Chapter 53: Chapter 53

NO GOOD NEWS

In fact, Kiki became pregnant after just a few attempts. Armin was so blown away by the success that he would have liked to have thrown a party. Farell and his son still hadn't made any significant progress, but the three boys got along really well. They were almost feared throughout the castle. And if one of the men in charge decided to do something about this gang, they ducked out real quick.

When I asked why Armin didn't just wait until one of the children came out of hiding, he shrugged his shoulders with a grin. "How boring would a castle be with boys without stupidities? They have at least enough decency to at least hide."

The lord of the castle laughed easily. The few servants and the few maids did not like his humor much.

After dinner, I found Armin again in Kiki's stable. He turned to me when he heard me coming. "Hey, senorita."

"What are you doing here again?" I smiled indulgently and cocked my head. "You tell me not to pet the foals. But the animal isn't even born yet and you..."

Armin laughed, caught. "How could I not? A lot depends on whether the breeding works. If the foal is a splendour, I have hope that it will advertise all by itself."

"And you think you can influence something if you annoy our poor mare?"

He clicked his tongue, grinning. "So rude..."

"Armin!" Leonard appeared between us. "My father says you have to get to him as soon as possible."

"Did something happen?" Without hesitation we made our way to the little cottage Farell had built for himself and Leonard. She stood outside the castle walls on the outskirts of the shy village.

"I don't know. He's been angry all day..."

We both mounted Argos, my mare was pregnant, and rode off as fast as we could. It smelled of beer and sweat in the cottage, a woman was clearly missing here, but the mug that Armin shared with me was clean and the wine was cool.

"Wait outside Leonard." Farell grumbled, sitting down on the narrow bench at the rickety little table.

"What? No, it's already dark."

Against his nature, Farell spun impatiently at him. "Don't talk back to me again!"

Slightly startled but meek, the boy left the hut. Armin exchanged a look with me. He looked blankly at Farell, but his eyes remained soft. He was the only Campbell whose eyes could remain soft when he put on that expression.

Farell turned back to us. "First, the peasants don't like you."

"Now I'm shocked..." Armin mumbled sarcastically.

"Secondly...King Richard almost fell victim to a peasant revolt some time ago. But he negotiated something with the leaders. Hasn't followed through yet and faces big problems."

As if Armin or I were interested in this cursed king...

"And third...When I was in London yesterday, I heard a rumour. A ragged man who looked a little confused was picked up at the harbour. He was tame but they think life had badly poked at him. When When they described his appearance to me, I rode to his whereabouts, but he was already gone. With an unknown destination..."

"You think it's..." Armin broke off because Farell was already nodding.

Armin got up, wordlessly took my elbow and pulled me to the door. "Then I have to be calm, huh? See you..."

"Wait, Armin. That's not all... You saw a ship. A Spanish one..."

"What?" Again we exchanged a confused look. "What's supposed to be special about it?"

"It's no ordinary merchant ship. I think you should brace yourself for that too. There must be a reason Isabella's father is coming to England. After all this time."

Armin didn't even flinch as he slammed his fist against the stone walls of our hall. The maids ran away. Armin had never been seen so beside himself.

"This is such shit!"

"Calm down, Armin. We don't even know what my father wants."

Armin gave me an ironic look. "Richard has a bad status in England, your father had some kind of agreement with the king. He probably didn't keep it. So Enrique comes and gets his stake back."

By commitment he probably meant me. "Armin..."

Suddenly he spun around to face me. "I won't let you go! The king's debts aside!"

I was so touched that I couldn't think of what to say to that. So I swallowed hard so I wouldn't start crying like a spinster...

He came around our small table and knelt on one knee in front of me. "Even if they both break their skulls, I won't give you up. We'll both go into exile sooner."

I put my hand half on his neck, half on his shoulder. "You wouldn't be able to see your family again."

A dark shadow cast across my husband's beautiful brown eyes. "Yes. Somehow..."

"You would regret it."

