Jon agreed and the two went to a sitting room on the ground floor. Jon’s favorite painting of his father in battle hung prominently above the flaming fireplace made of stone. Bookshelves covered the other three walls and the men sat at a small square table of solid oak with a black velvet covering. A bull’s head stitched in golden thread covered most of the tabletop. The legs were fashioned like bull horns and held the sturdy table in place.
A wine server came in and set down two ornate silver goblets and filled them halfway with wine. “All the way,” Jon ordered. She filled the goblets nearly to the top. Jon spoke, “That will be all. Close the door and make sure there are no disturbances.”
The men sat across from each other as Jon started, “I’m sorry we didn’t have more notice to plan a proper gathering for this homecoming. Now I ask you again, what do you wish from me?” Jon questioned. Torvald rubbed his spikey beard and stumbled as he spoke, “The process…the process has been compromised, you see. Compromised, that is, by incorrect news of your…uh, demise shall we say. But once I found out…” Jon cut in, “Lord Torvald, I will not be offended by your request.” “Yes, well, I shall hold you against that. Alright then, I have asked your daughter to honor my family and me through marriage. I would have never done so and will not carry on without your permission. I promise to treat her with the highest regard.”
Jon stood up and paced back and forth. He spoke, “So you think you find my daughter in the woods, steal her back to your castle and then secretly plan to wed her?” “No, not at all. That’s not how it happened. I would have sought the approval of your eldest living son, Ruxin,” Torvald explained. “Lord Torvald, if you are going to join this family, you need to learn to joke. The others will hold you over the embers even longer than me,” Jon smiled. Jon’s new lease on life had created a more lighthearted man than before. Torvald’s face showed relief and he asked, “So you approve?”
“Without question. I don’t know your family personally but I am sure to meet them soon. This will be a union of two great houses of Donegal,” Jon proudly stated. Torvald’s flushed face returned to normal and he said, “Yes, well, I’d like you to know that we plan to contribute to the union.” “What do you mean, a dowry?” Jon asked. “Duke Colbert, I have been honest with you about my intentions. Now I hope you can truthfully answer this question. When do you plan to move on the Capitol?” Torvald bluntly asked.
Jon downed some overly sweet Icy wine from Berchfield and stared at Torvald before speaking, “You’re not a fool. That bodes well for my daughter. We leave in three days. You can take my daughter to Bottomfoot and keep her safe until the fighting stops,” Jon offered.
“I could do that. However, I think we might have a much more rewarding scenario for both of us. Do you know the story of the wise ancient gambler?” the young man asked. “Let’s agree that I don’t,” Jon responded.
“The wise ancient gambler was willing to bet on anything being wagered upon but never laid down a bet. He watched men get foolishly drunk and wager on random chance. Years went by. Some men won and most men lost but they all relied on blind luck. He saw the excitement of the gambling but hid his money away under the straw in his trundle every time he got paid. The men laughed at him, called him niggardly and other names, but he stayed true to his plan. One day the wise gambler found the bet he wanted to make. He took every coin from his savings and placed it down. The townsmen called him mad, crazy and brainless. Sure as the sun will always set, the wise man won the bet. I suppose calling him the wise gambler might give it away a bit but do you see the point?” Torvald asked Jon.
“I believe I do,” Jon replied. Torvald clarified, “The reason he won the bet is because he was certain of his bet. He took chance and luck and trumped them with restraint and strong sensibility. He controlled the temptation of gambling recklessly for years and years to make the sure bet. Bottomfoot is much the same as the ancient gambler. We have remained neutral, refraining from gambling on the realm. We haven’t sat idly by, I’ll have you know. We have amassed a trained army of seven thousand to provide for the war effort. I am here on the authority of the Duke and Duchess of Bottomfoot to relay the message that Bottomfoot would like to gamble on you, Duke Jon Colbert, to become the next king,” Torvald said.
“That is astonishingly graceful,” Jon responded. “It’s not entirely for your benefit. Bottomfoot will never truly be neutral until the Wamhoffs have been removed or destroyed. If anyone from Burkeville tries to rush Falconhurst, our men can come from the south and attack their southern flank and rear. I assume if the attackers flee we could force an army to move north or into Goldenfield,” Torvald told Jon.
