The Rebuilding--Chapter Two

[Evie]

Previous chapter: https://rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3531.0.html


Chapter Two

January 5, 1465
Rhemuth Castle
The Queen's Solar
Late Afternoon

Queen Catherine's solar was a bustling hive of activity shortly before sunset as the ladies of the Court of Rhemuth completed their last-minute preparations for the next day's Twelfth Night festivities. In one corner of the room, Lady Eleanor d'Alvarez, one of the ladies-in-waiting the Andelonian Queen had brought with her to Gwynedd when she'd embarked upon her journey to be married, was adding the finishing touches to the gown that the Queen was to wear the following evening at the feast. As she added the last of the beadwork, she conversed with Princess Esmeralda, the Queen's sister, catching up on news from Andelonia's Court over the previous year. Catalina smiled as she watched their animated conversation. After Doña Amina's trial and return to their homeland in disgrace, she had selected Lady Eleanor to replace Amina as her camarera, or as they now preferred to refer to the role, as her Mistress of the Robes, and the difference between the two ladies and how they carried out their tasks had been like night and day. Doña Amina had spent her entire time in Gwynedd with an obstinate reluctance to adapt to Gwyneddan ways and customs, and her refusal to do so had given her an increasingly sour disposition the longer she had remained in Catalina's service. Lady Eleanor, by contrast, had readily and even eagerly adapted to the customs of her new kingdom, her bright curiosity and resilient spirit helping to cushion the shock of any cultural differences that seemed too strange to adopt right from the outset, yet Eleanor also had a love of Andelonian tradition and culture, and enough of a creative spark to figure out interesting ways to bring in elements of Andelonian culture or design to the Gwyneddan Court so that her Queen could still enjoy these parts of their shared heritage and not feel like she'd been forced to leave them behind altogether.

Another unexpected side-effect of Doña Amina's departure was the change in the atmosphere of Catalina's entire entourage. She had not realized until she saw how much more relaxed her other ladies were after the former camerera's departure just how much Amina's stern, no-nonsense demeanor had put a damper on everyone else's spirits in their shared quarters. Her abrupt departure had led to a lighter, freer atmosphere, and Catalina felt like she was seeing some of her ladies' natural personalities shine through for the very first time.

"If you are going to remain with us for the next few months, Su Alteza," Lady Eleanor remarked to Princess Esmeralda with a teasing grin, "we shall need to find you a more Gwyneddan sounding name."

Esmeralda laughed. "You surely can't be thinking of saddling me with Princess Emerald? Somehow that sounds so strange in translation! I'd feel like a walking gemstone."

The ladies listening to their conversation giggled, some adding their own suggestions of other names, most beginning with 'E' but sounding less overtly Andelonian.

"I think the Gwyneddan form of your name is 'Meraude,' but you could also just shorten it to 'Esme,' you know," added Catalina. "I'm fairly sure I've heard that version of it used here in Gwynedd before, and it's less of a mouthful."

"Says the queen who still goes by 'Catalina' in private," quipped her sister.

"See if I introduce you to any more handsome men!" Catalina quipped back, causing another round of giggles. It hadn't been lost on the other ladies in the room that the Queen had carefully arranged the seating order at the High Table during her Coronation Feast to ensure that her unmarried sister was seated next to the highly eligible and extremely handsome High Lord of Llyr.

"Your Majesty," said Lady Constance, affecting a demure look, "if you need anyone else to introduce handsome lords to, I will gladly volunteer to help them feel welcome at our Court."

"How very altruistic of you," Catalina replied above the ensuing laughter, which was nearly loud enough to cover the sound of others entering the large chamber.

"His Highness Prince Camber, Your Majesty," announced the Queen's young stepson Balian. She turned to wave the new arrivals in.

"Ah, you're just in time, Camber! I think I have a lot of ladies here in need of making their confessions to a priest," she joked as the ladies erupted into laughter yet again.

"Your Majesty, I fear that having us confess to Father Camber that we have a weakness for handsome men might be a bit too much like leading drunkards to a pub so they can swear off strong drink," joked Lady Beatrice, looking up from her embroidery with a smile.

Camber favored the lady with a gracious bow of thanks for the implied compliment, growing a little self-conscious as he noticed the openly admiring looks from several of the giggling ladies in the Queen's entourage. He turned his attention back to his sister-by-marriage. "If you have a few minutes to spare, Your Majesty, the King has a few matters he needs to discuss with you concerning some of tomorrow's court business."

"Of course," said Catalina, rising from her chair, Camber swiftly lending her a hand of assistance as she took a moment to find the momentum to rise smoothly with her added baby weight and shifted center of balance. She smiled up at him in gratitude as she took his arm. "Esme, do your best to rein my ladies in during my absence," she tossed over her shoulder.

"A hopeless task, that," her sister replied to her departing back.

#

"Not used to encountering a room full of ladies sizing you up like you're a platter of roast beef served up the week after Lent, are you?" Catalina teased her brother-by-marriage as they covered the short distance down the outer corridor towards the King's study.

Camber chuckled. "I must admit, I have spent the better part of the past eight years studiously trying to ignore any 'Come hither' looks from attractive young ladies. It's not really a profession-enhancing move for a priest to attempt to collect the entire set." Reaching their destination, he waited on the Queen to enter the door Balian had opened for them in advance of their arrival before entering behind her.

"That's certainly a relief to hear, if we're meant to marry next year!" Dowager Queen Alixa said with a giggle as they entered the room. "Not to mention it's a very interesting admission to overhear completely out of context." Her dark blue-gray eyes laughed up at Camber as he took the empty seat beside her.

I might be willing to make an exception for your 'Come hither' looks, ma bien-aimée, if you're minded to flirt with me, he replied mind-to-mind with a quick grin before turning his attention to what Nicholas had called them all into his presence to discuss with them.

"I just wanted to go over some of the more unusual aspects of tomorrow morning's knighting ceremony with you all before Camber and I go join our knight candidates at the Basilica for Vespers and make the final preparations for their vigil," the King told them. "In particular, our late King Cinhil had some last wishes for how he wished to contribute some special touches for the knighting of his squires...."

