Great Protector

Copyright
2012 by Kathryn Le Veque
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Printed by Dragonblade Publishing in the United States of America

Text
copyright 2012 by Kathryn Le Veque
Cover copyright 2012 by Kathryn Le Veque

Richmond (Teutonic): Great
Protector

PROLOGUE

1384
A.D.

London,
England

The
old stable was dark and dank, smelling of horses and urine. The icy fingers of
winter extended from the walls as an armored figure cautiously entered the
structure.

Sir
Richmond le Bec's breath hung in the damp air, a dense fog that vaporized as he
passed through it. Hesitantly, he moved deeper into the stable, his blue eyes
observing all within the confines of shadowed stalls.

"Richmond!"

Richmond
turned in the direction of his whispered name. Without delay, he moved deep
into the bowels of the structure.

At
the far end of the stable in a corner stall, two figures huddled for warmth
against the cold December night. There was no light to illuminate the musty
straw, only the dim moon glow casting weak beams of light. Richmond could make
out the forms of a man and a woman.

"My
lord?" he asked softly, puzzled. "I have come as ordered."

A
face became clear in the obscure light, features the young knight was well
acquainted with. Young Henry, Duke of Hereford and King Richard's cousin, gazed
at his mighty comrade, already powerful and established at the tender age of
twenty-two. Le Bec was a warrior to be trusted without hesitation.

Tears
suddenly spilled down the duke's cheeks, quickly dashed away by his female
companion. Richmond could see that the man's arms were occupied; he held a
bundle.

"Richmond,
I must ask of you a most vital task," Henry whispered, gazing tenderly at
the parcel he cradled. "You must take this parcel and guard it with your
life."

Richmond
gazed at the bundle curiously, wondering what was so important to have Edward
III's grandson reduced to tears. His perplexed attention shifted from the heap
of blankets to the two cloaked figures once again; it took Richmond a moment
longer to realize that Henry's companion was not his wife.

The
mystery deepened. Yet, he did not hesitate in his obedient response.  "Without
question, sire."

Henry
sniffed loudly and his companion shakily wiped at her own face, revealing a
delicate beauty of porcelain features. Shocked, Richmond recognized his
superior officer's wife, the Lady Ellyn.

"My
lady," he said with concern. "Are you...?"

Henry
did not allow him to finish. He thrust the bundle at Richmond. "You must
take this precious package and see that it is delivered to the Earl of Berkshire,
William de Lohr. He’s expecting it."

Richmond
grasped the bundle with mailed hands, only to discover that it was a very soft,
very limp mass of swaddling. When the woolen blankets let out a weak cry, he
nearly dropped the parcel out of pure astonishment; he was holding a child.

"God's
Teeth," he muttered, clutching the babe against his broad chest. His
bafflement increasing by the moment, his eyes sought the duke. "Henry....
what
is
this?"

Henry
put his arm around the woman, who began to weep softly against his shoulder.

"My
daughter," Henry whispered, gazing at the bundle in the knight's massive
arms. He tore his eyes away, meeting his friend's stunned expression. "De
Lohr is expecting her. You will take her to Lambourn this night and remain as
her great protector."

Richmond
shook his head, his bewilderment expanding. "Remain as her
protector
?
But...?"

Henry
let out a harsh sigh, putting both arms around the Lady Ellyn as her sobbing
deepened. "God's Blood, le Bec, do you need for me to spell it out? She’s
my bastard, the result of a liaison between me and the Lady Ellyn. Her husband
has threatened to kill the child, for he knows it not to be his. You must take
her."

Richmond
was shocked as well as baffled. "But.... Captain de Worth would never do such
a thing. He’s King Richard's household captain, sworn to uphold the codes of
chivalry."

"He’s
also an enraged husband whose wife has managed to bear another man's
child," Henry snapped savagely, clutching Lady Ellyn fiercely.
"Charles de Worth doesn't love her, Richmond. Only I love her. We have
created this child with our love and you have been delegated the duty of
protecting my daughter until she becomes of age. Will you do this for me?"

Richmond
blinked; reeling with the shock, he was literally speechless. But his
astonishment gave way to a surge of defiance. "I... Henry, I am a knight,
not a nursemaid. Why would you....?"

"Because
you are the only man I can trust for this most important task," Henry
insisted. "Do not question my orders, Richmond. You will do as I
say." 

Richmond's
jaw went slack, his eyes wide as Henry's command sank deep. "But you would
demand that I remain at her side, always, as her.... her guardian? I am not
trained for this variety of work. I am a warrior, Henry."

"You
are a knight of the realm," Henry's tears were drying, his pale eyes
sharp. "And I am a prince of the realm. Damnation, Richmond, you shall do
as I say without reserve. There is nothing more important in this life than the
child you clutch.
Nothing
."

Richmond
swallowed hard, his gaze once again moving to the plump bundle. His stubbornness
was dissolved by the very real fact that he could not deny a direct order. He
was, in fact, a warrior, and sworn to obey without question.