Armin shook his head energetically. "On the contrary. I would hate to let you go without a fight..."

I was surprised when a load fell from my shoulders. Because I hadn't noticed how heavy it was on me that my father would arrive here. But it was a fact that I hadn't forgotten what he had done to force me down the aisle. I also hadn't forgotten that he had simply sold me. Or that I've had to live in the shadows all my life. I never had and would never forget all of that.

Armin's large, warm hands holding mine made me feel protected. I knew he would not only stand by me when everything left me, but he would also protect me.

Suddenly overwhelmed, I also fell to my knees and threw myself into his arms. I bit my lip to keep from crying. Because I was scared. Fear that the king or my father would go too far, probably even to the point of death.

47

SPANISH IN ENGLAND

It was a cold, rainy evening when Enrique and his escort stood in front of Armin's castle gate. He would have liked to chase the fat Spaniard away again. But Isabella didn't show what she thought of such an idea. And it was her father. He liked to think of the unsympathetic Kautz he liked...

So now this bastard sat in his hall, drinking wine and eyeing his daughter like a valuable object. But not like his precious flesh and blood... Armin could have thrown up.

Isabella sat at the head of the table, opposite Armin. She looked like the lady of a much larger and grander castle. Her brown hair lay almost majestically on her shoulders. Her gaze was neither arrogant nor friendly. She was calm and serene, and completely at a loss as to what she thought of it all. Armin almost burst with pride in her.

However, Enrique was not alone. A knight sat next to him, clutching his wine goblet. You could see from the green shimmer around his nose that he was probably still a little seasick.

"So?" Armin grumbled with all the politeness he could muster. "Can I help?"

"However." The old Spaniard put his palms flat on the table. For a moment, the expression in Enrique's eyes reminded Armin of Isabella. "Campbell, I'm passing through and I need a place to sleep."

Armin was on the point of suggesting the little dive bar in the village to Enrique. "I think that you might greet your daughter properly one day and she will ask you for a place to sleep. You can do without my mercy."

Enrique turned his head and faked a smile. He said something in Spanish, to which Isabella replied, completely unmoved. And just when Armin started to get angry that he didn't understand anything, she continued in English. "And I'm the lady of the house here. I'm greeted, not the other way around."

"So you want me to pay my respects to you?"

Isabella continued the answer with a barely noticeable annoyed movement. "Because you are my father, I will provide you with a bed. But first I want answers."

Enrique exchanged an angry look with Armin, who was just waiting to finally get him out of his hall. Then he growled something in Spanish again.

Isabella barely lifted a corner of her mouth. "What, father? Why don't you dare repeat that in English?"

Enrique took a deep breath through his nose. Then it took him a minute. "What answers?"

"I know that Richard gave you enough money for this hierat. But what did he get out of it?"

Enrique raised one of his chubby shoulders and pointed to Armin. "A Campbell generation under his thumb. He figured if he gave him a castle with a daughter from one of his allies, he could manipulate him a bit and keep an eye on him. He'd have pretty much every influential and powerful in Armin Campbell's a little in hand. Richard figured he could figure out what to blackmail Armin with, and so steer this stubborn Campbell from the inside out."

What a fox! Armin almost had to laugh. Stubborn Campbells. And just he is supposed to be the key against this family? Richard was out of his mind.

Isabella nodded, apparently completely unmoved. "How was Richard going to get me to get information out of me?" Enrique shrugged again. "So you didn't care?" There seemed to be no answer to that. "Jenny! Show my father a chamber."

With that, she and Armin got up at the same time. And before Enrique could pluck himself out, Armin stopped him again. "Woe to your knights behave in my village. Then the support of Richard won't help you much."

Armin closed the door of our room behind him and came to me at the window. He gently stroked my sweaty back. "You were great. It didn't show how exhausted you are."

