CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Gallus, Maximus, and Tiberius entered the cathedral, without mail and without weapons. They were in simple clothing, tunics and leather breeches, clearly making a statement. In fact, they were attempting to convey that they were not a threat. They were easing into a group of men with weapons, indicating they would not fight. It was a symbolic stance as well as a necessary one.
They were making a clear statement to Henry.
However, they were not foolish; entering the cavernous hall and into two groups of heavily-armed men, they paused far enough away so that if the swords began to fly, they wouldn’t get caught in the melee.
Gallus’ gaze moved over the men standing for him; Curtis, Bose, Davyss and Hugh, Chris, William, and even Chad, although Chad was standing halfway between Curtis and Henry. Then his gaze fell upon Alessandria, in Henry’s grasp with a dagger at her neck and blood on her skin. He sighed faintly.
“Let her go,” he told Henry. “Let her go and we will speak.”
Henry was shocked to the bone to see Gallus and Maximus and Tiberius standing not far from him, weaponless. He immediately let go of Alessandria and thrust her towards Chad, who caught her easily. Chad picked her up, sweeping her away from the men with weapons, as Henry turned to de Serreaux.
“Take them,” he ordered. “They have no weapons. You can easily take them now and we can be done with this.”
Curtis, Bose, and the others moved swiftly to surround Gallus and Maximus and Tiberius, preparing for the fight to come, but de Serreaux didn’t move a muscle. He simply looked at Henry.
“I think not, Your Grace,” he said. “They have come under the guise of peace and without weapons. I will not attack men without weapons.”
Henry’s eyes widened. “What’s this?” he demanded. “Insubordination from you, too?”
“If being honorable in this situation means insubordination, Your Grace, then I suppose it is the truth.”
“You have gone mad!”
De Serreaux’s gaze lingered on him. Then, he moved away from the king and took up station directly in front of Gallus in a completely shocking move. The leader of Henry’s Six was making it clear that he did not agree with the king’s order or even his stance, and there wasn’t one man in the cathedral that wasn’t astonished by the move.
Henry’s Six were loyal to the death, so in de Serreaux’s move, the obvious statement was there – de Serreaux had spoken of Henry’s madness, of the man’s lust for vengeance, and he had lamented it. He was a man who valued honor above all else and in this case, he’d been given an order that he saw as completely dishonorable. There was nothing more he could do than follow his own heart in the matter.
He would not obey the command.
“These are ethical men, Your Grace, and they are attempting to negotiate with you,” de Serreaux said. “I have served you flawlessly for years, Your Grace, and I can honestly say that this is the first time I have seen you forget your honor. Your madness to punish those associated with de Montfort has made you question those around you. You insult all of us with your lack of faith. De Lohr and de Winter have tried to tell you that. They have tried to tell you that this mad vengeance against the House of de Shera is not only unnecessary, it is unhealthy. Look, now; the Earl of Coventry and his brothers have come to discuss peace with you and still you seek to harm them. Is it not better to have their strength behind you rather than destroy it? These are men of great honor, Your Grace; treat them as such and they will treat you with the same. At some point, you must stop the vengeance and begin to trust again.”
De Serreaux’s words rang out in the cathedral, filling every man there with a sense of truth and justice. Even Chad and Alessandria, standing back in the shadows, were filled with pride for the words spoken and, in Alessandria’s case, a sense of understanding. She was coming to see that Henry, as great as he was, perhaps simply didn’t have a grasp of what normal and good men feel.
Years of war, of betrayal, had taken their toll on the man. While she should have been angry with him for trying to hurt her, she found that she pitied him. Henry had been a king his entire life; survival, in any form, was all he knew.
