Conquered

by Kirsten Osbourne

  Roland stood and stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Where do you think you go?” She was barely conscious and already she was walking out the door.

  “To check on Father.” The look she gave him told him she was surprised he would even ask such a question.

  Roland shook his head. “You will not be allowed in your father’s chamber until I have had time to speak with him.” He pointed to the bed. “You will wait while I see if he is awake. I will also alert the servants that food is needed as soon as it can be brought here.” He touched his own stomach. He’d had no food yet, and was hungry as well.

  In the hall, he passed one of the servants carrying a large tray laden with food. “Please take it straight in. Christiana is awake, and my men and I are hungry as well.” He continued without seeing if the servant obeyed him, as only a man who knew the loyalty of the people around him would do.

  He entered the small chamber where they’d placed the girls’ father and sat at his side. “Lord Robert?”

  The man in the bed turned toward him, obviously weak and tired. “Who are you?” His voice was gruff with sleep.

  “I’m Roland Nobilis, your son-in-law and new lord of this manor and the lands surrounding it.” He kept his voice steady and unthreatening. The man before him was his father-in-law and would be treated with the respect due him. Whether or not he would be allowed to stay would be up to him.

  Robert looked sad. “I see. And my daughters?”

  “They’ve used every bit of strength left in them to heal you. The only one currently awake is Christiana.”

  “Which of my daughters is your bride? Christiana, I presume since the land is now yours?”

  Roland nodded. “My prize for fighting alongside King William at the Battle of Hastings was your daughter’s hand in marriage along with the land and manor she was due to inherit.” Although he knew the man had other plans for his daughter’s life, he also knew the man would understand she had done what needed to be done in time of war.

  “She was betrothed to one of my men.”

  “She told me she was. She no longer is. She’s now my wife.” Roland watched his father-in-law for signs the man was upset with him.

  “I see.” Robert closed his eyes wearily. “May I stay for as long as it takes to heal?”

  “I will not ask you to leave your daughters. If you will swear an oath of loyalty, you may stay for the rest of your days.” Roland knew his offer was unusual, but he was more than willing to give Christiana the gift of her father staying with her for the rest of his life.

  Robert gave a brief nod. “I was at the battle. There is no use resisting. William is the new ruler of England. I will swear loyalty.”

  “I will bring my two most trusted men so you may do so now, and then I will allow you to see your daughters.” Roland stood and turned toward the door.

  Robert closed his eyes and lay back onto the pillow under his head. “I will not go anywhere,” he said, in a feeble attempt at humor.

  Roland slipped out of the room and brought both Hugh and Charles back with him so they could all hear Robert’s oath of loyalty. As soon as his father-in-law had finished speaking his words, Roland and his men left the room. Hugh and Charles went to sit with Eva and Marina, but Roland brought Christiana back. He stood at the back of the room as his wife threw herself onto her father weeping.

  “Oh, Father. We were so afraid for your life. I was fearful you’d been killed at Hastings.”

  Robert’s arms went around his oldest daughter. “I was certain I would die, but Walter brought me back in one piece. He worked hard to be certain he brought me back to you.”

  Christiana buried her face in her father’s shoulder. “Does Walter know I’m married?” She was not ashamed of having married Roland, but she wanted to make certain she didn’t see the other man before he knew.

  Robert shook his head. “We heard nothing of you. We kept away from the roads, so we could make it here safely without meeting the Norman army on the route.” He stroked his daughter’s blond hair away from her face. “I will tell him.”

  “He will be angry.”

  “No, daughter, he will understand that you did what you had to do.” Robert looked at his new son-in-law standing at the other side of the room, and deliberately lowered his voice. “Does the Norman treat you well?”

  Christiana smiled. “He does. He protects me as if I’m a precious gem.”

  Robert hugged his daughter tightly. “You are a precious gem.”

  She laughed softly. “Only in your eyes.” She stood beside the bed. “Eva and Marina will wake soon. I must tell them you are awake.” She looked down with her brow furrowed. “Marina said you will live. Do you hurt?”

  Robert nodded. “I don’t want Marina wasting any more energy healing me, though. I need the three of you girls to remain strong.”

  “We are strong, Father. You’ve taught us to be strong.” She turned and hurried from the room.

  Roland moved from his place in the corner and stood looking down at Robert. “Your daughter will never be mistreated by me or anyone else as long as I’m alive. I want you to know that I will protect her with my life.”

  “I thank you.” Robert watched thoughtfully as his new son-in-law left the room. He wasn’t the man he’d hand-chosen for his eldest, but he seemed a good man, and that was good enough for Robert. He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep, preparing himself for the onslaught of his other two daughters.

  *****

  Roland left the manor to go speak with the men who had brought his father-in-law home to his wife. He took with him five of the men who had been guarding the manor walls. He strode to the middle of the men and stood looking out over them. One man came from out of the group and strode to speak with him.

  Roland looked the man up and down and held out a hand. “I am Roland, the new lord of this manor.” He kept his voice low but firm as he spoke.

