Chapter One #2
Tiberius was usually the brother to handle the men while Gallus and Maximus would handle other aspects of their warring life; with Gallus, it was leadership and politics and with Maximus, it was logistics and tactics.
Tiberius was the brother who had the ear of the men, the one who allowed himself to become friendly with the soldiers and knights.
He had a bit of an unprotected heart which, in his profession, could be a problem at times, but Tiberius never let it interfere with his sense of duty.
He was a de Shera to the core and a de Shera always knew his duty.
Maximus soon joined him, coming out of the armory along with Gallus, but Gallus headed into the keep as Maximus went to join the men.
They gathered near the gatehouse of Isenhall, a squat, box-like structure that was impenetrable.
It had double portcullises and enough murder holes from the second floor above the gatehouse passage to effectively kill anyone trying to enter through the gatehouse.
Those old stones had seen decades, even centuries, of death and peace.
As the heavily-armed group awaited the earl, Gallus emerged from the keep being trailed by several women and two big dogs.
Taranis, the massive black dog that belonged to Gallus’ young daughters, trotted out with his companion, Henry, a very large, leggy mutt that Maximus’ wife had adopted during their stay in Oxford a few months prior.
The two dogs were good friends and excellent protectors for the women, whom they were very attached to.
Henry even had a penchant for sleeping on Maximus’ side of the bed, next to his wife, and then growling at Maximus when the man tried to claim his place.
There had been a few nights since their marriage back in May when Maximus had been forced to endure the dog sleeping between them.
But it didn’t matter, truthfully. Dog or no, Maximus was deeply and endlessly in love with his wife, Lady Courtly. He caught sight of the woman as she emerged from the keep with Gallus’ youngest daughter, Lily, on her hip and he immediately headed in her direction to bid her a sweet farewell.
Gallus already had his pregnant wife in one hand and was leading his oldest daughter, Violet, with the other.
The children were Gallus’ from his first marriage but the girls were young enough that they had taken to Jeniver right away.
It was a happy collection of women, girls, and dogs who had come to bid the de Shera men a farewell, but there was one obvious omission – the de Shera brothers’ mother, the Lady Honey.
“It seems odd,” Tiberius muttered to Sir Stefan du Bois, on a horse next to him, “not to see my mother here, giving us a speech about accomplishing our task because we are de Sheras. She was as much a part of this army as any of us are.”
Stefan, son of the great knight Maddoc du Bois, looked away from Gallus and Maximus and their wives and focused on the man who was his distant cousin as well as his friend.
“It will seem strange for a while, I suppose,” he said quietly. Young and very brilliant, he had a deep and succinct voice. “It certainly is not the same without her.”
Tiberius’ gaze drifted over the collection of de Shera men and women.
“Honey was only able to meet Jeniver,” he said.
“I believe she would have loved Courtly very much. It saddens me that she will never see all of this, this empire she helped create and the decent people within it. I have never felt her loss more strongly than I do at this moment.”
Stefan nodded in agreement. “She is here,” he spoke confidently.
“You simply cannot see her. She is here, as she has always been, overseeing the bailey. Watch, now say something foolish and see if a bird does not drop shite on your head in punishment. That is Lady Honey showing you her disapproval.”
Tiberius laughed softly, turning to look at his young cousin.
“You know exactly how to cheer me up, do you not?” he said.
Then he sighed heavily and spurred his charger forward.
“No more delays, Stefan. Move the men out of the gatehouse and find de Moray’s messenger.
He will ride with us. I will go and collect my brothers. ”
Stefan immediately took up the command, as did the other two knights.
Sir Scott de Wolfe and his twin, Sir Troy de Wolfe, took up the cry as well and soon the collection of heavily-armed de Shera men were moving out of the gatehouse, squeezing through the narrowed passage and beneath the twin portcullises, emerging on the other side.
Meanwhile, Tiberius was separating his brothers from their wives and children, which proved to be a bigger task than he had anticipated.
“Lovers and ladies,” he said in his usual flippant tone, “there are men who will not wait for you and men who mayhap cannot wait for you, so it is with great regret that I encourage you to mount your horses and come with me quickly. De Moray is in need of us.”
Gallus kissed his daughters and his wife, in that order, before swiftly mounting his steed. “We should not be gone too long,” he told his wife, who was gazing up at him, gingerly rubbing her rounded belly. “I would anticipate we shall be home by sup. Make sure you prepare for guests.”
“Ty!” Lily, Gallus’ youngest, was calling from Courtly’s arms. “Ty, I come with you!”
Lily has just seen her fourth year, a feisty, little girl who was rather attached to her Uncle Tiberius, but Tiberius sadly shook his head.
“Nay, Lee Lee, my dearest love,” he said regretfully. “You cannot come. If you do, who will stay with Taranis?”
Lily, or “Lee Lee”, as she was known to the family, immediately looked to the dog that was bigger than she was, sitting patiently a few feet away.
Thankfully distracted, she slithered out of Courtly’s arms and went to the dog, putting her arms around his neck and hugging him.
But just as Lily was diverted, Violet spoke up.
“We are strong,” she informed her uncle. “I have a pony. I can ride with you!”
Again, Tiberius shook his head as if deeply saddened that he had to deny her. “Not this time, my lovely Vi,” he said. “Mayhap another time. You still do not have a sword. You cannot fight without a sword.”
Five-year-old Violet knew that it was true. She looked at Jeniver, bewildered, and Jeniver took her hand and smiled.
“Let them go this time,” Jeniver said in her sweet, gentle voice. “I would be happy if you would stay here with me. Let us go back inside and draw. Remember that we were drawing flowers yesterday? Let us continue. We will draw a beautiful picture for your Papa by the time he returns home.”
That seemed to interest Violet enough and she took off running towards the keep with Lily and the dogs racing after her. The dogs were barking and chasing the girls as the adults watched with some relief. Courtly was the first one to speak.
“Hurry and go,” she said, waving her hands at the knights. “Violet is probably going in search of a sword to use, so hurry and leave while you can.”