“Content? I daresay I am. I have seen wars and I have been a knight for many long years. I have sailed to different countries and fought to protect this land. I was lucky enough to be married to a wonderful woman, and though my dear wife has passed on, I am happy to have married and loved her for so long. I would say that qualifies as contentment.” Grace nodded and forced a weak smile. “The question is, are you?”
“I am not sure these days. I was happy for a while in Glenbard, but it was short-lived. A few of the people there hate me now that they know I am a noble in exile, and they wish to see my head on a pike as a warning to other nobles who dare to hang around with commoners like they belong. And there are people who constantly cause me trouble, even when they are trying to help. It can be such a dangerous and unforgiving place.”
“I see, but it will pass, Grace. If you like living in Glenbard, you should return some day. I would love for you to stay here with me, but I don’t think that is what you want.”
“Henry, you have been a good friend to me despite everything, and although I wish I could stay, I know one day before long I should head back. I am not sure how my return is going to be taken. I was driven out for a time because of...” she thought for a moment, “unpleasantries. I wonder how long I can survive in such a place.”
“It sounds like Marcus, Ridley and Jim would like to see you come back and would keep you from harm.”
“But there is someone else, and I don’t think he will be so happy. He alone provides plenty of reasons for me not to return. He is a bitter, resentful man who used to be a stable boy for King Frederick. Perhaps you know him? He says he was the best one the King ever had, though somehow I doubt it.” Henry raised an eyebrow and waited for Grace to give him a name. “Do you know Jack Anders?”
Any sign of a smile washed away from Henry’s face. He stared at Grace with his mouth gaping open like a newly caught fish. “You said Jack Anders?” Grace nodded slowly, not sure what the name could possibly mean to Henry. He was a lord, while Jack was merely a stable boy. “He told you he was the King’s best stable boy?”
“He said he was the best thing that ever happened to the court.”
“Jack certainly wasn’t lying about that. But he really told you he was a stable boy? Oh, Jack.” Henry shook his head and groaned a little.
“He wasn’t a stable boy, then?”
“Jack was no stable boy, though I am not surprised that he lied to you or that you could not tell who he really was. He is nothing like his father or his brother, but I had no idea he was still around Glenbard. I would have gone to see him if I had known.” Henry was now talking more to himself than Grace.
“Henry?”
“Grace, Jack Anders is Tristan of Escion’s older brother.”
~*~*~
As summer moved along, the people across Cesernan gathered in the temples of Ciro to bid the Sun King to continue his good fortune and not speed winter along. A week-long festival was held in his honor, and now the last day of the festival drew to a close.
Ridley sat next to Marcus in the temple of Ciro and listened to the priest drone on. She could not have cared less; she was only thinking of what to say to Jack, who was seated in front of her.
The Princess of Thieves was still angry at Jack for making Grace cross before she left. Whenever Jack was in earshot she bemoaned that Grace was the only girl close to her age to hang around the Angel in many years, and now she was gone. Jack just ignored her whining.
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Ridley hissed in Jack’s ear.
He turned his head a bit so she could catch his profile, and then he rolled his eyes. “Will you let it die already? Grace is gone and you harping on me is not going to bring her back.”
“You could go to Egona and apologize. You know where she’s at; her note implied as much. You were a stable boy for the King! Surely you know this Henry fellow and can get in to see Grace.”
“You want me to ride to Egona and apologize? You want me to take the time and energy to go there? Certainly you can wait until Marcus deems it safe for her to come back.”
The sun priest finished speaking for the day and dismissed those in attendance; bidding them to be careful at the festival. The people herded themselves out to fill their bellies with festival food and enjoy the crooked games the traveling merchants set up. Ridley moved fast to leave Jack’s presence, but Marcus made sure to get close to him. Marcus’s man, Thom, hung back a few steps as the men moved out into the streets.
No merchants were allowed to peddle their goods in the temple district, but they could be heard all the way from the marketplace. Some merchants were able to survive for a whole year on the profits they made during the festival to Ciro, so they called loudly and frequently to passersby.
