Rafe returned to the camp at dusk with the bitter knowledge that Lord Kyule was lost to him. It was not precisely that he wished for revenge, that he would have taken pleasure in killing his enemy. It was that he hated knowing that there was someone out there who would harm his kin as a means to hurt him. It was not only himself that was in danger now, but his father, his mother, Esme and Aisly, Finan and Leofric, Rand and Eda, Daegmund and Anlaf and, of course, Adele. Until Lord Kyule was dead anyone with whom Rafe had friendship was marked for his wrath.
He dismounted, throwing his reins to Kenric, and made his way to Finan’s tent. The hum of voices became more distinct as he neared. The light from the fire dazzled his eyes and for a few moments he stood on the threshold blinded.
“Rafe!”
It was Leofric’s voice and he turned, blinking against the light.
“Hello, Fricka.”
His was so intent in his search for Adele that at first he did not see his father.
“You look tired, Rafe,” Lord Brogan commented.
A few quick strides and Rafe was on his knee before his sire, Lord Brogan’s hand clasped tightly in his.
“What do you do here, sir?”
“I am come to see what problem takes my son so long to resolve,” answered Lord Brogan with a smile. Rafe looked towards Leofric.
“How much have you told him?”
“Only that which I knew, which was not so very much,” returned Leofric.
“Did you find him?” asked Rand eagerly.
Rafe shook his head and, held out a hand toward Adele. She stepped forward and Rafe pulled her to rest against him, laying his cheek briefly against her hair.
“You are tired, Finn,” she murmured.
“A little,” he confessed. “I wish you to take notice, Adele; I have returned safely, just as I promised I would. I told you I would take care, did I not?” He turned back to Rand. “Kyule made for Mercia’s border; once he was on King Aethelbald’s lands there was little we could do.”
“A clever scheme to go to King Aethelbald for protection, he has much information that will be of use to Mercia,” mused Lord Brogan.
“’Tis more than that, sir; Rand is here because it became known to him that a Lord of Wessex wished to kill both me and Adele. Lord Kyule has planned this for some time.”
“Why? Why would he wish you dead, it still makes no sense to me,” broke in Finan.
Rafe sighed wearily.
“I believe that mostly it is because he resents the power and influence that Valrek wields. He seems to think that we have been treated with an unfair favour.” Rafe nodded toward Lord Brogan. “You remember, Father, how Lord Kyule came to Prince Aedelred’s and my aid during the battle of Calis?”
Lord Brogan nodded.
“Yes, of course; it was his bravery that earned him his position as adviser to King Ine.”
Rafe rubbed a hand against the rasping growth of the day old beard upon his chin.
“He seems to think his valour was not adequately repaid and I was favoured above him.”
“Great goodness, why?”
“Because Adele was given to me and not to him. He said that we had grasped at the power her lands would give us and demanded Calis for ourselves.”
Rafe was acutely aware of Adele’s presence leaning trustingly against him, listening as the vile insinuation escaped his mouth.
I see,” answered Lord Brogan, observing the fact that his son would no longer meet his eyes. “I do not understand why he should wish to have killed Adele, however.”
Rafe shook his head.
“I cannot see that he ever meant to; I think that rather he wished to have her himself.”
For a moment there was silence.
“I think, my lords, that it is time that Eda and I retired.” Adele made to pull away from him, but Rafe would not permit it. She looked up, eyes questioning.
“It would please me if you would stay. There is nothing that will be said in this room that you cannot hear, Adele, nothing that I wish hidden from you.”
Adele’s soft gaze rested on him for a moment before she nodded, a slight smile lightening her face as she relaxed back into his embrace.
A hush descended in the tent. It stretched on for so long that Rand almost decided to leave, despite the fact that the tent was his quarters. Leofric developed a hazy idea of setting out to find his father, even though such an action could only end badly. Before either of them could put these plans into action, Lord Brogan spoke.
“Is there something you wish to ask me, Rafe?”
Rafe turned from his contemplation of the floor, his wretchedness of spirit visible upon his face.
“Why did you betroth me to Adele, sir?”
