Leader of Titans Read online

  Leader of Titans

  A Medieval Romance

  Book Two in the Pirates of Britannia Series with Eliza Knight

  Book One in the Poseidon’s Legion Series by Kathryn Le Veque

  By Kathryn Le Veque

  © Copyright 2017 by Kathryn Le Veque Novels, Inc. DBA Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

  Kindle Edition

  Text by Kathryn Le Veque

  Cover by Kim Killion

  Reproduction of any kind except where it pertains to short quotes in relation to advertising or promotion is strictly prohibited.

  All Rights Reserved.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or borrow it, or it was not purchased for you and given as a gift for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. If this book was purchased on any unauthorized platform, then it is a pirated and/or unauthorized copy and violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Do not purchase or accept pirated copies. Thank you for respecting the author’s hard work.

  Kathryn Le Veque Novels

  Medieval Romance:

  The de Russe Legacy:

  The White Lord of Wellesbourne

  The Dark One: Dark Knight

  Beast

  Lord of War: Black Angel

  The Iron Knight

  The de Lohr Dynasty:

  While Angels Slept (Lords of East Anglia)

  Rise of the Defender

  Steelheart

  Spectre of the Sword

  Archangel

  Unending Love

  Shadowmoor

  Silversword

  Great Lords of le Bec:

  Great Protector

  To the Lady Born (House of de Royans)

  Lord of Winter (Lords of de Royans)

  Lords of Eire:

  The Darkland (Master Knights of Connaught)

  Black Sword

  Echoes of Ancient Dreams (time travel)

  De Wolfe Pack Series:

  The Wolfe

  Serpent

  Scorpion (Saxon Lords of Hage – Also related to The Questing)

  The Lion of the North

  Walls of Babylon

  Dark Destroyer

  Nighthawk

  Warwolfe

  ShadowWolfe

  DarkWolfe

  Ancient Kings of Anglecynn:

  The Whispering Night

  Netherworld

  Battle Lords of de Velt:

  The Dark Lord

  Devil’s Dominion

  Reign of the House of de Winter:

  Lespada

  Swords and Shields (also related to The Questing, While Angels Slept)

  De Reyne Domination:

  Guardian of Darkness

  The Fallen One (part of Dragonblade Series)

  With Dreams Only of You

  Unrelated characters or family groups:

  The Gorgon (Also related to Lords of Thunder)

  The Warrior Poet (St. John and de Gare)

  Tender is the Knight (House of d’Vant)

  Lord of Light

  The Questing (related to The Dark Lord, Scorpion)

  The Legend (House of Summerlin)

  The Dragonblade Series: (Great Marcher Lords of de Lara)

  Dragonblade

  Island of Glass (House of St. Hever)

  The Savage Curtain (Lords of Pembury)

  The Fallen One (De Reyne Domination)

  Fragments of Grace (House of St. Hever)

  Lord of the Shadows

  Queen of Lost Stars (House of St. Hever)

  Lords of Thunder: The de Shera Brotherhood Trilogy

  The Thunder Lord

  The Thunder Warrior

  The Thunder Knight

  The Great Knights of de Moray:

  Shield of Kronos

  Highland Warriors of Munro:

  The Red Lion

  Deep Into Darkness

  The House of Ashbourne:

  Upon a Midnight Dream

  The House of D’Aurilliac:

  Valiant Chaos

  The House of De Nerra:

  The Falls of Erith

  Vestiges of Valor

  The House of De Dere:

  Of Love and Legend

  Time Travel Romance: (Saxon Lords of Hage)

  The Crusader

  Kingdom Come

  Contemporary Romance:

  Kathlyn Trent/Marcus Burton Series:

  Valley of the Shadow

  The Eden Factor

  Canyon of the Sphinx

  The American Heroes Series:

  The Lucius Robe

  Fires of Autumn

  Evenshade

  Sea of Dreams

  Purgatory

  Other Contemporary Romance:

  Lady of Heaven

  Darkling, I Listen

  In the Dreaming Hour

  Sons of Poseidon:

  The Immortal Sea

  Pirates of Britannia Series (with Eliza Knight):

  Lady of the Moon

  Savage of the Sea

  Leader of Titans

  Multi-author Collections/Anthologies:

  Sirens of the Northern Seas (Viking romance)

  Kindle Worlds (Kathryn Le Veque World of de Wolfe Pack):

  River’s End

  The Wedding Fountain (Bella Andre’s Kindle World)

  Note: All Kathryn’s novels are designed to be read as stand-alones, although many have cross-over characters or cross-over family groups. Novels that are grouped together have related characters or family groups.

  Series are clearly marked. All series contain the same characters or family groups except the American Heroes Series, which is an anthology with unrelated characters.

  There is NO particular chronological order for any of the novels because they can all be read as stand-alones, even the series.

