Listen To Your Heart

Chapter 2

Elsie and Gilbert let go of each other and got up even faster. They were both making sure not to stand too close and not to look at each other, because they didn’t know how much Anne had seen.

“What do you want, Anne?” Elsie asked annoyed for having her intimate moment with Gilbert interrupted.

“Mother asked me to look for you. You were supposed to be getting ready for the opening ceremony, not rolling in the mud.”

“Why do I have to be there? Don’t Mother and Father have four other children to show off?” Elsie answered. “There are so many of us that I’m sure I won’t be missed.”

“Seriously? Sixteen years going to ceremonies, balls and feasts and you haven’t learned that the whole family must be seen together? Father would miss you there and you know how much he hates being disappointed,” Anne said throwing the fatherly disapproval card and knowing that even though was a low blow, it would strike right on Elsie’s soft spot.

“Fine,” Elsie growled and turned to Gilbert. “Don’t forget to come later today. We can watch together some of the archery contest and the single-combats, okay?” She blinked subtly to him without Anne seeing it. “I’ll see you later.”

“Sure, I’ll… I’ll be there, for sure, count me in, definitely,” he mumbled the words, feeling a bit embarrassed for almost getting caught. “I have to… you know, go back to the forge. I have some work to be finished still,” he started walking backwards almost tripping on the wooden swords that were left on the ground earlier.

“Pay attention where you’re going, stupid,” Elsie said trying not to laugh at his silliness while Anne was looking at him sharply with her arms crossed.

“I will, m’lady,” Gilbert kept walking away and bowed awkwardly. “Excuse me, m’ladies.”

“He can’t even courtship properly,” Anne muttered to herself and Elsie turned to her still annoyed.

“Let’s go then. You already ruined my morning, so don’t stand there like a fool,” the younger one said walking back to the passage to the castle.

Anne rolled her eyes and ran just a bit to catch up to her sister. They walked back to the castle in an awkward and tense silence. They passed by the kitchen where Jackson winked at Anne with a smug smile, but she was so disturbed by the fact that her sister was kissing the smith’s apprentice that she didn’t even notice, leaving a very frustrated Jackson behind.

When they reached Elsie’s chambers, Anne couldn’t take the silence between them and there was a cacophony of voices inside her head telling her how wrong was what she saw. She had to do or at least say something.

“Could you please give me and my sister some privacy?” she asked the maids that were waiting for Elsie’s return with a fake smile and trying not to show her exasperation.

“I’m sorry, my lady, but Lady Yvette commanded us to take Lady Elsie to her bath straight away,” one of the maids answered.

“It’s okay, Genevieve, my sister can bathe herself. I just needed some time alone with her. I’m certain my mother would understand as long as Elsie is ready for the ceremony, which I’ll make sure she is,” Anne held herself not to be rude with the woman in front of her. She didn’t want to give the servants more reasons to whispers gossips if she ended up yelling at her sister, which she knew would be responded with Elsie yelling back at her.

“As you wish, my lady,” Genevieve answered. The three maids bowed in courtesy and left the room quietly.

“What are you doing?” Elsie asked once Anne closed the door behind the maid and locked it.

“Getting you ready for the opening ceremony. We are already late as it is and I know you have your way to scare the maids into taking even longer,” Anne sounded harsher than she wanted, but she still stood behind her sister and started to untie her robes. “Get undressed now.”

“God! What’s up with you today?” Elsie asked irritated, but still taking out her robes and her undergarments.

Anne didn’t answer and shoved her sister to the bathtub, which was already prepared for her.

“This is cold,” Elsie complained.

“It wouldn’t be if you weren’t outside getting yourself all muddy with the smith boy,” Anne replied giving Elsie the brush and the soap for her to start cleaning herself.

“His name is Gilbert,” Elsie said furiously.

“And he is still the smith’s boy,” Anne was just as angry for her sister’s audacity of having a secret relationship with one of the servants.

