DarkWolfe

by Kathryn Le Veque

  Frustrated that his father was declaring the wench the winner, truth though it might be, Troy held on to the woman’s hair just a bit longer – and even gave it a tug – before letting her go. He separated himself from her quickly and put distance between them, anticipating that she would collect her dirk and come after him as he said she would. He gave her a wide berth as he spoke to his father.

  “It was not a fair fight and you know it,” he said. “She deliberately tricked me.”

  William could see that Troy wasn’t merely angry; he was humiliated. William understood completely but it didn’t change facts.

  “She used her sex to her advantage,” William said evenly. “She wanted to throw you off-balance and it worked; it was you who faltered. She used the element of surprise and you fell for it.”

  Troy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. But the truth was that his father was right; he knew it, they all knew it. Now, he was angry at himself more than anything. That split-second of surprise when she revealed herself had cost him. As he growled and stomped his feet, turning his back on his father and the woman, Keith came up to the group.

  “She is me best warrior,” he said, looking at the distraught knight and William, who simply seemed resigned to the situation. “The lass can fight, have no doubt. But she is also very smart; when she knows she is facing a greater opponent, she uses her brain. That is what she did today. It wasna meant tae shame ye. It was meant tae win.”

  Troy didn’t say a word; he couldn’t. He just stood there with his hands on his hips, his back turned to them. Faced with a very unexpected surrender, William answered for his speechless son.

  “What are your terms?” he asked.

  Keith had been waiting for this moment. What he’d hoped for had actually come about and he was nearly beside himself with glee, but he dare not show it. The English were accepting the outcome and it wouldn’t do any good to gloat. Muttering to the woman, Keith sent her away, and she headed over to pick up her dirk before returning to her horse. Keith watched her go, making sure she couldn’t hear him, before turning to William.

  “I will only discuss the terms with ye, de Wolfe,” he said. “Send yer son away.”

  William didn’t even have to tell Troy; the man simply threw up his hands and stomped off to his brothers, who were ready to console him. William simply stood there, unsure what to say. He had to accept the terms graciously. There wasn’t anything else he could do.

  “Now,” Keith said when it was just him and William. “Ye’ve agreed tae accept any terms I give ye.”

  “Within reason.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I will not give you any of my properties, save Monteviot, and it means that I will accept a surrender within reason.”

  Keith cocked his head. “Those werena the terms I was goin’ tae give.”

  William looked at him, curiously. “I am assuming you want Monteviot returned to you.”

  Keith shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “I want somethin’ more.”

  “What more do you want?”

  Keith was thoughtful. “An alliance.”

  That perked William up somewhat; he wasn’t expecting that. “I am always willing to ally with a neighbor,” he said. “Are those the terms that you are setting?”

  “In a way,” Keith said. “Yer son, Troy – is he a good man?”

  “One of the finest you will ever know.”

  “Does he have a wife?”

  William hesitated. “His wife died two years ago.”

  “He’s not remarried?”

  “Nay.”

  “Is he yer eldest?”

  “I have twin sons that are my eldest. He is one of the pair.”

  Keith turned to glance at the lady warrior, over by the horses. “That is me daughter,” he said to William. “I have no sons, ye see, so I raised her as one. Rhoswyn can fight and do anythin’ a man can do. She’s strong and intelligent and loyal. But the prospects for a husband are dismal, de Wolfe. There’s no man in me clan worthy of the lass and she’d make a fine wife tae a strong and honorable man. Ye ask me what me terms are? Me terms are for yer son to marry me daughter. As a man of honor, ye canna refuse.”

  William stared at him. “A marriage?” he repeated. “Those are your terms?”

  “An alliance through a marriage.”

  William was genuinely speechless. This wasn’t something he had expected in the least. He turned to look at Troy, who was standing over by his brothers, as his mind raced with the possibilities – although a marital alliance hadn’t crossed his mind, the more he thought on it, the more he thought a marriage for Troy might be a good idea. The man had been alone these past two years and it simply wasn’t right for him to be so lonely. He’d even admitted it the night before; alone.

