Page 15

Blackchurch Guild

Exmoor’s Keep

“A nd now ye know,” Payne said. “Bloody Maude has no intention of sacking Blackchurch. She came purely with news for me.”

St. Denis and St. Sebastian, roused from their beds, were sitting in St. Denis’ solar and listening to what was, by all accounts, good news.

There was good news in the sense that Bloody Maude and her band of marauding pirates had no intention of making war upon Blackchurch, but it was also sad news for Payne.

His mother had come to tell him that his father had passed away and he was now the Earl of Lismore, which put him as the highest-ranking noble among the trainers at Blackchurch.

Not only that, he was now socially on the same level as St. Denis himself.

The news had been a revelation, indeed.

“Cruz and Creston essentially told us the same thing,” St. Denis said. “That relieved my mind, of course, but please allow me to extend my condolences on the passing of your father, Payne. Losing a father is never an easy thing.”

Payne shook his head. “Nay, it is not,” he said. “Although I’d not seen my father in years, we were still close. I loved and admired him. Big Bowie Matheson was a great man, much respected by his clan. I will miss him.”

“What will you do?” St. Sebastian asked quietly. “You are an earl now, Payne. That means you have an earldom to manage. Will you go home?”

Payne shook his head. “Not right away,” he said. “I may ask for time tae return home and settle things there, but I have no intention of returning tae stay at this time.”

“But being an earl means you have responsibilities, Payne,” St. Denis said. “Of course, I do not want to lose you, but you have lands and people to administer. Who will do it if you do not?”

Payne looked at him. “My father has a former priest who served as his majordomo for years,” he said.

“The man goes by Old Bones and, tae be perfectly honest, I dunna know his real name. My father affectionately called him Obie and I’m sure he’s still there, still in charge.

He was loyal tae my father and therefore loyal tae me, but I would still like tae return tae ensure that loyalty is still strong.

My family has ruled over our lands for more than two hundred years.

I willna be the link that breaks our legacy by abandoning it. ”

He seemed resolute in what he needed to do, so St. Denis didn’t argue with him, but as a man who ruled an earldom, he knew there was more to it than simply leaving the management of it to others.

Perhaps they would discuss that in the days to come, but not today.

Today was a day to allow Payne the time he needed to mourn the loss of his father.

“Take what time you need, then,” St. Denis said. “If you wish to leave right away for Scotland, I will understand.”

Payne shrugged. “Not immediately,” he said. “But I thank ye for yer generosity. I must still deal with a few things before I go.”

“Like what?”

There was the question. It was a perfect opening for Payne to tell St. Denis something he’d been wrestling with. He wasn’t quite sure how to tell him what else Bloody Maude had brought to the steps of Blackchurch, but here was his opportunity.

He took a deep breath.

“There’s something more ye should know,” he said. “Part of Bloody Maude’s visit tae me was tae tell me of my father, but the other part was tae bring me something.”

St. Sebastian was curious. “What did she bring you?”

“A bride.”

That brought a measure of surprise from both St. Denis and St. Sebastian, but the expression on Payne’s face suggested it wasn’t welcome.

“Are congratulations in order?” St. Sebastian said. “It does not seem so from your expression. I sense there may be something amiss with this bride.”

Payne nodded. “Ye could say that,” he said.

“The truth is this… Ye both know what Bloody Maude is. Ye know what she does. Five months ago, she attacked a pair of ships off the coast of Palma. The bride was on those ships. Her name is Maria Astria Julia, Princesa Real, Princesa of Beira, Duchess of Braganza, Duchess of Barcelos, Countess of Faria, Countess of Neiva, and by marriage, Duchess of Tarragona. Her father was Sancho of Portugal and her nephew now sits upon the throne, and my mother is determined that I, as the new Earl of Lismore, should marry her. And what Bloody Maude wants, Bloody Maude gets.”

By the time he was finished, St. Denis was looking at him in horror. St. Sebastian seemed shocked.

“A Portuguese princess?” St. Denis finally said, aghast. “Bloody Maude has brought you a royal captive to wed?”

“She has.”

St. Denis nearly stammered his next few words. “You… you cannot do it, Payne,” he said. “Do you know what will happen if you do?”

