Chapter Fifteen #3
Toby interjected; she couldn’t help it. “Tate, you cannot think to send her into the heart of a battle,” she was deeply distressed. “She is with child. The strain would be too much.”
Tate looked at her. “I seem to remember my pregnant wife helping me escape from Roger Mortimer,” he reminded her, smiling when she rolled her eyes in defeat. “Pregnancy has nothing to do with it. Heart has everything to do with it. And Lady Pembury has heart. She is stronger than we know.”
“And love,” Joselyn said softly, wiping the remaining tears from her face. “I would walk through fire and ice for Stephen in any case.”
Toby looked sick as she faced Joselyn, putting her soft hand on the woman’s arm. “I know,” she muttered. “Unfortunately, I know all too well. I have been in your position and I did exactly that.”
Tate was gazing warmly at his wife, memories of her sacrifice long ago filling him with respect and adoration. He kissed her cheek as he looked to Joselyn.
“You must be strong,” he told her. “Stephen deserves nothing less.”
Joselyn’s tears were nearly vanished now that she knew she would be doing something, anything, to help gain his release. Things didn’t seem so hopeless now. “I would die for him without reserve.”
The warmth in Tate’s eyes faded. “Let us hope it does not come to that.”
*
It was a good looking fortress if they did say so themselves.
Roman and Cade had built a fort of rocks in the northwest corner of Forestburn’s bailey, something that Tate had helped them with when he was not busy with other things.
It had been a time of bonding with his eldest son and with Cade, the boy who had never known the joy and comfort of a parent.
But a burly old man by the name of Wallace had been the principal labor force and had also been given the duty of chasing away Alex and Dylan when they wanted to take it over.
In fact, once the fortress was built into what looked like nothing more than a three foot tall ring of stones, the twins made it their goal in life to kick Roman and Cade out of it and claim it.
Tate and Wallace would watch the battle, giggling like fools at the antics. It made for great entertainment.
And this day was no different. Roman and Cade had risen at dawn and took bread and cheese out to their fortress.
As they sat and ate, they discussed how to create a shelter inside of it.
The little fawn had a bed of rushes and grass in the corner and they were proud of their only occupant.
But as they played lord and masters, Alex and Dylan emerged from the keep with their father and headed directly for the fortress.
Since they had been warned about charging into the fort and throwing punches, they came to within several feet of the stone circle and began throwing rocks over the side.
Roman and Cade found themselves under siege and the battle of the day began.
They continued to play well into the morning.
At one point, the twins charged in and roughed up their brother, who was saved by Cade when he grabbed both twins by the neck and shoved them back outside of the fort.
The twins ran crying to their father, who told them that rather than try and steal Roman’s fortress, perhaps they should build one of their own.
Soon, a second fortress was under construction in the southwest section of the bailey.
Old Wallace was confiscated as slave labor.
Roman and Cade watched the building with interest. They wanted to make sure that Dylan and Alex’s fort was not bigger than theirs.
If it was, it would be automatic grounds for an attempt at conquest. Tate was helping the twins somewhat but was distracted when the sentries on the walls sent out a cry.
He left to go to the gatehouse as Roman and Cade watched.
“C’mon,” Roman told Cade. “Let’s go see who is coming.”
The boys ran across the bailey just as the gates cranked open, admitting several men in armor. The boys scattered out of the way, staying clear of the chargers, but Cade recognized one of the men. He had seen him before, back at Berwick. As he and Roman ducked out of the way, he pointed him out.
“I have seen that knight,” he said to Roman. “He was at Berwick.”
Roman watched as the massive knight dismounted his charger and removed his helm. “That is Kenneth St. Héver,” he informed him. “He used to serve the king but now he serves the Earl of Wrexham. He and my father are best friends.”
As the boys watched, Tate made his way over to Kenneth.
It was evident early on that the subject of their conversation was quite serious.
The boys watched with growing concern as Tate put a hand on Kenneth’s shoulder as he walked past him, heading towards the keep.
After depositing his helm on his saddle, Kenneth followed.
