Romantic Legends

by Kathryn Le Veque

  “Nay, not forever,” Avalyn looked at him. “But for the time being. Are you so eager to have a new liege, Barton?”

  St. John lifted an eyebrow. “It does not matter what I want, but what is right.”

  “And is it wrong for us to keep this news from my uncle? Considering all the man is and all you know him to be, what do you think he will do?” When Barton didn’t answer fast enough, she continued. “I shall tell you what he will do; he will find a new husband for me within a few weeks at most. Guerdley Cross will cease to be an Aubrey holding and will be passed over to a rich baron or earl, or even a French mercenary. You know that my uncle has dealings with those men, too. Slimy creatures with foul habits and even fouler ethics. If that is the case and I am forced to marry someone else, then any child Charles and I might have will not inherit Guerdley Cross and the Aubrey name will cease to exist. In fact, any child born as a result of my marriage to Charles will more than likely be sent away to foster, probably never to be heard from again. Have no doubt that this could very well be the case given the greater implications of my uncle’s dealings and the wealth of this holding. Is this something you would wish to see?”

  It was a passionate speech. By the time she was finished, Barton was gazing at her intently. His big arms were crossed, his blue eyes serious. After a moment, he slowly shook his head.

  “Nay, my lady,” he said slowly. “It is not.”

  It was Avalyn’s turn to cock an eyebrow. “Then you must trust me that it is best if no one knows of Charles’ passing but those of us in this room.”

  Barton drew in a long, contemplative death. He looked at William, reading his expression, before turning back to Avalyn. “If that is your command, Lady Aubrey,” he said quietly. “I will obey it.”

  Avalyn stared at the man a moment before rising to her feet. She made her way over to him, laying a soft hand on his big arm. Her golden eyes were sincere. “I know you do not like this, Barton,” she said softly. “I know you are a man of truth and honor. But your world has always been one of following orders and upholding the knightly code. I come from a world where men would manipulate God himself in order to have their ways known. My uncle is such a man. Surely you know that.”

  He met her gaze. “I do,” he said quietly. “And I do not disagree with your command. I said that I would obey it.”

  “I know you will. But I want you to understand why. It is for Charles’ sake as well as mine. My uncle will erase the Aubrey name from this earth if he finds out I am a widow in control of Guerdley Cross. Everything Charles held dear will belong to another. I would like to hold that off if I can.”

  Barton just looked at her, trying to figure out if her motives were self-serving or if she was truly being self-sacrificing. Perhaps it was a little of both. He could not blame her. “And I shall help you, my lady.”

  She patted his arm gently. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Now, where did you put Charles’ body?”

  “I left him in the chamber, my lady,” he replied. “Where would you like me to move him?”

  She moved away from Barton, back towards the fire that was now starting to blaze. “Is there another place to keep him? Somewhere secure until we can arrange a secret burial?”

  Barton thought a moment. “There are several places I can think of off-hand,” he replied. “Perhaps it is best to wait until dark before moving him, however.”

  “Agreed,” she said. “I would now have you ride to St. Helen and tell the priest what has happened. Swear the man to silence in exchange for a large donation. Tell him we will have to bury him in the utmost secrecy and make arrangements for that time and place.”

  “Aye, my lady,” Barton was already moving for the door. “Anything else?”

  She shook her head. “Not that I can think of. Go about your business.”

  Barton was gone, leaving Avalyn and William alone in the solar. William just stood there, staring at her delicate profile. He took a timid step towards her. “Are you all right, Avalyn?” he asked softly.

  She looked over at him, her eyes growing moist. “I am fine,” she whispered. “He never touched me.”

  William’s eyes widened. “What?”

  “He never touched me,” she repeated quietly. “We talked a long while. Then… then he never got the chance. It was over before it began.”

  “But you told…?”

