Sword of Forgiveness (Winds of Change Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Title page

  Front Matter

  Glossary

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Historical Note

  Back Matter

  Sword of

  Forgiveness

  Winds of Change

  This book is dedicated to everyone who believes that God won’t forgive them.

  Sword of Forgiveness

  Winds of Change

  by Debbie Lynne Costello

  © 2015 by Debbie Lynne Costello

  All rights reserved. With the exception of a brief quote for printed reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author, Debbie Lynne Costello.

  Published by Wakefield Press

  ISBN: 978-0-9861820-1-3

  E-Version ISBN: 978-0-9861820-0-6

  All Scripture is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents, and dialogues are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental and is unintentional by the author.

  Edited by Susan Lohrer

  Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc. www.TheKillionGroupInc.com

  Acknowledgements

  Books are the efforts of so many people and this book probably more than most. I always want to give God the glory first and foremost as He gave me the desire in my heart to write and the story to put on paper. I want to thank my wonderful husband who was the first person to encourage me to write a book. Thank you, Joe. I love you! I’d like to thank MaryLu Tyndall who read what my story was about and believed in me, mentored me, and connected me with the ACFW and so many wonderful people. To Kathleen L. Maher who saw this story in its raw and unpolished form and fell in love with it. She has walked every step of this road with me, reading SOF more times than me I think. Her insight has been invaluable and her friendship irreplaceable. Thank you, dear friend. You’ll never know the impact you’ve made. A big thank you to Deb Kinnard for all her medieval expertise, Laurie Alice Eakes for putting up with the gazillion questions I always threw at her, Melanie Dickerson and Linore Rose Burkard for being prayer partners and for being willing to look over this story. Thank you, Susan Lohrer, for your undying support and edits on this book, not once but twice. You saved me from the head-hoppers. All of you played an important role in Sword of Forgiveness and have become precious friends to me. I’m blessed by you.

  Lastly, I want to thank my family who has stood by me, cheered me on, and believed in me. You’ll never know how much that means to me.

  Glossary

  Bailey – an open area inside the castle complex, the bailey contained the domestic and other necessary buildings of castle life. An inner bailey laid in an area inside the main castle and its safety, while the outer bailey was outside the main castle defenses, making it more vulnerable should there be an attack.

  Blood-lust – strong desire to kill.

  Bolt-hole – a hidden door in a castle used for escape.

  Caitiff – wicked man.

  Chattel – owned, personal property.

  Chausses – chain mail garment that covered the legs and feet.

  Chemise – long loose undergarment for women.

  Chivalry – a moral system which combined a warrior’s character, his knightly piety, and his courtly manners which together gave a notion of honour and nobility.

  Circlet – decorative head piece.

  Cooper – person who makes and repairs barrels and tubs.

  Coif – in terms of armour, a coif is a piece of chainmail that is draped over the head and neck, covering and protecting them. In essence, a coif combines the helm (head protection) and the gorget (throat protection), although it could also be worn underneath a helm and/or gorget for added protection. It was often used in combination with a hauberk.

  Cote-hardie – a dress under a surcoat.

  Courtly Love – a time when many marriages were not for love, courtly love followed rules and allowed a man and a woman to outwardly show their affections for each other.

  Dais – raised platform.

  Dearling – endearing term such as darling.

  Demesne – part of the estate of the lord of the manor for his own use and support and often sub-leased.

  Destrier – warhorse.

  Forge – furnace/oven.

  Fortnight – 14 days.

  Garth – small enclosed or fenced area.

  Great Hall – multi-purpose room where meals were taken, guests received, business conducted, and even used as sleeping quarters when needed.

  Hauberk – long tunic made of chain mail used for protection.

  Headrail – a square, oblong, or round piece of fabric placed over a head and wrapped around a woman’s neck and shoulder and held in place by a circlet or crown.

  Hoodwinked – deceived or duped.

  Keep – fortified tower in the castle.

  Man at Arms – a well trained professional soldier.

  Mantle – a lush cloak that would be fastened in front by a large brooch, buckle, or pin.

  Master-at-Arms – the man responsible for the training of soldiers at a specific castle.

  Mews – housing for falcons and hawks.

  Pater – father.

  Plait – a braid or plait of hair.

  Sennight – 7 days.

  Serf – a member of lowest feudal class and an agricultural laborer who is bound under the feudal system to work on his lord's estate.

  Solar – private sitting room often found above and used by family and close friends. Solars could be connected to bedrooms.

  Squire – shield-bearer or armour-bearer to the knight. Squires are promoted from the rank of page at about the age of thirteen or fourteen, they were then trained further in knightly pursuits. The squire was a candidate for the honor of knighthood, and learned from the knight he was squire to by performing any tasks that the knight might require.

