Chapter 54: Chapter 54

THE CROWN

The dungeon door squeaked. Isabella slowly raised her head. She had recovered, but she still seemed panicked. She still looked so dignified. Her dress was only torn at the back.

Light footsteps came into the room. "Armin."

Armin has never felt like crying as much as at this moment. "Father..."

Arin carefully wrapped an arm around Isabella's waist, relieving the weight on her arms. "Everything will be fine..."

Taran and Kora knelt down to Armin. Taran followed the chains to their mounts. "That will not be easy."

Kora shook her head. "You can forget that anyway. If you move him, he'll pass out."

Even if his uncle was right. He didn't want to admit it. "It's okay."

Both men rolled their eyes. Then Taran lifted a waterskin to Armin's lips and helped him drink.

"You have to take small sips or you'll gulp it all down again.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Arin kissing Isabella's forehead and speaking softly to her. Then he gave her a drink too.

"What the..." Mory was standing in the dungeon door. And before he could escape, Michel had licked the blade on his neck from behind.

"I think I've got the keys, guys."

First they freed Isabella, then Armin. And Kora was right. He nearly fainted, his body rebelling so much against touch and movement.

Isabella didn't dare to touch him, but he could see how much she longed to do so. So he took her hand. He couldn't do more. "I'm sorry, senorita. I couldn't help you in the slightest..."

"They made sure of that. Don `t blame yourself."

But he did. Even if it was nonsense.

Arin forced Mory Grand to his knees, smiling darkly and as dangerously as Armin had ever seen him. "So you abused two of my sons, you son of a bitch?"

The Black Knight was well known to Mory. He was pale and sweating like it was his last class. Armin wasn't sure if it wasn't actually her.

"What a monster does one have to be to abuse a ten-year-old boy. Beating a tied man unconscious and doing things to a woman that are unspeakable?" Arin spoke very softly and calmly. Even his brothers watched tensely. Not sure themselves what was about to happen next.

Arin slowly let the blade slide down Mory's body to his crotch. "A monster that shouldn't breed, I guess."

Grand's eyes got huge. "No! Don't do that!"

"Once you're dead, you don't need him anyway."

Mory looked around in panic. "Don't kill me! I was just doing what my king told me to do!"

Arin slammed the hilt of his sword against Mory's temple, causing him to fall sideways. He then took turns with Kora, who would guard Grand. Armin looked at his father that he was far from finished with Mory.

"Arin, someone's coming." Taran growled. Both men stood in front of Armin and Isabella. Any man would have found it humiliating that he couldn't defend himself. But Armin was relieved, because he could hardly lift his head.

And there he came. King Richard followed by Enrique. The few guards he had with him drew their swords, but they were surrounded by Avan, Eric, Michel, Joe and Samuel.

"One peep and we'll stab you." Michel growled.

Enrique, a coward as ever, immediately fell to his knees and raised his arms. Richard seethed with anger.

"What are you imagining!?"

Avan entered the dungeon more royally than Richard and eyed the king like a maggot. Armin had always loved his uncle.

"You wanted the Campbells, here you have them. Majesty."

Richard looked at Armin angrily. "You set a trap for me!"

Armin could only lift a corner of his mouth. "Completely unconscious."

Enrique unabashedly tugged at Richard's coat. "Surrender! Do you see this guy's eyes? He's out for blood." He was speaking of Arin.

Taran grinned slyly. "That's him. And if you don't cooperate, we'll let him off the leash."

Arin rolled his eyes but didn't argue.

The king shook his head and raised his arms imperiously. "I'll forget that scene if you all swear allegiance to me and go against my cousin Henry with me."

Joe raised an eyebrow. "Don't be mad at me, Sire. But you're not in charge here."

Suddenly a young messenger burst in. When he realized what was going on here, he paled. But the king grabbed him, shook him angrily and roared: "What have you to say!? Where's Henry!?"

The messenger swallowed anxiously. "Henry is in London, Sire. Londoners are screaming long live King Henry. They hoist his coat of arms. And he has a lot of soldiers."

Avan grinned witheringly. As are all the other Campbells. "Looks like you no longer need our support."

Isabella stared at Armin in confusion. "Is it so easy to overthrow a king?"

"If the whole people are for it and you have enough soldiers." He looked Richard straight in the eyes. "He lost his crown."

It came as no surprise to anyone in the dungeon that Richard was crying.

EPILOGUE

The young man even cried bitterly. When his cousin Henry sent for him, the matter was sealed.

Henry Plantagenet was now King of England. Richard had nothing more to say and retired to his castle in Chester. Presumably he made new plans there. But he would probably never stick to the Campbells again.

Armin and Isabella were cared for and compensated by Henry's personal physicians. They were given nice quarters in the palace until both were fit to travel.

On the day they were scheduled to leave, Henry had a message delivered to them. They had the option of Henry bribing the church and they could get a divorce.

They burned the message.

Enrique escaped to Spain. He didn't answer once.

Kiki's foal was a beautiful stallion who became the foundation for Armin's horse breeding.

Both of them saved diligently and only bought the essentials until Armin was able to buy a ship. He called it Senorita.

At the first opportunity that presented itself, they went from place to place by ship, with Farell and his son and Philip, collecting treasures from their favorite places.

Both of them would probably never forget the time in the White Tower.

But they had built a life together that was so comforting through all those dark memories. And it did.

Neither Isabella nor Armin would change anything. Even if they could.