Chapter Twelve #2
Courtly pulled Maximus down to sit again and the two of them sat together, holding hands tightly, as Scott sat down opposite Maximus so he could better see the man. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. He could see how unnerved Maximus was.
“The smithy’s name is Albert, my lord, in case you have forgotten,” Scott finally said.
“As Albert explains it, his daughter perished in childbirth with your son about seven months after leaving Kenilworth. To give you some background, when the smithy realized she was pregnant, he wanted to send word to you but his daughter would not allow it. In her mind, since the two of you could not be together, there was no reason to tell you. Therefore, she spent the next several months concealing her pregnancy so no one knew of it. When she finally gave birth, it was in secret. When she died, Albert paid the midwife well not to tell anyone what had happened and that is how the rumor of Mistress Rose dying of a fever was started. Albert did not want his daughter’s legacy to be that of dying to bear a de Shera bastard. ”
Maximus was struggling not to relive those feelings of desolation and sorrow he’d known when Rose had been taken from him but, more than that, he was feeling some rage.
“He is not too proud to try and capitalize on a de Shera bastard’s bloodlines now,” he growled. “He shows up fifteen years later and demands money for the boy.”
Scott shrugged. “He wants what is the boy’s due, as your son,” he said. “But I have not yet spoken to the lad, to be truthful. I have only seen him. Albert keeps him well hidden from us. He says he will not let anyone but you speak with him.”
Maximus shook his head. “That seems quite odd,” he said. “Why keep the boy out of sight? He comes to Isenhall and demands that the boy be recognized as a de Shera, so why keep him hidden?”
Scott could only shake his head. “You are here now, my lord,” he said. “Mayhap you can find out.”
Find out, indeed. Maximus looked at Courtly, who squeezed his hand encouragingly. “Do you want me to come with you?” she asked softly. “I will accompany you if you wish it.”
Maximus thought on that. Then, he reached out to touch her cheek. “Would you mind if I went alone?” he asked softly. “This is something… I suppose I must reconcile it myself at first. I think I should go it alone for our first meeting.”
Courtly kissed him on the cheek. “Go, then,” she said. “I will be here. Send for me if you need me.”
Grateful, Maximus kissed her hands, her forehead, before rising and following Scott from the keep.
Out in the bailey of Isenhall, the sky above was bright blue and the warmth milder than it had been in weeks.
It was a generally pleasant day and as Maximus and Scott descended the steps leading from the keep, Maximus could see Violet and Lily as they ran about and chased each other.
Gallus and Jeniver were watching them but when Gallus looked over and caught Maximus’ attention, Maximus waved the man over.
“I am going to see the lad now,” Maximus said as Gallus came near. “Courtly is going to wait for me in the keep, but you… I think I should like you to go with me. Will you come?”
Gallus nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Where is the lad?”
Scott spoke. “In the knights’ quarters,” he replied. “I will wait here with Lady de Shera unless you wish for me to accompany you.”
Maximus shook his head. “Gallus will attend me,” he said. “But I thank you for your skill and wisdom in this situation, Scott. It could not have been an easy one.”
Scott smiled knowingly. “You are welcome, my lord,” he said. “I wish you luck in your conference with the boy.”
With that, Maximus and Gallus continued on to the knights’ quarters which was really just a series of connecting rooms built against the eastern wall of Isenhall, to the east of the keep and great hall.
Much like everything else at Isenhall, they were crammed together because of the lack of space within the walls, but the rooms were still fairly comfortable.
There was a larger common room and then six smaller sleeping chambers.
Maximus opened the door to the common room, a heavy, oak door that was latticed with iron strips.
The panel creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room beyond that smelled heavily of smoke and dirty men.
As his eyes grew accustomed to the dim light, he could see the remnants of a meal on the table and a fire burning low in the hearth.
He remained at the door until his eyes began to grow more in tune with the darkness of the room, as knights were taught not to enter a situation they could not clearly see.
That training kicked in with both him and Gallus, but as they lingered by the door, they heard a quiet voice come from the corner over to the left.
“Sir Maximus?”
Maximus turned sharply in the direction of the voice, seeing a big, round, human shape and little more. “Identify yourself,” he commanded.
The figure stood up with a grunt, laboriously shuffling towards Maximus and into the light.