The boys couldn’t help but notice that Kenneth looked like he had been through a grinder. He was dirty, worn and bloody. They looked at each other at the same time, with the same thought.
“A battle!” Roman gasped. “Something must have happened!”
Cade’s brow furrowed. “He was at Berwick when we left,” his eyes suddenly opened wide. “Do you suppose Berwick was attacked?”
Roman’s sharp young mind was working furiously. “Let’s go and see!”
They raced across the bailey, dodging men and horses, climbing the stairs to the keep just as Kenneth disappeared inside.
By the time they entered, Tate and Kenneth were standing in the doorway speaking to Toby and Joselyn beyond.
But something happened and Joselyn was suddenly in Kenneth’s arms. When the boys saw this, they hid underneath the stairs, listening as Kenneth carried Joselyn up to her chamber.
They could hear the adults and their concern, voices fading as they entered the chamber above. Bravely, the boys followed.
They hid in the shadows of the second floor landing, listening to Kenneth and Tate speak of a besieged Berwick.
Somewhere in that conversation, they realized that something had happened to Stephen.
Lady Pembury was weeping and the boys could hear Tate devising a plan to return to the castle and save Stephen.
Lady Pembury was somehow a big part of the plan.
When they had heard enough, they scampered back down the stairs and returned to their fortress in the sunny, dusty bailey.
Neither boy spoke for quite some time. They sat against their stone walls, lost in thought as the bustling bailey went on around them. Roman kept looking at Cade, noting how serious and disturbed he looked.
“You should not worry,” he told him. “My father will save Stephen.”
Cade looked at him, his young brow furrowed. “But they are sending Lady Pembury to save Sir Stephen,” he said. “Your father said she was his best hope.”
Roman shrugged, fidgeting with some of the rocks that the twins had thrown over the wall. “Nothing will happen to her. My father will protect her. He is the greatest knight in the land.”
Cade was in turmoil, struggling with terrible thoughts. He had grown to love his mother and he did not want to see her in danger. More than that, he was very worried for Stephen, a man he admired a great deal.
“But…,” he stammered, trying to voice his thoughts. “I only just got parents. I do not want to lose them, not when I just got them.”
Roman knew the story. They had talked about it one night after eating a batch of sweet cakes that Lady Pembury had made.
Too many sweets had loosened Cade’s tongue and the story of his life, up until that very moment, had come spilling out.
Although Cade was thrilled to have found his mother, he was deeply proud to become the son of a baron.
It was a life he had never dreamed he could have, now being threatened by war and politics.
“So what do you want to do?” Roman demanded. “You cannot do anything my father hasn’t already thought of, you know. He’ll get Stephen back. You’ll see.”
It was not good enough. Cade shook his head. “I am going with them.”
Roman snorted. “You cannot. My father will not let you.”
“Then I shall sneak out,” Cade shot back. “I shall sneak out and follow them and when my mother goes to get Sir Stephen, I will help her.”
Roman was about to tell him how stupid he was but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
He could see that Cade was serious, terrified he was about to lose parents he had only just met.
Then he began to think of what a fine adventure it would be.
Surely his father would not be angry with him when he helped save Sir Stephen from the Scots.
He grew excited and scared at the same time.
“You should not go, you know,” he said pointedly. “You might just get in the way.”
Cade shook his head vigorously. “I will not,” he insisted. “No one will pay attention to me. I’m just a boy. I cannot do any harm. But what they don’t know is that I’m going to be the one to free Sir Stephen. Scots are fools!”
Roman nodded in agreement just because Cade was so enthusiastic about it. “Well,” he said reluctantly. “If you are going, then I’m going with you. You may need help.”
Cade was not so sure he needed a sidekick but he eventually nodded. “Very well,” he said, eyeing his young friend. “But I give the orders.”
Roman’s mouth popped open. “But my father is the earl!”
“I’m older!”
Roman backed off, unhappy that Cade had pulled age rank on him. But he was not so unhappy that he didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to miss the chance to make his father proud of him. He finally pursed his lips in a gesture of defeat.
“So what do we do?” he asked.
Cade was not sure yet. But he was working on it.