William did not say more just then of whose children they were or what their home had been like, but simply continued, “They have no father or mother, Father, and their house was destroyed in the flood.. They need a home and family most desperately and I told them that you could help them. They brought us food when we were hungry, Father, and then they helped us to escape! I think a home and loving parents would be a fine reward for their kindness and bravery, don’t you, Father?”
The king smiled. “I do, indeed, William! I do, indeed! We will see what we can do when we return to Caernarfon. Is that alright with you children? Would you like to come and stay in the castle for a little while?” Their eyes could not have been any bigger in their heads. They nodded, unable to speak at this wondrous turn of events.
“For now, we will return to the inn in Snowdon,” the king said, raising his voice and speaking to the men around them. “We are all hungry and tired, and I am sure the prince and Sir Noble, as well as their young friends, are even more in need of bed and food than we are. We will return to Caernarfon in the morning. Prepare to go!”
William insisted on keeping the baby with him, and once more Ruby sat upon Valiant with Noble. Jasper and Beryl were delighted to ride with a pair of young knights on their steeds. Another smaller knight took the lame mare while Parry was thrown like a sack of potatoes across the back of his large warhorse with Rhain sitting tied up behind him.
They set off for Snowdon. At last Noble could relax. The hunt was over.
* * *
The queen was standing at the window when a knight rode through the gates at breakneck speed. He jumped recklessly from his horse’s back before the animal had come to a full stop and dashed up the steps to the castle door. The queen’s heart jumped into her throat. “He has come!” she cried out. “The messenger has come!”
She ran to her chamber door but even before she could reach it, Mary had thrown it open and they saw the knight running up the stairs toward them. “What news? What news?” Gwyneth called out frantically.
“They have found him!” the young man said breathlessly. “He is well!”
The queen burst into tears and covered her face with her hands. Thank God! Oh, thank you, Lord! “And Sir Noble?” she asked, dashing her tears away with her hand.
“He had a small injury, but he is well, too.”
“Take word to Granny,” she said to one of the servants who had followed the knight up the stairs. She turned back to the man then and said, “Thank you for bringing the news. Leave me now, but I will send for you again very soon. I must hear the story, but for the moment I would like to be alone. Rosie, take him to the kitchen and get him something to eat while he waits.” She closed the door and once again she was alone in her room with only her faithful maid Mary.
She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in her pillow as she began to weep once more. Oh my Father! Thank You for saving my son! Thank You for Your love and Your mercy and Your tender watchcare over us! Thank You, my Lord! Thank You! She prayed, pouring out her heart in love and gratitude to the Lord. She was spent. Now that she knew William was safe, her weariness crashed in upon her and moments later she was asleep. Peace. Peace at last.
Mary stood at the window. The prince would ride through those gates very soon, praise God! If only she could see her own children come riding through them, as well! She sighed. Foolish dream, her Samuel would say. That could never happen for her children were safely with Jesus. Oh, but she missed them so! They had been her precious ones, her precious little jewels!
* * *
“Mother, you are choking me!” William laughed. “I am happy to see you, too, and I have returned to you unharmed, but I am afraid you will be the one to do me in if you don’t quit hugging me so hard!”
Gwyneth laughed and wiped her tears on his shoulder. Fortunately he had borrowed a clean tunic from the innkeeper’s son in Snowdon. They had come riding in at noon the next day. The queen was watching for them, of course, and came flying down the stairs and out the door as soon as the company began to come through the gates.
Noble stood nearby and now she reached out to gather him in her arms, as well. “Welcome home, Noble! Thank you for taking such good care of our boy!”
Noble looked down at his feet. “William did just fine for himself, Your Highness! He has grown into a strong, brave young man! And praise God—truly, He is the One who brought us through!”
“I know, Noble,” the queen said softly. “And now look! Here comes Granny! Go to her, Noble, for I am sure she is anxious to embrace you, as well! Now, William,” she asked as Noble left them, “who are these children?”
