Keeping the King's Ward
an excerpt

Chapter 2

A se’nnight later the call came for riders. Grateful that I had already changed into skirts, I went to speak to the scout. He reported that the entourage coming was carrying my father’s colors. I was impressed as my brother had to have made his fortune if he could afford, a wife, an entourage and from the sound of the horn in the distance, a herald. Beacan came striding up from the lists and gave the command to close the gates. He strode to the watchtower to climb up the walls. I followed like a duckling curious as to why he would lock my brother out of the keep. It certainly did not seem like a strategy to get on his good side.
Once we were on the top without listeners Beacan explained, “We do not know this is your brother and I for one will not disgrace your father and your brother for letting his entire party past the gates untested.” I nodded my understanding. “You will stay out of sight until I call for you, as it is acceptable for me to bar the doors to any and all petitioners, but if your brother is anything like the lad sent out of here, he will not take well to you doing the same.” We didn’t have long to wait for the party to come riding up to the gates.
“Open up you simpletons, it’s me!”
‘Well’ I thought acerbically, ‘he certainly didn’t pick up much in the way of intelligence, ‘it’s me’ indeed.’ Beacan stepped into view.
“Stand and deliver soldier! Why are you wearing Lord Hoel’s colors?”
“You dunce, it’s me, Edan.” Finally Edan took off his helmet. His brown hair, cut short spiked off of his head. He looked almost eerily like her father.
“Forgive me my lord,” said Beacan without the faintest trace of remorse in his voice, “I did not know you at first.” He then ordered the gates opened and half dragged half pushed me down the stairs to meet my brother. We arrived in front of the gates in enough time to dust myself off and arrange my skirts and hair into something approaching propriety. Edan rode through the gate looking around. He dismounted slowly. A young woman rode in beside him, who must have been his wife. I was happy to see that she was around my age. I was half fearing having to deal with a crying 13 year old. Closer inspection revealed the reason my brother married her. Hopefully the trip did not induce false birthing pains as I had heard sometime happened.
She rode right up beside me, did not spare me a glance and called imperiously to Edan. My brother with all the gallantry I had ever seen him display ordered one of the men to aid her off the horse. Finally in his silent gawping his gaze rested on me.
“Gryffyn? Saint’s I don’t believe it. Is it really you?” His wife favored me with the ugliest look I had ever received. I merely smiled; an action which precipitated a fierce hug that squeezed all the breath from my lungs.
“Put me down you ruffian!” He finally dropped me with a grin and turned to hold a hand out to the blonde.
“Gryffyn, I would like you to meet Oriana, Ori, meet my little sister Gryffyn.” Instead of lightening, her countenance only darkened.
“If this is how northern women normally dress, I hope you do not expect me to follow.” I recognized her accent as the same as a slave that died years ago. The slave had been Saxon. Saying nothing I turned to my brother in shock. He did not excuse his wife’s words, but a deep red streak bannered his cheek bones. I must have said something to Oriana; most likely an inane pleasantry then I turned and asked Edan to speak privately.
We stepped around the watchtower, out of hearing distance and line of sight. “What is her real name Edan?”
“Hildred.”
“So you decided to rename her Oriana and hope that no one would realize what she really is?”
“You go to far Gryffyn, I will be lord of this keep, as confirmed by King Taran and who I marry is no one’s business but my own and the king; and possibly father.”
“If you introduce Oriana to father you will be lord of the keep sooner than you think.”
“Eh?”
“Father is on his death bed Edan, he is hanging on to life by sheer will to see you again, if you introduce your Saxon bride he will recognize her for what she is at once, and die of shock.”
“Stop reprimanding me Gryffyn, I am a man, older than you and more experienced. You have no right to speak to me as if I were a little boy in your keeping. Speaking of which, why are you still here and not birthing brats for one of the local lords.”
“I am here for a few reasons Edan. First of all, father has been ill for a long time. These past few years I have been lord in proxy for father. Do not look at me like that, had I not taken the task then we would have had to ask for help from one of the local lords and you would be riding back to find that your inheritance no longer existed. Also Kilian died shortly after you left and the second betrothed father arranged Calum died on a battlefield not a week ago.” I knew my color was as high as Edan’s. I was aggravated to no end for him to march in and assume position as lord and above all that he sought to judge my actions.
If I was looking for remorse or apology in my brother’s face, I would have been disappointed. He merely looked angry, most likely at me and probably because I had the gumption to speak back to him without cringing. That was fine with me as I was more than a little peeved at him.