  Stuff – a quilted material that is used under chainmail

  Surcoat – cloth dress that covers an underdress. Surcoats were also made of leather, and worn over armor during heraldry period they might display the coat of arms.

  Trencher – trenchers were used to serve and eat food, much like modern day plates. Stale loaves of bread (or stale crusts of bread) were used to soak up food and eat it. Leftover pieces of trenchers were often given to the dogs or distributed to the poor as alms.

  Troubadour – musician and poet that entertained

  Tunic – the medieval equivalent of a shirt. A tunic was usually longer and looser than a modern shirt.

  Villein – a tenant who paid dues and/or services to his lord in re
turn for land.

  Wimple – headdress

  Yestereve – refers to last evening.

  Yesternight – refers to last night.

  Prologue

  Cumberland, England, 1398

  Brithwin gazed at her father's grey, lifeless face as she crossed the room. Other than a pinprick to her conscience, there was no sorrow. She faltered. Was his chest rising and falling? A dull roar filled her ears, drowning out her pounding heart. She gasped. Nay. Nay! Hadn’t the priest said his soul was at rest? Hadn’t she watched as the icy fingers of death slowly robbed him of his last breath?

  A shudder slithered through her body. Was it a sin to find relief in his death? He couldn’t hurt her anymore. Surely God would not find fault with her. Perhaps her father’s sudden passing was God’s punishment for all the wrongs he had done her. The shuffling of feet brought her contemplations to a halt.

  “It’s all right to grieve, dear one—the tears will help you heal.” Pater, a follower of John Wycliffe and branded a Lollard, laid his hand on her shoulder.

  Brithwin pushed aside her conflicting feelings. “You know there is no sorrow in me for his death. Only relief that he is gone and anger for what he has done.”

  “Don’t let bitterness consume you. It will do your father no harm, but it will slowly drain the joy from your life, my child.”

  Brithwin turned her head away from her father’s still form and looked into the empathetic eyes of a man who had suffered far greater than she at her father’s hand. She spoke the words anyway. “If anyone has a reason to be bitter, it is I. Isn’t a woman’s lot always bitterness?”

  “Nay, Brithwin, you must forgive, just as our Lord forgave. Remember what you have learned. Reach down in your soul and let this hate go. No good can come of it.”

  Dropping her gaze, she let his words pervade her thoughts. Could she forgive her father for the suffering dealt her at his hand, as Pater had done? It was the right thing to do. Uneasiness fluttered inside her, and memories poured down on her like a driving rain—her father’s cruel words, her head snapping back as his knuckles connected with her cheek, but worst of all, the darkness that surrounded her when he chose the dungeon as her punishment. She would not, could not, forgive him. It was too much to ask. Brithwin turned and walked to the doorway. She paused, knowing her words would not please her Lord. “We will bury him today. With no one to mourn his death, I see no reason to wait.”

  Hours later, dark, menacing clouds filled the sky, threatening to open up and pound rain into the open grave. A crash of thunder shook the ground and Brithwin flipped her hood over her head. The few people in attendance moved restlessly, glancing at the sky. She’d not required the servants’ presence at the burial, but some had come anyway out of loyalty to her. And she was here only out of obligation. A biting northern wind whistled through the trees. It seemed a fitting day to bury her father.

  The priest’s sermon droned on like a persistent bee. She shifted her feet to get the blood flowing through her legs, and a chill slid down her back. She drew her cloak closer as numbness swept over her mind and body. Today she was free of her father’s tyranny. She should feel joy. But closing her eyes, she only wished the day behind her.

  Pater’s cough broke through her thoughts. She lifted her gaze. The priest had said his final words and stood in attendance. The wind picked up, slicing through her garments. Brithwin turned to shield herself and made her way back to the castle.

  Before she reached the cover of her home, the rain began to fall along with an unexpected sadness as heavy as a millstone tied around her soul. Were these God’s tears for a man no one loved?

  Chapter 1

  Two weeks later

  Brithwin jerked out the weeds, noticing too late that half the stems she’d pulled were herbs. Too busy fussing to herself as she tucked the damaged plants back into the ground, she didn’t see Thomas until he cleared his throat.

  “Lady Brithwin, you wish to speak to me?”

  Brithwin pushed herself off her knees to stand. When had she scooted from her stool and knelt in the dirt? She glanced up to see him frowning at her soiled gown. Raising her eyebrows, she wiped her muddy hands down her sides. “I have heard you sent a messenger to the king. Is this true?”

  Thomas Godfrey, the captain of her guard, stood with his feet braced apart, arms folded, and face rigid. “It is as you say, for you need a strong husband.” His firm voice gave her no hope of persuading him otherwise.

  She narrowed her eyes. “You have wasted no time in searching for one.”

