Guy’s sword came up and Gaston moved into a defensive position, at a distinct disadvantage on the stairs as he was. But he would have to compensate somehow. All that mattered now was that Guy bore a weapon and he did not relish a sword battle in the steep confines of the tower.
He waited for the down parry. And waited. Guy still held the sword aloft, but there was a strange look to his eye. The triumphant smile on his face was slowly turning into a grimace of horror and Gaston eyed him with deep curiosity. Why did he not strike?
Guy was listing dangerously to the right, sword still aloft, face still glazed with a grimacing expression. He continued to lean, to fall, and Gaston watched as Guy toppled over the top landing and disappeared into empty space. Shocked, Gaston peered over the side of the stairs and watched incredulously as Guy fell five stories to his death below. Guy perished in a loud thud of bone against stone, instead of the soft hiss of steel through flesh.
Gaston was stunned. He continued to peer down into the dark depths of the tower as if he were unable to comprehend what had happened. Guy was dead, but he had not killed him. Somehow, he had fallen to his death. Astonished, Gaston turned his gaze to Charles, still standing in the open tower door.
Only Charles was not alone. Dane and Trenton were squinting into the bowels of the tower as well.
“What in the hell happened?” Gaston managed to choke.
The three boys looked at him and Charles smiled. From his side, he raised his arm and clutched within his fist was a small,bloodied blade that looked suspiciously like a child’s sword. It took Gaston a moment to realize it was Arik’s sword.
“I killed him,” Charles said. “With this.”
Gaston was literally white with shock and disbelief. “You…youkilledhim?”
Charles nodded. “Dane wanted to, but I insisted that he let me do it,” he said, afraid that his hero was not pleased. “I did not think it right that he kill his father, and this is not Trenton’s fight. It was only logical that I do it.”
Gaston gazed back down into the dark depths one last time, the clarity of the situation dawning on him. “You knew he would turn to you when you opened the door, thwarting any striking him from behind. So you tossed him the sword to distract him and when he turned to attack me….”
“Charles jammed Arik’s sword right into his back,” Dane finished for his father. “It was my plan.”
Gaston couldn’t decide if he felt more like vomiting or fainting. He opted for neither and smiled weakly at his son. “A brilliant strategy, Dane. I’d expect no less. But where did you find Arik’s sword?”
“I gave it to Charles when I left for Oxford,” Dane replied. “He kept it in the tower and practiced with it when Roald and the other knights went to bed.”
Gaston sank back against the tower wall, wiping at his sweaty, bloody head. He was completely dazed, but not senseless. The boys watched him eagerly as he composed himself as best he was able and then mounted the rest of the stairs towards them. They were expecting praise, or a spanking, but instead Gaston did the unexpected.
He pulled them all into a giant bear hug and wept.
EPILOGUE
“By the powervested in me by God and his Holiness, Pope Innocent IX, I have the pleasure of pronouncing you man and wife. My lord, you may kiss your bride.”
Gaston tore his eyes off Archbishop Bourchier and focused on the radiant vision before him. Lady Remington de Russe smiled back, tears already coursing over her cheeks as he took her in his arms and kissed her far more passionately than he should have in front of the church. Remington sobbed through the kiss and Gaston chuckled as he released her to a chorus of applause. Westminster Abbey had never been quite so gay.
Bourchier was the first man to congratulate the happy couple, unusual that the clergy should include themselves in the well-wishers. Henry and Elizabeth could barely wait for Gaston and Remington to descend from the dais before pushing forward with hearty best wishes. Everyone seemed completely intent on congratulating them all at once so Gaston merely stood in one spot while his friends kissed his new wife and shook his hand happily. Matthew Wellesbourne went so far as to coordinate the admiring throng, making sure no one person occupied theduke’s time for too long before ushering them along their way to make room for the next well-wisher.
The guests knew full well that there was to be a lavish reception following the wedding at the Tower, yet none could wait that long to convey their wishes. After all, Gaston and Remington had waited terribly long for this day and the excitement was tangible.
Dane and Trenton stood next to their parents like proper young men, dressed in their finest. Guests would file by and slip the boys coins as congratulatory gifts, which they would stuff happily into their tunics. It wasn’t long before they were quite rich and looking eagerly for more wealth. Gaston saw what was happening above all the commotion and shot them both reproving looks, to which they smiled innocently. Unwilling to dampen their day, Gaston allowed his sons to become wealthy off the tribute from the guests.
Jasmine and Skye remained seated in the pews as the throng rushed forward to congratulate the newlyweds, bouncing Sophia and Robert on their respective knees and attempting to keep Mary entertained. Beside them, Patrick had hold of Arica while Eudora contained Adeliza. Patrick was still recovering from the knife wound dealt to him by Guy and had therefore lacked the strength to stand with Gaston at the altar. However, keeping Arica quiet had proved quite a task and he wondered if standing beside Gaston would have been less strenuous. Between Arica and Adeliza, there had been an abundance of baby chatter during the service and he was embarrassed that he had not been able to control them better.
When the horde had died down, Wellesbourne and de Vere cleared a path for Gaston and Remington down the center aisle. The couple went to their daughters, who babbled and screeched with delight when their father reached for them.
“Ah, my little magpie,” Gaston said happily as he took Arica from Patrick. “By God, if you two aren’t the noisiest little birds I have ever heard.” He held out his other arm for Adeliza. Clutching both babies, he turned to his wife and smiled. “Now that I have all of my women, shall we retreat to the reception?”
“They’re not going to the reception,” Remington informed him. “Eudora is taking them back to the Tower.”
“Not going?” his face fell. “Why can’t they go?”
“Because they need to go to sleep, Gaston, it’s already past their bedtime,” she insisted, waving over Eudora. “Patrick is going back to the Tower, too. See how tired he is?”
Gaston’s gaze lingered on his cousin. After Guy had stabbed him, the man had lain bleeding in a doorway for nearly a day before someone happened upon him. It was by pure luck alone that he had survived, although he was still terribly weak. But he had made a remarkable recovery, for which Nicolas, Martin and Gaston had been extremely grateful.
Gaston never did tell him about Rory’s specter. Neither had he told Remington. Mayhap someday, when the time was right, he would divulge the turning point in his struggle against Guy. Even if Rory wasn’t with them anymore, she’d been instrumental in the most major event of his life. As had Arik; dead or not, his spirit had been within the sword that had slain Guy. Gaston knew that without a doubt.
