Three
King David greeted them in the solar and quickly sent Lannrick, Thomas, and the MacLean on their way. Once the door was shut behind them, the king’s smile, which had been consistent since he’d greeted them, immediately disappeared.
William wasn’t completely surprised. King David was known for his abrupt changes in mood. William watched the king’s progress back to the table from the door, and then he waited as the king poured a goblet of wine, then another, and handed one to William. Now thatdidsurprise him.
“Drink this,” King David instructed, spearing William with a contemplative gaze.
William gladly consumed the wine, welcoming the warmth as it made a path down his throat and into his belly. His journey to Duart Castle had been long, and he was tired and sorely lacking in patience at the moment, which was something he most definitely needed for a conversation with the king.
King David leaned against the edge of the table and brought his wine goblet to his lips as he regarded William. A sudden, unexpected feeling that the king did not know where to begin or was loath to begin at all struck William. Both options were novelties for the king, he knew. David was a man of action. He simply charged ahead, often plowing over others in the process, but everything he did was always, truly in his heart, for the good of Scotland.
Finally, the king let out a long breath, set his goblet on the table, and asked, “What would ye do to vindicate yer father and brother? What would ye give?”
What the devil was the king about with these questions? “If they could be exonerated, which they kinnae, I’d give anything,” William said.
“I thought ye might say that,” David said, sighing, then drummed his fingers against the edge of the table. “I’ve watched ye as ye have worked tirelessly alongside Blackswell,” the king said, mentioning William’s closet friend, who was also the king’s right hand. “And I’ve watched ye lead yer own group of men. I ken everything ye’ve done, every dangerous mission ye have volunteered for, ye have done so to remove the shadow of shame ye live under—”
“Sire, that’s true,” William cut in, “but I would have volunteered for the missions even if my father and brother had nae betrayed ye. Ye are the rightful king, and I consider it my duty and an honor to serve ye.”
“I ken that, William. ’Tis why I called ye here today. I find myself in an unconscionable position of either breaking a sworn vow to someone or risking losing my throne.” The king’s gaze pierced through the distance between them. His expression looked almost guilty.
Uneasiness stirred in William’s gut as David stood and shifted from foot to foot, almost anxiously, like someone with a secret. “If ye were king, which would ye chose: to break a vow or fight to hold yer throne?”
William did not even have to consider it. “The vow is to one, but on yer throne, ye serve the good of many. I’d break the vow if it meant keeping my throne.”
King David nodded. “I have come to the same conclusion, but it dunnae make me feel better. What is the worth of a king who breaks his vows?”
The agony in David’s voice over what he must do was exactly why William knew that David was a good king. He waved a hand toward a seat. “Sit with me, William. I need to tell ye something.”
The uneasiness William was feeling began to grow, and he quickly took a seat as did the king. “Years ago,” the king started, “when I was captured by the English and imprisoned, I developed a very small network of men to aid me on the outside while I was trapped by the English. There were four men in this circle, and I had kenned each of them since my boyhood. These men had, at one time or another, proven to me that I had their absolute, undying loyalty, and each of these men had at some point risked their life to save mine. I kenned, despite what hardships they might face by serving me, they would do so unquestionably.”
William nodded. Was the king bringing him into this inner circle? Revealing things William could not even imagine? King David leaned forward so that his elbows rested on the table, and his gaze bore into William. “William, yer father was one of these men.”
“What?” The word cracked in his throat, and shock rendered him unable to say more.
“Yer father was one of four men I trusted above all others. I had kenned him since we were verra young lads. Do ye ken the history?”
Instead of immediately answering, William ticked off the facts he knew in his mind. His father had not been a MacLean by birth; he’d been born into the MacThorn clan. His grandfather had been laird, and William’s father had become laird when his grandfather was killed saving King David’s father. Then years later, the MacThorn clan was destroyed during a battle with the English that William’s father went to on the king’s command. “My grandfather saved yer father’s life, and my father aided ye in a battle against the English, a battle that destroyed our clan.”
“Aye,” the king confirmed. “When I was verra young.”
William nodded. “My father took the MacLean name, as the MacThorn clan was too weak to rebuild. There were nae enough of them left.”
“Aye,” King David said, sighing. “Yer grandfather gave his life serving my father, and yer father gave his clan serving me. Yer grandfather and my father were friends, and that is how yer father and I came to apprentice together, and how I later came to call on his aid, first in battle, and then when I was captured by the English, I did nae hesitate to call upon yer father for aid. Times were just as treacherous then as they are now.” The king held up his sword hand. “I counted only four men as those I kenned in my heart I could trust with my most secret missions.Four men.” The king lifted four fingers. “And then myself.” He raised his thumb. “Together, we took back my throne and kept me upon it. Yer father was among those men.”
“And then he betrayed ye,” William said, heat stealing into his face.
“Nay,” the king said. “He did nae betray me, William. Yer father died in service to me.”
William stared wordlessly at the king as his heart began to pound heavily. “That kinnae be. He betrayed ye. He told the Steward where ye would strike in the Battle of Glenfurrie, and—”
“He did tell my nephew, ’tis true, but yer father told him because we planned it to be so.”
“Ye planned it to be so?” William repeated, still struggling to form a proper sentence with the roar of confusion in his ears.
“Aye. Just listen for a moment,” the king said in the most patient voice William had ever heard the normally impatient king use. “When King Edward captured me and imprisoned me in Odiham Castle those years ago, I suspected almost immediately that my nephew would make a move for my throne. That was when I reached out to the four men I told ye I trusted above all others.”
“Who are the other three men?” William asked.
