A Knight To Remember

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“I had never seen Percival look so shocked.  His eyes widened as Torcall turned out of my arms and dropped to the side of the bed shielding me from his judgement glare.  I won’t repeat the words that Percival threw at us as I hid in the sheets.  But needless to say Percival was furious with Torcall.  Despite this Torcall didn’t say a word nor did he leave me.  He kept a hold of my hand as Percival berated him and his sexual habits.” 

“Then, when Percival paused in his assail, Torcall simply said very softly ‘I love her, Percival’.  That was all he said but it stopped my heart.  In the face of certain condemnation and losing everything he held dear to him, he stood by me.  He truly loved me.”

“Percival must have also come to the same conclusion because he stopped and gaped at Torcall.  He looked truly astonished.  Then he collapsed into a chair and shook his head.  He mumbled several harsh words in rapid succession and shook his head at Torcall.  Then he seemed to remember something.  He turned his attention to me and told me that I should go, Robert was looking for me, Alexander had fallen from his horse while drunk and was injured.  I needed to be there.  He pushed himself up and before he opened the door he shook his head again and told Torcall that they would talk later.”

“Torcall wiped the tears from my eyes as I dressed.  In his soft voice he assured me that he would find a way to make this right and that we would be together.  He kissed me and reminded me how much he loved me before I reluctantly left in search of Robert.  I didn’t want to ever leave his side but I had little choice.  The engagement was binding and one did not break a pledge to marry.  We didn’t have a future together no matter how I wished otherwise.”

“I found Robert in the Hall.  The entire family was gathered around a makeshift bed.  Upon this lay Alexander, pale and struggling for breath.  As I moved to take my place, Alexander shuddered and with one last cry of pain he died.  The Lord howled in grief and shook his dead son.  Charles stood quietly as his wife Eve wept in his arms.   I reached for Robert to comfort him but he spurred me and turned instead to Siobhan.” 

“The Lord looked around at his remaining sons like a lost man.  Then he seemed to notice me standing on my own.  He wrenched his son from Siobhan and slapped him hard.  Then with a cold hard voice he told him he was second inline now and it was about time he started to act like the son of a Lord.  Lord Donnell pushed his son at me and took Siobhan by the arm while informing her that she would be returning to her father now that she had no ties to this family.  Robert stepped forward to defy his father but this time his father drew his short sword out and told my fiancé that no Donnell would soil the family name.  We were to be married and Robert was to behave like the man befitting his family name.”

“So the family went into mourning again.  In his grief Lord Donnell turned to his remain sons and seemed to immerse himself in their lives.  He became obsessed with the family name and upholding his legacy.  Both Charles and Robert struggled with this attention and his incessant criticism.  Everything they did was compared to how Alexander handled himself and nothing either achieved could compare to the actions of their dead brother.  Charles suffered greatly as he was trying to come to terms with his new status and position within the house and the loss of his brother whom he was close to.  Robert already hated his father but this loathing deepened with the loss of his lover and the harsh reprimands that were forthcoming.”

“Because the Lord became more active in the lives of his sons it impacted heavily on Torcall and my relationship.  I was expected to be at Robert’s side more and my absences were noticed.  Also without Siobhan to ease his frustrations Robert turned to the drink.  It was then Robert started to take his drunken anger out on me.”