The castle was not paid for by us. It was not something a family could just do. Mansfield Castle was commissioned by the king. We leveraged our high degree of favor in order to convince him it was needed. There were quite a few builders, artisans and commoners from the capitol that settled here as a result. In Huntston, the Swifthearts and their knights were the only nobles. It was not the case here. Several minor noble families saw just as much opportunity here as we did. They did not have favor or high positions in the court anyway. It was a obviously good move to make. While Jeffery was a man who could appraise quality in people and ideas, he was still a provincial lord. The number of people from Hereford was an extreme minority. Ruling over these people would take employing some trustworthy nobles among them for his court. My outward role was the attendant knight for Anthony. In the council, I was secretly the spymaster. My skills as a phantom thief made me perfect for the role. I could get anywhere and get things I needed. I stopped 3 plots to rebel. 6 murders too.
Under the circumstances, it was clear to see that people did not like my children. Molly was a female knight. The boys were all demon spawn in their minds. Still, they all were given knighthood. It made a whole lot of knights and scrappy commoners jealous. They could try to challenge my children all they liked. They were not going to win a single time. Molly, Lenard and Lennox were all blessed with superhuman speed. Raolin, the centaurs and I taught them the combat skills to add to their foundations. I even taught how to walk stealthily and to pick locks and pockets. That did not stop jealous knights and nobles from challenging them. It would be seen as crass for the old men to do it. Luckily, they had sons to do it for them. Alane and Betan were our only allies among the knights from Hereford. Sir Betan was a martial idiot. As long was the fight was good, he could put things aside. Him and I still sparred when we had something we wanted to test. He was testy with me for not taking him with me for the tournament. I had to swear to take them both next time. It would make that trip so fun.
Very quickly the news of Leonardo's win spread around the castle town. Lord Jeffery Swifthunt commended him and Cody in front of the whole court. People came out of the woodworks to challenge all 6. As a girl and recently married, she had the perfect reason to say no. Molly instead took every opportunity to kick their ass. Her husband would cheer her on in every single fight. The Brownflank training grounds were the perfect venue for this type of thing. Leonardo took every challenge as a personal insult. It was pretty insulting that they did this only to try humiliating them. Leonardo had no mercy on them. He made the matches slow and painful. When he won, he rolled them on their backs and sat directly on their crotch. "You're too weak. I bet that your seed is too." he mocked them to their faces. Lennox was the opposite. He loves outlasting his opponents. He would let the take their best shot at him. We ensured they were the dull training weapons. When it didn't take down Lennox, he would scoff. "So weak. Let me show you what you need." he would say before demolishing it.