“And Queen Leimur is still young and full of fire. She may have the same thoughts as us. We move in three days because I have to believe other men are plotting to take the throne. I have an army and siege weapons to move while the others still plan, hopefully,” Jon said. “I suppose I should tell my betrothed we leave again in three days,” Torvald muttered. “You may want to hold off on that conversation. In my experience, if you give a woman ten days to worry about something, she will worry all ten. If you only give her five days to worry about something, she can only worry for five. Camelle has berated me over the years for not telling her sooner, only to thank me several months later for saving her some worry. You can handle the matter in your own way, but this method has suited me rather well,” Jon advised. “Duly noted, I appreciate the advice,” Torvald replied.
“You must be starved. Let’s get back out to the welcoming feast. We have a special announcement to make that will shift the mood of the party toward an engagement affair. Welcome to the Colberts, my son,” Jon shook his hand. Torvald responded, “It is a great honor, my Duke and future king.”
They went back to the level dining area. The Colberts didn’t believe in a dais or stepped buffets for distinction in social classes. Everyone ate at the same level. Nobody sat below the salt in Jon Colbert’s castle. Jon called Mariah over and announced the marriage pact to the roaring delight of the crowd. Jon ate, drank, danced and talked the night away. He took a quick liking to the sharp-tongued Chopkins Haddock and enjoyed talking with him. Caught up in the moment, Jon had nearly forgotten they were to leave for bloody war in three days. The majestic atmosphere would soon shift to camping under the stars and fighting to the death for a crown of gold.
The next day, Jon sat in his meeting room with Ruxin, Ordrid, Torvald and all his high lords of Mattingly. The lords wore surcoats with their house symbols. Jon stood and spoke to the full round table, “My lords, as I look around this room, I see many families loyal to my father’s rebellion. My father realized our families would be persecuted against until we rose up against the Beverleys. It should seem as though history will repeat itself. We cannot stand by and watch a mad albino wreak havoc on our kingdom.” Jon pointed to the men as he continued, “I see a boar’s head with a war axe, meaning the Kenzys are here. The quill and sword for the Plast family and the red fish in a net for the Swansmores. I see the mighty crab of the Emblers and I know the Perrys are here by the pearled oyster shell. The Caughleighs and their griffin grabbing a salmon sit amongst us as does the proud family named Harros, represented by the sun and Pegasus wing for our fair God Radial. As I look at these great individual families, I stand here to ask you to fight under one unified flag. The golden bull of Mattingly will be the flag we shall unite under. Wrap yourself in this flag and your lands will increase tenfold. You won’t have to worry about sons fighting over lands. Once we take the entire realm, I will need all the men in this room to help rule the entire kingdom. You can return to Mattingly again but your families will be rewarded for the sacrifice. We have a new ally to bolster our protection of the Capitol once we take it. For those who don’t know him, this is Torvald Malik of Bottomfoot. The previously neutral region has taken an interest in putting the Colberts on the throne. With their help, we cannot fail. There is only one problem right now.”
“What is that?”
Lord Perry asked. “I’ve heard Lord Ellsworth plans to move on the Capitol and so does a bastard with strong backing from the north in Waters Edge. Our informers tell us forces in the Capitol are dwindling by the day. They only have five thousand trained men and guards and less than a thousand untrained men willing to take up arms to protect their land. We have to beat them to the King’s Castle. I say we leave on the morrow. Ruxin, are we ready with our siege weapons?” His son spoke, “The thinkers are putting the finishing touches on a few weapons but we have enough to take the castle. The bridges are ready and every power weapon has been re-calibrated to optimum strength. We can move on the morrow,” the eager teenager said with a smile.