I leaned into him and closed my eyes. Ever since my father came here, I felt the whip and rod beating again as he forced me to marry. I still couldn't understand how he could hit me like that. He didn't know Armin either. But he didn't care how he would be to me. My father forgot me for gold. For a king. And it hurt. It hurt that I couldn't be as happy about his presence as Armin was with his father...

"It's okay, Isabella... He can't hurt you anymore."

"I would like to send him away."

"Why didn't you do it?"

"Because he is my father, Armin. And no matter what I do, he will remain so."

"You don't owe him anything."

I lifted my head and grinned as I heard him suppress his hatred. "No matter how mean my father was to me, he still raised me and didn't treat me as badly as some people treat their daughters."

He could tell from his eyes that he absolutely didn't agree with me. But he didn't argue. He pressed his lips to mine and pushed my hair back from my forehead. "As long as he's here, you can't take a step without me. I hope you know that."

I crossed my arms behind his back. "Afraid father kidnaps me secretly?"

"His soldiers are constantly whispering in Spanish. I don't understand anything, but I don't trust them either. Why else would he come here if not to take back his only leverage against Richard."

"I would be interested to know how Richard wanted to bug us. He must have sent us some spy..."

Armin shrugged. "We have nothing to fear. We were mostly at sea. But still, the spy will make himself recognizable sooner or later."

HELL ON EARTH

The two weeks that Enrique stayed with Armin were hell. Armin felt like a criminal in his own castle. And he hated this state.

The day the old Spaniard finally left was a good one. So good for Armin that he would have liked to have thrown a party.

Isabella was relieved as well. But Armin noticed that a shadow lay over her. He didn't have to ask why, but he did it anyway. And although she had hesitated for a long time, she did tell him one evening. And when she started crying, she was terribly angry with herself too.

But after three days she was almost the same. She reminded Armin a little of the time when they both came to their castle for the first time. But then, as now, she would find happiness again. And he helped a little by traveling with her a lot and reconciling with his farmers. Because people loved Isabella.

And Isabella loved life.

"Armin?" Philip slid onto his side on the bench. Leonard and Ari right next to him. "Think we could get some honey from the kitchen?"

Armin looked at the three rascals who kept his castle busy. In fact, they were so naughty that he should have said no. But he liked watching them too much for that when they were naughty. And far too often, he was even part of the party. So he looked over his shoulder.

"Bring me something."

The three of them snuck off, laughing softly. Armin was about to sneak away with them when Isabella slid down beside him and caught his ear between her fingers. "I caught you!"

"Don't tell my father, maam!"

Isabella pulled him towards her and kissed him. "But that costs."

That was just right for Armin. In his celebratory mood, everything was fine with him. "Can be arranged, senorita."

She smiled lovingly and snuggled into his arm. "I'm surprised you don't have a bonfire."

"See through."

Her beautiful, slender hand rested on his thigh. "Thank you for putting up with him."

"What..."

"I know he's a tough man. Mainly because he was trying to patronize you."

And not on the easy way. He hadn't told Isabella because she was worried enough. But Enrique caught Armin with a couple of guards one night and dragged him behind the castle. There they had beaten him badly.

Because Enrique wanted to be in charge of both the castle and Isabella. And if Syman hadn't come, Enrique would probably only have stopped when Armin was no longer able to do or say anything.

He had told Isabella that he had messed with the Spanish soldiers. But he couldn't tell her that her father was behind it. He couldn't bring himself to do it.

He kissed the top of her head. "Do not worry."

"Armin!" Ari suddenly stood in the doorway. "A man says you should come to the stable quickly. There's something wrong with Kiki!"

Isabella and Armin jumped up at the same time and ran to the stable. This foal meant a lot to both of them. If something went wrong now, both would probably have to start over. And that really wasn't a nice view...

Armin came into the stable with Isabella, but no one was there. Only Kiki, who ate her food quite comfortably and hardly noticed the intruders.

"What the hell?" Armin mumbled. And even as he turned to the door, it was slammed shut with a loud bang.

