Chapter Seventeen
Stephen III
With cherry-red eyes, Stephen and Saul sauntered into the great hall, where their father had summoned them. “His Lordship Bua wishes you to join him today while he holds court,” Ser Dante had obediently recited, fetching the boys from their afternoon of fishing. It was unlike their father to request their presence in court. Homan typically attended, but even when Stephen occasionally sat in, he was chastised if he tried to offer his father counsel. He figured that since the news of the engagement had just been made public, his father wished to continue making a good impression on the Testokes.
Nevertheless, Stephen did enjoy court. He liked to listen to the plights of the common folk and try to figure out how he would serve them best. Generally, his father’s train of thought was not much different from Stephen’s. He agreed with most of his father’s choices, but felt that his punishments were often crueler than necessary. It really didn’t matter what he thought, though, as he was not permitted to speak while court was held.
Nevertheless, Stephen did enjoy court. He liked to listen to the plights of the common folk and try to figure out how he would serve them best. Generally, his father’s train of thought was not much different from Stephen’s. He agreed with most of his father’s choices, but felt that his punishments were often crueler than necessary. It really didn’t matter what he thought, though, as he was not permitted to speak while court was held.
When the boys filed in, their father, with their mother Jessica faithfully beside him, had already begun hearing the tale of an elderly woman who had been assaulted and robbed. She was in the process of identifying her assailant from a line of three men who had been captured by their father’s soldiers.
“You are late,” Homan snarled at them as they conspicuously took their places at the table to their father’s right. Across from them and to Bua’s left sat Alton Testoke and his twins. Nicole was all smiles and sunshine, without a clue as to what was going on at court. Basso kept his eyes low as he carved something into the old wooden table with a silver bat cufflink attached to his sleeve.
“Apologies, brother,” Stephen said, waving his glass to Saul and motioning for his brother to pour him some wine from the pitcher that he had already nearly emptied into his own glass. “Clearly we’ve missed some real excitement.”
“Apologies, brother,” Stephen said, waving his glass to Saul and motioning for his brother to pour him some wine from the pitcher that he had already nearly emptied into his own glass. “Clearly we’ve missed some real excitement.”
“That one!” The elderly woman pointed at the thin, brown-haired man at the end of the line. “He is the one who broke into my home, struck me, and took all the silver.”
“It was not me, my lord,” the man cried. “I admit I took a loaf of bread from the market, and that is why your men have arrested me, but this woman is mistaken. I have done her no harm.”
Bua leaned forward in his chair. “Are you sure he is the one?”
The woman nodded. “Yes, my lord, he is the one. I would know the face.”
“Very well then. Ser Carris, open the serpents’ pit and show this thief how we treat his kind in Ellison.”
“It was not me, my lord,” the man cried. “I admit I took a loaf of bread from the market, and that is why your men have arrested me, but this woman is mistaken. I have done her no harm.”
Bua leaned forward in his chair. “Are you sure he is the one?”
The woman nodded. “Yes, my lord, he is the one. I would know the face.”
“Very well then. Ser Carris, open the serpents’ pit and show this thief how we treat his kind in Ellison.”
The serpents’ pit was Bua’s favorite form of punishment. In the center of the great hall, a giant pit opened up, its floor cascading with slithering serpents collected from the river. Ser Carris brought the man to the edge of the pit, while he cried and pleaded, claiming that he only stole bread to feed his child. Bua looked on with wide, gleaming eyes. Stephen knew his father enjoyed sentencing men to the pit. The Testokes were on the edge of their seats as Carris bound the man’s hands to a long chain hanging from the ceiling.
“For the crime of assault and theft, in the name of our King Daerunt Danford, I, Bua Gaferty, Lord of Fort Ellison, sentence you to one hour in the serpent’s pit. Should you survive the hour, your sentence will be considered carried out and you will be free to go. Should you die, then Guy has found your sins to be unforgivable, and may your soul forever live in torment.”
“For the crime of assault and theft, in the name of our King Daerunt Danford, I, Bua Gaferty, Lord of Fort Ellison, sentence you to one hour in the serpent’s pit. Should you survive the hour, your sentence will be considered carried out and you will be free to go. Should you die, then Guy has found your sins to be unforgivable, and may your soul forever live in torment.”
Most of the snakes in the pit were not poisonous, so it was possible for men to survive. But seldom did it happen. It was a game of chance really, although his father believed that if a man survived the pit, then Guy had smiled on him and forgiven his sins. The man was gagged and then lowered into the pit. They watched for a few moments, until a couple of snakes latched onto the man’s legs and Bua was satisfied that he had shown Alton the spectacle. Then the pit was resealed so that court could continue. In an hour, or whatever his father deemed to be an hour, they would reopen it.
The ensuing line of subjects had come exclusively to pay tribute to the engagement, pouring through the doors with gifts of corn and potatoes, giving what little they had to Stephen’s father. Occasionally one would pop up and volunteer their services to Bua. It was a long and boring day; there was only so much blabbering Stephen could take about how beautiful Lady Nicole was or how valiant his brother was. When the wine went dry, all that was tolerable left the room. Stephen was anxious to leave, thinking he might still have some light left to fish.
Finally, one last common person limped his way down the great hall. Breathing heavily and with a look of distress, this brown-haired young boy looked no older than Stephen, with his tiny curls tousled. “My lord,” he breathed.
Stephen’s father rose. Homan and Alton followed suit. It was possible this boy had been in immediate danger not so long ago.
“Child,” his father said, “you seem injured. What became of you?”
Stephen’s father rose. Homan and Alton followed suit. It was possible this boy had been in immediate danger not so long ago.
“Child,” his father said, “you seem injured. What became of you?”