  He felt alone.

  But, on the other hand, William wasn’t sure he wanted to saddle Troy with a Scots bride who had tried to kill him. That would be worse than being alone. His attention returned to Keith.

  “I am honored by your proposal, but I am not sure it is feasible,” he said. “Your daughter and my son just fought each other. There is bound to be a great deal of animosity between them. That would be a terrible way to start a marriage. I would rather give you back Monteviot.”

  Keith shook his head. “Keep Monteviot,” he said. “I dunna have the men tae spare, which is why the reivers were able tae take her. Ye were correct, de Wolfe; I canna control Monteviot. It would be better in yer hands. But if ye want the outpost, ye have tae take me daughter, too. She’s a good lass; she’ll not be any trouble. And I’ll not let ye refuse me. We’ll feast here tonight and our children will come tae know one another.”

  William pointed to the area where Troy and Rhoswyn had battled. “They have already come to know each other, and not in a good way,” he said with some irony.

  Keith brushed it off. “Time will heal the sting of their first meetin’,” he said, sounding confident. “Will ye agree tae me terms, de Wolfe? Will ye make an honorable bargain as ye said ye would?”

  William knew he had little choice. He’d already said that he would agree to any terms set forth, and here they were. Not exactly the terms he’d been expecting or even hoping for, but they were here nonetheless. Any refusal and he would be without honor, as Keith said. Besides… there was a large part of him, buried deep, that wanted to see Troy married. His son needed a chance for happiness again or if not happiness, then at least contentment. And marrying him to Red Keith’s daughter would secure an alliance all along the border, one he very badly needed.

  Perhaps this wasn’t the best of terms… but it was a term that made sense. Heavily, he sighed.

  “Aye,” he finally said. “I will agree to them.”

  “The sooner the better. I will send tae Jedburgh for a priest.”

  “No need. There is already a priest in my ranks.”

  Keith was pleased to hear that. “Then we can have the mass said for them before the night is through,” he said. “I willna give ye a chance tae go back on yer agreement.”

  “I am not in the habit of going back on my agreements. My son, on the other hand…”

  He trailed off and Keith grinned. He could see how hard this was for de Wolfe, concerned for his son’s reaction to all of this. In truth, Keith was concerned for Rhoswyn’s reaction but it didn’t deter him. It was for a greater good and she would have to understand that.

  “Then the marriage is today,” he said. “’Tis a great day, de Wolfe. A day we will long remember.”

  William wasn’t sure how great the day was, but it was certainly one they would remember. “That remains to be seen,” he muttered.

  As William walked away, Keith was forced to wipe the grin off his face. He had everything he wanted and he could not have planned this moment better. But, much like William, now he had to explain to Rhoswyn the course that the terms of surrender had taken. A great alliance had been agreed to and he wasn’t going to let her ruin it, a
ny of it. Much as de Wolfe had to agree to the terms to remain honorable, Rhoswyn would have to realize that her honor was at stake, too. Her father had made a bargain that she couldn’t back out of.

  Those weren’t the terms that Rhoswyn had been expecting. Not strangely, she didn’t see it that way.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Keith had waited until he’d pulled his men off of the rise overlooking Monteviot and hustled them out of view of the English in a grove of pine trees before telling Rhoswyn of his bargain.

  He wanted to do it in front of everyone because she was less apt to argue or fight him if there was an audience. Rhoswyn could be bold with an untamed tongue, but she did have some tact and decorum. That was her mother’s influence. Keith hoped that she had enough sense not to contest him on the bargain he’d struck with the English but, in hindsight, that had been too much to hope for.

  When he announced the terms of surrender for the English, the fight was on.

  “A marriage?” Rhoswyn repeated when her father’s words settled. “A marriage?”

  Keith faced her firmly; he knew that was the only tactic to take. “Aye.”

  “With me?”

