Great Protector (54 page)

"For
what purpose is she required in London?"

"Does
it matter? She’s the king's daughter and it is his prerogative to do with her
as he pleases. Moreover, she’s not a nun and thereby not bound to the abbey by
her vows. Based on Henry's commanding directive and your powerful presence, she
will be relinquished to your protection."

Henry's
jaw ticked. "How can you be so sure?"

Owen
shrugged. "The abbess cannot keep her if the King of England demands her
temporary release. Technically, she has no legal right to hold her over the
demands of her parent and I would wager a good deal on the fact that she would
be unwilling to anger the king with a refusal."

Hotspur
drew in a long, harsh sigh, pondering his overall role in the Welsh prince's
scheme. A scheme that appeared to be safe enough, although he would not stake
his life on the fact. Nothing in this world was ever safe. "And I will
bring her here?"

Owen's
eyes glittered. His design was foolproof, providing one factor remained true;
that Richmond le Bec was indeed in London. "Aye, my lord," he replied
softly, with confidence. "You will bring her here."

On
the snowy hills overlooking the weakened camp of the Welsh resistors, a lone
wolf bayed into the crystal-clear evening sky. A thousand diamonds of light
glittered across the black expanse, their light casting silver fingers on the
gloom of evil that had settled over the western border of England.

The
malevolent darkness that became a plan this night.

                              
***

Richmond
passed through the King's Gate to the south side of Windsor, having completed
his glorious procession through the Great Park in order to reach his
destination. The massive bailey of Windsor was open and welcoming, soldiers and
courtiers alike shouted their greeting to the mighty warrior. Ignoring the
admiring throng, Richmond ordered his weary soldiers to seek rest and food
before they collapsed entirely.

Gavan
dismounted beside Richmond, exhausted after the seven day march from Yorkshire.
Stubbled and bordering on disheveled, Richmond raised his visor and wiped at
his clammy brow as his eyes drew in the sight of The Earl Marshall's Tower,
towering four stories into the bright blue sky overhead. St. George's Hall was
directly to his right, a gallery he was most familiar with, but it merely
warranted a passing glance as he loosened his gauntlets.

"I
am intent on seeking Henry this moment," he said, his voice rough with
fatigue. "Retire to the knight's quarters and wait for me."

Gavan's
gaze was dull, wary. As if he did not trust Richmond to simply present his case
in a rational manner; the man had been an emotional bundle for the past several
days and Gavan was not at all sure that anything but a positive response on
Henry's part would be met with a sword through the gullet.

"I
would be more than happy to accompany you...."

Richmond
cut him off. "Do as I say, Gavan. I have business to attend to and I would
complete it alone."

Gavan
watched his liege march into the gaping entrance to the castle. Concerned for
his mental state though he might be, his concerns were not strong enough to
warrant the disobedient action of following him into the castle. Richmond could
well handle Henry's audience and did not require supervision. Moreover, Gavan
was not in the position to supervise a fellow warrior's emotions at the moment;
he was quite consumed with sentiment of his own.

His
dead wife and son were expecting him.

Leaving
his second in command behind to disband the troops, Richmond made his way into
the cool interior of Windsor. Taking the grand staircase to Henry's suite of
rooms, he marched past a collection of household guards as if their protecting
presence was insignificant against his strength. He intended to seen Henry
immediately and to hell with any delay or show of resistance.

Since
the moment he had left Arissa, there had been nothing else to occupy his
thoughts. He had lived, breathed and slept Arissa, feeling her soft body
against him in his dreams only to awaken to a cold bed and an even colder
heart. But the building desperation to reclaim her only served to fuel his
determination to bargain with Henry; Gavan had been correct when he had advised
him to play the Political theater. And play he would.

Henry
was certainly no amateur when it came to bureaucratic intrigue and the king was
about to find out that Richmond le Bec was to be included as a viable player as
well. For too long, Richmond had simply followed orders like a moronic
simpleton, never voicing his opinion or opposition to anything his king
suggested. But no more. He had played the role of Henry's obedient dog long
enough. If the king wanted his services against the Welsh resistance and
Hotspur's mutiny, then he would have to pay for it.

Henry
IV, formerly Henry of Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, was in his private solar,
embroiled in a game of chess with a lesser official of his court. Average of
height and fair of coloring, he did not bothering looking up from the game
board as the door to the solar creaked open. His master chamberlain cleared his
throat carefully.

"Richmond
le Bec has come, Sire," the man said. "He demands audience with you
immediately."

Henry's
head came up from the board, his eyes wide with surprise. "Do not keep the
man waiting. God's Blood, let him in!" he waved his hands erratically at
his game partner. "Out, Thomas, out. Everyone get out!"

The
room became a flurry of activity as his courtiers rushed to do his bidding.
Entering from a smaller door, Richmond caught a glimpse of the dandy horde as
the collection quit the room. Without a second glance to the group of
well-dressed men, he bowed crisply to his king.

"Richmond,
thank God you have come," Henry exclaimed, clapping a hand against
Richmond's metal-clad arm. "Where have you been?"

Richmond
gazed at his king, genuinely fond of the man. "Taking your daughter to
Whitby, Sire, to be with her mother," he cocked a knowing eyebrow at the
bit of information Henry had neglected to mention, but the king merely looked
away. "Undoubtedly, you received my message regarding the circumstances of
our rapid departure from Lambourn."

Some
of Henry's excitement faded. "I was distressed to learn of Glendower's
discovery of Arissa's identity. You were correct, of course, in removing her to
the safety of the abbey if Owen is intent on capturing her. Furthermore, I do
not fault you for informing her of her heritage; certainly she had a need to
know with Owen's men hounding her. But I do not believe I understand the full
extent of Ovid de Rydal's declaration of vengeance against her. Care to
clarify?"

