Chapter 5 #2
“Raven! Where have you been?” growled her father. “Come and meet Lord Belmouth from Manchester and Lord Whitehead from Liverpool. They will be competing in the tournament to win your hand in marriage and they requested to make your acquaintance ahead of time.”
Raven’s heart dropped in her chest. Just like his name, Lord Belmouth had a wide mouth on him that reminded her of a bell or possibly a frog.
He was also probably closer to her father’s age than he was to hers.
Lord Whitehead, on the other hand, didn’t have white hair like his name implied.
As a matter of fact, the man didn’t have any hair at all.
His round, shiny head gleamed in the firelight of the candles and torches lining the great hall.
His ears stuck out like a donkey, and drooped down a little on both sides, reminding her of the ears of her hounds.
It sickened her to even imagine being married to either of these men.
After Jonathon’s soft hair had brushed across her cheek and encompassed them like being in a tent, thinking of Lord Whitehead atop her with no hair at all made her want to retch.
She couldn’t stop thinking of Jonathon’s mouth so close to hers as well.
His lips looked strong and enticing. Not too wide, not too small.
Just perfect for kissing. Looking back at Lord Belmouth, his lips looked more like a fish now than a frog.
She could only imagine the feel of him slobbering all over her body.
It sent a shiver of disgust right through her.
Something cold and wet touched her hand at exactly the same moment that she had the thought. It made her jump. She gasped, pulling back her hand to see that it was only her hound.
“Brindy, you scared me,” she said, hunkering down to pet the dog and kiss it on the head.
Her other dog, Copper, jumped up on Lord Whitehead, wagging its tail.
“Nay! Get that slobbery mongrel away from me.” Lord Whitehead pushed it away and stepped back, holding up his palms.
“So sorry, my lord.” It was Jonathon who came forward. He stepped in front of Raven, grabbing the dog by Lord Whitehead, and hunkering down to hold it. Copper licked his face, making him chuckle. It was as if he didn’t even mind being slobbered upon. “You need to stop being so friendly.”
Raven stood up. “I don’t think Lord Whitehead was acting friendly at all toward my dog.”
Jonathon looked up at Raven, then over to Lord Whitehead, and back again before he spoke softly. “I was speaking to the dog.”
“Raven, how many times do I need to tell you that your hounds aren’t welcome in the great hall when we have guests?” Corbett raised his chin, looking out into the room. “Where is the kennelgroom? He needs to take these dogs outside anon.”
“I’m not sure, my lord,” answered one of his men from nearby.
“I’ll take them,” offered Jonathon, starting to walk away, and then stopping and turning back to Raven. “What are their names?” he asked.
“Copper and Brindy,” Raven told him.
“Come on, Copper. Let’s go, Brindy.” Jonathon bent over and motioned the dogs to him.
“They won’t go with you. They don’t know you.” Raven’s mouth fell open as both dogs eagerly ran over to Jonathon, wagging their tails. He reached down and petted them behind the ears. “I’ll return momentarily,” he told the others, starting out of the great hall with both the dogs at his heels.
“Raven, yer hounds sure seem to like Jonathon,” said Lark with a smile, watching the man leave.
“Aye. I suppose they do,” she answered, wondering what it was about the armorer that made her dogs so fond of him.
“Who is that man?” asked Lord Belmouth.
“He’s no one,” Raven quickly answered.
“He’s my cousin’s personal guard,” Lark spoke up, making Raven cringe. She was starting to wish that Lark hadn’t accompanied her here after all.
“Personal guard?” asked Belmouth with a chuckle. “I doubt that man even knows how to use a weapon.”
“Who is he?” asked Whitehead. “He’s dressed like a castle guard, but certainly doesn’t act like one. He almost seems familiar.”
“Jonathon is here by my request,” explained Corbett. “He’s here temporarily to help out for the tournament.”
“Doing what?” chuckled Whitehead. “Tending to the hounds?”
“I think I know who he is,” said Belmouth. “Isn’t he that armorer from town? I’m sure of it. I’ve used his services once, long ago.”
“He’s also a mercenary,” Raven informed them, wanting the men to stop belittling Jonathon. For some reason it bothered her.
“Mercenary?” Whitehead looked over to Corbett. “You’ve got a mercenary guarding your daughter?”
“How can you even trust someone like that?” asked Belmouth. “Mayhap you should hire someone to keep an eye on the likes of him instead.”
“Gentlemen, I think this meeting is over,” said Corbett in a dismissing manner.
