Twenty-Two
Unexpected Events
Autumn 960 MC
Gerald was up early, determined to buy a gift for Anna. He knew she was feeling down and he thought something special might cheer her up. He ran into Dame Beverly in the dining hall as the servants set the table for Anna's morning meal.
"Did you talk to Hayley about guarding the princess?" he asked.
The look of sudden recollection was plain to see. "I forgot, sorry. Don't worry, Gerald, we've other knights I can use and anyway, Alric will have his own guards."
"I don't think Alric will be showing up, she'll likely have a quiet day. Perhaps I should leave it for tomorrow," he offered.
"No, don't do that, you wanted to get her something. She'll like that. Hopefully, it'll take her mind off things. We can cover, you head out."
He hesitated a