“What about the stone masons and the builders? Are the workers and materials ready to move right behind our attack?” Jon asked his son. “They are,” Ruxin replied. “Excellent. If we beat Lord Ellsworth there, we need to move forces west quickly to hold off his oncoming army. We can create a double-wall and make it nearly impossible to get to the King’s Castle. We will also need to send men to the north and west. We can send fewer men to the west with the backing of Bottomfoot. Then we will build the surrounding guard walls around the Capitol behind our defending forces, allowing the men to retreat behind the walls and close them off before the enemy can breach them. The builders will be crucial to this war effort. We can keep a supply line open through Mattingly and Bottomfoot, assuming there will be no clear path through Fox Chapel. Now you men can see we have the ways and means to take the Capitol. Let’s vote. In traditional terms, we vote aye or nye. Around the table we go.”
In a steady progression with Jon pointing, the men sounded off and all rang out a resounding aye. “The matter is settled. Inform your respective camps about the plan to go straight up the Royal Road and cross the river to get right up to the castle. Enjoy this day and get some rest, for in two days we ride to take the throne,” Jon cried. The men responded by pounding their fists on the table in support of the prospective king.
The lords of Mattingly rushed out of the room, leaving the men of the Colbert family. “Ordrid, my wise brother, I think it may be best if you stayed to rule over Mattingly,” Jon said. “Who am I to argue with a man soon to be king?” his brother joked. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Capitol has never been conquered before for a reason. It’s not easy. Let’s all get some time with our wives before we move out,” Jon advised the men.
Jon made plans for the family to have one day away from everything before they marched on the King. Camelle, baby Jon, Mariah, Ruxin, Torvald and Haley joined Jon at the family swimming spot. The early morning weather was too chilly for a swim but Jasper still went in. Jon wanted to take the family into the Fletch Woods. With all the soldiers teeming around Riverfront, these woods were one area where they could have some privacy. The family marched from the Royal River to the woods.
Jon didn’t talk along the way. He just listened to everyone and could tell they were all happy. Jon dwelt on fond memories of his mother, father and uncle Jasine. He drifted away a bit and remembered his times in the Fletch Woods as a boy, teen and man. He had great memories of fun times with Ordrid from childhood games to legendary hunts. One of Jon’s first walks with Camelle around the castle had been along this same path. A genuine smile finally appeared on Jon’s face for more than just a few moments. He continued to think about the good times and listen to his family.
They walked down a narrow path surrounded by forest resplendent in fall glory. Brilliant beams of orange, red, yellow and pink sunlight streamed through the fluttering leaves overhead. Huge trees shaded them from the sun until they came to a clearing with benches and a few fire pits. The men set down the supplies and weapons. They had brought enough food for everyone, but the men still planned to go on a hunt to stir up some supper. Jon made the men promise not to talk about leaving for war on the morrow. Camelle breast-fed little Jon and then sang a few songs with Mariah and Haley joining in. Mariah had always been too self-conscious to sing in front of others, but Torvald seemed to have instilled confidence in his daughter. She had a beautiful voice like her mother.
The couples nestled up together and Jon held his tiny son. The conversation stopped for a while and everyone took solace in the peaceful moment. The sounds of the forest provided a pleasant backdrop to the silence.
Jon’s smile still remained as he said, “Maybe we should be off on this hunt.” The men had brought longbows and knives, but all the people around Riverfront had probably scared the game away. Ruxin and Torvald pried themselves away from their lovers and got ready to leave.
“Most people don’t know this, but right here was where I knew I loved your mother,” Jon said to the kids. “We had been married for less than a week and we’d only met the night before our marriage. We were on a walk the next morn and stopped here as we talked about ruling the region. I was a selfish person and kept saying I want to do this or that until your mother stopped me. She said, ‘It’s not you, it’s us, and soon we’ll have children. The world is bigger than just Jon Colbert.’ It opened my eyes and showed me I had married the right girl. Hopefully someday you will bring your children to this spot and tell them the stories of your loving unions. Alright men, let’s move out. We’ll be right back with some supper,” Jon promised.
The men kissed their women and plunged into the thick brush. Camelle and Mariah sang them away with “Off go the brave men, off to fight for us.” Jon knew the hot spots and led them through the fallen leaves. After an hour of hunting, they had only seen one turkey that flew away before they were in range. They came to a stream and the three men stopped. An eight-point stag was lapping up the flowing water. The men had worked out a silent signal to fire at the same time.
