52

WARTIMES

Beloved Elizabeth,

France is as always. I'm fine, but Raven was badly injured. I'm not sure if he'll make it through. It's a thigh injury. It was at the very beginning of the fight. That's why he lost a lot of blood before I could take him to the hospital. He asked me to clarify his affairs. I arrange for the boys to come to Raven's friends of knights as squires. Or as a page. They're still kids, but they need to be taken care of if Raven doesn't come home. If it comes to that, he has appointed me as his guardian... I'll send Liza to you. She's just learning to read and write.

I love and miss you. Henry Campbell

My dear Henry,

Little Eric looks like Avan when he was that old. He is growing and strong. It's good that Raven survived. What would we do without him? You could see that Theo hasn't moved away from you since the incident before Avan was born, dearest. He doesn't trust you. And that's a good thing. Next time you come home, you'll probably see your third child. If Theo tells you again that you can't accomplish anything, tell him about your skill in planting yourself. You're going to be like Grandpa Campbell, aren't you?

With Love Elizabeth Campbell

Milady Campbell,

Son number six. Are you laughing at my fate? In the process, you bring the boys to fruition. Relax, my injury has healed. I still haven't forgiven Raven for just writing to you. I told him to wait. While I'm still writing, I'm packing on the side. I'm on my way to you, darling. Let's see if the messenger or I is faster. I'm glad to hear that Ben is healthy again. You should hang the man who didn't fix the well. If another son falls in there, it would look like we're trying to get rid of them.

I miss you. More than you believe me. Henry Campbell Ride like the Bliz

Sir Campbell,

Your son learned to write a decent letter today and finds it exciting when I greet you like a real knight with sir. Avan is good at studying, but he hates it. If he weren't so eager to grasp something he doesn't immediately understand, he might throw his hat on it. But all boys are downright stubborn. Especially the three older ones try to challenge me more often now. It's time for the father to come home. They miss you. And so do I. The time always seems longer when you're not here.

your lady

Hi Ma!

Father gave me my first wooden sword today! But I have to practice and learn a lot with it. But I guess I'm finally a real squire! Uncle Raven's son Adam is very hardworking and not always happy when I run after him. How are my brothers? Please tell Eric not to be scared of becoming Uncle Raven's squire. Unlike father, Uncle Raven always likes to turn a blind eye.

Your Avan!

Dear Henry,

It was so good to read about my little boys. Your messenger told me that you will be back soon. I can't tell you how much I'm waiting for you. Ever since the boys started looking like you and not me, I miss you a lot more. It's like you're close and yet you're not. Tell my Avan I miss him and I'll make him cherry cakes when he gets home.

Elizabeth Campbell

Henry worriedly folded the parchment and put it in his saddlebag with the other letters from Elizbeth and whistled through his teeth.

It took a few seconds, then the tarpaulin flew back and Avan stumbled in at six years old. It was all dusty and had chicken feathers hanging from it. "Yes, sir?"

"Where have you been?"

Avan puffed out his cheeks and hugged. "To play." Was the short answer.

Then they both heard a rumble in the distance and a few boys followed by a man shouting angrily. Avan hastily closed the tarpaulin behind him. These were the moments when Henry had trouble not being prematurely amused.

"What have you been up to again?" He frowned sternly.

Avan smiled tamely. But didn't say anything, so Henry let it go. As long as he didn't lie, he couldn't care less. "Your mother writes that she misses you." Avan nodded longingly. He never complained, but Henry knew Avan was killing off the distance. His brothers were at home. And he always felt a little alone without her.

Sometimes Henry felt bad for making Avan a page when he was six years old. But he thought the boy was so smart and so inquisitive that he was missing out on quiet Nashville.

Avan walked over to Henry and looked up at him. "I still have to see Adam. Can I get the horses ready afterwards?"

Henry put his big hand on the blond hair. "Ride in the night, Avan?"