Instinctively he grabbed Isabella's arm, but then he was already hit from behind. The last thing on his mind was falling into a trap because of a stupid horse...

His dreams were confused and shaped by memories from his childhood. When he woke up it was dark and jerky. It also smelled of cattle.

His skull was pounding and he knew he was bleeding. He heard a low whining and recognized Isabella, who had her mouth bandaged and was looking down at him, very concerned. Armin dragged himself into a sitting position. His arms were tied. "Damned..."

He was about to yank the cloth from Isabella's mouth with his teeth when the car stopped and a tarp was thrown back.

"Good evening, Sir Campbell." The man was Armin Fremd. He wore English armor and must have been around forty. "You've beaten three days. Time to move a little."

Two soldiers came over and grabbed Armin. Isabella screamed through her gag, but the men dragged him out of the cart anyway and threw him on the ground there. Since his hands were tied, he couldn't even brace himself.

Five men were suddenly on top of him and beating him. Armin felt his ribs break and blood spurted out of his mouth and nose.

After what felt like an eternity, the forty-year-old soldier stepped up and pulled him to his feet. He grabbed his hair and chin and stared at his face.

"Well, do you know who sent me?"

Of what use is it to know? He would find out sooner or later anyway. For the moment, his anger took over. So he collected the blood in his mouth and spat it into the soldier's mouth.

With momentum, Armin landed back on the dusty ground. The soldier grabbed a rod from his belt and looked at him.

"Would you like me to show you what I do to unruly men? You haven't been a knight long, have you? No general would put up with that."

Armin forced himself to smile. "If you knew how shit I don't give a fuck..."

Those should be his last words of the evening. They tiredly beat Armin until he lost consciousness himself. Then they carelessly threw him onto the cart with Isabella.

When Armin woke up, he immediately threw up. Isabella sobbed softly next to him. They were no longer on a cart, but in a dungeon. The straw was dirty, it stank and it was dark. Of course, rats also squeaked through the corridors and somewhere it was dripping, nerve-wrackingly loud.

"Oh Armin..." She was no longer gagged. "You're finally awake."

"What's going on here?" He mumbled, feeling miserable. He knew he had lost a molar...

"It's father. And the king. Richards standing in England is worse than ever. His cousin Henry Plantagenet is gradually ousting him from the throne."

Armin wanted to rub his forehead when he felt the handcuffs and heard the chains rattling. I'm going to die... went through his mind. If the king brought me here to forget me down here, we'll perish here...

Isabella wanted to touch him, but her chains wouldn't let her. She sobbed discouraged. "I'm sorry, I..."

"All right."

Isabella swallowed and continued. "I don't know exactly why, but Richard needs you. And my father needs me."

"It's really not good."

"No. And one thing is even worse. Our dungeon guard is..." Isabella broke off as the door swung open and a man stood in the doorway. Armin almost threw up again.

The man smiled slyly and spread his arms.

"Mory Grand."

PRISON

Mory came with a torch. He did unspeakable things to Armin. And let me watch. I did close my eyes, but whenever Armin cried out in agony, they opened again of their own accord.

It was terrible what they did to him. I didn't understand why either. Only the matter of his family and the king came into question.

After Mory was finally gone, I tried with all my might to get to Armin. But my chains prevented me. That's why I was so desperate that I just had to cry.

I felt like I was letting him down. Left him to his jokes without helping him. It was unbearable. I didn't suffer nearly as much as Armin did.

"Stop..." Elain pushed Arin away a little. He didn't let himself be stopped. Had he ever let himself be stopped?

As Elain bent to hang the nearest sheet on the line, Arin hugged her from behind and nibbled at her neck. He knew she loved that and would soften quicker that way.

Arin saw her grimace up at her lips. Still, she forced him a bit away and hung up the sheet. "Joan is close, Arin."

And his second little princess was pretty quiet. Most of the time she sat in a little corner, blissfully busy with herself. You never knew exactly from which hiding place she would spring.

So he gave in. "Pity."

