Chapter 4

Chapter

Four

A lden had come into this chamber many times before. However, there was one difference about today than any other of those times.

He thought of how he had asked Lady Elara if she inquired about all of the recruits, as she did him.

Nay. I do not.

He may be thinking too carefully on her words. Perhaps she had asked about his recruitment because he was not a knight. Or perhaps the topic of his personage had arisen in the course of normal conversation.

However, Alden did not believe so. It was not the words she'd spoken, but the tone Lady Elara used when she did so that gave him pause.

"Good day," Lady Elara said to the twenty or so men before her. She sat on a wooden stool in front of them with he and the others dispersed throughout the chamber on benches and chairs. Natural sunlight flooded the chamber, which faced one of the inner courtyards. Although some brought parchment and quill with them, most, including Alden, did not. He could read and write well enough, courtesy of his mother, but preferred to listen instead.

"Good day, Lady Elara," said a chorus of men. Alden knew as well as anyone, such a measure of respect was hard-earned. Unlike Sir Eamon, whose reputation with the sword preceded him, or the well-known archer Lord Stirling, every new recruit that came into this chamber either stopped short at seeing their instructor, or worse, outwardly challenged her. The ease with which she put them into their places was only one of the reasons Alden admired her.

"Today, we shall delve into the heart of strategy, for it is through cunning and foresight that we shall achieve our goals," she said. "Strategy is not merely the art of war, but the art of outmaneuvering our adversaries, of exploiting their weaknesses while bolstering our strengths. It is the careful calculation of every move, every decision, every alliance forged, and every enemy vanquished."

She mesmerized him. Every word she spoke held his attention, the ease at which such words of wisdom came from someone so young, so beautiful. He wished to know everything about her upbringing, how she had learned so much at a tender age.

"You are doing it again," Darien whispered beside him.

"I am simply attempting to listen to our instructor."

Darien made a sound. "If by listening you mean staring at her as if she is your last meal before a battle, then aye, so be it."

"Gentlemen."

It was not the first time she had taken them to task. Alden remained silent.

"Aye, my lady?" Darien asked courteously, as if he had no notion of why she'd stopped her lecture.

"You are together in this chamber for a particular reason, but if it is not possible to sit quietly and listen—"

"A particular reason?" another knight called out. "Pray tell us the reason, Lady Elara."

Instead of responding, she glared at them. Nay, she glared at Alden.

Still, he said nothing. Her eyes narrowed. "I would speak with you both, after the lesson."

With that, she continued her lecture. "As knights of the Guardians of the Sacred Oak, you must learn to wield deception as a tool, a weapon to confound our enemies and secure our victories. But remember, deception is a double-edged sword, requiring finesse, timing and above all, the utmost discretion."

Deception. An interesting topic of discussion.

Alden listened, refraining from acknowledging any more of Darien's quips, of which there were more than one. He garnered nearly as much attention as Roland, who was currently on the training yard. He and Darien could not be trusted to train together, a fact that had been well established. Both enjoyed hearing their own voices, and the two together were too much of a menace for all of the instructors, not only Lady Elara.

At the conclusion of the lesson, Darien leaned toward him as they stood.

"You can thank me this eve. I've arranged for a visit to the village with both Gareth and Roland."

Since tomorrow was the Lord's Day with no lessons or training, they sometimes left the castle grounds, as did many of the recruits. Though Alden would be glad for an evening with all three men, he was uncertain of Darien's meaning.

"Thank you?"

Darien winked as they approached Lady Elara.

Understanding both his meaning and Darien's purpose in speaking to him during the lesson, Alden resisted reacting, not wishing for the lady to misinterpret him. But he would certainly have words with Darien later.

"This is not the first time I've needed to speak with you both," she said, Lady Elara's words ringing true.

She wore a ruby gown, an unusual color for her though one quite striking against her skin and dark hair. Though it was higher cut than the one she wore last eve, Alden nonetheless averted his gaze and held hers instead.

"Apologies, Lady Elara," Darien said smoothly. "It was I who spoke to Alden during your lesson.