  The other man had dark hair and eyes and didn’t have the natural advantage height had given to Roland. “I am Walter, trusted advisor of Lord Robert, true lord of this manor.”

  Roland raised an eyebrow at the challenge. “I have been given this land by the new king of England. If you have a problem with me holding it, you are more than welcome to go petition him on the matter.” Roland knew the man would never have the courage to go to King William. No resistor would.

  Walter shook his head. “What of my betrothed? Christiana?”

  “Christiana is my wife.” Roland carefully watched the reaction of the man before him, wondering what his response would be. He had known one day he'd come face to face with the man his wife had planned to marry. Christiana hadn’t seemed to have tender feelings for the man, but he may have had them for her.

  “Nay! She was promised in marriage to me by her father.”

  Roland shrugged. “Then you should have married her. She is now married to me.”

  Walter stood taller and glared. “You married my wife?”

  “I married my wife.” He turned to the other men, dismissing the man in front of him. “I am the new lord here. If you have any desire to remain in this area, I suggest you pledge an oath of fealty to me now. Otherwise, you may go.” He looked out over the small group of faces and watched as they began breaking camp in preparation for their departure. Roland turned back to Walter, who still stood glaring at him.

  Walter’s eyes shimmered with anger. “You will regret your words.”

  Roland simply met the other man’s gaze, not at all worried about what he said. “I will not.” Roland turned his back to Walter, fully aware that his men were watching Walter to make sure he did not attempt to hurt him. Once he was within the manor Roland shook his head. He’d made an enemy.

  Striding toward the stairs, he took them three at a time, until he was once again in his father-in-law’s chamber. Marina sat on the edge of Robert’s bed, mopping his brow. Christiana sat at his head and Eva at his feet.

  Roland stood and looked down at the man
. “Your men have all chosen to leave rather than swear loyalty to me.” He didn’t add that the men did not even inquire as to his well-being. Robert didn’t need to know what kind of men had been following him.

  Robert nodded. “They go back to rejoin the resistance.”

  Roland raised an eyebrow. “What do you know of the resistance?” Could he get information about the resistance from this man?

  “After the battle, I joined the resistance for a short while. I was injured during my first battle fighting with the resistance, and asked my men to bring me here when no one could bring my fever down.” He shook his head slowly, letting them know what he thought of having to ask his men to bring him home.

  Roland studied the older man. He’d given his promise of loyalty, and judging by the characters of his daughters, he trusted that promise. But how could he be certain the man wouldn’t try to return to the resisters? “And will you return to fight with them after you are healed?”

  Robert shook his head. “I will not. The resisters do not have any true plans or training. They have no need to resist simply because they believe another man should have been on the throne of England. Edward the Confessor asked that William of Normandy succeed him and William shall.”

  “Did you feel this way when you went off to fight?” Roland was surprised a Saxon would be so clear-headed about the idea of William leading his country.

  “I did, but I was sworn to follow the king of England. The current king was Howard Godwinson. I couldn’t go against him.”

  Roland nodded, happy to see the loyalty he felt for his king shining in the other man’s eyes. “Why did you join the resisters then?”

  “I didn’t want to. I planned to return home to my daughters as soon as I realized the former King had been killed, but Walter had other plans. When he joined the resistance, I had no way of coming home safely, because my men had been trained by him primarily, so they followed him instead of me. I fought with them, hoping I would be able to make it home by foot if we came close enough.”

  Roland was satisfied by the explanation he’d been given. “We will talk more about what you know of the resisters when you’re stronger.” He looked at Marina. “You may heal him a little at a time, in a way that does not exhaust you and your sisters. There will be no more healing sessions that take all of the energy of all three of you.”

  Marina nodded. “Now that I’m certain he’ll live, I will heal him a little each day. I will also still heal any minor cuts and bruises you can bring me to help my powers grow stronger.”

  Roland nodded. “Only one small cut per day and whatever you can do with your father without losing consciousness. Your sisters may help—but again, no one may drain themselves to the point of exhaustion.” Roland was never willing to see his wife lie as helpless as a babe again.

  Roland watched the emotions rambling across the stubborn young woman’s face, ready for a fight. When she finally nodded, he felt as if he’d just won a major battle. He walked from the room, his brother and Hugh following closely behind him.

  Charles grabbed his arm. “How did you get Marina to obey you that way? She never obeys anything I say.”

  Roland smiled. “I’m now the head of her family.” He walked away with a smug expression on his face.

  Back in the room, Marina turned and glared at Christiana. “I can speak for myself without your words in my head constantly.” She folded her arms across her chest.

  “You were speaking with my husband, and we all know he wouldn’t have been satisfied with any answer but the one you gave him. You would have caused me to have to fight my husband. My input was very necessary.” Christiana glared right back at her younger sister.

