Gentle Warrior

'Nay, my lord. I have paid a pence and one-half for the privilege of keeping two pigs within the area, and I was but checking on them.'

'Uhmmm,' Geoffrey grumbled. He stared at the man before him for a long minute while the crowd shuffled from foot to foot.

'I find you innocent, Mendel.'

The crowd was pleased. A cheer rolled through the crowd and Elizabeth smiled her pleasure.

Elizabeth found herself content to sit beside her husband for the next two hours and listen as one after another came before their lord to state their grievances.

By the time court was done, Elizabeth had a better understanding of how her husband's mind worked. His questions were always direct and to the point; yet when two men told opposite stories, Geoffrey was quick to find the truth. Seeing him as judge made her feel more confident that he would be able to find and punish all those responsible for her family's deaths.

The crowd began to disperse, and Elizabeth thought it wise to excuse herself before her husband turned his attention to her. She had no wish to push him too far with this first lesson in just where her place was.

She was, unfortunately, not quite quick enough. Her husband's hand rested on her arm like the weight of three trebuchets. 'Because Belwain and his men are about, I have today allowed your bold behavior.' He squeezed her arm and added, 'I have made an exception, wife. Do you understand?'

'I hear you, my lord, though I do not know why you are so displeased. My mother always sat beside my father. It is the way of things,' she said, looking at him with innocence.

'It is not the way of things,' her husband answered. His voice had risen in volume and the scar on his cheek grew a starker white against his tanned skin, a dead giveaway, Elizabeth had learned quickly, that he was indeed angry. He applied more pressure on her arm, willing her to lose her calm expression.

'It is not?' Elizabeth asked with as much innocent surprise as she could muster. She placed her hand gently on top of his. 'I have only my parents' example to follow, my lord.'

Geoffrey released the hold on her arm and pulled his hand free. 'It is not proper to touch as this in public, wife.' He sighed when she did not agree with him, knew she did not from the look on her face. Why, she seemed fairly amazed with his statement. 'This is not the time for a discussion, Elizabeth,' he decided aloud.

'Tonight I will take the time to instruct you in your duties and your place.'

'I look forward to the lesson,' Elizabeth replied, trying hard to keep the irritation out of her voice. And tonight I will instruct you, my lord, she thought.

Geoffrey considered his wife, glimpsed her anger, and was surprised by it. Didn't she realize how patient he was being with her? He guessed she did not, and felt great frustration. She had been through a great deal and he knew her emotions were strained to the limit of her endurance. For that reason he would continue to be patient.

Where had he received his ideas? Elizabeth asked herself. Not to touch in public? To show no affection except at night, in the privacy of their bedroom? Ridiculous, she scoffed to herself. There was nothing wrong with husband greeting wife with a kiss, or wife placing a chaste kiss upon her husband's cheek when first they met during the day. Who had raised him? A pack of wolves perhaps? She knew his parents were now dead, Roger had told her that, but what were they like with each other when her husband was a little boy? Did they never show any affection for each other? Perhaps there was no love between them, she decided. But then, there is no love between Geoffrey and myself, yet. It was too soon for love, wasn't it? And wasn't the touching, the showing of consideration for each other, a necessary beginning for true and lasting love to grow? Oh, what a confusion! Elizabeth 's head felt like it was spinning with all the rules her husband kept hinting at. Am I the one so amiss in my thinking? she asked herself. Is it wrong to wish for laughter and shared secrets, an occasional embrace to show a specialness for one's spouse? A longing for these very things brought loneliness and sadness. Without another word to her husband, Elizabeth stood up and took her leave, walking slowly back into the hall. Sara immediately intercepted her, and Elizabeth thankfully put her confusing thoughts concerning her husband and his behavior aside. There was work to be done.

An hour later, Elizabeth felt very much like a limp rag. It appeared to her that no order could be undertaken until Elizabeth herself said the words, sometimes again and again until the servants understood just what she wanted. Most of the servants were untrained in the tasks she requested, and Elizabeth kept her patience. They were doing the best that they could.

'If Gerty breaks another cup we will not have enough for the drinks, Sara,' Elizabeth muttered when she heard a third crash.

Sara might have answered but Elizabeth couldn't hear her over the wail coming from outside. She recognized the voice and knew little Thomas was terribly upset about something. Just as she was about to see what the problem was, the doors burst open and the little boy came flying into the great room. Roger was right on his heels, trying to grab the wolfhounds, who were busy nudging the youngster in his shoulder blades, propelling him along.

'They think you are playing, Thomas.' Elizabeth found she had to yell over his screams to be heard. She grabbed Thor, the bigger of the two animals, by the fur on the nape of his neck, while she watched Roger lunge for and miss the other, falling to the floor with a loud clatter. She almost fell down herself when her brother tackled the back of her knees and clung to her skirts. 'Stop that screaming,' Elizabeth yelled, 'or I will give you something to yell about.'

'Amen to that,' Roger muttered, struggling to stand up. It was a difficult task, for Garth, a most affectionate dog, was standing with front paws on the knight's chest to give him better advantage while he licked at the scowl on Roger's face.

'What is happening here?' Elizabeth and Roger both looked up and saw Geoffrey standing in the doorway. Even little Thomas peeked out from behind

Elizabeth 's back to look at the lord. Elizabeth decided that her husband, legs braced apart and hands on hips, looked quite exasperated. But then, so was she. Another crash resounded in the background, and Elizabeth felt like grinding her teeth in reaction.

'Come here, Thomas,' Geoffrey commanded. His voice was harsh, and Elizabeth immediately wanted to shield her small brother from her husband's anger. She did not think that Geoffrey would harm the lad, but she worried that his hard words would upset her sensitive brother immensely.

Geoffrey pulled the dog off the knight with one sure motion. 'Sit,' he told the animal, and praise be, the dog decided to obey. 'I am waiting, boy,' Geoffrey told her brother, folding his arms across his chest.

Couldn't he use a little gentleness in his tone when addressing such a small child? Elizabeth asked herself. She frowned at her husband, hoping he would see her displeasure and soften his commands.

Little Thomas saw that both dogs had quieted, and making a wide circle around the dog his sister held, he ran to Geoffrey.

'Was that you I heard all the way from the walls, bellowing like an infant?' he asked the boy.

His reference to a baby had the desired effect. Little Thomas quit crying and wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his tunic. 'I do not like them,' he stammered. 'They want to bite my arms off.'

Elizabeth could not keep silent any longer. 'That is nonsense, Thomas,' she snapped. 'See how their tails wag? They only do that when they are happy.'

'I will keep the dogs chained a while longer, Thomas,' Geoffrey said. 'But from now on, it will be your duty to take them their food and see that they have enough water. And if I hear that you have not done this duty, you will be punished. Do you understand me?'

'I will do it, my lord,' Thomas answered. 'And I won't be afraid. If the dogs are tied, they cannot bite me.'

Geoffrey let out a sigh and nodded. 'No, they cannot bite you, and after you have seen to their food, they will grow to rely on you.'

'Mistress?' Sara called from behind. 'The new vat of ale has been spilled. It was an accident.'

Elizabeth closed her eyes against Sara's excuse for yet another accident. 'See that it is cleaned up, Sara,' was her only reply.

'I will chain the dogs,' Roger interrupted. 'Lad, you come with me.'