Emily took a deep breath and slowly began telling Henry the whole story from how she had felt the moment she saw him to the moment he had taken her virginity.
She did her best not to be embarrassed, but she wanted to be frank with the king. To make him forgive Draven for his actions.
“So you see, Majesty, it wasn’t his fault.” She looked up at him. “Draven tried to resist, but I wouldn’t let him. This is all my fault.”
Henry’s stare would rival the winter for coldness. “Lord Draven knows well what we do to those who betray us.”
“But majesty, please, he is your loyal servant. He has served you the whole of his life.”
“Enough,” he said cutting her off and making her jump in fear of his harsh tone. “You speak of his service as if you have much knowledge. And knowing Draven as we do, we find that hard to believe. Tell us, has Draven ever told you how he came to be in service to the crown?”
She shook her head.
The coldness faded from his eyes as he spoke of Draven. “He was a no more than four-and-ten when we met him. Did you know that?”
“Nay, majesty.”
Henry paced a small path before her as he continued his story, “We had been gathering troops in France to fight Stephen when we happened upon his training. Never had we seen such strength or skill in one so young.”
He paused in the tale as if remembering the event.
“Draven fought like a lion, and we watched in amazement as he disarmed his lord. I knew in that instant that I was witnessing a boy who would grow to be invincible in battle.”
Emily arched a brow as she noted Henry’s slip in referring to himself singularly. But she wisely held her tongue as he spoke.
“Knowing the boy would one day grow to a knight to be reckoned with, I accepted the oath of Miles de Poitiers for the service of himself and his squire. Miles served us well and in the battle for Arundel, he fell while guarding our back.”
Henry narrowed his eyes as he recalled the event.
“I shall never forget that moment,” he said, his voice calm and reflective. “I turned just in time to see Harold of Ravenswood charge me with his sword raised. They say you can see your life flash before your eyes when you are about to die. ‘Tis truth. I saw it clearly. And just as I prepared myself for the blow that would kill me, out of nowhere came Miles’s squire.”
Henry shook his head as if finding it hard to imagine even on this day so many years later. “Draven caught Harold by the waist and the two tumbled away from me. They fought each other with such hatred and skill that I couldn’t tear my eyes from them.
“Harold wounded the boy and moved in for the coup de grace, but somehow Draven gained his feet even though he had a wound in his gut that would have killed most men.
“As Harold extended his sword, Draven made an upper cut and plunged his sword through Harold’s body. Harold laughed as he stumbled back, and he actually patted Draven on the shoulder.” Henry met her gaze. “Do you know what he said to Draven then?”
Emily shook her head.
“At last, you have done me proud, beetle-brain. On this day, I finally admit that you are the blood of my blood. For only my son could have killed me.”
A chill went through her as she tried to imagine what Draven must have felt.
“I have never forgotten that moment,” Henry whispered. “Nor the look on Draven’s face. He accepted the words as if they came as no surprise. I, on the other hand, was stunned to my core, for I couldn’t conceive of a father saying such a brutal thing in parting to his son.
“Then Draven turned and handed me the sword of his father, and swore his unyielding loyalty to my service. I knighted him on the spot, and not once since that day has he ever done anything to cause me to question his loyalty.
“Until now.” His voice was harsh and biting.
Emily felt the tears prickle the backs of her eyes, but she withheld them.
“We cannot help but wonder what it was that made a man so loyal to us forget his oath. What say you, lady? Can you give us one reason why we might spare his life?”
“Aye.” She metHenry’s gaze with impertinent directness. “The most important reason of all.... Love.”
He blinked in disbelief. “Love?”
“Aye, majesty. We love each other.”
