The Viper has his fangs pulled!

I love these Medieval Knight tropes. You know, where the dangerous and committed knight is dealt a double whammy when his eyes set upon the feisty, woman who's fighting to keep her loved ones from harm. The knight is Caius d'Avignon, aka the Britannia Viper, one of the powerful William Marshall's premier Knights who is sent by his powerful commander, to investigate and help as needed a relative by marriage, Covington de Wrenville, who is married to The Marshall's niece. (A woman given a dreadful name, Ugly Alice. A strong woman we discover, worthy of her uncle.) Covey is readying to attack a neighboring lord. Already the feeling that something is off has intuitively been filtered by Marshall. The cause of the dispute is Covington's accusation that Rupert de Thorington of Hawkstone Castle, is in league with the French over against King John. Marshall senses he is being played by the King and Covey. According to them, de Thorington "is aggressive and disloyal to the king. [Covey] has asked for [Marshall's] assistance in defeating this neighbor once and for all, for it has apparently been a long-running feud. John wants the neighbor arrested and brought to London to face his justice.”
Of course this is nothing but a power grab by an entitled lord, whose plotting has entangled Viper's master. Covey is a nasty piece of work without conscience or honor.
Caius journeys north to Hawkstone with a thousand troops only to find the situation is far more complex.
A complexity deepened by the beautiful and strong Lady Emelisse de Thorington being held prisoner by Covington. Covey is determined to marry his son to Emelisse, a son the Viper recently had a nasty confrontation with in an unsavoury inn. Surprise, surprise!
The Viper is in deep and only a shrewd and experienced head will be able to escape this situation with honor intact, including that of William Marshall, and in a manner that will satisfy the King. And then there's Emelisse!
A trusty read!

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