Physician of Myddfai

Chapter 17

Finally, some encouraging news. That morning Lord Roger felt in a good mood. It had been a long time since he had succeeded in his plan of revenge with the killing of Simon de Clare.

That time he had also lost his eldest daughter, but it mattered little. In war there were always pawns that had to be sacrificed if a successful outcome was to be achieved. That incompetent Abell had become obsessed with William de Clare and because of this stupid whim had acted imprudently.

At least, however, she had managed to take out the de Clare's eldest son. With the second child, Alicia, things seemed to be working better.

Thanks to the information his daughter Alicia was constantly feeding him, he was able to be privy to some of the de Clare's plans, giving him the chance to strike at the most advantageous moments.

As long as his daughter's cover had held, he would have several opportunities to do him harm; until he could finally get rid of them for good. He took a piece of cheese in his hand and bit into it angrily. Then 'she' would be in his power.

Just the idea gave him such a thrill that he had to adjust the crotch of his trousers. The sense of lust that the idea of being able to control that woman's abilities and body gave him, barely kept him sitting in his chair instead of running to find a servant girl to give vent.

He adjusted his trousers again and, closing his eyes, began to stroke himself between his legs, thinking about how he was going to subdue her. He stopped just in time, opened his eyelids again and stopped the tide that was coming in him.

He would have plenty of time for that later. Now, he wanted to know. He was having breakfast while waiting for a report on the ambush prepared in the pasture area.

He had already been told that everything had gone smoothly. He was waiting to know the details. He was anxious to know whether William or his cousin had been wounded or killed. That would have been quite a blow! He greedily took grape after grape to his mouth in eager anticipation of the informant Alicia had surely sent him.

For several days his mood had been bad because of the initial failure to capture the healer. He had hoped, on that occasion, to at least get rid of Kay or William and capture Briallen's daughter.

Instead, everything had gone wrong. Jack 'the scarred', his best man, had told him that they had been betrayed. One of the group led by Jack had ratted them out and informed William de Clare that they would be attacked. Instead of being caught off guard by his men, they had been ready for them.

Lucky for the traitor that he was dead. Not only had he foiled his plan, but he had certainly revealed who the instigator was. He, however, was smarter than those louts and had hired them through someone else who was now already worm food. If he'd got his hands on that damn informer, he'd be praying to the gods and devils to kill him by now.

He would have tortured him with every means and idea he could think of, and he would have ensured that he still remained alive in order to prolong the pain; until he drove him mad.

That was what the traitors deserved! Thinking back on that failure, he ferociously crushed a bunch of the grapes on his plate to a pulp.

Jack 'the scarred' had to go to his Lord and report the information that had come from Lady Alicia. It was not bad news, but he foresaw that Lord Roger would still not be satisfied. He knew that his master yearned for the death of the second son of the de Clare family and not only that. He wanted to destroy the entire lineage.

He had already been the bearer of failure the last time, now he really didn't want to hear Lord Roger start complaining again, and make strange, disconnected arguments. He and his Lord had in common the pleasure of killing, and that of women. Only, that he loved to kill or have sex with a woman without dabbling in perversions of any kind.

He was not like Lord Roger who dabbled in torture and other decidedly depraved activities.

Those things did not interest him.

What delighted him was the sense of omnipotence he felt when he saw the frightened, anguished look in the eyes of those he was killing.

His Lord seemed to have turned into a lustful, depraved, mad old man. That is why he had decided it was time to move on. He was going to kill him and take possession of his possessions. Cleverly, he had decided to exploit the situation with the de Clare family.

On his return from the assault in the pasture area, when he had gone on patrol with two men, he had come across Lord Richard ap Meurik. That had been very fortunate. He had thought him dead, however it was the chance he had been looking for.

One of the two men who were with him had unfortunately wounded him and he had found himself having to kill both of his soldiers in order to talk to the Baron of Coch. He had told him a part of what Lord Roger Fizz Osbern had done and intended to do. Not all of it of course, it was not necessary! And then he could use the other information at another time. In return he would be left in peace and free.

Of course, Lord Richard should not have suspected that he was ready to betray both factions if it was more convenient for him. He had given him one of the horses of the soldiers he had treacherously killed, helped him mount it, and let him go.

If Lord Richard had died before arriving where he could have been treated, it would have been a real nuisance! Immersed in these thoughts, he did not realise that he had arrived in front of the gate in the inner walls of the castle, which opened directly onto the main hall.

He paused for a moment before entering, preparing himself to face the moods of Baron Fizz Osbern, for now, so to speak, still his lord.