  For more information, find it in A Reader’s Guide to the Medieval World of Le Veque.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Kathryn Le Veque Novels

  Author’s Note

  Pirate Information

  The Legend of the Pirates of Britannia

  Map of England, Scotland, and Ireland 1445 A.D.

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Savage of the Sea

  Excerpt from Lady of the Moon

  About Kathryn Le Veque

  Author’s Note

  Welcome to the second book in the Pirates of Britannia series, but the first book for the pirate group known as Poseidon’s Legion. This is the English side of the Pirates of Britannia (Eliza Knight is writing about the Scottish side, known as the Devils of the Deep), and there is a whole lot going on in this story, so buckle up and hold on. It’s going to get bumpy from here on out, but in a good way!

  This story takes place during the reign of Henry VI, a rather pious man who had mental issues and spent some of his reign trading the throne with the Earl
of March, who became Edward IV (Remember Philippa Gregory’s “The White Queen”?). This story takes place during that very turbulent time when two men vied for the throne of England.

  Now, I’ve thrown a monkey wrench into the entire situation. Our hero, Constantine le Brecque, is the illegitimate son of Henry V, born before Henry VI. So, technically, he’s Henry V’s eldest son, and the Earl of March (who becomes Edward IV) – and the factions who want Henry VI’s throne – know it. Even though Constantine is a bastard, he could still have a claim to the throne if he pressed the issue. His presence was “tolerated” until he started becoming a powerful pirate, ruling the Cornwall coast and beyond. Now, those siding with Edward are fearful that Constantine might actually press his claim and, of course, no one wants a pirate sitting on the throne of England. They want to get rid of him.

  Now, I’ve brought you up to speed on where we are as our story begins. Constantine is a man with a lot of people hating on him. And, so you are up-to-date on the main bad guys in this pirate world we’ve created, Constantine and his compatriot, Shaw MacDougall (the Scottish pirate leader) battle Spanish pirates known as Los Demonios de Mar (Demons of the Sea) and also a band of French pirates who call themselves The Water Bearers (Les Porteurs d’eau).

  The French ships are rowed by captives who have had their feet cut off so they can’t run away. Really nasty stuff. The Spanish don’t do anything quite so bad, as they are more interested in money, but the French just want devastation. They’re brutal. Still, both the French and the Spanish are very dangerous enemies of the English and Scottish pirates, as you will discover in this series. They are also dangerous enemies of each other; whereas the English and Scottish pirates have an alliance, the French and Spanish are just out for themselves. Makes for some interesting moments!

  Sure, I could make the English pirates brutal and nasty, like the French and Spanish, but that wouldn’t make for a very sympathetic or likable hero. Although Constantine and his men don’t do anything really nasty in this story, they’re not beyond some necessary brutality and even sacrilegious moments. They’re pirates, after all. But there is “some” sense of decorum because Constantine was trained as a knight before he became a pirate, so he clings to some of the ideology that he’s been taught. Most of all, he believes in honor. At least as much as he can. And he is loyal to the bone to his fellow pirate brethren. There’s something to be said about that.

  Are there old friends in this book even though it mostly takes place at sea? Absolutely – I couldn’t give you a book without someone you knew in it. The familiar face you’ll see in this book is Kerk le Sander, who appeared in NIGHTHAWK with Patrick de Wolfe and then appeared as the hero of his own story, THE IMMORTAL SEA. You’ll recall that Kerk is, literally, a son of the god Poseidon, an immortal, and he has lived for thousands of years. In this book, he’s part of Constantine’s pirate squad, a squad that calls themselves Poseidon’s Legion – so it’s fitting that Kerk is part of it. If there was one man who belonged on the sea, it’s Kerk le Sander. Of course, Constantine has no idea who Kerk really is. That’s part of Kerk’s mystique!

  Lastly, there is a holy relic in our story. It sets the entire adventure in motion, there really is a basis for it. It is called the Nanteos Cup and the story behind it is rather interesting. Research indicates that the Nanteos Cup seems to be a true Medieval cup that someone – somewhere along the line – attributed a legend to it. As fascinating as it all is, who’s to say that the legend didn’t come from some grain of truth? You can check out the story of the Nanteos Cup here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanteos_Cup. It makes for fun reading.

  As always, I hope you enjoy this tale, so have fun reading about Constantine and Gregoria, and all of the other men who comprise the Pirates of Britannia!

  Hugs,

  Kathryn

  The Pirate factions:

  The English faction: Poseidon’s Legion

  The Scottish faction: Devils of the Deep

  The Spanish faction: Los Demonios de Mar (Demons of the Sea)

  The French faction: Les Porteurs d’eau (The Water Bearers)

  Pirate towns/home bases:

  Puerto de los Dioses off the Azores Islands (Spanish)

  Trésor Cove (North of Calais, a series of connected caves where pirates can dock their boats hidden inside) – (French)

  Clew Bay (Ireland – used by the English and Scottish)

  Carantec, Brittany (French)

  Scarba Island (Scottish Stronghold)

  Perran Castle/Holywell Castle/Mithian Castle in Cornwall (English Strongholds)

  Port Eynon Bay, Wales (English/Scottish controlled, also a smuggler’s cove)

  The Legend of the Pirates of Britannia

  In the year of our Lord 854, a wee lad by the name of Arthur MacAlpin set out on an adventure that would turn the tides of his fortune, for what could be more exciting than being feared and showered with gold?

