wants to see. I have no interest in the matter.” The laugh became an extravagant, and definitely false, yawn. “I will attend the feast tonight, and I shall be well-behaved, but I cannot see what business it is of mine to stand and watch my parents panic about not having enough musicians to entertain a man that would probably prefer to eat in silence.”
Eorwine raised her eyes to the heavens, and then sat down beside the disgruntled girl. Or rather, collapsed by the seated girl – her legs didn’t exactly give way, but they conceded the point to gravity.
“And anyway,” continued Catheryn, warming to her theme and finally opening her eyes and sitting up to face Eorwine, “if my presence is so desperately required at home, then why aren’t my parents themselves coming here to fetch me?”
Eorwine opened her mouth, finally hoping to speak, but Catheryn cut in before she could reply.
“Exactly. They are too busy with the arrangements, and they have not even noticed that I am away from home. I could be anywhere for all that they know. It is you that wants me to return, not them.”
Catheryn looked at her companion to argue against that truth, but she stopped. Eorwine had been a constant in Catheryn’s life for as long as she could remember; a nursemaid when a baby, a playmate when a child, a teacher throughout everything, a confidante when emerging into adulthood, and now…it was difficult to exactly place Eorwine now. Not servant, nor equal, she remained in the house because of past services, and was used occasionally to control Catheryn when her parents could not.
Eorwine sighed. “You are too clever for your own good, my lady,” she said, returning to the more formal style of address now that she had been out-argued. “You speak the truth when you say that the king’s visit is of the utmost importance to your parents. But that does not mean that it should not also be an honour for you.”
Catheryn looked puzzled. “Why should the honour be mine?”
Eorwine rose, heaving herself in a way that made Catheryn try to hide her smile, and smoothing her blue skirts around her. Before she spoke again, she readjusted the belt that was twined around what had probably once been a waist. “Catheryn, you are seventeen. You are an heiress, and if everything goes well tonight, you are practically a nobleman’s daughter. Do you not think it time that you considered marriage?”
Not waiting for a reply, Eorwine trudged back up towards the house, leaving Catheryn sitting alone.
Marriage? Catheryn had certainly thought about it in an abstract sense – she had heard many sagas of lovers determined to fight the fates, and had watched many of their servants try to navigate the delicate pathways of love. But she had never felt…there had never been anyone to fall in love with. Her parents had always been so determined to keep to what her mother called, “our people”, that Catheryn had met very few people her own age.
And anyway, if what Eorwine had said was true, she would soon be considered unmarriageable for many young men. If her parent’s status was raised much higher, the only men she would meet would be those arranged for her – and Catheryn was not sure that she liked the sound of that. If she had to remain with one person for the rest of her life, she’d rather have some say in the choosing.
Catheryn allowed herself to fall back onto the cool grass, but in deference to Eorwine, pulled her skirts back down to her ankles. She closed her eyes. The sun was so warm, and so comforting. Every year it returned the same, and with it its daughter the moon, that grew and died the same every month. The seasons never altered. Why should she?
Chapter Two
As Catheryn lay musing in the field, one pair of eyes watched her from afar.
It was not Eorwine, who had eventually reached the house, and was again out of breath. She had rested against the cool stone, and longed for autumn to return again, and bring with
Eorwine raised her eyes to the heavens, and then sat down beside the disgruntled girl. Or rather, collapsed by the seated girl – her legs didn’t exactly give way, but they conceded the point to gravity.
“And anyway,” continued Catheryn, warming to her theme and finally opening her eyes and sitting up to face Eorwine, “if my presence is so desperately required at home, then why aren’t my parents themselves coming here to fetch me?”
Eorwine opened her mouth, finally hoping to speak, but Catheryn cut in before she could reply.
“Exactly. They are too busy with the arrangements, and they have not even noticed that I am away from home. I could be anywhere for all that they know. It is you that wants me to return, not them.”
Catheryn looked at her companion to argue against that truth, but she stopped. Eorwine had been a constant in Catheryn’s life for as long as she could remember; a nursemaid when a baby, a playmate when a child, a teacher throughout everything, a confidante when emerging into adulthood, and now…it was difficult to exactly place Eorwine now. Not servant, nor equal, she remained in the house because of past services, and was used occasionally to control Catheryn when her parents could not.
Eorwine sighed. “You are too clever for your own good, my lady,” she said, returning to the more formal style of address now that she had been out-argued. “You speak the truth when you say that the king’s visit is of the utmost importance to your parents. But that does not mean that it should not also be an honour for you.”
Catheryn looked puzzled. “Why should the honour be mine?”
Eorwine rose, heaving herself in a way that made Catheryn try to hide her smile, and smoothing her blue skirts around her. Before she spoke again, she readjusted the belt that was twined around what had probably once been a waist. “Catheryn, you are seventeen. You are an heiress, and if everything goes well tonight, you are practically a nobleman’s daughter. Do you not think it time that you considered marriage?”
Not waiting for a reply, Eorwine trudged back up towards the house, leaving Catheryn sitting alone.
Marriage? Catheryn had certainly thought about it in an abstract sense – she had heard many sagas of lovers determined to fight the fates, and had watched many of their servants try to navigate the delicate pathways of love. But she had never felt…there had never been anyone to fall in love with. Her parents had always been so determined to keep to what her mother called, “our people”, that Catheryn had met very few people her own age.
And anyway, if what Eorwine had said was true, she would soon be considered unmarriageable for many young men. If her parent’s status was raised much higher, the only men she would meet would be those arranged for her – and Catheryn was not sure that she liked the sound of that. If she had to remain with one person for the rest of her life, she’d rather have some say in the choosing.
Catheryn allowed herself to fall back onto the cool grass, but in deference to Eorwine, pulled her skirts back down to her ankles. She closed her eyes. The sun was so warm, and so comforting. Every year it returned the same, and with it its daughter the moon, that grew and died the same every month. The seasons never altered. Why should she?
Chapter Two
As Catheryn lay musing in the field, one pair of eyes watched her from afar.
It was not Eorwine, who had eventually reached the house, and was again out of breath. She had rested against the cool stone, and longed for autumn to return again, and bring with
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