#

January 6, 1465
Rhemuth Castle
The Great Hall
Twelfth Night Court
Morning

The night before, after the Mass at Vespers, the squires and other candidates for knighthood had been bathed and dressed in the traditional long, loose-fitting white alb that symbolized purity and the shorter black overtunic worn with matching black hose and boots which served as a reminder of the death that awaited all men. Afterwards at midnight they had processed back to the Basilica by candlelight to make their vows before the high altar, witnessed by their sponsors and the bishops, before being left alone to keep watch over their arms in vigil until dawn. Camber knelt alongside them in solemn contemplation, for once not simply as a priest but also in his capacity as a Haldane Prince, for unusual as it might be for a priest to receive the accolade, it was not unheard of, and the King had decided that his brother who had served the Crown by leading the western levies of Gwynedd's army in the battlefield during the recent War of the Four Armies ought to receive some sort of reward for his proven valor. After all, reasoned Nicholas, if no less a personage as St. Duncan, formerly the Auxiliary Bishop of Rhemuth and later its Archbishop, had been granted the accolade in his middle years, then certainly a priest who was merely six years older than most of the other candidates being presented, and whose skills as a warrior were even more well proven, was equally deserving of the same honor.

Camber knew that was only half the reason he was being granted the accolade this day. The other reason was not a matter of public knowledge yet, but once Alixa's year of official mourning was over, they would seal their currently informal understanding with a formal betrothal. And once that became public knowledge, Camber would need to be able to prove to the Hort of Orsal's satisfaction that he would be an acceptable Consort for the Kingdom of Joux, for the Hort had serious reservations about allowing a Queen, even one with a legitimate birthright, to rule such a fractious kingdom as Joux in her own right. Alixa, for her part, had no intention of simply handing her birthright over into a husband's hands outright. The solution that she and Camber had come up with, which they hoped would be acceptable to the Hort, would be for both of them to be crowned as joint rulers of Joux, with the understanding that the Crown of Joux was the birthright of the Buyenne-Furstán line, and that therefore if Alixa should predecease him, the Crown would pass directly down to their Heir rather than to himself, whether that heir should be an heir of her body or her sister Cécile. If the Hort was reluctant to allow the Buyenne-Furstán dynasty to continue, considering how Renier and Rémy between them had sullied that family name, Alixa was equally willing to accept her birthright as the last remaining Heiress of the House of Vésan, which had been her Vézairi mother's bloodline, or perhaps as a Furstán-Haldane. Whichever name would raise the least amount of objections from the Hort, Alixa was willing to live with, so long as she retained the right to claim the kingdom of her birth and bring about the reforms all agreed it desperately needed.

With this long view in mind, if Prince Camber was meant to become King Consort of Joux someday in the near future (the style of King Consort rather than Prince Consort being Alixa's idea, as she thought that might make the idea of Alixa retaining sovereignty more palatable to the Hort, who she suspected would prefer to simply install her future husband as King by right of his wife), then it would be for the best that he be knighted first, since only a knight could make another knight, and it would be an awkward situation indeed if Joux's future King Consort could not bestow the accolade on others.

Thus far, only certain members of the Royal Household and Rhemuth's Archbishop knew about Queen Alixa's recent marriage proposal to Camber. And the Archbishop only knew because Camber had needed to request the dispensation from him which would allow Camber and Alixa to wed once the time came. The thought that the necessary dispensation might not be granted was the chief worry preying on Camber's mind earlier on as he'd pondered on what persuasive argument might be required to convince Archbishop O'Flynn to allow the marriage to proceed, but as it had turned out, he need not have worried. Certainly the argument, "I wish to wed my brother's widow because I love her" would have carried no weight with the Archbishop, but "The Heiress to Joux has requested that I wed her because the Hort requires that she find a husband suitable to assist her in ruling Joux, and she would prefer a Haldane over some stranger whose motives she doesn't know or trust" had been a very persuasive argument indeed, once Archbishop O'Flynn stopped to consider the merits of having the House of Haldane involved in the very necessary house-cleaning that would be required at the Jouvian Court. King Renier's wicked ways had hardly endeared him to the Church, after all, whereas Prince Camber was known to be a devout son of the Church. Once the Archbishop had thought the matter through, Prince Camber had received his dispensation almost before the ink had time to dry upon the page.

Now the youngest Haldane Prince was brought forward by the King's Champion, who had agreed to sponsor him to prevent the King from needing to do double-duty as both sponsor and sovereign. "I have the honor and privilege to present Your Majesty's brother, Prince Camber Malcolm Blaine Uthyr, as a candidate for knighthood," said Duke Joscelin Morgan with a formal bow towards their liegelord.

The King returned the bow with a nod at them both. "Let Prince Camber be vested with the spurs," he said.

The Queen Mother stepped forward with a set of embossed gold spurs Camber recognized as a pair that had once belonged to his late father. Startled, he glanced up at her and then at Nicholas with a grateful smile as Duke Joscelin accepted the spurs and began to buckle the straps onto Camber's boots. Nicholas returned the look with an upward twitch at the corners of his lips and a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes at his younger brother's surprise.

"It is my honor and privilege to confer upon you, Camber Malcolm Blaine Uthyr Haldane, the ancient and honorable estate of knighthood," King Nicholas continued, taking up the Sword of State from his Champion once more. Camber gazed up at his brother as the Sword of State dipped down, the flat of it touching first his right shoulder, then his left, before coming to rest briefly upon his bare head. King Nicholas smiled down at him as he said the customary words, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, be thou a good and faithful knight." Nicholas kissed the relic in the sword's hilt, handing the sword to Duke Joscelin Morgan for safekeeping. "Arise, Sir Camber Malcolm Blaine Uthyr Haldane, and receive the other symbols of thy new estate."