Elain's blue eyes looked at him mischievously. "If you take her to Elly and Jacob at the tree house, things would be different."

They smirked and were about to kiss to wrap things up when Syman came rushing through the trees.

Elain immediately grabbed Arin's arm. "Please do not..."

Syman jumped off his horse and took turns looking Elain and Arin in the eyes. "We have a problem..."

Armin's chains rattled as he tried to sit up. "Stay down. I think you have broken bones..."

"More than I can count, senorita..." Nevertheless, he heaved himself up and then gasped in pain.

"Stubborn head."

"Do you already know what they want from us?"

"No, I'm sorry." I pushed the water jug as close as I could to him. "We have something to drink. You haven't had a drink for a long time..."

"I can't lift the pitcher."

What was going on here? Where did we get into? If only we had stayed on the ship. If I hadn't gotten homesick, it would never have come to this...

"What is this ass doing here?"

"Grand?"

"Of course grand..."

"He joined Richard because he hates you Campbells so much. He wanted revenge on you across seven corners. Of course he's as happy as a fox in the chicken coop that he got the chance to do it sooner than he thought."

Armin laughed hard. "And that's all his booty shame. Defenseless."

It was like this. Mory was out of his mind that he would have almost killed Armin if a young soldier hadn't intervened. He had to pay bitterly for talking Mory into it. So nobody would try to help Armin anytime soon.

"Did he catch your face with the flames?"

"Just striped."

He sounded so alien. The pain was almost palpable. This made me wonder how much pain Armin could endure before his body just couldn't take it anymore. The thought made me want to cry again. But I held back. Armin had enough problems.

"What do you think, senorita. Can love me when I look like the bog monster?"

I had to swallow before I could answer. "What's the difference from before?"

In fact, he growled so much that it sounded like a laugh. Dear God, let's get through this...

"Your hostage is very stubborn, my king."

Richard turned to the Spaniard and wanted to hit him. "What do you want to say?"

The fat guy raised his hands defensively. "To take my daughter and go, if you allow me, my king."

"I won't allow it!" Again the king turned. This time to one of his guards. "What does the jailer say?"

"Campbell's beaten soft, sir. He probably doesn't even know if he's male or female, my king."

"So he thinks Campbell is too broken to rebel?"

"Yes, my king. He says Campbell can't help but cooperate."

Richard slapped the poor man who was just the messenger. “No Campbell is so easy to knock out. Tell him to tie his wife in the middle of the dungeon with her arms up."

"Yes, my king."

Richard kicked after him. "Come on!"

Enrique slowly approached the young man.

"I want to keep my daughter in marriage, Your Majesty. You shouldn't deface her like that. Or can you settle your debt to me? Then I wouldn't care what happened to her."

Richard's head almost fell off. The respect shown to him suddenly began to crumble. He had to prevent it from getting that far.

Fast as lightning, he drew his blade and laid it on Enrique's neck. "Don't you dare talk to me like that again."

Enrique raised his arms in shock. More submissive this time. "Understood, Your Majesty. Forgive my Spanish temper."

Richard toyed with the idea of severing the Spaniard's head from his neck. But he wasn't ready yet...

"King! Look! We've got a big problem!"

THE BIG PROBLEM

Arin's hand rested loosely on his sword hilt. He had a wonderfully clear view of the White Tower of London where his son was sitting and stewing.

Taran went to him and surveyed the many towers. "We faced easier challenges."

"Anything is lighter than the White Tower of London." Kora murmured, putting an arm on her hip.

"Oh, what..." Michel growled behind them. Samuel and Joe were still chewing their bread.

Ben drew his sword, his eyes shining as if an old love had been reawakened. A born warrior.

Eric casually put an arm on Arin's shoulder. "Don't worry you shitheads, the big ones will take care of it."

Arin was almost tempted to grin. How long hadn't someone called him a poop shit?

Taran drew his sword. "Hey Ben! Train with me."