  “I know what I told him. I had to. William, Charles told me that he was physically incapable of performing as a man. He said that he had been that way for years. He was terrified that I was going to tell my uncle and that Uncle Richard would have the marriage annulled. So to tell Barton a slight untruth… it saves Charles’ manhood to the world. Perhaps this child was conceived for a reason and perhaps everything happened as it did for the greater good. This child will be born an Aubrey and will know all of the wealth and benefits that Brogan could never provide.”

  William understood a great deal. “How noble of you, my lady,” he said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. “You never cease to amaze me.”

  She smiled weakly, her features pale in the growing light of the room. She moved to the lancet windows, gazing at the awakening bailey beyond. The sky was amazingly clear, none of the fog that was so usual. It was going to be a lovely day.

  “William,” she said softly. “Will you do something for me?”

  “Anything, my lady.”

  A soft breeze caught her chestnut hair, lifting soft tendrils around her face. “I want you to go to London and find Brogan.”

  The smile faded from his face. “Why, Avalyn?” his demanded quietly. “You cannot possibly be thinking to bring the man back here to marry him.”

  She turned to look at him. “Nay,” she said, her expression laced with sorrow. “To marry him would only bring unimaginable chaos to our lives. I understand that now. We were simply not meant to be together. But I will never stop loving him, William. I want you to go to London to see if he is all right. I just want to make sure.”

  “He is a grown man,” William was on the verge of snapping at her. “I am sure that he is fine.”

  “Please, William?” she moved towards him, her eyes beseeching him. “Please go and make sure. And if you happen to speak with him, tell him… tell him that I am well and that the marriage happened. But do not tell him about the child. No matter what, you must not. Is that clear?”

  William couldn’t help it; he rolled his eyes at her. “What purpose will this serve? Let the man heal. Seeing me again will only remind him of what he lost.”

  Her eyes filled with tears, spilling over onto her pale cheeks. “The night we met he was planning on killing himself,” she whispered. “Did you know that? His wife had died, his son had died, and he was so stricken with grief that he could no longer stand the pain. I’m terrified he might try to do the same thing again. I could not live with myself if that happened.”

  William softened, though only slightly. “It is not your fault if he does. You cannot take responsibility for d’Aurilliac’s actions.”

  “But I do not want to contribute to a man’s death,” she was beginning to cry. “Can you not understand my concern, William? Surely you understand what it means to love someone and care about what becomes of them?”

  His blue eyes riveted to her as if her questions startled him. He stared at her a long time, the agitation evaporating from his manner. He finally wiped a hand over his face wearily.

  “I understand,” he muttered, with more emotion than he should have. “I have watched you nearly destroy your life over love of this man and I was unable to prevent it. I’ve watched you go through Hell simply to be near him and cursed myself for enabling such things to happen. Aye, I understand what it means to love someone, for I have loved you as long as I can remember.”

  Avalyn looked at him, her eyes wide with his admission. Now it was her turn to be startled. She’d always known his feelings for her but had never thought to hear him utter those fateful words.

 
“Oh… William,” she whispered. “I do not know what to say.”

  He lifted his eyebrows in resignation. “You will say nothing,” he said evenly. “But you will remember, when the time is right, that I am of good moral character and of noble background.”

  Her wide eyes took on the most astonished twinkle; he could see it. “But you’re a knight,” she said simply.

  He crossed his big arms. “My second cousin is the Earl of Leamington and my mother was the only child of the House of Hyssington, hereditary lords of Evesham. When my grandfather dies, I shall inherit the lands and title. My noble lineage dates back further than yours, my lady.”

  “Are you suggesting that….?”

  He cut her off. “I am suggesting that when I return from London, you and I are going to sit down and have a nice, long discussion.”

  She wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. “Are we going to negotiate a contract?”

  His jaw ticked and he uncrossed his arms. “I am finished watching you make a fool of yourself,” he growled. “When I return from London, I am going to do all of the talking and you are going to do all of the agreeing. Is that clear?”

  She began to realize that he was deadly serious. “I cannot believe my ears,” she said softly. “It is too soon to speak of such things. I’m surprised you would broach such a subject considering the events of the past few days.”