“Marcus...” Jack started. He thought the King of Thieves would have spoken before now, but he did not. “How fares the lower city today?”
“Don’t play the fool, Master Anders. You know I sent Grace away in hopes of moving my man out of hiding. But he is cool and calculating when he needs to be, and it seems he will just sit back and wait now.”
“Majesty?”
“He’s not going to be drawn out because our girl is gone. Perhaps I can trust you and Ridley to retrieve Grace from her hiding place?”
“It is quite possible, but why give a care for a stable girl like Grace? She’ll not make a fine wife for your thieves. She’s on the straight path.”
“Kings before me have done some wicked things, but I’m not a man to break my oaths. And vigilantes come in all sizes, even little stable girl sizes. I could use the extra set of eyes.” Marcus picked up his pace and became lost in the throngs of people with Thom close behind.
Jack stepped off to the side and into an alley. Not only did Marcus know about Grace’s secret, but he had somehow guessed Jack knew it too. Jack rubbed his temples. This gave him a headache he didn’t need, but it did explain Marcus’s interest in keeping Grace safe. He swore a blood oath to The Death Dealer and it fell on him to keep her safe, whether in her executioner garb or not.
But how much did Marcus know? If he was able to sort through Mac’s lies then he would be able to guess the scoundrel killed his cousin, yet he didn’t make a move against him. That was puzzling. The depths of the King’s knowledge couldn’t be guessed, and Jack wondered if there was more to Mac and his plans than Marcus wished to let on. He couldn’t be certain of his allies, not when Mac was sending rushers of his own out to harm friends of the Guild.
Now he was recalling Grace back to Glenbard. Either he thought Mac was more interested in something else or he wanted her return to be widely known so Mac would move quickly. Jack couldn’t be sure, since he had no knowledge of Mac or the patterns of his thinking. Marcus said that although he was calculating, he could lose patience. Was Marcus going to dangle Grace – a frustration of Mac’s – before him to draw him out? Jack disliked the idea that she could be hurt in a game of thieves. Still, he wasn’t about to contend with Marcus. The King wouldn’t bring harm to his friends if he thought he could fail, and there was no telling what Marcus would do if Jack tried to cross him.
~*~*~
Grace sat by the fire while Henry paced around his study. The two had moved from the dining room to the study to avoid any interruptions from the servants. Grace fidgeted in her seat, anxious to hear what Henry had to say.
“His birth name is Jonathan Mullery of Escion, but we all called him Jack. He was King Frederick’s best knight. Even Benjamin of Salatia could not best him in the practice ring, although they never formally competed in tournament. Jack never saw a tournament after gaining his shield, but I assure you Jack would have been the champion. And he was nothing like his father or brother, whom you have already met. Tristan’s father is too much like Frederick in that he refuses to compromise and follows anything the King says, even if it is folly. Courage, like that which you showed, foolish though it was, was still worthy of
note.” Henry gently patted Grace’s hand as he said this, to soften his message. “But as I was saying, the man keeps several mistresses and his poor wife lives in misery. Tristan follows closely in his footsteps, and it grieved me to know that he had set his sights on you.
“But Jack – Jack was far nobler than that. He was the apple of his mother’s eye, and he felt women had more of a place in the world than simply bearing children. He looked for an intelligent woman who could educate their children and not just bear them. How he loved and respected his mother. She was a loving and brilliant woman who deserved better than her lot in life. I was glad to know Prince Drake looked up to Jack, and there is still hope that Drake will not turn out like his father and Jack will be able to return to court if he wishes it. However, Jack was cast out in disgrace. No one even speaks of him anymore, unless it is behind closed doors and far from certain ears.”
The name of Jonathan Mullery was not completely unknown to Grace. She had heard Calvin speak it in whispers to her uncles, but until now it was just a mysterious name that heralded bad things. “What happened to him? Why was he cast out?”
