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“Understood, my lord.”

“You would go with him, too, would you not?”

The corners of Axel’s mouth twitched. “I greatly respect The Eagle. He is as fine a warrior as I have ever known.”

“That was not the question. He is also your friend and you would follow him were he to leave here to reclaim his wife.”

“I would go.”

Clegg chuckled. “I knew this,” he said. “You are too sentimental for your own good, my friend. But everyone likes Titus and Esme and a great many men would rush to Titus’ side, so we must make sure this does not happen.”

“Agreed, my lord.”

“Rouse our elite. Keep them in and around the village because that is where I feel the Stewarts will go. And, Axel?”

“My lord?”

“Do not let Titus know. Tell them to stay out of sight. I do not want Titus to know that we are watching out for him because it might injure his pride.”

Axel cocked his head. “Why would he think that? He knows we will fight for him.”

Clegg smiled humorlessly. “He knows, but a man does not want to realize he needs others to protect his wife in moments like these. Leave his pride intact. Move to help him only if it is absolutely necessary.”

As Axel headed off to do his bidding, Clegg retreated into the keep of Caelian Hill, but it was not to sleep or eat. He, too, was determined to help Titus and Esme until the storm passed, even more than he already had, so he went into a seldomly used chamber where he kept things of value to him.

The chamber was sparsely furnished, an oilcloth over the single window in the chamber having been in place for a good many years. In fact, Clegg couldn’t remember the last time he’d come to this chamber. The latch on the wardrobe door was nearly rusted into one position and he had to fight to open it. But once it opened, it revealed exactly what he had come for.

His old armor.

This was the stuff he’d worn when he’d made a name for himself as the best mercenary money could buy, long ago. It was exquisitely crafted armor, and even as he fingered it, he could see that it had barely aged since the last time he’d worn it. It was a little dusty, perhaps even a little rusty, but it was still functional. And then, he saw the tool of his trade from those years ago.

His sword.

Clegg could see his sword at the bottom of the wardrobe, a magnificent piece of equipment that had been forged in Toledo by the finest Castilian swordsmith. He hadn’t seen it in a long while, but when he picked it up, he couldn’t remember it ever being out of his hand.

Et Victor.

That was what he had named it – The Conqueror.

It seemed that Et Victor was being called forth, one last time.

Clegg was ready.

PART FOUR

AN INOPINATUM FINIS (AN UNEXPECTED ENDING)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Standing outside his cottage, Titus had an unobstructed view of the sunrise in all its magnificence. Everything seemed brighter this morning, smells headier, a world that was beautiful and new. Even the birds in the trees had his attention, something he wouldn’t have normally noticed.

But this morning, he was noticing everything.

The beauty of life.

It had everything to do with the magnificent woman in the cottage behind him. Esme was packing for their journey while Titus had gone to see Cam and Brody, but both of them were missing. Isadora didn’t know where her husband had gone and neither did Lilia, so Titus found himself looking over the warrior’s village and to the arena beyond, wondering where they could have gone. He didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye, but he also didn’t want to leave Esme alone.

It seemed strange to him that his friends should be gone so early in the morning. He knew there wasn’t any training going on at this hour. In the warrior’s village below, he kept an eye out for Christos or Aurelius, watching the few men that were stirring at this hour, but he did not see them. Given that they had not gone to bed until just before sunrise, he could not imagine they were up at this hour.