Catherine, Queen of Gwynedd, came forward then, and Camber raised his arms to allow his sister-by-marriage to slide the white leather belt symbolizing chastity around his waist. She fastened it before kissing his cheek and stepping back with a blazing smile of approval, making room for the next person to approach. Again, to his surprise, it was Dowager Queen Alixa, Cinhil's widow, bearing a sword he recognized at once as Cinhil's favorite, last used in the same summer when he and Alixa had first wed, shortly before the Haldane potential-setting ritual that had caused his already fragile health to sharply decline.

Camber's vision misted briefly, and he blinked rapidly to clear it. "Are you certain you want to give me this one?" he whispered.

"Cinhil wanted you to have it," Alixa assured him, looking equally misty-eyed as she presented the sword to him. As he accepted it, she added, I have little doubt you will have need of it soon enough when you accompany me to Joux.

Kneeling at his brother's feet once more, Camber placed his hands between the King's to swear him fealty. "I, Camber, Prince of Gwynedd, do become your liege man of life and limb and earthly worship, and faith and truth will I bear unto you, to live and to die against all manner of folk, so help me God."

#

Afterwards, once Balian had brought Camber his princely coronet and he had replaced it on his brow, Prince Camber took his place upon the dais with the rest of the Royal Family as the other candidates were called forward one by one. He was not the only candidate to receive a special gift from their late King that morning, for young William de Lacey, King Cinhil's former senior squire, had turned eighteen the previous year during the latter weeks of the war, and had been scheduled to receive the accolade during this Twelfth Night Court even before proving himself well worthy of it on the field of battle. Similarly, Cinhil's junior squire Edmund de Nore had also shown enough skill and valor during the war that it had been decided to grant him the accolade also, even though he was still a couple of months short of his eighteenth birthday. Cinhil's Dowager Queen had presented William with the late King's white belt and Edmund with Cinhil's spurs, those remembrances of the King they had served so loyally and well becoming treasured gifts for their recipients. Queen Alixa had also assured Cinhil's last remaining squire, Lucas Tremont, that a special keepsake from the late King had also been set aside for his knighting once he was old enough to receive the accolade also, for at barely fifteen and with his martial training still incomplete, no special allowance could be made for knighting him early as had been made for Edmund, but he had been taken into King Nicholas's household after Cinhil's death. Now that Camber was a knight as well as a future King Consort who would be in need of more retainers than his position at Court had required when he was simply one of the juniormost royal chaplains, there had already been a few quiet discussions between him and the King prior to Twelfth Night about transferring Lucas to Camber's household to complete his training.

Young Anselm O'Flynn, the Earl of Derry's heir, had been called up next, sponsored by Duke Joscelin Morgan as well, for he had served the Duke well ever since his page years, although his father Earl Declan had proudly come forward also to assist with his son's knighting. Several other candidates who Camber knew less well had been presented after Anselm, though as Lord Geoffrey Arilan eventually stepped forward with his heir Sebastian, he saw the proud smile the King shared with the young man's father, for Sebastian had served Nicholas equally well as squire over the past few years, as well as a talented intelligencer whose work for the Crown could not be publicly acknowledged, but which the King certainly intended to reward.

The next candidate had come as a surprise to most of the Court of Rhemuth, for though none doubted that he had more than sufficient valor and skill with arms to merit his accolade, he had not automatically been awarded one in his eighteenth year, despite his august paternity, because he had been neither conceived nor born within the bonds of holy wedlock. But Nicholas had decided that Master Devyn McLain, formerly known as Devyn FitzCassan, had more than earned the honor due to his recent actions in King Cinhil's service during the War of Four Armies, and even if some of those actions could not be brought to public notice, enough of his prowess had been noted on the battlefield before his departure to other kingdoms across the Southern Sea that no one was likely to question how deserving he was of his new belt and spurs. Devyn's half-brother, the Earl of Kierney, proudly sponsored his family's candidate, and while the unfortunate rift between the Duke of Cassan and his firstborn son still existed, the Duke had made no protest when notified of the King's intent, and in fact had turned up to observe the ceremony from the back of the Hall, appearing intent to remain as unobtrusive and anonymous as it was possible for any easily recognizable Duke of the realm to be.

The final candidate for knighthood to be presented came as even more of a surprise to most of the assembled guests, for not only was the candidate not a subject of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, she was a young woman, and therefore not normally eligible for the accolade by Gwyneddan custom or law. However, as the services which had made her worthy of the honor had been performed in the voluntary service of Gwynedd's Crown and Kingdom, King Nicholas had invited her sovereign to the Court of Rhemuth to bestow the accolade before the people who had benefited from her acts of valor, according to the customs and traditions of their own people.

The King invited Ard-Tiarna Cormac of Llyr onto the dais with a brief introduction and explanation to the populace of what was about to take place. Cormac stepped forward, catching the eye of the eldest of his sisters, the Banoidhre Aoife of Llyr. "Bring forth the candidate for the accolade according to the custom and traditions of the Isle of Llyr," said Llyr's sovereign.

The Banoidhre stepped forward, leading their youngest sister the Banfhlaith Saoirse to the foot of the dais, King Nicholas descending to stand beside them. With a nod of his head to the Ard-Tiarna, the King of Gwynedd said in the words of the ages-old tradition, "Mo bráthair Cormac, I would ask a boon of you."

"Name it, mo bráthair Nicholas. And if it be within my power to grant, saving my honor and the honor of my realm of Llyr, I shall gladly do it."

"Then on behalf of my Kingdom and at the especial request of my brother our late King, I would ask that you grant the accolade of knighthood to your youngest sister Saoirse Catriona O'Shiele of Llyr, for the exceptional valor she has shown in service to my Kingdom."

With a smile at his sister, Cormac replied, "Right gladly shall I grant it, Your Majesty of Gwynedd."

Banoidhre Aoife approached her King with a deep bow, saying, "I have the honor and privilege of presenting our sister Saoirse Catriona O'Shiele, Banfhlaith of Llyr, as a candidate for ridireacht."

