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The small corridor that led to the livery yard was adjacent to the alcove, and before Sinclair and Amir could get across the destroyed common room, Maude appeared with Francis behind her.

She was beaten and bloodied, but upright and heavily armed.

The first thing she saw was Payne on the ground, with blood on his face, and she charged into the alcove with Francis on her heels.

Sinclair and Amir reached the chamber a second later only to see Maude charge Declan.

Seeing his mother coming, Declan thrust his sword at her, the sword meant for Payne, and Maude ran straight into it.

As they watched in horror, Maude impaled herself on the sword in her haste to get to her middle son, but the sword she was holding in her right hand plowed directly into Declan’s neck, pushed into him with such force that it nailed him to the wall behind him.

As Declan breathed his last, impaled through the neck, Maude fell to the floor with a sword in her chest.

“My God,” Sinclair gasped, leaping over Payne to get to Maude. “Easy, lady. Be at ease. I have you.”

Francis, who had been trying to drag Payne away from the fighting, saw what happened to his mother and cried out in horror.

He dropped Payne and rushed to Maude’s side, pulling her off the floor and holding her as Sinclair tried to assess the damage.

Meanwhile, Payne started coming around as Amir pulled him into a sitting position.

The world was rocking and there was blood pouring from his nose and mouth where he’d bit his cheek when Declan hit him in the face, and it took him a minute to clear the stars from his eyes.

He could hardly see because of it. Not only did he not see Maude right away, but he didn’t see Astria and Ming Tang coming in through the entry door, either.

Astria had regained consciousness moments earlier, and unless Ming Tang wanted to get into a fistfight with her, he’d had no choice but to let her return to the embattled tavern in search of her husband.

She’d been desperate to get to him.

Astria saw Payne the moment she came through the door.

Her ears were ringing, still, and she had a painful lump on her head, but she was alive.

There was nothing more in the world that she wanted than to find Payne, so the moment she came through the entry and saw him sitting up with blood all over his face in the far alcove, she raced across the devastated common room and into the alcove.

Falling to her knees, she threw her arms around him.

“I’m here, my darling, I’m here,” she wept, holding him tightly. But she quickly loosened her grip to get a look at his face. “Let me see the damage. How do you feel?”

Realizing Astria was with him fed Payne’s sense of relief and joy. He was still dazed, but not dazed so much that he couldn’t respond to her. He pulled her into his powerful embrace, trying to shake off the fuzziness in his head.

“I’m well enough,” he said. “Please dunna worry. I’m more concerned with ye. How are ye feeling?”

Astria had her hands on his face, inspecting the injuries. “I’m well, I promise,” she said, a hand fluttering to the lump on her head. “It’s just a bump, after all. But what’s happened? I awoke and Arnaldo is in pieces and—”

“Payne,” Francis called to his brother, angst in his voice. “Come quickly!”

Payne tore his eyes away from Astria, finally seeing the damage at the far end of the chamber. Declan was dead, impaled on the wall by a sword through his neck, and on the floor lay a small figure with red hair.

Maude .

Payne must have whimpered, because his reaction, or even his movement, had Astria looking over to see the same thing.

Maude on the ground, bloody, with a sword in her chest. They both moved in that direction, he helping her, she helping him, both of them stagging over to see the horrific scene before them.

It was like a nightmare.

Maude was mortally wounded, but she was still conscious.

Blood was spreading out underneath her and Francis was elevating his mother’s head as Sinclair determined that nothing could be done.

The sword was actually preventing the woman from bleeding to death in an instant, so he simply left it.

But he reached up, pulling Payne down to his knees beside him.

“Speak to her,” he whispered. “Her time is short. Tell her how much you love her.”

Payne nearly came apart. This canna be happening! He took his mother’s hand and held it to his lips. “Maudie,” he whispered, his tears falling onto her fingers. “I’m so sorry this happened. I’m sorry I couldna protect ye.”

Maude was as pale as snow. She gazed up at her son, her pale blue eyes unnaturally bright. “Dunna weep,” she said haltingly. “Yer father… He’s waiting for me. I’ll not be alone, I promise. But I’m going tae miss ye very much.”