  Arthur wanted to be king. A sovereign as great as King Arthur, who came hundreds of years before him. The legendary knight who was able to pull a magical sword from stone, met ladies in lakes and vanquished evil with a vast following who worshipped him. But while that King Arthur brought to mind dreamlike images of a roundtable surrounded by chivalrous knights and the ladies they romanced, MacAlpin wanted to summon night terrors from every babe, woman and man.

  Aye, MacAlpin, king of the pirates of Britannia would be a name most feared. A name that crossed children’s lips when the candles were blown out at night. When a shadow passed over a wall, was it the pirate king? When a ship sailed into port in the dark hours of night, was it him?

  As the fourth son of the conquering Pictish King Cináed, Arthur wanted to prove himself to his father. He wanted to make his father proud, and show him that he, too, could be a conqueror. King Cináed was praised widely for having run off the Vikings, for saving his people, for amassing a vast and strong army. No one would dare encroach on his conquered lands when they would have to face the end of his blade.

  Arthur wanted that, too. He wanted to be feared. Awed. To hold his sword up and have devils come flying from the tip.

  So, it was on a fateful summer night in 854 that, at the age of ten and nine, Arthur amassed a crew of young and roguish Picts and stealthily commandeered one of his father’s ships. They blackened the sails to hide them from those on watch and began an adventure that would last a lifetime and beyond.

  The lads trolled the seas, boarding ships and sacking small coastal villages. In fact, they even sailed so far north as to raid a Viking village in the name of his father. By the time they returned to Oban, and the seat of King Cináed, all of Scotland was raging about Arthur’s atrocities. Confused, he tried to explain, but his father would not listen and would not allow him back into the castle.

  King Cináed banished his youngest son from the land, condemned his acts as evil and told him he never wanted to see him again.

  Enraged and experiencing an underlying layer of mortification, Arthur took to the seas, gathering men as he went, and building a family he could trust that would not shun him. They ravaged the sea as well as the land—using his clan’s name as a lasting insult to his father for turning him out.

  The legendary Pirate King was rumored to be merciless, the type of vengeful pirate who would drown a babe in his mother’s own milk if she didn’t give him the pearls at her neck. But with most rumors, they were mostly steeped in falsehoods meant to intimidate. In fact, there may have been a wee boy or two he saved from an untimely fate. Whenever they came across a lad or lass in need, as Arthur himself had once been, they took them into the fold.

  One ship became two. And then three, four, five, until a score of ships with blackened sails roamed the seas.

  These were his warriors. A legion of men who adored him, respected him, followed him, and, together, they wreaked havoc on the blood ties that had sent him away. And generations upon generations, country upon country, they would spread far and wide until people feared them fro
m horizon to horizon. Every pirate king to follow would be named MacAlpin, so his father’s banishment would never be forgotten.

  Forever lords of the sea. A daring brotherhood, where honor among thieves reigns supreme, and crushing their enemies is a thrilling pastime.

  These are the pirates of Britannia, and here are their stories…

  England, Scotland, and Ireland 1445 A.D.

  “Up the hill, over the dale,

  along the seashore still;

  among the waves,

  the Sea-God lives,

  a thirst for blood and kill.”

  ~ 15th century children’s rhyme

  Prologue

  The village of Carantec

  Coast of Brittany

  August, 1445 A.D.

  Sweet, silky, and tender to the touch…

  But she tasted like stale ale. And the smell… well, he wasn’t a picky man at times when it came to bed partners, so he could stand it. At least long enough for him to get what he’d come for.

  “Do not make me wait,” the woman begged him, grasping at his breeches in an attempt to pull them down. “I must feel your heated rod between my legs, thrust up into my body. Impale me!”

  Had Constantine le Brecque not been so consumed with lust, he might have laughed at that. Impale me! He could think of at least three different ways to impale her with his stiff manhood.

  Which orifice, exactly, did she mean?

  “Patience,” he whispered, hand on her breast, pulling at her taut nipple. “All in good time, my lady. In good time.”

  “Non!” she cried, throwing her legs open as wide as they would go and trying to maneuver him between them so she could feel his erection through his breeches. “Now!”

  Somewhere, he caught a whiff of rank body odor, more than likely from the bed linens they were frolicking on. It was a seedy room, after all, in a seedy tavern located in an equally seedy town along the coast of Brittany. A fog was rolling in from the sea and the scent of salt and water were heavy in the air, mingling with the dirt of the town and creating a layer of filth that covered everything. Men, women, buildings… even the food. It was all covered with the grimy filth.