The de Lohr Dynasty

by Le Veque, Kathryn

  But it wasn’t just Daniel who had inspired such confidence – things long dormant at Shadowmoor were now beginning to thrive again as the result of help from Netherghyll. Easton had sent about three hundred men to Shadowmoor when Daniel had sent him a missive about Etzel’s death and Brynner’s alliance with Bramley. But Easton had done even more than that; he’d gone out of his way to send supplies, including wood and peat, and food for his men so they wouldn’t be a burden on Shadowmoor’s meager supplies.

  Caston had come along with those three hundred men and after he got over the shock of the fortress’ derelict condition, he and Daniel had decided on a course of action to repair and restore the fortress. It was carefully laid out, in stages, and with the Netherghyll soldiers helping the inhabitants of Shadowmoor, the badly damaged legacy of the l’Audacieux family began to take shape again.

  The phoenix began to rise from the ashes.

  Walls were being repaired and more supplies were brought in. As half of the Netherghyll men stood guard in and around the fortress, the other half, along with most of Shadowmoor’s residents, began fixing huts, organizing work gangs, and restoring what used to be the trade stalls. The smithy was up again, as was the tanner, and supplies from Netherghyll made it possible for these men, who had been without the tools of their trade for so long, to begin restoring tools and weapons, and repairing things like shoes and clothing. Finally, the people of Shadowmoor began to live again with help from a very generous neighbor.

  A neighbor, in fact, that Daniel was coming to appreciate a great deal. Easton was vastly generous and Caston was as well, both of them rushing to help Shadowmoor as if helping a family member. The more time Daniel spent with these men, the more he appreciated them. Daniel and Caston had become surprisingly close very quickly, mostly because they had the same sense of humor and seemed to think alike. But the more he came to know Caston, the more Daniel’s guilt over Brighton’s death was starting to eat at him.

  He cursed the man daily for what he’d done and how he’d behaved. He’d behaved horribly and had perished as a result. Someday, Easton and Caston would learn of the man’s death and it would tear them apart, for they both spoke quite fondly of Brighton, their son and brother. It was clear they loved the man and missed him. That, more than anything, was like a dagger to Daniel’s heart and his resolve never to tell them what he knew began to slip. It simply wasn’t fair for them not to know what Brighton had done and the result of that behavior. But, then again, perhaps it was better for them not to know and remember the man as they knew them.

  It was a dilemma, indeed.

  On this bright morning as Daniel crossed the bailey towards the hall, he could see men upon the steeply pitched roof of the hall repairing a section that leaked badly. Most of the men on the roof were Shadowmoor residents although a few Netherghyll soldiers were on the ground, passing up materials. The thatching supplies had come from Netherghyll as well, and Daniel made a note of just how much he was to owe Easton for the man’s generosity. He was coming to think that the purse won at Skipton’s tournament should simply be turned over to Easton as payment. As he pondered the monetary compensation for his generous neighbors, a shout broke his train of thought.

  “You, there!”

  He heard a cry over to his right, near the front gate, and turned to see Caston standing there with a grin on his face. The man had gone back to Netherghyll a couple of days ago but had evidently returned this morning. Daniel grinned as he faced him.

  “Are you back again?” he said, sounding disgusted. “I thought I was well rid of you!”

  Caston laughed. “In your dreams, foolish man,” he said. “You cannot be rid of me. I will haunt you until the end of your days.”

  There was a double-meaning in that for Daniel. If you knew what I know about your brother, that would be true. But he kept his manner light, in the manner Caston had intended.

  “Then I am a cursed man,” he said drolly. “How goes it at Netherghyll?”

  Caston came towards him, grinning. “Glennie wants to know if she can come to Shadowmoor and visit, but my father has denied her,” he said. “She is very unhappy, so do not be surprised if she shows up one of these days in defiance of his orders. If she does, you are to spank her and send her back to Netherghyll under escort. My father told me to tell you that.”

  Daniel snorted. “Let Easton spank her,” he said. “She is his daughter, after all.”