"I...
I am a knight," he repeated weakly, knowing the basis for his argument was
slipping through his fingers. "Fighting is my vocation, not child-rearing.
How can you ask this of me?"

"You
are my friend," Henry's voice was equally feeble. After an eternal pause,
he sighed with great emotion. "Richmond, as my friend, will you grant my
request? I need you, more than I have ever needed you. Will you help me?"

Richmond's
head came up from the warm bundle of swaddling, his blue eyes locking with
those of his friend, a man he had come to know well during his years of
training at Kenilworth. Aye, he was a knight, a warrior to the very core. But
he was also a loyal friend, a man whose dedications ran deep.

Gazing
into Henry's desperate face, he nodded faintly. "Completely, sire."

Henry's
moist gaze came to rest on the parcel cradled in the knight's steel-clad arms.
Richmond's eyes returned to the child as well, the Lilliputian face partially
obscured by the heavy blankets. With thick, timid fingers, he carefully drew
back the folds.

A
newborn squirmed restlessly, trying to capture tiny hands within her toothless
mouth. Richmond stared at the babe, a perfect little cherub with a thatch of
dark hair. The longer he gazed at the child, the more a peculiar warmth settled
over him; as with all things tiny and new and perfect, there was a certain
enchantment to be experienced.

"Her
name is Arissa," came a soft voice.

Richmond
glanced up from the infant, finding himself looking at Lady Ellyn's
anguish-filled green eyes.  Wiping the remainder of her tears from her face,
she gently tore herself free from Henry's embrace and moved towards the massive
knight.

"The
Lady Arissa," she repeated softly. "She’s five days old, having been
born on the first of December. She’s a good girl, healthy and beautiful."

Richmond
stared at the woman, his gaze shifting between her lovely features and that of
the babe's mewling face. "It.... it will take me several hours to reach
Lambourn, my lady. I.... that is to say, obviously, I cannot feed her. What
shall..?"

Lady
Ellyn moved away from him, swiftly retrieving a small satchel tucked into the
straw. "I have packed clothing and two milk bladders. You may feed her
cow's milk. Even goat's milk will do, and she should be ready to eat in two or
three hours. She will tell you when she’s hungry."

His
dark eyebrows rose slightly. "She will
tell
me?"

Lady
Ellyn forced a tremulous smile, running a tender finger across a tiny satin
cheek. "When she screams like a banshee. 'Twill make your hair stand on
end."

Richmond
looked to the babe uncertainly. "Is that so? In that case, my lady, I
shall prepare myself. I think."

Henry
stumbled to his feet. Richmond glanced at the duke, wondering how a young
nobleman of eighteen years managed to become involved with a married woman of
twenty-five. A most perplexing circumstance, one that Richmond found himself
swept up in.

Richmond’s
gaze lingered on the babe a moment longer before looking to his royal friend.
"Henry, certainly I do not mean to be difficult, but you are aware that I
am sworn to King Richard. If I am to disappear, 'twill reflect poorly on my
reputation. The king will...."

Henry
shook his head firmly, pulling Lady Ellyn into his embrace once more. "I
petitioned for your services this morning, Richmond. As far as my cousin is
concerned, you are returning with me to Kenilworth."

"What
of Lady Mary?" Richmond asked softly. "Surely your wife will inform
Richard that I am not in your personal service when I fail to appear at
Kenilworth."

Henry
kept his gaze on the babe. "You needn't worry about her. As you know, my
wife and I have lived apart for several months due to her fragile health. Your
primary concern in this life is the child you hold; whether you serve by my
side or at Lambourn makes little difference," his pale eyes sought out
Richmond's bright blue eyes imploringly. "You must do this for me, my
friend. You are the only man I trust to accomplish this task."

Richmond's
gaze lingered on the duke before returning to the dozing child. Observing the
sweet face, the chubby cheeks, the peculiar warm feeling enveloped him again.
He'd never held a baby in his entire life until this moment and was struck with
wonderment and apprehension it provoked.  He also realized that he was holding
his destiny.

The
tiny little life in his arms somehow managed to ease the sting of rebellion in
him, convincing him with her tiny coos that she was worth his devotion.
Unknowingly, she was melting his staunch facade.

"At
your service, my lady," he whispered to the babe, the corners of his mouth
lifting slightly. "'Twould seem that you and I are to be constant
companions."

Henry
sighed raggedly, his relief evident as Richmond accepted his mission. Arissa's
parents gazed at her a moment longer before turning away, seized by the
finality of the moment.

"Take
her, Richmond," Henry's voice was raspy, tight. "Now, before I
break."

Richmond
did not hesitate. Without another word, he swept the child into the icy winter
night, ignoring the renewed sobs of the heartbroken mother. He would do as
ordered, just as Henry and his companion were doing what was necessary to
preserve the life of their child.