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“Your son is an animal,” Keller countered. “If you do not help me locate him, then I cannot protect you against him. If you will not do it for yourself, at least do it for your daughters. I cannot believe that you, as their father, stand by while your son abuses them. Are you truly such a weakling?”

Trevyn’s head snapped to Keller, his mouth working as if he had something to say. It was evident by his expression that there was much anger, and much fear, in his heart.

“I agreed to William Marshal’s terms,” he said, “the crux of which did not give you permission to demean and insult me and my family. You know not of what you speak!”

Keller cocked a dark eyebrow. He was deliberately trying to provoke the man into an emotional confession, hoping they could glean information about Gryffyn from it.

“I am not sure how the truth can be considered demeaning,” he said. “Do you fear your son so much that you would do anything to protect him? What about protecting your daughters? Don’t they deserve your protection also?”

Trevyn hissed at him and tried to stand up, but William slammed the old man back down into his chair. Trevyn took a swipe at William, who easily dodged the strike. He rammed his hands down onto Trevyn’s shoulders, holding him fast as Keller leaned into his face.

“You are a weak and pathetic excuse for a father,” he hissed. “You have two beautiful daughters and all you can do is allow your son to abuse them. You are a coward of a man, unworthy of the lovely women you have fathered. You are supposed to protect them, you fool, or are you too afraid to do it? You should have woman parts between your legs because you surely do not deserve to be called a man.”

Trevyn’s face was a deep, dull red and sweat beaded on his forehead in spite of the cool temperature of the room. “You do not understand!” he barked.

Keller slammed his big fists on the table, causing Trevyn to jump at the violent movement. “Then explain it to me,” he demanded. “Explain to me why your daughters live in fear of their brother. Explain to me why you allow the man to do as he pleases. Explain to me all of this because as surely as I stand here, I cannot fathom a father’s failure to do his duty.”

Trevyn glared at him with a deadly hatred. Angry as he was, he wasn’t stupid. He knew he was outmanned by the two English knights. Nothing they had said was untrue. They had verbalized the same thoughts Trevyn had been thinking of himself for many years and the more he mulled their words over in his mind, the more his hatred began to turn inwardly. He was an embittered and torn man.

“I made a promise,” he finally muttered.

Keller leaned in to hear him better. “What promise?” he asked. “To whom?”

Trevyn shook his head, looking at his lap. “To my wife,” he said quietly. “She perished of childbirth fever shortly after Izlyn was born. She made me promise… she could never bring herself to discipline the boy, you see, and she made me promise not to lift a hand to him. She could control him whereas I could not, so it was never an issue until he became older and then… he is my only son. He is allowed to do as he pleases.”

Keller drew in a long, calming breath, glancing at William to see the man’s reaction. William appeared both puzzled and disgusted, so Keller pressed Trevyn.

“But he terrorizes your entire family,” Keller said, unsure of his personal feelings with regard to the man’s answer. “Why do you permit this?”

Trevyn merely shook his head. “He was a lively boy when he was young,” he said. “He was mischievous but not naughty. But somehow as he grew older, the foul streak arose. I had promised my wife not to strike or discipline him, so I let him do as he pleased. Now… there is no way to stop it. I promised my wife, after all.”

Keller stared at the man a moment before looking to William. The big blond knight met Keller’s gaze before removing his hands from Trevyn’s shoulders. Having a wife for as long as he had, William understood Trevyn’s point of view more than most. He plopped his big body down on the bench and faced the man.

“I can understand that you promised your wife not to strike him,” he said, his tone considerably less hostile, “but in making this promise, do you realize what you’ve done? You’ve allowed the man to run wild and terrorize all of you. I am sure that is not what your wife had in mind when she made you promise not to strike him.”

Trevyn was still staring at his lap. “Mayhap,” he agreed quietly. Then, he lifted his head and looked at Keller. “But it has come to this. Gryffyn knows no fear or boundaries. He takes what he wants, he does what he wants, and even though he is my son I have grown to hate him over the years as one would hate an enemy. Do you know why I brokered this deal with William Marshal? Giving him my castle and lands? It was not to know peace with the English. Nay, that was not the reason. It was so that my son could not inherit these lands that have belonged to my family for generations. Instead, Gryffyn will inherit lands in England, a country he hates intensely.”

It was a shocking admission. Keller’s rage at the old man had calmed significantly by the time Trevyn was finished. In fact, he understood his reasoning completely.

“But you made your daughter part of this deal,” he pointed out softly. “You offered to marry her to an Englishman of the Marshal’s choosing.”

Trevyn nodded. “I know,” he said. “I wanted it that way. At least it would remain somewhat in the family if Chrystobel married the new lord of Nether. At least my grandchildren would inherit it, but not my grandchildren through my son. I do not want that line to have anything to do with what is so beloved by the d’Einens. I pray every night that my son will die without having issue and that his evil ways will die out with him. The House of d’Einen is a good family, my lord. But Gryffyn has tainted the name.”

Keller sighed loudly, glancing over at William for the man’s reaction. William looked at Keller as if to say how can we become angry with him now? Keller finally cleared his throat softly.

“Where is your son?” he asked quietly. “I do not want to kill the man. I only wish to locate him.”

Trevyn shook his head. “He has more than likely left the fortress,” he said, sounding defeated. “He has a friend he cavorts with, a local lord named Colvyn ap Gwynwynwyn. The man lives at Castell Mallwyd, about a half day’s ride from here.”

“And you believe he went there?”

“It is possible.”

Keller glanced at William again, both men knowing that there wasn’t much more to be said on the subject. It was assumed that Gryffyn had left the fortress. After a moment, Keller rose from his seat, as did William. The knights began to move away from the table, heading for the hall entry.

“You will tell me if he returns,” Keller said to Trevyn. “Meanwhile, my soldiers will be manning this castle and her walls. Your soldiers, particularly since they are loyal to your son, will be kept elsewhere and watched over by my men. Today, the English will assume the full mantle of Nether Castle.”

Trevyn merely nodded, resignation in his tone. “As you say.”