Raven looked over at her father who seemed as if he were trying to bite his tongue rather than to reply to their comments. “I’ll see you to the door.”
“Nay, wait,” said Belmouth, looking over at Raven. “I wanted to get to know my possible bride-to-be.”
“Me too,” complained Whitehead. “Let me take her on a ride through the country.”
“Nay,” said Raven, her eyes flashing over to Lark who looked just as terrified as she by the thought of being alone with either one of them.
“I have another appointment. Good day.” She picked up her skirts and all but ran to the door of the great hall with Lark keeping up with her pace.
Thankfully, Raven’s father didn’t command her to stay.
Raven didn’t stop until she made it out into the courtyard and into the fresh air.
“Raven?” Her mother was conversing with some of the noblewomen over by the well. She excused herself and came over to join them. “How did the meeting with the lords go?” asked Lady Devon with a smile.
“They are horrible, Mother. They are true monsters. I don’t want anything to do with either of them.”
“What?” Devon’s smile faded.
“I agree, they were rather nasty,” added Lark, in Raven’s defense.
“Not to mention old and ugly,” added Raven under her breath.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Devon. “Well, there will be many other suitors, so hopefully you’ll find someone you like.”
“Suitors? I wouldn’t call any of them that.
More like hungry competitors out for the dowry, is all.
What does it matter, anyway?” snapped Raven.
“I don’t seem to have a choice in whom I marry.
If Lord Whitehead or Lord Belmouth wins the tournament, I’ll have to marry one of them!
My life is over.” Raven’s emotions raged within her.
She needed to hit something before she exploded.
Raven ran off, leaving her mother and Lark behind. She wanted to get away and think. As she raced for the stable to get her horse, she passed by the kennels. Jonathon stepped out and she barreled right into him.
“Whoa, there,” said Jonathon, catching her by the shoulders and righting her so she wouldn’t fall. “We need to stop colliding like this, my lady.”
“I’m not a horse, so don’t tell me whoa and speak to me as if I were,” she snapped, still upset about what had just transpired inside the great hall.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” As his hands slipped from her shoulders, Raven felt his warmth go with them. After meeting those two awful noblemen, being in Jonathon’s presence felt so much nicer, and actually calming.
“Nay. I’m sorry,” she told him with a shake of her head, regaining her composure. “I didn’t mean to sound so shrewd with you here, or in the kitchen earlier either. I’m just upset, that’s all.” She stepped back and looked the other way.
“I see,” he answered, sounding as if he knew the problem. “Well, the lords are leaving so I am guessing your meeting is over?”
“I-I suppose so.” She bit her bottom lip, still not looking at him.
“Were you going somewhere, my lady?”
“I usually go to the practice yard when I’m upset, but today I was planning on going for a ride to clear my head.”
“I’ll saddle your horse for you, and go with you. Let me accompany you to the stable.”
Raven looked over to see the lords approaching the stable to get their horses. She quickly changed her mind, wrapping her arms around her. “I don’t think I’ll go for a ride after all. Not now.”
Jonathon’s head turned to see the reason. “Perhaps you could show me the blacksmith’s shop then,” he suggested. “I will be living there until after the tournament, and I haven’t seen it in years.”
“Oh.” Her arms fell to her sides. “Of course. It’s right over there. I can show it to you.”
“I’d like that,” he said, holding out his arm to accompany her.
Raven wasn’t used to this. It felt awkward and much too intimate to be taking the arm of a commoner. “I’ll just walk next to you.”
He looked surprised, not to mention disappointed. Slowly, he lowered his arm. “Of course. Whatever you desire, my lady.”
They walked in silence to the building that contained the forge.
Jonathon opened the door to the forge and stopped in his tracks. It took a moment for his eyes to get accustomed to the dark. The bright sun spilled into the room, slowly revealing the place to him.
“This is the forge and where our last blacksmith lived,” said Raven from behind him.
“I barely remember it, since it has been so long since I’ve been here.” Jonathon took a few steps into the room and Raven followed.
“It smells so smoky in here.” Raven wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know how anyone could work here, let alone live here.”
Jonathon turned to look at her. “It’s the life of a blacksmith, and takes a while to get used to,” he told her. “Before too long you’ll not even notice the smell anymore.”
“Oh,” she said, looking around the darkened room. “I’ve only been in here a few times, since I try to avoid it. I don’t really know much about it, so I’m not sure what to tell you.”
“You don’t need to tell me anything about it. I will manage.” Jonathon walked over to a window and threw open the shutters, letting in the fresh breeze.