Behaving

October 6, 1068 Eadgyth crossed her arms and sternly stared at her daughter for a second before asking in an icy tone, "What did you do?"
Indeed, what had Brigit done to ruin the delicate curls Gytha had forced out of her straight hair? What had she done to that dress that Gytha had spent a good hour mending the holes and lengthening it to fit her? Brigit's hair was now straight with twigs and leaves in it. The bottom of the dress was now covered in mud. Even her face was covered in mud! All the spoiled daughters of the nobles that Gytha had worked for, with their contempt and arrogance, had not prepared her for Brigit. Not that Brigit was spoiled so much as convinced she was not a girl but was in fact a boy.



Brigit looked down at the ground feigning feeling shame for what she was about to tell her mother. "Mother, me and Mark invented a new game where the object is to jump over puddles. The loser has to jump into the puddle." She looked up at her mother her eyes begging for forgiveness. The very image of a repentant child. What a skilled little liar, thought Gytha cynically.
Eadgyth gave a small sigh. "Let me guess, you lost most of the time."


A laughter of triumph escaped Brigit before she remembered she was trying to get out of trouble. "No, Mother, Mark lost far more times then I did."




For a moment Eadgyth stared at her daughter than shifted her attention to Gytha. "Gytha, redo Brigit's hair and find her a better dress to wear. She still has to join me for lunch with the noblewomen." Eadgyth clasped her daughter's hand and said," Behave for Gytha or else and stop trying to get out of social events by creating a disaster at the last moment, understood?"
"Yes, Mother." Brigit said, but Gytha would swear she heard her add under her breath, "But eating and gossiping with noblewomen is so boring."
The reason Brigit dared to add that was because both her and Gytha knew Eadgyth would never inflict any punishment on her. However, Gytha -unlike Brigit- knew the reason why Eadgyth could never bear to harshly treat her youngest child. Eadgyth had followed the same pattern as late Queen Catherine, the first wife of King Harold I, a pattern of miscarriages, stillbirths or child soon dead after birth. For so many years Eadgyth had thought John would be her only child then came Brigit and soon after her birth she became pregnant again, raising her hopes of another healthy child. The baby was born early and was hastily baptised; it died two hours later.

"Well, Brigit you will behave for me now and in the future, right?" Gytha asked allowing only a hint of doubt about Brigit's willingness to stay true to her word.
In the most solemn tone Brigit declared, "Of course! I will behave now." However, she said that with a smile that promised everything imaginable, except behaving well.
"Glad that is settled." Eadgyth said being unable to see that devious smile. Gytha silently and urgently prayed to God that Eadgyth would soon find a governess for Brigit.

A Sister's Love

September 27, 1068


Medea shut the draw and held her breath waiting to see if the sound had awoken her husband. Quietly, Medea left the bedroom. Her husband had told her many a time to not do this. She had ignored him many a time, but he had always waken up and had sternly told her to go back to bed. It was all very well for him to tell her not to do this, but it wasn't his sister , whose heart was breaking.She stepped out into the cold night and went to where she knew she would find her sister looking for.

Sure enough, she saw her sister dressed all in black as befitted a newly made widow. Her sister was Selena Duchess of Thermond, until her husband had died in one of the first battles of the rebellion. Medea would never understand how her husband lived while her sister- the only person Medea considered a saint- had died. Both husbands had fought for Richard yet only one had survived to tell the tale. "Selena, sister," Medea called out.

"Leave me alone. I want to be alone."

Medea did not leave. She knew her sister better than anyone and she knew her sister needed her there. Medea had been the one to dry her sister's tears when their father had said cruel words to Selena, out of frustration that God had given him two useless daughter instead of a son. Medea had been the one to purposefully displease their father so she would get the bunt of his anger not Selena. She was Selena's sister, best friend and in some ways Selena's only mother. For their own cared nothing for - as she called them- 'little brats'. "Selena, talk to me," begged Medea after a long silence.

Selena swung around to face her sister. "How can I? No one can understand the depth of my grief or the anguish of my heart," cried Selena the tears she had been holding spilling over. "And I hope no one will ever understand my sorrow. For their is only one way to understand it and for a mother to-Oh!" Wailed Selena as her anguished consumed her.

Quickly, Medea pulled Selena into a tight comforting hug. She stroked Selena's hair in silence as Selena cried on her shoulder.

