Medieval Master Swordsmen(476)

Hoyt de Rosa’s tired old face gazed at Lily as if she was the most beautiful creature on the face of the earth. The old eyes were soft with emotion.

“My name is Hoyt,” he said in his soft, deep voice. “Who are you?”

Hearing Hoyt’s voice brought a gasp from Derica, followed by instant tears when she saw him. But Lily ignored her mother, instead, focused on the very old man in front of her.

“I am Lily Elspeth de Rosa le Mon,” she said her name very quickly and fluidly. “Why are you here?”

“I am your mother’s uncle,” Hoyt replied. “You are very pretty, Lily. You look a good deal like your mother when she was young.”

Lily eyed him a moment, finally pointing to the other young lady who was standing slightly behind her mother.

“That is my sister, Roselyn,” she said. “She is awaiting her betrothed today but my brothers have said he is probably not coming because he is probably marrying someone else.”

“What?” Hoyt roared softly, rising to his feet as he gazed at the very beautiful Roselyn. “How is this possible? Your sister is too beautiful to be jilted. Who is this bridegroom that would shame my grand niece?”

Although he was big and scary, Lily didn’t sense bad from the man. In fact, she rather liked him. She slipped her hand into his massive gauntlet and continued to study him curiously. When he looked down at her, she smiled. Next to Hoyt, the last helmed man lifted his visor, revealing his face to the world.

“No man will shame my granddaughter so,” Bertram de Rosa said softly. “Lily, you will tell me his name so that I may champion your sister.”

Derica went from soft tears to great sobs as she rushed to her father, throwing herself into his arms. Bertram, very old and very tired, hugged his daughter tightly.

“Da,” she wept. “How… how…?”

She couldn’t finish and Bertram didn’t let her; he held her back at arm’s length, holding her sweet face in his hands and drinking in the sight of her. Although his eyesight was failing him and he was nearly crippled, he still felt the need to come and see to his daughter after all of these years. The past twenty three years had not caused him to forget her. He had missed her every day.

“Every night I prayed for your happiness and safety,” he murmured, watching tears spill down her cheeks. “Every day, I would wonder where you were and if you were happy. I see that God has answered my prayers; you are as happy as you are beautiful, and I am thankful.”

Derica kissed her father’s cheeks, struggling to still her tears. “But how did you know where to find me?” she looked between Hoyt and Fergus and her husband. “I do not understand how.”

Bertram smiled wearily, putting his arm around her shoulder and leaning heavily on her. Derica could see as well as feel how exhausted her father was and it concerned her, overshadowing her joy. Everything aside, he was an old man who had traveled a very long way.

“Hoyt told me,” Bertram said quietly. “He discovered your whereabouts through your husband’s friend, Fergus.”

Derica knew the greater implications of Hoyt’s, and Fergus’, loyalties but she said nothing, Perhaps her father didn’t know their connection; perhaps he did. Either way, it didn’t seem to matter any longer. Loyalties or politics could not trump family and friendship bonds.

“And so you came with Fergus and Hoyt to see me?” she asked softly.

Bertram nodded. “When I caught Hoyt sneaking out in the middle of the night nearly a month ago, I demanded to know where he was going. After much discussion, he finally confessed. I knew I had to come. I know there was much dissention the last we saw each other, Derica… I was hoping that with time you have forgiven a selfish old man.”

Derica shook her head emphatically. “Of course I have,” she assured him. “I am so happy you have come. You have, in fact, come at a most opportune time. As Lily told you, Roselyn is expecting her betrothed any moment. She will be more than pleased to have her grandfather attend her wedding.”

By this time, the boys had begun to gather around the emotional group near the portcullis and Derica took the time to introduce her and Garren’s sons. It was apparent that the boys were of de Rosa stock and Bertram was deeply touched to be greeted by grandsons he never knew he had. Roselyn even gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing the old man to get misty-eyed. Derica watched it all with tears in her eyes, never imagining it was something she would ever witness. Family, and life, had come full circle.

But she could see the sheer exhaustion in her father as he spoke with his grandchildren and she was determined to get him inside to rest. She took his elbow gently, firmly.