Chapter Twelve #4
“As long as it doesn’t get back to de Royans or affect his command, but I wouldn’t go around announcing it.” When Paris continued to look dubious, William pointed a finger at him. “If I am willing to do it, then you should be willing to do it.”
It was a compromise Paris would have to make.
He was just about to say so when the solar door swung open and Tristan appeared, followed by Addax.
Kieran stood up as the three young knights faced the lord who had given them a last chance to serve together.
Tristan made his way over to his table, eyeing the three big, strapping men.
Powerful young swords for Wrexham.
“Welcome, good knights,” he said to Paris and Kieran. “I suppose William has already told you why you’ve been summoned?”
Kieran was the first to speak. “Not yet, my lord,” he said. “We’ve not seen one another in quite some time, so the greetings were long.”
Tristan folded his enormous arms over his chest, looking over the trio. “No doubt,” he said. “Has he at least told you what my expectations are?”
“That we did manage to discuss, my lord,” Kieran said. “No wrestling, no gambling at the castle.”
Tristan looked at the intensely serious young knight who was, quite frankly, broader and more muscular than any man he’d ever seen in his life. “And you feel that you can uphold these requirements?”
“Aye, my lord,” Kieran said. “We will do what you ask of us.”
Tristan believed him. He seemed honorable enough. His gaze moved to the blond with the pale eyes and comely face. He, too, was big and muscular, but leaner muscle in his case. “And you?” he asked. “You’re de Norville, aren’t you?”
Paris nodded smartly. “Aye, my lord.”
Tristan looked him over for a moment. “I served at Pelinom Castle for a couple of years,” he said.
“We saw some action with Northwood Castle, as I’m sure you know, because you were there.
In one battle at the River Tweed with Clan Gordon, I seem to remember someone trying to drown an English knight, and you cut the offender’s head off. ”
Paris nodded. “He was trying to kill my trainer, my lord,” he said. “I was not going to allow that to happen.”
“And you,” Tristan said, turning to Kieran. “I remember a squire getting involved in the same skirmish and breaking a man’s neck with his bare hands before using a severed arm to beat down his friends. That was you.”
Kieran nodded without hesitation. “I was caught behind the line without a weapon, my lord,” he said. “I was forced to improvise.”
Tristan looked at Addax, who fought off a smile at the resourceful but deadly young knight. That caused Tristan to break into a grin and shake his head.
“It was bold and imaginative of you,” he said. “It was at least three years ago.”
“Five, my lord.”
“How old were you?”
“I was nearly thirteen years old, my lord.”
That caused Addax to break into a soft snort, amazed and amused by such a story.
“By the looks of you, I imagine you were taken into battle as a young child, and you did quite well,” he said.
“I have spent a good deal of time in the north, Hage. I know of you. I know of your companions. You are the next generation of great knights, but you lack one thing.”
Kieran turned his attention to the fearsome man. “What is that, my lord?”
“Discipline.”
“That is true,” Tristan said. “I will not pretend I have not heard of your antics, all of you. I will not pretend that I did not relay terms to de Wolfe as to the cost of reuniting you. If he had not already told you, he would have. I expect nothing but good behavior and obedience. Give me that and we shall all get along fine. Deviate and I will deal with you personally. Is that clear?”
“It is, my lord,” Kieran and Paris answered in unison.
Tristan nodded. “Excellent,” he said. “But I will also make you a pledge on my part. Since I have not been in command of you when your antics have taken place, you will start with a clean slate with me. But one wrong move, as I said, and my trust will be at an end. Fair enough?”
The three of them nodded. “It is fair, my lord,” William said quietly. “We will not fail you.”
Tristan looked at all three. While William and Kieran seemed resolute, de Norville looked as if he had something more to say.
In fact, he did.
“I will not fail you, either, my lord,” he said.
“But we are young. We are allowed some entertainment of our own choosing when our hard work is done. As long as it does not affect you or the Wrexham army, and as long as it does not occur in the castle grounds, may we at least know a moment of relaxation in a tavern and mayhap a roll or two of the bones?”