Suddenly, Selena fled. To nurse her wounds in silence. When Medea could no longer see her nor her the sound of her running she cried. She cried for she knew there was no way she could heal or protect Selena any more. She cried for Selena's sorrow would never heal. It was a sorrow more painful than a long and slow death. Knowing you would die yet hoping as the hours passed something would changed and voila you would be all better. Selena had no hope that something would change. For hers was the sorrow of a mother outliving her son. Hers was the anguish of a mother, whose son was murdered two rooms away from her, and seeing his lifeless form lying on the floor. After the rebellion had failed Medea and her sons along with Selena and her son Thomas had fled to a church for sanctuary. Sancuary, the place where runaways, and people in danger are allowed a protection no one can break. The soldiers came and told them the King had decided not to punish the families of those who had participated in the revolt. But a madman had come in with the soldiers. While the soldiers talked of peace the mad man had murdered Selena's son, little Thomas. So, Medea cried for the loss of her nephew and for her sister's misery.

Eventually, Medea dried her tears. Her sister needed her to be strong for her and she would be strong. Medea had been her protector and shield from sorrow for years now, but this ultimate sorrow had befallen Selena and Medea could no longer be her protector any longer. But she would be her strength.

The King

John listened as the council argued. Not just any council, his council. John was never meant to have a council or be a king. Yet here he was listening as older men suggested ideas as to how the government should be run on Amboria Island . John was only fifteen so the council would rule until he became of age. As John listened to the councilmen yelling,insulting,flattering and lying to each other he wondered if the country would preferred being run by a child or by a group of arrogent, egotistic children. John considered the men that made up his council. There was Simon, a nobleman, John decided was rather a boisterous ideot and his opinions should not be taken seriously. While the priest Benedict advise made more sense it was more idealistic than realistic. Frankly, only Badlwin, Stephen and Rowan's advise did John take seriously. However, his mother Eadgyth would make the final decision since she was the Regent. After hearing the nobles and a priest argue for almost an hour John dismissed them and was slightly annoyed when all the men turned towards his mother to see if she wanted them to leave. When she gave a slight nodd they all left.

"That was tedious and useless meeting," commented John to his mother.
"A council meeting is never useless. You need to learn how to govern so you are prepared for the future and you will attend, no matter how tedious it is." His mother replied sharply.

John was about to reply when a man interrupted. "Excuse me, Your Grace, but can I have a word with you in private, in the throne room?" asked Stephen. Stephen was the only architect that came with the exiles as such he was in charge of finding homes left by the first group that had lived here for six years before dissappearing.

"Of course, Stephen." John answered quickly before his mother could ask if they would discuss matters of state and if so she needed to come too. John did not want his mother to be there for he knew what Stephen wanted to discuss and no one besides four people could ever know about this.

Stephen and two men had made a startling discovery in the throne room. When he had told John about his findings John had ordered that they not tell anyone about it and under the cover of night to go to the throne room and hide all the evidence deep within the woods. It was the first order John had ever given as King and as such he had went with Stephen and the other men to hide the evidence that night.

Once they were in the throne room John started to questioned Stephen. "Have you found any more?"
"No. I have studied every record of the first group and they were all accounted for except for the five." Stephen gave a shrug and continued in a tired voice, "I believe I have found all their homes and it seems they finished building and planting crops during the second year.Yet the state of the-the bodies suggest they died in 1027 and had been malnourished for quiet sometime, I would say for roughly three or four years. Also I found a journal in one of the houses the last entry states, "We must retreat to the Commander's house for protection from the devils." That was dated 6/12/1025 and this is the Commander's house and seeing this is where all the bodies were found it's safe to say they came here but never left."
John gave a deep sigh and rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "So the story that they died of a plague is definately wrong. They died as the result of a siege."
"But who or what besieged them?"
"Until we know don't tell-"

"Shouldn't they know? They are risking their lives here!" Growled Stephen, his lips curling in disgust.

"You said the first group seems to have started to settle near Green Forest when the 'devils' attacked and the third group disappeared in less then a month. The one thing they had in common was that they went near the West Mountains. Let us assume the 'devils' reside there and we stay away from the mountain we should be alright. I'll have a law pass saying wolves or some other dangerous animals lives near there and if anyone wants to settle near those mountains they need royal permission to do so. When anyone asks they'll recieve a very firm no and anyone how does settle there without permission will be heavily fined and go to jail."