  Robert lay back against his pillows, his wound having just been healed by Marina, not all the way, but enough to relieve more of his pain. He felt better than he’d felt since before he’d left the manor to fight the Normans, maybe not physically, but his spirits were definitely higher as he saw how his new Norman son-in-law dealt with his three spirited daughters. “I wondered how it was you agreed so quickly, Marina.”

  Marina sighed. “Father, I really wish you would tell your eldest daughter to stay out of my head.”

  Robert laughed, the sound echoing through the room and delighting his daughters. “I can see now you’ve not been mistreated. The Normans are a good match for you young ladies.” A frown came over his face. “I only knew of Christiana’s marriage, though.” His eyes traveled from Marina to Eva. “The two of you have married as well? Or are only betrothed?”

  Marina shook her head as if outraged. “We are neither of those things! The Normans are pigs, and we would not marry them if they were the last men in England.”

  Eva just smiled at her sister, knowing she meant every word, and would continue to mean them for at least an hour. “We are not yet betrothed, Father, but Roland has promised Christiana that he would allow us to have a say in the men we do marry. We will not be used for political alliances as Christiana was.”

  Christiana nodded, a smile crossing her lips. She had been used for a political alliance, but she was quite certain everything had worked out for the best. She’d had no desire to be a pawn in England’s war, but she was happy she’d married a good man. He may never love her, but he would always treat her well, and she knew she was falling in love with him a bit more every day. How could she not love a man who gave her father the opportunity to remain a part of their lives instead of forcing him to go? Who would allow her sisters a say in their future husbands? A forward-thinking man like Roland was exactly the one she needed for a husband and father for her children.

  Robert caught the look on Christiana’s face, and his smile widened. “You have made a good match, daughter. You did well to marry him and accept your circumstances without trying to fight him every step of the way.”

  Christiana nodded slightly, her face glowing with pleasure. She had done very well for herself by marrying the enemy. She only hoped her sisters would do just as well for themselves when they married. She realized then that Roland hadn’t told her what was said when he spoke with her father’s men. She’d seen them talking to him from atop the wall when she’d gone outside for a breath of fresh air.

  She closed her eyes and concentrated. “Roland? What did father’s men say to you when you spoke with them?”

  Roland’s thoughts came back to her, a mere whisper. He was still unpracticed in this form of communication. “They have left to join the resistance. We allowed them to leave, but if we see them here again, they will be met with our swords.”

  Christiana’s face fell. She’d hoped the men would stay and join Roland. “And Walter?”

  “Do you love the man then? Did you lie to me before?”

  “I have no love for the man, but I’ve known him my entire life. What became of him?” She told the truth. She didn’t love the man, and truly, he’d always left her feeling uncomfortable, but she didn’t wish his unhappiness.

  “He chose to leave, leading the resisters. He did not even ask after your father. Once he knew we were wed, he was finished with this place.”

  Christiana sighed. She’d expected little else. “He was angry at our marriage?”

  “You want the man to be eaten up with jealousy, wife?”

  “Of course not. I hoped he would simply move on and forget about me.”

  “He has moved on.”

  “Thank you for telling me, husband.”

  Christiana returned to the conversation her sisters were having with their father, all of them rejoicing at being together again. She smiled as she listened, but inside, she was still worried about the coming battle. Whatever or wherever it was, it was coming soon. And they were not prepared. Not nearly as prepared as they should be.

  Chapter Ten

  Walter stood glaring at the back of Christiana’s new husband. He needed Christiana’s powers, and those of her sisters', to take control as he’d planned. With the crown of England so precarious, he’d planned years
ago to marry Christiana to use her power. Now his plans had come to an end. He must get Christiana, and he must be able to take control of her sisters.

  The other resisters knew nothing of his plans, but they were happy to follow him when he yelled over and over that a Saxon should be on the throne of England. “Only a Saxon should rule England! The Norman usurper must be destroyed!”

  Walter had been born knowing that there was true power in the Howard family. His grandfather had been descended of druids and had told him he was the future king of England. He’d raised Walter from a boy and had taught him the ways of the Ancient Ones. With the knowledge Walter had, he knew the only way to truly take the power he should have was to join forces with a woman who had as much power as he did. The only woman whose power even began to rival his own was Christiana. So she must be his bride.

  He worked with the other men packing up their camp outside the manor walls. The only good that had come out of his conversation with the Norman had been finding out that Christiana was alive. He briefly contemplated taking one of the younger sisters for his bride, but he needed the strongest and seeing them together just once had been enough to tell him she was the strongest.

  It would never work for him to take on anything but the best and the strongest, because he was the best and the strongest, and deserved to have a wife to match him.

  Once they got into the forest to set up camp again, he pulled Ethelred from the group. Ethelred was a young man who was just eighteen and very eager to help. He came from his grandfather’s household and held a bit of power of his own. Of course, nothing like what Walter had, but enough that he would be helpful. He was a slim, young boy with dark hair and brown eyes. He wouldn’t be noticed.

  “I need you to go back to the Howard estate and present yourself as a peasant needing work.”