His eyes lit up. “I am anxious for you to meet them, Mother! They are very special to me! Jasper, Beryl, come here and meet my mother! And here is Ruby!” The children stepped up to William’s side and hung close to him. Jasper was holding Pearl, but now William took her from him and plopped her into his mother’s arms. “And this is little Pearl! She is quite the most wonderful little baby, Mother! I have never met such a wonderful baby before!”
Gwyneth chuckled within herself. To her knowledge William had never met a baby before at all! She could see that he was quite taken with the tot. The children wore tattered clothes but they were clean and neat. She did not realize that her husband had paid the innkeeper to bring in bath water for them all and to wash their clothes, and had hired a woman to come in and care for the younger ones. The boys had not particularly been fond of their baths, but Ruby and the baby had played happily for a while in the warm water. Ruby especially enjoyed having her hair brushed until it shone nearly as brightly as her pretty blue eyes.
“Well, I can see that they must be very nice children,” she said now. “Why don’t we all go up to my room? We will have Rosie bring us some refreshments and we will get acquainted.” She led the way and William shepherded his young friends through the doors and up the great staircase to the queen’s chambers. Their eyes were huge as they entered the massive castle and viewed the rich furnishings.
A little while later the children had eaten their fill of wondrously delicious treats—cakes and tarts and scones with jam—and were playing happily near the hearth. William and his mother sat at a small table nearby and he quietly told her some of the things that had befallen him over the last few days.
Mostly, though he wanted to talk about the children. Her eyes filled with tears as he talked about the cruel life these poor, motherless children had suffered at the hands of their heartless father and his wicked gang. She shook her head in amazement as he told her how they were half starved themselves, and yet had been so willing to share what little food they had with him and Noble. He told her of their help in freeing them from their bonds, and how Jasper had so courageously freed the horses and led them through the flood and night to safety.
“You can see, Mother, why I want to find a home for them. They are good children who love God and have tried to live as their mother taught them before she was taken away from them. Jasper wants nothing more than to grow into a fine man who would make his mother proud. He values truth and honesty—so unlike his father. They need a mother and father who would love them and give them a safe and happy home. They have known little happiness in their short lives.”
Gwyneth patted her son’s hand. She was proud of this fine young son of hers. He had a kind and generous heart. He would be a good king someday. “I am sure your father will find someone for them, William,” she said now. “Somewhere in Caernarfon there must be a good couple who will take these children in.”
Mary had been listening from a few feet away. Now she came swiftly and knelt at her mistress’ feet. There were tears in her eyes. “You have found a mother for them already, Ma’am, and I know my Samuel will love them, as well! When we lost our Sammy and Emmy, our precious little jewels, I thought my heart would never feel a child’s love again, and my arms would be empty forever! But here God has brought Jasper and Beryl, Ruby and Pearl who need us as much as we
need them! I know He means for us to have them and to love them and we would be doubly blessed! Will you speak to the king for us? Please, Your Highness!”
The queen leaned forward and threw her arms around her maid. “Oh, Mary! Of course! Why did I not think of it immediately? My heart has ached for you so often since your loss! I will gladly speak for you and I am sure he will agree!”
William clapped his hands in glee. Mary was a sweet woman, and he had met Samuel, as well—a fine, hard-working man. They would be wonderful parents for the children! What an awesome God to have planned this all along! They would say nothing to the children, of course, until Mary had talked to Samuel and his father had given them his blessing, but now he called out, “Jasper! Beryl! Ruby! Bring Pearl over here. There is a sweet lady here that I would like you all to meet!”
The children came over with happy smiles. What a different course their lives had taken since they had met William and Noble! Ruby curtsied prettily and the baby held out her little arms to Mary. Mary took Pearl and hugged her close. A tear slipped down her cheek but she wiped it quickly away before the children could see. They were precious, every one. Precious little jewels!
* * *
The king walked with Noble in the garden later that day. He wanted to hear from his young knight himself the events that had occurred in Glyn Tywyll. King Stephen had heard all about the ambush, Caddock and his gang, the flood and their attempt to escape the valley, and the final fight with Rhain and Parry from William—several times, in fact. The boy was enthusiastic in his praise of Noble and of his strength and courage, his wisdom and faith. As usual when talking about his hero, he had voiced his desire to be like Noble someday.