Maximus’ gaze fell on the face and he immediately recognized Rose’s father, the smithy.
A definitive shock ran through his veins because he realized, now, that there could be very little chance of a mistake as far as the reasons behind the man’s visit.
He recognized the smithy and the smithy, most definitely, recognized him.
“It is A-Albert, m’lord,” the smithy said, stammering. “I was at K-K-Kenilworth when you knew my daughter. D-Do you remember me?”
Maximus nodded slowly, with confirmation. “I do,” he said, unbalanced and apprehensive. “I have been told why you have come. Where is the lad?”
Albert wasn’t finished studying Maximus yet.
His old, dark eyes were riveted to the middle de Shera brother, reacquainting himself with the man his daughter had been so deeply in love with.
The reason why his daughter died. When Maximus lifted his eyebrows at the man, expecting an answer, Albert smiled weakly, embarrassed that he had been caught in reflection.
“F-Forgive me, m’lord,” he said. “Seeing you reminds me of my Rosie. The last t-time I saw you was nearly the last time I saw her.”
Maximus’ composure took a hit but he hid it well.
Memories of Rose began to fill him as well.
“The same thing could be said for you,” he replied quietly.
He regarded the man a moment, re-familiarizing himself with the old and lumpy features.
“If this lad you have brought is truly my son, why haven’t I known about him before now? ”
The smile on Albert’s face faded. He looked much older than Maximus remembered him, lines of sorrow and hopelessness on his face.
He averted his gaze, grasping for the nearest chair and sitting his big, jelly-like body down.
When he spoke, his gaze was distant, as if remembering things he’d rather not have recalled.
There was grief in his memories, long past.
“I-I was respecting Rose’s wishes, m’lord,” he said quietly.
“She did not want you to k-know of the boy. She did not want you to f-feel obligated, I suppose. She said that the c-child belonged to her, as it would b-be the only thing she ever had of you. But C-Cassius is older now and I-I cannot provide for him as I would like to. I-I am old and it is hard to work my trade, as m-my hands are painful and swollen. When C-Cassius started to go hungry because there was no b-bread, I knew I had to seek you out. It is not fair to C-Cassius not to have benefit of the de Shera name.”
That explained quite a bit and Maximus was starting to feel sad and sorrowful for many reasons. A dead love, a starving son… aye, he was coming to feel quite emotional about the situation. He glanced at Gallus, who had much the same expression on his face.
“So you have brought the boy to me now,” Maximus said softly. “How old he?”
“He has seen f-fifteen years, m’lord,” Albert replied. “He was b-born on the first of December of the year we left Kenilworth.”
Maximus thought quickly back to the last time he had bedded Rose and realized that an early December birth would have fit quite nicely into that time frame.
Much like Tiberius, Maximus could remember the slightest detail from two minutes ago to twenty years ago.
His memory was perfect in every aspect so he clearly remembered the last time he and Rose had been together and the timeline for the birth was feasible, indeed.
He braced himself for what was to come next, the inevitable introduction.
He was both anxious and excited about it.
“Then let me see him,” he said. “Let me see if he is, indeed, my son.”
Albert nodded, resigned, and called over his left shoulder. “Cass?” he lifted his voice. “C-Cass, come out here, if you would.”
They could hear a door opening down the short corridor where three sleeping rooms were located. Albert laboriously stood up and moved to the corridor entry just as a young man appeared.
The lad was very big for his age, dressed in a ragged tunic and hose, with broad shoulders and shaggy, brown hair. In fact, it was the first thing Maximus noticed. The lad had his hair. Already, the boy looked like him. But when the lad lifted his face, it was Gallus who gasped.
“God’s Bones,” Gallus muttered. “He looks just like you.”
Maximus drank in the first sight of a boy who was, in fact, an indisputable de Shera.
There was absolutely no question in his mind as his gaze moved over the strong features, the square jaw, and the dark green eyes beneath dark brows.
He had the handsome lines and the intelligent features. He was a de Shera to the bone.
“He looks like Father,” Maximus murmured, stunned.
Gallus shook his head. “He looks like you.”
Maximus forced himself past his shock and lifted a hand, motioning the lad forward. “Come into the light,” he said. “Let me see you more clearly.”