"Let our sister the Banfhlaith Saoirse Catriona be vested with the spurs of a ridire," said Cormac.

Aoife of Llyr knelt to buckle the golden spurs onto her sister's boots, then stepped back. "The candidate has been vested with the spurs, Sire."

Saoirse knelt before the Ard-Tiarna, who raised the Great Sword of Llyr and dubbed his youngest sister, saying as he brought the sword down on both her shoulders and the top of her head, "In ainm an Athar, agus an Mhic, agus an Spioraid Naoimh, bí id' ridire maith agus dílis. Arise, Sir Saoirse, ridire of Llyr."

Afterwards, King Nicholas girded the newly dubbed knight with the white belt that Dowager Queen Alixa descended the dais briefly to bring down to him, having requested a chance to take some small part in the ceremony to express her gratitude for Saoirse's part in rescuing and helping to Heal her sister Cécile, as well as Unblocking her own powers, even if she could make no overt mention of such services. The Banoidhre had then presented her sister with a sword of fine Llyrian craftsmanship before the new ridire knelt at her brother's feet once more to renew her oath of fealty to the Crown of Llyr. That business concluded, the Ard-Tiarna descended from the dais and King Nicholas resumed the remaining Court business of the Kingdom of Gwynedd.

#

January 6, 1465
Rhemuth Castle
The Great Hall
Twelfth Night Feast
Evening

The morning's Court had lasted until well into the afternoon, after which most of the new knights took the opportunity to take a much needed nap, most of them having been awake since fairly early on the previous day because they had held their vigils all through the night before their knighting ceremony. However, they were glad enough to wake up again after only a few hours of needed rest to refresh their flagging energies, for later that evening was the highly anticipated Twelfth Night Feast, with a night of celebration and dancing expected to follow on the heels of it until everyone was spent and ready for fall into their beds once more.

Duke Joscelin Morgan entered the Great Hall with a faint sense of misgiving. In addition to the usual celebrations of the newly-made knights, the Twelfth Night feast was also a traditional occasion for betrothal announcements, young and sometimes not-so-young couples taking advantage of the large gathering to make their matrimonial intentions known to all. While he was happy enough to hear these glad tidings, the flurry of betrothal announcements usually led to some subtle and occasionally not so subtle reminders from well-meaning friends and acquaintances that his own lands were in need of a Duchess and heirs, especially now that his father Alain, the late Duke of Corwyn, was dead and Joss's younger brother Kelvin had also passed on to his heavenly reward well before his time, leaving only his very young and still somewhat naive sister Gabrielle as his sole heiress, ripe for unscrupulous suitors to take advantage of if Joss also happened to meet with an untimely demise.

Queen Alixa had broached the topic to him the previous week of whether he would consent to Gabrielle going with her to the Court of Joux once she returned there in a year or two, as she would have need of ladies-in-waiting whom she could trust as she established her future court there. Joss, after a few hours of considering the idea, did not think it was the worst of plans, at least assuming Gabrielle gained a little more maturity between the present and that proposed move to Joux. There would be educational benefits aplenty to being exposed to a different culture from that of Gwynedd, and certainly Gabby herself would be eager to spend time living in a foreign court. She would be beside herself with joy at the prospect of traveling abroad! However, Joss's primary concern had been that unless conditions were to change markedly in the Court of Joux over the next year or two, that seemed far too dangerous an environment for a first prolonged exposure to a foreign court for a young lady who was inclined to be far too trusting of everyone's intentions, and of handsome young men in particular. Joss was fairly certain the Court of Joux had no shortage of courtiers who were both handsome and unscrupulous. Prince Rémy had merely been one of many. A more stable and friendly allied court such as Bremagne's might be a safer first-venture-abroad destination for Gabby than a court as volatile as Joux's.

That said, Prince Camber would also be there at the Jouvian Court to keep a watchful eye on the Corwyn heiress, for while he was not yet formally betrothed to Dowager Queen Alixa, Joss had recently learned that the two had made tentative plans to wed in a little over a year's time and that a betrothal announcement would almost certainly be forthcoming at the next year's Twelfth Night feast, assuming their plans met with the Hort's approval, although that was still a closely held secret at the moment. Joss had mixed feelings about this announcement. On the one hand, he quite understood Alixa's reasoning; the Hort had given her little choice in the matter, and if she must remarry for Joux's sake, it only made sense that she would choose a man she already knew and trusted. But as the late King's closest friend since boyhood, as well as one who was well aware of how deep his widow's love for him had been, Joss couldn't help but worry that she might be rushing into a new relationship too soon. However, little as he liked the thought–and not due to any reservations about her choice of husband, for he had a deep regard for Camber as well–he acknowledged that it was their decision to make.

But whether or not to allow Gabrielle to accompany them to Joux was his. If he did end up allowing her the opportunity, at least her chaperone Lady Marissa would likely wish to follow as well. Having the older and far wiser lady accompanying his sister would go a long way towards easing some of Joss's concerns, for Gabby was more likely to heed the warnings of her trusted companion and beloved maternal figure than those of an older brother who she deemed overly protective and standing in the way of her desire to be seen as ready to fly from the family nest and make her own way in the world. Lady Marissa, however, was getting up in years, and might not feel up to being a full-time chaperone and companion for an energetic young lady for too much longer.

He allowed himself to be distracted from the happy announcements and congratulations on others' upcoming nuptials by such ponderings. Keeping his mind thus occupied helped ease the pain of losing the one woman he had ever hoped to wed.

#

Rhemuth Castle
The Great Hall
Twelfth Night Revels
Night

Hey, numpty! the familiar voice whispered in Sebastian's mind as a feminine hand grasped his elbow. You still owe me a dance. Did you forget?

Sir Sebastian turned and had to stifle a startled double-take. After all these years, he shouldn't be so surprised to see his former foster-sister Saoirse dressed up in her formal and feminine best, rare though the sight was. She was a princess of Llyr, after all, or at least the Llyrian equivalent to a princess. Still, after years of being more accustomed to seeing her dressed in his outgrown clothing or in armor, seeing her in a Court gown felt rather strange, like watching a player dressed up in a costume for a theatrical performance. The white belt–not the same leather one she had received earlier that morning, but a fine white-on-white embroidered silk girdle better suited to her current outfit–was the only hint at her newly-knighted status.

