Essien was still frowning, still agitated, but he nodded. “I understand, my lord.”
“Do you understand, then, that marrying and having children is also your duty?”
Essien sighed sharply and looked away. “I have never thought of it as a duty.”
“It is,” Christopher said. “We have all had to do our duty at some point. Es, if your father were standing here, what do you think he would say to a man who is almost forty years of age and has not yet taken a wife? My suspicion is that he would be saying the same thing I am saying. Since I found you and your brother at such a young age, I have taken responsibility for you. In a sense, I have acted as your father would. I made sure you were safe and warm and educated. I made sure you wanted for nothing, as your father would have. I have tried to do what I thought your father would want to do for his sons, and now, that means finding you a proper wife, a proper title, and wealth. Everything you deserve. Would you not agree that your father would want the best for you?”
Essien was calming down, but he still wasn’t particularly happy. “Fathers always want what is best for their sons, I suppose,” he said. “My father would have been no different.”
“If your father told you to marry, would you argue with him?”
Essien wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I would give him my feelings on the matter,” he said. “If I did not wish to marry, then I would tell him.”
“What do you think he would say?”
“I would hope he would listen to me.”
“And if he commanded you to marry?”
Essien sighed faintly. “I suppose I would have to do as he commanded.”
Christopher pulled up a chair, sitting so he was nearly right in front of Essien. “Then listen to me,” he said in a low voice. “You will be the next Earl of Mercia. You will have an earldom that rivals mine. You will be the bearer of an ancient legacy of an ancient kingdom, the largest kingdom before England was united as one. As you represent the ancient blood and legacy of Kitara, I now give to you an equally ancient legacy, a legacy that is my own.Mypeople were Mercian, Essien. They were warriors and kings and poets. I am very protective of that legacy and I cannot think of a better man to defend it, to honor it, and to continue it. Will you refuse this great honor?”
Essien was looking at him with big eyes, all of the anger and irritation gone from his face. He just stared at him, digesting his words, or trying to. He was drunk, that was true, but not so drunk that his wits had left him. He still had them. Most of them, anyway. But it took him several long seconds to process everything Christopher had said.
“Nay,” he finally said, his voice hoarse. “When you put it that way, I cannot refuse. But in order to accept this honor, I am assuming I must accept the bride that goes with it?”
Christopher nodded. “Harald de Efford’s widowed daughter,” he said. “She is his heiress. And there is no one more deserving of what this marriage will bring you. This will make you one of the most powerful warlords in all of England, but more than that, it will make you lord and master of Mercia. Do what you were born to do, Essien. Be a great leader and make me proud. More than that, make your father proud.”
Essien actually sucked in his breath. His eyes widened and, for a moment, he stared at Christopher in shock. “De Efford’s daughter,” he repeated, muttering. “The de Barenton widow?”
Christopher nodded. “Do you know her?” he said. “I know you are acquainted with Eckington. Have you met his daughter, then?”
Essien nodded. “Today,” he said, sounding dazed. “Her daughter had run off and I found the child. But Eckington… He is Mercia?”
“He is,” Christopher said. “He does not go by the title because he prefers his father’s titles. Mercia came through his mother. Harald is a modest man.”
Essien didn’t say anything. He seemed stunned. A knock at the door distracted the men as Addax answered it. A servant stood there holding a tray with cups and boiled juice, watered down, which was something Dustin fed the younger children. It was common for children to drink watered ale or wine, but she didn’t like her children having a beverage that made grown men drunk. Addax brought the tray over to the table, poured his brother a full cup of the stuff, and handed it to him.
“Drink,” he commanded quietly.
Essien did. He drained the cup, which was apple and pear and cinnamon. He held out his cup to Addax, who poured him another one. He drained that one, too. Then he just sat there, not saying a word and staring at his lap. Finally, Peter sat down next to him.
“Es?” he said quietly. “What are you thinking?”
Essien shook his head. “I do not know,” he said. “I honestly do not know.”
Peter pressed him. “My father is not doing this to be cruel,” he said. “He is doing it because he feels it is best for you and your future. The Earl of Mercia… that is a proud thing, Es. A royal prince as the ruler of a great earldom. Do you think your father would be happy about that? That his son is a great man in the land he lives in?”
“He would be incredibly proud,” Addax said softly. “He would want this for you, Essien.”
Essien still didn’t say anything for a moment. When he finally spoke, it was barely above a whisper. “My introduction to the de Barenton widow was when she attacked me,” he said. “I had her daughter in my arms because I was going to carry her back to the tournament field to find her mother, but her mother was already out looking for her. She thought I was abducting her daughter.”
“But you explained the situation, did you not?” Christopher said.
Essien nodded quickly. “I did,” he said. “But she did not believe me at first. In fact, she was going to run to you, my lord, and tell you what a terrible person I was for abducting her child. I encouraged her to tell you so that you could vouch for my character. I… I don’t suppose many marriages start off as roughly?”
Christopher started to chuckle. “You would be wrong,” he said. “I was forced to marry Dustin by King Richard himself, and our first introduction was when she fell out of a tree in front of me. We fought for weeks afterward until we finally realized that there was something between us. And Peter—Christ, Peter’s wife is Jewish. He very nearly had to fight King John for her.”