"Ovid's
vengeance is against me for having discouraged his arrogant son's attentions
towards Arissa," Richmond corrected. "However, I am sure to have
sealed an irrevocable rift between de Rydal and Lambourn; Tad de Rydal appeared
at Whitby in an attempt to abduct Arissa and Gavan was forced to kill him.
Apparently, the lad was trying to exact revenge against me by seizing
her."

"Vengeance
for the ambush you were supposed to have orchestrated against him?" Henry
shook his head. "Do you think it possible that Owen had a hand in the
entrapment to somehow create a diversion for you while he set his sights on my
daughter? Truly, Richmond, this is most confusing."

Richmond
stared at his king a moment, thinking what he could not manage to say.
Far
more confusing than you know
. Emitting a weary sigh, he removed his helm
and set it upon a rich cherry wood table. "I was only able to give you a
brief explanation of the circumstances in my missive and, to be truthful, I do
not wish to delve into the details leading up to the skirmish involving Goring
Hall at this moment. For now, Arissa is safe and that is the only matter of
import. Truthfully, there are concerns far more significant we must
discuss."

Henry
accepted his statement without question. "Indeed there is," he
gestured to a hide-covered chair. "Remove some of your armor and sit. You
must be exhausted."

Richmond
ignored the indication to relax, instead, moving for the decanter of Venetian
glass that graced a lovely silver tray. Pouring a hefty quantity of wine into a
silver goblet, he drank deeply before pouring himself a second serving. Henry
watched him a moment, his sharp movements and stiff countenance, knowing that
the man had been through a great deal in the past week. Still, it was unnerving
to see that Richmond was not his usual even-tempered self.

"Has
so much happened over the last several days that you would become edgy and
coarse? Towards me, no less?" Henry made a muted attempt at humor, moving
to acquire his customary chair.

Richmond
downed his third goblet of wine, unwilling to drag his purpose out over
frivolous conversation. Short of patience with the lack of rest, he started on
his fourth cup of wine.

"What's
all of this I hear about Hotspur?"

Henry
stared at the stiff, proud back of his mighty vassal. If rumors were correct,
the last of his two most powerful vassals. After a moment, he sighed faintly.

"I
am afraid I angered him with my expression of displeasure in the fact that Owen
Glendower has managed to capture three of my fortresses against Hotspur's
defenses," he replied quietly. "I believe he’s intent to turn against
me, Richmond. Against
us.
Therefore, I need you to help ease the
situation by marrying Cecily and then riding for the border to inform Henry of
your new relationship. I believe you are my best hope for maintaining
Northumberland's alliance."

Richmond
finished his fourth cup of wine, setting the chalice to the table and feeling
the fortifying warmth coursing through his veins. Drawing in a deep breath for
courage, he turned to his king.

"And
if my efforts to retain Hotspur's loyalties falter, then you would have me lead
your armies against him?"

Henry
nodded slowly. "If all else fails. I do not relish going to war against
Northumberland, Richmond. Without Percy's support, England will once again be
divided."

Richmond
did not say anything for a moment, moving to scratch his scalp in a weary
gesture. "You are suggesting, then, that the success of a united England
depends on me?"

"You
are my last, best hope."

The
statement issued by a desperate monarch was exactly what Richmond wanted to
hear. Henry needed him. And he wanted something from Henry.

The
game had begun.

"I
will do this for you, Henry," he said softly, feeling the fine wine
bolster his bravery and determination. Focusing on Henry's blue eyes, he leaned
his considerable weight against the hide-covered chair opposite his king.
"But you will do something for me in return."

Henry
met his gaze a moment before cocking a slow eyebrow. "No request you have
ever issued has gone ungranted. What would you have?"

Richmond's
jaw ticked a moment as he thought quickly, arranging his priorities. After a
moment, he stood away from the chair. "There is no guarantee that Hotspur
will remain loyal to you if I wed his sister. I realize that you consider a
marriage to Cecily Percy a valuable reward for my years of service, but I must
be honest when I say that I have no desire to marry the woman and, frankly, it
is a weak power play by the crown at best. Were you truly determined to fortify
the alliance between Northumberland and the crown, you would wed one of your
relatives to the woman."

Henry
did not appear pleased in the least that Richmond was contesting his match.
"And I disagree. If I did not believe it to be a strengthening maneuver I
would not have suggested it."

Richmond
met his gaze, steadily. He was not about to back down, to fold into submission
as he so often did to Henry's will. This time, Henry would find himself bowing
to the conviction of another, or Northumberland would run amuck with Richmond's
blessing.

"I
shall not marry her," he said after a moment, his voice low. "I have
another in mind for my wife."

Henry's
rising anger banked, taking on an edge of curiosity. For as long as he and
Richmond had been friends, he'd rarely known the man to express an interest in
a woman, much less one he desired to wed. Still fixed on his mighty warrior, he
folded his hands deliberately.

"Before
I punish you for your blatant disobedience and insubordination, tell me who you
would have for your wife?"

Richmond
did not say reply for a moment; Henry was greatly displeased and growing more
irritated by the second. It was increasingly apparent that the time had come
for Richmond to make his demands known. And he would delay no longer.

"I
want that which you gave to me for safekeeping eighteen years ago, Henry. I
want Arissa."

Henry's
reaction was immediate; his eyes widened and his jaw swung open. He attempted
to speak, but all that came forth from the great gaping mouth was something of
a strangled cough. Licking his parched lips, he tried again.

"Arissa?
God's Blood, she’s a child!"