I haven't forgotten, Sir Saoirse, he replied with a bow a shade lower than protocol demanded and a teasing grin. I was going to work my way around to you eventually. I'm just enjoying the novelty of spending an evening in the company of sweet young beauties who don't smell of wet leather, horses, and sweat. It's nice to get back to civilized life! He whirled his dance partner into the starting position for the upcoming dance.

Just please don't sniff my hair, said Saoirse. I've had two returning soldiers attempt that already tonight, and it's weird!

Sebastian's eyes laughed down at her as he led her through the first steps of the dance. As she spun under his arm, he ducked his head for a quick, experimental whiff. Flowers? Look at you, masquerading as a proper lady and everything!

Bloody hell, Seb, don't make me hurt you! Despite her protest and attempt to glare at him, Sebastian noticed she was stifling a laugh.

#

They're quite the handsome couple, aren't they? Aoife of Llyr commented via Mind-Speech to Sebastian's father, Lord Geoffrey Arilan.

They are. But don't grow too accustomed to the sight of them together. I don't foresee that match happening after all, Lord Geoffrey replied. Too much has changed in recent years. He sighed quietly. Since his brother Jourdain's death two years ago, Sebastian is my only surviving son now, so it will be more important for him to wed for heirs. And now that we know Saoirse has inherited the Healing gift, there's little certainty she would be able to bear any. At any rate, I don't think my son sees her as a potential bride so much as just another sister.

Aoife pondered Geoffrey's words. That's a shame. I think Saoirse is extremely fond of Sebastian.

Oh, he's extremely fond of her as well. We all are, even Mary. But recently he seems to have developed a more romantic interest in someone else...not that I think that is likely to lead anywhere either. Let's hope it's just a passing fancy.

Oh, has he now? Aoife shot an inquisitive glance Geoffrey's way. Who has he set his heart on?

Geoffrey chuckled under his breath. Cécile of Joux. Much good that's likely to do him, the silly young fool.

It does seem unlikely, Aoife agreed. Though stranger things have happened. The young Princess's recent misfortunes would at least put that aspiration within the realm of possibility, despite their disparity in rank, at least if the Princess is equally desirous of the match. Is she?

I rather doubt it. Would you be amenable to marrying a near stranger if you'd recently gone through the sort of ordeal Princess Cécile experienced?

Aoife shook her head. I can't imagine that would be at the top of my To-Do list, no. She studied the dancing couple before them. If Sebastian should come to the same conclusion eventually and is open to the idea of an arrangement with someone he already has fond feelings for, would you be willing to allow him and Saoirse to enter a handfasted relationship? If she proves fertile within a year and a day, the marriage could be formalized and made permanent, and the child would be considered legitimate regardless of whether they decide to continue beyond that original agreement. If they remain childless, then he would be free to marry elsewhere any time after the year and a day of their handfasting.

A year and a day of your sister developing even closer feelings for my son, after which he can simply walk away and search for greener pastures if she hasn't managed to breed an heir yet? I don't think Saoirse would thank either one of us for that. Geoffrey shook his head. Just because she's not my actual daughter doesn't mean I don't care for her as if she were.  Besides which, if that were to happen and Mary found out that I played any part in it, my home would become even more of a war zone than it is already.

Your wife still blames you for Jourdain's death?

The intelligencer's lips tightened. Yes.

Aoife gave him a sympathetic look. It was the sort of unfortunate circumstance that could have befallen any intelligencer, no matter how well trained and experienced.

Yes, but the mere fact that he was trained to follow in my footsteps at all, and that two of our other children have chosen to do the same, is what she holds against me.

I suppose it's too late now to promise that any future children would be steered towards other forms of livelihood instead?

Geoffrey gave a mirthless chuckle. If I should have future children, they certainly won't be from my wife. I'm pretty sure she'd rather open up a portal to Hell for me than open up her bedchamber door to welcome my loving embrace.

Aoife winced. I'm sorry.  I imagine there's no grounds for an annulment either?

Not that I'm aware of, and as much as she might not be any happier than I am in our marriage, I think she'd fight any attempt to annul it, not wanting to be at the center of any gossip or scandal. I'm pretty certain we are stuck with each other, and certainly the Church would prefer a reconciliation over granting an annulment even if there were grounds.

Of course. But you're not very hopeful for a reconciliation, I suppose.

That's likely to happen about the time Hell freezes over. It was never a love match to begin with, but any affection Mary ever had for me died along with Jourdain.

#

The Duke of Corwyn watched as Cormac of Llyr cut into a line of dancers, deftly stealing the Queen's younger sister Esmeralda from her dance partner as he whirled her towards the back of the line. He grinned, recognizing the maneuver.  He had performed it often enough himself, and Cormac was far from the only dancer in the line engaging in similar antics. That particular dance was renowned for encouraging the swapping of partners, with the stealing often ending up becoming quite chaotic before the music ended. Judging by the laughter and the number of missed dance steps as the line began to fall apart, the dance was nearing its end.

He half considered joining in, for he quite enjoyed dancing, and while his heart was already thoroughly engaged and he felt unready to make a commitment to anyone else while still recovering from having lost the woman he still loved, he was not above a bit of flirting as well, so long as it was with certain ladies of his acquaintance who he knew would not take his attentions seriously. Unfortunately most of those were either not present this evening or were otherwise engaged in dancing or conversation with more serious suitors. He certainly would not wish to damage any lady's matrimonial prospects by pretending an interest where he had none.

As he was considering calling it an early night and returning to his chambers (though he was loath to do that also, since Gabrielle was still enjoying the festivities and might feel bound to return to their rooms with him if he left early), a young lady only slightly older than his sister approached him, throwing a nervous glance over her shoulder as she did so. He had seen her around Rhemuth a time or two, but wasn't certain they'd ever been introduced. If they had, he couldn't remember her name.