"I can do it, father." The children's eyes began to plead. "Please let's go today..."

He lifted the boy up and looked into his sad eyes. "What do you have to do with Adam?"

"He has something else that belongs to me."

So Henry plucked some feathers from his hair and let him go. "Hurry up. Then we can leave before nightfall."

"I'm warning you, Avan."

Avan went cold at the threat. But damn him if he let Adam know. "It's mine, Adam. Father gets angry when I confess I don't have a sword anymore!"

Adam quickly grabbed Avan by the collar. Avan's heart stopped for a moment. Adam was now fourteen years old and often mean to Avan. Nevertheless, he hardly put up with anything.

"Get lost or you'll regret it."

"The sword is mine. What do you want with it? You have a real sword."

Then Adam picked Avan up like he was just a silly straw. "I guess you wouldn't want it any other way."

"What have I done, Adam?"

"You should have taken better care of that." Adam started to move, grinning. "Those who come too late are punished by life."

Annoyed, Avan growled. "If it did that, can I get it back?"

Adam smiled and let Avan down. However, not on the ground, but in a barrel next to the inn tent. An ice-cold barrel of water. When Avan was picked up again, it took him a few seconds to catch his breath. Again he was immersed.

After the third time, he suddenly fell to the ground. A blow echoed again. Looking up, Adam looked down guiltily. Next to Adam was his grandfather.

"Are you not ashamed!?"

"Pardon me, my lord." Again Adam caught a slap in the face.

"Your father will find out about this." Theo promised, making Adam pale a little. Then he shooed him away and now stood in front of Avan.

TANGLED THING

Avan stood dripping in front of Theo and suffered every second. It was evening. You wouldn't be going anywhere today. Adam was in trouble and God knows what Avan was in for here with Theo...

The man stood bolt upright in front of Avan with his arms behind his back. "Do you know who I am?"

"You are my grandfather, sir."

"Quite right. Why did your cousin punish you?"

"He didn't punish me, sir. Adam just wanted to annoy me, but I don't feel like it today."

Suddenly Theo hit Avan so hard in the face that he fell over and was bleeding from his nose. "Never lie to me again!"

Ava frowned. This was the man who raised his father? "I wasn't lying, sir."

With an eerie calm, Theo conjured a long flexible stick from behind his back. "Apparently no one taught you the difference between right and lies. Then I'll take care of that."

Henry was upset and worried. Where the hell was the boy? Nervously he went back to his tent, should he already have come back. But there was nobody. It was already getting dark...

"Henry!" Raven came out of nowhere and scared Henry to death.

"Hell again, Raven!"

Raven had grabbed Adam's arm and looked at Henry solemnly. "Avan is with Theo."

Henry went cold. Adam swallowed. "I just wanted to annoy him, Henry. Like squires do. It was about his sword. He wanted it back, and it's already in his possessions. But Theo..."

Henry didn't hear any more because he immediately set out to get his child out of the devil's clutches. Unfortunately he didn't have his sword with him. But he would strangle Commander Campbell with his bare hands! Then he was bumped into.

"I'm sorry."

"Avan!" It sounded harsher than intended. Henry was relieved at this. He immediately crouched down. "Where have you been again?"

While Avan was very composed, he didn't seem calm. More forced than fighting for poise. Henry felt an overwhelming rage threatening him to lose his head.

"I'm sorry we don't ride off."

Suddenly Adam and Raven stood there. "Oh god, Avan, I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

But Avan looked his father straight in the eyes. They were red and shimmered sadly in the moonlight. "Please let's go anyway."

Henry didn't like Avan's unnatural calm. He picked him up and stomped back to the tent. "We can't leave today, the camp is closed."

Avan buried his face in Henry's shoulder. "It's all my fault..."

He looked back at Raven. His anger was so overwhelming that he could hardly contain it. Raven nodded and looked at Adam, who probably had the same fears as the other men. Something was wrong with Avan and it was Theo's fault.