Elsie decided to be quiet once more. She left her good mood at the forge’s patio alongside Gilbert and she chose not to speak her mind to avoid a big fight with her sister. She bathed herself grudgingly and as fast as she could so she would leave the cold bathtub as quickly as possible. Anne kept in the room watching her sister silently trying to figure out what to say. She stood far from the tub trying not to get her dress and hair wet, once she was already dressed up. Elsie finished bathing, dried herself and started dressing up with the new dress Lady Yvette had sent to be made specifically for her to use that day. Anne helped Elsie fix her corset and ended up pulling too hard on the strings.

“Ouch!” Elsie gasped for air. “What was that for?”

“I saw it, okay?” Anne finally opened her mouth while tying the knot on the corset. “You and… the smith boy,” Anne couldn’t bring herself to say his name yet, at least not while the thought of her sister and him having an affair disgusted her.

“What?” Elsie’s eyes went wild and she stepped away from her sister. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb. It’s offensive, for you and me,” Anne crossed her arms. “The kiss, Elsie. I saw you kissing him in the mouth. Don’t deny it. Since when is this going on?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Is that all you have got to say for yourself?” Anne threw her hands in the air exasperated. “What’s gotten into you? You’re an Asheye and he is just a bastard. He is not worthy of you and you know it. Can’t you see how wrong this is?”

“No!” Elsie answered. “I like him, all right?” She took a deep breath and sat on the bed looking at her sister. Elsie’s calm took Anne by surprise and she was speechless for a while. Her sister was most of the time tempestuous like a thunderstorm. “I don’t know how or when it happened. It just did. He became my best friend in this place. I hated sewing and singing and dancing with you and Theo always laughed at me for trying to fight with a sword. Gilbert was there and he was lonely too, you know? He played with me and we made each other company until we started feeling something else. I tried to deny it at first. I knew no one would accept it, until the day I couldn’t take it anymore,” Elsie got up and held her sister by the shoulders. “Aren’t you the one who wants to live a love story? I’m living mine, so could you please, please Annie, be happy for me?”

“I want you to be happy, Elsie, but you know you don’t have a future with him. Father would never allow it,” Anne said patiently and feeling sad for her sister.

“I don’t care. I will make it work. Just promise me, you won’t tell anyone. Not even your husband or your maids,” Elsie held Anne’s shoulder forcefully.

“Elsie…” Anne shook her head.

“Promise me, Anne. If you care about me as much as you say you do, promise me this,” Elsie pushed her nails onto Anne’s skin on a desperate cry.

“I promise, I promise, but could you please let go? You’re hurting me,” Anne whined and they heard a knock on the door.

“Anne? Elsie?” Yvette’s voice came from outside. “Why is the door locked? Open up!”

Elsie let go of her sister and Anne walked to the door to open it. Yvette stormed in looking at both girls in a sour mood.

“What are you both up to? You know we are late already, Anne!”

“I’m sorry, Mother, it took me some time to find Elsie, but I closed the door so we could have some privacy. I was helping her with her bath and her clothes.”

“Clearly not fast enough,” Yvette complained. “Elsie, look at you, you barely finished putting your undergarments on. Anne, go get the maids to help your sister finish dressing up. They have to do something with that hair as well.”

Anne nodded and left the room to call the maids while Yvette stayed helping Elsie with her corset and dress.

“Where have you been, young lady?” Lady Yvette asked.

“I was outside…” Elsie began.

“With the smith’s boy, I bet.”

“Well… Yes, but Theo was there too. They were helping me with my duelling skills,” Elsie shrugged knowing that whatever she said, her mother would disapprove.

“How many times do I have to tell you that a young high born lady like yourself should not be outside duelling with boys? Especially with servants and bastards,” Yvette scowled.

“Theo was there as well and he is the heir to this place and its lands. Just because Gilbert does not have a title nor is the heir of some important place, it doesn't make him any less of a person than Theo.”

“You know that is not how the world works, Elsie,” Yvette sighed, tired of always hearing the same thing from her young daughter. “I’m not explaining this all over again.”

The door opened suddenly and the three maids that were waiting for Elsie earlier came in.