  Keith nodded. “It is the best possible solution,” he said evenly. “We know that we canna remove de Wolfe from Monteviot. He has it and he’ll keep it. The man has castles all along the border, all the way tae Berwick, so marryin’ intae his family is the best solution. It’ll make the man our ally and it will put ye in a place of importance in the House of de Wolfe, lass. Do ye not understand the honor?”

  Rhoswyn stared at him, her face turning red with rage and embarrassment as she realized what her father had done. Now, it occurred to her why he’d been so insistent that he dictate the terms of surrender. He’d made her promise not to say a word and she hadn’t. Now, she knew why. God help her, she knew why her father had behaved as he had. He’d had plans she didn’t know anything about, plans involving her. When that understanding settled, it was all she could do not to run at the man and punch him in the throat.

  She’d been a fool!

  “These were yer terms all along,” she said hoarsely. There was much emotion involved. “Ye made me promise not tae speak terms upon me victory and this is why. Ye had this planned all along.”

  Keith knew that his men were in support of the marriage to the English. It was the way treaties were conducted and there was nothing unusual about it. Except in this case, it involved a woman who was not quiet or obedient. It involved a woman who could fight with the best of them and being submissive wasn’t something she was good at. But these were terms her father had dictated and Keith had no intention of allowing Rhoswyn to deny him on this. He had to take charge before she did.

  “And if I had, what is it tae ye?” he said, knowing his only hope was to be more of a bully than she was. “Ye’re not in command, Daughter. I am. I must do what is best for me clan and if that means an alliance with the English, so be it. If that means ye must be sacrificed for the greater good, then I am willin’ tae do it. Whatever made ye think ye had a say in yer future, Rhoswyn? Ye dinna from the day ye were born. Yer future has always been in me hands and now ye know what that future will be. Ye’ll be an ambassador of peace for yer people. That is a great callin’ for any woman.”

  He made it sound so noble when, in truth, it was anything but noble. Sacrifice, he’d said. She was to be the sacrifice to the English so they wouldn’t overrun Kerr lands. At least, that’s how she saw it. Rhoswyn simply couldn’t believe this was her father’s true intention. It had never occurred to her that he would do this and along with her anger and revulsion, she felt the distinct pangs of betrayal.

  “Ye care about the clan more than me,” she hissed. “That ye’d give me over tae the English… that ye’d been plannin’ it all along… why dinna ye tell me what ye planned tae do? Did I not have a right tae know?”

  Keith lifted his eyebrows. “Would it have made a difference? Would it have made ye lose the battle? Let the English win? Tell me, lass – would ye have done anythin’ differently?”

  Of course she wouldn’t have. Her pride wouldn’t have let her. “So ye betrayed me tae the English,” she said, realizing that she felt very much like weeping. “How could ye do this tae me, Pa? I thought ye loved me!”

  “I do, lass.”

  She threw up her hands, a frustrated gesture. “Ye loved me so much that ye bartered me like a prized mare!” she declared. Then, she pointed a finger at him. “Ye had no right tae do it without me consent.”

  Now, she was challenging his authority in front of his men and Keith wouldn’t have it. Rhoswyn could only push him so far before he felt the need to push back. In this case, he had to push back – and push hard – because she was challenging him in front of his men. If he couldn’t control his own daughter, then his men would cease to have any respect for him. He already ran a fine line with that and he had for years. Therefore, he did what he had to do – he marched up on her and scowled into her red, angry face.

  “When did ye ever think I had tae listen tae me own daughter?” he growled. “Ye have no say in anythin’, Rhoswyn. Ye do what I tell ye tae do, when I tell ye tae do it. I dunna need yer consent for anythin’ I do. We need this alliance with de Wolfe and ye know it. Ye’ll be marryin’ his eldest son. Do ye know what that means? It means when de Wolfe dies, ye’ll be the wife tae the head of the family. Are ye so stupid and stubborn that ye dunna see what an honor that is?”

  Rhoswyn’s face was turning positively scarlet. “I dunna care what an honor it is!”

