Royal Feud

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"I would ask a boon of you, milord. I would like to serve Ishton as a knight." Delvin crossed his arms over his chest, studying the younger

man. "Who is your

father, and where did you train as a knight?"

"Milord, I am the fourth son of Sir Richard Langston. My father sent me to train with Sir John Salshill. I served him as his squire from the age of eleven until I was twenty. Unfortunately, my father died before my knighting could take place and, after his death, there was no money to pay for armor or vestures for me."

"How old are you now?" "Twenty-three, milord."

"What have you been doing since you left Salshill?" "I have been itinerant, finding whatever position I could. I have now earned enough to purchase a horse and armor. I am ready to become a knight, milord."

Langston's direct gaze met his. Delvin was impressed with Langston's open manner, neither too importunate nor too overconfident. He had closely observed Langston earlier in the day as the bailiff supervised the distribution of goods to the villeins. The bailiff had called most of them by name and had treated them with scrupulous fairness. As Delvin unfolded his arms, his left hand fell to the hilt of his sword and his right hand came to rest on his hip.

"Have you done any training or fighting in the last few years?" "Some, milord."

"You may come back to Ishton with us when we leave. I want to see you in the lists

before I make up my mind." "Thank you, milord." Langston bowed his head..

"Did Morefy leave any horses in the stable?"

"There are one or two, milord, but they are both rather old and knackered." "Tomorrow take the best one; it should get you to Ishton, at least. And release the other one to the villeins."

"Aye, milord. Thank you." Langston bowed and started to walk away. "Langston," Delvin called.

The younger man turned back. "Aye, milord?"

"I did not see you take any of the plunder."

"Milord, I took two pieces, just as you allowed your own men." Delvin nodded. "That is all."

Langston bowed again and walked away. Delvin turned to greet Hugh, who came to

join him.

"What did the bailiff want, Delvin?" Belwick inquired.

"He wants to complete his training and be knighted."

"Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Nay, I am not. We will have to keep an eye on him. He may be Morefy's agent." "That he may, I shall keep a close watch on him."

The next morning after breakfast Delvin supervised the dismantling of the wooden gallery as the rest of the men pulled out of the castle grounds. When enough wood had been salvaged, he had the villeins carry it outside where the soldiers, under the direction of the knights, constructed catapults while the villeins were put to work gathering boulders. When the castle grounds were vacated, Wyham ordered two men to torch the inside of the donjon as well as the wooden outbuildings.

Once the mangonels were constructed, the men began lobbing stones into the outer curtain, aiming at the same spot. When that section of the wall crumbled they targeted the one adjacent. The work was slow, dirty, and strenuous. By nightfall they had demolished most of one side of the outer wall. During the next few days, they gradually tore down the outer and inner curtain walls as well as the stone outbuildings. Delvin, aware that his original estimate had been somewhat optimistic, sent another message to Hermione explaining the delay. By the sixth day the men were completely exhausted but in high spirits because the end was in sight. The donjon took another two days to destroy.

Wyham and Delvin stood in the middle of the demolished castle. Piles of rocks and rubble were all that remained.

"I have certainly learned a lot about how to bring down a stone wall." Delvin commented dryly.

Wyham kicked a small stone, sending it crashing into a larger one. "Mayhap the willeins can make use of these stones for building."

"Aye. I will have the stones cleared away this spring so we can return this land to farming." Delvin looked up at the sun. "If we leave now, we should be home in time for supper."

"Good. I am looking forward to a bath and a warm meal." Wyham said with a grin. "Not to mention seeing Lady Lucy again."

The two men walked out of the debris and instructed their men to break camp. Within the hour they were all mounted and riding toward Ishton.

W Thile Delvin was gone, Lucy gave Hermione detailed instructions in all household activities. Lucy felt that the lady of the castle could not direct and supervise the workers unless she had in-depth knowledge of each task. Hermione had made cheese, mixed poultices and elixirs, brewed ale, and spun thread. Hermione had enjoyed every task, asking detailed questions about each procedure. Working beside them, she gradually became acquainted with the women employed at the castle. The villagers, both men and women, worked one day a week at the castle on a schedule devised by Renwold. She was still amazed how Lucy knew each villager by name and hoped to do so as well one day. The village women had been reserved and aloof with her at first, until the day she had met Sadie.

