a short story April 1185 Stephan l’Aigle is the third son of a Yorkshire baron with no hopes of inheriting land or titles, probably a good thing as he has no interest in women, nor any desire to marry or produce heirs. He finds pleasure in the arms of other men. At eighteen years old, Stephan has recently been knighted and must make his living on the tournament circuit or become a soldier for hire. His fortunes change when Richard, Duke of Aquitaine & son of King Henry II, sees his skills in battle. Stephan will hone his sword arm against Richard’s enemies, and learn about duty and honor. Will his relationship with one of Richard’s knights crack his hard-hearted armor? NOTE: this is not an HEA. It’s rather bittersweet. This short story is a prequel to Men of the Cross (Battle Scars I) and and was exclusive for subscribers to Char's Newsletter until August 2019.