"Your Grace," she whispered as she came alongside him, casting another discreet glance over her shoulder before beaming up at him with the sort of smile normally reserved for a close friend, "might I beg a huge boon of you? Would you mind leading me in the next dance and pretending an interest in me for a few minutes? Or at least until the man standing next to that pillar behind us assumes I'm spoken for and loses interest." She gave a quiet, nervous giggle. "At least I hope he will lose interest! I'm running out of ideas to try if he doesn't."

Far be it from him to refuse to assist a damsel in distress! Joss Morgan smiled down at the young lady as he offered her his hand and led her out into the center of the Hall for the next dance.

The dance began, a stately pavane. Joss led his dance partner in the single, single, double steps forward, then as they rose on their toes and pivoted to face each other, he stole another glance towards the column the man she was trying to avoid stood next to. A blond eyebrow rose as he glanced back down at her, continuing to lead her through the next steps of the dance. "Do you object to Deryni Mind-Speech?" he whispered.

I don't suppose I do, she replied mind to mind, an undercurrent of laughter in her voice.

Joss's lips twitched. If she was Deryni, then that was all the better. The man in the blue tunic and red hose?

Yes, Your Grace.

That's the Earl of Danoc.

I am well aware, she replied with a slight moue of distaste. My father is hoping he will marry me. I am hoping otherwise.

Joss nearly stumbled at the startling thought, but smoothly recovered as they turned back towards the front of the hall and repeated the dance pattern. The Earl himself? Not his heir? Or maybe his heir's heir? Jesu, he hoped her father wasn't serious about arranging a match between his daughter and the Earl. Danoc was fairly close to eighty!

The Earl fancies me, and Papa says a countess can have a greater pick of husbands once she is a widow, but I'd really rather not have to marry the man to find out. I'd prefer to simply take his word for that. I had a perfectly nice, if not particularly exciting, offer from a baron already, but now that an earl has offered for me, Papa won't consider any match he thinks is lesser. I don't suppose you happen to know any unmarried earls you could introduce me to who aren't more than halfway to their death bed?

Joss winced. While he could understand to some extent her father's desire to set her up in a first marriage that was likely to be both financially secure and of short enough duration that she could select a more compatible match later, this particular match seemed a bit extreme. Not to mention he couldn't imagine such a means of securing a bride's future would be at all pleasant for the bride.

He could understand, if not agree with, her father's thinking. But surely there had to be someone of his acquaintance in search of a wife who would serve the purpose better than the Earl of Danoc! His eyes scanned the hall searching for inspiration before coming back to rest on the young lady beside him. She seemed bright and personable, and was certainly attractive enough to have drawn the gaze of several others in the Great Hall.

The realization slowly dawned on him that it was not just her lovely face and graceful form they were staring at. He was getting his share of speculative looks as well. An idea began to form.

A Duke outranks an Earl, last time I checked.

So I believe, Your Grace. Cat-like eyes of green mixed with amber smiled up at him.

You need someone your father finds suitable to act as a suitor for you until the Earl of Danoc loses interest and finds someone else to court. I am not in search of a wife just yet, for personal reasons I do not wish to share, but as there are many who wish me to be, it would suit my purpose to pretend to be courting you. Shall we serve as decoys for each other? Then, should you happen to make the acquaintance of someone who interests you while you are here, I would be glad to arrange for an introduction and then withdraw my "suit." You can claim to find me boring and stuffy, or whatever. He grinned.

I wouldn't go that far, Your Grace. My story needs to be believable, after all. She flashed a sunny smile up at him. It's a deal. Thank you so much! Your sister told me I could count on you!

Joss shot a startled look towards his sister, dancing with the newly-minted Sir Anselm. She did? The little minx!

A ripple of laughter echoed in his mind as the dance ended and she dipped into a low curtsey before him. Thank you for the dance, Your Grace.

He stared at her. What is your name, my lady?

She took the arm he belatedly remembered to offer her. It's Anjanice Moreau of Kinlochan, my lord.

#

Prince Camber saw the dowager queen Alixa sitting to the side of the hall, watching the dancers and tapping a foot in time with the music with a wistful smile. He crossed over to her side.

"Would you like to dance, Your Majesty?" he asked.

She blushed. "I'm not certain I even remember how anymore. Cinhil tried to teach me some of the slower dances when we were first married, before his health deteriorated, but I had only a little opportunity to practice during those early months of our marriage, and he didn't feel very much up to it after that major setback happened. It didn't feel right for me to accept other offers to dance after that, even though he wouldn't have objected." Alixa shrugged. "I suppose I ought to learn how to someday. Knowing how to dance is one of those 'queen lessons' Renier never thought to provide for me."

One of far too many, Camber thought privately, stifling yet again the fleeting wish to strangle Alixa's father. "If you hear the musicians start to play a dance you recognize, I could join minds with you and lead you through the steps that way."

Alixa considered the offer. On the one hand, she was very eager to learn the skill, and Cinhil had always encouraged her to, but while he was alive, she hadn't felt it was fair to indulge in such pleasures that his failing body had denied him, so she'd been content to sit with him while others danced. But on the other hand, Cinhil had only been dead for a few months, his memorial service on All Saints Day just two months earlier still very fresh on people's minds. She wouldn't want people to assume she had stopped mourning him already. She still grieved for him, and a simple dance or two wouldn't change that, but too many people were swift to make assumptions based on outward appearances.

"I think not tonight, although I am grateful for the offer," she said quietly. "But you can add that to the list of lessons I would be glad for you to provide for me in private, where I can stumble around awkwardly without an audience." Alixa smiled up at him.

Camber chuckled. "I'm rather hoping there will be a great deal more of me leading and less of you stumbling awkwardly, but I'll add it to my growing list of things to teach you."

