Axton Summerlin, was well on his way to becoming one as well. Capable men helping their very capable masters—so Anteaus joining Sinclair was something of an honor.

And Sinclair knew it.

"As you wish, my lord," he said. "I will let you know."

With that, St. Denis waved him on. Sinclair moved for the door first, followed by Creston and Cruz. Payne and Kristian also filtered out after them, along with Athdara, leaving Tay, Fox, Ming Tang, and Amir behind. Once the door was closed, St. Denis turned to Tay.

"Well?" he said. "How do you think he is going to react to de Bourne? Sin tends to teach alone. I am not entirely certain he will work with another."

Tay shrugged. "De Bourne knows that his position here at Blackchurch rests on how he deals with Sin," he said. "The other trainers will side with him in any conflict, but more than that, if there is a conflict, I will remove de Bourne personally. Our recruits cannot see discord between the trainers. It will foster confusion and mayhap even lessen their respect for us. Mayhap, for today, I will have de Bourne work with me so Sinclair can establish himself for his recruits without them looking to de Bourne as someone they are more familiar with."

"Agreed," Ming Tang said quietly from his position near the door. "Let Sin see his recruits alone for today. But if it is of any interest, I have never gotten the sense that Anteaus was overly ambitious. He has been easy enough to get along with and he is quite good with the recruits. Furthermore, he knows that Sin is our sword master. I do not anticipate any problem, but I will keep watch of the situation if you wish."

St. Denis nodded. "That would bring me comfort," he said. "With Sin returned, our full complement of trainers is now complete once again. Sebo tells me our next recruit class is quite large, so this is good news. I feel as if we are full strength once again as Sin has returned to the fold."

"R-Returned from a great adventure," St. Sebastian mumbled. When his father and the others looked at him curiously, he lifted his shoulders. "I-If I had been Sin, I would have never come back. I would have traveled the world in search of money and adventure. I would not have come back to the wilds of Exmoor to train men day after day. It seems like a waste of material."

St. Denis frowned. "Enough with your useless dreams, Sebo," he said, unwilling to change the subject yet again and simply dealing with his son head-on. "God help us when you are in charge of Blackchurch. My ancestors and I did not build this guild into the prestigious establishment it is today only to have someone like you ruin it, so keep your opinions to yourself. No one wants to hear them, least of all me."

It was a sharp rebuke in front of the men, so Tay caught Fox's attention and nodded his head discreetly toward the door. Fox took the hint, motioning to Ming Tang and Amir.

"We have duties to return to, my lord," Tay said as everyone funneled out. "Good day to you."

They moved swiftly, leaving father and son alone, but they weren't two steps away from the door when they heard St. Denis unleash on St. Sebastian. Tay and Fox were several feet ahead, already descending the steps to the entry below, but Amir came to a pause. He had a significant role at Blackchurch because in addition to being a trainer, he was also an advisor and counselor to St. Denis. He'd brought a different view to the man's world from a Muslim perspective of warfare and peace, but better still, even St. Sebastian listened to him. That was the one hope St. Denis had when he passed on, that his son would continue listening to his advisor. Now, hearing the man shouting at St. Sebastian had Amir torn. He felt as if he needed to ease the situation between them because he was naturally a peacemaker. Ming Tang, who had been walking next to him, came to a pause also.

"Do not interfere, Amir," he said quietly. "Denis will resent you for it if you do."

Amir was still uncertain. "This could have been avoided had he allowed Sebo to go to Toxandria with Sin," he said. "You know he wanted to go."

"I know."

"But his father told him he could not," Amir said. "He could not take sides, not in any battle. Even one for a friend."

Ming Tang understood what Amir was trying to convey. "And you suggest he put the needs of Blackchurch over the needs of his old friend, the Duke of Toxandria?" he said. "By preventing Sebo from fighting for him?"

"Possibly," Amir said. "But I also understand that Denis must view Blackchurch from a wider position. Meaning he cannot think of only Blackchurch and its longstanding policies. He must be able to see into the future and what it would mean to allow Sebo an exception."

Ming Tang sighed. "If he makes one exception, he can never again stand his ground against those who want Blackchurch to fight for them or side with them," he said. "We have an army of over one thousand skilled soldiers. With all of the trainers as commanders, we would be extremely formidable."

"Extremely."

"And Denis must avoid using that power for profit," Ming Tang continued. "If he does, he would be no better than St. Abelard and his pirates. They fight for money and are well-known mercenaries. Blackchurch has always kept clear of that reputation."

They were speaking of St. Denis' cousin, St. Abelard de Bottreaux, who was in command of the other business venture that the de Bottreaux family had founded long ago. St. Abelard was, quite literally, a pirate who ran a profitable fleet of ships known as Triton's Hellions. They used the beaches and coves on the northern coast of Devon to moor their fleet and use it as a launching base for their pirate endeavors. No sane ship entered the Bristol Channel for fear of being confronted by St. Abelard and his pirates, whose activities involved the coastlines of Ireland, the entire west coast of England, Wales, and Scotland, as well as part of the French, Spanish, and Portuguese coastlines. Anywhere there was money to be had, St. Abelard and his skilled men would find a way.

But thinking on those pirates had Amir snorting ironically.

"Sebo should go with Abelard," he said. "He would find enough adventure to last him a lifetime if that is what he chooses."

Ming Tang shook his head. "You know that Denis would throw him in chains for the rest of his life if he expressed his wish to do such a thing," he said. "Blackchurch is Sebo's. His father will not surrender his son's restless heart to Abelard."

"True," Amir said. He paused, listening, and realized that the shouting had died down. "It is quiet now. Hopefully they are discussing things more calmly."

"And Sebo is learning not to test his father so much."

Amir grinned. "That is a son's responsibility in life," he said. "Testing his father until the man shouts at him."

Ming Tang smiled. "Like you tested yours, the great Sheik Rashid Bin Maktoum Al Mana?"

Amir laughed softly and began to move toward the stairs leading down to the entry. "You've never seen a man's eyes bulge as much as my father's do when he is enraged," he said. "It is quite impressive, truthfully."

Ming Tang followed the man to the stairs. "And you did this regularly, I assume."

Amir passed him an impish grin. "He impressed me quite often."

Grinning, Ming Tang followed him down the stairs.

He could well believe it.