“My village, ser, I mean my lord—a little river fishing village south of here, called Viperneck near the mountains. They came and slaughtered us, only a few of them, but they had torches and weapons. Our village men counted for nothing. Many of us ran for the mountains, as they did not pursue there. Instead they hunted us down on the way here. I am the only one to survive that route. Please, my lord, help what’s left of my people.”
“What manner of savagery is this?” Homan questioned with concern.
“They were not savage, ser,” the boy replied. “They were skilled killers, all of them.”
His father swiped his hand under his nose and tugged at his chin. “We will move against them at once. Mobilize a few of your best riders, Ser Carris. I will lead the hunt for these murderers.” Stephen was almost shocked. His father had never felt the need to take to the country on horseback before; that was generally Homan’s role. He wasn’t sure his father was suited for the field, but rather better served justice from the comfort of his chair. “Homan, you will of course accompany me. We will leave at once.”
“They were not savage, ser,” the boy replied. “They were skilled killers, all of them.”
His father swiped his hand under his nose and tugged at his chin. “We will move against them at once. Mobilize a few of your best riders, Ser Carris. I will lead the hunt for these murderers.” Stephen was almost shocked. His father had never felt the need to take to the country on horseback before; that was generally Homan’s role. He wasn’t sure his father was suited for the field, but rather better served justice from the comfort of his chair. “Homan, you will of course accompany me. We will leave at once.”
“And I,” Alton Testoke volunteered. “A few knights I have here and myself will join your hunt. That someone would disgrace our treaty by shedding blood in its wake!” He turned to his mage, a slender red-haired woman. “Get my children back to the virile!”
The hall went up in a commotion. His father and brother were already cladding themselves as if going to war. Servants cleared the tables and the room was shuffling. Saul tugged at Stephen. “I have to leave.”
“We should prepare to send them off. You know we’ll have to.”
“I know, I know, I just want to get good and light before we do it.”
“We should prepare to send them off. You know we’ll have to.”
“I know, I know, I just want to get good and light before we do it.”
Stephen’s brows lifted. “Very well then.” Walking out of the great hall, Stephen realized that the man in the pit would surely be forgotten, but he had already walked too far to go back and let him out.
As the party gathered in the courtyard, Stephen and his brother stood vigil for their departure. Homan was tacking up a horse on his own just near them, their father prancing about on his steed and speaking to their mother, a well-aged, dark-haired beauty. They had already been instructed that their mother was to hold court in their father’s absence, and should any trouble arrive, Ser Dante was to keep the peace. Saul and Stephen had been asked to do nothing.
“Why’s Father going?” Stephen asked Homan, pacing over to his side. “He never goes.”
Homan pulled the girth with a tight jerk. “This is what a lord does, my brother. Father has been insulted. When someone thinks so little of our laws that they believe they can just murder our people, he must go.”
“Are you sure it isn’t just because of the Testokes?”
“What are you implying Stephen? Hm? That your father is what? Because that’s what you’re getting at, ever so clever, trying to dance around your language.”
“I only meant to ask, brother. I only meant to ask.”
Homan pulled the girth with a tight jerk. “This is what a lord does, my brother. Father has been insulted. When someone thinks so little of our laws that they believe they can just murder our people, he must go.”
“Are you sure it isn’t just because of the Testokes?”
“What are you implying Stephen? Hm? That your father is what? Because that’s what you’re getting at, ever so clever, trying to dance around your language.”
“I only meant to ask, brother. I only meant to ask.”
“Well then, mean to ask something else! Or maybe just stick to your pipe and pole, they suit you better.” He mounted his steed and pulled away. His tone softened. “Mind yourself while we are gone, Stephen. Take care of this place. I love you, brother. Now excuse me, I must bid farewell to my lady.” He trotted over to the Testokes and dismounted, kissing Nicole’s hand.
Homan and Stephen had often talked like that in the past. He was the only person who cared to listen to Stephen’s opinions. A few years earlier, these talks were much more frequent, but as Stephen’s time in court dwindled, so did his relationship with his brother.
Homan and Stephen had often talked like that in the past. He was the only person who cared to listen to Stephen’s opinions. A few years earlier, these talks were much more frequent, but as Stephen’s time in court dwindled, so did his relationship with his brother.
They rode off with just a few hours of daylight in front of them. They planned to make an affair of it, camp overnight and waste no time. They had carts of supplies behind them, more than seemed necessary. What did it matter, though? It wasn’t like Stephen’s opinion mattered anyway.
Basso departed with Nicole and what was left of Alton’s retainers shortly after the fighting men. Before leaving, he stopped to bid farewell to Saul and Stephen. “Thank you, lords, for your kindness to me. It was pleasant to see childhood friends again.”
“What will you be doing at home without your father? Who will rule?”
“My father assures me that all will be well. Until then, he leaves me with the counsel of Matilda, our mage. He has instructed me to keep my sister’s safety paramount. Should you need anything, send word. Our families are tied now.” He gave them a strong grasping goodbye. Basso was a quality lord. Stephen didn’t really understand how his father wasn’t satisfied with him as an heir. He was young, yes, but he seemed to be handling the absence of his father very well.
How would they handle it? Stephen wondered. How would they prove their worth?
“What will you be doing at home without your father? Who will rule?”
“My father assures me that all will be well. Until then, he leaves me with the counsel of Matilda, our mage. He has instructed me to keep my sister’s safety paramount. Should you need anything, send word. Our families are tied now.” He gave them a strong grasping goodbye. Basso was a quality lord. Stephen didn’t really understand how his father wasn’t satisfied with him as an heir. He was young, yes, but he seemed to be handling the absence of his father very well.
How would they handle it? Stephen wondered. How would they prove their worth?