  Keith was animated as he spoke. “Ye have tae marry sometime and I canna promise that I’ll find a man willin’ tae marry a woman who can best him in a fight, so this is the best option ye have. Or do ye intend tae become an old maid and let yer cousins and their heirs take what rightfully belongs tae me? It will be them that takes me place as the chief when I die because ye know as well as I do that a woman canna become chief. At least if ye marry de Wolfe’s son, there’s a chance that ye’ll bear a son tae carry on me bloodlines, a lad I can be proud of!”

  Rhoswyn was so angry that she was shaking. “An English-born son,” she said through clenched teeth. “Is that what ye want? A Sassenach grandson?”

  Keith’s jaw ticked. “’Tis better than seein’ me blood die off,” he said. “Since yer mother couldna provide me with a son, I expect ye tae do what she dinna.”

  Gazing at her father, Rhoswyn suddenly saw, for the first time in her life, how disappointed her father was that she’d been born a girl. He’d never expressed that to her before, not ever, and she’d grown up thinking he’d been wildly proud of her. He’d raised her as a son and she’d excelled at everything he’d taught her. But he couldn’t teach her to be a man; that was the one thing she would never truly be able to do. Take over the clan and be the son he’d always wanted. It was like a slap in the face to realize that.

  But Rhoswyn wasn’t going to give up without a fight.

  Without another word, she turned on her heel and ran for her horse. Before Keith realized that she was trying to escape, she managed to mount the beast and take off at a dead run. Only then did Keith and his men swing into action. Keith didn’t want her injured, but he instructed his men to capture her at all costs and bring her back. She had a wedding to attend and if she had to do it bound in ropes, then that was her choice.

  Keith wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away.

  It was close to sunset when Fergus and his sons managed to capture Rhoswyn, who had stopped by a stream to relieve herself. It was quite a fight, with Fergus coming away with a black eye and his son, Artis, with loose teeth, but three men against one woman eventually wore Rhoswyn down, but not completely. They were still forced to bind her.

  Even when they reached Monteviot, keeping her bound was the only way she would not run again.

  It made for a rather interesting evening.

  *

  “This is the best we can do,” James said. “With most of
this place stripped of anything useful, this is going to be a less than desirable marital bed.”

  James stood with Patrick and Apollo on the third floor of the tower, in the one of the two big chambers that had survived the fire due to stone walls and stone floors. Although it smelled heavily of smoke, it essentially hadn’t been scorched. But heavier even than the smell of smoke was the prevailing mood in the chamber.

  Gloom and apprehension were in the air.

  While William, Paris, and Kieran remained with Troy, trying to help the man accept a marriage that he was literally being forced into, James and Patrick had slipped away at William’s instruction to prepare a chamber for the new bride and groom to spend their wedding night in. Being that there were no female servants at Monteviot, there was little choice but for the knights to try and accomplish domestic duties.

  But it was a difficult task.

  The reivers had destroyed nearly all of the furniture in the tower, but they’d left the mattresses intact. Also, there was a big wardrobe on this level that they oddly hadn’t broken up for projectiles or firewood, although the contents of it had long been emptied. The men had virtually nothing to work with, but they managed to find a crumpled-up mattress that they re-stuffed with old hay found in one of the outbuildings. Bedrolls and cloaks made up the bedding. It wasn’t much, but it was all they had. Patrick even started a fire in the tiny hearth.

  “This is a piss-poor way to start a marriage,” he grunted as James finished with the mattress. “God’s Bones, I feel sorry for Troy.”

  “Do not tell him that,” James said firmly. “He does not need to hear it. There is nothing he can do about this so do not make him feel any worse.”

  Patrick waved him off. “I would not tell him that, of course. But the man has my sympathies. First to be publicly humiliated by the woman and then forced to marry her. She couldn’t have stripped him more of his manhood had she cut off his ballocks.”

  “But imagine how a woman like that would be in bed,” Apollo said. He was trying to fix one of the doors on the wardrobe and when Patrick and James looked at him, he lifted his eyebrows. “We know she is a fighter. She is not afraid to put a man in the position of submission. Imagine how aggressive a woman like that would be in bed.”