Slowly, Stephen nodded his head in agreement. "What should we do to prepare for an attack?"

"Nothing. We will start trading with other countries and make this island into a power to be reckoned with. That was the first group's mistake; they became isolated. As long as the outside world deals with us we should be safe from the 'devils'. But we will build defenses against our known neighbors. Anyway, the four grown men, who escaped this island, constantly raved about devils in their insanity, prehaps, this plague made men insane and one of those insane men wrote that diary entry. The bodies in here were people not yet affected and they came here for protection then caught it and died."
Stephen silently looked at John for a moment and slowly raised an eyebrow. In this one action Stephen silently reminded John of one more fact.

"Yes, I remember that when we buried the bodies in the woods we found the first group's boat torn to shreds and burnt to a crisp, but if anyone finds a similar journal entry or one of the men tells about what was in this room that is what we will tell them; it was still just a plague or the ravings of a mad man, no more, no less."
"Boy-king, you have become a true king. Lie to your people and have a cover-up." Stephen commented dryly.

"I lie because there is no need to cause mass hysteria when we have no idea who caused their deaths or if they are still here."

"Also people will start raving about witches-" Stephn began.

"Then there will be witch hunts-" Continued John.

" Then people will flee in terror-"

"And since we only have one boat some would be left behind in the mayhem-"

"No one would want to return to the island so-"

"They would die."concluded John.
Stephen smiled grimly. "Like I said you are the King not the Boy-king, who needs help in everything. You could dismiss the council."

John said with fringed innocence and confusion . "But then who would be the scapegoat for when things go wrong?"

Simon's Regret

For the last week Lord Simon had spent more time with Beatrix -his wife- than he had their entire marriage. He did not appriciate the change. Who could blame him? His wife was unattractive and a shrew. Nothing in her character could please a man and she had no talents, Simon mused self-pityingly. Sighing, he pushed himself off the chair and made his way towards the door. He called over his shoulder, "Stop moping and nagging woman." For Beatrix had been wallowing in misery ever since they had stepped foot on that boat and had not stopped even after they had left the boat to move into a small house.

His wife jumped out of her chair and firmly planted herself between him and the door. "I have every right to mope for you lost my family home! I have every right to nag you for you were a fool to support Richard in his idiotic plan!" Her blue eyes narrowed in anger and disgust as she looked at her husband. Her face was twisted into a sneer of pure animosity. Simon shuddered not at her words but at her sneer. Not because it shocked him but because it made her already plain face simply horrific.
"And never once have you apologized to me!" Beatrix added after Simon did not respond.
His green eyes narrowed in anger. Why should he apologize to her? He regretted siding with Richard for he had lost more than Beatrix had.

"I regret joining Richard's rebellion for I lost Juliana." He yelled in anger at Beatrix. But his heart ached as he thought of lovely Juliana's fair limbs and how he could never caressed them again for she had stayed in Emberlin.
Beatrix clasped her hands together and nodded her head eagerly as she said in a false cheerful voice said, "Yes, Simon, please tell me more about Juliana! and how you regret losing your little whore more than you regret losing my family home or getting us exiled."
"Your pathetic merchant family home meant nothing but noble Juliana was priceless."

Beatrix threw back her head and laughed. It was a cruel sound and it sounded more like sobbing than laughter. "It still bothers you? That your family of noble blood lost everything and you had to marry the wealthy upstart merchant's only child." She continued to laugh/sobbing as Simon watched in faint disgust.
"Juliana would never act so improper as you do."

He walked passed her and left the room. Her laughter could still be heard through out the house though it turned into pure sobbing sometime after Simon had left her on the floor. Simon hearing her cries thought longingly for Juliana, who only ever whispered seductively into his ear or chattered gayly with him. He had lost everything and Beatrix still instead she had lost more. Well, she was wrong. She would know he had more reason to be sorrowful if she had been in love once. He did not consider he might be at fault for her never even having the opportunity to love someone in the first place.