Complete stillness greeted this question, and Lord Brogan weighed his every word carefully before he spoke it.
“I need you to believe that, first and foremost, it was for her safety, to give her a home where she would be properly looked after.”
“But that was not the whole reason?”
Lord Brogan sighed, shaking his head.
“No, Rafe; it was not the whole reason,” he answered wearily. “Kingdoms exist by a careful balance of power, for power corrupts and if one person possesses too much, chaos ensues. Even a king has limitations to his power; he must rely on his lords’ allegiance to him to keep his kingdom and his kingship safe. That means that he must keep his lords’ happy. More than anything the role of king is of mediator, not of dictator. If his lords’ do not find his rule pleasing, then they will remove the kingship from him and give it to another.” Lord Brogan paused. “At that time there was much unrest against King Ine because he would not declare war on Mercia for their harbouring Lord Targhe. Lady Adele needed protection and, as she had no family left, the only way that she would remain safe was to betroth her in to another noble House. However, once she married, her husband would take control of her lands.”
Lord Brogan sat back in his chair, his eyes firmly fixed on his son.
“Now if the family into which she married wished to pursue war with Mercia, with the power of two Houses behind them, they could rip the kingship from King Ine and establish a new king who would declare war on Mercia. Of the Houses that offered for Lady Adele, there were only three that were suitable. Drogand, who had made it plain that they wished to go to war. Kyule, who said whatever seemed most favourable to the person he was talking to, or Valrek. We were the only ones whom King Ine could trust not to turn upon him. As an already powerful House, giving us Calis would seal enough power in his favour so that, should it come to civil war, he would be victorious. That is why your suit was accepted above all others, Rafe.”
“Why not marry her to Prince Aedelred?”
“Because King Ine could not be sure that his son would resist the temptation of being king in his father’s stead.”
“Why did you not tell me this before?”
“Because it did not matter,” responded Lord Brogan. “These are the secondary considerations; the most important thing was always Lady Adele’s safety.”
Rafe nodded, but his face was still troubled. Lord Brogan reached out and placed his hand upon his son’s shoulder.
“You should get some sleep, Rafe,” he counselled. “Things will seem much clearer in the morning.”
Rafe nodded but remained standing before his father, determination in his stance.
“I wanted to tell you, sir, that you were right and I should have listened to your advice,” confessed Rafe. “Much trouble did come from my deceiving Adele, just as you said it would.”
Lord Brogan gifted his son with a warm smile.
“It takes a brave man to admit his mistakes. You are a son to take pride in Rafe and I am proud of you, more so in this moment than I can express.”
------
Rafe did not immediately head for his quarters in Leofric’s tent. He was very tired, but the events of the day were still too large in his mind for him to surrender
to sleep. Adele had voiced a wish to retire and he had immediately risen to escort her. Rand was following with Eda, but had shown enough understanding to take a different route to their shared destination.
Adele sighed and snuggled closer against his warmth. The air around them was cold and Rafe could feel her trembling.
“The day has been eventful, Finn.”
Rafe nodded his agreement as he ran a hand lightly up her arm.
“Too eventful.”
“It vexes you that Lord Kyule managed to evade capture, does it not?” questioned Adele gently. “Think you he will cause yet more trouble?”
“Such hate as he possesses will not fade. He will continue to cause what trouble he may.”
Adele shivered again.
“Have no fear, sweetheart; I will kill the man who thinks to hurt you.”
Adele shoved against him playfully.
“I have no fear for myself, Finn, how many times must I tell you that? I know you will keep me safe. I worry only for you.”
Rafe was so pleased by this assurance that their progress through the camp was halted for some considerable time.
“Adele, you were not upset by my father’s words tonight, were you?” he asked gently.
“Why should I have been?”
Rafe shook his head.
“I wondered if you would perhaps believe it was your lands that I covet, rather than you yourself.”
In the darkness she could not see the grin she heard in his voice.
“Despite your constant assurances otherwise?”
“I never said…”
“No, you do not leave such important matters to mere words.”
Rafe sighed regretfully.
“Words rarely help me to express the things I feel, Adele.”