  Caston nodded. “That is true,” he said. “But she is willing to risk it. She is quite fond of you, you know.”

  It was the first time since Netherghyll’s arrival at Shadowmoor that the subject of Glennie, and her obvious interest in Daniel, had been broached. Daniel had been hoping it would never come up but it seemed as if Caston had been lulling him into a false sense of security. Now, in a sly move, it was out in the open but Daniel was prepared. He smiled faintly.

  “I am sure we are all in agreement that she should not come,” he said. “Based on the situation with Brynner and Bramley, and the fact that they could be planning for an attack at this very moment, she must remain at Netherghyll.”

  Caston nodded. “I am aware,” he said. Then, he noticed a vision in yellow wool over near the end of the hall where it connected to the kitchen yard. Liselotte made an appearance with two servants trailing her; it was clear that they were in discussion. “Speaking of ladies at Shadowmoor, since Glennie is not allowed to come, mayhap it would be wise to send Liselotte to Netherghyll as well. The ladies could keep each other company. As it is, Glennie is offended that Liselotte is allowed at Shadowmoor but she is not.”

  Daniel caught sight of the woman, too, and his gaze tracked her. “This is Liselotte’s home,” he said quietly. “She has a right to be here more than any of us do. I have tried to convince her to leave but she refuses, especially in light of Etzel’s passing. She feels the need to be here for the comfort of the inhabitants of Shadowmoor.”

  Caston shrugged his shoulders as both of them watched Liselotte’s lithe figure move through the kitchen yard and out of sight. “You do not want her to leave, anyway,” he said. “You want her close to you.”

  It was a statement, not a question, as if Caston were confident in the subject. As if he knew. Daniel pretended to have no idea what he was talking about.

  “Why on earth would you say that?” he asked. “It is for her own safety that I have asked her to leave.”

  Caston gave him a half-grin. “Daniel, we are friends,” he said. “I am offended that you see the need to lie to me about her.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I see how you look at her. I have seen the touches between you two when you think no one is looking.”

  Daniel stared at him for a long moment before breaking down into a smile. “Is it that obvious?”

  Caston laughed softly. “It is to me.”

  “Have you told Glennie?”

  Caston shook his head. “Not until I had confirmation,” he said. “It will break her heart, you know.”

  Daniel was still smiling because Caston was, trying not to look too embarrassed. “When you do tell her, tell her that Liselotte and I are… together. That way, she will not think this is something trite or temporary.”

  “Betrothed?”

  “Her father offered her to me in marriage before his death.”

  Caston nodded. “Now, everything makes so much more sense,” he said. “I have been wracking my brain, trying to figure out why you should work so hard to save this old fortress when you have no real connection to it. Now, I know.”

  “Indeed you do.”

  “I think I have known since the beginning.”

  Daniel slapped Caston on the arm and turned him towards the hall. “Then you are cleverer than I gave you credit for,” he said, watching Caston snort. “But let us put thoughts of women aside for now. What brings you back to Shadowmoor? Or did you miss me so much that you could not stay away?”

  They were nearing the open hall entry, smel
ling something very rare in the air. It had been a long time since the scent of freshly baked bread had filled the hall.

  “I came back with fifty more men bearing tools and more nails for repairs,” Caston said. “But I also came to speak with you about a few things. One subject I wish to speak with you about is the plan we had for confronting Bramley. Do you recall when we discussed that? I think we should do it sooner rather than later. Although he has been quiet since Lord Etzel’s death, I am uneasy with the silence. I feel as if the man is up to something. It would be better if we take the two hundred men I suggested and ride to Bramley to tell him to stay away from Shadowmoor or he risks bringing the entire de Lohr army down upon him.”

