The queen smiled tenderly. 'Beautiful, and far too good for this baron's son, but
Together they descended into the hall where Sir Udolf, Alexander Givet, and the bridegroom awaited them with the priest. The two fathers were garbed in long dark furred robes. The bridegroom, however, wore a dark green tunic that came to his knees, and black breeches beneath. The king was present, silent in a dark heavily furred velvet robe that touched the stone floor of the house. The young prince was by his side. He gave Alix a mischievous wink that made her smile.
The priest, Sir Udolf, Alexander Givet, and the bridegroom all stood at the high board upon the dais. Alix came slowly to join them.
'The contracts for the marriage between Hayle John Watteson and Alix Margot Givet have been drawn up and approved by Holy Mother Church as well as Sir Udolf Watteson and Alexander Givet, the parents of the parties involved. It but remains for the bridal couple to sign the agreement,' the priest said, and he held out the quill to the bridegroom.
Hayle Watteson took it, placing a careless X where the priest pointed. Then he returned the quill to the cleric, who handed it to Alix.
Taking it, she carefully wrote out her name, Alix
Both fathers and the queen stepped forward to sign as witnesses, adding their names on the parchment document. When they had all finished, the priest sanded the signatures. 'It but remains for us to adjourn to the church now so this couple may be properly blessed, and their union may be formally sealed.' He rolled the parchments up, binding them with a small strip of leather. Leaving them upon the high board, he led the bridal party from the hall.
They left the house, which was at one end of Sir Udolf's village of Wulfboro, and walked to its other end, where the small church was situated. The village street was lined with silent villagers who stood watching them as they passed. Inside the empty church, Alix and her husband knelt before the altar. The priest blessed them, and then he celebrated a short Mass. When the Mass had been concluded, he pronounced them husband and wife. They departed the church and returned to the house. The street was empty now.
'They hate you for taking Maida's place as my wife,' Hayle told her cruelly. 'She is with child. It was her wedding gift to me. Maida will bear my first son.'
Alix felt as if her spirit was being crushed by his words. 'Could you not at least be civil to me on our wedding day, my lord? It is not my fault that your lover is of low birth. You know I should not have married you at all were it not for my father.'
'You are no better than a whore,' he told her. 'Maida loves me. She asks nothing of me in return but my love, and I gladly give it to her. But you have whored for your place here. You had best prove quickly fruitful so that my sacrifice not be in vain.'
'Your sacrifice? What of mine?' Alix demanded of him.
'Whore!' he said coldly.
Sir Udolf had arranged a feast for the entire village, and his hall was filled when they returned. The beer was already flowing freely. Alix sat at the high board numb with her misery. She watched as her husband danced with the villagers, quickly realizing that the lovely dark-haired girl whose side he never left was his mistress, Maida. The baron was obviously shamed by his son's behavior, but Alexander Givet was furious.
'Have you no control over your offspring that you would allow him to embarrass my daughter?' he demanded of the baron. 'And on their wedding day too.'
'What can I do?' the baron said helplessly, and he turned to Alix. 'Forgive him, my daughter. He is young, and he is a fool to boot. It will do no good to lock him up, for his resentment towards you would be even worse. Give me a grandchild, and I will, protect you as long as I live.'
'I should never have allowed my daughter to marry your son,' Alexander Givet said furiously. 'God forgive me! God forgive me!'
'It's all right, Papa,' Alix tried to reassure him. 'Hayle is behaving like a child because he did not get his own way. But I am his wife, and I shall be the mother of his heir. Then all will be well. I don't want you to worry.' Privately, however, Alix was not pleased with her new husband's behavior. He did behave like a child. A ten-year- old. What was the matter with him, anyway? He had agreed he would not shame her publicly, but then she recalled he hadn't agreed. She had asked it of him, but he had never agreed. Was she to be subjected to this sort of behavior forever because he couldn't have his own way? She sighed softly, letting her eyes go to where he danced with his mistress. His whole face was different than the one he usually presented. It was soft and kind. Alix knew, looking at her husband, that he would never present such a face to her.
'Alix is wiser than you, Alexander,' the queen murmured. 'Be still,
When the evening came, the villagers departed and Hayle with them. Sir Udolf took Alix aside, sitting with her by the blazing hearth. 'Do you remember that Hayle spoke of certain conditions for agreeing to your marriage, Alix?'
She nodded. 'I do, but you have never told them to me.'
'I must tell you now.' He looked unhappy. 'My son feels coupling with you is a betrayal of his mistress. Therefore, while he knows he must lay with you if he is to have a legitimate heir, he does not wish to see you while he does his duty by you and by the family. You will be prepared for bed and then left in a totally darkened chamber. And whenever he comes to your bed, the room must be dark. The shutters will be closed and the draperies drawn tightly. I am sorry, but those are his conditions, and I was forced to agree with them else he would not have made this marriage.'
Alix shook her head. 'His mistress is with child,' she said. 'Did you know that, my lord? He told me as we returned from the church.'
'Forgive me, my child!' the baron begged her. 'In time I am certain he will relent and you will warm his heart.'
'He will never relent,' Alix said despairingly, 'but I will do my duty, my lord. You need have no fear of that.' No. For her father's sake she would let Hayle Watteson have her virginity, and she would bear him children. And with Sir Udolf's aid, she would raise her sons to be true gentlemen like her father, like the poor king. She would teach them kindness, respect, and duty. Once she had her children about her, she would be safe even after her father and Sir Udolf were gone.
'Do not go to his bed!' her father said desperately. 'I should rather die in the cold than have you suffer that man a moment. Call the priest and have this union annulled.' And then Alexander Givet began to gasp with his distress. He coughed so hard that his whole body was convulsed, and he collapsed back in his chair.
'Papa!' Alix was immediately by her parent's side. The physician held a napkin to his mouth, and she saw the flecks of blood staining the linen. 'It's all right, Papa. I am content with this marriage. Do not distress yourself any more. I need you and Sir Udolf here with me. You must not fret yourself.' She put the wine cup to his lips now that his coughing had subsided.
Alexander Givet sipped slowly. He was pale, and he felt so weak that he could hardly move himself even to sit up. 'I can't let you do this,
'It is done,' Alix told her parent. She signaled to a young serving man, who came immediately to her side. 'Take my father to his bedspace, and see he is made comfortable for the night. Then sit with him until he sleeps.'
'Yes, mistress,' the young servant said. He had a pleasant face, and did not seem hostile to her as so many of the servants did.
'What is your name?' Alix asked him.
'Wat, mistress' came the reply.
'I will speak to the steward, Wat, for I should like you to look after my father, to be his body servant,' Alix said.
'Thank you, mistress,' Wat answered her. Then he helped Alexander Givet from his chair. 'Lean on me, sir. I am strong.'
'When you are settled, Papa, I will come and bid you good night,' Alix told her father. Then she turned to Sir