She rested her head against his shoulder.
“I had noticed, and I am glad of it.”
“You are?”
Adele smiled at the surprise she could hear in his voice.
“The saying of such things is only easy if one has had much practise. It pleases me to know that you have not spoken such things often.”
“Ever,” corrected Rafe.
He felt Adele’s arms tighten, drawing them closer together.
“Good.”
There was a blissful quality to her voice, and Rafe felt rather proud of himself for being responsible for her good humour.
“Finn! What are you…?”
She never finished the question, but found herself lifted from the ground and silenced. After a moment though, Rafe pulled back.
“I do not mind you calling me ‘Finn’ sometimes, Adele. Indeed…” He smiled, pressing his lips to her forehead. “I have noticed that you only do so when we are pleasantly engaged. However, do not dare call me by the wrong name when we take our vows. I do not need every one thinking that you would rather have had Finan.”
Adele laughed light heartedly and leaned even closer to him, a feat he had not thought possible, to slide her arms around his neck.
“I promise you; the day we wed no one will have any doubt as to my perfect satisfaction with my groom.”
Rafe grinned and touched his lips to hers.
“Good.”
The End
Epilogue
Dear Reader,
So many were the consequences of Calis; lives lost, or changed by an unforeseen chain of events. Family loyalties were redirected, their fortunes made more, or less, certain.
Promises had been made, some never to be kept. You ask, Dear Reader, of the promise for which this book is named. Yet I fear the answer would depend upon whom you asked. Countless promises were made in the aftermath of Calis, promises of protection, of hate and retribution, and also of repayment.
Even after the battle had ended it inspired and brought about many new promises; of love, of friendship, and of a finish.
It is, therefore, for you to decide the promise of this particular tale.
And yet so many promises, so many stories, so many secrets are yet untold. Which, Dear Reader, would you have me regale you with next?
Lady Quill
The Vow
The Lady Quill Chronicles
Book 2
Finan of Gournay had fought his entire life to protect the House of Valrek from her enemies. After the loss of Evoric, he had vowed never to lose another brother.
Esme of Valrek had loved Finan since childhood. All she wanted was for her friend to regain the happiness that his family missed so much.
When Valrek is betrayed by one of its own, Finan and Esme find themselves thrown together.
Can Finan come to realise that, despite the loss he has suffered, his life needn’t be the prison he has made it?
Broken City
BROKEN CITY SERIES
Deeta Richards has never seen the outside world. Before she was born a banking crisis brought civilisation to an end, and now no one leaves the safety of the compounds unless they need to. Yet, Deeta still dreams of seeing more than the building she was born in.
Tom is in the guard, this group are the only people that the tribal elders allow to leave the compound and Tom knows only too well that Deeta could never survive the harshness that exists outside.
When tragedy strikes Deeta and her sister Jan find themselves captured by a hostile tribe.
Why does Tom know so much about these people? And why do they know so much about him?
As this mystery draws to a climax, they discover that their friend Tom is not quite what he seems...
Fracture
The chronicles of discord
In a world torn apart by war, three nations stand divided.
The Free Nation
Senator Burton and his son Ben arrive in the Tula Strongholds for peace talks, but find that a treaty between the two nations has a price. Confronted by a world of sedate tranquility the two men are appalled to learn that the Tula Council rules with and iron rod of fear and repression. The Council removes anyone who dares to stand in the way of their reforms, and Ben uncovers a secret that puts his life in danger.
The Tula
Astra has been pressured in to working for the very Council that threatens to kill her loved ones. No stranger to loss, the precariously balance world she has constructed begins to fracture when Ben starts asking questions about her past. As her deepest secrets are uncovered, Astra finds there are mysteries in her childhood that even she is unaware of.
The Una
Kai is Apprentice Headman to the Una people. Unaccountably called upon to sacrifice his honor in the name of peace, Kai’s hatred toward this injustice proves all consuming. If the time comes, will he be able to forgive the woman that betrayed him?
When these three worlds collide ugly truths come to light on every side. Is there any way to make peace, or will the world end in discord?
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