  Daniel’s manner sobered with the subject of Bramley. “I have been thinking on our plans to confront Bramley, also,” he said. “I agree with you – I do not like the silence, either. But we made those plans before Lord Etzel was killed. Now, he is dead and the man who killed him, his own son, admitted that he is allied with Bramley. It is my suspicion that Brynner left here and ran straight to Bramley Castle, where he has been ever since. Of course, I do not know this for certain but it is a logical assumption. My point is that I expected a surge from Bramley the first few days after Etzel was killed but there has been nothing, which leads me to believe he is planning something, mayhap even something very big. I am not entirely sure that riding there with two hundred men and threatening him would scare him off at this point. It might even agitate him.”

  Caston pondered Daniel’s point of view. “I understand what you are saying,” he said. “But if Bramley is planning something, shouldn’t you want to know about it?”

  Daniel conceded the point. “Indeed I do,” he said. “But rather than take an army with us, mayhap you and I should ride to Bramley Castle and see what we can see. Two carefully concealed knights might be able to see a great deal.”

  Caston rather liked that thought. “Agreed,” he said. “But if we see no build-up of an army that suggests a military offensive?”

  “Then we will take your two hundred men, ride to Bramley, and tell the man we’ll cut his manhood off if he makes one more aggressive move against Shadowmoor or Liselotte. And that includes emasculating his newest ally and murdering friend, Brynner. In fact, I wonder what his Uncle Henry would think if he knew the man was harboring a murderer?”

  Caston chuckled. “Will you tell Henry, then?”

  “I think I should.”

  Caston was satisfied with those plans. “Excellent,” he said. “Then we ride tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow it is.”

  With those plans out of the way, Caston moved on to the next subject. “Now,” he said, “the other item I wished to discuss with you is the coming tournament. Something has occurred to me.”

  “You are only now realizing that I will dominate you?”

  Caston laughed, without humor. “Nay,” he said, quickly sobering. “It occurred to me that you do not have any equipment for the joust. Were you only planning to do the mass competition?”

  Daniel nodded. “I travel most of the time and carrying a joust pole would be cumbersome,” he said. “Therefore, you are correct – I was only planning on competing in the mass competition.”

  Caston grinned brightly. “No more, my friend,” he said. “I have all of my brother’s old joust poles. We have twelve of them, in fact, so you are now going to compete in the joust.”

  Brighton’s joust poles. God, the irony of the Caston’s offer was unfathomable. But he forced a smile. “You are very generous,” he said. “But won’t your brother mind?”

  Caston shook his head. “He probably has twelve more down at Arundel Castle, where he is most of the time,” he said. “You were told he serves Norfolk, correct?”

  “I was.”

  “He is stationed at Arundel,” he continued. “My brother is hell on the tournament field. He is extremely aggressive.”

  Daniel hadn’t seen Brighton on the tournament field but he’d certainly seen him in a battle situation. He agreed with Caston’s assessment completely. “And you?” he asked. “You two are twins, after all. Are you identical in that aspect as well?”

  Caston shrugged. “My father says that even though we look identical, our temperaments are quite different,” he said. “I will admit my brother can be aggressive to the point of obstinate at times. He wants what he wants and will stop at nothing to get it. As children, he always had to best me in everything, to be better than I was all of the time. If I was better at him in something, then he would usually punch me. That is simply his nature. My nature is a bit more calculating and subdued. I can be as aggressive as my brother, of course, but I am more clever about it.”

  It was the first time that Caston had really talked about his brother’s personality and, suddenly, a great deal was making sense to Daniel. Even Caston was aware of Brighton’s extremely aggressive nature, something that had eventually cost the man his life. But it didn’t make Daniel feel any better to know any of this. In fact, it only made it worse because he liked Caston a great deal. He wouldn’t have hurt the man for anything.

  “Then I will have to be very careful in the coming tournament, especially if we are to joust against one another,” he said. “I do not want that calculating personality turned against me.”

  Caston merely shrugged and turned for the hall entry where the smells of food were luring him in. “Afraid?”

  Daniel grunted unhappily at the man’s assumption. “I will make sure you have a grand funeral once I am finished with you.”