Ruxin and Torvald drew back and took aim. Jon pulled back but held his elbow straight. He bent his elbow into firing position, prompting the other two to loose. Three arrows met their mark and the stag fell into the water. Ruxin put the animal out of its misery and Jon told the younger ones to start dragging the animal.
“This should make the women happy,” Jon said. “And thank you both for not talking about tomorrow. Let’s enjoy this day. I know it’s hard for you,” Jon directed at Ruxin. “Perhaps just a little bit,” the eager teenager smiled. “We can all tell them after we get back to the castle. Be ready for a verbal lashing. You might hear words come from your sweet, innocent girl you never thought possible. I already know Camelle is going to lambaste me. Just go with it and let them get it out. Get ready to hear, ‘You should have told me the moment you found out’,” Jon warned.
Ruxin and Torvald took turns dragging the stag as Jon leisurely walked alongside and frequently asked what was taking so long. Jon liked Torvald and realized quickly that the young man could take a joke. He was happy his children had found someone they could love in marriage. Jon had never wanted to force his children into unions that would advance the family prestige at his children’s emotional expense. He had beaten the odds of arranged marriage by falling madly in love with Camelle, but Jon wanted to give his children an even better chance at happiness. They still had a while to go, and Jon wondered whether they would be able to return to the pleasant gathering before sundown. Torvald spoke, “I know one thing we can do to soften up our ladies before we break the news.”
B-MARIAH
Mariah liked Ruxin’s wife and really enjoyed having someone her age to talk to. “You both have a great story of love to tell your children,” Camelle commented. “Your father and I were thrown together like a hasty stew, but I knew before him that we would love each other. Our family was looked upon as dirty usurpers around the time of our marriage. My mother warned me to be careful with the Colberts. She said your father was a dirty usurper who would beat me and only use me to produce an heir. From the first introduction, your father couldn’t have been more courteous. In our first private talk, he told me he needed me to help rule the region. ‘Together we are mighty, divided we shall fail’, he said. He immediately respected my
opinion on all matters and before we took that walk out here, I knew we would love each other,” Camelle said.
“I guess they are all improbable stories of love. I could have died in the woods of Fox Chapel. You could have died in the destruction of the Fritz’ castle. And you could have been another sad story of arranged marriage gone wrong,” Mariah said.
Her mother had never opened up so much about her father. Mariah pushed away all her worrisome thoughts and decided to simply enjoy one day. Her father’s validation of Torvald gave Mariah even more self-confidence. She finally felt like a complete woman, not a little girl.
“Your travels seem to have made you much more comfortable in the woods,” Camelle said to Mariah. “Sleeping by yourself under the stars and trees will do that, I suppose,” Mariah replied. She had always hated to ride horses and go into the forest. She couldn’t stand the dirt and bugs. Now she just wiped the soil away and swatted the insects like everyone else. The sun started to sink for the day and the woods became crisp and chilly. A quick burst of wind sent a shiver up and down her spine.
The joyful women talked about love for another half-hour. The men returned just before twilight with beautifully colored bouquets of flowers that would make a rainbow blush. They handed them to their lovers and lit two fires. The men grabbed some butchering knives and took them over to the animal to keep the women from seeing the blood. Jon cut choice pieces from the animal. He cut some for stew and then carved out the loin and tenderloin. The meat didn’t have enough time to relax, so it was chewy and tough but the family enjoyed it nonetheless. Mariah couldn’t have envisioned a better day as she snuggled up to Torvald next to a fire. A good bit after dark, the family trekked back to the castle.
Jon had a gathering set up in the Grand Hall. Mariah thought her friends from Bottomfoot must have rubbed off on her father. There were musicians, singers, jesters and poets working the lavishly decorated room. Numerous wines circulated around the room and Mariah was surprised since she couldn’t recall her father ever throwing a celebration for no reason. She looked at Jon laughing heartily as he watched Chopkins follow a jester around, mocking the performer. Her father seemed the happiest she had seen in a long time. A tear of joy escaped her right eye and fell to the floor. Food started flooding into the hall and everyone started to feast. The grand time lasted deep into the night. What a perfect day this has been.
Fractured Families (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga Book 2) Page 41