Reckless (Age of Conquest #5) - Tamara Leigh Page 0,108
who held his life in the crook of a finger.
“You do not fear dying, do you?” William said. “And yet you are no tired old man whose best life has been lived. Since your years could easily number twice what you have been given, mayhap three times, help me understand how death is acceptable to a warrior who is whole of body and not even thirty years aged.”
It was already told, but seeing no harm in repeating it, especially since only a child required such, Vitalis said, “Here my answer again, William of Normandy. I am a Christian who, despite my efforts and those of my followers, did little more than lessen the horror visited on the North that ensured the demise of viable Saxon resistance. Oui, still there is Hereward, and even lacking Danish support he will continue to defy and trouble you, but I believe the crown is firmly on your head, the throne firmly fixed to your backside. For that—failing my people—death is acceptable.”
“But not welcome.”
“As you say, I am a warrior whole of body and not even twenty and ten.”
Leaving his sword, William rose and halted within striking distance of his captive. After a glance at his captain of the guard, he set his feet apart, clasped his hands behind his back, and considered Vitalis the same as he might a horse that would be sent back were it found unworthy. “If that is so, why did you not continue to harass my forces? What had you to lose in setting men and women to taking more enemy lives, even if only for revenge? Why disband the Rebels of the Pale?”
Again, an answer already given, though this question better fit William’s age and certainly his character.
Settling into his heels, drawing back his elbows as far as his bound wrists allowed, Vitalis said, “I believe the only battle a man ought to fight which he is fairly certain he shall lose, is that in which he risks his life alone. It is one thing to lead others down a path he knows to be exceedingly torn and crooked, quite another to take them down a path he expects to end abruptly.”
In William’s eyes, Vitalis glimpsed the turning of his mind, then the man said, “Honorable and wise counsel for those given to ceding battles. Fortunately, I have no experience with such, my only cause for disbanding forces being unabashed victory. However, if the Lord shows Himself to be truly displeased with my solution to ending that which has ravaged England for nearly four years, taking the lives of numerous Saxons and Normans, mayhap I shall think again on which battles a man should engage in with others at his side.”
He ran his gaze down his enemy and up as if measuring him for a tunic in which to display one marched to the gallows. “Now I must decide how best to ensure an enemy is an enemy no longer, not only taking into consideration your years of leading rebels, but what passed between us in the mountains. And of course, the aid given Hereward and the Danes in attacking one of God’s holy places.”
When Vitalis did not react, he said, “Sir Maël is here because he knows what you took from me in the cave. Sir Daryl is not here to further attest to your crimes at Peterborough because he is not to be trusted with knowledge of your trespass that winter day.”
“And yet you trust he, who betrays his own people, to give account of my participation in the sack of that abbey,” Vitalis said.
William shrugged. “I have only his story that you came upriver with Hereward and yourself set fire to homes in Peterborough. Do you wish to tell yours?”
Vitalis preferred to remain close-mouthed, but that was stubborn pride for which others might suffer were Daryl awarded lands for his lie. Too, though less he believed what Maël said Guarin believed, it also seemed William looked for a reason to keep him alive though he had fistfuls of reasons to order his death.
“Whilst at Ely, I remained there until the warrior, Zedekiah, and I stole Lady Nicola from the Danes so we could return her to her family.”
“I was told you aided her.” William glanced at Maël. “And since once you were Lady Hawisa’s man, I see truth in it—that for the loyalty you continue to show her and refuse me, you helped her sister-in-law. What I do not see is that a warrior with