“You are still the captive of de Montfort, still being betrayed and hunted,” Alessandria said, her soft voice causing the men to turn and look at her as she stood back in the shadows. Chad tried to stop her but she waved him off, gently, and stepped forward to address the king. “I thought I could help the situation by surrendering myself to you, Your Grace, but I see that I was wrong. I did not understand that the situation was much more than you simply needing a hostage. Your Grace, I have spent the past two weeks at Isenhall Castle with Gallus and Maximus and Tiberius and their families. These are true and good men, men that only want to love their wives and children, and live in an England that knows peace and prosperity. I believe we all want to live that way. Can you not see that the men around you do not want to betray you? They understand something you do not, something I did not until only recently – some things are worth fighting and dying for. Love and family are worth fighting and dying for. I have never known that kind of love before. Will you not at least listen to Gallus and Maximus and Tiberius? They are here because they are trying to protect their world, just as you are. You need not fear them. You must listen to them and understand them. Will you not do this, Your Grace?”
Such true and noble words, spoken by a young lady who had a rather naïve view of the world. But it was a true view. She spoke not from the point of politics or loyalties, but from the heart. Chad, who had initially tried to prevent her from speaking, was very proud of what she had said. He reached out to take her hand, gently pulling her into his embrace, as Henry’s gaze lingered on her dark red head. Something she had said resonated with him…
You are still a captive of de Montfort.
Perhaps she was correct. Perhaps he was still being hunted and betrayed, enough to see that kind of fault in the men around him, men who had proven their loyalty to him over the years. It wasn’t a feeling he could easily be rid of, he knew that. But he also knew that men he was viewing as betrayers were not, in fact, turning against him. He had caused that with his own bitterness and paranoia.
Perhaps there was truth in what the lady said, after all.
Henry’s focus moved to Gallus.
“Someone once told me that men cannot change overnight,” he said, glancing at Curtis. “Did you not just tell me that?”
Curtis nodded vaguely. “I did, Your Grace.”
Henry’s gaze lingered on Curtis a moment longer before turning to the group, to Alessandria as Chad held her protectively. He was coming to feel foolish and struggling not to. He didn’t want to lose his warlords, his friends, but his need for vengeance was great. Yet, perhaps his need for peace was greater. There was that possibility. He took a long, deep breath before turning to Gallus.
“You said that you promise to lay down your arms against me,” he said. “Do you mean that?”
Gallus, who had been looking at his rather astute little cousin, returned his attention to the king. “I do,” he agreed. “My brothers and I have had a long discussion. We all agree that we cannot keep going as we are. Something must change. We are willing to lay down our arms for the time being if you will simply leave us in peace.”
“And your loyalties?”
“Give us time, Your Grace. We all want to see a better and stronger England, much as you do.”
Henry folded his arms, wrinkling his fine tunic. He eyed Curtis, Bose, and the others before speaking. He even eyed de Serreaux. “I must trust you and you must trust me,” he said to Gallus. “How are we to do this when all we have ever done is fight one another?”
Gallus sensed that, perhaps, he actually had the man’s attention. It was a surprising realization. “I am a man of my word, Your Grace,” he said. Then, he looked to the men around him. His friends. “Men I trust have sworn loyalty to you. That means they must trust you. If they can trust you, then
mayhap I can as well.”
Henry sighed, looking at the collection of men that was no longer poised to fight. He had to admit that he liked them better this way. It was a struggle to force that anger away, to subdue the vengeance that he’d been feeding off of. But he knew that if he didn’t, he would lose everything.
“If you promise to no longer fight against me, I believe we can come to an equitable arrangement,” he finally said. Then he spoke with irony. “If I do not agree with you, then I can see it will only cause trouble. You have many friends who are willing to defy me in order to support you.”
Gallus looked to the men around him, men who still had their swords drawn. A wry grin creased his lips. “They are good men, Your Grace,” he said. “They are men I would willingly die for.”
“As they would evidently die for you.”
Gallus eyed the king, his men, and the crown soldiers who were now standing around looking rather confused. From the threat of a fight one minute to the discussion of peace the next, they weren’t sure whether to wield a sword or sheathe it. The mood of the conversation was ebbing and flowing, with the king no longer entirely agitated over what was transpiring. In fact, he seemed to be calming a great deal, but a measure of confusion in his expression lingered.