“Oh, good, you’re here!” Yvette said turning to them. “Please, help Lady Elsie finish putting her dress on. Make sure she wears the shoes I selected. I don’t want to see ragged boots,” Yvette was almost interrupted by Elsie who was about to say something about the boots comment, but her mother raised a hand to stop her and continued. “No buts, Elsie, and definitely no boots either. I want light makeup and a traditional hairstyle.”

“Is all of this really necessary?” Elsie protested.

“Absolutely,” Lady Yvette was on the edge of losing her patience. She turned to the maids and clapped her hands. “Why are you standing there? Off to work, quickly.”

After mumbling a courtship, the maids started moving towards Elsie who was frowning annoyed. She hated having guests over, because it would always mean having to dress up, wearing uncomfortable clothes and shoes and feeling very silly with makeup on. But it also meant little time with Gilbert, because her parents would request her presence in all kinds of celebrations. It’s important for our bannermen to see the family together, little one. If I can’t hold my family together, how will they trust me to keep the north united? She could hear her father’s voice in her head.

“We’ll be expecting you at the council chamber, Elsie. Don’t make us wait even further than we already did.” Yvette said and left with Anne. She had so much in her mind that she forgot to tell Elsie that she was supposed to be engaged to the Sternlashes’ heir.

Elsie was twisted and twitched by the maids because her dress needed to look impeccable with all the jewels and laces on their right places. They also sat her down on a chair and while two of the maids did her hair, Genevieve did her make up. Elsie almost choked on the white powder and she frowned every time her hair was pulled too hard. After what it felt like an eternity, she was finally ready.

She took a long look at the mirror. Her hair fell braided on her right shoulder with a satin blue ribbon that matched the colour of her dress. She didn’t dislike it as much as she thought, but the braid was too tight in her opinion and she knew she would get a headache after a while, so she made a mental note to drink a lot of wine to help with the pain. Her face was the worst for her, she had pink cheekbones and red lips, which made her think of her mother and made her hate it even more. She barely had the time to look at the dress, but as she had already seen it off her body, she didn’t pay much attention to it.

“Come on, my lady. Your family awaits you,” Genevieve put a hand on Elsie’s back and pushed her slightly.

Elsie forced herself off the room with the maids following her from behind. She had barely walked down from her chambers at the east wing to the small centre hall that led to everywhere on the castle and she could feel her feet sore. It was definitely not going to be a good day. The maids kept walking behind her and pushing her to the right direction, until they reached the council chambers, where her father would meet his bannermen for private agreements. There were two armed guards standing outside the door. Once they saw Elsie, one of them knocked on the door, opened it and announced her arrival.

Elsie entered the room where all her family stood, waiting for her. She looked at everyone around and only smiled back at her father. His opinion of her was the only one she actually cared about and letting him down always made her heart heavy.

“Elsie! You look...” Anne started walking up to her sister.

“Hideous,” Elsie completed.

“What?” Anne exclaimed. “How can you not like it? It fits you perfectly.”

“Ha, you’re saying this because this corset is so tight that I can hardly breathe,” Elsie answered picking up on the small details of the dress. “And look at these laces and bows and jewels. They are so tacky, don’t you think? Couldn’t I wear something more comfortable and simpler?”

“Of course not!” Lady Yvette interrupted them. “What would our guests think upon seeing an Asheye wearing simple clothes? You cannot show yourself in front of the crowd looking like one of the maids. For God’s sake, Elsie, enough with this talk.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Lord Ricardus interfered. “Elsie, you’ll enter with Anne right behind Theobald and Giselle and don’t forget to smile.”

He opened the council chamber’s door and asked for one of the guards to announce their entrance at the ceremony. The man left quickly while Lady Yvette took her husband’s arm and smiled at him. She was relieved that at least Elsie would show up with a proper look.

Theo and his wife stood behind his parents. Giselle was almost near her due date and her swollen belly made her tired faster than usual, but she didn’t mind showing off with her husband to the crowd that would one day be her subjects. Their young son was only two years old and he was staying at his nursery with the maids, once he was too young to attend long events like a tournament, but he would be brought to the evening feast.

