The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR5/CH3-Auriel's Birthday, and The Methods of Persephone

Despite many attempts to discover the exact whereabouts of her birthday gift, including a little enticement of her husband in the barn, the secret remained hidden until the day it was to be received. A blindfold was duly brought, to the great excitement of the children, and their Mama's eyes were covered.

Then Guy guided her to the rear of the stables, adjuring the children to say nothing as the gift came into view. Auriel heard the gasps of amazement, and felt her husbands fingers tighten around her hand before he whispered in her ear.

"Happy birthday my love," he said, as he uncovered her eyes.

For a moment or two she was blinded by the sun, but then she saw it, a beautiful wooden bedstead, with a carved head and foot. There was a feather mattress, pillows and a heavily embroidered quilt in rich reds and purples. A post at each corner supported a canopy of the same rich material, and she looked to Guy to ask from whence the new bed had come.

"The Master has fashioned this himself Mistress, " said Hywell, " and right hard he has worked on it too. Your Aunt and my Glenys worked on the covers, indeed my Glenys has not seen her bed until the early hours on many nights, along with your Aunt. What say you Mistress, is it not fine?"

"It is fine indeed," said Auriel, "and I shall doubtless sleep very well on it, if we can only get it into the house, and up the stairs! The bed we have was made inside our bedchamber, and it has served us well, the twins came first, and three of our little ones were conceived and then born in it."

" Mama, we're not Ghislaine and I conceived in this bed?" said Gheraint, looking a little puzzled. "If not, where then? Some other bed?"

Guy blushed to the roots of his hair before changing the subject rapidly.

"It comes apart with ease, lovely girl," he said to his wife, " I have planned and designed it so. It needs only to dismantle the old and you shall sleep like a queen. The wood will doubtless feed the fire for a few nights when winter comes, Elisabeth's boys will chop it and pile it up by the kitchen door."

Then he saw the sadness in her eyes.

"Chop it?" she said, "destroy the source of so much that is wonderful in our life? I'll not part with it. We have other chambers, still empty of furniture, surely it can go there? Then she continued, "It is a wonderful gift my darling," she said to Guy, who was scratching his head, and looking a mite discomfited. "I almost wish it were nightfall that I could lie in it now."

"Then you shall!" said Guy, lifting her into his arms and depositing her amongst the pillows, before lying down himself. Of course Aunt Gwyneth then clambered in alongside them, swiftly followed by the twins and Abigail. Beatrice immediately set off a great screeching, doubtless feeling left out of the group tomfoolery, and little Guy soon joined in when he realised his little legs could gain no purchase on the slippery coverlet.

There was much laughter as Guy leaned over, grasping the back of his small son's breeches, tugging him upwards. Gheraint then lifted Beatrice, and all the family were safely ' bedded'. Shortly after Glenys appeared, carrying both her daughter and a plate of her cheese scones, with Hywell carrying a tray of wine with great care, his new son under his arm.

"A fine birthday Mistress, " he said, raising his goblet, "and may you celebrate many more."

Auriel sighed and leaned back amidst the pillows, holding tightly to her husband's hand.

"Wonderful," she said, " just wonderful, and just the place for making more fine children," and as Guy turned to look at her she said, "Oh yes, my sweet man, there will be more, you have my word on it. If there is a way, I shall learn it, and bring the knowledge home with me. They will be conceived in this fine bed, fashioned by their father's skilled hands, and then be born safely in it."