Across from Payne, Francis broke down in quiet tears. “Oh… Maudie,” he wept. “How will we go on with ye?”

Maude tried to reach up, to touch Francis as he wept, but she was too weak. Francis saw her hand, however, and grasped it tightly.

“Ye’re stronger than ye know, Francis,” she murmured. “Continue the legacy. That’s my wish. There’s nothing more fearsome than a pirate named Pope Francis.”

She smiled when she said it, teasing him gently, but Francis would have none of it. “I canna,” he whispered tightly. “Not without ye. I canna do it.”

“Ye must,” Maude whispered.

“But I canna!”

“If ye dunna, then who will?”

“Me,” Astria said, leaning over Payne’s shoulder.

When Maude’s eyes moved to her, she smiled bravely.

“Not to worry, Maudie. I understand. If the past five months have taught me anything, it is that you are a woman of strength and dedication. I’m sorry I never told you that.

But I’ll take care of your sons and your legacy, I swear it.

Be at peace, dear lady. All will be well. ”

Maude’s smile grew as she gazed into Astria’s eyes. “My legacy,” she whispered. “Who knew it would be ye?”

Astria met her smile. “It was fate,” she said. “Fate the day you captured me. Fate the day you pledged me to Payne. We’ll make sure you are well remembered by those who love you.”

“Promise?”

“I swear upon The Sea God that Bloody Maude will live on, in hearts and in memories.”

“Thank ye, lass.”

Maude was fading fast. That much was clear. Still smiling, she managed to look at Payne one last time. Her beloved son. He had her hand clasped against his cheek, trying to give her some comfort, and to Maude, it meant everything.

He meant everything.

“Do ye remember what ye asked of me so recently?” she said, barely audible. “Ye wanted tae be the one who held my hand at the end. Remember?”

Payne was choked up. “I do.”

“Ye were, lad,” she said, her eyes closing. “In the end, ye were the one who held my hand as I breathed my last.”

Payne couldn’t even reply. As he watched, Maude fell silent and her breathing grew faint and unsteady before stopping completely. Even when the air left her lungs, never to return, she was still smiling.

They could all see it.

Bloody Maude died with a smile on her lips.

As Francis collapsed on his mother, his face on her neck, weeping silently, Astria wrapped her arms around Payne and held him tightly as his tears flowed.

No matter who she was, or what she had done in her life, Maude was still their mother and they loved her dearly.

Sinclair, Amir, and Ming Tang quietly stepped away, giving the family time to grieve, but not before Sinclair and Amir removed Declan from the wall and carried his body away.

Somehow, it didn’t seem right that he should be there at such a moment, the man who had killed his own mother.

The man who had wanted everything and lost.

But Maude’s memory would be much different, and that was already clear.

There was great grief at her death, a testament to how much she was adored.

After a few moments of weeping into Astria’s shoulder, Payne finally lifted his head and struggled to compose himself as his wife wiped his tears off his face.

“I am so very sorry, my love,” she murmured. “In spite of our rough beginning, I had come to like your mother. And I think she liked me.”

“She did,” Payne said hoarsely. “I think she liked ye a great deal.”

“I think so too,” Astria said. “Would you like me to leave you and your brother alone with her, just the two of you?”

He looked at her, eyes watering. “Would ye mind?”

“Of course not,” she said, kissing his bloodied cheek. “I will be standing just outside the chamber should you need me.”

He nodded and she kissed him again, leaving him and Francis at their mother’s side, mourning a tremendous loss. Astria stepped out of the alcove, seeing that all of the Blackchurch trainers had gathered there, including Kristian and St. Sebastian.

And one more unexpected person.

St. Denis had come to the tavern after hearing about the battle, now seeing the aftermath.

Amir had explained everything to him, so he was aware of the situation, aware of the death of Bloody Maude.

He’d never met Astria because there had never been the opportunity, but Amir led him over to her and made the introductions.

“It hardly seems appropriate for social proprieties at a time like this, but I am glad to meet you, Lady Lismore,” St. Denis said. “May I extend my condolences on the loss of Payne’s mother?”