Hermione was churning butter when the child approached her. Sadie had been hovering next to her mother, her thumb firmly planted in her mouth. When Sadie came over to her, Hermione glanced up and gave her a smile. Hermione was rewarded when Sadie took her thumb out of her mouth and smiled back. In a few moments, when the little girl edged closer, Hermione smiled at her again.

"Hello," Hermione said. "What is your name?"

"Sadie."

"That is a lovely name. How old are you, Sadie?"

"Four." She held up four fingers. "My, you are such a big girl."

"Does it hurt?" The girl pointed to Hermione's left cheek.

"Sadie! Come here and stop bothering Lady Ishton."

""Tis fine, Betsy." Hermione smiled at Sadie's mother. "I am enjoying talking to Sadie." She returned her attention to the child. "Nay, it does not hurt any longer."

"How'd you get that?"

"A very bad man cut me with a knife." She looked steadily at the small

"Must've hurt lots."

girl.

"Aye." Hermione nodded. "It did. But that was a long time ago, and now it does not hurt anymore.

"Good."

Sadie came up to Hermione, pressing against her leg, and reached out to touch her Face. Hermione stilled as the child's small fingers delicately traced the large scar on her -heek.

**Tis kinda rough." "Aye, Sadie, 'tis rough," Hermione agreed.

Another small hand reached out to touch Hermione's right cheek. "This side's soft."

"Aye." Hermione smiled as the girl cupped her cheeks. Sadie leaned over to Hermione and gave her a wet kiss on her scar and then kissed her right cheek. Hermione smiled at Sadie. The acceptance this small child so generously gave her touched her to the depths of her heart.

"Thank you, Sadie. Now 'tis my turn to give you a kiss."

She laughed softly as Sadie smiled and presented her cheeks to be kissed. After kissing Sadie, Hermione suddenly became aware of the quiet and stillness of the normally busy dairy and glanced up to find Betsy and the two other women watching her interaction with Sadie. Hermione returned Betsy's smile and nodded to the others before turning her attention back to Sadie and churning butter.

Since that day the women had treated Hermione with more warmth and openness. Hermione was aware the villeins would never become her friends, given the vast difference in their statuses, but she was glad they were no longer afraid of her and treated her with polite respect. She hoped that someday she would earn from them the affection they readily accorded Lady Lucy.

Hermione threaded the heddle though the blue warp threads on the loom, continuing the pattern Mayda had started: over three warp threads, then under six warp threads. Next she inserted the shuttle containing white thread through the opening she had created with the heddle. After removing the heddle from the shed, she took the reed and gently pushed the welt thread down so it fit snuggly next to the previous rows. She weaved the heddle again through the warp thread, creating the shed for the next row of the pattern. Lucy walked over to the loom on which Hermione was working. "How are you

doing, my dear?" ""Tis not as easy as the other women make it look," Hermione commented. "I keep

losing track of the pattern." "Aye," Lucy agreed. "The experts always make a complicated task seem simple."

Sir Bernard entered the room and walked toward Hermione. She stood as the knight bowed before her. "Milady, the guards have spotted the Ishton banner and the king's. banner about a league away. Lord Ishton and the rest of the garrison should arrive at the castle shortly."

Delvin was coming home. Time seemed suspended as Hermione felt all the self confidence she had regained during the last week drain away. As the silence stretched out, Lucy stepped closer to her and spoke softly to her so no one else could hear. "Hermione, are you all right?"

"Aye, I am fine," she said quietly, then turned to address the knight in a louder

tone. "Thank you, Sir Bernard. That is indeed welcome news." "Aye, milady." "I also wanted to commend you for your diligence and vigilance this past week

while the Earl was away. It has been a huge relief to know that we have all been in such

capable hands."

"Thank you, milady." A smile spread across the knight's face, causing his massive

chin to jut out even more prominently. "I was but doing my job. If you will excuse me now, milady, I will go and prepare for milord's return." Bernard bowed, then walked away.

Hermione looked at Lucy.

"My dear, let us go to the allure where we will be able to see the men's approach."

"Aye."