She looked from Darien to Alden, her expression, as usual, inscrutable.

"And he who answered. I've no qualms with quiet conversation, but the frequency of yours makes me wonder if you feel the information is not worthy of your attention?"

Alden had no wish for her to believe such a thing. "Nay, my lady, I can assure you that is not the case. You are an invaluable resource to our cause and we believe, I believe, just the opposite to be true."

Alden could feel Darien's eyes rolling back into his head as he spoke.

"Indeed," Darien said. "Neither do we want to displease you further, my lady, but since Alden wishes to speak with you privately, perhaps I can take my leave? In the future, I will be more mindful of our conversations during your lessons."

He would kill him.

She waved him away. "See that you are, Sir Darien."

His friend wasted no time leaving the chamber. Once again, they were alone.

"You wished to speak with me?"

Alden could not tell her it was a ploy by his friend, one he would pay dearly for. He thought quickly to find a topic.

"I wish to apologize for last eve," he said. "My intention was not to interrupt your solitude."

If it sounded like an excuse to speak with her, that was better than the truth.

"No apologies are necessary. You did not know I would be there."

"Nay," he said. "I did not. And you can be assured your spot will remain a private one as I'll not intrude again." Even though he wished to. Very much. "'Twas an especially interesting lesson today, my lady."

Her brows rose. "Aye?"

"Aye. I've made a close study of the chivalric code, which seems at odds with some of your points."

"Such as?"

He continued, wondering what it would feel like to run his hands through Elara's hair. There was so much of it, and she never restrained it in any way. It was the one thing, the only thing, about her that was unrestrained. Though most unmarried women such as she did not veil their hair, they often held it back in some way.

But not her.

He nearly forgot the topic at hand.

"I wondered...is it justified to use deception in warfare to achieve a noble cause, even if it means sacrificing the truth and potentially deceiving allies and enemies alike?"

"Some would say aye, that deception is often a necessary tactic with the potential to save lives. It could also be used to safeguard sensitive information or prevent adversaries from gaining strategic intelligence."

"Others might argue deception undermines trust and honor among allies and adversaries, potentially leading to long-term consequences such as damaged relationships and broken treaties. Or even increased hostility."

"Which side would you agree with, Master Alden?"

"Alden," he corrected, knowing she would not drop the moniker. Use of his given name alone would be much too intimate for their relationship. "I believe my opinion standing here in this chamber matters little. It is the decision to be deceitful, or not, when the circumstance arises that bears any weight."

"Considering it now, though, could inform your decision when the matter is at hand."

"You are right, of course. But I can say only that balancing between achieving strategic objectives and upholding moral principles highlights the complexities of warfare or the battles that lead up to it."

"Very well said. Where have you cultivated such nuanced arguments?"

"By listening to an extremely astute and intelligent instructor on the subject, my lady."

The corners of Lady Elara's very alluring mouth lifted. "I am glad some of my words have reached your ears, even with Sir Darien sitting beside you."

"They all have, my lady," he said. Alden's words were not meant to flatter as they were true. By her narrowed eyes, it seemed she attempted to discern the difference. "Honesty," he added, "is as important a virtue to me as loyalty."

"Is that so?"

"It is."

Their eyes locked.

For the briefest of moments, Lady Elara's ever-present resolute demeanor softened. She looked at him in a way the lady never had before. As if he were a man and not her apprentice.

"Lady Elara?" a voice called from the entrance to their chamber.

He resisted the urge to step back. Turning, Alden found the archery instructor at the door. That he was not on the training field was most unusual, as was the expression on Lady Elara's face before indifference returned.

Alden had not seen the two together often, as she skipped most meals in the hall, preferring instead to take them in her chamber. If he was correct, it seemed as if she did not care for Lord Stirling.

"If I may be excused?" he asked.

"Of course."

Alden passed the older man, the baron with one good eye and one eye patch. The injury had occurred in battle, if the rumors were true.

"There is an urgent matter I must speak to you about," he said. Alden could not discern the rest of the words and left the chamber.

As he did so, Alden turned back. Just one quick, final glance.

She was staring straight at him.