"Leave me alone."

With the old rascal in his eyes, Taran raised his hand with Precious Rings. "These could all be yours."

Kora followed Taran, leaving Arin to ponder. The waiting drove him to the brink of insanity. But he knew he couldn't do this alone. This is where others have failed.

"How many times must I get you and your son out of the clutches of your enemies?"

Now if the corner of his mouth turns. Avan joined him and looked at the tower as well.

"What's going on here exactly?"

Arin smiled humorlessly at which Avan raised an unmoved eyebrow. "As if you didn't already know that."

The oldest of the brothers couldn't deny that. He grinned furtively. "Any news of his condition?"

“There is actually nothing of his condition. You know what?"

"He's badly injured. He will hardly be of any help in his escape. Isabella is in there too."

"Pigs." Arin seethed. He knew his son's suffering was partly his fault. For being one of those unyielding men that Richard loathed.

As if Avan knew his thoughts, he sighed in exasperation. "You pretend to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"You can say what you want, that our children have problems is also up to us. On me as on you."

"Right. But I accepted that I can't change it. And that our brats are in no way inferior to us. Just like we never took after our parents. And never wanted it any other way."

Arin couldn't believe that his big brother didn't talk to him for ten minutes and it seemed to be going a lot easier. He remembered Armin's birth. Again, it was Avan who got him down and calmed him down. In his own way. "I didn't miss your lectures at all."

Avan chuckled. "You know what that ties me up to." He patted his little brother roughly on the shoulder and drew his sword. Like all weapons in the family, Arin had forged it. "Then we'll collect another Campbell."

The brothers waited until dark. Because the White Tower of London was considered impregnable. And as proud and arrogant as each and every Campbell was, they were wise never to overestimate themselves.

Then they set off. Everyone tried it on their own.

They were all experienced enough, especially in combat, that collusion was unnecessary.

Although everyone remained discreet, word got around damn fast that nine big, strong, and fast shadows were making their way into the castle.

Just as Arin was merging with a Shadowed Corner, very close to the dungeon, he heard a cry of agony. It went through his marrow and leg. It was his son.

But Arin wasn't a man who stiffened in shock. He was driven by his shock as it turned to anger. And anger was familiar to Arin. More than anything else.

Now he was unstoppable.

Isabella stood in front of Armin. She had her arms tied over her head and her eyes were horrified. Even though she tried so hard not to show it.

The dungeon door opened and Mory Grand entered. He had a bag with him, which he dropped right at Armin's feet. It turned his stomach.

They wanted to torture Isabella in front of him...

Mory grinned and took the most harmless thing out of the bag. the rod. He ripped Isabella's dress, exposing her back, and caressed her velvety skin. "What are you saying, Campbell. Shall we see how she can squirm already?"

He glanced over his shoulder. Then he drew back and let the rod whistling down Isabella's narrow back. She made no sound.

"I'm so sorry, Isabella..." Armin murmured, wanting to look away. But he had the feeling that he would leave her alone if he did. So he forced himself to hold on with her...

And Mory didn't make it easy for her not to scream. He invented the most terrible things and did them to her. Until she couldn't stand it screaming at us. Her knees buckled, leaving her weight on her arms. Mory stepped in front of her, looked over her head at Armin and grabbed her breasts.

"What are you saying? Do you want to see how to really please a woman? Do you want me to show you what women look like when they have a man?"

Isabella sobbed and looked desperately into Armin's eyes. She was in too much pain to resist. Armin panicked...

"What do you want from me, Mory. What are you going to do with it up there?"

Mory didn't take her hands off Isabella and rocked her head. "So my king needs backup. mighty support. And the Campbells are the most powerful men in all of England. And Richard wants that backing."

Armin had already figured it out so far. "What's going on in England?"

Mory smiled. "Would you like to know?"

"If he wants our support, then you have to put your cards on the table." Not that Armin intended to help Richard with what he was planning. No, he wanted time. "Go and bring me your king."