  His eyes softened under bushy dark brows. “I know you feel you can run this castle, Lady Brithwin, and you have done well, indeed, while your father lay abed ill. However, you know very well that King Richard will not allow you to hold these lands in your own right. What I did, I did for you.”

  Staring at her soiled hands, she shifted her feet. “You did for me? The last thing I want is another man to treat me like chattel.”

  With his arms still folded over his chest, he looked like a father firmly instructing a child. “And that is why I have intervened, and hopefully not allowed fate to decide.”

  She fisted her dirty hands and shoved them on her hips. “I would rather give up my position here and live with the villeins.”

  “You are too naive, milady.” Thomas drew in a deep breath and let it slowly escape. “You are a lady, and though I have no doubt you could survive anything after what you have been through, you would never be happy—not when you’d never be able to make a difference in your people’s lives.”

  He spoke the truth. She would not want to see another cruel lord come in and abuse the people she loved so much. But to be under a man’s iron fist again was too much to ask of her after enduring her father. Tears burned behind her eyes. She bit her bottom lip, refusing to let them fall lest Thomas should see them and think her weak. “You are a man. You could not understand how I feel.” She swallowed a lump forming in her throat.

  Tenderness softened the hard lines of his face, and the hard warrior who remained a constant in her life seemed almost vulnerable. “From the day your mother died and your father turned his back on you, I have looked after you. That is what I am doing now. You are like my own child.”

  Brithwin sighed. “I need no more men to look after me. You are enough. But I suppose it is out of my hands. We will wait to see what the king says.” She knelt back down to tend her plants, dismissing him.

  “Very well, milady.” Thomas walked away grumbling.

  She shook her head. Not even Thomas understood.

  Brithwin sat on her stool and closed her eyes. What was she to do? When her father died, she had promised herself no man would own her again, yet who could defy an edict of the king?

  †††

  Royce Warwick and his men trudged down the muddy, rough-cut road. The rain had quit, but the men, along with their horses, were sodden and exhausted. Each step the animals took, their hooves sank into the sucking wet muck, draining more strength from them. They pulled their legs out only to sink down again, slogging along step by slow step.

  The gates of Rosen Craig came into view, and they never had been so welcome. The past month away at his father’s behest had not resulted in good news. Royce’s dreams of settling the dispute peacefully and coming home to relieve his father’s anxious mind of the rumored uprising—dashed. Yet he looked forward to discussing with his father the course of events that had taken place. Lord Rosen Craig’s wise counsel would put his mind at ease or give him advice for future incidents.

  Royce had still to dismount and shed his riding gear when his faithful servant met him, coming through the gate of Rosen Craig.

  The servant doffed his hat, wringing it in his hands. “Master, I have distressing news.”

  “Surely, Fendrel, it can wait until I greet my father and mother.” He swung off his destrier and handed the reins to the servant. “Take Shadowmere to the stables and see he gets a thorough rub down.”

&nb
sp; “B-but, s-sir.” The man stood before him with reins and cap in trembling hands but not doing Royce’s bidding.

  Royce frowned. “What say you?”

  Fendrel flinched. The man must have something weighing on him to be so anxious to speak. He waggled his head back and forth. “’Tis not m-my place, sir.”

  “Out with it, man.” What was wrong with the man? First he wishes to give him news then he changes his mind?

  Fendrel stepped back. “Y-your f-father and m-mother are d-dead.”

  Royce’s innards twisted. Surely he hadn’t heard him right. They were both doing well when he left. “Dead?”

  The color drained from the servant’s already pale face. He nodded.

  Royce staggered back from the blow that hit him. He couldn’t breathe. It was as if painful bands tightened around his chest, sucking out all the air.

  “Where is Bryce?” Royce forced the words out as he scanned the grounds. He needed to talk with his brother. Find out what happened while he was away.

  Fendrel’s eyes welled with tears. “I’m sorry, Lord Rosen Craig.”

  Royce swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat and swung on his heel, heading for the castle. He didn’t want to be lord of Rosen Craig. That was his father’s job and then Bryce’s. Yet only one thing would cause the servant to call him Lord Rosen Craig.

  Silence in the near-empty great room testified to the truth. Royce dropped into a chair on the dais. All eyes rested on him. His companions sat, anxiously awaiting his directive. Royce closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, willing away the tears that bit at the back of his eyes. Why them? ’Tis I that have sinned.

  He drew in a deep breath. When he rode away a month ago to investigate the rumored border uprising between his people and the Scots who’d been coming down causing problems, he had planned to be gone only a fortnight. But the unrest had taken much longer to control.

  He opened his eyes. Simon, an aged comrade, sat to his left and gazed on him with understanding. The man’s friendship and wise guidance had meant much to him through the years, right below his father’s.