  Caston laughed at his arrogance as the men headed into the hall. There were people milling about inside, the same servants that had been around when Etzel had met his death, only now they were not fearful or starving. With Daniel’s appearance, all of Shadowmoor was better fed and happier in general. Therefore, they greeted Daniel and Caston respectfully and one woman was already running for food to put on the table for them. Someone was pouring wine. As the knights sat, the servants were rushing to serve them.

  “So,” Daniel said as he sat down to a full cup of warmed, watered wine. “Tell me about these joust poles you intend to loan me. Are they in good condition?”

  “Most are.”

  “Are some of them rigged so that they will collapse the moment I come into contact with your shield?”

  Caston snorted into his wine. “You should not give me such ideas,” he jested. Then, he sobered. “To be serious, I brought the poles with me in the bed of the wagon. As I said, most are in good condition but a few could use some repair. The one thing we will need is fabric for banners; all of the banners have been stripped away. Whose banners do you intend to fly?”

  Daniel cocked his head thoughtfully. “De Lohr, of course,” he said. “Unless, to honor your father and his generosity, he would allow me to fly de Royans banners.”

  Caston tore apart a hot loaf of bread that was placed in front of him by a hovering servant. “My father would be honored but he thought you might want to fly de Lohr colors,” he said. “Unless you have any banners with you, we will need to make a trip to town to see if we can find fabric of a suitable type and color.”

  Daniel tore into his own loaf of bread. “An excellent idea,” he said. “We can go today to Siglesdene and see if the seamstress there has anything I can use. I wager that I could even pay her to sew the banners for me.”

  Caston nodded as he delved into his food. Daniel did the same. Their mouths were full when a small body wandered through the open entry and both knights turned to see that Gunnar was making an appearance.

  The boy was dressed in the clothes that Daniel had purchased for him, but since they were the only decent set of clothing he had, he had worn them daily since Daniel had purchased them and they were becoming rather dirty and worn. Gunnar spent most of his time in the stable yard with the goats and sheep, especially with his two pet goats, and the little animals had followed him into the hall. When Caston saw it was the youngest l’Audacieux child, he
glanced at Daniel.

  “Has he shown any signs of livening up since I left?” he asked quietly. “Has he even come inside to sleep?”

  Daniel watched the boy as he made his way to the fire pit, goats in tow. “Nay,” he responded softly. “Liselotte makes him go into his own bed nightly, but he gets up after she goes to sleep and goes out to find his goats. She will not let them into the keep and Gunnar seems unwilling to sleep without them.”

  Caston took a long drink of warmed wine. “His father’s death has hit him hard.”

  Daniel nodded slowly, watching the child as he sat down next to the fire and hugged his goats. “Aye,” he agreed. “He goes out to the area between the stable and the outer wall where generations of l’Audacieux are buried, where we buried Etzel, and sits near his father’s grave for hours. Liselotte says she has even seen him talk to the grave. He is having a very difficult time with his father’s passing.”

  Caston went back to his food, feeling some pity for the young boy without a father and a bedridden mother. The man’s death had affected the boy greatly. Only the goats had seemed to bring him out of his sad little world, which is why Daniel and Liselotte tolerated the goats in the hall from time to time. Even now, as Gunnar sat near the fire with his pets, Daniel didn’t scold him for bringing barn animals into the hall. He didn’t have the heart to.

  “Gunnar,” Daniel called out to him, friendly. “Will you come and eat with us? And bring your hairy friends.”

  Gunnar glanced at Daniel before returning his attention to the goats. “Nay,” he said. “I do not want to eat.”

  “Surely your four-legged friends are hungry.”

  Gunnar shrugged, scratching the black-and-white goat on the head. “I have named this one Mary,” he said. Then, he pointed to the all-white goat behind him. “That is Joseph. I heard a priest speak of Mary and Joseph, once.”

  That was as much as the lad had spoken since his father’s death and Daniel looked at Caston with a mixture of surprise and pleasure. “I see,” he said, wanting to keep the conversation going. “But I believe those goats are both male, Gunnar. I do not know how happy a male goat will be with a woman’s name.”