“As do I.” Toby was smiling broadly as she came upon her husband and children, her face rosy with joy as she drank in his handsome face. She looked to the faithful men at her husband’s side; she was glad to see that they were alive and well, too. She embraced Kenneth, the closest one to her. “Kenneth, welcome home. You also, Stephen.”
Kenneth nodded his thanks as Stephen smiled his. Tate’s gaze softened as it fell upon his wife; everything around him ceased to exist for a moment as he beheld the woman that heloved. Although he had at least three more children clamoring for his attention, he gently pushed through them and went straight for Toby. Taking her in his arms, he hugged her, and Catherine, tightly.
Toby held on to him fiercely, struggling not to cry in front of her children. But her joy was on the surface. It was difficult to hold back. Tate kissed her cheeks, her lips, before pulling back to look at her.
“You are more beautiful than I remembered,” he murmured, kissing her again. Then he turned to his daughter and kissed her sweetly on the cheek. “My God, you are a lovely creature, Cate. Look how beautiful you have grown.”
Catherine grinned and chewed her fingers. With a hand still on his wife, Tate finally turned to Roman, who was standing patiently beside his father.
“Roman, you have been growing behind my back,” he said seriously. “If your mother does not stop feeding you, you will be taller than me by next week.”
Roman grinned and fell into his father’s embrace; Tate picked him up, cherishing the feel of his first born in his arms. He could not have been happier. But next to him, Dylan was still screaming in Stephen’s arms and Tate looked at the red, upside-down face.
“Greetings, Dylan,” he said.
Stephen grinned and then set the boy to his feet, at which time Dylan punched Stephen in the armored shin and ended up smacking his hand. He began to wail as the knights laughed. Tate put Roman down and picked up his injured son, rubbing his little hand.
“Well,” he said casually, “I will commend him for his bravery. It is not every child who would take on a man four times his height.”
“He will be a fearsome warrior,” Wallace announced.
“He will be just like his mother,” Kenneth put in drolly.
As the men snorted, Toby rolled her eyes, handing Catherine over to Stephen and taking Dylan from his father.
“You will not rush these boys into battle yet,” she told them sternly, comforting her son. They were still snickering when she looked seriously at her husband. “And speaking of battle; am I to hopefully assume that yours are concluded? Are you finally home to stay?”
Tate exhaled slowly and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her head against his lips for a gentle kiss. It was Kenneth, Stephen and Wallace’s signal to give them their privacy and the three of them pretended to go about their business. But neither Tate nor Toby noticed, lost in each other’s eyes. They began to walk towards the keep.
“Edward has assumed his full authority as king,” Tate told her softly. “Mortimer is no longer a threat.”
“What happened?”
Tate was gazing up at the four-story keep as he spoke, his exhaustion evident. But it was more than his expression; it was in his manner. As if everything he had been fighting for over many years had finally caught up to him. He had the look of a very weary man.
“Mortimer was taken to the Tower shortly after we captured him,” he said quietly. “He was executed two weeks ago in London.”
Toby looked at him, shocked yet relieved. “On Edward’s orders?”
“Aye,” he replied softly. “Edward is of age now and already a powerful king. When I left, he was convening Parliament and preparing his agenda.” His thoughts drifted to the fair-haired boy, now a fair-haired man. “He is strong and intelligent. He will do well.”
“And what about you?” Toby wanted to know. “Will you do well now that you are not fighting his cause?”
He looked at her and smiled. “I will always fight his cause,” he said as they reached the steps leading into the keep. “But for now, I believe I am entitled to my own life. I deserve it.”
“Is it over with Mortimer, then?”
“It is over.”
She smiled in return, setting Dylan to his feet when the boy squirmed to be put down. Tate drew her into his arms, watching as his twins resumed their attempt to steal their older brother’s wooden sword. He relished their screaming, delighted in the chase. Their voices were like music to his ears.
“We have missed you,” Toby laid her head on his chest as they watched the boys scramble. “I was so fearful that you would not return in time for the birth of this child.”
Tate put his hand on her belly, feeling the firmness. He caressed her tummy gently, savoring the results of their deep and committed love to each other. He kissed her deeply as he continued to rub her belly, a profoundly intimate moment between the two of them.
“I would not have missed it, not for anything,” he murmured. “And you know that I will always return to you, no matter what.”
The tears that she had kept at bay finally found their way to the surface. “Will you promise me something, then?” she whispered.
