Atticus couldn’t hold a straight face. “Well, youare.”
“Would you care to go outside with me so I can show you just how soft and pampered I am?”
Atticus snorted. “Nay,” he said flatly, “because you would cheat and order your knights to fight me in your stead. Although I am confident I can best them, I have no desire to go up against Conor de Birmingham, Gerik le Mon, or Ackerley Forbes. You have a trio of powerful de Winter knights at your disposal. I am no fool; Forbes alone would try to cut me off at the knees.”
“Then you admit you need help against more than one armed knight.”
“I admit nothing.”
“That is a true tragedy because you are going to have my help whether or not you want it. If you do not permit Kenton and me to ride with you, we will simply follow you at a distance, so you may as well accept our presence whether or not you want it.”
Atticus was genuinely annoyed at the man. “Kenton must remain in command of Northumberland,” he said. “He is needed here.”
“You have Tertius to command Northumberland. He is competent.”
“Aye, he is, but Kenton technically outranks him. AndIcommand le Bec, not you.”
“That is true, but in matters of rank, I outrankyouand I have ordered Kenton to go to Wolfe’s Lair.”
Atticus sighed heavily and shoved the remainder of his beef into his mouth. What Warenne said was true and Atticus could see that his argument was at an end. There was nothing more he could say and his frustration was evident. “If you were not an earl, and a de Winter, I might tell you what I really think of you,” he muttered.
Warenne was thrilled that Atticus wasn’t fighting him on the matter any longer, or worse, actually fighting him off with weapons. He knew Atticus well and knew the man wasn’t beyond brandishing a weapon when provoked. Warenne wasn’t afraid to push the man, mostly because of his entitlement– he knew Atticus would respect that above all else.
Still, he felt very strongly that he needed to accompany Atticus on his quest for revenge and he’d pulled Kenton le Bec in on his plans. As good as Atticus was, and he was among the best, Kenton was possibly even better in combat by sheer strength and size alone. He was a monster with a sword and that was what Warenne wanted for Atticus should the need arise. The men who had murdered Titus were certainly not to be underestimated.
“You may tell me someday what you think of me when all of this is through,” Warenne said. “But if you insult me too badly, I may have to punish you.”
Atticus gave him a half-grin as he drained what was left in his cup. “With the mighty Lespada?”
“My heirloom sword has killed more men than you have.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. But it is very old and I do not think you should be using it in battle. I have told you that before. It should be put in a place of honor and retired.”
“Lespada is the sword of my forefathers. I carry it and no other.”
Atticus chuckled, thinking on the very old but beautifully crafted sword that was carried by every first born male in the de Winter family.Lespadawas a legend all throughout England, in fact, and it had belonged to Warenne since nine years of age when his father had died. He’d hardly been without it.
“I appreciate the tradition, of course,” Atticus said. “But when I punish de la Londe and de Troiu, it will be with my brother’s weapon and not yours. From now on, I carry Titus’sword and no other. That way, my brother is still with me. When I punish those two traitors, it will be with Titus’ blade.”
Warenne sobered somewhat. “That is fitting,” he said. “You honor Titus in your actions; killing his murderers with Titus’ sword. Marrying Titus’ wife. When is the wedding, by the way?”
Atticus’ frustration returned and he rolled his eyes, standing up from the table. “After I bury my brother,” he said. “Can I not even put the man in the ground first before I claim his widow?”
Warenne stood up with him. “Of course you can,” he said. “But remember what I said. Marry her quickly. The more you delay, the more the possibility that you will never wed the woman, and that is not what Titus would want. Atticus, you must understand that I only have your best interests at heart. It is as I have said before– if you do not marry his widow as you promised, you will forever lament the fact that you did not fulfill your brother’s dying request. You would not be able to live with yourself. So you must marry her very soon. I am going to make sure that you do.”
Atticus knew that. He knew that Warenne was only trying to be a good friend. He scratched his neck. “You should know that Lady de Wolfe and I have had a pleasant conversation last night before she took ill. You told me that I should see something in her that my brother loved.”
Warenne was encouraged. “And?”
Atticus shrugged. “And… and I might have seen a glimpse of it. It is possible.”
Warenne simply grinned. “That is good to know, Atticus. Mayhap there is hope, after all.”
Atticus didn’t say anything, mostly because he didn’t know what to say to that. He was embarrassed to have admitted as much as he had. But he knew his secret was safe with Warenne.
Together, they quit the hall and met up with the knights out in the knight’s quarters, a stone outbuilding that had been builtinto the inner wall of Alnwick. Thoughts shifted from Lady de Wolfe to those of the status of Alnwick and its future in the hands of the Percy family. Atticus reiterated the fact that he believed Edward would demand the surrender of the castle so, with the new Earl of Northumberland present at the meeting, they made plans to abandon Alnwick and move the inhabitants to Warkworth Castle that the Percy family also owned. A massive castle along the coast wasn’t considered particularly strategic and plans were made to move there.
Satisfied that the future of the Earl of Northumberland was mapped out, and leaving Tertius in command of its once mighty army, Atticus was better able to focus on returning Titus home for burial and on the quest for justice he now faced. After the meeting with his knights, he found himself standing at the wagon where Titus’ body was placed, now properly housed in an oak casket that the castle craftsmen had made for it, telling his brother of the plans they had made for Alnwick. He didn’t know why he did it, only that it was habit with him to discuss everything with Titus, but it seemed somewhat unsatisfying speaking to a wooden box. Still, he spoke to it, knowing that wherever Titus was, he heard him.
