Fate's Ransom(The First Argentines #4)

“Máthair milis,” Claire proclaimed under her breath.

“Your knights asked if they should fight, but I told them to stand down,” Toole said. “We were outnumbered, and the king’s men were already inside.”

Dearley gave Ransom a nervous glance, but there was fire behind it.

“He took control of the fortress of Atha Kleah?” Ransom asked. “To what purpose?”

“I asked Lord Faulkes that very question. His answer? That he is the king’s envoy in Legault now. Jon-Landon heard of Lord Tenthor’s death and has claimed wardship of Lord Tenthor’s niece, Orla, whom he’s now bestowed on Lord Faulkes.”

Claire’s mouth opened in shock and then rage. “That’s not his right!”

“I know, my lady,” Toole said. “Faulkes doesn’t care about your rights or our customs. He said Legault is a vassal land to Ceredigion, and that the king’s rights triumph.”

She looked at Ransom. “The nobles will be furious.”

“Some already are, but others see it as an opportunity to win favor with the man who wears the hollow crown,” Toole said seriously. He withdrew a letter from his belt and handed it to Ransom. “The king has summoned you to court.”

Ransom looked at the message as if it were a snake, but it bore the seal of the Elder King. There was no mistaking it. He took the message and broke the seal. Opening it, he read the formal writing, recognizing the master of the rolls’s unique style of penmanship.

Greetings,

King Jon-Landon Argentine issues this writ of summons to Lord Marshall Barton, heretofore known as Ransom Barton, to come to Kingfountain in ten days on peril of forfeiting his lands, titles, and the grace of His Royal Majesty. He will bring five thousand livres as scutage in lieu of service of his knights this year and remand said scutage to the king’s coffers at the royal palace in person. Signed in the presence of His Royal Majesty, King Jon-Landon Argentine.

Ransom silently passed the message to Claire, who sucked in her breath.

“What does he want?” Dearley asked somberly.

“Five thousand livres in scutage,” Claire said bitterly. “And he’s to bring it himself. This is a trick,” she added, slapping the message in her hand. “It is no coincidence that Ransom is being summoned just after Lord Faulkes took the fortress at Atha Kleah. Faulkes is here to invade Legault. On the king’s orders!”

That was exactly how it looked to Ransom as well. “If I defy him, he will claim the land anyway.”

“This is an injustice,” Claire said, her voice trembling with rage. “This is my land, my people!”

“If I may,” Lord Toole said. “The king is provoking another conflict. First, he demanded hostages from you. Now, he invades your lands. My lord, my lady, tread carefully. Respond to his summons, bring the scutage, but Lord Ransom must not leave Legault until you take hostages of your own.”

“What?” Claire demanded.

“Use his own stratagem against him,” Toole said. “You know the nobles of the Fair Isle as well as I do, my lady. Some will jump at this moment to switch sides, believing it will open new opportunities to them. With Lord Tenthor dead, you’ve lost one of your greatest defenders among the nobles. Others will see this as an opportunity to rise up and take a larger piece of the pie. They’ve only been waiting for a sign of weakness. Show them none. Demand hostages before Lord Ransom leaves, to ensure their loyalty.”

Claire looked at Lord Toole in shock and then shifted her gaze to Ransom. “How could we, when we know the pain that will cause?”

Ransom shook his head. “I’ll not use children to ensure loyalty.”

Lord Toole closed his eyes and bowed his head. “I understand your sensibilities.” He opened his eyes again and looked determinedly at Ransom. “Still, I must ask you to reconsider. From what I’ve heard, Lord Faulkes is a scheming and dishonorable man. He is the king’s lackey, sent here to sow discord. If you are gone, Lord Ransom, then he will attack Connaught.”

“That would be in direct defiance of my oath of fealty,” Ransom said. “If the king breaches the peace first, then I have no remaining obligation of loyalty.”

“He’s already proven himself incapable of honor,” Dearley said. “I agree with Lord Toole. Any hostages we take will be safer than those kept at Kingfountain.”

“I will not,” Ransom said angrily. “We only train children who are sent here willingly by their parents. I’ll have no hostages.”

“Nor I,” said Claire, meeting his determination with her own. She gripped his hand tightly.

Lord Toole sighed again. “I feared this would be your answer. By doing so you make yourselves and Legault vulnerable. I will not fight the King of Ceredigion, and I will not fight you. I must resign from my post.”

“Lord Toole,” Claire said with disappointment.

“My lady, I’ve always given you my faithful service, but I’m growing old. If Lord Ransom goes to Kingfountain, there is every reason to believe the king will delay him from returning. Jon-Landon Argentine is attempting to seize control of Legault. Only a powerful deterrent will stop him from achieving his aims. If you let your personal feelings rule the day, then you’re playing into his hands. You will lose your power here. I cannot defend the realm if you will not.”

Ransom glanced at Dearley, whose emotions were plain on his face. He agreed with Lord Toole. He thought they were making a foolish choice. Turning, Ransom addressed Claire. “I’ll go to Atha Kleah and make the nobles swear an oath that they will remain loyal.”

Claire swallowed and nodded firmly.

“They won’t honor it,” Lord Toole predicted.

“Then we will see who is faithful and who is not,” Ransom said. “I am true to my promises. I will go to Kingfountain.” Clenching Claire’s hand still, he raised her fingers to his mouth and kissed them.





It was agony watching Ransom leave Connaught castle. He’s going to Atha Kleah first to demand oaths of loyalty from the Gaultic lords. Dawson is going with him to Atha Kleah but will return to the castle with news of how it went. Simon will arrange for the scutage to be paid from Glosstyr, and Ransom will travel on the ship that brings the coin to the palace. He left Dearley here and commanded him to defend the castle and our families. Then I kissed him good-bye and watched with an aching heart as he held Sibyl very close. She didn’t want to let him go, and it nearly made me blubber. He kissed little Keeva, and then he was gone.

My feelings have been in unrest since he left. He is obeying the king’s summons, but I have a dark sense that more is at stake here than we know. There are designs at work for Legault. There are designs against my husband. We have a treacherous man as our king now. I hope Ransom can maneuver what is coming. The other lords of Ceredigion must be watching our situation with worry. If Ransom can be brought so low, then so can any of them.

I pray to the Aos Sí that he’ll be protected. But I also put a coin into the courtyard well.

—Claire de Murrow, Queen of the Fair Isle

(when vanity is king)





CHAPTER TEN


Broken Virtus


When Ransom reached Atha Kleah, the town was in an uproar. As he and Dawson and their escort rode down the street toward the fortress, they were besieged by townsfolk, mostly merchants, demanding an audience with him.

“Is it true, Lord Ransom?” one of them asked, a hot-faced merchant with a look of dread. “We must start paying tribute to Kingfountain now?”

Many echoed his concerns. Ransom held up his hand, pressing through the throng with Dappled to get to the open drawbridge. As they drew nearer, Ransom saw the banner flying from the highest spoke—the Triple Lion. It made his stomach sour to see it.

“Lord Ransom! Lord Ransom!”

They continued to shout his name, but he didn’t stop. He had no reassurances to offer them. When he and his escort reached the gap, he saw a knight in armor standing on the wall.

“Who goes there!” shouted the guard.