Summer Rain

Chapter 7: Lodi

5/1/1208

The king seems to be in a better disposition today, I suspect that he has found a new mistress to keep him happy since I do not seek him out. He grew upset after I started refusing him into my chambers...but I am jumping ahead of myself in my story after all a story has a beginning a middle and an end, does it not? So I had the best stick to telling my story in that order, no questions while I continue telling you my tale, my friend.

As I mentioned the king's right-hand man, who is also my spy, had informed me that the king had suspected me of adultery. I would say the King should look at him self-first if he is to start accusing anyone of adultery, but that doesn't seem to matter in this world. I never understood, why was it acceptable for the King to have lovers, and mistresses while The Queen was not? I know of one Queen who was rumored to have many lovers in her lifetime, but that might have been different because Queen Elizabeth "The Virgin Queen" never married. She ruled England and Ireland without a King. Besides, the only man that I want I can never be with, so long as John is king. I have thought about going to John and explaining to him that I would never cheat on him, but have thought better of this idea and have been trying to behave as a 'proper queen' would.

Today was the first of May, and the kingdom spent the day celebrating with games and funfair for all ages. I was asked to go out with my husband and partake in a few of the games to show the people that all was well with their leaders and that John cared about his people enough to come and partake in these festivities. My children were able to go and play with the other children in these games as well, and for once, my husband seemed to not mind that the children were playing with commoners or peasants. It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining down on us from the bright blue sky, with an early summer wind blowing gently down upon us. John was smiling and laughing and seemed to be genuinely happy today, it was an enjoyable relief from his most recent mood swing.

I was asked by some of the villagers to help pick a Queen May who would watch over the crops until they were harvested, I had to look to my husband for permission of course and when he said for me to go and enjoy my self I had to restrain my self from jumping up and down with joy. I hadn't been allowed to really interact with the common folk since our wedding and my coronation, making me Queen Consort. The villagers told me that I was to pick from a group of single ladies and to present her with a scepter, that was made out of corn husks and oak branches. I picked a young lady who was of average height, with soft features that were highlighted by her dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. The villagers seemed happy with my choice and then escorted the young lady to a makeshift throne on a small stage, where she was able to watch the games for the rest of the day until it was time for the maypole and the jumping over the fire festivities to begin. I have to admit I was slightly nervous about attending the May Day festival because of my husband's extreme hatred of Robin Hood, as you may recall friend that the May Day games were said to have originated from a time before Europe was Christianized, and one of the themes is to have a king Robin and a queen Marian. I couldn't remember at the time of the festival when that tradition took place, only later this evening did I recall that the king Robin and queen Marian were indeed during Elizabethan times, 1558-1603, and often recalled as the golden era of England, I needn't have worried about it.

The dancing around the Maypole was exciting, it is supposed to be only the single men and women grabbing a ribbon and dance opposite directions of each other, but I was once again asked to partake in this event, and since my husband was otherwise engaged in talking with one of his knights I decided to go ahead and accept their request, besides it was only dancing with the village folk what could possibly go wrong? The scene is still fresh in my mind, my children were nearby eating something that looked to be very messy, as it was all over their faces, a small band had stuck up a dancing tune and we had started to dance around the May Pole. Then I heard it, Robin's whistle, I thought nothing of it at first since it was springtime and there had been plenty of birds around flittering in and around the festival, but then I kept hearing it. A single thought ran through my head ROBIN! I couldn't believe what I was hearing or thinking, I had not seen Robin in over five years, since my marriage to Prince John. I tried to keep my composure as my brain tried to process this information, Robin here? I casually looked to where my husband had been and was relieved to see he was still deep in conversation, then I saw a familiar face in the crowd, or so I thought, for when I came back around the May Pole that face was gone.

I shook my head and thought to myself the heat must be getting to me, as soon as this dance was over I would go retire to the shade. But that face, it looked so much like Much, and that bird's call it just had to be Robin. What was he doing here though; did he not know my husband had a reward on his head, dead or alive? There was that whistle again, I would never know if my mind was playing tricks on me or not unless I tried answering that call. As the rest of the villagers were laughing and singing I replied to that Robin Red Breast call with the Cetti's Warblers, I was rewarded with another call of the Robin Red Breast, this time much closer than I had dared to hope for. I looked around I still couldn't see him, but I saw Will's face in the crowd this time, were they all here, and if so why?

Form directly behind me this time I heard the call I spun around only to find a villager, not Robin. My spirits fell, my mind had been playing tricks on me, how foolish I was to think that after years of refusing to hear from him that he would suddenly now show up out of the blue. I needed to get my head out of the clouds and back on the ground where it belonged. The ribbons were at an end and the tradition was that whoever you ended up being tied to was your lover for the night, after all the May Day festivals were that of fertility. Being the queen though I wasn't expected to participate in this part, my husband would have that man's head served on a silver platter, and I wasn't one to cheat on my husband, no matter how unhappy I was. I had to always remember it wasn't about me and my happiness, it was about Robin and keeping him alive so he could bring King Richard back from the crusades and restore peace back among the people, and maybe someday, bring me happiness by declaring Robin an Earl again and not an outlaw.

I had a young boy approach me after the couple started to wander off with each other saying that if I would please follow him that there was someone who wanted to see me. I thought that maybe one of the village ladies wanted something from me so I followed him, Robin still in the back of my mind. The young boy led me to a small hut near the back of the village away from the main part of the celebrations, he asked me to put a blindfold on so that it would be a surprise as to who wished to see me. I wasn't worried that it might be a trap; he was too sweet of a boy to be in with thugs. I let him lead me inside, and after a few moments of him leading me, he told me to stop where I was and wait. I heard some shuffling of furniture around and some whispers. Then I sensed, more than I heard, someone behind me. They reached up and untied my blindfold, I turned around and saw to my surprise Robin standing there!

I couldn't help myself and I forgot who I was and where I was for a few minutes, I threw myself into his arms and started kissing him. I had missed him so much, I missed his touch, his smile, his voice, everything about him I had missed. After a few intense moments, I came back down to earth and remembered who I was and where I was. I asked him what he was doing here, and if he realized that if he was seen here today, especially with me that he would be killed! He shouldn't be here it was too risky, had he lost his mind? I was glad that he was alive and seemed to be doing well, and I was overjoyed that I was here with him but I couldn't stay long, for if my husband found out I was missing we were all in trouble; and I couldn't jeopardize my children's lives. He told me he had to see me one last time before he left for the holy land to bring back King Richard and that he still loved me.