  “Now is the perfect time. I can’t spend all my life watching you jump from one husband to the other. And I’ll not hear another word of argument from you or I will take you over my knee as I should have done back in London when this whole mess started.”

  “But.…”

  “Not another word, Avalyn.”

  She looked at him with surprise; it was the first time William had ever talked to her in such a manner. It was strong and authoritative. She began to think of the man she had known so long, his unwavering devotion and uncanny wisdom. He had sacrificed more for her than he probably should have and his continuing loyalty to her was the one thing in this world she could always count on. Aye, she had always counted on him. William had always been there for her when no one else had been.

  William watched her for a moment, his jaw ticking and his big hands working. It seemed as if he was waiting for her to continue arguing with him, or at the very least politely contradict him, but she remained silent. Her only response was to lift her eyebrows. He lifted his in return, just to show her he meant business. After a moment, he turned on his heel and marched from the room.

  Avalyn did not see him again for three weeks.

  Epilogue

  1478 A.D.

  Guerdley Cross

  Avalyn stood with her arms folded across her chest, looking with much displeasure upon a boy of seven as he ran after a younger blond-haired boy. The boys had wooden swords and it was evident that the older child was attempting to end the life of the younger one. Unable to condone the terrifying chase, she called out to them.

  “Ty!” she said, watching the lads grind to a halt. “You will cease terrorizing your brother.”

  Charles Tygor William Aubrey, whom they had called Ty since birth, was a very large boy for only seven years of age. With his chestnut colored hair and deep blue eyes, he was already an extremely handsome lad and was quite often taken for a child several years older. Standing next to him, his younger half-brother by two years, Boone, scratched his white-blond hair as if unclear why his mother was concerned.

  “But… Mam, we were playing a battle,” Ty explained. “Boone is Edward and I am Richard de Neville.”

  She almost cracked a smile. “So you would chase him all over the yard?”

  Ty smiled, a bright, toothy gesture. “Of course. Father says that Edward is a coward!”

  Avalyn couldn’t help the smile on her lips now, her gaze moving over the bailey in search of her husband. He wasn’t hard to find; standing near the gatehouse in discussion with Barton, William caught her gaze, even from a distance. He could tell just by her body language that she was perturbed. Leaving Barton with a short word and a smirk, he made his way over to his wife.

  “My lady?” he greeted formally, though there was a grin on his face. “Do you require me?”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Did you tell your sons that Edward was a coward and that it is honorable to chase a frightened man all over the field of battle?”

  He drew close, his round blue eyes soft on her. His hand found its way onto her back, affectionately, as he formulated his answer. “Hmmm,” he said after a moment, scratching his chin. “I do believe I only told them the truth. But Barton filled their heads with tales of glory. You can blame him.”

  “And you did not stop him?”

  William shrugged. “They were good tales.”

  Before Avalyn could reply, a tiny figure with white-blond hair rushed past them, swinging a little wooden sword. Avalyn’s mouth popped open in shock and outrage as three-year-old Drury Inglesbatch went on the offensive against his two older brothers. Ty raised his sword to protect himself as Dru chopped on him.

  “Dru!” Avalyn gasped as William moved to intercept his youngest son. “Stop attacking your brother!”

  William was trying hard not to let the boys see him smile as he picked Dru up, still swinging the sword. He put his hand up, stilling the toy before it came too close to his head. Rushing up on the toddler’s heels came a flustered Noe.

  “Druie!” she gasped, then looked between William and Avalyn. “Forgive me, my lady. He woke up from his nap and ran off. He tried to stab me when I attempted to stop him.”

  Avalyn cast her youngest son a long glare; Dru was by far the most aggressive of their four children, an excellent quality in a knight but a not-so-excellent quality in a child. Still, he was an affectionate joy when he wasn’t being an unholy terror. She opened her mouth to reprimand him but a soft coo caught her attention; in Noe’s arms lounged a very contented baby of eleven months with her mother’s golden eyes and her father’s brown hair. Forgetting about her naughty son, Avalyn smiled at the Lady Willow Inglesbatch and took her from Noe.

