Royal Feud

Chapter 52

Chapter 52

"You will feel fear," Delvin had told her. "But you must not let Morefy see your fear. That will give him control over you. Breathe deeply. Keep your eyes steady and your face expressionless."

"Why are you here, milord?" Hermione asked her father, trying to follow Delvin's

instructions.

"Since Ishton is dead, I have come to protect you, Daughter."

"I do not need your protection."

"You no longer have a husband, so your guardianship reverts back to bore no heir for Ishton, the castle rightly belongs to me as well."

me. Since you

"Would it not be up to the king to decide what happens to Ishton?" Hermione asked. "Henry is not here, while I am. You are in my power." Morefy advanced toward her.

"If you do as I command, I will not harm you." "Why do you hate me so much?" The words seemed to burst from her.

"You are a faithless s**t, just like your mother." Morefy sneered. "She sent you away before it became apparent you were her bastard. But once you returned, I took one look at you and knew you were no spawn of mine. I slashed your face so no one would want to look at you.

Morefy's words stunned Hermione. "Who was my father?"

"Some worthless, landless knight. I have long forgotten his name." Morefy shrugged "I got rid of him, Strangled him with my own hands. "Twas most satisfying," Horror gripped Hermione as she stared at his evil face. Out of the corner of her eye the caught a slight flutter of the tapestry covering the concealed door. The movement focused her mind back on her real mission here.

"You killed Delvin as well. You ordered the ambush that led to his death." "Aye. After he escaped my first attack, I decided that the second time 1 would employ overwhelming force, to make sure he died."

"Did you use Langston to make the first attempt to kill Delvin?" Hermione asked. "Langston?" Morefy scoffed. "That milksop? Whatever gave you that stupid idea?

"So Langston was not here at Ishton spying for you?" Hermione asked. "Nay. Enough of this drivel. You will order your castellan to turn the castle over t me. You will make it clear to him that I am now the rightful owner of Ishton." "She cannot do that as I am still alive," Delvin stated as he entered the chamber from

the concealed door. Delvin drew his sword, advancing toward his enemy. Wyham followed close behind. "Your full treachery has now been exposed, Morefy." Wyham declared. "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Lord Mercif. I will take you to King Henry for his judgment."

Morefy snarled and lunged toward Hermione, grabbing her arm. He pulled her in front

of him, holding a knife to her throat.

Delvin and Wyham halted.

"One more step and she dies," Morefy barked..

"You stinking coward." Delvin said. "Let her go and face me like a man." Morefy dragged Hermione back toward the door. "She is my guarantee of safe passage out of here."

Delvin advanced toward Morefy, but with her in danger between them, she knew there was little he could do. His eyes seemed to bore into hers as if he willed her to act. Hermione calmed as Delvin's training filled her mind. He had shown her how to use an opponent's superior strength against him. He had taught her to be merciless when facing the enemy.

Raising the knife she had concealed against her skirts, she grasped it with both hands as she dug it into the hand Morefy held at her throat. With all her strength she pushed the knife down into him, forcing his hand away from her. Morefy yelled and flung her away from him, into her husband's path. Delvin jumped over her as she sprawled on the floor and trapped Morefy against the closed door, his sword at Morefy's throat.

"Drop the knife," Delvin ordered.

Morefy threw the knife down. Delvin kept his blade at Morefy's throat as he pulled the older man's sword from the scabbard at his side. Delvin stepped back slightly, a sword in each hand.

"Wyham, get the rope so I can tie him up." “Nay,” Morefy gasped. "Nay.”

He brought his fist up to his chest, as he fought for breath. Hermione stared as Morefy slumped to the floor. Delvin stood over his enemy, both swords poised over the man's body. When Morefy did not move, Delvin went down to one knee beside him.

"Wyham, take this sword while I check him." Wyham left Hermione's side and went over to Delvin, taking Morefy's sword from his

hand. He remained on guard as Delvin put his hand to Morefy's throat.

After a moment, Delvin stood. "He is dead." He looked over at Hermione. "You are bleeding. Are you all right?" "What?" Feeling dazed and unsteady, Hermione raised her hand to her throat to find a

trickle of blood. "He must have cut me." She pulled her hand away and stared down at

the smear of scarlet on her fingertips. "Hermione, will you be all right?"

"Aye," Hermione whispered.

"Wyham, take care of her."

"Aye, I will. You go ahead."

Delvin pulled the chamber door open.

Ralph turned from his post guarding the door and gasped. "Milord! You are alive!" "Aye, Delvin responded. He glanced toward a gaping Matthew and the two dead bodies lying on the gallery floor. "What happened here?" "Sir Hugh gave us orders to make sure Morefy's men did not go into the chamber.

When they heard sounds of a struggle, they attempted to enter. Matthew and I stopped

them." "Good. Morefy is dead. Remove his body from the bedchamber immediately. Then take all three bodies out of the donjon." "Aye, milord," Ralph and Matthew responded in unison.

"Where is Sir Hugh?" Delvin asked.

"He is securing the castle, milord," Ralph replied.

