Home - Anna Belfrage

4 hours ago

Only a couple of days to RELEASE day of HER CASTILIAN HEART. You can still get it at PREORDER price! myBook.to/HEARTYet another snippet:Their arrival at Wigmore caused quite some stir, and when one of the smiths recognised Roger and bellowed a welcome, it was as if a swarm of bees had been let loose as those who belonged to the Mortimer household came hurrying over to welcome the Mortimer son back. Robert held back Mars, smiling at how boisterously Roger returned the greetings. “Really!” Eustace muttered, directing himself to Robert for the first time since they’d set off. “Should our men greet me so discourteously, I’d have them whipped.” “They love him,” Robert said. “They’d lay down their lives for him. Would your men do that for you?”Eustace sniffed. “That’s what they’re on retainer for.”“It is my experience only those who inspire affection as well as respect among their men can expect them to risk everything on their behalf.” Robert nudged Mars into a walk, making for the stables. “Oh, so you serve King Edward out of love, do you?” Eustace said. “Not because he rewarded you with a nice little manor and a plump, dusky wife?”“Careful,” Robert growled. “I’ll not have my wife disparaged. But in answer to your question, I’d served the king for close to two decades when he honoured me with Noor’s hand. And those years of service were because of loyalty—and love.” He cocked his head. “Not entirely sure you comprehend either of those concepts, dear brother.”“Just because I don’t go starry-eyed at the mention of my wife does not mean I don’t know what love is.”“True. But having a loving wife is one of the true treasures in life.”“I wouldn’t know,” Eustace said. “Yet.”“Yet?” Robert dismounted and handed Mars’ reins to Elias, giving his squire a nod and the stallion an affectionate pat before they ambled off.“I find myself a widower,” Eustace explained, dismounting as well. One of his men rushed forward to care for the horse.“Lady Elisabeth is dead?”“Aye. Since some weeks back.” He scowled. “It took her long enough.”“Eustace, for shame!” Robert said, and his brother had the decency to blush. “She wanted to die since before we wed,” he muttered. Aye, that was probably true. Having lost everyone she cared for, what reason was there for Lady Elisabeth to continue to draw breath? And once she realised the king would never relent, never allow her to see her daughter or her imprisoned sons, she’d likely sunk even deeper into despair. For an instant, he almost pitied Eustace, lumbered with a wife so wounded. What man could possibly have helped that broken woman heal?“She lies at Waldbur Castle?” Robert had visited his sire’s principal residence all of two times, had but vague memories of large round towers and a massive keep in golden stone.“What? Bury her there? Why would I spend money on having her corpse transported there? She’s buried where she died, in a small village somewhere in Flint.” Eustace stretched. “So now, I am free to wed again, and I hope for a dutiful and fertile wife. And rich,” he added. “I wish you the best of luck,” Robert said, and Eustace gave him a surprised look. “What? I may not like you much, but that does not mean I begrudge you an opportunity to be content.”Eustace appeared stunned. After a moment or two of silence, he cleared his throat. “How unfortunate I do not share that sentiment,” he said, lowering his voice to a hiss. “Your contentment is verily like venom to my soul.” He wheeled, leaving Robert to gape at his receding back—and with an icy sensation spreading through his bowels. His half-brother not only resented him, he hated him. With an effort, he shook off the unease and extended his stride to catch up with Roger. … See MoreSee Less

1 day ago

When Philippe III invaded Aragon in 1285 he met considerable resistance along the way. Like in Roussillon, where one very anonymous hero held the French at bay for some time. Yet another post painting the historical background of my upcoming release, Her Castilian Heart myBook.to/HEARTClick through to meet a man whose name remains unknown but who was brave enough to make a stand against an overwhelmingly larger force – I give you the Bastard of Roussillon! www.annabelfrage.com/2020/07/18/mr-anonymous-the-life-of-a-medieval-hero/ … See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

A snippet from Her Castilian Heart (Last few days at PREORDER price! myBook.to/HEART ) Noor shivered. There were rumours about Roger Mortimer, about how his two little Welsh wards had propitiously drowned and left him substantially wealthier. “And you are here on the king’s business?” she asked. “What else?” Mortimer stretched out his booted feet towards the hearth. “It’s all because of that damned Rhys.”For an instant, Noor’s heart actually stopped beating—or so it felt. “Rhys?”“Aye, the oh, so glorious offshoot of the ancient kingdom of Deheubarth.”Noor’s knees dipped in relief. Not their Rhys, then. She frowned. “I thought Rhys ap Maredudd had been defeated.”“Oh, he was.” Mortimer shook his head. “Unfortunately, he slipped away. We should have ensured he was dead, the bastard.”“Or the king could have honoured his promise to return Dinefwr Castle to him,” Noor retorted, biting her tongue too late. She blushed at the reprimanding look from Robert but continued, “Rhys ap Maredudd betrayed his own people by standing with King Edward, and as a reward, the king promised him his hereditary castle.”“We all know that,” Roger Mortimer said with an edge. “It’s not as if the king left him homeless, is it? He allowed Rhys to keep Dryslwyn Castle and most of his ancestral lands. But only a fool would hand over a castle as impressive as Dinefwr to a Welshman who claims to be descended from royal Welsh blood.”Noor gave him an annoyed look. “He is descended from royal blood! He—”“I know that!” Mortimer snapped. “But after our liege’s conquest of Wales, any Welsh royal blood is inconsequential.”“Including that which flows through your veins?” Noor retorted. “You Mortimers brag about it often, how you’re descended from Llewellyn Fawr, the great ruler of Wales.”Mortimer scowled.“Enough,” Robert said, his hand closing on Noor’s arm. He held up his hand when Roger seemed about to say something. “I said: enough.” He turned to Noor. “In my hall, we do not question the decisions of the king.” She knew why he was reprimanding her. Robert FitzStephan had served King Edward since he was a mere lad, loved and respected the king—but that wasn’t why: it was to keep them all safe, and in particular Lionel. But it still hurt, and when he released her, she turned on her heel and left, ignoring his voice calling her back. … See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

One of my more intriguing characters in Her Castilian Heart myBook.to/HEART is the very militant Friar Robert, repsonsible for deploying the king’s siege weapons. And boy, does he like it when his projectiles crash into battlements and buildings! Friar Robert is based on a real person – at least if we go by contemporary sources of the Siege of Caerlaverock Castle! www.annabelfrage.com/2020/05/30/the-mouse-that-squeaked-or-the-story-of-a-very-short-siege/ … See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

One of the IRL peeps in Her Castilian Heart, myBook.to/HEART , is Eleanor of Castile, Edward I’s queen. She is not an entirely likeable person in my books, but hey, after giving birth to sixteen (!!!!) children and losing ten of them maybe Eleanor was entitles to being both scathing and VERY protective of the children she had left! www.annabelfrage.com/2017/03/15/brought-to-bed-of-a-daughter-try-again/ … See MoreSee Less