Author's Note: Tim413413, as always, has my thanks. Stories write themselves, I have yet to teach them to edit themselves.
*****
The kingdoms met again the next day, this time with Uri. Our dislike for each other was present in the room although it was tempered by the two kings. Uri was informed of our progress, and he had insight I did not expect. He had a tactical mind and bettered the plans. It was hard to accept his contributions, and separate them from my dislike. I did so, for the kingdom's sake.
Uri pulled me aside after we had finished. I assumed he meant to mend fences, something I was not opposed to do. The first statement convinced me it was not to be.
"You will bed my sister after the wedding?" Uri asked rudely. My ire rose, but I gritted my teeth. If we would come to blows, the alliance would weaken or dissolve.
"There will be an heir, if that is what you ask," I replied, thinking perhaps blows would not be a bad thing. Uri nodded his head as if he had not insulted me with his question.
"If you do it quickly, she will learn how it is with a man," Uri continued, "she will not continue in shame. Mylle can return with me so it does not happen again." His ignorance of his sister was shocking. That he thought I would be complicit was appalling. His mind was rigid on the subject.
"If the Bear calls, I will be there with all I can muster," I said evenly, though it was a struggle, "know that I will protect my wife, your sister, with my life. Beyond that, your concerns are not mine." I left him there, seething. Further talk would have not gone well.
<<<<<>>>>>
As the wedding approached, I liked it less and less. It was not the wife I would gain rankling me, it was the ceremony. Angelica teamed up unendingly with the two queens. Be that a woman preferred a man or a woman seemed to not matter. They all seemed to be entranced by the ceremony, and grew it larger by the day. I had endless fittings for clothes I would wear only once. People were arriving from parts far away, filling my days with endless greetings and repetitive talk. Alia and Mylle were given wedding duties isolated from mine. Tedious boredom invaded, and with no one to share it with, I became sullen.
The day before the wedding was the lowest. The castle was like an anthill. People were going everywhere on unknown duties. It was all I could do to stay out of the way. My frustration hit its limit, and I stormed off to the stable in huff.
Storm seemed oblivious to it all. The stables were filled to overflowing, yet he was content with it all. I adorned his tackle myself; Cory and the other hostlers were already overtaxed. I rode off with no one missing me, the groom's part being a small one.
It felt good to feel the cold wind on my face. I had a sense of freedom as Storm happily kicked into a cantor. I momentarily thought of riding on, and never coming back. It was a nonsensical thought that put a grin on my face. I could never leave Alia, or Angelica for that matter. Mylle would panic over my loss. No, I would be at the wedding. I would just forget about it for now.
Storm and I ran past the fallow fields and through the forest along a wagon path. I allowed him a drink at the small creek that passed calmly through the trees, and then headed for the rolling grasslands beyond. Unshorn sheep, their coats thick and disorderly, were grazing on a hillside. The grass had long gone brown. It could not have been tasty if you eat that sort of thing. I rode through the flank of the flock and they scattered at bit. A shout from the top of the hill caught my attention.
A young man, of mayhap fifteen winters, had risen from the ground and called out to me. Actually, I believed he was yelling at me. I turned Storm up the hill, and confronted him.
"I will thank you Sir to not scatter my livelihood," the lad yelled as I approached. He was wearing homespun trousers and a shirt. The trousers looked to be held up by woven hemp. His doublet did not seem warm enough for the day, but he was sitting in the sun.
"My apologies, my young Master," I said, bowing my head, "it was wrong of me." I was trying to hold in a smile.
"Accepted," he said without hesitation, "and that will be my excitement for the day." He turned away from me and returned to sitting on a small boulder sticking out of the earth. His eyes lazily returned to his charges. He picked up some blades of grass he had been braiding earlier, and began weaving them again. I envied him.
I dismounted and wrapped Storm's lead around a bush that had lost its leaves to the season. The lad looked over questioningly, but made no movement of fear. He felt secure on his perch.
"It is a nice day, as winter goes," I offered.
"Aye," the lad returned, "and no storm on the horizon." I looked around and saw much of the kingdom from up here. The castle looked small and quiet which belied the activity going on inside.
"You chose a pleasant view," I said.
"If you have to watch sheep," the lad continued, "you might as well please the eye." He was older than I had first thought. Or mayhap acted older. I sat down on the ground next to him. He, surprisingly, thought nothing of it.
"This is a good life you have here." I smiled as I said it. It was calm, and the sheep mostly silent. It felt like we were the only two people in the world.
"Boring is the word I use, Sir," the lad replied. He pointed to the castle. "That is where I would rather be." I almost laughed, but covered it by clearing my throat.
"That is all closed inside stone walls," I argued, "you have wide open spaces and the sky. There is no one directing your day. How can a castle be better."
"I would have a right fine woman, Sir," he said brightly. He looked to me. "My cousin saw her, the princess. He saw her ride in, long red hair and an angel face. You have to be born there to have a woman like that."
"I am sure pretty women are everywhere," I continued, "you tell me there is not someone who sparks your fancy."
"Not like the princess," he said, like I was an idiot, "you and I will surely find our share, but women like that, all fancy and fit to dance with, are not for sheepherders. Anyway, she will be wed on the morrow."
"So, there is to be a wedding?" I feigned ignorance.
"Aye, the king has been buying up everything. Part of my flock will be on the table." He looked over to me with dreams in his eyes. "Can you imagine the feast, the dancing and all the fine clothes. They will be talking about it for years." I suddenly felt guilty for loathing the ceremony. I had not thought there would be those who envy it.
"I would rather think it would be tedious," I said.
"Sit out here for a few years, Sir," the lad shook his head, "you will think differently." I smiled at his reasoning.