Astria nodded. “Thank you, my lord,” she said. She hesitated before continuing. “I realize that she was considered a fearsome individual by many and, I’m sure, there was loathing by some, but at her core, she was a mother who was much loved by her sons. Two of them, at least.”

St. Denis lifted his eyebrows in understanding. “I’ve been apprised of the entire situation,” he said. “Families can be… complicated.”

Astria smiled faintly. “I would know that better than most.”

“You would?” St. Denis said, his gaze moving over her, inspecting her. “Mayhap one day you will indulge me in a conversation about your family history. I do not know much about the Portuguese.”

“I would be delighted, my lord.”

He smiled faintly and the conversation died, though not awkwardly.

Feeling weary after such an eventful morning, Astria went to find a chair that wasn’t broken.

Kristian found one for her and brought it out from the kitchen, where he had been discussing helping with the cleanup of the Black Cock with Hobbes.

In every aspect, the Blackchurch trainers were protective of the tavern, their place of relaxation and camaraderie.

Just as Astria sat down, however, Payne suddenly appeared, and Francis behind him.

As Francis headed out to the encampment to inform the men of Maude’s passing, Payne was faced with his friends, all of them, looking at him rather sadly.

His gaze found Kristian and Sinclair and Ming Tang.

“Would ye do me the great honor of preparing my mother for transport back tae Scotland?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “I should like her treated with all due respect.”

Sinclair was the first to move to him, putting his hand on the man’s shoulder. “The honor is ours,” he said quietly. “She was a strong woman, Payne. She raised a fine son. I am so very sorry.”

Payne nodded in appreciation. It was a sentiment relayed by Kristian as well as he went to help Sinclair.

Ming Tang, as a Shaolin monk, traditionally wrapped himself in kasaya robe, stitched together from three pieces of linen, and as a sign of respect, he removed it to wrap Maude’s body in.

While Sinclair and Kristian discreetly removed the sword in the woman’s chest and began to wrap up her body, Ming Tang went to Payne.

“In my culture, we believe that death is not the end, but a transition to another life,” he said. “We offer prayers for the dead to help them during this transition. May I offer them for your mother?”

The tears were back in Payne’s eyes as he nodded. “Aye,” he whispered. “Thank ye.”

Ming Tang smiled faintly. “Do not be sad, my friend,” he said.

“Rejoice in the joy of your memories. Rejoice in the new life your mother will know. I will confess that I am torn about her rebirth, however. It is our belief that the better the life, the more positive the rebirth. Your mother was much loved by her sons, but she lived a life that some may consider questionable. Mayhap God will permit her to be reborn as a sea serpent to continue her domination of the seas.”

That brought a soft laugh from Payne. “I wouldna be surprised,” he said. “Or a fish with teeth that eats other fish.”

Ming Tang chuckled. “Mayhap,” he said. “But whatever she becomes, I shall pray for her peace and comfort.”

Payne’s smile faded. “It would be much appreciated.”

Leaving Payne with a smile, Ming Tang went to help tend to Maude.

In fact, several of the trainers went to help while Cruz and Creston were tasked with handling Declan’s body, which had been taken back to the chamber he’d shared with his brother at one time.

With everyone moving to help Payne in his time of need, that left Payne better able to focus on his wife.

When Astria saw him heading toward her, she stood up from the chair and opened her arms to him. He held her tightly, sighing heavily as he drew comfort from her. So much comfort.

As if he’d been doing it his entire life.

There were no more words to be spoken. Life had changed for them and they had a future to face together.

A bright future. Payne took Astria in hand, leading her out of the Black Cock, away from the chaos, away from the madness that had descended for a short time.

Outside, they passed by Arnaldo’s headless body, which the birds were already starting to descend on.

But Astria didn’t care.

She, too, was looking ahead, not behind.

As Payne had once told her, their love would outlast the stars, and they were well on their way to that destiny.

They’d weathered more than any couple should have to weather in their short marriage.

It had only been a week since they’d been joined in matrimony, but in that week, they’d lived a lifetime.

And they still had a lifetime to go.

For the Black Church trainer known as The Tempest and the Portuguese princess once known as The Sea God, the possibilities of a wonderful life ahead were endless.