Truth be told, Gallus was still confused, too. He wasn’t entirely sure this was what he wanted to do or even if it was the right thing to do. He still had his convictions. But his wife, as well as his brothers, has asked that he at least try. For their sakes, he was willing to. He still couldn’t stand the sight of the fair-haired, gangly man several feet away who ruled England, but that didn’t much matter. He had family and friends to think about. Much like Henry, it would be a mess if he didn’t agree to least try.
“Would you accept Isenhall’s hospitality, then?” he finally asked Henry. “I have some very fine wine from Spain that should keep the conversation flowing nicely.”
Henry shrugged. “I do not believe I have much of a choice,” he said. Then he pointed at de Serreaux. “Come back to me where you belong. We are going to Isenhall to feast.”
De Serreaux immediately lowered his sword and went back to Henry’s side, but his dark eyes were glittering with mirth. They all saw it. That caused Curtis to grin, followed by de Moray, as the older men ordered the youngers to lower their swords.
They were grins of relief and of understanding; understanding a stubborn king who had a difficult time compromising. But he had. Davyss and Hugh, weapons now placed back in sheathes, moved to Henry’s side once more but the king looked at them both with disapproval.
Still, he didn’t say anything. He was simply glad to have a de Winter by his side again and didn’t much consider Davyss’ recent stance against him a failure of loyalties. Deep down, in the jumble of his convoluted mind, he understood.
He wished for such loyalty from his friends and men, too. All men did.
It was an oddly peaceful and quite conclusion to what could have been a battle for the ages. It was better than any of them could have hoped for. As the group began to filter out of the cathedral into the dawn of a new day, Chad and Alessandria remained behind.
For them, the conclusion had greater meaning. Even though it was a situation that had consumed them for weeks now, in the case of the Lords of Thunder, it was a situation that had been a part of their daily lives for the past several years. Now it was over and there were no dead bodies on the ground. That very fact still had Chad reeling.
“I would not have believed this entire happening had I not seen it with my own eyes,” he said. “Did you have any idea that Gallus and Max and Ty were coming in behind you like that?”
Alessandria, still looking a bit shocked, shook her head. “I rode all the way from Isenhall and never saw them,” she said. “If they saw me, they certainly made no attempt to contact me.”
Chad shook his head, baffled. “Amazing,” he muttered. Then, he squeezed her, still in his grip. “And you; what you did today… were you truly going to turn yourself over to Henry as a hostage? Why would you do such a thing when I worked so hard to keep you from him?’
She struggled not to feel foolish. “When you said that Henry was coming to Isenhall, I thought you were trying to spare me the real reason,” she said. “I knew he was most assuredly upset because you had taken me away so I thought… I hoped… that if I turned myself over to him, he would no longer be angry and try to raze Isenhall. I was trying to save the lives of the people that I loved, including you.”
His smile turned gentle. “You love me?”
She flushed deeply, averting her gaze. “Did you not know that, Chad?” she asked. “You are a brilliant man. Surely you knew.”
He shook his head, grinning. “Tell me,” he murmured in that deep, raspy tone she loved so well. He pulled her closer. “Let me hear it in your own voice.”
Gazing up into his handsome face, Alessandria realized this was the moment she had been waiting for her entire life. Up until a few minutes ago, she was fairly certain she would never have the opportunity to tell him what was in her heart. Since that drunken night they’d spent together when the two of them became one, and she had realized her love for him, she’d never had the opportunity to tell him. Perhaps this was the moment as it was meant to be, telling her of her love for him even as she had just attempted to prove it.