“Of course I know,” Payne said quietly. “But this is a bigger problem than ye know. If I dunna marry her, the fact that I am disobeying my mother notwithstanding, then the princess’ future is in doubt.

My mother could, and would, sell her tae the highest bidder.

Do ye know how poorly the Portuguese would react tae that? ”

“That is none of our concern,” St. Denis said, waving his hands around. “She is not our responsibility. Payne, if you marry her, then I cannot have you continue as a trainer. I cannot risk the Portuguese turning their anger on us when we are sworn to remain neutral in all things.”

St. Sebastian started to protest, but Payne held up a hand to silence him. “I have thought of that,” he said patiently. “Trust me when I tell ye that I understand the implications. So many implications. But there can also be an outcome that makes the Portuguese royal family in Blackchurch’s debt.”

“What’s that?”

Payne was as serious as anyone had ever seen him.

“I marry her and we send word tae the Portuguese royal family that we saved her from Medusa’s Disciples,” he said.

“I would even send her back tae her family if they wanted, but she would remain my wife. That is the price for saving her. The royal family will simply have tae accept that. Moreover, it would make Blackchurch linked, by marriage, to the Portuguese royal house, which elevates our social standing. It will legitimize Blackchurch in a way none of yer predecessors have been able tae do.”

To his surprise, St. Denis didn’t discount him outright.

He started to, but thought better of it, mostly because what Payne was saying made sense.

It would give Blackchurch a legitimacy that they’d never had before.

St. Sebastian was looking at his father rather anxiously as the man mulled everything over.

“He’s right,” he insisted quietly. “To have one of our trainers married to a princess royal would create social standing for us where none has existed before. It could work to our advantage, Papa.”

St. Denis grunted as if his brain hurt as he tried to see all sides of the situation. There was so very much to contemplate. Wearily, he went to sit in his chair.

“Send for Amir,” he said. “And Ming Tang. I want them to hear this.”

With a hopeful glance at Payne, St. Sebastian went to find a servant to send for the men whom St. Denis put a great deal of trust in.

Amir’s father was an Egyptian warlord with twenty thousand men at his disposal and a good deal of clout in the politics of the land, and St. Denis had learned to depend on Amir’s advice over the years.

He had a way of seeing the larger picture, whereas Ming Tang was always in sync with the moral implications.

Not only were the men trainers, but some of the best advisors in the land.

Payne knew this and was grateful that St. Denis was at least considering the proposal.

He hadn’t really thought of the Blackchurch Savior suggestion until he’d come into the chamber.

Now, he could see a way to please his mother, his liege, and still keep his position at Blackchurch.

The truth was that he very much wanted to please his mother, especially after their angry parting ten years ago.

He didn’t want a repeat of that because there may not be forgiveness a second time.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have the courage to stand up to her—it was more that she was his mother and he respected her.

She was a pirate because she’d chosen to accept the legacy of her father, which had taken great courage.

Payne didn’t want to disappoint a woman with that much courage.

But part of it was his giving in to his weakness again. Empathy . He had empathy for Astria when he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help it. He was certain that she didn’t care about him in the least, or what became of him, so he wasn’t sure why he had any concern for her.

But he did.

He hoped that wasn’t going to betray him in the end.

“I’ve sent for them, Papa,” St. Sebastian said as he came back into the solar. “They’ll be here soon.”

And with that, they waited.

Payne sat down in the nearest chair, leaning his head back against the wall.

It was quiet in the chamber but for the gentle snapping of the hearth, and Payne closed his eyes, simply to rest, while they waited.

But he must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he heard was Amir’s voice.

St. Denis was repeating everything Payne had said, including his solution, and asking for Amir and Ming Tang’s advice.

Amir was the first to speak.

“Chances are that the Portuguese royal house already knows that one of their own has been taken captive,” he said. “It has been five months, you’ve said?”

St. Denis nodded. “That is what I have been told.”

Amir rubbed his eyes wearily. He’d been awoken from a dead sleep by his lord’s summons, only to be facing an unexpected crisis.

“In five months, word should have reached them,” he said.

“At the very least, they are probably looking for her. If we were to send word that we rescued her from her captor, it would indeed put us in their debt and emphasize our neutral position in all matters.”