A sudden memory flitted through Alixa's mind of a warm day in June nearly eight years earlier, as she became acquainted with her new husband for the first time. Convinced of her own wickedness by the monster of a chaperone her father had inflicted upon her, she had confessed this shortcoming to Cinhil.

Cinhil had stared down at her in bewilderment. Why in the world would you think you are wicked? he had asked in Mind-Speech, the newlywed couple both keenly aware of Alixa's Jouvian chaperone's attempts to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Alixa's cheeks had turned hot, and she'd been unable to meet his eyes. Because I am headstrong and rebellious. Because I am une femme. Because I share the curse of all women. Because we have immoderate carnal desires.

As she'd finally summoned up the courage to look back up at him, she'd found Cinhil struggling not to laugh. How lucky I am, then! Alixa, do you even know what that means?

She had shaken her head, not having any idea what such things were, but certain that she must have them, since her chaperone had listed them among her many sins.

I thought not, Cinhil had said, his eyes brimming with suppressed merriment. Let me add that to the top of my growing list of things to teach you when we're not standing in the middle of my family's garden.

Alixa burst out laughing, causing Camber to smile at her curiously. What's so funny, bien-aimée?

You Haldane men and your 'growing lists of things to teach me.' Alixa attempted to rein in her amusement. It was a private joke, and one that would be inappropriate for me to share with you just yet. She smiled back at him. Perhaps someday.


Next Chapter:  https://rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3534.0.html

[revanne]

I'd forgotten most of this.

Great fun with some eye-misting moments. I love that Gabriella can surprise her brother.

[tmcd]

For anyone who somehow managed to forget Amina's acts and fate, please see Pawns and Queens--a 15th Century Gwynedd Story--Chapter Thirty-Seven

my To-Do list

That feels a bit modern to me, like the "Thank you for your input, Archbishop" from King Javan's Year. Anyway, stick a pin in it so we can circle back to it. It's low-hanging fruit that's synergistic with one of my KPIs.

St. Duncan

[eyeroll]

That particular dance was renowned for encouraging the swapping of partners

It wouldn't happen to be "Hole in the Wall" or "Trenchmore", would it?

[JudithR]

Or Circassian Circle?

[Evie]

I'd forgotten most of this.

Great fun with some eye-misting moments. I love that Gabriella can surprise her brother.

Sometimes she manages to catch him off guard. 

Yes, given how long it took me to write the entire thing, I had to go back and re-read it all from the beginning just to make sure it worked as a cohesive whole.

For anyone who somehow managed to forget Amina's acts and fate, please see Pawns and Queens--a 15th Century Gwynedd Story--Chapter Thirty-Seven

my To-Do list

That feels a bit modern to me, like the "Thank you for your input, Archbishop" from King Javan's Year. Anyway, stick a pin in it so we can circle back to it. It's low-hanging fruit that's synergistic with one of my KPIs.

St. Duncan

[eyeroll]

That particular dance was renowned for encouraging the swapping of partners

It wouldn't happen to be "Hole in the Wall" or "Trenchmore", would it?

Possibly more like "Hole in the Wall," if only because I am more familiar with that dance than "Trenchmore," which I am fairly sure I have danced before, but can't remember the steps of at this moment.

Of course Duncan is a saint now, or at least widely believed to be one. Did we forget this is me writing this story? 

As for the "to-do list" and other anachronisms, I really don't work towards strict authenticity in dialogue. After all, I don't actually speak Middle English, much less Middle Gwyneddan, which is what my characters would all be speaking!    So I go more with trying to capture the general feel of what the characters are saying and thinking, including a tongue-in-cheek turn of phrase when warranted, and only using idiomatic phrases that would be plausible/possible in period. So while something like "I'm as serious as a train wreck" would be right out (since readers would imagine locomotives rather than baggage trains, for one thing), I imagine people have kept at least mental lists of prioritized daily tasks throughout history. Imagine a medieval shepherd at sheep shearing time, for instance. Would he have a paper or parchment To-Do list to remind him of his daily tasks? Probably not; he might not even be literate. But would he have a mental to-do list? Absolutely! It might be something like "OK, gotta get the sheep into the pen, then shear them, then wash the wool, then card it...." And it would likely be prioritized in some order, since it makes little sense to plan to card your wool while it's still on the sheep! 

Even if medieval people had To-Do lists in the modern sense, how would we know? That sort of thing by its very nature is ephemeral, usually discarded as soon as the tasks have been completed. Do you still have the very first To-Do list you ever created, or even remember what was on it?  I sure don't!

But more obvious anachronisms like "Jarvis is not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree," on the other hand, are a lot more jarring, and I do try my best to avoid those.

Or Circassian Circle?

This sent me down a rabbit trail, since I've not heard of this dance before, but some of the SCA dances I'm more familiar with come from Scottish and English country dance traditions. Going by the video I found of this dance, it looks vaguely familiar, and I think I have danced it before, but knew it by some other name.

[JudithR]

"This sent me down a rabbit trail, since I've not heard of this dance before, but some of the SCA dances I'm more familiar with come from Scottish and English country dance traditions. Going by the video I found of this dance, it looks vaguely familiar, and I think I have danced it before, but knew it by some other name."


Also the Paul Jones.  I learnt Scottish and English country dances at school.  Useful for dances (informal) in the 1960s. Strip the Willow and Three Drops of Brandy are the same dance separated by Hadrian's Wall.  Once upon a time, I could manage the Highland Fling and attempt the Sword Dance (as taught in the 1950s), though both technically men only. 

I'd be hard put to manage the Dashing White Sargent or the Gay Gordans these days, never mind the Eightsome reel.  Similarly, I'd be stymied by the Durham Reel and the Cumberland Square Eight.

[Evie]

I'd be hard put to manage the Dashing White Sargent or the Gay Gordans these days, never mind the Eightsome reel.