"I can't believe what you did."

Adam winced. His father sounded disappointed and that was terrible. "I did the same thing to Liza. I just wanted to annoy him."

"Avan is eight years younger than you. Liza isn't. You have to adapt your jokes to her age!"

Adam nodded and bowed his head. He was aware of that now. Raven put a hand on his shoulder. "Avan and Henry will not hold grudges against you."

"What do you think happened to Avan?"

His father forced him to look at him. "Whatever it was. It wasn't your fault."

Avan kneaded his doublet in his hands and looked down. His father stood behind him, the mood in the tent was tense. "All right, now the pants."

Ava swallowed. "That would honestly be embarrassing..."

"Why? We're alone in the tent and we've swum together enough times."

Avan turned to Henry and shrugged. "It's different though. It's embarrassing. Please believe me, sir."

Henry ran a hand through his hair angrily. "Why are you lying to me? I can make it up to you."

But Avan knew the welts wouldn't go away anytime soon. Nothing his father would do could change that. So he thought of Grandfather's words and kept his mouth shut. At least until they disappeared from the camp. "Can't we at least try? Get out of the camp, I mean."

Henry squatted and shook his head. "It's not possible. Go to bed, I'll wake you up when we start riding."

Relieved, Avan rolled into his blankets. He was already tired anyway. After Theo came the pain. He was glad to curl up and sleep...

"I'm telling you he keeps his pants on for a reason."

Raven agreed. "I don't understand why your suspicion isn't enough. Go to him and kill him."

"Because Avan is like a different person. As if he had... I don't know, talked him into something. Today he seriously lied to me for the first time. Although he was actually on the good side and had nothing to fear."

Raven shook his head. "Has nothing to fear from you..."

"Exactly, that's what I mean." With an effort, Henry forced the beer down his throat. He almost went mad with anger. The edge of his field of vision went white... "If I go to Theo and he forces my son to contradict me, I'll sit in the cell and my boy with the nice grandpa."

And how should he explain that to Elizabeth? How should Avan ride? His back was unblemished, but what was down?

"He'll pay for that..."

"What you up to?"

"Nothing specific yet. But it's about time Commander Campbell finally calmed down..."

FAMILY

The ball flew across the green grass, the children stampeded after it and the sun was high in the sky. Samuel had his own delights with his toys on the blanket next to me. He was soon three years old.

"Eric, hurry up!" Ben kicked the leather bullet and fired at Joe. He shot at Eric.

The village children made every effort to take the ball away from them. One of them was a head taller than the others and often tried to get ahead by pushing and cheating.

Four-year-old Michel excitedly pointed at Eric. "Look Ma, how fast!" The black fringes hung over his forehead. Samuel immediately lost interest in his toy and stood next to Michel, very excited. Both enthusiastically cheered on their brothers.

"Look Ma! You win!" Michel jumped up and down excitedly.

The taller village kid knocked Joe over, took the ball from him, and ran. Suddenly a blond boy shot into the field, hopped over Joe and retrieved the ball. Eric unlocked it immediately.

"Ma! There's Avan!"

Now I stood very excited on my blanket and cheered. Avan looked happy but pale. But he gave victory to his brothers.

Then two strong arms clasped me. Before he could even close them, I turned and threw myself around Henry's neck. "I have missed you so much..."

Henry sighed contentedly. "Me too... You're pregnant again."

"Whose fault is that?" I eyed him closely. He also seemed battered, had a three-day beard and his hair was a bit long. He had tied them together in a small braid. "Everything OK?"

Henry smiled relaxed and showed his dimple. "No." So it was about Avan...

We both looked at our sons who were clustered around Avan, wanting to hear his story. "Theo?"

"Yes. I'm fed up..."

"What you up to?"

He kissed my neck with a sigh. "I'll tell you later."