“The Lady Danielle of Sera; a snake disguised as a lady. Jack fell in love as soon as he laid eyes on her. When Jack was about seventeen, still naïve in the ways of love and the world, she came from Sera with many lords to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of His Majesty. It was to be a celebration of good faith between our kingdoms. Jack did everything to win her heart and she barely glanced his way…until she found some wicked use for him and his willing heart.
“Danielle longed for a very precious piece of jewelry that was owned by Katherine of Actis. An heirloom of Katherine’s house, a beautiful emerald pendant that was the envy of most women in court, she treasured it. Danielle begged Jack to steal it for her, along with much of Katherine’s allowance from Actis, and then she promised they could run away together. The gold would ensure their passage to the Nareroc Islands and give them a great life there. Or so she told Jack. Blinded by his love, Jack did the unthinkable. He stole from Katherine and presented the jewels and gold to Danielle.
“She took them but refused to run; saying Jack was ‘just a silly boy.’ He was hurt and confused by her actions and begged her to keep her promise, proclaiming his love and telling her it would kill him if she did not marry him. But Danielle refused. Jack shook her by her shoulders and continued to beg, however she just sent him away and took the stolen gifts for herself.
“Later that night, the guards came to arrest poor Jack. Danielle claimed he stole the jewelry and tried to buy her with it, and when that failed he threatened her life, even striking her. Other lords have taken poor peasant girls, but the fact one had gone after a noblewoman was appalling. Those from Sera demanded Jack be beaten, and some even suggested execution, but Frederick hated to waste Jack’s life, knowing how good he was in battle. If our country were to go to war, a soldier like Jack would be very valuable. It would be a waste to destroy a man like that. The King also knew Sera was just looking for an excuse to strain their relationship further.
“So I spoke on Jack’s behalf and begged the people to listen to reason. I knew Jack would never commit such crimes and many others did too, but no one spoke up. Danielle spoke, saying that though there was an attempt against her virtue, Jack did not succeed and she was relatively unscathed. Jack did not even bother to defend himself. Eventually Prince Drake came forward. He said he witnessed everything that transpired, and that Jack shook Danielle for her treachery and screamed at her, but did nothing else, rather he stormed off to lick his wounds. Following the courage of His Highness, the lady's maid also came forward, saying she was instructed to lie on Lady Danielle's behalf. Finally Frederick released Jack from the court and stripped him of his inheritance and claim to Escion. The act was to assuage the delegates from Sera, because his own father would not have cared if he had been killed.
“Jack begged to be executed, saying he could not live in such a world as this. But Frederick felt it was more of a punishment to send him away. Jack’s mother tried to stay in contact with him, as did I. We would sometimes go in disguise to see him in Glenbard or wherever he was. That was all of seven years ago, and we have not heard from him for over two years now. I was beginning to think he left Cesernan altogether. I must send word to his mother. It will warm her heart to know her eldest son is alive.”
Grace hung her head in shame. She judged Jack so harshly, and he had already suffered far more than she. Luckily her infatuation with Tristan didn’t lead her down the same twisted, dark path Jack’s love of Danielle brought him. Henry let her sit in silence for a few minutes; guessing her thoughts and hoping she would not be too hard on herself.
“I should return to Glenbard and make amends.”
“I hope you stay a while longer here. I enjoy your company and would hate to lose the companionship you have brought here. Besides, isn’t your friend going to send someone to fetch you when he deems it safe? Don’t rush back just yet, my dear.”
Henry smiled warmly at her. Grace knew he had been kind to her, letting her stay with him even though if any from court found out, he would be disgraced for sure. But she did feel a longing for Glenbard. When she first arrived to Henry’s, she didn’t ever wish to return. Yet now she thought of how she judged Jack too harshly and how much she missed Ridley’s carefree nature. She even missed old cranky Mayhew. Still, Marcus said he would retrieve her when the time was right. Best to stay where she was until then.
~*~*~
Grace awoke the next morning to find Henry gone. A servant informed her that while the master of the house left on an errand and would be gone some days, he requested Grace stay and wait for him to return. She wanted to return to Glenbard, but she had to thank Henry for his kindness first. She was going to have to find ways to keep herself busy until he returned.