Elsie and Anne stood side by side behind their brother and sister by law. Elsie could hardly hide her dissatisfaction and Anne was trying hard to ignore her sister’s frown, but she would rather walk into the crowd besides her sister than having to pretend to be happy by her husband’s side. She was hoping he wouldn’t make a circus out of his entrance if he came back early enough for the ceremony.

The twins were happy with their naive minds of children. They were only ten after all and a tournament only meant great entertainment for them.

The whole family walked out of the room together and in line. They passed by the servants on the main hall and they all bowed. The front doors opened, the trumpets blew loudly and the drums started to play. There was a huge crowd of commoners waiting and cheering for their Liege Lord and his family. There were banners and flags everywhere and even though it was cold, the northern people were very warm towards their Lord.

The Asheyes stopped on top of the stairs outside the castle and all of them waved at the people. There were even more screams and applauses. Lord Ricardus’ personal guard stood in place at the bottom of the stairs inside the lines that drew a pathway to the courtyard where the tournament was being held. Ricardus nodded at his captain, who screamed his order to the guards. Three of them marched first and the Asheyes followed them in line again. When the younger ones finally hit the last steps of the staircase, the other three guards marched after them and the captain behind everyone, making sure the crowd didn’t get too wild.

The march continued to the courtyard followed by the drums and the cheering. The closer to the tournament’s grandstand built specifically for the hosting family and closest friends, the higher the status of the people around them. It was located at the center of the joust track. The commoners were allowed to watch the tournament and the ceremonies, but they were to stay on the opposite end of the highborns and they were only permitted to stay outside the castle, of course.

The Asheyes reached the grandstand, climbed the stairs and stood taller than everyone else. Lord Ricardus and Lady Yvette stopped in the edge of the stand, while their children took their places besides them. The guard stayed behind but alert. There was an even louder cheer when they arrived, both from the commoners’ side and the nobles’ side. Lord Ricardus raised his hand and smiled at his people. The drums stopped playing and slowly the noise died, while everyone waited to hear what their Lord had to say.

“My ladies, my lords,” he started greeting the nobles. “People of the north, welcome to Nevettia’s Summer Tournament!” the crowd cheered again and Lord Ricardus waited for the noise to die once more. “This year we’ve been blessed by the greatest harvest of the past twenty years and for that I would like to thank the Sternlashes of Shattered Lake and its people, and recognize their hard work through the winter and spring to help us feed every northern man, woman and child,” the crowd went wild and after a few minutes was quiet again. “And for that I would like to throw this tournament in their honour,” Ricardus turned to the man and woman who stood up to bow in acknowledgment to the Lord’s words. “Lord William, Lady Janelle, you and your children are our guests and in the name of my family, we would like you to join us at the tribune of honour.”

While the fat Lord William Sternlash, his wife and their three sons walked in the tribune, Elsie took a look at the family. They had the biggest fertile land in the north, they were quite important for the northern economy, obviously, but it seemed to Elsie that they were quite simple people.

“Is it them that I needed to impress?” She whispered to Anne.

“Will you be quiet?” Was her response.

“No, seriously, why can’t I wear a simple dress like Lady Sternlash? Look, she has no puff sleeves, no laces and barely no jewels,” Elsie insisted.

“Because you’re an Asheye and not a Sternlash,” Anne said and then muttered to herself. “At least not for now.”

“What did you say?” Elsie questioned her sister’s last words because she barely heard them.

“Nothing, Elsie,” Anne kept her fake smile and looked away from her sister. “Now, be quiet.”

Elsie tried her best not to cross her arms. Her cheeks were already hurting from smiling and she couldn’t wait to sit down and rest her feet from her tight shoes.

The Sternlashes thanked Lord Ricardus and sat on the places settled for them inside the tribune. Ricardus finished his small speech and the crowd applauded.

“May the tournament, begin!” Lord Ricardus finally announced.