Delvin went down the stairs into the empty hall. He strode through the deserted inner bailey toward the stables. The servants and villeins had been instructed to remain in the unused lists in the outer bailey, protected from danger, during the confrontation with Morefy. A few of his men-at-arms were standing in front of the stables with the marshal.

The stable master was the first to spot Delvin. He gave a shocked exclamation and

crossed himself. "Tis a ghost!" he cried.

""Tis no ghost," Delvin said. "I am as alive as you."

"God be praised!" the marshal exclaimed.

"Geoffrey," he addressed the soldier who stood with his mouth wide open, "where is Sir Hugh? What is the situation?" The young man snapped to attention. "Sir Hugh is on the crenellations, above the

main gate. I know not how the battle in front of the castle is going, milord."

"My thanks." Delvin headed

toward the southeast turret on the outer curtain and rapidly climbed the stairs to the battlements. Ignoring the shocked exclamations that greeted his appearance on the allure, he headed directly toward Belwick, who stood over the main gate.

"How goes it?" Delvin asked as he halted next to his castellan and surveyed the battle scene on the far side of the river.

"Morefy's forces are defeated. The knights put up a fight but were quickly dispatched by the king's troops. The men-at-arms swiftly surrendered when the knights were killed. Victory is ours, milord."

"Good."

Dead bodies were strewn across the meadow. Two soldiers were trying to corral the horses while the majority of the king's. men disarmed the enemy force. A group of Ishton troops crossed the drawbridge to assist in the capture.

"Since the castle is secured, you may let the servants and villeins return to their

work," Delvin said.

"Aye, milord."

"And Hugh, please make an announcement that I am very much alive. I do not want anyone else to mistake me for a ghost."

"Aye, milord," Belwick said with a slight grin.

"Release Langston from prison. Ask him to come to my solar at his earliest

convenience."

"Langston has been exonerated?"

"Aye."

A laric strode through the empty hall and up the stairs. Now that he knew the castle was secure, he could focus his attention on Hermione. When he opened the bedchamber door, he found Hermione seated with his mother attending to her injury. Wyham stood nearby.

"How goes it, Ishton?" Wyham asked as soon as he saw Delvin. "Morefy's forces have been soundly defeated." Delvin crossed the chamber and knelt in front of his wife's chair. "Hermione, how are you?"

"I am fine."

Her face was pale, but composed. A bandage was wrapped around her neck. Delvin shot a questioning look at his mother.

"The bleeding has stopped," Lucy informed him. "Luckily, the cut is not too

deep nor did it sever a major artery. I have cleaned the wound and applied a healing

salve. She should recover well, but it will leave a scar."

So Morefy had given her one more scar. Delvin should never have let her face Morefy... The sight of her in his power had twisted Delvin's gut. Looking back into her eyes, he noticed for the first time the serenity that filled them.

"I faced him, Delvin," Hermione said. "I did not cringe. I did not hide." "Aye, you faced him like a warrior. And you defeated him. You did not let your fear conquer you. You controlled your fear and used your training to attack Morefy. Hermione_ I am very proud of you."

A smile spread slowly on Hermione's lips. "Aye, I did."

Delvin lifted her hand from her lap and pressed a kiss on her palm. After gently

returning her hand to her lap, he stood. Keeping his eyes on her face, he marveled an

her air of dignity and tranquility. The things she had just learned from Morefy mus

have shaken her, but she gave no sign of any disquiet.

"It must have been a shock to learn that Morefy is not your father," he stated.

"Aye," Hermione agreed. "But 'twas a relief as well. I never understood why he hatec me so much. And I dreaded the idea of passing his evil blood onto our children."

"What do you want to do about this information?" Delvin asked.

"May I make a suggestion?" Wyham interrupted.

"Aye, by all means," Delvin said, turning to look at the older man. "I believe it would be a mistake to make public the fact that Hermione is not Morefy' daughter. It brands her mother an adulteress. It calls into question the legitimacy

Delvin considered the diplomat's arguments. He looked at Hermione. "Tis up to you, your marriage. And it jeopardizes the transfer of Morefy's lands to Ishton." Hermione. What do you want to do?" "I have no need for anyone else to know the truth. The people of Ishton h

already accepted me. "Tis enough that I know I am not his daughter," "As you will," Delvin said. "Only the four of us will know the truth." "Milord," Hermione stated, "there is another truth Morefy spoke that does need to be made public. Damien Langston is innocent of attempting to murder you."

have

"I have already given orders for Langston to be released from prison, and I will make a formal, public declaration of his innocence. Hermione, I ask for your forgivenes You were right about Langston's innocence from the start. I confess that I let jealousy of your friendship with him get in the way of my sound judgment." "Thank you, Delvin. Your confession means a lot to me. I do forgive you. Does my

this mean that you now trust me? Will I now be able to speak with Damien?" "Aye, you shall. "Tis another thing for which I ask your forgiveness. I should have trusted you to keep our marriage vows and not given in to my unreasonable jealousy I should not have tried to control you and deny you your friendship with Langston."

Hermione stood and came to him, putting her hands on his upper arms. He looked down into her face and felt the warmth of her radiant smile. Losing himself in her eyes he experienced a tremendous weight being lifted from his soul.