  “Well,” she said, her gaze gentle on her daughter. “At least I have one child who will not be out swinging swords and chasing cowards.”

  William kissed his son loudly on the cheek and finally set the boy down when he began to howl. Though he admonished the lad to leave his brothers alone, Dru nonetheless went back to hacking at them and they were forced to defend themselves. Soon a full-scale melèe erupted. Avalyn merely shook her head.

  “I give up,” she said to her husband. “Since you filled their heads with tales of glory, you can stay and supervise this… this madness. But if any one of them comes back to me missing an eye or sporting stitches, I will take it out on your hide.”

  William smiled broadly, bowing compliantly before pulling his wife and daughter into his arms and kissing them both. His lips lingered on Avalyn just a little bit longer, moving from her cheek to her neck to her mouth.

  “I promise,” he murmured, kissing her soft lips again. “No blood or injuries.”

  She lifted an eyebrow at him, gazing into the face of the man she could not do without. “You’d better.”

  He released the woman reluctantly, watching Avalyn as she carried the baby back towards the keep. There were still times when he had trouble believing the turn his life had taken. Before he lost himself in too much reflection, Boone got a piece of Dru and the three-year old screamed. William turned back to his battling boys, concerned that Dru now had a scratch on his arm as the result of his brother’s sword and wondering just how mad Avalyn was going to get.

  But he didn’t particularly care; her anger didn’t last long. He was always able to calm her down. Taking Ty’s sword with the intention of inspecting a split in the wood, he ended up the target of Boone and Dru’s bloodlust. When the boys realized a wooden sword would not get far against their father, Ty tackled him, took out his legs, and the other two jumped on him.

  Avalyn glanced over her sh
oulder as her husband and three boys rolled in the dirt of the bailey. With a grin, she turned around in time to see Barton approach. She shifted the baby and pointed to William.

  “You had better go and help him,” she said. “’Tis your fault he finds himself under attack.”

  Barton smiled broadly; he and William had become the best of friends over the past several years and he considered William’s boys his own. Any hostilities he had ever felt about Avalyn were long gone; he clearly adored and respected her.

  As she pointed, he shook his head. “Nay, my lady, I do not intend to enter into that mess,” he said, reaching out for the infant in her arms. “But I will hold the baby.”

  She shook her head. “She must be fed. I don’t suppose you can do that.”

  His seeking hands came to a halt and he put them up in surrender. “Nay, Lady Inglesbatch, I cannot. I suppose I shall go and help your husband, then.”

  He was off. No sooner had he gotten in range of the snarling mess of males than Ty spied him and took him out by the knees, too. Avalyn and Noe winced as the big lad pounced on his chest.

  “Oh my,” Noe exclaimed softly as Barton grunted. “Ty is such a big boy. Surely he will hurt Sir Barton.”

  Avalyn cast a glance at Noe; she knew that the pale woman held feelings for Barton, but Barton seemed more interested in Thel. In fact, he had been interested in her for a couple of years, but the knight was too reluctant to progress much further. He did not know of the Sirens background and neither Avalyn nor William had ever told him; to Barton, Thel was simply a dark-haired lady in waiting, someone with a pretty face and a good deal of wisdom. Avalyn suspected that very short Guerdley Cross would see another wedding, but she did not push the issue. Her husband had told her not to.

  Noe went inside before Avalyn, wanting to clean up the mess in the chamber shared by the children before their mother got there. The day was soft and cool, with a light sea breeze snapping the banners overhead. William had commissioned his own banners shortly after their marriage and the blue, gold and white of Inglesbatch now waved proudly alongside Aubrey’s crimson. Because Ty carried the Aubrey name, they continued the Aubrey banners out of respect to the boy. The Neville banners which had once flown over the fortress were long since vanished.