“Father,” he had said thoughtfully, “you know Noble has been almost a part of our family for many years now. Indeed, he has been like a brother to me. In truth, I have often wished Noble truly was my older brother! We pretended to be brothers when we were kidnapped, did I tell you that? He was my brother Henry, and I was Brother John! I loved it! It made me feel proud to call him Brother. All this talk of adoption, with Mary and Samuel adopting the children, has put something into my mind. Why could we not formally adopt Noble? I mean, you and Mother. I know you love him like a son. I have heard you both say it. And I love him like a brother. It seems only natural, then, that we move beyond saying like a brother and like a son, and just come right out and make it a fact in truth and deed! At least, that is the way it seems to me!”
His father laughed. “It is, is it? I don’t know, William. I will have to think about it—and discuss it with your mother. And I would think that Noble himself would have a say in the matter.” The conversation had moved on to other things, but now as he walked with Noble it came back to him.
“Something seems to be troubling you, Noble,” he said. “You have not quite been yourself since Glyn Tywyll. Is your arm bothering you?”
“No, Sire. It is fine.” He hesitated and then looked his ruler in the eyes. “It is just that—that I have failed you, Your Majesty. I am sorry.”
“Failed me? What are you talking about, Sir Noble? How can you say that?” The king stopped in the middle of the garden path. “You protected William with your life! You acted courageously and with great wisdom. You brought my son home again alive and unharmed. I would hardly call that failing me! I could not ask for more!”
Noble shook his head. “The whole thing never should have happened to begin with. If I had been more alert… If only I had invited a few others to go hunting with us… Perhaps I should not have taken William out at all. And then to make things worse, it happened twice! How could I have allowed it to happen twice?”
“Never in the years since I have know you, Noble, have I heard you talk foolishly! Do not begin now!” the king said sternly. “What are you thinking? That you can go through life without ever walking into trouble? That you are in control of your life?” He shook his head. “Bad things happen to good people sometimes, Noble, and God is in control, not you! If He allowed you to walk into trouble, as you say, then there was a good reason for it! To save those children, perhaps? To show His glory and power? To help you to grow and learn and become more like Him? To help my son to learn to be brave and strong and compassionate and caring? To rid our land of a dangerous gang of criminals? To teach Gwyneth and I to trust Him more? I could go on, but I think you must see what I mean! There is no such thing as an ambush to God. He could have taken your path out of those men’s way, but He chose to allow you to meet for good reason. Do not question why He allowed it, but question what He wants you to learn from it.”
A lump seemed to fill Noble’s throat. “Yes, Sire. You are right.” It was all he could choke out.
“Noble,” the king said more gently, “if you feel guilty, then know that God knows your heart and forgives you for any fault there may have been. And for my part, all is forgiven, as well. Now you must forgive yourself.” He paused. “Do you remember the story of Joseph in the Old Testament? How God used the evil that his brothers and others did to him to turn it for good? Can you not see how He has done the same with you? You were kidnapped, you were held prisoner just as Joseph was, and yet God blessed you and William and that little family of children to turn it all for good!”
Noble laughed ruefully, “Those are the very words I spoke to William, Sire, when we were still in bonds! We talked about Joseph then, too. Why did I not remember that? After Rhain and Parry attacked us the second time, all I could think of was how I had failed again.”
“The words you spoke to William were wise, Noble, for before they were yours or mine, they were God’s. Do not forget them again. Satan, that great deceiver, will lie to you and accuse, but trust God, for He is in control to work all things out for good.”
They walked a few feet more and then the king stopped again. He put his arm around Noble’s shoulder. “I am proud of you, Noble. I have trusted you with William’s life and I will continue to trust you, for you are wise and brave and true. I have loved you like a son now for many years.” He paused and said, “But no longer.”
Noble stared at the king. What did he mean?
The king smiled. “I wish only to say I do not love you like a son. I love you, Noble, my son—the son of my heart.”
The End
Valley of Valor (Noble Heart Book 6) Page 10