He had been paying attention all those years. It was what kept him alive on the battlefield. He watched and listened and swung. A parry to the left, a jab to the right, swing around back and remove a head.
Of course, this was practice. He wouldn’t actually take a head—but he could come close if they weren’t careful.
He fought them for an hour with his cousin, Tristan, and his other cousins joining his side.
In the end, the younger men saw victory. Galeren was glad. For if his father and uncles had won, they would feel as if they had failed the lads and would begin the strict training again.
No one wanted that.
He looked toward the manor house…her window. She was there, watching him. She lifted her palm and smiled at him. His heart accelerated. He lifted his palm in response.
His father and uncles all came around him and ushered him away with advice about his wedding night.
“Bein’ chaste fer six years has its disadvantages,” his father supplied while they walked to the manor house. “Ye will be done before ye begin.”
“Aye,” his uncles agreed. “Ye need to go spend some time alone—”
Galeren held up his hand to silence anymore advice. “All will be well. Dinna fret aboot my weddin’ night.”
“But ye are both like virgins!” Cain protested. “Ye need some help from men who—”
“Uncle,” Galeren cut him off, not wanting to hear of their prowess with his aunts and mother! “Both of us bein’ like virgins is all right with me. I like the idea of us teachin’ each other what is pleasin’.”
His father patted him on the back and smiled at him. “Let us go drink to yer upcomin’ nuptials and yer excellent skills.”
They walked to the solar in Torin’s manor house and drank their kin’s fine whisky. Among many other things, they discussed what to do when the high steward arrived.
“He doesna seem like the type to let this go,” Cain said. “We should kill him.”
“What aboot King David?” Tristan asked. “Will no help come from him?”
“No. None,” Galeren told them. “He can do little from where he is. Still, he willna kill us fer doin’ what must be done if John attacks.”
“The king will take your side?” Nicholas asked him.
“Aye.”
“How do you know for certain?”
“Because I’m friends with John on the king’s orders.”
All the men straightened in their chairs and stared at him.
“I mean, the king doesna trust his cousin, John. He never has. He is sure John had his hand in his capture and arrest at Neville’s Cross. He sent me to befriend his rash cousin and wait fer him to plot against his rival, David. That is what I have done.”
“Ye have been a spy fer nine years, learnin’ the high steward’s secrets?” his father asked, looking prouder than ever before.
“Three years, actually,” Galeren answered. “Before that, David was free. Once David was imprisoned, my role changed. I have learned much. The king calls his cousin a thief and a heartless, disloyal scoundrel. He is correct. John has his hand in the royal coffers. He robs the coin to pay killers to silence any Scots noblemen who comes against him. David knows aboot all of it because of me.”
“Why has David done nothin’ aboot it?” Cain asked. “Even if ’twas to order ye to kill him?”
“He wants John only after his cousin plots against him. John havin’ Silene killed willna cause the king to move. ’Tis murder, not treason. John could always come back somehow and become king.”
“Perhaps he won’t plot anything against the king at all. They are cousins, after all,” Nicholas offered.
Galeren shook his head. “Once he had the seat secured, he likely would have made his move against the king. I dinna care if we lost our chance, Silene wouldna make a promise to God to prove John wanted the throne, and I would never ask it of her.”
They all agreed, knowing the king might not share their sentiments. Silene might have the king against her as well as the high steward.