The Red Wolf's Prize Read Free Page B

Renaud
of a large brown bear, just smiled. A man of few words, Sir Alain was steady
and reliable, trusted to watch the Red Wolf’s back.
    With one last tug at the cloth, the knight reined in the
standard.
    Renaud looked beyond the huge knight to the rest of the
company. Some men were new. The lands of Talisand were rumored to be rich. For
that reason, as well as his success in battle, many had been eager to accompany
him when he had left London. Behind his squire, Mathieu, and his five knights,
rode the men-at-arms and retainers, along with the craftsmen they’d brought
with them to begin work on the castle William expected to be finished before
summer’s end.
    Carts carried the tents and supplies they had brought with
them, including casks of wine. Spotting Sir Hugue, Renaud was reminded of the
few mercenaries who had joined them. He would have to keep a close watch on the
men he knew less well. They, too, had come seeking a place in William’s England
and in the den of his wolf.
    “ Bon .” Renaud faced forward and raised his hand. “ Pour
Talisand !”
    At the clenching of his knees, Renaud’s stallion moved
forward. The column followed, moving en masse .
    Renaud’s mind filled with the faces of the jealous barons
and knights at William’s court who had whispered the Red Wolf was the king’s
pet, a knight so favored his requests were never denied. In their jealousy,
they had failed to see the reason for the king’s favor. Renaud never acted
without first consulting William in private. Then, too, he knew well the mind
of his sire.
    There was only one thing that could have moved Renaud from
William’s side—his dream of having his own lands. As a younger son of a Norman
nobleman, Renaud had known he would have to fight for any lands he would claim
as his own. And fight he had, both in Normandy and England, for there had been
rebellions in the south after Hastings.
    Aware that Renaud’s devotion ran deep, but also knowing of
his knight’s dream, William had finally sent Renaud away with orders to take
and hold Talisand, to raise a castle that would be a guard against the king’s
enemies to the north and a symbol to the English of his domination.
    William’s last words came to his mind. “Take as your wife
the heiress of Talisand and raise up sons to serve my heirs.”
    “What have you heard of the Lady Serena?” Renaud asked Geoff
as they drew nearer to the manor, and the bleating sheep scattered before their
powerful horses.
    Geoff seemed to ponder the question. “When you were granted
Talisand, I heard the men at court whispering the Red Wolf had done well, that
the lady is rumored to be fair of face with hair as pale as the moon. Though at
seventeen summers, she will be older than most girls at her marriage. Earl
Morcar, who went with William to Normandy last year, spoke of her as if
describing a vision.”
    “It would matter naught to me if the lady’s face was as
plain as the side of a stable,” Renaud replied. “William has commanded she be
my wife and so she shall be. Have you heard aught else?”
    “Nay, though I assume as the daughter of a thegn, she can
manage a household.”
    “It is good we tarried so long in London,” said Renaud
thoughtfully. “Like the king, we have learned some of the barbarous English
tongue. The serfs will not be familiar with our Norman French. This far north,
I would not expect any of them to speak the language of William’s court.”
    “She is supposed to be quite good with a bow,” Maugris
interjected under his breath, just loud enough for Renaud to hear. “’Tis
unusual.”
    Renaud raised a brow at the old one’s words. “And how would
you know that, wise one?”
    A small smile twitched at the corner of Maugris’ mouth. “I
have ways of knowing many things, my lord.”
    Renaud smiled. “Yea, you do, and your counsel is always
welcome. Mayhap you can help me understand these people, Maugris. I expect they
will be hostile to the idea of a Norman