He seemed confident and a little loud—arrogant, even—but he hadn’t said anything unreasonable. Tristan didn’t think so, anyway, but he didn’t want de Norville thinking he would be forgiving should they slip back into old behaviors.
“I do not care what you do when you are not on duty and have my permission to go into town,” he said. “But one failure, one offense, and there will be no second chance. Use my words as your bible when planning your recreation and do what you feel is correct. Am I making myself clear?”
“As rain, my lord.”
“That is good,” he said. “Now, I am hoping we may move to a more pleasant subject. Or, at the very least, a more important one. The reason why I agreed to let de Wolfe bring you here.”
“Then there is a reason, my lord?” Kieran asked.
Tristan nodded but was precluded from answering when there was a knock at the solar door and it swung back on its hinges.
Andromeda scurried in, leading a convoy of servants who were carrying food and drink into the chamber.
Tristan quickly pushed aside some of the clutter on the table so they could put down trays of warmed beef, bread, cheese, fruit, and watered wine.
They were swift and efficient, and when they darted out of the chamber, Andromeda smiled politely at the men and moved to follow the servants, but Tristan stopped her.
“My lady, wait,” he said, reaching out to take her by the wrist and pull her over to where the men were standing. “Good knights, allow me to introduce you to Lady Andromeda de Courcy. She will answer to Lady Andie. She is my chatelaine, and a more efficient woman you will never meet.”
He let go of her wrist and smiled at her as she dipped into a curtsy for the knights. “Good men,” she said. “Should you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask. When you are ready to retire, I have had your chambers prepared.”
Everyone was being distantly polite to her except for Paris. He took a few steps toward her, pushing past Kieran, as he went to speak to her.
“My lady,” he said in a tone that bordered on seductive. “I had no idea there was such beauty in the wilds of Wales.”
Andromeda eyed him. “There is beauty everywhere, my lord, if you will only look for it.”
He smiled, a rather dashing gesture. “I have,” he said. “I see it now. You have made this duty far more pleasant already. Mayhap we can speak later, and you can tell me of your upbringing. I am interested in such things.”
Andromeda wasn’t intimidated by him, but she clearly didn’t appreciate how close he’d come to her, nor the tone he used.
He was brash and young and conceited. She knew how to handle men like that because there had been plenty of them in Ireland, and, being a pretty girl, she’d run into her share.
Not only that, but working in the tavern in Ruabon all those months had taught her a thing or two about being assertive with bold men.
Best to establish the rules from the start.
“Further discussion between you and I will be unnecessary, my lord,” she said, smiling prettily.
“But I can tell you that I was raised in a fine home where we were taught manners and how to be respectful to people we have just been introduced to. I can see you did not receive the same lesson, for if you ever address me in a tone like that again, I’ll ensure the next dish you eat is full of mud or horse droppings.
Mayhap that will remind you not to be so bold with a woman you have just met. Do you understand me?”
Paris’ eyes widened and he straightened up. “I meant no disrespect, my lady.”
Andromeda continued with her lovely smile. “Surely not,” she said in a manner that suggested she was mocking him. “You would never do that, would you?”
“Nay, my lady.”
“And certainly not in front of the man I am betrothed to.”
Paris’ head snapped to Tristan, who was gazing back at him steadily. Knowing he had put himself in a very bad position, Paris threw his hands up and backed away, about as far as he could without actually going through a wall.
“My apologies, my lord,” he said, eyes averted. “It will not happen again, I swear it.”
The smile never left Andromeda’s face. “I’m certain it won’t,” she said. “Now, if you will all excuse me, I have duties to attend to.”
With that, she quit the chamber, leaving smirking faces and one frightened knight in her wake. Through it all, Tristan couldn’t have been prouder. Paris, and the rest of the young knights, received her message loud and clear, and he hadn’t had to lift a finger.
This time.
Whether there was a next time was entirely up to de Norville.
Given Paris’ expression, Tristan didn’t think there would be.