She sat alone in Henry’s great library, reading what she could. She had never cared much for reading or for any of her other studies, for that matter. Her Uncle George saw to it that she was well-educated, but nothing seemed to stick. However, being there in the library sitting amongst Henry’s books from countries around the world, George would have been proud. As Grace pulled down a book from Archon, she began to understand why her uncle was so in love with the written word.
The histories and adventures written in the numerous scrolls and great leather-bound volumes provided a pleasant, momentary escape. They were nothing compared to life beyond their pages, yet she saw how it was possible for them to provide clarity and maybe even guidance. Spending hours among the books made Grace long for her Uncle George so he could continue to teach her. She might even pay attention this time.
From Archon, Grace read of a great battle that took place in the famed Ninia Valley. The battle took place before what was known as the Great Alliance was formed. In this valley between Sera and Archon, invaders from Sera fought across the northernmost reaches of Archon with a force of men that outnumbered Archon’s by three to one. Sera’s victory was expected to be swift, but a young prince from Archon refused to accept the defeat of his homeland and he fought. He fought like a man possessed, and the day was his. Sera was beaten back and Archon remained a sovereign nation.
This victory didn’t seem so uncommon. From all Grace learned, Eurur had faced these odds before, as had some of the eastern kingdoms. Since history was often repeated, was it possible someone like The Death Dealer had existed years before Grace first donned her executioner’s hood? Grace laid aside the book and thought this over. It was a heartening thought.
~*~*~
Henry was picking along the road to Glenbard. He had seen no one yet and sorely missed a friendly face and a nice chat, which just showed him how used to comfortable living he had become. He packed for a journey and saddled his horse well before sunrise, because he wanted to be off toward Glenbard before Grace woke. He needed to see Jack alone. Now as Henry took to the road, he wished he had remembered a bed roll. No doubt he would be
spending a few lonely nights out under the stars with naught but a thin blanket.
Ahead of him, two riders were coming up the road. One of the riders stopped his horse and watched Henry. There was something familiar in the scene, but Henry couldn’t quite place it. The horse and rider were too far away to make anything out. The second rider stopped and glanced back at his partner.
“Hello there, fellow traveler! Any news of the road ahead?”
The first rider laughed and began to trot his horse forward. “As I live and breathe, Lord Henry of Egona.” The rider signaled for his partner to hang back.
“Jack Anders!” Jack stopped before Henry. “And Pilgrim, old boy.”
Jack smiled at Henry.
“I see Pilgrim is well taken care of. He really was the King’s finest. Too bad he did not show it as a colt. He would probably be Drake’s horse by now if he hadn’t been such a scrawny handful back then.” Henry looked upon Jack and saw the same knight he knew so many years ago. Such honor and renown suited Jack. “I am happy to see you, boy. What brings you on this road?”
“I think you know.”
“I am surprised. Ever since leaving us at court, you haven’t been one to go trying to make amends with anyone. What makes you come this time?”
“Who said anything about trying to make amends?”
“You don’t fool me, Jack.”
Jack shrugged. “I think this time an apology is in order. I’ve been wrong every step of the way with Grace, and my friend sent me along with his adopted daughter to retrieve her.”
“It is not entirely your fault. You were hurt by a woman of the court, but not all women are like Lady Danielle. Grace certainly isn’t.”
“She really isn’t like anyone, man or woman, that I’ve ever met. Fighting as a knight – now there’s a step of idiocy, but it does take skill. And to think that if Daniel were still alive, she would never even know how to handle a sword.”
“Don’t speak of that to her. She remembers her father as a noble man, not a close-minded brute. I know better than anyone that Grace’s father would never have let her learn to use a weapon, even if her life depended on the ability to protect herself. He would rather have her killed than wield a sword. I am thankful Sir Leon had more sense than his older brother and made sure Grace could defend herself. It is best to let her keep the memory of her father intact.”