“Then obey my wishes without question and we shall get along famously,” Victor said. “Know that I reward my men with great compensation for a job well-done. I have given two former knights homes in the country where they live now with their families. But you… if you are as great as I have been told, then I would give you an entire castle should you do my bidding to my satisfaction.”
Already, Kevin didn’t particularly like the duke. He spoke like a spoiled, somewhat wicked, man. It was simply in hismanner, an underlying current of unsettling unpredictability. Even so, Kevin nodded without hesitation.
“I am yours to command, my lord,” he said evenly.
“Then I shall accept your fealty.”
“It is given, my lord, because the king wishes it.”
It was an honest answer. There was no feeling involved, of great excitement or loyalty– this was a business transaction. More than that, it was a royal command and the relationship was established from the start. Victor’s gaze lingered on Kevin a moment before looking to Edward.
“Well done, Cousin,” he said, a smile playing on his lips. “I am pleased.”
Truth be told, Edward gave a sigh of relief that Victor approved of Hage. Not that he had any real doubt, but Victor had been known to be fickle at times. Now, the betrothal and the knight would go through without further issue. At least, Edward hoped so.
“So am I,” he admitted. “You may take Hage with you when you go, but not before he regales us with stories of his exploits in the Holy Land. Surely he has many to recount.”
The entire table looked expectantly at Kevin, including Thomas and Adonis, who were sitting at the far end of the table directly across from Annavieve. Kevin, however, hated talking about himself and he particularly hated to speak of any operation he had completed in the Holy Land, for most were incidents better not acknowledged much less repeated. Therefore, he diverted the subject, but he knew even as he did it that it was only momentarily. Victor and the king would return to their demands for stories soon enough.
“You will forgive me when I say that most stories do not bear repeating,” he said to them both, giving one last push to discourage them. “It is not because I am not proud or unsatisfied in my work, but because I am sworn to secrecy for most of it.Surely you understand the need for discretion. It is a foolish man who boasts of his exploits and expects that men will not hear of such things and make attempts to seek revenge.”
Edward understood his logic implicitly. “I understand,” he said. “But surely there are a few tales you can relate to us.”
Kevin couldn’t think of more than two or three offhand and they weren’t very interesting ones. Glancing up, he caught sight of Adonis and Thomas far down the table and he gestured to them.
“Mayhap I can recall a tale or two,” he said. “But before I do, I should like to introduce you to my comrades. These men are closer than brothers to me, my right and left hands. Allow me to introduce Sir Adonis de Norville and Sir Thomas de Wolfe. De Wolfe is the son of William de Wolfe, of course.”
That shifted the focus admirably to Thomas, who seemed rather uncomfortable that the entire table was now looking at him. He wasn’t one that liked public acknowledgment and his cheeks began to flush with embarrassment.
“De Wolfe,” Edward said with satisfaction. “Your father is as a god to me.”
Thomas nodded shortly. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
“If he were a woman, I would have married him.”
The table erupted in laughter and Kevin interjected before the conversation could continue and Thomas’ face could grow any redder. He had a point to make by introducing his comrades and his point wasn’t about the worship of William de Wolfe.
“Since de Wolfe and de Norville have always been with me, I would ask that the duke accept their fealty as well,” he said, looking to Victor. “I do not fight without them by my side, my lord. They are ready and willing to swear fealty to you. Will you accept it?”
Victor stood up to better see the knights to whom Kevin was referring. He couldn’t see them well because they were seatedon the same side of the table as he was; moreover, it was dim in the chamber in spite of all of the candles. When he finally caught sight of the tall, blond-haired knight and the compact, dark-haired knight, his features washed with both satisfaction and surprise.
“A de Wolfe?” he repeated. “God’s Blood, I’d be a fool not to accept fealty from a de Wolfe. Of course I will accept it.”
“De Norville, too.”
“Aye… de Norville, too.”
It was easy enough. Kevin was relieved that the subject had been settled without any resistance at all. Even if de Ferrers came across as a wicked, spoiled man, at least Kevin knew that he was somewhat pliable to reasonable suggestion. Now, he felt much more confident, or at least comfortable, in the course his future was about to take. He had a liege who seemed to be willing to accept his advice and his friends would come with him. That was a good sign. As he pondered his situation, and what was to come, Edward spoke up.
“Please, Sir Kevin,” he said, diverting the subject away from Victor and de Norville and de Wolfe. “Will younowtell us of some of your adventures in the Levant? I will not let you leave this table until you give me some evidence of why you are called the Scorpion. Surely there is something you can say?”
Kevin accepted a large trencher of beef and boiled carrots from the same male servant that Victor had been lasciviously eyeballing. “Let me think on it, Your Grace,” he said, focusing on his food and realizing he was very hungry. “Give me a moment while I eat. I’ve not eaten all day.”
Edward was somewhat disappointed that Kevin was so unwilling to tell him what he wanted to know. “Having been in the Levant for six years, I should hope there issomethingyou can tell us,” he said, almost sarcastically, as Kevin was entirelyfocused on his food. “Surely you are at least pleased to eat fine English food again. I hear that they eat bugs in the Levant.”
Kevin took his first big bite of succulent beef. “They are quite tasty, actually, Your Grace,” he said, mouth full. “They are cooked over an open fire until they are crispy and light. Throw on a handful of salt and it is a very tasty meal.”
Edward lifted his eyebrows in distaste while some of the other courtiers actually frowned in disgust. “Surely you have not become accustomed to native cuisine,” Edward said, eyeing the man as he shoved beef down his throat. “Surely you much prefer food from home.”
