Sometimes, when you love someone… Ghislaine understood what he meant immediately. Because Aramis loved her, he was willing to do what was necessary to see her happy. In this case, it meant marrying Lygia so Gaetan would be freed from the bonds of Ghislaine’s bargain. Rather than see Gaetan forced into marriage so he could sweep in and be a shoulder for Ghislaine to cry on, Aramis saw greater honor in seeing her happy.
Aramis was prepared to sacrifice himself for her joy.
“Oh, Aramis!” Ghislaine gasped when she realized the depths of his offer. “Thank you!”
She launched herself at Aramis, throwing her arms around the man’s neck as he stumbled back from the force of the blow. Momentarily surprised by her action, he began to laugh as he timidly put his arms around her to give her a squeeze. But not too much; Gaetan was watching. In fact, when he saw the expression on Gaetan’s face, he took his arms away from her to show that he wasn’t touching her at all.
“See?” he said. “I am not touching her. It is she who is holding on to me.”
Gaetan had to laugh. It was the most astonishing moment of his life, realizing that Aramis was willing to sacrifice himself for his and Ghislaine’s happiness. The man he’d known for years, the man he considered to be a brother, was displaying just how extensive his loyalty was. Gaetan was humbled by the gesture, touched beyond measure. As he pulled Ghislaine off of the man, he turned to Antillius.
“Will you accept his offer, then?” he asked. “Lygia could find no greater husband than Aramis. He is one of the finest men I have ever known.”
There was no doubt in Antillius’ mind as to whether or not he would accept the offer. In truth, he was extremely relieved by it. Now, he didn’t have to break up a man and woman who were clearly in love with each other, and Lygia would be getting a very fine husband. He looked between Aramis and Gaetan, a smile on his lips.
“I am honored by the offer,” he said. “Of course I will accept it. I am sure Lygia will be quite pleased. But I have two more daughters… well, they need husbands also and….”
“The lass with the titian hair is quite beautiful,” de Lara said, interrupting him. “Although I have not met her yet, I would like to. Would you introduce us, my lord?”
Antillius looked to de Lara, thrilled beyond measure. “That is Verity,” he said eagerly. “I would be happy to introduce you. Thank you, my lord. Thank you ever so much.”
Behind de Lara, de Moray cleared his throat loudly. “I suppose that leaves the last one for me,” he said. “It would be my honor, my lord.”
Antillius was astonished. His bargain with Ghislaine had only brought a husband for one daughter, but the loyalty of Gaetan’s men to ensure that their liege and Lady Ghislaine were permitted to wed brought forth three marriage offers to make sure Gaetan didn’t have to worry about any of Antillius’ daughters. Ever. Now, they were spoken for and Antillius could not have been more delighted.
It was better than he had ever hoped for.
It was a good day, indeed.
“We shall return home on the morrow and feast,” he told them all. “Let us celebrate this great victory and this fine alliance between Norman and Tertium. I could not ask for greater allies and fathers to a new generation of strong sons with both Roman and Norman bloodlines. Truly, they will be the greatest sons of all.”
It was the ravings of a man who was extremely happy at the course the future had taken. Aramis, Luc, and Marc went to herd Antillius away from Gaetan and Ghislaine, moving with the man towards the dead on the road and turning the discussion away from the sudden betrothal of all three of them and back to the victory at hand. It was their way of giving Gaetan and Ghislaine some privacy for, undoubtedly, there was much to say between them. A future that had very nearly come to an end.
But a future that was now bright for all of them.
Around them, the other knights wandered off, including Kristoph, leaving Gaetan and Ghislaine alone in their disbelief with the turning of the tides. So much had happened that it was difficult to absorb it all. But in spite of the grief and shock they had endured, one thing was certain – they were still together and nothing could ever tear them apart. The bond they shared and the bonds of the Anges de Guerre were things that would never leave them. Norman or Saxon, it didn’t matter. Honor was honor, and love was love, and in this new world, both had a place.
“Are you angry with me for making such a bargain, Gaetan?”
Ghislaine’s soft question met his ears and he turned to look at her, that face he loved so well illuminated by the weak light as evening fell around them. Smiling, he shook his head.
“I understand why you did it,” he said. “I cannot say I would not have done the same thing if the situation was reversed. I suppose it only helps me to understand the depth of your feeling for me and I am more honored than you can ever know. I am not sure what I have done in my life to be worthy of someone like you.”
Ghislaine smiled, falling into his embrace when he wrapped his arms around her. “It is I who am honored,” she whispered. “But thank God for Aramis. I cannot believe he would sacrifice himself so.”
Gaetan held her against him, gazing down the road to see his three knights in the darkness, wandering through the dead with Antillius. “I can,” he murmured. “Only a man of great honor and feeling would make such a noble sacrifice, and that is the kind of man Aramis is. He did it for you but he also did it for me. That is the bond of brotherhood, my lady, something you would not understand.”
She looked up at him. “But I do,” she said sincerely. “I understand that you would die for each other a thousand times over. I understand that you would make great sacrifices for each other, as Aramis and Luc and Marc just did. And I understand that they would bargain away their own happiness just so you would have the chance to live.”
She meant her bargain with Antillius in her last sentence. Gaetan smiled down at her, feeling more love and contentment than he had ever known. If someone had told him those weeks ago when he came aboard his ships to the shores of Pevensey that he would have met a woman in battle that he would come to love with all his heart, he would have thought they were mad. Warwolfe was not a man prone to love, in any sense. But on this night, it was Warwolfe who finally learned that love takes many forms, the most beautiful of which were sometimes the most unexpected.
Gazing into Ghislaine’s eyes, Gaetan knew that the battle for England had only been the beginning, not only for the Norman occupation of the country, but for him personally.
It was the moment that Gaetan de Wolfe’s life truly began.
EPILOGUE
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The Book of Battle
Immediate Present Day
“Usually, these boards are a closed session, but in your case, we’ve made allowances.”