Lughar Series: Part IV

Lughar remained in a good mood for several more days, as the court decision was followed shortly afterwards by a meeting with Annalise in Camelot's hall. His daughter had been accompanied by the man, Zellan, and at first hesitant and shy. But the gifts Lughar gave her had softened her a hostility a bit, and the expressions on Zellan's face as he watched them had been priceless. Yes, definite progress had been made.

But that had been over a week ago, and still no word from Seraine about the scheduling of visits. Lughar toyed with the idea of reporting this to the Lord Justice, but after a few moments of thought, decided to wait a bit longer. As much as he would have taken great pleasure in having the Black Watch haul Mistress Dunlevi off to the goal, he knew such action would perhaps widen the rift with his daughter way beyond repair. No, better to hold off on that a while longer. Besides, Seraine might take it into her head to try to flee with the child once more, and that would have additional consequences to savor.

For now, Lughar took to amusing himself by strolling around the castle and the city of Camelot, Joscelyn in tow, the secretary committing to memory the Baron's asides and observations for transfer to parchment when they returned to their rooms.

One crisp October morning found them on yet another walk about Camelot city. Joscelyn reveled in the early autumn sun, the blue sky overhead, and the occasional glimpse of the darker blue sea as they passed streets leading to the waterfront. Lughar seemed more interested in the Merchants Quarter they walked through, watching with a slight smile as master and apprentices hustled about them. His companion saw that look with a bit of apprehension; a smile on Lughar's face often didn't bode well. But the baron continued on pleasantly enough until a bend in the street led them suddenly out into the wider area of the Marketplace.

"I'm hungry!" he announced, and strode purposefully through the crowd to the booth of a pastry vendor they'd bought food from before. Lughar handed the woman a few coppers for two meatpies wrapped in old parchment, and gave one to Joscelyn as they walked away. He pointed to a section of a low wall. "Let's eat these over there, heh?" And for the next few minutes, they sat and ate in a companionable silence broken only by a few comments on how delicious the meatpies were. Lughar wiped gravy from his chin with a laugh and then licked crumbs off his fingers like a young boy.

It was times like these, when Joscelyn caught these rare glimpses of the man Lughar could have been, that the secretary almost forgot the cruelty his liege was capable of showing.

Almost.

Soon enough the pies were finished, the parchment wrappers crumpled and cast aside and Lughar crossed his arms. "Look at them." He nodded at the crowd around them with his chin. "They must not tax them enough here. They're entirely too happy, don't you think? " He turned to grin again at Joscelyn.

At that moment, Joscelyn thought a few things. He thought Camelot was a wondrous place; it's people the most pleasant he had encountered in quite some time. He thought that Suffolk could have happy people too, if there were any other but Lughar ruling over it. He also thought of the promised manor and so told the Baron what the Baron wanted to hear. "Without a doubt, milord."

Lughar nodded, then watched the crowd for a few minutes before speaking again in one of those changing of subjects the secretary had grown used to in his duties. "The next set of gifts for my daughter, have they arrived yet?"

"Just last eve with the dispatches from Suffolk. I've had them made ready as you instructed and they are in my room until you need them."

"Excellent. Now all we need is another visit with Annalise."

Another few minutes passed quietly before the secretary decided to ask a question he had. "That smaller item, did that belong to Mistress Annalise's mother?"

"How perceptive, Joscelyn!" He turned to regard the other man with a nod. "Aye, she had it with her the first day Eustace and I saw her. It was about this time of year, in fact. We were both quite…smitten with her."

"Ah." Joscelyn licked his lips. He knew from past experience that the subject of the departed Eustace was tricky ground. "But he died and you won her hand."

"Yes. A hunting accident took poor brother Eustace. Quite tragic." Lughar smiled. "And I won more than her hand. I won all of her." He stood and put an arm on Joscelyn's shoulder. The secretary froze like a deer, words to beg forgiveness churning in his brain. But Lughar merely steered them away from the wall and out of the far side of the market. "Joscelyn, I grow bored. I need a diversion, some entertainment. Do you know how I am going to do that?"

"N-n-n-o milord Baron."

"Have you caught a chill, Joscelyn? Your hands are trembling? I hope you aren't coming down with something, for I require your discretion."

Giving a small relieved sigh, Joscelyn looked at his master. "What is it that you require of me, milord?"

"There's my man! Actually, it's not such an unpleasant duty. I think Camelot needs to be stirred up a bit, and doing so will mightily amuse me, I do believe. I want you and a few of our guard that you are certain are trustworthy to simply carouse around the taverns a bit, and slowly, ever so discretely, make a few comments to the right people and then point their minds in the proper direction. Not so terrible, heh?"

"No, milord, not terrible at all. Who are we to make these comments to, and what are they about?"

"Joscelyn, we are about to take up the cause of the poor oppressed apprentices. Here, this is what you must say…"

As they walked off back to Camelot Castle, he leaned closer and murmured so only Joscelyn could hear.