“I could not let you face Henry if there was any chance I could save you,” she whispered, feeling warm and giddy. “You – and all of your friends and family – have been so very kind to me, Chad. Your father and mother and sister were very kind. Even your knights were kind. Gallus and Tiberius and Maximus and their wives have been gracious and generous. They are my family, Chad – I have never known family in my life, ever. Not with my father or my brother, yet with these strangers – and with you – I have known more love and happiness than I have ever experienced in my life. Of course I love you. I cannot remember when I have not loved you.”
He stroked her cheek gently, deeply touched by her words. “And you loved enough, and were unselfish enough, to give yourself over to a man who would hold you hostage.”
She nodded. “If it would save you, I would do it a thousand times over.”
His smile deepened and he bent down, slanting his lips over hers. It was a kiss of pure magic, of pure joy, and as the sun continued to rise and the sky turned from blues to pinks, Chad held Alessandria against him, cherishing the feel of her in his arms. He would never be without it.
“Even if you did not tell me that you loved me, your actions have told me so,” he told her, kissing her forehead. “I love you, Aless. I will love you for always and forever, until the sun ceases to rise and the stars fall from the sky. Even then, I will continue to love you. There will be no end to what I feel for you.”
His words warmed her soul. “Then you are not angry that I came?”
He shook his head. “Nay,” he admitted. “Your motives were pure, as is your heart and your soul. I am a fortunate man, indeed.”
She smiled, vastly relieved. It was a tender moment between them but it was interrupted by people entering the cathedral as Matins approached, and the priests were beginning to filter in as well. They were up by the altar, preparing for the coming mass. It was no longer just their private moment.
“Mayhap we should leave now,” Alessandria said, indicating the incoming throng of worshippers. “Mayhap we should return to Isenhall.”
Chad looked around, noting the people, but he was mostly interested in the priests. An idea occurred to him and a faint smile creased his lips.
“Not so fast,” he said. He nodded his head in the direction of the altar, far across the hard-packed floor of the cathedral. “We were denied a marriage last night. Mayhap we should speak to the priest while we are here.”
“Why?”
“So he can marry us now, of course.”
Alessandria’s eyes widened. “Now?” she asked. “Will you ask him to marry us this morning?”
Chad�
��s answer was to wink at her. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the front of the church where two brown-robed priests were preparing to intone the mass. The priests shied away from Chad somewhat, considering they had seen the entire confrontation with Henry and several other knights. They recognized Chad as having been part of that group but when Chad explained his wants, the priests didn’t seem so wary of him. At least he had a genuine purpose for being there. Then, a generous donation of coinage made the men of the cloth plainly eager to do Chad’s bidding.
Finally, Chad would have the wedding he wanted.
Therefore, as the sun crested the horizon in the east, shining its great and golden glow across the land, Chad and Alessandria stood at the great Norman entry to St. Mary’s Cathedral while the canon, a man who knew the de Shera family well, intoned the wedding mass as another priest, several other acolytes, and about half of the town of Coventry watched. The questions were asked of the intended couple, the responses given, and once that part of the ceremony was completed, Chad and Alessandria followed the priests into the cathedral to finish the mass.
Theirs was a relationship that had started in a priory and now came full circle in a cathedral, and Alessandria thought it was all quite perfect. Nothing could have been more heavenly or more appropriate. When she finally left the cathedral later that morning, it was as Lady Thorndon, wife of Lord Thorndon. Her husband, a worthy man from a fine family, collected his steed from the livery across the street and returned his new wife to Isenhall Castle. The lady’s extended family, upon hearing the news, threw a grand feast for the occasion in which the King of England, a man who had once been their mortal enemy, was an honored guest.
All things happen as they should, Alessandria thought as she watched Henry and Gallus and her husband, as well as a host of other knights, drink fine Spanish wine long into the night. It was a surreal experience, to be truthful, and a glorious feast, an unexpected ending to a most unexpected day.
The one thing that was expected, however, was her new husband’s behavior when he’d had too much wine. With all of that rich red wine flowing, it was only a matter of time before the breeches came off and strains of Tilly Nodden could be heard.
England's Greatest Knights: A Medieval Romance Collection Page 91