Avan broke free and ran to me. First he squeezed me, then he examined my stomach. "Wow."

His little arms weren't that thin anymore and he seemed a little stronger to me. "You're going to be a man!"

Flattered, he looked down and walked back to the field smiling proudly. But the other boys had spotted their father and came running. Eric jumped into Henry's arms from afar.

Henry knew better than anyone how to hide his emotions behind his blank expression. He laughed and kissed his sons one by one. Ben's eyes widened when he saw Henry's blue scabbard hanging from his horse. "When can I ride with you father?"

His father smiled and squatted down next to him. "You still have to grow."

"Very long?"

"Until you can lift an armor." Ben nodded sadly. "Do you want to be a knight so much?"

The small brown eyes shone. "One day I want to fight with you against the French!"

For a moment Henry saw something in those small eyes. "If your cousin Adam is knighted, you will be his squire. I promise."

Adam wouldn't be a knight for another two or three years either. But the promise meant the world to Ben. Henry proudly smiled down at his brood. "How about food, men?"

Elizabeth's long blond hair glittered in the candlelight. Her baby ball was remarkable. It probably wouldn't take much longer. Still, she was the most beautiful naked woman he could wish for. She lay beside him, eyes fixed on the rolling baby in her belly, long lashes almost resting on her cheeks.

"Number seven. And yet I'm always touched when she moves."

Henry put his big paw on the bulge and felt the little kick. "What if it's a boy?"

"Let me hope."

"Has Nash started having problems with boys?"

"Sometimes Nash just wants to be Elizabeth too..."

He pulled her against him a little, genuinely worried. "Am I leaving you alone too much?"

She nodded unabashedly, but immediately smiled. "But you always leave me something of you."

"I am sorry."

Grinning, she snuggled up to him and closed her eyes with relish. "As long as you come back, I'll learn to live with it. The fact that you're slowly but surely taking my sons with you is killing me. Who knows if I'll forgive that."

He felt her velvety skin and smelled her typical light almond scent. His desire was reignited all over again. So he forgot her joke and let his hands wander.

"When are you going to tell me about your plan?"

"Morning." He rubbed his nose against her warm, soft breasts.

She smiled and leaned back in his arms. "I'm glad you're still here tomorrow."

Her hands ran through his thick hair, went to his tight back muscles and pressed him to her with her thighs. Grinning, he sensed her impatience and made fun of it.

He reached down with his hand and kissed her neck, giving an extra sigh because it's driving her crazy. And already she was growling impatiently, tugging at his hair a little hard. So he pulled his hand away again and enjoyed her indignant gasping.

When he laughed softly, she threw him over and sat, a little heavily, on top of him. "You really want to take it that far? In my weight?" She tossed her hair and raised an eyebrow.

"You're handling that weight well after seven pregnancies." He grabbed her bottom. "But I can help..."

MORE PROTECTION

"Slide over!" Michel pushed Joe a little, who pushed back. "Slide over!" Joe gave him a harder shove. Michel paid him back in the same coin.

Then the other boys jumped up from their benches to get a better look. Soon the others also got involved, so that everyone was fighting wildly.

When Henry came down to breakfast with Elizabeth, the lady of the castle nearly fell. "Every morning the same."

It didn't bother Henry, but he understood that she wanted quiet at breakfast. He walked over to them and cleared his throat loudly. The smaller ones noticed him immediately and sat down politely. Only Joe and Michel were still full of enthusiasm.

So he took one by the arm and pulled them apart. Only now did they see him. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing." growled Michel.

"Nothing?"

He added a little more prudently; "Sir."

He let the two go to their benches and then sat down himself. "Do they fight often?"

Elizabeth eyed the two silently bickering disapprovingly and nodded. "Brothers. They want to fight over the smallest things. They're all like that. But I don't like it at the table."