A distant Land

19 September 1068 A gentle breeze caressed Wilfreda's face as she listened to the ocean. It was heaven to hear only the soothing sound of waves and not the voices of too many people crowded onto a small ship. She had not realized before what a gift it was to simply be alone. No one to chastise you for being unladylike or for speaking out of turn. Her paradise was shattered by the sound of her mother's voice.

Winfreda opened her eyes to see her mother standing before her. Dahlia was not beautiful but there was something in her that demanded the same things as beauty: admiration, attention and respect. Winfreda had tried to replicate that same allusive quality her mother had but she had failed. Eventually, Winfreda began to believe she could never have that unnamed quality and that it was something only someone quiet and shy like her mother could have.

"Winfreda, do you know why your father and I decided to come with the exiled?" Her mother asked in her usual quiet way. Her blue eyes watching Winfreda with concern and compassion. Winfreda did know why they had come. Her father had risked all to come here in the hopes that his daughter could seduce the ex-prince of Emberlin and the current King of whatever-they-were-calling -this-place. Frankly, Winfreda doubted she could win the heart of the king for she was the opposite of what was concerned beauty. She had dark curly brown hair instead of straight blonde hair and green eyes instead of blue eyes. Also she was not graceful but wild. She longed to run into the ocean and swim away to a distant land where she would not be looked down on because of her gender. But that was impossible.

"We left because father wants me to marry the prince and failing that become his mistress." She answered boldly. She imagined her mother would scold her for saying something so unladylike or to lie and say her father had no intention of her becoming a mistress. Instead her mother hugged her tightly without saying anything. In that one action Winfreda knew it was not her imagination that made her think her father wanted her to share the King's bed whether as his wife or as a ruined woman just as long as she was there to gain riches for her family.

She wanted to go into the ocean and flee to a distant land where she as a person was appreciated not as an object to be used for others benefits. But she had already gone on a ship that carried her to a distant land with the promise of a better future but the future before her was the same future as the one in Emberlin. A marriage of convenience not love. Filled with years of bearing children and if she was lucky only one child would die before its time. This new unnamed country promise of change was hallow except for the men. In that way this country was exactly the same as the old. Men had endless choices and futures while women had only two: marry or become a nun.

Anna's new love

12 September 1068 "Why do we have to leave Emberlin?" Anna complained to her brother Aaron. Anna was the type of girl who loved shoes, dresses, jewelry and all that was shiny. She did not want to go to a strange new land where people would face many hardships. She did not want to say goodbye to all her friends, especially to Thomas. No, Anna loved life among the nobles of Emberlin and did not wish to leave. And why should they? Only her father had betrayed the king and he had died during the first battle. Surely, King Harold would not punish her for her father's mistakes? She realized then her brother had not answered her question. She looked up from the shirt she had been embroidering and soon wished she hadn't. For she found herself looking into the dark blue eyes of the Duchess of Wellington, her mother.

"We are leaving because we are cousins to the king. And though are bodies pulse with the blood of ancient kings we are broke. Thanks to your father the great fool," said Catherine dryly. "Also this increases the odds of you getting a glorious marriage."
"How? I would be married to a traitor. For the island will be full of nothing but traitors and most likely I would be married to a broke traitor." Besides none could be as handsome as Thomas ,Anna silently added.
"You know that John will be King of this new country and he is how old?"
"Fifteen, soon to be sixteen."
"And your age is?"
"Sixteen."
Her mother looked expectantly at Anna as if the reason for their move should now be obivous. It wasn't. Anna had no clue what her mother was getting at. She lifted her shoulders in a helpless shrug and her mother blinked rapidly several times.

Catherine's face fell as she registered Anna's puzzled look. "Mon Dieu! Comment mon plan de réussir si elle repose sur une fille folle." She murmured angrily. "I hope to marry you to John." Catherine turned sharply her black skirt flaring out around her as she left the room. For a moment Anna fancied that death in its black robes had visited her and had decided not to kill her. Not out of mercy but because Death foresaw Anna would participate in a dark tragedy that he would find immensely amusing. The feeling soon past and a new fancy came upon her. She saw herself wearing a purple dress with gold embroidery and a golden crown on her head. She quickly lost her love for Thomas because a more stronger love had taken root in her heart. A love for a golden crown.

She remembered her mother's mutturing in French. She asked her brother what their mother had said.
He pretended to think about it for a while. Then he said thoughtfully, "You might not want to know."
Anna didn't care what her mother had said, not really. For Anna felt that day her fate had been decide. She would be Queen and have power over life and death. She did not realize it but she was uncannily right and hopelessly wrong at the same time.

