Medieval Master Warlords by Kathryn Le Veque Page B

knew his men were right.   She did control him.
    “I will make one more statement and speak no more of it,” he went on. “What I do with the lady of Pelinom is my affair. It does not involve any of you and it does not affect our plans in any fashion.  We are still planning on taking the border between Berwick to Kelso.  We will do the same thing we did in Wales; garrison the castles, monitor the roads, and control the flow of merchants, goods and others across the border with hefty tolls.  We will confiscate the lands, tax the peasants, and create our own kingdom within this country.  None of this will change regardless of my plans for Lady Kellington. Do you comprehend?”
    Most of the men nodded. Everyone but Amadeo.  The generals from the Welsh Border were far less involved in this than he was, or Caelen or Michael, so the explanation was directed mostly at them. 
    “Point taken, my lord,” Amadeo said evenly.  “You must understand that men become unstable when things are out of the norm.  We have never known you to give any regard to anything other than your own agenda.  The introduction of things that are not usual within our world are cause for question.”
    Amadeo had a way of soothing Jax; it was almost an underhanded manner of controlling the man and his temper.  But Jax was aware of it and knew enough to not give in to the man’s total attempts to manipulate him.  As he regarded the group, Jax decided to be plain with his knights so that there would be no questions regarding the lady.  The rumors were already starting and he knew he needed to stop the progression; rumors could undermine all that he had worked to achieve.  Moreover, he had never held back from his men in the past and saw no reason to hold back now.  The sooner they understand everything, the better for them all.
    “You should be aware of something else regarding Lady Kellington,” he said, eyeing each of them.  “I plan to marry the woman.  A man must have heirs and I have decided that she will be the mother of my sons.  She is, therefore, to be given the same respect you show me. More so. Any in fraction against her, however small, will be harshly dealt with.  Make sure your men are aware.”
    That statement was met with some shock.  Atreus and Amadeo looked at each other, stunned at the news.
    “But…,” Atreus tried to be tactful. “You are a warring man, my old friend. You do not stay in one place long enough for the stability a wife requires and she cannot be a part of this war machine. You have tried this once before and failed. Have you given that any thought?”
    Jax looked at his general, perhaps the most treasured of his men. If such a thing was possible, he adored him as one would an older brother.  If anyone else had asked him the question, he would have roared. But coming from Atreus, he took it for what it was worth.
    “You will let me worry about that,” he replied. “But know that she does not affect my judgment, my ambition or my thoughts.  I am as you have always known.  I am Ajax de Velt.”
    There was nothing more to say to that.  Jax looked at each and every one of his generals, men he had fought beside for many years. They were as hard as stone, powerful and loyal.  In the treacherous world he lived in, that was a rare thing.  With a final glance around the table, he bent over the old vellum map held down by weights against the massive oak table top.
    “Now,” he switched to his professional persona, completely disregarding Henley’s cooling corpse a few feet away as Atreus went to grab the man by the wrist and drag him from the hall. “We have already taken mighty Norham Castle from Hugh de Puiset.  Now we have Pelinom. The next castle is White Crag near Kelso and I would take Caerleon as well.  Small a she is, she will make an excellent outpost.  It is my intention to send Amadeo back to Norham once we have managed to secure White Crag to begin the militarization of the