Heh, this brought back memories!  When I was a young and foolish 20-something, I participated in a Gay Gordon marathon dance-off, where we were all trying to see who was the last dancer (or pair of dancers) left standing. It came down to me and one of my friends, who is far more athletic than I am (she's the sort of person who has ridden a bicycle completely across the state and who recently hiked the entire Appalachian Trail as something to do after her retirement, because that's her idea of fun) and also fiercely competitive, and we were both exhausted but too stubborn to give in. I had gone through three or four dance partners by that point, my shoes (the ballet flats style popularized by Diana, Princess of Wales) had loosened to the point that they would no longer stay on my feet, and so I was dancing barefoot for what was likely the last half hour of what was probably a two-hour marathon, though it seemed eternal at the time. My competition had also gone through a similar number of dance partners, but both of us were too stubborn to give up.

At last she suggested that if we got to a certain point (I think it was the end of the cassette tape) again without either of us giving up, we could consider the competition a tie, and I happily agreed to those terms since I didn't know if I could go on much longer, but I was determined not to surrender. We ended up both making to the end of the tape, were both proclaimed the winners of the competition, and I retreated to my cabin where a bucket of water was awaiting my dirty, bloody feet. That felt so good! 

Have I mentioned that I can be a little bit stubborn, not to mention competitive? LOL!

[tmcd]

Evie, I'll challenge you to a Gay Gordon marathon dance-off!  You go first, and afterwards, I'll see if I can beat your time.

[Evie]

Evie, I'll challenge you to a Gay Gordon marathon dance-off!  You go first, and afterwards, I'll see if I can beat your time.

LOL! No thanks! You realize that was more than half a lifetime ago, when I was young and spry? 

[Jerusha]

Have I mentioned that I can be a little bit stubborn, not to mention competitive? LOL!

I never would have guessed! 

Marvelous chapter!  Nice of Joss to be so gallant; hope it doesn't backfire.

[Evie]

Have I mentioned that I can be a little bit stubborn, not to mention competitive? LOL!

I never would have guessed! 

Marvelous chapter!  Nice of Joss to be so gallant; hope it doesn't backfire.

Speaking of Joss and his gallantry, has anyone noticed yet that his dance partner is descended from one of my fanfic characters in a Kelson-era story?   

[DerynifanK]

This was a mostly satisfying resolution of many events and I enjoyed it. However, I am a little bewildered about Joss. After the epilogue of Queen of Sorrows,  I thought he was finally marrying the Love of his life , Miranda, and they would finally be happy together. Did I miss something? And there are a lot of romantic    Issues to be resolved along with political ones.I can see why it took so long to work it out. You are amazing to sort it out.

[Evie]

This was a mostly satisfying resolution of many events and I enjoyed it. However, I am a little bewildered about Joss. After the epilogue of Queen of Sorrows,  I thought he was finally marrying the Love of his life , Miranda, and they would finally be happy together. Did I miss something? And there are a lot of romantic    Issues to be resolved along with political ones.I can see why it took so long to work it out. You are amazing to sort it out.

Yes, what you are missing is that this is still January of 1465, and the events in Part 3 of Queen of Sorrows won't begin until June. So Joss has no idea yet that the woman he loves will become a widow in a few months.

ETA: Now that I am back at a proper keyboard, remember that I mentioned before this story happens concurrently with the last part of Queen of Sorrows. Here is a clearer chronology:

Queen of Sorrows, Part One: Begins about 7 years prior to Pawns and Queens.
Queen of Sorrows, Part Two: Takes place over the years leading up to the beginning of Pawns and Queens. The final chapter of this section happens right after Uthyr's death, so into the first chapters of Pawns and Queens.
Pawns and Queens (January to December, 1464)
The Rebuilding--The first half of the story takes place between January to June of 1465
When we get to June, the events of Queen of Sorrows Part Three and most of the latter half of The Rebuilding are happening at the same time, just in different kingdoms, with only the last few chapters of The Rebuilding taking place after the end of Queen of Sorrows.

Does that make things clearer?

[DerynifanK]

This was a mostly satisfying resolution of many events and I enjoyed it. However, I am a little bewildered about Joss. After the epilogue of Queen of Sorrows,  I thought he was finally marrying the Love of his life , Miranda, and they would finally be happy together. Did I miss something? And there are a lot of romantic    Issues to be resolved along with political ones.I can see why it took so long to work it out. You are amazing to sort it out.

This was a mostly satisfying resolution of many events and I enjoyed it. However, I am a little bewildered about Joss. After the epilogue of Queen of Sorrows,  I thought he was finally marrying the Love of his life , Miranda, and they would finally be happy together. Did I miss something? And there are a lot of romantic    Issues to be resolved along with political ones.I can see why it took so long to work it out. You are amazing to sort it out.

Yes, what you are missing is that this is still January of 1465, and the events in Part 3 of Queen of Sorrows won't begin until June. So Joss has no idea yet that the woman he loves will become a widow in a few months.

I thought I might have got the dates order wrong. Glad to hear that there is still hope for them (not knowing what you have in store for them in the current story). I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[Evie]

This was a mostly satisfying resolution of many events and I enjoyed it. However, I am a little bewildered about Joss. After the epilogue of Queen of Sorrows,  I thought he was finally marrying the Love of his life , Miranda, and they would finally be happy together. Did I miss something? And there are a lot of romantic    Issues to be resolved along with political ones.I can see why it took so long to work it out. You are amazing to sort it out.

This was a mostly satisfying resolution of many events and I enjoyed it. However, I am a little bewildered about Joss. After the epilogue of Queen of Sorrows,  I thought he was finally marrying the Love of his life , Miranda, and they would finally be happy together. Did I miss something? And there are a lot of romantic    Issues to be resolved along with political ones.I can see why it took so long to work it out. You are amazing to sort it out.

Yes, what you are missing is that this is still January of 1465, and the events in Part 3 of Queen of Sorrows won't begin until June. So Joss has no idea yet that the woman he loves will become a widow in a few months.

I thought I might have got the dates order wrong. Glad to hear that there is still hope for them (not knowing what you have in store for them in the current story). I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I think you posted this while I was editing the post above it, so be sure to scroll up to see the full chronology explained.