Henry ignored the silent but ongoing argument throughout the meal. Until four-year-old Michel began secretly shooting Joe with small breadcrumbs. Then he called them both over. Both approached him politely but meekly. "What's going on here?"

The younger looked at his brother and back to the ground. "He teased me."

"You teased me."

"No you!"

Henry just glared a little impatiently. "Is that why you throw bread?"

Michel got a little nervous. "Did you notice that?"

"I also noticed how you kicked Joe under the table. And how Joe threw the spoon at you. And also how you two gave each other the finger." Now the brothers saw each other in a boat and exchanged a look. "Should I punish you for that? Or will you finally find peace?"

Joe did the talking now. "It works that way, I think."

"Then I'll take your word for it, men." As Joe walked away, Henry thought he could talk to Elizabeth, but four-year-old Michel wasn't done yet. "What then?"

"Father, why does Avan have red stripes on his legs?"

Henry could feel Elizabeth gasp. "Did you ask him?"

"Yes sir. But he said we can't talk about it. But it hurts him and I feel sorry for him."

Elizabeth, who was wiping the oatmeal from Samuel's mouth, smiled at him and stroked his cheek. "It's all good. Avan had a little accident."

Immediately relieved, he beamed at his mother and ran back to his brothers. With him gone, Elizabeth lost her good face. "What streaks, Henry? Welts? Tell me you won't hit my child with a stick..."

"I hinted at something yesterday."

A hatred Henry had never seen in Elizabeth. Something more sinister and angry... "I'll kill Theo."

"Or we can do it according to my plan."

She looked over at her boys. "Tell me." So Henry began. She listened and helped with her fox creatures to figure out the final loopholes in the plan.

"And when are you going to ride?"

"One week. I'll take Eric with me." Elizabeth made a face.

"Aren't they too small for squires?"

"But not for pages."

She looked at him in distress. "Does it have to be that way?"

"It is exciting for them to experience new things with their father. And later they have already learned many things and can be knighted early. Then everything is open to them."

"Have you planned everything already?" She seemed a bit sour, so better not tell her that he had pretty much thought everything through.

He had seen Ben passionately admire his sword every time. He would one day become the captain of his castle. Eric was excited and wild, he would need freedom. He should one day travel the world and do things for Avan. Michel was brave and loved the forest. They would find a use for that. And Joe had great discipline and thought a great deal. Maybe as a steward...

"Henry, are you listening to me?"

"Not right now. What did you say?"

"I need more security. There are too many children and too rough an area."

Henry had thought of that too. "I only got to one castle I would want to go to. The White Knight."

Elizabeth smiled and wrapped her hands around her stomach a little wearily. "Raven never gives up the castle."

"What are you up to?"

"Secure something. As long as the boys were only a year apart, it was fine. But now there are three years between Samuel and the baby. That will be different."

"You have authority. Do what you want." Then he got up and kissed her. "Now I'm working. Avan, Eric, Ben, come on!"

"Watch me with the box!" I rumbled and swung my ball across the hall. "The maids should bring the clothes downstairs to be washed!"

"Yes, my lady." The men smiled, knowing the stress I was getting into when Henry got home.

His things needed to be washed, mended or even replaced. In addition, Avan's things were added, and soon Eric's as well. The first lunch should also be a little special and the hall should be properly cleaned and fragrant. So it was important to keep my little hurricanes busy.

I immediately fished the first shirt out of the chest, which still had blood stains and a tear from an injury. You never got used to a sight like that... "Make a rubbish out of it..."

"How was that, my lady?" A maid stood next to me.

I tore the shirt and handed it to her. "Scraps."

She nodded understandingly and followed the other ladies. I looked outside where the tapestries were being beaten. "Take the bedding on next."

"Yes, my lady!"

As I stepped out into the courtyard, the next men were already coming. They brought wood. "We have your flowers, my lady. And a guest."

"Thank you, Gerdolf. Bring the flowers into the hall." I went around the big wagon with logs and looked for my guest.