Agatha's Great Idea

12, September 1068 Baldwin heard the old wooden door open and shut proclaiming his wife had come home. He smiled as Agatha pulled out a chair however his smile flattered and died turning into a hard scowl. The cause was his wife's jewelery; gold earings and a matching neckless delicaltely shaped. They were too fine for a humble sailor's wife there was only one way Agatha came by that jewelry.

Agatha, how could you steal Lady Stella's jewelry? She'll fire you for sure." If she chose to be merciful and not report the theft. Agatha waved her hand and Baldwin's concerns aside. "I didn't steal them, yew fool. Lady Stella and 'er husband made a run for it after Richard was arrested since they had supported him. It was a mad house at their manor all the servants grabbing something they left behind in their haste. Sadly, most was gone when I got there but I managed to snag some fine dresses and jewelry."
"Couldn't you have stolen something more useful," grumbled Baldwin.

"Ah, you'll soon see I have just made our fortunes," her eyes gleamed with excitement as she asked, "Have you heard what they plan to do to Lady Eadgyth?" Baldwin shook his head, what did it matter what they did to the ex- Queen or whatever she was being called now.
"They're exiling her and her children! Not just them but the nobles, who were for Richard, are being offered either death by the axe or banishment also disgruntled subjects are allowed to go with them. Don't you see? You can already talk like a nobleman and I can dress the part of a noblewoman an with a quarter of the nobles already fled to various countries in Europe and the rest soon to join Eadgyth we could pretend to be nobles and no one will know we're lying!" She started to speak quickly for she knew Baldwin would interrupt her and tell her the idea was absurd. "You can pretend to be part of the Gruffudd family- heaven knows that family is as numerous as the stars in the sky- we could tell them you were disinherited because you married me, a peasant."

Baldwin leaned back in his chair considering Agatha's idea. What she proposed was dangerous but it was well thought out and they could get away with it. Baldwin did sound like a nobleman since the merchant he worked for had taught Baldwin how to properly pronounce words when he realized that Baldwin could sell anything.The Gruffudd house was so numerous most Gruffudds never met half of their cousins or knew of their existence in the first place. Also the Gruffudds were known to be very prideful so anyone would find it easy to believe Baldwin was disinherited for marrying a peasant. "Fine, we'll do it." he agreed cheerfully as an after thought he asked, "Where are they going, anyway?"

Agatha smiled charmingly and said in a false casual tone, "Oh they're being exiled to Amboria island." No matter how much Baldwin sounded like a noble he still had a peasant's superstition and the mention of Amboria island aroused his belief in old wive's tales and his dread of them made him go into a panic . "Amboria island? Are you mad! Four different groups tried to settle there and not one person lived to tell what happened to them! Go to that accursed island by choice? Never!" He's voice was not booming with anger but was shrill from fear.
Agatha patiently waited out Baldwin's out burst and tried to persuade him there was nothing to fear. "The first group lived there at least six years and five men and a child made it off the island safely."
"That was over forty years ago! They might have lasted six years but by the time they returned they were stark raving mad. Kept muttering dire warnings of how the end was coming and how the demons had slaughtered them! Only the boy was sane but I hear it said somethings not right about him. How he never looks at someone but through them as if he can see their very soul."

"It was just some disease that killed them and made the rest insane. Anyway, the other groups were small they probably did not plant enough food or their ship sunk on the way to Amboria Island. No need to say ancient curses or some other hogwash was behind their failure. When it can be explain by natural causes."

"We are going to that island as nobles, no matter what rumors there are about ancient curses." Her hazel eyes held a clear warning that Baldwin had better not argue for she would not tolerate any objections he had. "Fine, we'll go," he snapped.
"Good. Now what do you want for supper."

He gave a little shrug. It did not seem to matter much what they eat when his wife had decided they would go on an island that was likely to murder them while they slept. As his wife cooked Baldwin remembered the previous sunday sermon where the priest claimed women were put on earth because God intended them to serve men. Only a single man would believe that thought Baldwin sourly, if a priest was married for a week, only one short week, he would realize that that idea was as ludircrous as saying a rabbit could be turned into a wolf.